This book is one of the first to evaluate the role of Steroids in autoimmune rheumatic diseases from the basic mechanisms to the clinical involvements and focuses on the importance of steroidal hormones in the pathogenesis and therapeutic management of the autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In particular, the chapters analyze the mechanisms of action and the involvement of adrenal steroids (glucocorticoids) in the neuroendocrine immune system, including effects on the elderly.
The perturbations of the HPA axis as a source of altered steroidal synthesis will be discussed and related to some interesting pathological conditions that commonly complicate the autoimmune rheumatic diseases such as psychosis or fibromyalgia. Concerning the role of gonadal steroids (sex hormones), several chapters will discuss clinical and epidemiological evidences of their role, as well as their effects as risk factors in autoimmune rheumatic diseases, including a section on pediatrics.
*The premier issue evaluating the role of steroids in autoimmune rheumatic diseases from the basic mechanisms to the clinical involvements
*Documents the latest research and indicate recent and coming new therapeutic-biological approaches to the therapy
*The book will present therapeutic perspectives concerning the new glucocorticoids, and the effects of biological drugs on their synthesis

Driven by methodological success in identifying reliable lineage markers, regulatory T cells have quickly been recognized as the most numerous subset of immune regulators in the body with critical functions in a wide array of immune responses. In Regulatory T Cells: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field to offer a collection of current techniques to advance the study of regulatory T cells, including the use of the IL-2 receptor alpha chain and other markers, as well as the more recently desirable use of the transcription factor FoxP3. Divided into three sections, the book covers, in equal measure, in vitro, in vivo, and human studies. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include brief introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known methodological pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Regulatory T Cells: Methods and Protocols distills the most vital current techniques through several years of optimization and standardization in order to allow reliable and reproducible use by both young and experienced cellular and molecular immunologists.

This book opens a new page of neuroimmunebiology providing substantive experimental and clinical data to support current understanding in the field, and potential applications of this knowledge in the treatment of disease. The volume is a collection of complex, new data drawn from multiple areas of investigation in the field. The contents summarize current understanding on the presence and function of CNS cytokines and their receptors in a variety of central nervous system cells during health and disease. The chapters are a collection of complex, new data demonstrating the presence and synthesis of cytokines in brain cells, as well as their receptors on cell membranes in health and disease. The strength of the volume are the descriptions of the authors own investigations, together with those of others in the field pertaining to a large number of cytokines in brain function, as well as mechanisms involved in the development of CNS disorders, including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Also included are novel approaches to the treatment of CNS disorders based on new experimental data. The contributors to this volume are internationally known scientists and clinical researchers in their respective fields of investigation and treatment.
* Opens a new page of neuroimmunebiology and provides substantive evidence for the promise of this field in the treatment of disease
* Summarizes current understanding on the presence and function of CNS cytokines and their receptors in a variety of central nervous system cells during health and disease
* Includes novel approaches to the treatment of CNS disorders based on new experimental data
* Offers new insight into triggers forthe development of autoimmune diseases in the brain and the possibilities for treatment

More than ever, antibodies are being recognized as a major drug modality in a variety of diseases, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, or even neurodegenerative disorders. Over 30 therapeutic antibodies have been approved and novel molecules are entering clinical trials at an average rate of 50 per year and that is predicted to continue well into the future. Notwithstanding the many achievements already made in the field, there is still a lot of room for improvements for these molecules in terms of activity, and a plethora of approaches have been attempted to optimize these molecules. Antibody Engineering: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition was compiled to give complete and easy access to a variety of antibody engineering techniques, starting from the creation of antibody repertoires and efficient ways to select binders from these repertoires, to their production in various hosts, their detailed characterization using various well established techniques, and to the modification and optimization of these lead molecules in terms of binding activity, specificity, size, shape, and more. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Antibody Engineering: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition serves as an invaluable resource for both experts and those new to the field, and most of all as a source of inspiration for the creation of the antibodies of tomorrow.

Chemokines play an important role in recruiting inflammatory cells into tissues in response to infection and inflammation. They also play an important role in coordinating the movement of T-cells, B-cells and dentritic cells, necessary to generate an immune response (response to injury, allergens, antigens, invading microorganisms). They selectively attract leukocytes to inflammatory foci, inducing both cell migration and activation. They are involved in various diseases, like atherosclerosis, lung and skin inflammation, multiple sclerosis, or HIV.
Volume 2 of this two-volume set discusses the pathophysiology of chemokines. It is divided into two parts: a) chemokines in animal disease models, and b) chemokines as drug targets. Together with volume 1, which discusses the immunobiology of chemokines, both volumes give a comprehensive overview of chemokine biology.

Immunotherapy is now recognized as an essential component of treatment for a wide variety of cancers. It is in interdisciplinary field that is critically dependent upon an improved understanding of a vast network of cross-regulatory cellular populations and a diversity of molecular effectors, and it is a leading example of translational medicine with a favorable concept-to-clinical-trial timeframe of just a few years. There are many established immunotherapies already in existence, but there are exciting new cancer immunotherapies just on the horizon, immunotherapies that are likely to be more potent, less toxic and more cost effective than many therapies currently in use. Experimental and Applied Immunotherapy is a state-of-the-art text offering a roadmap leading to the creation of these future cancer-fighting immunotherapies. It includes essays by leading researchers that cover a wide variety of topics including T cell and non-T cell therapy, monoclonal antibody therapy, dendritic cell-based cancer vaccines, mesenchymal stromal cells, negative regulators in cancer immunology and immunotherapy, non-cellular aspects of cancer immunotherapy, the combining of cancer vaccines with conventional therapies, the combining of oncolytic viruses with cancer immunotherapy, transplantation, and more. The field of immunotherapy holds great promise that will soon come to fruition if creative investigators can bridge seemingly disparate disciplines such as T cell therapy, gene therapy, and transplantation therapy. This text is a vital tool in the building of that bridge.

Advances in Immunology, a long-established and highly respected publication, presents current developments as well as comprehensive reviews in immunology. Articles address the wide range of topics that comprise immunology, including molecular and cellular activation mechanisms, phylogeny and molecular evolution, and clinical modalities. Edited and authored by the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

Spanning from discoveries in fundamental immunology to industrial and commercial concerns, the study of vaccine adjuvants has developed into an exciting area of work with great, vital potential in innovating techniques in which adjuvants may steer the immune system towards the responses required by unmet vaccination needs. In Vaccine Adjuvants: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field provide clear and concise guidance on how to go about assessing the activity of adjuvant products. Rather than describing individual adjuvants, the volume strives to include detailed, practical information on measuring the responses produced by adjuvants in order to be relevant to the widest array of experiments. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) 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 versatile, Vaccine Adjuvants: Methods and Protocols will enable those already pursuing vaccine adjuvant research, while also serving to stimulate discussion on how to best standardize adjuvant testing in order to facilitate meaningful comparisons, and above all, to aid in the prediction of which new products will most effectively and safely help to solve the current challenges in vaccination.

Advances in Immunology, a long established and highly respected publication, presents current developments as well as comprehensive reviews in immunology. Articles address the wide range of topics that comprise immunology, including molecular and cellular activation mechanisms, phylogeny and molecular evolution, and clinical modalities. Edited and authored by the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

This volume brings together an international group of clinicians and clinical scientists to contribute to a state-of the-art review of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms, methods of clinical assessment, classification and diagnosis of renal disease, combined with a detailed overview of treatment strategies. An essential reference source for all those involved with the care of patients with renal involvement in systemic autoimmune disease, and for those contributing to research into the underlying pathogenic mechanisms in these disorders.

The only book that explores the vaccination issue from political, ethical, psychological, aesthetic, and spiritual perspectives. Using principles of general semantics to recognize propaganda, particularly medical propaganda, it points to the power of the media to create our reality. James suggests an unusual consciousness-raising plan of action to insure freedom of choice and non-harrassment of persons who choose to stay off the vaccine bandwagon. The author's controversial position is supported throughout the book by the scientific discoveries of researchers who have received little recognition in orthodox medical literature. This new, completely revised edition shows: how vaccinations damage the immune and nervous systems, the vaccine-drug-AIDS connection, how to become "propaganda-proof," and how to develop new paradigms of health and preventive medicine.

Many of the systemic autoimmune diseases seen in children are different from those seen in adults making them a special problem for physicians and scientists who care for the affected children and study their diseases. Benefiting both pediatric and adult rheumatologists, as well as physicians from other specialties, this volume covers the latest advances in pathogenesis and clinical management of common conditions seen in pediatric rheumatology practices.

The first bacterial genome, Haemophilus influenzae, was completely sequenced, annotated, and published in 1995. Today, more than 200 prokaryotic (archaeal and bacterial) genomes have been completed and over 500 prokaryotic genomes are in va- ous stages of completion. Seventeen eukaryotic genomes plus four eukaryotic chro- somes have been completed. The concept of achieving better understanding of an organism through knowledge of the complete genomic sequence was first demonstrated in 1978 when the first bacteriophage genome, X174, was sequenced. Complete genomic sequences of prokaryotes have led to a better understanding of the biology and evolution of the microbes, and, for pathogens, facilitated identification of new vaccine candidates, putative virulence genes, targets for antibiotics, new strategy for rapid diagnosis, and investigation of bacteria-host interactions and disease mec- nisms. Recent increased interest in microbial pathogens and infectious diseases is largely attributed to the re-emergence of infectious diseases like tuberculosis, emergence of new infectious diseases like AIDS and severe acute respiratory syndrome, the problem of an increasing rate of emergence of antibiotic-resistant variants of pathogens, and the fear of bioterrorism. Microbes are highly diverse and abundant in the biosphere. Less than 1% of these morphologically identified microbes can be cultured in vitro using standard techniques and conditions. With such abundance of microbes in nature, we can expect to see new variants and new species evolve and a small number will emerge as pathogens to humans.

Advances in Immunology, a long established and highly respected serial, presents current developments as well as comprehensive reviews in immunology. Articles address the wide range of topics that comprise immunology, including molecular and cellular activation mechanisms, phylogeny and molecular evolution, and clinical modalities. Edited and authored by the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

Introductory Immunology: Basic Concepts for Interdisciplinary Applications, Third Edition includes aspects of microbiology and related immune defense mechanisms important in combating disease, as well as critical components related to the field of vaccine development. Knowledge on effector mechanisms addressing components inherent within cellular responses that are either newly discovered or missing from the previous edition are covered. The book puts an extra emphasis on aspects related to mechanisms important in combating microbial agents, with critical sections on how vaccines protect against pathogenic invaders to limit associated pathology. This new edition has been completely updated and revised, offering an expanded concise, conceptual approach to understanding immune systems as a primary defense to maintain health and homeostasis. It is specifically focused towards an educated audience that does not have a deep understanding of medical, biochemical or cellular knowledge.

Advances in Immunology, a long established and highly respected serial, presents current developments as well as comprehensive reviews in immunology. Articles address the wide range of topics that comprise immunology, including molecular and cellular activation mechanisms, phylogeny and molecular evolution, and clinical modalities. Edited and authored by the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

This book analyzes the internal and external causes of acquired and familiar venous thrombosis and proposes the origins and onset of venous thrombus diseases and their triggering factors. It discusses venous and arterial thrombus in two parts, each starting from the genomics and the findings of immunocytological research conducted in a variety of clinical groups and on different experimental models and revealing the mechanisms behind the development of thrombotic diseases and the pathogenesis processes. Further, the book describes the clinical manifestation and the nature of the diseases. The book offers valuable insights important in the prevention and treatment of thrombotic disease.

"Regulatory B Cells: Methods and Protocols" present the current experimental set-ups and methodologies useful for the identification and characterization of B cells with suppressive functions and for the study of their biological and immunological properties. Organized into four sections, this detailed volume covers the basic methods for the isolation and immunophenotypical characterization of specific B cell subsets from mouse and human tissues, methods for the investigation of the mechanisms of immune suppression operated by B cells, several experimental approaches for the ex vivo generation/expansion of IL-10-producing B cells, as well as procedures for the study of the immune suppressive function of B cells in specific pathological settings. 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.

Practical and authoritative, "Regulatory B Cells: Methods and Protocols" serves as an ideal guide for immunologists as well as for cell and molecular biologists interested in the intricacies of B cell biology.

Technological advances, together with a better understanding of the molecular biology of infectious microorganisms, are creating exciting possibilities for a new generation of replicating vaccines. Historically, live vaccines have been either directly derived from a natural source or attenuated by empirical approaches using serial passages and host cell adaptation. Currently, we are witnessing a quantum leap in our technological capabilities to specifically modify the genetic make-up of viruses and bacteria, making it possible to generate improved live vaccines and to develop completely new types of replicating vaccines, such as vectored vaccines, single-round infectious vaccines and replicon vaccines. This book highlights some of the most exciting recent developments towards a new generation of replicating vaccines.

Course covers topics in infectious diseases in children and is intended for Pediatric Infectious disease trainees, trainers, and all those who manage children with infections.

Each of the chapters in this book is based on a lecture given at the sixth "Infection and Immunity in Children" course, held at the end of June 2008 at Keble College, Oxford.

Thus, it is the sixth book in a series that provides succinct and readable updates on just about every aspect of the discipline of Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) has developed rapidly in the last four decades. As a multidisciplinary area, PNI may provide a scientific basis for mind-body relationships toward the development of personalized and systems medicine. In Psychoneuroimmunology:Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field detail methods and protocols geared toward the development of integrative and individualized therapeutics in multiple dimensions from drugs to behaviors. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, the chapters include the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is crucial for getting optimal results in the laboratory. Thorough and intuitive, Psychoneuroimmunology:Methods and Protocols aids scientists in continuing to study holistic views for the translation of psychoneuroimmunology into better preventive and personalized medical practice.

Immunology, the third volume in the four volume set, The Mouse in Biomedical Research, is a completely new addition to this series, dedicated to mouse immunology. It is based on the vast body of knowledge which has made the mouse the model of choice when studying immunity in man. Arguably more is known about the immune system in mice than any other species except man. In large part this is due to the power of genetic engineering to delineate molecular mechanisms. In this volume we present an Overview to mouse immunology, including both the innate and adaptive immune systems, followed by 15 chapters, each dealing with a specific area of immunology in the mouse. These chapters illustrate the power of genetic engineering in dissecting each component of the immune response from the development of lymphoid tissues to signal transduction pathways in activated cells.

This volume will address an important emergent area within the field of immunomics: the discovery of antigens and adjuvants within the context of reverse vaccinology. Conventional approaches to vaccine design and development requires pathogens to be cultivated in the laboratory and the immunogenic molecules within them to be identifiable. Conventional vaccinology is no longer universally successful, particularly for recalcitrant pathogens. By using genomic information we can study vaccine development in silico: 'reverse vaccinology', can identify candidate subunits vaccines by identifying antigenic proteins and by using equally rational approaches to identify novel immune response-enhancing adjuvants.

Endotoxins are potentially toxic compounds produced by Gram-negative bacteria including some pathogens. Unlike exotoxins, which are secreted in soluble form by live bacteria, endotoxins are comprised of structural components of bacteria. Endotoxins can cause a whole-body inflammatory state, sepsis, leading to low blood pressure, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and death. This book brings together contributions from researchers in the forefront of these subjects. It is divided into two sections: the first dealing with how endotoxins are synthesized and end up on the bacterial surface. The second discussed how endotoxins activate the Toll-like receptor TLR4 and, in turn, how TLR4 generates the molecular signals leading to infectious and inflammatory diseases. The way endotoxins interact with the host cells is fundamental to understanding the mechanism of sepsis, and recent research on these aspects of endotoxins has served to illuminate previously undescribed functions of the innate immune system. This volume presents a description of endotoxins according to their genetic constitution, structure, function and mode of interaction with host cells.