This book aims to introduce the latest research in gut microbiota by systematically summarizing how it modulates the pathogenesis of organ injury including alimentary tract injury, liver injury, lung injury, brain injury, renal injury, heart and vascular injury, endocrine disorders, immune responses and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) during sepsis. Gut microbiota which is recognized as a new "organ" in the body has been demonstrated to be able to regulate the homeostasis of many organs. The key role played by gut microbiota is the hotspot in biomedical research nowadays. This book provides a state-of-the-art report on recent discoveries regarding the novel insight into the mechanisms of human diseases progression. It will also offer the overall picture of the pathophysiologic roles of gut microbiota. This book is helpful for graduate students and professional researchers to get the knowledge of frontiers in both gut microbiota and organ injury.

Dengue Virus Disease: From Origin to Outbreak provides a detailed accounting of one of the world's fastest growing infections. According to the World Health Organization, Dengue virus incidence has increased 30-fold over the past 50 years, with up to 50 to 100 million infections occurring annually in over 100 endemic countries. This estimate puts nearly half the world's population at risk. This book reviews the history, clinical and diagnostic aspects of dengue virus, also presenting our current knowledge on the pathophysiology of severe dengue and addressing the importance of dengue virus infections in those traveling to parts of the world where it is endemic.

This volume aims at presenting the latest international research and discoveries in the neurocognitive aspects and complications in HIV/AIDS, and how this understanding can shape and inform how we think about clinical practice and patient care in HIV/AIDS as well as lead to a better understanding of the underlying neuropathogenesis. The chapter, "Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Disease Impacts on the Pathophysiology and Phenotype of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders", of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant public health problem of international importance. HCV is capable of establishing chronic infections resulting in progressive liver damage and other problems. Current drug therapies are ineffective, highlighting the need for better antiviral drugs. Recent research in HCV genetics and molecular biology have led to significant advances in our understanding of the life cycle of this important pathogen and may ultimately lead to better antiviral strategies. The editors of this book have recruited experts from around the world to produce a timely and well-compiled review of current HCV research, with an emphasis on antiviral drug development. The chapters provide in-depth reviews of the most critical areas of research. Topics include: the HCV life cycle * HCV assays * HCV resources * HCV databases * HCV infection systems * models of hepatitis C infections * overview of the drug pipeline * clinical trial design * clinical virology and drug development * NS3 protease inhibitors * NS3-NS4A complex inhibitors * NS3 helicase inhibitors * NS4B targets and inhibitors * NS5A inhibitors * nucleoside inhibitors * NS5B polymerase inhibitors * glycoprotein-dependent entry * host cell targets and inhibitors * innate immunity for HCV antiviral therapy.

This book discusses current evidence on human viruses and provides an extensive coverage of newly emerged viruses and current strategies for treatment. Offering a new perspective in view of the re-emergence of Ebola in African countries and Dengue in India and Pakistan, the contents include chapters on emergence, pathogenicity, epidemiology and vaccine uptake. Human Viruses: Diseases, Treatments and Vaccines: The New Insights discusses a range of viruses from the most common such as Influenza and Hepatitis to Zika, Poliomyelitis and Chikungunya among many others. It is authored by a team of experts on viral disease and will be of immense use to virologists, public health experts and clinicians.

In recent years, advanced molecular techniques in diagnostic microbiology have been revolutionizing the practice of clinical microbiology in the hospital setting. Molecular diagnostic testing in general and nucleic acid-based amplification methods in particular have been heralded as diagnostic tools for the new millennium. This third edition covers not only the most recent updates and advances, but details newly invented omic techniques, such as next generation sequencing. It is divided into two distinct volumes, with Volume 1 describing the techniques, and Volume 2 addressing their applications in the field. In addition, both volumes focus more so on the clinical relevance of the test results generated by these techniques than previous editions.

Alphaherpesviruses are a fascinating group of DNA viruses that include important human pathogens, such as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), HSV-2, and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) - the causative agents of cold sores, genital ulcerous disease, and chickenpox/shingles, respectively. A key attribute of these viruses is their ability to establish lifelong latent infection in the peripheral nervous system of the host. Such persistence requires subversion of the host's immune system and intrinsic antiviral defense mechanisms. Understanding the mechanisms of the immune evasion and what triggers viral reactivation is a major challenge for today's researchers. This has prompted enormous research efforts into understanding the molecular and cellular biology of these viruses. This up-to-date and comprehensive study distills the most important research in this area, providing a timely overview of the field. Topics include: transcriptional regulation, DNA replication, translational control, virus entry and capsid assembly, the role of microRNAs in infection, and oncolytic vectors for cancer therapy. In addition, there is coverage of virus-host interactions, including apoptosis, subversion of host protein quality control and DNA damage response pathways, autophagy, establishment and reactivation from latency, interferon responses, immunity, and vaccine development. This is essential reading for everyone working with alphaherpesviruses and will be of interest to all virologists working on latent infections.

This second edition of Clinical Use of Anti-Infective Agents provides a comprehensive overview of current approaches to using drugs to treat infections, including historical perspectives, definitions, and discussion of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and their uses. It includes a detailed explanation of different classes of drugs, outlining their spectrum, pharmacokinetics, side effects, and dosing in clinical settings. This book has been designed as a reference tool for pharmacists, clinicians, nurse practitioners, and clinical microbiologists, as well as a teaching vehicle for students studying infection and patient treatment. Each section includes references allowing for in-depth study of specific agents, Q&As, and illustrative case studies accompanied by commentary on how to approach patients and organisms, optimal methods of making a diagnosis, and prescribing treatment.

This book systemically presents the latest research on lectins, covering all the major topics in the field, including the heterocomplex of lectins and Toll-like receptors, protective versus pathogenic functions in connection with microbial infections, and novel strategies for enhancing host immunity against infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Lectins are a large group of glycan-binding proteins that recognize diverse glycan and non-glycan structures expressed on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and are vital to cell-cell interactions, the attachment of microbes to host cells, and the recognition and activation of immune responses to exogenous and endogenous danger signals. The composition and structure of microbes are complex and include numerous 'pathogen-associated molecular patterns' or 'damage-associated molecular patterns'. As such, microbes' interactions with immune cells activate multiple innate immunity receptors and produce distinct inflammatory reactions, which can be protective to contain microbial invasion, or pathogenic to cause tissue damage and shock syndrome in the host. The book shares lessons learned from state-of-the art research in this field, highlights the latest discoveries, and provides insightful discussions on lectin-mediated inflammatory reactions, while also outlining future research directions.

Vaccines have long been used to combat infectious diseases, however the last decade has witnessed a revolution in the approach to vaccine design and development. No longer is there a need to rely on the laborious classical methods, such as attenuation or killing the pathogen. Now, sophisticated technologies - such as genomics, proteomics, functional genomics, and synthetic chemistry - can be used for the rational identification of antigens, the synthesis of complex glycans, the generation of engineered carrier proteins, and much more. Never has research in this area been more exciting. In this book, expert international contributors critically review the current cutting-edge research in vaccine design and development. Particular emphasis is given to new approaches and technologies. The book has been divided into two parts. The first part reviews the technologies and approaches used to identify, generate, and test new vaccines. Topics include new strategies to identify protective antigens, generation of improved adjuvants, use of alternative immunization routes, improving vaccine safety, and finding and establishing the correlates of protection. The second part of the book focuses on the development of new vaccines to replace or complement currently available products or for diseases against which prophylactic strategies are missing. Examples include vaccines against nosocomial infections, streptococci, emerging viral diseases, P. aeruginosa, and bovine mastitis.

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 novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a serious global pandemic in just eight months. Nearly every country and territory in the world has been affected by the virus. The virulence and infection rate of the virus are profound, and has required extreme social distancing measures across the globe in order to prevent overwhelming the healthcare services and hospitals. COVID-19 appears to have the greatest effects on elderly individuals and those who have co-morbid diseases, such as heart disease, asthma, and diabetes. As the peak begins to slow in many countries, the death rates remain high amidst justified fears of a second wave. A rapid worldwide mobilization has begun to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines. This new volume will increase readers' understanding of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic through a series of chapters that address these concerns. Leading experts will discuss the effects of the virus in cases of co-morbidities, new treatment approaches, mental health aspects of the pandemic, and convey the results of survey studies. The book will be an excellent resource for researchers studying virology, metabolic diseases, respiratory disorders, and clinical scientists, physicians, drug companies, and healthcare services and workers.

Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a herpesvirus which causes a lymphoproliferative disorder of the domestic chicken worldwide. This serious economical problem caused by MDV was mostly solved by development of an effective vaccine against MDV. The development of live vaccines against the disease is remarkable as it has led to the first example of a commercially available vaccine against cancer as well as against diseases caused by herpesviruses.This volume gives an overview on many aspects of MDV research and summarizes recent advances in the field. The topics include the history, biology,and molecular biology of MDV, pathogenesis, vaccinal immunity, immune response, genetic resistance and development of recombinant polyvalent vaccines. It is hoped that this volume will make an important contribution towards the control of infectious diseases.

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.

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.

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.

'The Maternal Sepsis Intervention has had a profound impact on maternal mortality and antibiotic use whilst also reducing hospital costs. The Ministry of Health is keen to explore opportunities to extending the lessons learnt and integrate them in national policy-making.' -Dr. Richard Mugahi, Ministry of Health, Uganda. This open access book provides an accessible introduction to the mechanics of international development and global health text for policy-makers and students across a wide range of disciplines. Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to the well-being of patients and health systems the world over. In fragile health systems so challenged, on a day-today basis, by the overwhelming burden of both infectious and non-communicable disease, it is easy to overlook the impacts of AMR. The Maternal Sepsis Intervention, focusing on a primary cause of maternal death in Uganda, demonstrates the systemic nature of AMR and the gains that can be made through improved Infection Prevention Control and direct engagement of laboratory testing in antibiotic prescribing.

This book focuses on the application of nanotechnology in medicine and drug delivery, including diagnosis and therapy. Nanomedicine can contribute to the development of a personalized medicine both for diagnosis and therapy. By interacting with biological molecules at nanoscale level, nanotechnology opens up an immense field of research and applications. Interactions between artificial molecular assemblies or nanodevices and biomolecules can be understood both in the extracellular medium and inside human cells. Operating at nanoscale allows exploitation of physical properties different from those observed at microscale, such as the volume to surface area ratio. A number of clinical applications of nanobiotechnology, such as disease diagnosis, target-specific drug delivery, and molecular imaging are being investigated. Some promising new products are also undergoing clinical trials. Such advanced applications of this approach to biological systems will undoubtedly transform the foundations of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease in the future. Nanomedicine sales reached $16 billion in 2015, with a minimum of $3.8 billion in nanotechnology R&D being invested each year. Global funding for emerging nanotechnology increased by 45% per year in recent years, with product sales exceeding $1 trillion in 2013. As the nanomedicine industry continues to grow, it is expected to have a significant impact on the global economy. This book provides clear, colorful and simple illustrations, tables, and case studies to clearly convey the content to a general audience and reader. This book also discusses the development of nanobiomaterials from biogenic (biological sources) systems for healthcare and disease therapies. This book, therefore, is useful for researchers and academicians in the fields of nanotechnology, medicine, nano-biotechnology and pharmacology.

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.

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.

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.

HIV and the New Viruses presents cutting-edge reviews of persistent human virus infections as a coherent collection for the first time. These cover recently discovered viruses such as HHV-6, HHV-8 and HCV, as well as the latest research on HIV.
This comprehensive and updated reference includes an in-depth study of the major issues in the epidemiology, pathogenicity, molecular virology, host responses and management of conditions associated with those viruses. Information on new pharmaceuticals and vaccine developments is also included.
Edited by the leading experts in the field, HIV and the New Viruses will be essential reading for postgraduates, clinicians and researchers in virology, immunology, cancer, molecular biology and the pharmaceutical industry.
Key Features
* Presents cutting-edge reviews of persistent human virus infections as a coherent collection for the first time
* Includes an in-depth study of the major issues in the epidemiology, pathogenicity, molecular virology, host responses, and management of conditions associated with those viruses

Aimed at students, researchers, nutritionists, and developers in food technology, this research text addresses the nascent field of metabiotics. Metabiotics are products based on components of cells, metabolites, and signaling molecules released by probiotic strains, engineered to optimize host-specific physiological functions in a way that traditional probiotics cannot. This book examines the history, processes, design, classifications, and functions of metabiotics. It includes an overview of the composition and function of the gut microbiota, and discusses development of target-specific metabiotics. Further coverage includes comparisons to traditional probiotics, as well as probiotic safety and side-effects. Metabiotics: Present State, Challenges and Perspectives provides a complete history and understanding of this new field, the next phase of the probiotic industry.

This volume focuses on the transport of medically relevant bacterial protein toxins into mammalian cells, and on novel pharmacological strategies to inhibit toxin uptake. The first chapters review our current understanding of the cell-surface receptors and cellular transport processes of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins, Clostridium botulinum C3 toxin, Clostridium difficile toxins, binary clostridial enterotoxins, anthrax toxins and diphtheria toxin. In brief, specific binding/transport (B) subunits deliver the enzyme (A) subunits into the cytosol, where the latter modify their substrates, producing cytotoxic effects and the characteristic toxin-associated diseases. Key mechanisms for the transport of the A subunits from endosomes into the cytosol and the role of trans-membrane pores formed by the B subunits and host cell chaperones for this process are reviewed. The book's closing chapters focus on compounds which inhibit the transport of the A subunits from endosomes into the cytosol and therefore might lead to novel therapeutic strategies for toxin-associated diseases. These substances include pharmacological inhibitors of the host cell chaperones involved, as well as multivalent and heterocyclic molecules that specifically block the toxins' translocation channels. This volume offers an up-to-date resource for scientists.