The Natural Anti-Gal Antibody as Foe Turned Friend in Medicine provides a comprehensive review of the natural anti-Gal antibody, which is the most abundant antibody in humans constituting ~1% of immunoglobulins and the carbohydrate antigen it recognizes, the a-gal epitope. It discusses the discovery of this antigen/antibody system, its evolution in mammals, the pathological effects of this antibody, and its possible use in various therapies in humans. Most significantly, the book discusses microbial and regenerative therapies in which an antibody present in all humans may be harnessed as an in vivo pharmaceutical agent that enables a wide variety of therapies. Some of these therapies are described as experimental studies that are compiled in this book, other already studied therapies in the area of cancer immunotherapy are also included in this book.

This issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics, guest edited by Mariana Castells, is devoted to Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitizations. Articles in this issue include: Principles and Practice of Drug Desensitization; Incidence and Prevalence of Drug Hypersensitivity; Drug-Induced Anaphylaxis; Penicillin and Beta Lactam Hypersensitivity; Platins Chemotherapy Hypersensitivity: Prevalence and Management; Monoclonal Antibodies Hypersensitivity: Prevalence and Management; Injectable Drugs and MoAbs Reactions and Management with Desensitization; Delayed Cutaneous Reactions to Antibiotics, Management with Desensitization; Management of Children with Hypersensitivity to Antibiotics and MoAbs; Taxenes Hypersensitivity and Management; Progesterone Autoimmune Dermatitis; Severe Delayed Drug Reaction: Role of Genetics and Viral Infections; andAspirin and NSAIDS Hypersensitivity and Management.

G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Immune Response and Regulation, Volume 136 presents emerging concepts related to the role of GPCRs in immune response and regulation. Users will find updated chapters on a variety of topics, including Beta-adrenergic signaling in the onset and progression of asthma, the Emerging roles of Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins in the immune system, information on Kinin receptors in immune response and pathogenic infections, and sections on GPCR signaling in C. elegans and its implications in immune response, GPCR Kinases in Inflammatory response and signaling, and GRK2 in Inflammation: Regulation of T cell receptors and IgE signaling. Chapters in this book discuss not only the well-known aspects of GPCR signaling in immunology, but also presents many emerging paradigms that have not yet been reported in classical textbooks. Each chapter presents a forward-looking discussion, providing a glimpse of the tremendous potential associated with the specific receptor systems discussed.

Tumor-Induced Immune Suppression - Prospects and Progress in Mechanisms and Therapeutic Reversal presents a comprehensive overview of large number of different mechanisms of immune dysfunction in cancer and therapeutic approaches to their correction. This includes the number of novel mechanisms that has never before been discussed in previous monographs. The last decades were characterized by substantial progress in the understanding of the role of the immune system in tumor progression. Researchers have learned how to manipulate the immune system to generate tumor specific immune response, which raises high expectations for immunotherapy to provide breakthroughs in cancer treatment. It is increasingly clear that tumor-induced abnormalities in the immune system not only hampers natural tumor immune surveillance, but also limits the effect of cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, it is critically important to understand the mechanisms of tumor-induced immune suppression to make any progress in the field and this monograph provides these important insights.

This issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics, guest edited by Mariana Castells, is devoted to Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitizations. Articles in this issue include: Principles and Practice of Drug Desensitization; Incidence and Prevalence of Drug Hypersensitivity; Drug-Induced Anaphylaxis; Penicillin and Beta Lactam Hypersensitivity; Platins Chemotherapy Hypersensitivity: Prevalence and Management; Monoclonal Antibodies Hypersensitivity: Prevalence and Management; Injectable Drugs and MoAbs Reactions and Management with Desensitization; Delayed Cutaneous Reactions to Antibiotics, Management with Desensitization; Management of Children with Hypersensitivity to Antibiotics and MoAbs; Taxenes Hypersensitivity and Management; Progesterone Autoimmune Dermatitis; Severe Delayed Drug Reaction: Role of Genetics and Viral Infections; andAspirin and NSAIDS Hypersensitivity and Management.

Treating cancer has always been a major challenge. Although great strides in treatment have taken place in recent years, all too often current treatments are less than effective, or patients relapse. Newer methods of cancer treatment, namely targeted therapy and immunotherapy have generated great excitement in the scientific community. These newer methods of cancer treatment hold promise for patients who otherwise may have few options. Using the principles of health literacy, this updated edition includes many new therapies and describes the essential features of cancer treatments available to the general public in an engaging and stimulating manner. A simple, question/answer format and the use of illustrations, tables, charts, and boxes that highlight definitions, facts, and website links provide more detailed information. Features: Provides questions and answers about the characteristics of cancer, diagnosis, classifications, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, adoptive cell therapy, new developments, and more Cites many new therapies and includes numerous in-text Web links to information at the National Institutesof Health, the National Cancer Institute, journals, and other online sources Uses animations, practical tips, charts and tables, figures, and photos to explain topics under discussion.

This book details the most comprehensive, up-to -date, and cutting-edge protocols used in wet and dry labs to investigate the viral communities harbored within and on the human body. Chapters guide readers through methods on collection, isolation, identification and computational/statistical analysis, and body niches to cover those methodological issues inherent to the human tissues and organs. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, The Human Virome: Methods and Protocols aims to facilitate researchers with their daily work in the field of the research on the human virome.

Rare and Interesting Cases in Pulmonary Medicine provides a look into the uncommon diseases encountered in the field of pulmonary medicine. Using a case-based approach, the book provides clinical scenarios that include relevant accompanying radiology and pathology. Also included are frequently asked questions for each area, as well as a diagnosis and summary, presenting the reader with the most high yield information on each topic. Appropriate for medical students, residents, fellows, and physicians interested in pulmonary medicine, the case-based approach to each topic allows accessibility to the uncommon diseases of the field while also highlighting high yield and important points.

This book collects and reviews, for the first time, a wide range of advances in the area of human aging biomarkers. This accumulated data allows researchers to assess the rate of aging processes in various organs and systems, and to individually monitor the effectiveness of therapies intended to slow aging. In an introductory chapter, the editor defines biomarkers of aging as molecular, cellular and physiological parameters that demonstrate reproducible changes - quantitative or qualitative - with age. The introduction recounts a study which aimed to create a universal model of biological age, whose most predictive parameters were albumin and alkaline phosphatase (indication liver function), glucose (metabolic syndrome), erythrocytes (respiratory function) and urea (renal function). The book goes on to describe DNA methylation, known as the "epigenetic clock," as currently the most comprehensive predictor of total mortality. It is also useful for predicting mortality from cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and for analyzing the effects of lifestyle factors including diet, exercise, and education. Individual contributions draw additional insight from research on genetics and epigenetic aging markers, and immunosenescence and inflammaging markers. A concluding chapter outlines the challenge of integrating of biological and clinical markers of aging. Biomarkers of Human Aging is written for professionals and practitioners engaged in the study of aging, and will be useful to both advanced students and researchers.

Zebrafish at the Interface of Development and Disease Research presents the latest on the shared pathways that govern development and contribute to disease. Zebrafish have traditionally been used to study vertebrate development, providing interesting data on the developmental processes and genes that are implicated in disease. This new release in the series contains informative discussions on congenital heart defects in zebrafish, the use of zebrafish in studying kidney development and disease, and muscle development, homeostasis and disease in zebrafish. Each chapter interweaves the study of zebrafish development and its application to the immune system, the kidney, liver, heart and others.

Expanding from the classic use of immunosuppressants in transplantation and rejection, this current overview highlights their new roles in clinical medicine. Immunosuppressants are at the forefront of new treatment modalities. Individual chapters focus on their use not only in prevention or treatment of transplant rejection, but also on their use in immune-complex and autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis; on combination therapies to achieve synergy in immunosuppression; on new drugs, low molecular weight chemicals, the use of antibodies and gene therapy; on immunological tolerance to prevent or inhibit transplant rejection; and how data derived from transplant studies can be applied to other avenues of immunosuppression. Clinicians and researchers will appreciate the scope of the work and the presentation of new approaches in the rapidly developing field of immunosuppression.

This issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America, guest edited by Dr. Rohit Katial, is devoted to Severe Asthma. Articles in this issue include: Epidemiology and Pulmonary Physiology of Severe Asthma; Linkage and Genetic Associations in Severe Asthma; Asthma COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS); Biomarkers in Severe Asthma; Imaging in Severe Asthma; Eosinophilic Phenotype; Neutrophilic and Pauci-immune Phenotypes; Role of Sleep Apnea and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Severe Asthma; Role of Small Airways in Severe Asthma; Chronic Infection and Severe Asthma; Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Aspirin Associated Respiratory Disease; Psychosocial Factors in Severe Asthma; Traditional Therapies for Severe Asthma; and Emerging Biologics for Severe Asthma.

This issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America, guest edited by Dr. Jonathan A. Bernstein, is devoted to Rhinitis. Articles in this issue include: Rhinitis Subtypes, Endotypes, and Definitions; Allergic Rhinitis: Burden of Illness, Quality of Life and Control; Allergic Rhinitis: Mechanisms of Action; Allergic Rhinitis: Diagnosis; Allergic Rhinitis: Treatment; Non-allergic Rhinitis: Mechanism of Action; Non-allergic Rhinitis: Diagnosis; Non-allergic Rhinitis: Treatment; Localized Allergic Rhinitis; Occupational Rhinitis; Rhinitis in the Elderly; Complications of Rhinitis; Allergic Rhinitis: Environmental Determinants; Non-allergic Rhinitis: Environmental Determinants; and Novel, Alternative, and Controversial Therapies.

This volume presents a broad selection of cutting-edge methods and tools that will enable the reader to investigate the multi-faceted manifestations of inflammation. Inflammation: Methods and Protocols is divided into four sections: the first three sections describe protocols investigating immune-mediated inflammatory disease models affecting barrier organs to the environment; the skin, the lung, and the intestinal and oral mucosa. The fourth section illustrates inflammatory disease models of the brain, joints, and vasculature. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Inflammation: Methods and Protocols aims to inspire the experienced investigator and the young experimenter alike to disentangle the fascinating process of inflammation.

This issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America, Guest Edited by Anthony Montanaro, MD, is devoted to Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders. Dr. Montanaro has assembled a group of expert authors to review the following topics: Overview of Immunodeficiency Disorder; Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disorder; Specific Antibody Deficiencies; Common Variable Immunodeficiency; Pulmonary Manifestations of Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders; Approach to the Child with Recurrent Infections; Immunoglobulin Treatment for Primary Immunodeficiency; Bone Marrow Transplantation for Primary Immunodeficiency; and Autoimmune Manifestations of Primary Immunodeficiency.

This book gathers selected peer-reviewed papers presented at the Second International Conference on Infectious Diseases and Nanomedicine (ICIDN), held in Kathmandu, Nepal on December 15-18, 2015. It also includes invited papers from the leading experts in the related fields. The book highlights the importance of "Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research for Innovation in the Biomedical Sciences," the motto of the ICIDN conference. In particular, it addresses interdisciplinary scientific approaches for systematic understanding of the biology of major human infectious diseases and their treatment regimes by applying the tools and techniques of nanotechnology. It also provides cutting-edge information on infectious diseases and nanomedicine, focusing on various aspects of emerging infectious diseases: cellular and molecular microbiology; epidemiology and infectious disease surveillance; antimicrobials, vaccines and alternatives; drug design, drug delivery and tissue engineering; nanomaterials and biomedical materials.

Twenty years ago, the idea that Alzheimer's disease (AD) involved any sort of inflammatory or immune component seemed implausible. Now, there are hundreds of laboratories world-wide that are pursuing basic research in this area, and multi-site clinical trials are underway. How this dramatic sea-change came about is made clear in this book, both through overviews of the field and through focused papers on specific topics of recent interest. Complement, cytokines and the complex host of other acute phase reactants are covered, as are summaries of many epidemiologic and clinical-pathological findings. Written by established investigators who have led neuroinflammatory research for two decades, this volume particularly emphasizes correlations between inflammatory phenomena in the brains of AD patients with findings of the "classic" approach, such as pathophysiologic effects of amyloid b peptide. The book documents and synthesizes earlier and recent findings in AD to help a broad range of scientists in gaining a broader and more comprehensive knowledge of the complexities AD presents. In addition, many of the concepts and results that have emerged from AD inflammation research may have implications for other neurologic disorders that involve inflammatory components, including multiple sclerosis and stroke.

This book describes modern biophysical techniques that enable us to understand and examine dynamic processes of infection at the molecular level. Cutting-edge research articles, laboratory protocols, case studies and up-to-date reviews cover topics such as single-molecule observation of DNA replication repair pathways in E. coli; evolution of drug resistance in bacteria; restriction enzymes as barriers to horizontal gene transfer in Staphylococcus aureus; infectious and bacterial pathogen biofilms; killing infectious pathogens through DNA damage; bacterial surfaces in host-pathogen interactions; bacterial gene regulation by riboswitches; transcription regulation in enterobacterial pathogens; the bacterial flagellar motor; initial surface colonization by bacteria; Salmonella Typhi host restrictions; as well as monitoring proton motive force in bacteria; microbial pathogens using digital holography; mathematical modelling of microbial pathogen motility; neutron reflectivity in studying bacterial membranes; force spectroscopy in studying infection and 4D multi-photon imaging to investigate immune responses. The focus is on the development and application of complex techniques and protocols at the interface of life sciences and physics, which increase the physiological relevance of biophysical investigations.

This issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America, Guest Edited by Amy D. Klion, MD and Princess U. Ogbogu, MD, is devoted to Eosinophil-Associated Disorders. Drs. Klion and Ogbogu have assembled a group of expert authors to review the following topics: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis of Persistent Marked Eosinophilia; Spectrum of Eosinophilic End Organ Manifestations; Eosinophilia in GI disorders; Eosinophilia in Hematologic Disorders; Eosinophilia in Rheumatologic/Vascular Disorders; Eosinophilia in Pulmonary Disorders; Eosinophilia in Infectious Diseases; Eosinophilia associated with Immune Deficiency and Immune Dysregulation; Eosinophilia in Dermatologic disorders; Management of Hypereosinophilic Syndromes; and Novel Therapies for Eosinophilic Disorders.

As bone marrow transplant treatments and chemotherapy develop, the population of neutropenic cancer patients is on the rise. These developments are allowing patients to live longer, but in recent years, they have also led to an increase in previously rare infections and syndromes, whose management is unfamiliar to the average healthcare professional. Infections in Neutropenic Cancer Patients is a crucial resource for medical students, residents, practitioners, health professionals, and researchers. It details the clinical presentation, diagnoses, and management of an array of common infections and syndromes specific to neutropenic cancer patients, including real scenarios accompanied by color photos and radiographic results. Chapters include step-by-step tutorials, access to clinical answers on diagnosis and treatment, and a tabulated summary of the key points.