This volume provides in-depth reviews of model systems that exemplify the arms race in host-pathogen interactions. Somatic adaptations are responsible for the individualization of biological responses to the environment, and the continual struggle between host immune systems and invading pathogens has given rise to corresponding processes that produce molecular variation. Whether in mollusks or human beings, various host somatic mechanisms have evolved independently, providing responses to counter rapidly-changing pathogens. The pathways they utilize can include non-heritable changes involving RNA and post-translational modifications, or changes that produce somatic DNA recombination and mutation. For infectious organisms such as protozoans and flatworms, antigenic variation is central to their survival strategy. Evolving the ability to evade the host immune system not only increases their chances of survival but is also necessary for successful re-infection within the host population.

ISPP2009, the 13th International Symposium on Phototrophic Prokaryotes, was held in Montreal, Canada, from August 9 to August 14. This was only the second time that the ISPP series was in North America. ISPP2009 was well attended with about 280 registered participants from over 30 countries. A stimulating and inf- mative program showcased the recent developments in this ever-evolving eld. This is always one of my favourite conference series to attend because not only does it inform my speci c research passions, it broadly educates me in ways that improve my teaching and increase my breadth of understanding in a variety of outside areas. Indeed, the ISPP series brings together a broad spectrum of interests, techniques, and disciplines. Both established researchers and newcomers to this eld gave oral presentations in a large number (80) of plenary and parallel symposia sessions which proved to have active audience participation and lively discussions. A large number of excellent poster presentations supplemented the oral program. I think that the high quality of the scienti c presentations, as well as the enjoyable social events, was widely appreciated. Things ran very smoothly, from the original registration to the closing ceremony, thanks to Isabel Stengler and her team at IS Event Solutions.

This Methods in Molecular Biology book offers methods for studying inflammasome function, including generation of inflammasome stimuli, monitoring of caspase-1 activity and processing, activation of IL-1 cytokines, plus lab protocols, material lists and tips.

Matters of Sport is a tribute to Eric Dunning, the leading sports sociologist in the English-speaking world. This book addresses Dunning's contributions to the sociological and historical study of sport, covering key topics such as hooliganism, celebrity and gender relations.

A broad range of leading academics from Europe and North America reflect on the ways in which Dunning's work has influenced their own research and understanding of sport.

This volume was previously published as a special issue of the journal Sport in Society.

Interleukins are a family of proteins that regulate the maturation, diff- entiation, or activation of cells involved in immunity and inflammation, and belong to a broader family termed cytokines. Collectively these proteins are the key orchestrators of host defense and the response to tissue injury. There are currently 23 different interleukins (numbered from IL-1 to IL-23), although the full extent of the interleukin family will only become clear upon analysis of the human genome sequence. Most important, interleukins are central to the pathogenesis of a wide range of diseases that involve an immune com- nent, including such conditions as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, and asthma. Interleukins have also been imp- cated in other conditions, including cancer, migraine, myocardial infarction, and depression. In essence, when cells are activated by interleukins, a program of gene expression is initiated in the target cell that alters the cell's phenotype, leading to enhanced immune reactivity, inflammation, and/or proliferation. Interleukins are therefore at the core of the cellular basis for many diseases. They are the subject of intense investigation by biomedical researchers and the targeting or use of interleukins in the clinic is proceeding apace. Approaches such as t- geting IL-4 in asthma or IL-1 in joint disease are being pursued, and it is likely that in the next 5-10 years a number of new therapies based on either inhib- ing or administering interleukins will be available.

Enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) has been known for some time as a unique state-of-the-art technique for studying the cytokine-secreting activity of immune system cells, and it appears to be one of the fast growing applications in biomedical research, becoming an indispensable tool in vaccine development, HIV research, transplantation studies, and cancer and allergy research. The second edition of Handbook of ELISPOT: Methods and Protocols, only the second book in the field which is entirely dedicated to ELISPOT assay, shares the detailed techniques that have been developed since the release of the popular first edition. Straight from the labs of seasoned experts, this book covers setting and performing ELISPOT assays, ELISPOT for veterinary research, advanced ELISPOT techniques, image and data analysis, as well as vaccine development and diagnostics. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective chapters, 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, Handbook of ELISPOT: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition serves as a compilation of a technical reference and a troubleshooting guide for researchers, both experienced and novice, worldwide in order to advance the usage of this key tool.

W. B. Harrison, B. A. C. Dijkmans During the last decade intervention has been instituted for all kinds of disease- even in a premorbid state, as early as possible, to control the activity of the disease, to avoid further damage and to maintain quality of life. Apart from the principle 'Treat now, not later," emphasis is laid on aggressive initial therapy. These adagia have influenced in recent times all fields of medicine, from oncology to infectious diseases and also - the topic of the present edition - the "autoimmune diseases." As an example of the latter, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) demonstrates how the attitude of physicians has been changed. From an expectant point of view in the eighties (primum nil nocere) the attitude has been changed, as we approached and entered the new millennium, to initial ag gressive therapy especially in patients with a poor prognosis. Despite the advance of instituting monotherapy with a single optimised disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) - with methotrexate as prototype agent in RA - adequate disease re mission is not often achieved, and adverse events may well prevent the use of higher dosages of the single agent in question. Therefore, the next step was to combine two or more DMARDs. The choice of combining DMARDs can be purely practical and based upon the anti-rheumatics most used in daily practice, for instance methotrexate and sulphasalazine. The choice of combining drugs can be influenced by different toxicity patterns to avoid cumulative toxicity."

Immune Mechanisms in Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a highly, concise update of the most recent advances in the immunobiology, genetics and microbiology related to Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This book broadly treats the topics that lead to understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease in an organized, systematic approach.

The understanding of the role of dendritic cells (DCs) in immune responses has come a long way since Steinmann and colleagues described these cells in 1972. - tensive research during the intervening period has provided a good understanding of the complexity of the DC system and its pivotal role in immunity. It is also now clearer how different subsets of DCs interact and regulate each other and how DC populations affect the function of other cells of the immune system. The improved understanding of their role in immune response has led to the idea that modulation of DC functions by, for example, pharmacological agents could be used as a pot- tial therapeutic approach in some pathological conditions. The actual applicability and therapeutic potential of all these approaches is yet to be fully demonstrated but nonetheless, animal models of human diseases are proving to be very helpful in the evaluation of manipulated DCs as a new treatment in diseases like cancer, auto- munity or asthma. DCs are integral to the initiation and regulation of immune response (Banchereau et al. 2000). The outcome of antigen presentation by DCs is determined by their maturation status, which can be induced by their interaction with danger signals. To recognise a wide array of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP), DCs express a number of pattern recognition receptors (PRR) such as Toll-like rec- tors (TLRs) and C-type lectin receptors (CLR) that recognise structural components of pathogens and discriminate between self and non-self molecules.

Integrating Population Outcomes, Biological Mechanisms and Research Methods in the Study of Human Milk and Lactation is the product of the 10th Conference of the International Society for Research on Human Milk and Lactation, held on September 15-19, 2000, in Tucson, Arizona. The presented sessions at the meeting are as diverse as the volume itself. These sessions include the impact of micronutrient deficiencies during lactation on maternal and infant health, the premature infant, developmental immunology, breastfeeding in the industrialized world, and viral transmission in milk. Whenever possible, the sessions were organized to include human population research, research showing the biological underpinnings of the effects on human health, and important methodological issues. This volume is a contemporary and influential tool for human milk biologists, breastfeeding epidemiologists, biochemists, immunologists, clinical specialists, and all professionals and researchers in the field.

This book provides an essential update on the startling array of novel insecticidal toxins and drugs produced by the fascinating bacterium Photorhabdus. The respective chapters describe everything from the detailed molecular biology of the 'Toxin complexes' or Tc's to the complexity of insect immune response in relation to both the bacterium and its nematode vector. The volume covers both primary (toxin production and regulation) and secondary (natural product synthesis and regulation) metabolism and emphasises the potential use of toxins and drugs in both agriculture and medicine. It also discusses in detail two totally novel quorum sensing mechanisms and the likely role of LuxR solos in sensing the presence of different bacterial hosts. Lastly, the book explores the unique case of P. asymbiotica, which seems to have evolved the ability to infect both insects and humans. This synthesis proves that Photorhabdus truly does offer a 'gold mine' for the discovery of novel insecticidal proteins and novel natural products with potential uses in agriculture and medicine alike.

Whole new areas of immunological research are emerging from the analysis of experimental data, going beyond statistics and parameter estimation into what an applied mathematician would recognise as modelling of dynamical systems. Stochastic methods are increasingly important, because stochastic models are closer to the Brownian reality of the cellular and sub-cellular world.

Seventeen years after its initial description, nuclear factor-KB (NF-KB) endures as one of the most studied transcription factors. NF-KB has attracted widespread interest based on the variety of stimuli that activate it, the diverse genes and bio logical responses that it controls, the striking evolutionary conservation of struc ture and function among species, and its involvement in a variety of human diseases. The biochemical basis by which several stimuli converge to activate NF-KB has been largely elucidated during recent years. While first discovered as a key regulatory factor of the immune system, NF-KB is now recognized as an important player in the functioning of many organs and cell types. The ongoing examination of NF-KB signaling has revealed its ever expanding role in immune and inflammatory responses, but also in cancer and development. For this reason, numerous efforts are underway to develop safe inhibitors of NF-KB to be used in the treatment of both chronic and acute disease situations. The present book is the first to review and synthesize our knowledge of this interesting transcription factor. As such, the choice of subjects to review was daunting. To set the stage, an introductory chapter on activators and target genes, as well as the role they play in several responses, has been included."

Complex molecular mechanisms involving microbiology and immunology define the host-pathogen relationship. These mechanisms can be the basis for new drugs and vaccine design. This book provides information on the molecular interactions between host cell organelles and pathogens, which have developed strategies to survive within infected cells. Chapters are grouped into five sections: I. Endocytosis and phagocytosis. Collectively, the chapters of this section review basic knowledge regarding intracellular organelles are involved in membrane interactions with pathogen-containing vacuoles. II. Professional and non-professional phagocytes. Here the authors describe the major differences between the two host cell types, which can be infected by microorganisms. III. Maturation pathways of bacteria-containing vacuoles. Molecular interactions between vacuoles and intracellular organelles leading to the search of the Holy Grail, the replication niche, are described. IV. Host response. Host cells are able to react against intruders and eventually mount host responses. In these chapters the various types of host response mechanisms against intracellular intruders are reviewed. V. knowledge of bacteria-host cell interactions will be acquired fast enough to find the necessary tools for controlling microorganism development. This comprehensive book should appeal to scientists interested in cell biology, microbiology and immunology, as well as to clinically-oriented investigators concerned with infectious diseases.

The knowledge of Th17 cells and other cell populations which secrete IL-17A, and/or IL-22 has expanded tremendously since the publication of the first edition "Th17 Cells: Role in Inflammation and Autoimmune Disease" in 2008. The present volume has been completely revised with the addition of new chapters on the IL-17 receptor family and signaling, and an in-depth review of IL-22 and innate lymphoid cells. The differentiation of na ve T cells into regulatory T cells and Th17 cells as well as the plasticity of Th17 cells is discussed. The role of IL-22 in cutaneous inflammation including psoriasis has been reviewed. In addition, the volume contains critical updates on autoimmunity, organ transplantation, tumor immunology and genetic mouse models for mechanistic studies. Lastly, the latest clinical progress in neutralizing antibodies to IL-17A, IL-17RA not only confirms the therapeutic promise foreseen in 2008, but also improves our knowledge of the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In summary, this is a timely update and important review of the clinical and experimental aspects of IL-17, IL-22 and their producing cells.

 TOR, the Target of Rapamycin was discovered a little over ten years ago in a genetic screen in S. cerevisiae in search of mutants resistant to the cytostatic effects of the antimycotic, rapamycin. Recent studies have placed TOR at the interface between nutrient sensing and the regulation of major anbolic and catabolic responses. The editors have gathered the leading figures in the field of TOR and its role in cellular homeostasis and human diseases.

Our own experience shows that there is no simple, yet of good scientific and clinical quality guide for practitioners and patients on gastrointestinal diseases. In the proposed book we will cover a vast area in the field, from GI tract physiology to disease diagnosis and treatment, in a comprehensive and approachable manner. The guide will not replace online resources (often used by patients) or specialized editions addressing experienced medical doctors, but rather fill the gap between those two. Our aim is to design this book so that it appeals to a wider audience; yet - if needed - encourages to explore the field further.

Unlike detecting constitutively expressed targets, immunohistochemical detection of labile, low abundance, and short-lived signal transduction molecules can be a very difficult task. In Signal Transduction Immunohistochemistry: Methods and Protocols, IHC experts contribute detailed protocols addressing the numerous challenges of signal-transduction immunohistochemistry (ST-IHC). Beginning with a set of introductory chapters, the volume moves on to cover techniques used for the preservation of antigens and their unmasking, protocols in digital imaging and image analysis of stained cells and tissues, high-throughput data collection and data analysis, and techniques used in neuroscience as well as cancer and stem cell research. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include brief 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 practical, Signal Transduction Immunohistochemistry: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for novices and as a bastion of inspiring ideas to be exploited by experienced researchers on the lookout for new experimental tricks and hints.

This book presents a detailed overview of the development of new viral vector-based vaccines before discussing two major applications: preventive vaccines for infectious diseases and therapeutic cancer vaccines. Viral vector-based vaccines hold a great potential for development into successful pharmaceutical products and several examples at the advanced pre-clinical or clinical stage are presented. Nevertheless, the most efforts were focused on novel and very innovative technologies for new generation of vector-based vaccines. Furthermore, specific topics such as delivery and adjuvant and protection strategies for cell-mediated-based vaccines are presented. Given its scope, the book is a "must read" for all those involved in vaccine development, both in academia and industrial vaccine development.

In recent years, major developments have increased understanding of various genetic and epigenetic regulatory processes that are critical for the generation of B cell repertoires. These include the role of chromatin regulation and nuclear organization in understating the IgH gene regulation. These proceedings highlight recent developments in lymphocyte development, Ig gene rearrangements and somatic hypermutation, chromatin structure modification, B lymphocyte signaling and fate, receptor editing, and autoimmunity.

In 2020, an invisible germ-a virus-wholly upended our lives. We're most familiar with the viruses that give us colds or Covid-19. But viruses also cause a vast range of other diseases, including one disorder that makes people sprout branch-like growths as if they were trees. Viruses have been a part of our lives for so long that we are actually part virus: the human genome contains more DNA from viruses than our own genes. Meanwhile, scientists are discovering viruses everywhere they look: in the soil, in the ocean, even in deep caves miles underground. Fully revised and updated, with new illustrations and a new chapter about coronaviruses and the spread of Covid-19, this third edition of Carl Zimmer's A Planet of Viruses pulls back the veil on this hidden world. It presents the latest research on how viruses hold sway over our lives and our biosphere, how viruses helped give rise to the first life-forms, how viruses are producing new diseases, how we can harness viruses for our own ends, and how viruses will continue to control our fate as long as life endures

Victor P. Bulgakov, Yuri N. Shkryl, Galina N. Veremeichik, Tatiana Y. Gorpenchenko and Yuliya V. Vereshchagina: Recent Advances in the Understanding of Agrobacterium rhizogenes-Derived Genes and Their Effects on Stress Resistance and Plant Metabolism. Le Zhao, Guy W. Sander and Jacqueline V. Shanks: Perspectives of the Metabolic Engineering of Terpenoid Indole Alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus Hairy Roots. Jian Wen Wang and Jian Yong Wu: Effective Elicitors and Process Strategies for Enhancement of Secondary Metabolite Production in Hairy Root Cultures. Amanda R. Stiles and Chun-Zhao Liu: Hairy Root Culture: Bioreactor Design and Process Intensification. Marina Skarjinskaia, Karen Ruby, Adriana Araujo, Karina Taylor, Vengadesan Gopalasamy-Raju, Konstantin Musiychuk, Jessica A. Chichester, Gene A. Palmer, Patricia de la Rosa, Vadim Mett, Natalia Ugulava, Stephen J. Streatfield and Vidadi Yusibov: Hairy Roots as a Vaccine Production and Delivery System. Zahwa Al-Shalabi and Pauline M. Doran: Metal Uptake and Nanoparticle Synthesis in Hairy Root Cultures.

Blood Cell Biochemistry was initially conceived as part of the Plenum series Subcellular Biochemistry, from which it has developed into a separate series. The present volume is devoted primarily to contributions on megakaryocytes and platelets and, to a lesser extent, to macrophages and eosinophils. The book does not attempt a rigorous or total coverage of the particular topics; it represents the areas of current scientific activity and interest that were selected by the editor at the commencement of this project. In general, the approach has been similar to that adopted for Volume 1 of the series (Erythroid Cells); the same approach will be followed subsequently in Volume 3 (Lymphocytes and Granulocytes). This book opens with a developmentally oriented chapter by Janine Breton-Gorius on megakaryocyte maturation and platelet release in normal conditions, which serves to set the scene ultrastructurally for much of the data that follow. The biosynthesis and process ing of platelet glycoproteins in megakaryocytes is dealt with by Alain Duperray and his colleagues, and thereby provides an in-depth biochemical survey of the megakaryocyte. The applications and strengths of crossed immunoelectrophoresis for the study of platelet membrane proteins is then covered by Simon Karpatkin, and a detailed account of the heredity disorders of platelet function is provided by Francine Rendu and Evelyne Dupuy."