Health is maintained by the coordinated operation of all the biological systems that make up the individual. "The Introduction to Psychoneuroimmunology, 2e, "presents an overview of what has been discovered by scientists regarding how bodily systems respond to environmental challenges and intercommunicate to sustain health. The book touches on the main findings from the current literature without being overly technical and complex. The result is a comprehensive overview of psychoneuroimmunology, which avoids oversimplification, but does not overwhelm the reader.

Single authored for consistency of breadth and depth, with no redundancy of coverage between chapters

Covers endocrine-immune modulation, neuro-immune modulation, and the enhancing or inhibiting processes of one or more systems on the others

Expanded use of figures, tables, and text boxes

Online test bank for professors

Many pathogens and aberrant malignant cells express unique carbohydrates on their surface representing attractive targets for vaccine design. Considerable progress has recently been made in the identification of novel carbohydrate based vaccines and a large number has reached clinical phase studies. The success of several licensed carbohydrate based vaccines against bacterial pathogens such as Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis or Streptococcus pneumoniae demonstrates their great potential. However, the study of anti-carbohydrate antibodies is technically challenging and partly because of low affinities and promiscuous specificity they have not been medically exploited to full potential. The study of antibody specificities and identification of protective carbohydrate epitopes lies at the heart of successful vaccine design. In addition to therapy, antibodies in general serve as diagnostic tools in medical and scientific laboratories. In this setting high affinity and exquisite specificity are important factors for their successful use. "Anticarbohydrate Antibodies - from molecular basis to clinical application" compiles current knowledge on the immunological recognition of carbohydrates by the adaptive immune system from a molecular perspective providing fundamental insight needed for advancing clinically relevant diagnostics and therapeutic applications. Based on significant progress in the fields of glycoimmunology and structural biology in recent years, the book comprehensively reviews the state-of-the-art in defining the key elements of carbohydrate recognition by antibodies, the molecular mimicry of carbohydrate epitopes as well as the molecular features leading to specific and relaxed binding modes. Backed-up by a combination of modern technologies to elucidate structural details of carbohydrate-antibody interactions, biomedically important carbohydrate antigens from viral, bacterial, parasite, insect and tumor cells have been analyzed in in-depth reviews written by well-known experts in the field. Fundamental knowledge of these molecular mechanisms eventually provides a rational basis to improve efficacy of carbohydrate-based vaccines and to further refine diagnostic tools in detection of pathogens and malignant cells.

Key Features * Serves as a handy, practical reference guide to immunologic and allergic diseases both for patient care and as a study guide for examinations * Summarizes the clinical information in the field to make it easily accessible and user friendly for clinicians and students * Includes a unique section on the management of the disorder in pregnant women at the end of several chapters.

Autoimmune Reactions tackles fundamental questions about how the immune system can destroy invading microbial pathogens without causing damage to itself and other "self" systems. The authoritative experts writing here explore the mechanistic aspects of such autoimmune diseases as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and autoimmune thyroid disease, and where possible delineate how malfunctioning immunological mechanisms can lead to clinical symptoms. They also discusses possible general mechanisms of autoimmune disease-e.g., molecular mimicry and dysfunctional antigen presentation-and their current limitations as unifying explanations of the diseases described. The book illustrates the type of thinking and research that should eventually permit development of palliatives and cures for autoimmune diseases.

Written by international experts, this book reviews recent, cutting-edge research on the use of immunoregulatory probiotics (immunobiotics) and their bioactive compounds (immunogenics) to prevent disease and improve health. Each chapter provides critical insight, reviews current research, discusses future perspective, and stimulates discussion. The book also dicsusses novel applications of immunobiotics, such as their use in respiratory infections and regulation of the interaction between inflammation and coagulation, as well as their effect on hematopoiesis.

Food allergy has increased over the past two decades, with a larger number of patients presenting a myriad of related symptoms and illnesses to physicians and allied health professionals. The growing number of patients poses a challenge to health care providers and confirms the need for developing best clinical practice guidelines. Based on the Expert Panel Report from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Food Allergy: Practical Diagnosis and Management brings to life the developed guidelines with chapters written by international leaders in food allergy clinical care, research, and education, including most of the report's primary authors. Offering practical advice, each chapter provides clinically relevant information for everyday diagnosis and management of food allergies and related adverse reactions to foods. Chapters begin with clinical questions to focus readers and contain numerous case studies and "Clinical Pearls" to help formulate best practice approaches to patient care. The text provides information that is relevant for diagnosis, organ or diagnosis-specific concerns, daily management, and topics of importance for patient understanding and management of food allergies. Chapters cover clinical manifestations, triggers and cross-reactivity, acute reactions, and skin, gastrointestinal, and respiratory conditions associated with food allergy. Authors address diagnostic testing, pharmacologic reactions, allergy prevention, and the natural history of common food allergies. They also consider novel approaches to diagnosis and therapy for immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy. The final chapter presents practical resources for physicians and patients, including materials for advising newly diagnosed patients and resources for managing food allergies at home, school, camp, restaurants, and while traveling.

The purpose of this book is to share information and knowledge on allergic disorders in children with everybody, especially parents. Allergies in children are a common and growing problem. From the author's experience, many parents lack correct information on allergy. This has led to wrong approaches in dealing with the problem, with some parents experimenting with all kinds of non-scientifically proven testing and treatments. Sometimes these treatments can be harmful for the child. The book comprises twelve chapters, each covering a specific aspect of allergy in children. The first part covers general issues, such as underlying mechanisms, allergens, and epidemiology of allergic diseases. In the second part, specific allergic diseases are covered. The book ends with considerations on diagnosis and treatment, and offers suggestions for future research on allergy in children. This book will provide useful information to the public, especially parents of allergic children. Based on current scientific information, the book should help allergic children to obtain optimal diagnosis and treatment of their allergic diseases.

This book summarizes the state-of-the art in the development of T cell-based "in vitro" assays, which offer useful tools for hazard identification, risk assessment and improvement of diagnostics. It will be of interest to scientists, the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, and regulators involved in the replacement of animal testing methods.

The identification of hazardous chemicals and drugs is essential to ensuring human health. The ban on animal testing for the cosmetics industry since 2009 and international efforts to reduce and replace animal testing in research and immunotoxicology call for alternative "in vitro" methods. The most specific immune response to chemicals and drugs that cause allergic contact dermatitis, respiratory disease and adverse drug reactions is the highly antigen-specific T lymphocyte response. Therefore the use of T cells as tools for identifying contact allergens and drugs that may cause health problems is of great interest.

An MS diagnosis presents many unanswered questions: How is this diagnosis going to change my life? Where do I begin? How will I manage to take care of my family, work, and travel? No one knows the answers to these questions better than Shelley Peterman Schwarz, who has lived nearly forty years with multiple sclerosis. Schwarz imbues her updated collection of practical tips and short cuts with personal stories that highlight her trials and triumphs. Shelley shares her real-life experiences as a wife, mother, friend, and employee/employer coping, managing, and growing with MS with a humorous warmth and unflinching honesty. This extensively revised and updated third edition is packed with helpful information and now includes over 800 tips and new solutions and strategies for confronting the challenges of living a full life with a debilitating chronic illness. With Shelley's guidance, readers will learn to conserve valuable time and energy, develop techniques for making everyday tasks easier, manage symptoms, maintain positive relationships, stay motivated, and bounce back when MS knocks you down. Expanded chapters cover medical issues, home safety and accessibility, dressing and looking your best, and travel. NEW sections include: A Thriver's Guide Taking Charge Mentally and Physically Family and Friends Marriage Sexual Compatibility and Intimacy Being a Parent Driving and Disability Working Finding Help and Support With hundreds of new tips and tools, and practical wisdom for meeting challenges large and small, this book continues to inform, encourage, validate, and empower individuals and families living with multiple sclerosis.

With globalisation taking centre stage in the business world and multiculturalism affecting markets and societies, there is a need to understand the ways that customers respond to the changing marketplace from international and multicultural perspectives. This book is timely in addressing important themes raised in the most recent marketing literature, such as: global consumer culture, and the impact of Western culture on consumer behaviour in other countries; consumer acculturation processes, and the impact on identity conflicts and the strategies people use to manage them; globalisation vs. localised strategies, and the interaction of local and global influences on customer behaviour; climate change and global warming, the impact on consumer behaviour, and the implications for social responsibility; and cross-cultural customer research, including important methodological questions around the application of sociological, group-level measures to psychological, individual-level phenomenon in marketing contexts. The papers in this edition address those themes, reporting on studies from a range of countries, including Germany, Greece, China, and Austria, and a number of cultural groups in the UK. These papers draw on quantitative and qualitative methodologies, reflecting the full range of methods employed in contemporary consumer research. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Marketing Management.

How early studies of inflammation led to our current views on the roles of vascular adhesion molecules.- Adhesion of leukocytes from flow: The selectins and their ligands.- Co-operative signaling between leukocytes and endothelium mediating firm attachment.- Production and presentation of chemokines by endothelial cells.- Platelet-activating factor: A signaling molecule for leukocyte adhesion.- Tight junctions and adherens junctions in endothelial cells: Structure and regulation.- The role of PECAM in leukocyte emigration.- Selective lymphocyte migration into secondary lymphoid rrgans and inflamed tissues.- Oxidation-reduction sensitive regulation of vascular inflammatory gene expression.- Quantification and imaging of vascular adhesion molecule expression in inflammatory diseases in vivo.- Leukocyte adhesion and activation in xenografts.- Control of leukocyte adhesion and activation in ischemia-reperfusion injury.- Control of leukocyte adhesion and activation in atherogenesis.

Allergy and Allergen Immunotherapy: New Mechanisms and Strategies is a valuable and comprehensive book that covers allergy and causative allergens and provides diagnostic and therapeutic aspects as well. With chapters from internationally recognized experts in the field, the book provides a balanced approach to enumerating pollen allergens as well as allergy diagnosis and therapeutic management and safety assessment of genetically engineered food allergens. The book features a special section on allergic diseases and allergens from tropical countries, including such countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Iran, and South Korea, giving the book a global appeal. The book is broken in the following sections: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Diagnosis of Allergy Aerobiology and Allergic Diseases Pollen Allergy in the Tropics and Temperate Regions Allergy in Children Food Allergy Evaluation Allergen Immunotherapy and Anti IgE The book deals not only on basics of allergy and allergen immunotherapy but also discusses indoor environments and safety considerations of genetically modified food allergens. The first of its kind volume from the Indian subcontinent that caters to the needs of clinicians, aerobiologists, environmentalists, and regulatory agencies as well, the volume will be of immense interest for clinicians and patients of allergy as well as diagnostic and therapeutic management of allergy in tropics.

Immune responses at mucosal surfaces play a major role in host mucosal defense against microbial pathogens and in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic mucosal inflammatory diseases. immunogenetic approaches in combination with human and murine in vitro cell culture and in vivo model systems to address questions in mucosal immunity. Humans produce more immunoglobulin A (IgA) than all other antibody isotypes combined, most of which is rapidly transported into the external secretions bathing mucous membranes. It has been estimated that more than 3 grams of IgA are transported daily into mucosal secretions, carrying out a wide range of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory functions. IgA is the second most abundant class of antibody in the bloodstream, contributing to systemic as well as secretory immunity. Recent advances in human genomics, gene regulation, structural biology, cell signaling, and immunobiology have greatly enhanced our understanding of this important class of antibody. knowledge of the biology of IgA, including structure of IgA and its interaction with Fc receptors; epithelial transport of IgA; regulation of the mucosal IgA system; biological roles of IgA, including newly discovered functions; IgA-associated diseases, and therapeutic applications for IgA. Chapters have been contributed by internationally recognized leaders in the field of IgA research, representing 8 countries on 3 continents.

This volume provides an understanding of how an immunoassay works, detailing the strengths, weaknesses, pitfalls. Chapters guide readers on how and when to appropriately utilize this powerful tool, examples of where the ELISA or similar immunoassay formats are currently being used, and newer techniques that may have a significant impact on future applications. Written in the format of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, each chapter includes an introduction to the topic, lists necessary materials and reagents, includes tips on troubleshooting and known pitfalls, and step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols. Authoritative and cutting-edge, ELISA: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for both novice and expert scientists in this developing field.

Immunology: An Illustrated Outline is both a guide to the essential principles of immunology and a concise dictionary of immunological terms. The book can be used to consolidate understanding in preparation for course exams and medical licensing exams, or as a refresher when immunology is encountered in related life sciences, such as microbiology, virology, and zoology. The book is organized into five sections that represent the major topics in basic and clinical immunology. The Sixth Edition has been comprehensively revised to highlight the latest understanding of the field, particularly in the areas of innate immune defenses and antibody-based therapeutics. Concise explanations of immunological terms Full-color illustrations and micrographs to reinforce the text Each topic is set out in single- or double-page spreads Tables collate and summarize detailed information

The cytokines are a group of peptides secreted by cells of the immune system such as macrophages, lymphocytes and T cells. The term cytokine is however simplistic and in fact they can be divided into functional families and have wide ranging effects from cells and molecular pathways to the whole individual. Written by distinguished scholars and experts, this book is a holistic knowledge-base to enable scientists and doctors to understand cytokines in specific or broad detail.

The number of people suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is greater than the number suffering from AIDS, yet the general public and the medical community know very little about the disease. More and more people are disabled daily, despite the fact that the condition does not have to occur. In Part One of this work, experts review the research into the disease, along with treatment strategies. Part Two examines the legal recourses available to MCS sufferers, such as workers' compensation claims and product liability suits. How the medical community has often worked against MCS sufferers is the focus of Part Three, demonstrating that medical opposition to the disease is unfounded. The editor, an MCS sufferer, details her own case in Part Four.

T cells play a vital role mediating adaptive immunity, a specific acquired resistance to an infectious agent produced by the introduction of an antigen. There are a variety of T cell types with different functions. They are called T cells, because they are derived from the thymus gland. This volume discusses how T cells are regulated through the operation of signaling mechanisms. Topics covered include positive and negative selection, early events in T cell receptor engagement, and various T cell subsets.

This book explores the recent advances and integrations in molecular technology in food research platforms, which have revolutionized the way we discover and trace potential allergens in our food and drugs and how we utilize that for diagnosis and management. These different technologies for global allergenomic profiling in different kinds of food are discussed, including mass spectrometry, chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance. The book also addresses multiomics research with bioinformatics strategies in food allergy in terms of allergen characterization and quantitation, and covers applications in food allergy research from discovery to routine analysis.

Perfect for clinicians in both primary and secondary care settings, Allergy Essentials, 2nd Edition, covers the information you need most in your daily practice, with a strong emphasis on disease diagnosis and management. In one concise, convenient volume, it covers all common allergies in children and adults, offering authoritative content from the world's leading allergy experts in conjunction with primary care/family practitioners for a practical, balanced approach. You'll find up-to-date information on everything from basic immunology and physiology to new medications, new therapies, and individualized treatment options, allowing you to confidently integrate these changes into your practice. Offers a practical approach to evaluation, differential diagnosis, and treatment of allergic disorders, focused specifically on what the non-specialist needs to know for everyday practice. Includes new content on allergen-specific immunotherapy as well as a new chapter on precision medicine. Covers the most recent allergy tests, including blood tests, and includes current discussions of biologicals as therapeutics. Provides focused, relevant information on basic immunology and physiology, epidemiology, and allergens. Begins each chapter with a handy summary of key concepts to help you quickly identify important information. Authored by the same internationally recognized experts that produce Middleton's Allergy, the definitive text in the field. An ideal resource for primary care providers who are increasingly seeing and treating patients with allergic conditions as well as allergists who need a concise and current practice reference. 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 new edition explores lab protocols describing new techniques to study cytotoxic T-cells (CTLs), as well as chapters of a more general discursive nature, all with an emphasis on the use of systems biology in immunology. Beginning with phenotypical characterization of CTL populations, the volume continues with in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity assays, methods to detect senescent T cells, in vivo and in vitro models to understand immune and bone cells cross-talk, microscopy and in vivo imaging, as well as "Omics" approaches and molecular methods, concluding with chapters on CTL involvement in transplantation and link microbiota-immunity. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters feature the kind of detail and key implementation advice for best results in the lab. Authoritative and up-to-date, Cytotoxic T-Cells: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition serves as an ideal guide for researchers working with these vital cells.

Microbiota are a promising and fascinating subject in biology because they integrate the microbial communities in humans, animals, plants, and the environment. In humans, microbiota are associated with the gut, skin, and genital, oral, and respiratory organs. The plant microbial community is referred to as "holobiont," and it is influential in the maintenance and health of plants, which themselves play a role in animal health and the environment. The contents of Microbiome-Host Interactions cover all areas as well as new research trends in the fields of plant, animal, human, and environmental microbiome interactions. The book covers microbiota in polar soil environments, in health and disease, in Caenorhabditis elegans, and in agroecosystems, as well as in rice root and actinorhizal root nodules, speleothems, and marine shallow-water hydrothermal vents. Moreover, this book provides comprehensive accounts of advanced next-generation DNA sequencing, metagenomic techniques, high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing, and understanding nucleic acid sequence data from fungal, algal, viral, bacterial, cyanobacterial, actinobacterial, and archaeal communities using QIIME software (Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology). FEATURES Summarizes recent insight in microbiota and host interactions in distinct habitats, including Antarctic, hydrothermal vents, speleothems, oral, skin, gut, feces, reproductive tract, soil, root, root nodules, forests, and mangroves Illustrates the high-throughput amplicon sequencing, computational techniques involved in the microbiota analysis, downstream analysis and visualization, and multivariate analysis commonly used for microbiome analysis Describes probiotics and prebiotics in the composition of the gut microbiota, skin microbiome impact in dermatologic disease prevention, and microbial communities in the reproductive tract of humans and animals Presents information in a reachable way for students, teachers, researchers, microbiologists, computational biologists, and other professionals who are interested in strengthening or enlarging their knowledge about microbiome analysis with next-generation DNA sequencing in the different branches of the sciences

Ebola: Clinical Patterns, Public Health Concerns is a concise description and discussion of the Ebola virus and disease. The intended audience is medical practitioners, including those working in endemic areas as well as health-facility planners and public health practitioners. The book fills an important gap between large texts covering not only Ebola but other hemorrhagic fever viruses and brief pamphlet-style publications on the public health aspects of the infection. In light of the recent large outbreak in West Africa, this book is a part of the developing foundation needed to deal with emerging diseases.

The once-dreaded scourge of smallpox has been eradicated through barrier immunization. The eminent scientist Edward Jenner (1749-1823) was a pioneer in demonstrating that vaccination was an effective means of preventing smallpox. In the three groundbreaking treatises contained in this volume, originally published between 1798 and 1800, Jenner summarizes his evidence in favor of vaccination and describes individual cases.