The localized attachment of circulating leukocytes to endothelium has been recognized as the cellular hallmark of the inflammatory response. This adhesive interaction, a necessary antecedent to the emigration of leukocytes from the blood into the tissues, is mediated by vascular adhesion molecules. Leukocyte Recruitment, Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecules and Transcriptional Control: Insights for Drug Discovery outlines some of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of inflammation with contributions from top researchers. This volume provides an overview of three of these endothelial adhesion molecules, as examples of key mediators of leukocyte recruitment. It reviews the structure and regulation of these cell surface proteins and focus on the rapidly expanding field of transcriptional regulation of these inducible proteins, and closes with a discussion of drug discovery possibilities that target the regulation of leukocyte recruitment. This book will be of interest for any researchers, in academia or industry, looking for an overview of leukocyte recruitment or novel approaches to drug discovery.

Beyond Brain Death offers a provocative challenge to one of the most widely accepted conclusions of contemporary bioethics: the position that brain death marks the death of the human person. Eleven chapters by physicians, philosophers, and theologians present the case against brain-based criteria for human death. Each author believes that this position calls into question the moral acceptability of the transplantation of unpaired vital organs from brain-dead patients who have continuing function of the circulatory system. One strength of the book is its international approach to the question: contributors are from the United States, the United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, and Japan. This book will appeal to a wide audience, including physicians and other health care professionals, philosophers, theologians, medical sociologists, and social workers.

The era of molecular pathology has arrived. From its promising beg- nings in research laboratories, the field has grown, and continues to grow, to become a vital part of the care of an ever-increasing number of patients. Because of its recent emergence from the research taboratory, many molecuIar pathology protocols we still to be found in the primary litcramre, and have not appeared in a text. MO~PCU~Q~ Padhoiogy Protocob contains la- ratory protocoIs that have been developed by many of the authors for use in clinical molecular pathology laboratories and describe in detail Row to perform these assays. This book is therefore intended for clinical laboratory use by medical technologists and pathologists. It will dso be of interest to research workers who are performing these assays. In its broadest meaning, pathology is the study of disease, and therefore it follows that any disease for which the molecular basis is understood would be suitable as a topic for inclusion in this work. When seiecting protocols, it was necessary to place limits on the number of chapters that could be feasibly presented in a single work. Those protoculs that were selected are performed more frequently, or have achieved recognition as having important diagnostic utility in contemporary practice. A decision was made to exclude inherited genetic diseases with certain exceptions, such as those diseases that are associated with thrombotic states and are part of the traditional dumain of pathology.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a distinctive abnormality of small cerebral blood vessels, one that has intrigued neuroscientists for decades. The time seems right for a book which examines the phenomenon of CAA using a multifaceted approach: What does it produce clinically? How might CAA be imaged? What are the crucial biochemical/cellular events within cerebral vessel walls that lead to CAA? How can in vitro or transgenic experimental systems be used to understand the etiology of, or even potential treatments for, CAA? The editors have assembled key figures in the field of CAA research to examine these (and other) questions in a series of focused chapters that address specific issues of importance in understanding CAA and its clinical manifestations. Comprehending the biology and pathogenesis of this fascinating vascular lesion may even provide clues to less common forms of cerebral microvascular disease that have been recognized for decades (hypertensive microangiopathy) or more recently (CADASIL).

For more than 100 years, Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods has been recognized as the premier text in clinical laboratory medicine, widely used by both clinical pathologists and laboratory technicians. Leading experts in each testing discipline clearly explain procedures and how they are used both to formulate clinical diagnoses and to plan patient medical care and long-term management. Employing a multidisciplinary approach, it provides cutting-edge coverage of automation, informatics, molecular diagnostics, proteomics, laboratory management, and quality control, emphasizing new testing methodologies throughout. Remains the most comprehensive and authoritative text on every aspect of the clinical laboratory and the scientific foundation and clinical application of today's complete range of laboratory tests. Updates include current hot topics and advances in clinical laboratory practices, including new and extended applications to diagnosis and management. New content covers next generation mass spectroscopy (MS), coagulation testing, next generation sequencing (NGS), transfusion medicine, genetics and cell-free DNA, therapeutic antibodies targeted to tumors, and new regulations such as ICD-10 coding for billing and reimbursement. Emphasizes the clinical interpretation of laboratory data to assist the clinician in patient management. Organizes chapters by organ system for quick access, and highlights information with full-color illustrations, tables, and diagrams. Provides guidance on error detection, correction, and prevention, as well as cost-effective test selection. Includes a chapter on Toxicology and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring that discusses the necessity of testing for therapeutic drugs that are more frequently being abused by users. Enhanced eBook version included with purchase. Your enhanced eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices.

This state-of-the-art review on longevity focuses on centenarians, studied as a model of positive biology. The extraordinary rise in the elderly population in developed countries underscores the importance of studies on ageing and longevity in order to decrease the medical, economic and social problems associated with the increased number of non-autonomous individuals affected by invalidating pathologies. Centenarians have reached the extreme limits of human life span. Those in relatively good health, who are able to perform their routine daily tasks, are the best examples of extreme longevity, representing selected individuals in which the appearance of major age-related diseases - including cancer and cardiovascular diseases - has been consistently delayed or avoided. The relationship between causality and chance is an open discussion topic in many disciplines. In particular, ageing, the related diseases, and longevity are difficult to define as a consequence of causality, chance or both. Discussing the relevance of these different factors in the attainment of longevity, the book gathers contributions on genetic, epigenetic and phenotypic aspects of centenarians. The "positive biology" approach is applied to clarify the causes of positive phenotypes, as well as to explain the biological mechanisms of health and well-being with the aim of preventing and/or reducing frailty and disability in the elderly.

Until recently, innate immunity was regarded as a relatively nonspecific system designed to engulf and destroy pathogens. However, new studies show that the innate immune system is highly developed in its ability to discriminate between self and foreign entities. Understanding this mechanism can lead to therapeutic strategies based on manipulation of this previously unexploited branch of the immune system. Drawing on the research of leading experts, Nucleic Acids in Innate Immunity provides insight in this new area of immunology. The book begins by explaining the roles of nucleic acids in immunity, describing the mechanism of discrimination based on pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), Nod-like receptors (NLR), and RIG-I-like receptors (RLR). Chapters discuss how these PRRs recognize and respond to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by activating specific signaling pathways. The second section focuses on the therapeutic applications of immunomodulatory DNA by manipulating released pathogenic nucleic acids as immune system stimulants. The book introduces novel therapeutics developed to prevent or treat infectious diseases, allergic disorders, and cancer, as well as clearing unnecessary or abnormal host molecules. The final section addresses how the immune system discriminates self and non-self RNA. Recent findings that host (self) nucleic acids are not inert in the immune system beg the question of exactly what elements within DNA or RNA are recognized by the innate immune system. Contributions review recent advances to understand innate immune recognition of nucleic acids and describe the resulting immune modulation. Providing a comprehensive review of nucleic acid recognition and regulation by the innate immune system, this seminal work reveals new directions for future research in immune modulation.

An internationally known scientist joins the bestselling coauthor of ""The Melatonin Miracle"" to introduce the healing power of the antioxidant network--the different antioxidants that work together with much more strength than they do individually.

This second edition updates the "WHO Classification of Endocrine Tumours" proposed in 1980 and incorporates many new tumour entities and pertinent concepts that have developed since that time. It is the result of a collaborative effort between 9 pathologists from different countries, in addition to informal contributions and discussions by many other colleagues. In particular, efforts have been made to integrate into the fundamental backbone of the histologic classification a number of prognostic and functional parameters now essential for appropriate diagnosis and clinicopathologic evaluation of endocrine tumours.

Septic shock remains a serious medical condition with high mortality. Despite many advances in intensive care medicine and antibiotic devel- ment, this has not changed appreciably in the last 20 years. Frustratingly, over the same period of time, enormous advances have been made in understa- ing the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of this condition. This has resulted in the development of several novel therapies for septic shock, which, despite excellent theoretical grounds for their efficacy, have failed in altering mort- ity attributable to sepsis. The reasons for these failures are multiple, but it is clear that further research is required aimed at increasing our understanding of the basic pat- physiological processes that occur following infection. Research into septic shock draws upon a number of different disciplines, ranging from molecular and cellular biology to physiological measurements on whole animals. Septic Shock Methods and Protocols is an attempt to draw together into one volume a number of protocols that are of use in the investigation of the mechanisms of septic shock. I have divided the book into five sections. The first deals with endotoxin, the lipopolysaccharide component of the Gram-negative cell m- brane that can mimic many of the features of septic shock. Gram-positive organisms are found increasingly as causes of septic shock, and several - pects of toxins produced from these bacteria are considered in the second s- tion.

5 Function of Splenic Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 5. 1 Splenic White Pulp Compartments during Primary T Cell-Dependent Antibody Responses against Protein Antigens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 5. 1. 1 Priming of CD4+ Helper T Cells by Dendritic Cells in the PALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 5. 1. 1. 1 5. 1. 2 Interaction of Primed CD4+ T Cells with Antigen-Specific B Cells in the PALS and Formation of Extrafollicular Foci . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 5. 1. 2. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 5. 1. 3 Formation of Germinal Centres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 5. 1. 3. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 5. 1. 4 Localisation of Memory B Cells in the Marginal Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 5. 1. 4. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 5. 2 Function of the Marginal Zone during Primary Antibody Responses against T Cell-Independent Type 2 Antigens . . . . . . . . 57 5. 2. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Function of the Red Pulp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 5. 3 5. 3. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 5. 4 Role of the Spleen in CD8+ Cytotoxic T Cell Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 5. 4. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 The Spleen, Natural Killer Cells 5. 5 and Gamma/Delta T Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 5. 5. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 6 Recirculation of Lymphocytes Through the Spleen . . 65 6. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 7 The Role of Cytokines and Chemokines in the Development of Splenic Compartments . . . . . . 69 7. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 8 Unsolved Problems of Human Splenic Structure and Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 VI 8. 1 Arterial Blood Supply to the Splenic Follicles and to the Perifollicular Zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 . . . . 8. 1. 1 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 8.

Caroline HA(c)bert and a panel of key experimentalists and clinical investigators comprehensively review the state-of-the-art in the chemokine field, ranging from the effects of chemokines and their receptors in retroviral infections, to their role in inflammation, angiogenesis/angiostasis, and tumor cell biology. The book examines in detail fifteen recently identified chemokines and elucidates the role of chemokine function in vivo from animal experiments. Animal models are also used to explore how chemokines operate in a variety of chronic and acute inflammatory diseases and in noninflammatory processes. A detailed review of the emerging role of chemokines in viral biology is also presented, with emphasis on HIV biology and novel therapeutic possibilities. Chemokines in Disease: Biology and Clinical Research summarizes the rapidly expanding knowledge of a dazzling array of chemokines and provides fresh insights into the development of powerful new drugs for treating a wide spectrum of diseases.

The term "electrophoresis" was first used by Michaelis in 1909, to - scribe the migration of colloids in an electric field. The first practical elect- phoresis method was described by Tiselius in 1937. He used a U-tube filled with buffer layered on top of sample; migration could be monitored using Schlieren optics. In zone electrophoresis, the U-tube was replaced by paper, a support material employed simply to prevent or minimize diffusion of ions, so that ions applied in a narrow strip to the paper will separate and remain as relatively discrete zones. Paper was superceded by a variety of other media, - cluding cellulose acetate, hydrolyzed starch (starch gel), agarose, and polyacry- mide. The latter, in addition to being a support medium, has size-sieving properties. From the basic zone electrophoresis, other means of separation have been dev- oped. These include, isoelectric focusing, isotachophoresis, density gradient el- trophoresis, and various forms of immunoelectrophoresis. In some ways Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) has gone full circle back to the original method of Tiselius. In its simplest form, separations occur in a buffer solution within a glass (fused silica) tube and detection occurs as sample moves past an optical window. CE has rapidly developed into a technique that rivals HPLC in its versatility. All the classical electrophoretic separations-zone, IEF, and isotachophoresis-have their counterparts in CE. Excitingly so, and - thoritatively treated in Clinical Applications of Capillary Electrophoresis.

In the past several years much progress has been made in understanding the basic mechanisms of pancreatic physiology and the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatic disease. A symposium took place in Munich on 18-19 September 1998 that aimed at summarizing current knowledge of the exocrine pancreas and giving di rection to future research. It targeted all practitioners and scientists working in the field of exocrine pancreatic disease. The symposium was also designed to stimulate young persons embarking on a career in this area. It was an exciting meeting for all of us. We wish to extend our thanks to all participants for their prompt submission of manuscripts and to Springer Verlag for speedy publication, providing us with an up-to-date volume on pancreatic research. We would also like to thank G. Beyendorff-Hajda and W. Glockner, as well as D. Kriiger, representatives of Knoll Deutschland GmbH, for their organiza tional assistance and Knoll itself for its generous sponsorship, which enabled colleagues from other countries to participate and made publication of the symposium possible."

This volume will be of great value to all those researchers in the area of the inflam matory response, notably academics, clinicians and members of the pharmaceutical industry. The book has in the main been restricted to three inducible enzymes, namely nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and hemeoxygenase (HO-l), although matrix metalloproteinases, xanthine oxidoreductase and tissue transgluta minases are reviewed. The modulation of these enzymes is viewed as possible novel therapeutic advances in the area of inflammation and also cancer. The latter topic may well be the subject of a further book. It will be interesting to observe the progress of such new therapies in the next decade. Already some of these enzyme modulators have been approved for the treat ment of inflammatory disease, as evidenced by the new families of COX-2 inhibitors. We believe such advances will herald a series of new and exciting agents to be included in the clinician's armamentarium in the constant struggle against inflammatory disease. The editors wish to thank all contributors to this volume on inducible enzymes. It should however be stressed that the views expressed by the authors are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors. Indeed, the reader may find con flicting statements in a number of the chapters. We believe that this is entirely appro priate as this volume reflects the latest work in a rapidly developing area."

t Heinz Red! and Gunther Sch!ag Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Experimental and Clinical Traumatology, Vienna, Austria The word "sepsis" derives from the Greek meaning decay or rottenness. Tradition ally this term has been used to describe the process of infection accompanied by the host's systemic inflammatory response. Based on that understanding, previous clin ical studies have been designed to include only patients with positive blood cultures [1, 2]. However, the frequent occurrence of a septic response without the demon stration of microorganisms in the circulation has led to a new definition and under standing of sepsis, mainly as the systemic response of the host to an often unde tectable microbiological or non-microbiological process [3]. The general consensus is that cytokines are central to the inflammatory response, particularly in sepsis. It is now known that not only Gram-negative but also Gram positive, viral, and fungal infections initiate the complex cascades of cytokine release. Probably the most important aspect of bacterial action is the release of toxic bacterial products. In particular endotoxin from Gram-negative bacteria (see chap ter by Schade) and super antigens (see chapter by Neumann and Holzmann), as well as pore-forming toxins [4] from Gram-positive bacteria, induce cytokine formation. The importance of this cytokine release is evident from both diagnostic and thera peutic (mostly experimental) studies, and the action of cytokines may be the key to our understanding of the pathophysiology of the sepsis syndrome.

This second edition is the result of a collaborative effort of ophthalmic pathologists from 11 countries and is more extensive and detailed than its predecessor published in 1980. Several new tumour entities have been added, while the list of histological variants has been expanded and examples of immunoreactivity included. The publication of the revised eye and adnexal tumour classification is accompanied by 112 photomicrographs.

Ageing and dementia are closely related conditions. Increasing age of the general population causes increasing incidence of dementing disorders in later life, although cognitive impairment is not necessarily a consequence of advancing age. The book presents the papers of the International Symposium on Ageing and Dementia, October 17-19, 1997 in Graz, where internationally renowned experts in the field of ageing and dementia gave an overview of the current knowledge about the epidemiology, pathomorphology, clinical diagnosis and course of brain ageing processes and related dementing disorders, biochemical markers and imaging procedures for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and current approaches to a successful treatment of dementia. "... this book will be of interest to clinicians with previous experience of clinical dementia assessements, and to researchers who want a comprehensive update on research areas of dementia with which they are less familiar. It will also be of interest to those following the development of neurotrophe factors for treatment of dementia who need an extensive introduction to the preclinical studies of Cerebrolysin (R). The book will be fairly useful as a textbook for clinicians who are learning about clinical dementia assessments for the first time." Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica

Cardiac Markers is a comprehensive, up-to-date summary of clinical information on serum cardiac markers for coronary artery disease. This book reviews in detail the biochemistry, clinical significance, and analytical measurements for each marker, as well as the advantages and limitations of existing and proposed markers. Comprehensive descriptions of therapeutic approaches to manage patients are presented. Also included are up-to-date listings of primary references and commercial methodologies, the latest data on the pathophysiology of unstable angina, and a discussion of the new emergency-room chest pain centers. Anyone who needs to know how to examine, diagnose, treat, and manage patients with acute chest pain and heart attacks will find this book indispensable.

Over the last decade, interest in mycoplasmas has been greatly sti- lated by the spread of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC, in Europe and Africa and the discovery of a possible association between mycoplasmas and AIDS. During this period there has also been a recognition by control authorities and int- national organizations, including the Office International des Epizooties, that mycoplasmas are major causes of economic loss in livestock and continue to be a problem in humans as a result of a range of chronic respiratory and urogenital diseases. However, it is likely that the true significance of my- plasmas is still underestimated because of the difficulties in working with these extremely fastidious microorganisms. Advances in such laboratory technology as DNA amplification has enabled the detection of unrecoverable mycoplasmas in tissue samples and this will provide us with a better understanding of their role in disease. Important developments have also been seen in more conv- tional areas such as serological tests and media formulation enabling improved recovery and identification. Mycoplasma Protocols provides in a single volume up-to-date and easy-- follow methods for the detection, isolation, identification, and characterization of mycoplasmas, with a major emphasis on those of medical and veterinary significance. It also includes biochemical, genetic, and molecular techniques that will form the basis of understanding pathogenicity and, particularly, - hesion to host cells.

Proceedings of a NATO ARW held in Crete, Greece, June 22-July 1, 1996

In his original essay on the shaking palsy (1817) James Parkinson remarked that the "senses and intellect were uninjured." Thus, it was only in later years that the complexity ofparkinsonism and in particular Parkinson's disease with dementia was recognised. Cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease is common and is estimated to affect more than forty per cent of patients with disease onset after age 65. Recent studies suggest that pathology of Parkin son's disease now ranks second to Alzheimer's disease as the commonest sub strate of dementia in elderly patients. The condition is heterogeneous and there remain many complicated and unresolved questions concerning cause, diagnosis and classification. In an attempt to clarify these issues, scientists and members of the European Brain Bank Network (EBBN) gathered in London for a meeting entitled "Dementia in Parkinsonism." The resultant monograph is testimony to the wide-ranging clinical, morphological and biochemical aspects of this condition. We are grateful to all contributors for expressing their expert opinions and for being so generous with their time taken in prepa ration of the manuscripts. The meeting was funded by the Commission of the European Communities as part of a Biomed-l Programme. We wish to thank Amgen Limited, Lilly Industries Limited and Roche Products Limited for additional sponsorship. The expert secretarial assistance of R. Nani in the pre paration of this book has been very much appreciated. London, November 1997 S. E. Daniel F. F. Cruz-Sanchez A. J. Lees Contents Stern, G.: The language of the basal ganglia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ."

This classification is based primarily on the microscopic charac- teristics of tumours and, therefore, is concerned with morpho- logically identifiable cell types and histological patterns, as seen with conventional light microscopy. The term tumours is used synonymously with neoplasm. The phrase tumour-like is applied to lesions which resemble neo- plasms, clinically or morphologically, but do not behave biologi- cally in a neoplastic manner. They are included in this classifica- tion because they give rise to problems in differential diagnosis and because of the unclear borderline between neoplasms and certain non-neoplastic lesions. Synonyms are listed only if they have been used widely, or if they are considered to be helpful to the understanding of the lesion. In such cases, the preferred term is given first, followed by the synonym. Although the emphasis of this classification is on histological typing, in the examination of kidney tumours, consideration should be given to the degree of cellular anaplasia, the extent of local spread, vascular and lymphatic invasion, and the occur- rence of metastasis. The scheme of histological grading suggested here is as fol- lows: Grade I applies to the tumours that have the least degree of cellular anaplasia compatible with a diagnosis of malignancy; . grade II! applies to tumours with the most severe degrees of cel- lular anaplasia; and grade I! applies to those tumours in be- tween. This scheme is applicable to the carcinomas of the renal parenchyma and pelvis.

Alessandro Condivilla of Bologna first attempted a resection of the head of the pan creas in 1898, but several decades of further trial-and-error attempts ensued before the prototype procedure of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) was established by Whipple in 1935. In the half-century following that landmark, refinements of surgical technique, including pancreatico-and bilio-entero anastomosis as well as develop ment of new technology to support perioperative management and patient care have contributed to the decrease in mortality and morbidity rates for obstructive jaundice and pancreatic fistula. The improvement in mortality and morbidity rates associated with PD has led to an increase in the number of patients undergoing the procedure and in the number of institutions performing it. Indications for PD have also been expanded. In the early years after PD was established as a viable procedure, periampullary carcinoma was the most common indication; now PD is indicated for a number of benign and malignant diseases. Some surgeons believe that PD is the procedure of choice for certain types of chronic pancreatitis, pancreatico-biliary maljunction, and pancreatic and duodenal trauma. Other surgeons have reported the necessity of PD for lymph node dissection of gallbladder carcinoma. Consequently, the basic procedure has been greatly modi fied to accommodate the specific conditions of each disease. For patients with malig nancy, extended procedures have been developed to improve the curative resection rate and ensure complete lymph node dissection.

This thoroughly updated 4th Edition of this highly regarded text continues to provide the latest therapeutic and surgical information on nail disease and disorders. It expands and updates all areas of onychology, including the newest in diagnostic techniques for nail diseases, a segment of dermatology that not only proves more difficult than cutaneous disorders but also is an exciting and innovative area on the frontier of skin research. Scher and Daniel's Nails: Diagnosis, Surgery, Therapy provides an update of therapeutic advances to help the resident, practitioner, and related healthcare provider (podiatrist, nurse, primary care physician, and all involved in nail care). A major section is devoted to nail surgery and nail pathology, both of which have been behind compared to other aspects of dermatology. There is also extensive information on the billion dollar nail cosmetics industry, which will bring this text to the attention of all nail technicians (several hundred thousand in the US alone) as well as to cosmeticians and manufacturers.