Androgens are critical regulators of prostate differentiation and function, as well as prostate cancer growth and survival. Therefore, androgen ablation is the preferred systemic treatment for disseminated prostate cancer. Androgen action is exerted in target tissues via binding the androgen receptor (AR), a nuclear receptor transcription factor.

Historically, the gene expression program mediated by the AR has been poorly understood. However, recent gene expression profiling and more traditional single-gene characterization studies have revealed many androgen-regulated genes that are important mediators of androgen action in both normal and malignant prostate tissue. This book will focus on the androgen-regulated gene expression program, and examine how recently identified androgen-regulated genes are likely to contribute to the development and progression of prostate cancer. Recent studies that have attempted to unravel how these genes are deregulated in androgen depletion independent prostate cancer will be included

The book starts with a general introduction into the relevance of systems biology for understanding tuberculosis. This will be followed by several chapters which describe the application of systems biology to various aspects of the study of the pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and its interaction with the host. The book provides the reader with an account of how the new science of systems biology is providing novel insights into the ancient scourge of tuberculosis. It will also describe how systems biology can be applied to the control of tuberculosis, including the development of new treatments, vaccines and diagnostics.

Viruses are the agent responsible for perhaps up to one million cases of cancer worldwide each year. Significantly, the study of viruses has also provided important clues to the causes and development of the most common human cancers. This volume presents an account of those viruses which have been directly associated with common human malignancies such as human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical carcinoma, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Burkitt's lymphoma. In addition, the biology and biochemistry of those viruses which have been shown to be capable of transforming cells in culture are described in detail. Thus adenovirus are discussed, as are the other small DNA tumour viruses - Simian virus 40 (SV40) and polyoma virus. Consideration has also been given to human T-cell leukaemia virus (HTLV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human herpes virus 8 (HHV8), amongst others. General themes such as the host's immune response to viral infection, virally-induced apoptosis and the use of viruses as a delivery system in gene therapy have been discussed.
Individual chapters have been written by an international group of experts in their own field of research.

Modern Techniques for Food Authentication, Second Edition presents a comprehensive review of the novel techniques available to authenticate food products, including various spectroscopic technologies, methods based on isotopic analysis and chromatography, and other techniques based on DNA, enzymatic analysis and electrophoresis. This new edition pinpoints research and development trends for those working in research, development and operations in the food industry, giving them readily accessible information on modern food authentication techniques to ensure a safe and authentic food supply. It will also serve as an essential reference source to undergraduate and postgraduate students, and for researchers in universities and research institutions.

Over the last several years the field of humanized mice has matured and developed into an essential component of translational research for HIV/AIDS. Humanized mice serve both as vehicles for discovery and as highly sophisticated platforms for biomedical research. In addition, humanized mice have demonstrated outstanding potential for the investigation of critical aspects of the infection and pathogenesis of the hepatitis and herpes viruses, as well as highly relevant microbial infections such as tuberculosis and malaria. Humanized Mice for HIV Research provides a comprehensive presentation of the history, evolution, applications, and current state of the art of this unique animal model. An expansion of twelve review articles that were published in Humanized Mice by Springer in 2008 (Eds: Nomura T, Watanabe T, Habu S), this book expertly captures the outstanding progress that has been made in the development, improvement, implementation, and validation of humanized mouse models. The first two parts of this book cover the basics of human-to-mouse xenotransplantation biology, and provide critical information about human immune cell development and function based on individual models created from different immunodeficient strains of mice. The third and fourth parts investigate HIV-1 biology, including different routes of transmission, prevention, treatment, pathogenesis, and the development of adaptive immunity in humanized mice. The fifth part shows the broad applicability of humanized mice for therapeutic development, from long-acting antiretroviral combinations to genetic manipulations with human cells and cell-based approaches. The sixth part includes liver tissue engineering and the expansion of humanized mice for many other human cell-tropic pathogens.

Zika Virus provides an authoritative account of one of most fascinating viruses of the 21st century, covering all the main points. It includes coverage of clinical manifestations, such as fever and fatigue, but also delves into neurological manifestations like acute demyelinating neuropathy. In addition, the book discusses new evidence that suggests that Zika fever in pregnant women can cause abnormal brain development in fetuses by mother-to-child transmission. The Zika virus infection has become one of the first where women are actively discouraged from getting pregnant. Readers will find this book to be a comprehensive resource on the topic.

The 'golden age' for antibiotic discovery, from 1940 until the early 1970s, ushered in a new era in human- and animal-health and the associated dramatic increase in human life expectancies. Indeed the possibility of eradicating infectious disease seemed feasible. However it soon became apparent that microorganisms wouldn't be defeated so easily. Their weapon: antibiotic resistance. Today microbial antibiotic resistance is rapidly exhausting our supply of effective compounds and making the possibility of a global public health disaster seems likely. The urgency of this situation has spawned a plethora of new multi-disciplinary research initiatives looking for novel antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents. In this timely book respected international experts summarize the most important research to provide a timely overview of the field. Opening chapters define 'antibiotic', explain why we need new compounds, outline the applications of antibiotics, both old and new, and describe the producing microbes. These are followed by chapters that cover antibiotic resistance, toxicity, overuse, new antimicrobial sources, new targets, novel technologies for antibiotic discovery (e.g. silent gene clusters), lantibiotics, natural antivirals, new macrolide derivatives, and antibiotics in the pipeline. This books is essential reading for everyone working in antimicrobial research in academia, biotechnology companies, and the pharmaceutical industry and a recommended volume for all microbiology libraries.

Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls: Improving Food Safety in Human Food Manufacturing for Food Businesses is a comprehensive, first of its kind resource for the retail food industry on the Hazard Analysis and Risk-based Preventive Controls (PCHF) regulations of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This book covers all aspects of PCHF, including the legislation's intent, applications to ensure safe food production, and resources to keep up-to-date on new food safety hazards and regulatory guidance. Written for food safety professionals and food business leaders, its emphasis on what the retail food industry needs to know about PCHF make it an indispensable resource for organizations buying food from companies required to demonstrate compliance with PCHF. PCHF implementation is (or soon will be) required for human food companies along the supply chain in the United States, as well as all food companies that import ingredients and products for human consumption into the U.S.

The Natural Anti-Gal Antibody as Foe Turned Friend in Medicine provides a comprehensive review of the natural anti-Gal antibody, which is the most abundant antibody in humans constituting ~1% of immunoglobulins and the carbohydrate antigen it recognizes, the a-gal epitope. It discusses the discovery of this antigen/antibody system, its evolution in mammals, the pathological effects of this antibody, and its possible use in various therapies in humans. Most significantly, the book discusses microbial and regenerative therapies in which an antibody present in all humans may be harnessed as an in vivo pharmaceutical agent that enables a wide variety of therapies. Some of these therapies are described as experimental studies that are compiled in this book, other already studied therapies in the area of cancer immunotherapy are also included in this book.

This book covers both the molecular basics of fungal stress response strategies as well as biotechnological applications thereof. The complex regulatory mechanisms of stress response pathways are presented in a concise and well-readable manner. Also, light will be shed on the interconnection of pathways responding to different types of stress. Profound knowledge of stress responses in yeast and filamentous fungi is crucial for further optimization of industrial processes. Applications are manifold, for example in fungicide development, for improving the resistance of crop plants to fungal pathogens, but also in medicine to help curing fungal infections. The book targets researchers from academia and industry, as well as graduate students interested in microbiology, mycology and biomedicine.

Tumor-Induced Immune Suppression - Prospects and Progress in Mechanisms and Therapeutic Reversal presents a comprehensive overview of large number of different mechanisms of immune dysfunction in cancer and therapeutic approaches to their correction. This includes the number of novel mechanisms that has never before been discussed in previous monographs. The last decades were characterized by substantial progress in the understanding of the role of the immune system in tumor progression. Researchers have learned how to manipulate the immune system to generate tumor specific immune response, which raises high expectations for immunotherapy to provide breakthroughs in cancer treatment. It is increasingly clear that tumor-induced abnormalities in the immune system not only hampers natural tumor immune surveillance, but also limits the effect of cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, it is critically important to understand the mechanisms of tumor-induced immune suppression to make any progress in the field and this monograph provides these important insights.

This volume is composed of chapters that review important fundamental aspects of HCV biology and disease pathogenesis including, for example, the discovery and identification of the HCV genome, early virus-cell interactions including identification of various cellular receptors, HCV gene expression studied using the HCV replicon system, identification and characterization of HCV structural- and non-structural HCV proteins, HCV replication in cultured cells, and host factors involved in viral replication. This volume also contains chapters dealing with immunity to HCV infection and pathogenesis. This is particularly important in understanding hepatitis C because HCV infection alone is not cell lytic. Mechanisms underlying the persistent nature of HCV infection are also discussed in these chapters. Many of the authors published articles that were listed among the "top 10 papers" published in the 24 years since HCV was discovered in 1989. Their citations are above 1,000 (Web of Science). The authors describe the background and significance of their contributions to the field in the context of findings from other research groups.

Applications of High Resolution Mass Spectrometry: Food Safety and Pesticide Residue Analysis is the first book to offer complete coverage of all aspects of high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) used for the analysis of pesticide residue in food. Aimed at researchers and graduate students in food safety, toxicology, and analytical chemistry, the book equips readers with foundational knowledge of HRMS, including established and state-of-the-art principles and analysis strategies. Additionally, it provides a roadmap for implementation, including discussions of the latest instrumentation and software available. Detailed coverage is given to the application of HRMS coupled to ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC-HRMS) in the analysis of pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables and food from animal origin. The book also discusses extraction procedures and the challenges of sample preparation, gas chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry, flow injection-HRMS, ambient ionization, and identification of pesticide transformation products in food. Responding to the fast development and application of these new procedures, this book is an essential resource in the food safety field.

This book discusses recent advances in our understanding of the role of oxidants in microbial pathophysiology, providing valuable insights into the complex role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in host-microbial interactions. The various chapters take readers through the function of ROS in infections ranging from viral to bacterial, and describe how microorganisms have developed complex strategies to not only avoid contact with phagocyte-derived oxidants, but also protect themselves from injury when oxidants are encountered. Featuring the latest research in the field of microbial diseases, this timely book is a ready reference for scientists looking to develop new anti-microbial drugs.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human gamma herpes virus that is best known for being the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis in man. A fascinating feature of this virus is its ability to persist in the host, and it is estimated that more than 95% of adults are carriers of the virus. Importantly, EBV can transform latently infected primary cells from healthy individuals into cancerous ones, thereby causing important human cancers such as B-cell neoplasms (e.g. Burkitt's lymphoma and Post-transplant lymphomas), certain forms of T-cell lymphoma, and some epithelial tumors (e.g. gastric carcinomas). Understanding viral latency, what triggers viral reactivation and the mechanism of transformation of normal host cells into malignant cells are critical for the development of strategies for the prevention and control of this intriguing virus and related cancers. In this book, expert EBV virologists comprehensively review this important subject from a genetic, biochemical, immunological, and cell biological perspective. Topics include: latent infections, EBV leader protein, EBNA-1 in viral DNA replication and persistence, EBNA-2 in transcription activation of viral and cellular genes, the nuclear antigen family 3 in regulation of cellular processes, molecular profiles of EBV latently infected cells, latent membrane protein 1 oncoprotein, regulation of latency by LMP2A, role of noncoding RNAs in EBV-induced cell growth and transformation, and the regulation of EBV latency by viral lytic proteins. This book is essential reading for all EBV virologists, as well as clinical and basic scientists working on oncogenic viruses.

This book offers a unique perspective on the invisible organ, a body part that has been visualized only recently. It guides the readers into the world of the microbial constituents that make humans the way they are. The vitamins they produce, the smell they generate, the signals they create, and the molecular guards they elaborate are some of the benefits they bestow on humans. After introducing the notion as to why microbes are an integral component in the development of humans, the book examines the genesis of the microbiome and describes how the resident bacteria work in partnership with the skin, digestive tract, sexual organs, mouth and lungs to execute vital physiological functions. It then discusses the diseases that are triggered by the disruption of the harmonious relationships amongst these diverse systems and provides microbial cures to ailments such as obesity and digestive complications. Finally, the book focuses on the future when the workings of the human microbes will be fully unravelled. Societal changes in health education, the establishment of the microbiome bank, the fight against hunger, space travel, designer traits and enhanced security are explained. Each chapter is accompanied by captivating illustrations and ends with a visual summary. Dr. Appanna has been researching for over 30 years on various aspects of microbial and human cellular systems. He is a professor of biochemistry and has also served as Department Chair and Dean of the Faculty at Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada. The book is aimed at readers enrolled in medical, chiropractic, nursing, pharmacy, and health science programs. Practicing health-care professionals and continuing education learners will also find the content beneficial.

This books brings together multi-disciplinary expertise to provide comprehensive information about molecular imaging of infectious diseases. Also described are the development of new imaging technologies for infectious disease and their translation to the clinic. The overall goal of Imaging Infections: From Bench to Bedside is to spur interest and innovation in this emerging field. We anticipate that these technologies will not only allow unique insights into understanding pathogenesis of infections but also expedite bench-to-bedside translation of new therapeutics. While molecular imaging is already in common use in the clinic, this book demonstrates how it could also become a valuable tool for clinical studies, patient care, public health, and for enabling precision medicine for infectious diseases.

Caliciviruses are positive-sense, single stranded RNA viruses containing four recognized genera: Norovirus, Sapovirus, Lagovirus, and Vesivirus. They are ubiquitous in the environment and are a major cause of disease in humans as well as many animals. Examples include Norwalk virus - a norovirus, thought to be responsible for roughly 90% of epidemic, non-bacterial outbreaks of gastroenteritis in humans around the world. The lack of a suitable cell culture system for human caliciviruses has limited studies in previous decades, however the recent application of modern genomic technologies has revolutionized the field, leading to an explosion in calicivirus publications. In this book, a panel of experts distil the most important up-to-date research findings in their respective calicivirus field of study, producing timely and comprehensive reviews. Each chapter gives the reader a brief introduction to the topic, followed by a descriptive discussion of the past and present research areas. Topics include: norovirus epidemiology * calicivirus contamination of the environment * genome organization and recombination, proteolytic cleavage, and viral proteins * viral protein structures * virus-host interactions * calicivirus reverse genetics and replicon systems * feline calicivirus * swine calicivirus * murine norovirus pathogenesis and immunity * murine norovirus translation, replication, and reverse genetics * and lagoviruses. This book will be essential reading for all virologists working on caliciviruses and related viruses and is recommended for all virology, immunology, and molecular biology laboratories.

A fully comprehensive and up-to-date edition covering all aspects of Acanthamoeba biology. Following the success of the first edition of this book, the author has extensively revised and expanded the text to produce a new volume that includes all the latest research and information on every aspect of this organism. There is a particular emphasis on the Acanthamoeba genome sequence and the novel insights gained from the application of molecular methods to Acanthamoeba developmental and cellular biology in terms of metabolism and morphogenesis, classification, ecology and role in the ecosystem, host-pathogen interactions, virulence factors and immunological basis of pathogenesis, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, treatment, new target development and drug resistance and its interactions with other microbes in the environment. This new edition is an essential reference text for parasitologists, microbiologists, immunologists, and physicians in the field of basic and medical microbiology, as well as an invaluable reference for new and experienced researchers who wish to understand this organism better. This book is the definitive guide to current research on this increasingly important organism.