Paris is a cosmopolitan city where roaring life, wonderful museums and excellent science can be found. It was during the XI IUMS conference held in this city that the Pseudomonas book series was ?rst envisaged. On the ?rst row of the auditorium sat a group of outstanding scientists in the ?eld, who after devoting much of their valuable time, contributed in an exceptional manner to the ?rst three volumes of the series, which saw the light simultaneously. The volumes were grouped under the generic titles of "Vol. I. Pseudomonas: Genomics, Life Style and Molecular Architecture", Vol. II. Pseudomonas: Virulence and gene regulation; Vol. III. Pseudomonas: Biosynthesis of Macromolecules and Molecular Metabolism. Soon after the completion of the ?rst three volumes, a rapid search for ar- cles containing the word Pseudomonas in the title in the last 10 years produced over 6,000 articles! Consequently, not all possible topics relevant to this genus were covered in the three ?rst volumes. Since then two other volumes were p- lished: Pseudomonas volume IV edited by Roger Levesque and Juan L. Ramos that came to being with the intention of collecting some of the most relevant emerging new issues that had not been dealt with in the three previous volumes. This v- ume was arranged after the Pseudomonas meeting organized by Roger Levesque in Quebec (Canada). It dealt with various topics grouped under a common heading: "Pseudomonas: Molecular Biology of Emerging Issues".

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common intrauterine transmitted viral infection, with a tremendous impact on fetuses and newborns. In this book the history of this disease, its pathophysiological background, epidemiology and symptoms, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, will be discussed. Since economic aspects are gaining more and more importance in health politics, one chapter is dedicated to this issue in the context of congenital CMV infection. The content is based on the latest scientific findings and written in an understandable manner, allowing persons not working in the field of congenital CMV to also profit from it. Thus, this book is of interest for medical doctors, nurses, midwives, economists, but also for men and women who want to inform themselves about this topic.

7th Jenner Glycobiology and Medicine Symposium Sunday5-W Wednesday 8 September 2004 John S. Axford StGeorge's, University of London, UK The potential for glycobiology to improve the practice of medicine has been well recognised, which is why biannual meetings concerning the association have been taking place for the last 14 years. The science of glycobiology has matured rapidly, and with it the far reaching clinical implications are becoming understood. The next decade is going to see this ?nal frontier of science conquered. The impact this understanding of glycobiology will have upon our practice of medicine is going to be exciting. The 7th Jenner Glycobiology and Medicine Symposium was designed tore?ecttheseadvances.Allthemajorclinicalareaswereinvolved,withcontributions from pivotal players in science and medicine. As with our previous meetings, junior scientists were involved as we recognise that at the end of the next decade they will be in the driving seat. This introduction serves as a taster to whet your appetite. From embryogenesis to pathogenesis, glycosylation plays a pivotal role. Complex and hybrid N-glyans and O-fucose glycans are critical in oocyte devel- ment and function. This area must surely be a fertile ground for glycosylation research.

Intensive care is a rapidly changing area of medicine, and after four years from the 2nd edition the volume editors and authors have deemed necessary to update it. In the recent years, in fact, five new randomised controlled trials and five new meta-analyses demonstrate that selective decontamination of the digestive tract [SDD] is an antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent severe infections of not only lower airways but also of blood. Additionally, SDD has been shown to reduce inflammation including multiple organ failure and mortality. An intriguing observation is the evidence that SDD using parenteral and enteral antimicrobials reduces rather than increases antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, a new chapter on microcirculation had been added. The volume will be an invaluable tool for all those requiring in depth knowledge in the ever expanding field of infection control.

Lasso peptides form a growing family of fascinating ribosomally-synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides produced by bacteria. They contain 15 to 24 residues and share a unique interlocked topology that involves an N-terminal 7 to 9-residue macrolactam ring where the C-terminal tail is threaded and irreversibly trapped. The ring results from the condensation of the N-terminal amino group with a side-chain carboxylate of a glutamate at position 8 or 9, or an aspartate at position 7, 8 or 9. The trapping of the tail involves bulky amino acids located in the tail below and above the ring and/or disulfide bridges connecting the ring and the tail. Lasso peptides are subdivided into three subtypes depending on the absence (class II) or presence of one (class III) or two (class I) disulfide bridges. The lasso topology results in highly compact structures that give to lasso peptides an extraordinary stability towards both protease degradation and denaturing conditions. Lasso peptides are generally receptor antagonists, enzyme inhibitors and/or antibacterial or antiviral (anti-HIV) agents. The lasso scaffold and the associated biological activities shown by lasso peptides on different key targets make them promising molecules with high therapeutic potential. Their application in drug design has been exemplified by the development of an integrin antagonist based on a lasso peptide scaffold. The biosynthesis machinery of lasso peptides is therefore of high biotechnological interest, especially since such highly compact and stable structures have to date revealed inaccessible by peptide synthesis. Lasso peptides are produced from a linear precursor LasA, which undergoes a maturation process involving several steps, in particular cleavage of the leader peptide and cyclization. The post-translational modifications are ensured by a dedicated enzymatic machinery, which is composed of an ATP-dependent cysteine protease (LasB) and a lactam synthetase (LasC) that form an enzymatic complex called lasso synthetase. Microcin J25, produced by Escherichia coli AY25, is the archetype of lasso peptides and the most extensively studied. To date only around forty lasso peptides have been isolated, but genome mining approaches have revealed that they are widely distributed among Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, particularly in Streptomyces, making available a rich resource of novel lasso peptides and enzyme machineries towards lasso topologies.

2004 marks the 100th anniversary of the first description of the autoimmune disease paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, a rare hemolytic disorder, by Julius Donath and Karl Landsteiner. After a century of research, the list of autoimmune diseases has become impressive. With a prevalence of approximately 5% of the world-wide population, these chronic, debilitating conditions affect almost every major organ of the body and, for reasons that remain unclear, are much more prevalent in woman than in men. Despite our rapidly expanding knowledge of the cellular and molecular pathways that govern a normal immune response, deciphering the precise etiology of autoimmune diseases remains an important challenge. Over the last few years, our understanding of the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases has improved rapidly, leading to the emergence of elegant immunointervention strategies. Molecular Autoimmunity illustrates how cutting-edge research is continuing to advance our understanding of autoimmune disease mechanisms and identifies novel therapeutic targets that provide a hope for effective future treatments. This volume contains a selected number of exciting advances in unraveling autoimmune reactions, and the resulting new armory of experimental immunotherapies that may lead to new ways of controlling autoimmune reactions.

Why another book about vaccines? There are already a few extremely well-written medical textbooks that provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art technical reviews regarding vaccine science. Additionally, in the past decade alone, a number of engrossing, provocative books have been published on various related issues ra- ing from vaccines against specific diseases to vaccine safety and policy. Yet there remains a significant gap in the literature - the history of vaccines. Vaccines: A Biography seeks to fill a void in the extant literature by focusing on the history of vaccines and in so doing, recounts the social, cultural, and scientific history of vaccines; it places them within their natural, historical context. The book traces the lineage - the "biography" - of individual vaccines, originating with deeply rooted medical problems and evolving to an eventual conclusion. Nonetheless, these are not "biographies" in the traditional sense; they do not trace an individual's growth and development. Instead, they follow an idea as it is conceived and dev- oped, through the contributions of many. These are epic stories of discovery, of risk-takers, of individuals advancing medical science, in the words of the famous physical scientist Isaac Newton, "by standing on the shoulders of giants. " One grant reviewer described the book's concept as "triumphalist"; although meant as an indictment, this is only partially inaccurate.

This teaching monograph on systems approaches to cancer research and clinical applications provides a unique synthesis, by world-class scientists and doctors, of laboratory, computational, and clinical methods, thereby establishing the foundations for major advances not possible with current methods. Specifically, the book: 1) Sets the stage by describing the basis of systems biology and bioinformatics approaches, and the clinical background of cancer in a systems context; 2) Summarizes the laboratory, clinical, data systems analysis and bioinformatics tools, along with infrastructure and resources required; 3) Demonstrates the application of these tools to cancer research; 4) Extends these tools and methods to clinical diagnosis, drug development and treatment applications; and 5) Finishes by exploring longer term perspectives and providing conclusions. This book reviews the state-of-the-art, and goes beyond into new applications. It is written and highly referenced as a textbook and practical guide aimed at students, academics, doctors, clinicians, industrialists and managers in cancer research and therapeutic applications. Ideally, it will set the stage for integration of available knowledge to optimize communication between basic and clinical researchers involved in the ultimate fight against cancer, whatever the field of specific interest, whatever the area of activity within translational research.

SARS was the ?rst new plague of the twenty-?rst century. Within months, it spread worldwide from its "birthplace" in Guangdong Province, China, affecting over 8,000 people in 25 countries and territories across ?ve continents. SARS exposed the vulnerability of our modern globalised world to the spread of a new emerging infection. SARS (or a similar new emerging disease) could neither have spread so rapidly nor had such a great global impact even 50 years ago, and arguably, it was itself a product of our global inter-connectedness. Increasing af?uence and a demand for wild-game as exotic food led to the development of large trade of live animal and game animal markets where many species of wild and domestic animals were co-housed, providing the ideal opportunities for inter-species tra- mission of viruses and other microbes. Once such a virus jumped species and attacked humans, the increased human mobility allowed the virus the opportunity for rapid spread. An infected patient from Guangdong who stayed for one day at a hotel in Hong Kong led to the transmission of the disease to 16 other guests who travelled on to seed outbreaks of the disease in Toronto, Singapore, and Vietnam, as well as within Hong Kong itself. The virus exploited the practices used in modern intensive care of patients with severe respiratory disease and the weakness in infection control practices within our health care systems to cause outbreaks within hospitals, further amplifying the spread of the disease. Health-care itself has become a two-edged sword.

Clinical Mycology offers a comprehensive review of this discipline. Organized by types of fungi, this volume covers microbiologic, epidemiologic and demographic aspects of fungal infections as well as diagnostic, clinical, therapeutic, and preventive approaches. Special patient populations are also detailed.

Metabolic engineering has been developed over the past 20 years to become an important tool for the rational engineering of industrial microorganisms. This book has a particular interest in the methods and applications of metabolic engineering to improve the production and yield of a variety of different metabolites. The overall goal is to achieve a better understanding of the metabolism in different microorganisms, and provide a rational basis to reprogram microorganisms for improved biochemical production.

Microbial cell wall structures play a significant role in maintaining cells' shape, as protecting layers against harmful agents, in cell adhesion and in positive and negative biological activities with host cells. All prokaryotes, whether they are bacteria or archaea, rely on their surface polymers for these multiple functions. Their surfaces serve as the indispensable primary interfaces between the cell and its surroundings, often mediating or catalyzing important interactions. Prokaryotic Cell Wall Compounds summarizes the current state of knowledge on the prokaryotic cell wall. Topics concerning bacterial and archaeal polymeric cell wall structures, biological activities, growth and inhibition, cell wall interactions and the applications of cell wall components, especially in the field of nanobiotechnology, are presented.

This book describes antibiotic resistance amongst pathogenic bacteria. It starts with an overview of the erosion of the efficacy of antibiotics by resistance and the decrease in the rate of replacement of redundant compounds. The origins of antibiotic resistance are then described. It is proposed that there is a large bacterial resistome which is a collection of all resistance genes and their precursors in both pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. Ongoing resistance surveillance programs are also discussed, together with the perspective of a clinical microbiologist. The book then turns to specific themes such as the most serious area of resistance in pathogens, namely in Gram-negative organisms. The role of combinations of antibiotics in combating resistance emergence is discussed, particularly in the tuberculosis field, and then the importance of non-multiplying and persistent bacteria which are phenotypically resistant to antibiotics and prolong the duration of therapy of antibiotics which leads to poor compliance and resistance emergence. The role of anti-microbial compounds in textiles is covered, with its potential to exacerbate the spread of resistance. Then, efflux pumps are discussed. The final chapter describes the compounds which are in late stage clinical development, illustrating the paucity of the antibiotic pipeline, especially for Gram-negative bacteria.

Microbial endocrinology represents a newly emerging interdisciplinary field that is formed by the intersection of the fields of neurobiology and microbiology. This book will introduce a new perspective to the current understanding not only of the factors that mediate the ability of microbes to cause disease, but also to the mechanisms that maintain normal homeostasis. The discovery that microbes can directly respond to neuroendocrine hormones, as evidenced by increased growth and production of virulence-associated factors, provides for a new framework with which to investigate how microorganisms interface not only with vertebrates, but also with invertebrates and even plants. The reader will learn that the neuroendocrine hormones that one most commonly associates with mammals are actually found throughout the plant, insect and microbial communities to an extent that will undoubtedly surprise many, and most importantly, how interactions between microbes and neuroendocrine hormones can influence the pathophysiology of infectious disease.

Viral infections of the nervous system are important because they are associated with high morbidity and mortality. A variety of pathogenetic mechanisms are involved in these infections and an understanding of the pathogenesis is essential in understanding the diagnostic and clinical management aspects of the disease. Specialized investigations are often necessary for definitive diagnosis, although a presumptive diagnosis should often be suspected on the basis of the clinical features. Many of the chapters in this book are written by neurologists who are experts in basic science research of their topic in addition to active clinical practice in their specialty.

Scientists often look askance at their colleagues whose research appears too strongly focused on a single gene or gene product. We are supposed to be interested in the "big picture" and excessive zeal in pursuit of a single pixel might seem to border on an obsession that is likely to yield only details. However as this volume of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology demonstrates, this is certainly not the case for myc. Intense study of this en- matic proto-oncogene over the last twenty years has only broadened our view of its functions and led to insights into mechanisms relating to transcriptional regulation as well as to cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and organismal development. The myc gene originally came to light as a retroviral oncogene (v-myc) associated with a wide range of acute neoplasms. It was later shown to be a virally transduced cellular gene (c-myc) which is a member of family of on- genes (c-myc,N-myc,L-myc). These family members are themselves subject to a bewildering assortment of genetic rearrangements associated with many different types of tumors derived from many different types of cells. These rearrangements (including chromosomal translocation, viral integration, and gene ampli?cation) act to uncouple expression of the myc family genes from their normal physiological regulators. The chapter by LIU and LEVENS - scribes the key pathways leading to regulation of myc expression, showing that such regulation occurs at several different levels and through multiple mechanisms.

This volume reviews the unique and common features of rhabdoviruses, which have a very wide host range and are associated with human diseases and also infect domestic livestock and agricultural plants, causing enormous economic loss.

A review of our current understanding of Reoviridae entry, disassembly/assembly and egress in addition to updating high resolution structures of virus proteins and capsids from three different genera of the family. Most of our initial understanding of molecular biology and processes involved in virus replication and pathogenesis for the members of the family was generated from reovirus studies. This book will interest researchers and scientists in the field of virology.

The present volume of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology c- tains seven chapters that illuminate various aspects of a protein's genesis and terminal fate in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This area is of immediate medical relevance and has blossomed, to no small extent, because of the study of molecules central to the function of the immune system [immunogl- ulins, T cell receptors, major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-encoded products]. Similarly, the clever strategies used by bacteria or viruses to gain a foothold in the host and ensure their continued survival have uncovered altogether new cell biological principles. It is therefore ?tting that a special volume be devoted to the interplay between pathways of protein degradation in the ER and a wide variety of pathogens. The concept of quality control emerged with the appreciation that, in the case of multimeric glycoproteins, any unpaired glycoprotein subunit had great dif?culties leaving its site of synthesis-the ER-and was destroyed instead. Free immunoglobulin heavy chains were probably the earliest documented example of this kind, and were long known to cause pathology when their accumulation went unchecked. Increased knowledge of the biosynthetic pathways of glycoproteins allowed the identi?cation of the ER as an important site where such quality control decisions were made. The T cell receptor for antigen, long considered the paradigm of this mode of degradation, led the way in these early explorations.

A comprehensive review of all known immune mechanisms for medically important fungal pathogens from the organ perspectives of the human body. This authoritative guide is organized by organ system, as one particular fungus can have several different effects.

TwentyyearshavegonebysinceJackSokatch?rstpublishedhisoutsta- ingTheBiologyofPseudomonasbackin1986.Thiswasfollowedbytwobooks published by the ASM that contained the presentations of the Pseudomonas meetings held in Chicago in 1989 and Trieste in 1991. The earlier volume of these two was edited by Simon Silver, Al Chakrabarty, Barbara Iglewski, and Sam Kaplan, and the later one by Enrica Galli, Simon Silver, and Bernard Witholt. The time was ripe for a series of books on Pseudomonas because of its importance in human and plant pathogenesis, bio?lms, soil and rhizosphere colonization, etc. Efforts were devoted to produce the ?rst three volumes of the series on the biology of Pseudomonas after a meeting with Kluwer staff members in August 2002 during the XI IUMS conference in Paris (France). In less than a year a group of outstanding scientists in the ?eld, after devoting much of their valuable time, managed to complete their chapters for the three volumes of the series. To ensure the high standard of each chapter, renowned scientists participated in the reviewing process. The three books collected part of the "explosion" of new vital information on the genus Pseudomonas.

Influenza continues to be an ongoing problem despite the existence of vaccines and drugs. Disease outbreaks can occur relatively quickly as witnessed with the recent emergence of the influenza virus A/H1N1 pandemic. The development of new anti-influenza drugs is thus a major challenge. This volume describes all aspects of the virus structure and function relevant to infection. The focus is on drug discovery of inhibitors to the enzyme sialidase, which plays a key role in the infectious lifecycle of the virus. Following an overview of the influenza virus, the haemagglutinin, the interactions with the cell receptors and the enzymology of virus sialidase, recent results in drug design are presented. These include a full coverage of the design, synthesis and evaluation of carbohydrate as well as non-carbohydrate influenza virus sialidase inhibitors. Further reviews of the clinical experience with influenza virus sialidase inhibitors and of the development of resistance to these inhibitor drugs complement the topic.

Given rapid research progress and advance of the techniques in studying HIV interactions with host cells and factors, there is a critical need for a book on HIV interactions with DCs. The proposed book will aim for a broad readership to facilitate HIV/AIDS research and provide a practical tool for HIV researchers to continuously address novel questions. Specifically, the editors will summarize the literature in this field and provide critical analysis and future directions. International researchers will be invited as contributors of the book, highlighting authors who have contributed significantly to the field from different angles and aspects of virology, cell biology and immunology, etc.

Henipaviruses form a new genus of emerging paramyxoviruses that are the deadliest human pathogens within the Paramyxoviridae family. This volume deals with the many facets of henipavirus biology, and covers our current understanding regarding the ecology, molecular virology, and pathogenesis of henipavirus infections. It is an international effort written by a multidisciplinary panel of experts at the front lines of research into this lethal emerging group of paramyxoviruses. The first section introduces the epidemiology and ecology of Nipah and Hendra viruses in their respective endemic areas, including a first-hand account of the discovery of Nipah virus during its initial outbreak in Malaysia; the next section documents the molecular virology of henipaviruses, and the substantial advances made towards understanding the unique features of henipavirus entry and tropism; and this is followed by accounts of the clinical and pathologic features of henipavirus infections in their human and naturally infected animal hosts. The next sections on pathogenesis provide a comprehensive reference on how henipaviruses counteract the innate immune system, and the relevant pathogenic features in animal challenge models developed to test potential therapeutic strategies. The final sections describe our current and future capabilities for diagnosis and control, including an account of potentially effective immunization strategies that are currently being tested. This book will not only serve as a useful reference for the henipavirus field; it will be useful to basic and animal virologists, ecologists, epidemiologists, physicians, and others interested in emerging infectious viral diseases, as it showcases the multidisciplinary efforts required to understand the genesis, spread and hopefully, control, of a group of lethal emerging zoonotic pathogens.

Vaccinology, the concept of a science ranging from the study of immunology to the development and distribution of vaccines, was a word invented by Jonas Salk. This book covers the history of the methodological progress in vaccine development and to the social and ethical issues raised by vaccination. Chapters include "Jenner and the Vaccination against Smallpox," "Viral Vaccines," and "Ethical and Social Aspects of vaccines." Contributing authors include pioneers in the field, such as Samuel L. Katz and Hilary Koprowski. This history of vaccines is relatively short and many of its protagonists are still alive. This book was written by some of the chief actors in the drama whose subject matter is the conquest of epidemic disease.