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.

Cancer is one of the leading killers in the world and the incidence is increasing, but most cancer patients and cancer survivors suffer much from the disease and its conventional treatments' side effects. In the past, clinical data showed that some complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) possessed anticancer abilities, but some clinicians and scientists have queried about the scientific validity of CAM due to the lack of scientific evidence. There is great demand in the knowledge gap to explore the scientific and evidence-based knowledge of CAM in the anticancer field. With this aim, a book series is needed to structurally deliver the knowledge to readers. Recently there have been encouraging results from both laboratory experiments and clinical trials demonstrating the anticancer effects of herbal medicine. There is considerable interest among oncologists and cancer researchers to find anticancer agents in herbal medicine. This volume is a specialised book presenting the up-to-date scientific evidence for anticancer herbal medicine. This unique book provides an overview of the anticancer herbal medicines and remedies, as well as a detailed evidence-based evaluation of 18 common anticancer herbal medicines covering their biological and pharmacological properties, efficacies, herb-drug interactions, adverse effects, pre-clinical studies, and clinical applications. Gathering international opinion leaders' views, this volume will contribute great to the cancer, academic, and clinical community by providing evidence-based information on the anticancer efficacy of herbal medicine. Readership Oncologists, cancer researchers, pharmacologists, pharmaceutical specialists, Chinese medicine practitioners, medical educators, postgraduates and advanced undergraduates in biomedical disciplines, cancer caregivers, cancer patients.

This book is targeted to biologists with limited statistical background and to statisticians and computer scientists interested in being effective collaborators on multi-disciplinary DNA microarray projects. State-of-the-art analysis methods are presented with minimal mathematical notation and a focus on concepts. This book is unique because it is authored by statisticians at the National Cancer Institute who are actively involved in the application of microarray technology. Many laboratories are not equipped to effectively design and analyze studies that take advantage of the promise of microarrays. Many of the software packages available to biologists were developed without involvement of statisticians experienced in such studies and contain tools that may not be optimal for particular applications. This book provides a sound preparation for designing microarray studies that have clear objectives, and for selecting analysis tools and strategies that provide clear and valid answers. The book offers an in depth understanding of the design and analysis of experiments utilizing microarrays and should benefit scientists regardless of what software packages they prefer. In order to provide all readers with hands on experience in data analysis, it includes an Appendix tutorial on the use of BRB-ArrayTools and step by step analyses of several major datasets using this software which is freely available from the National Cancer Institute for non-commercial use. The authors are current or former members of the Biometric Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute.  They have collaborated on major biomedical studies utilizing microarrays and in the development of statistical methodology for the design and analysis of microarray investigations. Dr. Simon, chief of the branch, is also the architect of BRB-ArrayTools.

Examines harmonization of the US Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with international regulations as they apply to human drug and device development, research, manufacturing, and marketing. The Second Edition focuses on the new drug approval process, cGMPs, GCPs, quality system compliance, and corresponding documentation requirements. Written in a jargon-free style, it draws information from a wide range of resources. It demystifies the inner workings of the FDA and facilitates an understanding of how it operates with respect to compliance and product approval. FDA Regulatory Affairs: provides a blueprint to the FDA and drug, biologic, and medical device development offers current, real-time information in a simple and concise format contains a chapter highlighting the new drug application (NDA) process discusses FDA inspection processes and enforcement options includes contributions from experts at companies such as Millennium and Genzyme, leading CRO's such as PAREXEL and the Biologics Consulting Group, and the FDA Three all-new chapters cover: clinical trial exemptions advisory committees provisions for fast track

This book covers the latest developments in enzyme immobilization with its wide applications, such as for industry, agriculture, medicine, and the environment. Topics covered include basics of enzyme immobilization, its implication in therapeutics and disease diagnostics, and its significance in solving environmental problems. This is an ideal book for researchers, graduate and postgraduate students, as well as scientists in industry, agriculture and health sectors. This book is a complete summary of enzyme immobilization and also thoroughly covers all the latest research. This book covers: The last one-hundred years of innovative research done in enzyme immobilization Recent developments in immobilization techniques, such as types of matrices, immobilization methods, and linking agents, as well as enzyme immobilization without any matrices and its properties The physiological and industrial significance of enzymes from plants and the implementation of immobilized enzymes in the treatment of waste water and polluted air Biomedical and bioanalytical applications of immobilized enzymes

Explosive growth in the field of microsystem technology (MST) has introduced a variety of promising products in major disciplines from microelectronics to life sciences. Especially the life sciences and health care business was, and is expected to be a major market for MST products. Undoubtedly the merging of biological sciences with micro- and nanoscience will create a scientific and technological revolution in future. Microminiaturization of devices, down to the nanoscale, approaching the size of biological structures, will be a prerequisite for the future success of life sciences. Bioanalytical and therapeutic micro- and nanosystems will be mandatory for system biologists in the long run, to obtain insight into morphology, the function and the interactive processes of the living system. With such a deeper understanding new and personalized drugs could be developed leading to a revolution in life sciences. Today, microanalytical devices are used in clinical analytics or molecular biology as gene chips. In parallel, standard microbiomedical products are employed in the intensive care and surgical theatre, mainly for monitoring and implantation purposes. The gap between these two different scientific fields will be closed, however, as soon as functional micro devices can be produced, allowing a deeper view into the function of cells and whole organisms.

Here, a new discipline evolved which focuses on microsystems for living systems called "BIOMEMS." In this review at a glance the exciting field of bio-microsystems, from their beginnings to indicators of future successes are presented. It will also show that a broad penetration of micro and nano technologies into biology and medicine will be mandatory for future scientific and new product development progress in life science.

The present work offers a snapshot of the state-of-the-art of crystallographic, analytical, and computational methods used in modern drug design and development. Topics discussed include: drug design against complex systems (membrane proteins, cell surface receptors, epigenetic targets, and ribosomes); modulation of protein-protein interactions; the impact of small molecule structures in drug discovery and the application of concepts such as molecular geometry, conformation, and flexibility to drug design; methodologies for understanding and characterizing protein states and protein-ligand interactions during the drug design process; and monoclonal antibody therapies. These methods are illustrated through their application to problems of medical and biological significance, such as viral and bacterial infections, diabetes, autoimmune disease, and CNS diseases. As approaches to drug discovery have changed over time, so have the methodologies used to solve the varied, new, and difficult problems encountered in drug discovery. In recent years we have seen great progress in the fields of genetics, biology, chemistry, and medicine, but there are still many unmet medical needs, from bacterial infections to cancer to chronic maladies, that require novel, different, or better therapies. This work will be of interest to researchers and policy makers interested in the latest developments in drug design.

This book will cover the cutting-edge developments in molecular and cellular mechanobiology to date. Readers will have a clear understanding of mechanobiology at the molecular and cellular levels, encompassing the mechanosensors, transducers, and transcription. An integrative approach across different scales from molecular sensing to mechanotransduction and gene modulation for physiological regulation of cellular functions will be explored, as well as applications to pathophysiological states in disease. A comprehensive understanding of the roles of physicochemical microenvironment and intracellular responses in determining cellular function in health and disease will also be discussed.

Over the last 18 years, there have been many advances in the field of intraoperative monitoring. This new edition of Neurophysiology in Neurosurgery: A Modern Approach provides updates on the original techniques, as well as other more recent methodologies that may either prove beneficial or are commonly used in neuromonitoring. The purpose of this book is to describe the integration of neuromonitoring with surgical procedures. Each methodology is discussed in detail as well as chapters describing how those methodologies are applied to multiple surgical procedures and the evidence used to support those uses. The second edition features a surgical procedure section, which focuses on specific surgical procedures and the type of monitoring used during these procedures. The original chapters have been updated, expanded, and the structure modified to ensure the book is beneficial to both physiologists and surgeons. This book is written for neurosurgeons, neurophysiologists, neurologists, anesthesiologists, interventional neuroradiologists, orthopedic surgeons, and plastic surgeons.

Antiplatelet therapy is the cornerstone of treatment of ischemic cardiovascular disease and over the last few years spectacular advancements in this field have been recorded. This is the first comprehensive handbook entirely dedicated to all the aspects of antiplatelet therapy. The book is divided into three main sections, pathophysiology, pharmacology and therapy, for a total of 23 chapters. A large group of leading experts from different European countries and from the USA, both from academia and industry, have contributed to the book. Besides a detailed overview on the pharmacology and clinical applications of all the currently used or of the novel antiplatelet agents, innovative approaches (e.g. intracellular signalling as an antiplatelet target, small RNAs as platelet therapeutics, etc.) or unconventional aspects (e.g. pharmacologic modulation of the inflammatory action of platelets are also treated. The book is oriented to both basic investigators and to clinicians involved with research on platelet inhibition or with the clinical use of antiplatelet therapies.

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.

In 2009 the University Medicine Greifswald launched the "Greifswald Approach to Individualized Medicine" (GANI_MED) to implement biomarker-based individualized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in clinical settings. Individualized Medicine (IM) has led not only to controversies about its potentials, but also about its societal, ethical and health economic implications. This anthology focusses on these areas and includes - next to clinical examples illustrating how the integrated analysis of biomarkers leads to significant improvement of therapeutic outcomes for a subgroup of patients - chapters about the definition, history and epistemology of IM. Additionally there is a focus on conceptual philosophical questions as well as challenges for applied research ethics (informed consent process, the IT-based consent management and the handling of incidental findings). Finally it pays attention to health economic aspects. The possibilities of IM to initiate a paradigm shift in the German health care provision are investigated. Furthermore, it is asked whether the G-DRG system is ready for the implementation of such approaches into clinical routine.

The young investigator with an idea has to negotiate many institutional, federal, and industrial challenges in order to get a product to market. Nowhere is described the steps in the development of new drugs, diagnos tics, or devices; the person with an idea has nowhere to turn for information and details. The young investigator may understand the elements of basic and clinical research, but ordinarily has no insight into novel ways of finding research funding or how to explore to find the funding opportunities that are available. The young investigator has little knowledge of the mecha nisms to bring an idea through the developmental phases to the market. There are other players in this complex endeavor with whom he or she has no contact, including those from industry, the Food and Drug Administration, and the legal community. Exposure to the philosophy of product develop ment and to procedural information would be useful to the scientific com munity, as would contact with those who have successfully taken an idea to a finished product. A first attempt to do this was the symposium on Idea to Product: The Process, sponsored by Serono Symposia USA and held No vember 17 to 20, 1994, in Washington, D.C. This book comprises the pro ceedings of that meeting. The editors are indebted to the many contributors to this volume, and we are especially grateful to Serono Symposia USA and to Leslie Nies and her staff for their expertise in organizing the symposium."

Health information about patients is critical; currently, health records are saved in databases controlled by individual users, organizations, or large groups of organizations. As there are many malicious users, this information is not shared with other organizations due to security issues and the chance of the data being modified or tampered with. Blockchain can be used to securely exchange healthcare data, which can be accessed by organizations sharing the same network, allowing doctors/practitioners to provide better care for patients. The key properties of decentralization, such as immutability and transparency, improve healthcare interoperability. This book brings forth the prospects and research trends of Blockchain in healthcare, so that Researchers, Database professionals, Academia, and Healthcare professionals across the world can know/use the concept of Blockchain in healthcare. The book provides the fundamental and technical details of Blockchain, the applications of Blockchain in healthcare, hands-on chapters for graduate/postgraduate/doctoral students/healthcare professionals to secure healthcare data of patients, and research challenges and future work directions for researchers in healthcare.

The early detection of myocardial damage is one of the major challenges in contemporary cardiology. New biochemical markers have now emerged which appear to be highly sensitive and specific for the assessment not only of patients with myocardial infarction but also of those with unstable angina and prolonged chest pains. Some of these markers, such as the troponins, have been shown to have prognostic value in the context of acute chest pain. The incorporation of novel markers of myocardial damage to the routine diagnostic armamentarium is not without difficulty. The reasons for this include cost-benefit implications and the lack of definitive comprehensive publications dealing specifically with these issues. Technical difficulties with some of the novel markers are also a problem in some cases and this issue also needs to be carefully reviewed. A critical analysis of the biochemical characteristics, sensitivity and specificity as well as the potential clinical applications of the new markers is required. This monograph addresses these issues and also sets up the basis for a redefinition of myocardial damage and myocardial infarction. The book will be of particular interest to biochemists, pharmacologists, cardiologists, general physicians and clinical and basic researchers. The important issue of myocardial damage in relation to pharmacological agents has been specifically addressed in the book and this topic will be of particular interest to both clinical pharmacologists and those working in the pharmaceutical industry. International authorities, whose original work and expertise in the field are widely recognised, have contributed chapters to the book.

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.

Under managed care, health care has become a sometimes uneasy partnership between consumers, health care providers, and the communities they serve. Empowered by a broadly held understanding of medicine and an ability to collect and use performance information to improve health services, this alliance is reshaping our local health systems. In this constantly changing environment, competitive advantage will go to those physicians who are fast-and focused-in their ability to transform their practice into accountable, cooperative business units-reshaping society's expectations of medicine and ultimately improving the delivery of health care.

In The New Health Partners, physician Stephen Prather reveals how doctors can regain stewardship of their medical practices and strengthen their crucial role in the health care of their local communities. Prather?a nationally known physician consultant, educator, practitioner, and speaker--gives physicians effective techniques and practical advice needed to deliver bottom-line results.
Prather shows physicians, medical directors, and administrators how they can acquire the essential skills of leadership and team development for use in both office and community health settings. Step-by-step, Prather explains how to apply the transformative power of the "Six Dimensions of Health Systems" to integrate delivery of care, align economic and non-economic incentives, manage chronic illness, empower clinical groups, work with patients and their families, and redesign care for community benefit.

This groundbreaking book explores how to
A- Put in place successful methods for creating economic incentives to motivate physician change
A- Map outproven approaches for achieving clinical quality improvement and efficient office practices
A- Gain insight into a proven strategy for engaging the community in a rewarding partnership
A- Combine effective management principles, time-honored values, and useful guidelines for the most skillful use of performance data

The New Health Partners is based on the information gathered from in-depth organizational and marketplace assessments and surveys of physician-leaders from across the country. This vital resource also includes numerous examples of best practices that have proven to be easily reproducible, cost-effective, and beneficial to patients. This hands-on volume will prove to be an invaluable aid for any physician-leader who wants to work smarter and direct a health care organization to be ethically, clinically, and fiscally sound.

Discover t-he Six Dimensions of Health Systems That Can Transform Your Medical Practice

The New Health Partners is an essential handbook for physicians who want to reshape their practices to prosper within the managed care environment. This key resource offers a blueprint for helping physicians, medical directors, and administrators create the needed partnerships and cooperative business alliances, put in place the best practices that will maximize accountability, and, ultimately, achieve success in disease management.

"Steve Prather's book encapsulates the key forces in health care today. If followed, his practical solutions will dramatically change the way we organize and deliver care."--Henry G. Walker, president and CEO, Providence/Health System

"Prather has written a book full of helpful insights, tips, and examples for thosetrying to make sense of the leadership opportunity facing doctors today and tomorrow. His strategies and stories can help those who lead physician practice today and guide those who teach tomorrow's doctors."-Paul Batalden, professor and director, Health Care Improvement Leadership Development Center for the Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Dartmouth Medical School

"Using his vast experience and keen insight, Steve Prather presents exciting concepts and practices that will contribute greatly to the improvement of the delivery and quality of clinical care into the next millennium-a major concern for all health care leaders."-Dan S. Wilford, president, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System

"I urge the leaders of health care systems to read and study this enlightening book together. And, since integration, alignment, improvement, teamwork, and partnering are relevant activities at all levels of an organization, it would be wise for leaders to encourage and enable the many natural work groups in their organization to similarly study, digest, and adapt the rich knowledge available in [this book]. Doing so will produce a much more effective and competitive health care system."-From the foreword by James S. Roberts, senior vice president, physician leadership, VHA, Inc.

Interrupted Time Series Analysis develops a comprehensive set of models and methods for drawing causal inferences from time series. It provides example analyses of social, behavioral, and biomedical time series to illustrate a general strategy for building AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) impact models. Additionally, the book supplements the classic Box-Jenkins-Tiao model-building strategy with recent auxiliary tests for transformation, differencing, and model selection. Not only does the text discuss new developments, including the prospects for widespread adoption of Bayesian hypothesis testing and synthetic control group designs, but it makes optimal use of graphical illustrations in its examples. With forty completed example analyses that demonstrate the implications of model properties, Interrupted Time Series Analysis will be a key inter-disciplinary text in classrooms, workshops, and short-courses for researchers familiar with time series data or cross-sectional regression analysis but limited background in the structure of time series processes and experiments.

This book discusses recent advances in the area of cardiometabolic risk biomarkers of chronic inflammatory and cardiovascular disorders. Tackling the topic in a systematic manner, the book starts with an introduction to cardiometabolic risk and its clinical relevance, comparing emergent and classical biomarkers. It then goes on to discuss cardiometabolic risk biomarkers in a range of diseases, including diabetes, ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative disorders. Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Risk, Inflammation and Disease is aimed at doctors specializing in internal medicine, neurology, cardiology, rheumatology, nephrology or endocrinology and will also be of interest to GPs, trainee doctors and clinical and basic researchers working on cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders.

This volume presents the latest research in Virtual Reality (VR), as it is being applied in psychotherapy, rehabilitation, and the analysis of behaviour for neurological assessment. This book will be of value to anyone already in the field and to those who are interested in the development of VR systems for therapeutic purposes. The contents include: * The latest literature reviews on VR in psychotherapy, psychological wellbeing, and rehabilitation * VR and cognitive behavior therapy * Increasing presence in VR for effective exposure therapy and treatment of anxiety disorders * VR military training for managing combat stress and preventing post traumatic stress * VR, mixed reality systems, and games for stroke rehabilitation * VR systems for improving vision in children with amblyopia * Therapeutic play in virtual environments * Healing potential of online virtual worlds such as Second Life * Neuropsychological assessment using virtual environments * Detailed accounts on how VR systems are designed, implemented, and best evaluated * Discussions of limitations, problems, and ethical concerns using VR in mental and physical therapy

New interest in light microscopy of the last few years has not been backed up by adequate general literature. This book intends to fill the gap between specialized texts on detailed topics and general introductory booklets, mostly dealing with the use of the conventional light microscope only. In this short textbook both new developments in microscopy and basic facts of image formation will be treated, including often neglected topics such as axial resolving power, lens construction, photomicrography and correct use of phase-en interference contrast systems. Theoretical background will be dealt with as far as necessary for a well-considered application of these techniques enabling a deliberate choice for the approach of a certain problem. Over 150 illustrations (photomicrographs and diagrams) complete the information on microscopy of the nineties in the biomedical field, intended for scientists, doctors, technicians and research students. Many drawings have been contributed by the illustrator R. Kreuger; the photographic work has been executed by J. Peeterse. Secretarial assistance in preparing the manuscript was given by Ms T. M. S. Pierik. Dr M. J. Pearson has corrected the English of the final text.

Emphasizes the integration of major areas of drug discovery and their importance in candidate evaluation

It is believed that selecting the "right" drug candidate for development is the key to success. In the last decade, pharmaceutical R&D departments have integrated pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism, pharmaceutics, and toxicology into early drug discovery to improve the assessment of potential drug compounds. Now, Evaluation of Drug Candidates for Preclinical Development provides a complete view and understanding of why absorption-distribution-metabolism-excretion-toxicology (ADMET) plays a pivotal role in drug discovery and development.

Encompassing the three major interrelated areas in which optimization and evaluation of drug developability is most critical--pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism, pharmaceutics, and safety assessment--this unique resource encourages integrated thinking in drug discovery. The contributors to this volume:

Cover drug transporters, cytochrome P-450 and drug-drug interactions, plasma protein binding, stability, drug formulation, preclinical safety assessment, toxicology, and toxicokinetics

Address developability issues that challenge pharma companies, moving beyond isolated experimental results

Reveal connections between the key scientific areas that are critical for successful drug discovery and development

Inspire forward-thinking strategies and decision-making processes in preclinical evaluation to maximize the potential of drug candidates to progress through development efficiently and meet the increasing demands of the marketplace

Evaluation of Drug Candidates for Preclinical Development serves as an introductory reference for those new to the pharmaceutical industry and drug discovery in particular. It is especially well suited for scientists and management teams in small- to mid-sized pharmaceutical companies, as well as academic researchers and graduate students concerned with the practical aspects related to the evaluation of drug developability.

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.