This is the second edition of a very well received book that details how the sumoylation system functions and how it modulates numerous cellular activities. SUMO is a post-translational modifier in the ubiquitin super-family that has gained recognition over the last twenty years as an essential and prevalent regulatory molecule. Individual chapters explore the biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology of the sumoylation system and its substrate proteins. The book is divided into three themed parts: Molecular Functions (I), Cell Growth Regulation (II), and Diseases (III). Parts I and II focus on the contribution of sumoylation to cellular activities in both the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. The nuclear activities covered include nucleic acid metabolism (both RNA and DNA), chromosome structure and replication, and nucleocytoplasmic transport. Cytoplasmic processes presented include regulation of membrane ion channels, general metabolism, and apoptotic signalling. Topics in Part III include the role of sumoylation in developmental abnormalities (craniofacial and cardiovascular), diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and infections with viruses and bacteria. Each of the corresponding chapter authors is an active researcher who has made significant contributions to understanding sumoylation. This second edition provides updates and revisions to most of the original chapters plus adds six new chapters to address important developing areas of sumoylation research. This volume is intended for a scientific audience from undergraduates to independent researchers. The content will serve as both a solid introduction for the novice reader and an in depth treatment for the advanced scholar.

This timely book provides a succinct summary of methods for the synthesis of bioactive heterocycles using a multicomponent reaction (MCR) approach. The majority of pharmaceuticals and biologically active agrochemicals are heterocycles while countless additives and modifiers used in industrial applications are heterocyclic in nature. With the recent introduction of high-throughput biological evaluation, the importance of MCRs for drug discovery has been recognized and considerable efforts have been focused especially on the design and development of multi-component procedures for the generation of various bioactive heterocycles due to their significant therapeutic potential.

The new age of biologic treatment of the ACL is coming. In The ACL Handbook: Knee Biology, Mechanics, and Treatment, the authors cover the past and current state of ACL injuries and treatment, and then introduce and explain the key concepts for understanding the new biologic approach to ACL treatment. The use of factors to enhance graft healing are reviewed, as well as an in-depth review of the science of platelet-rich plasma and its cellular components (platelets, white cells, and plasma). Chapters on in vitro models for science as well as the advantages and disadvantages of animal models for ACL research are included, as are chapters on the new technique of bio-enhanced ACL repair. All are discussed in easily readable text aimed at anyone with an interest of what is coming next in ACL surgery.

This book is an updated reference for one of the most exciting field of biomedical researches- Stem Cell Research and its therapeutic applications. Stem cell research holds great promise for the treatment of many human diseases that currently lack effective therapies. The set of chapters in this book provide insights into both basic stem cell biology and clinical applications of stem cell-based cell replacement therapies for a variety of human diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and li ver degeneration. It also covers novel technologies for the culture and differentiation of both human embryonic stem cells and adult tissue stem cells. This book summarizes our current state of knowledge in stem cell research and integrates basic stem cell biology with regenerative medicine in an overall context. It is an essential reference for students, postdoctoral fellows, academic and industrial scientists, and clinicians. v Acknowledgements The editors would like to thank Ms. Jill Brantley, Rose Chavarin, Alina Haas, and Emily Sun for their administrative assistance and proof-reading of this book. We would also like to thank all the authors for their contributions. vii The editors wish to dedicate this book to our mentors Ron Evans, Fred Gage, and, in memory of Daniel E. Koshland, Jr. Contents Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi 1 Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells: Development In Vivo and Derivation from Human Embryonic Stem Cells In Vitro for Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Dennis O. Clegg, David Buchholz, Sherry Hikita, Teisha Rowland, Qirui Hu, and Lincoln V.

Interval-Censored Time-to-Event Data: Methods and Applications collects the most recent techniques, models, and computational tools for interval-censored time-to-event data. Top biostatisticians from academia, biopharmaceutical industries, and government agencies discuss how these advances are impacting clinical trials and biomedical research. Divided into three parts, the book begins with an overview of interval-censored data modeling, including nonparametric estimation, survival functions, regression analysis, multivariate data analysis, competing risks analysis, and other models for interval-censored data. The next part presents interval-censored methods for current status data, Bayesian semiparametric regression analysis of interval-censored data with monotone splines, Bayesian inferential models for interval-censored data, an estimator for identifying causal effect of treatment, and consistent variance estimation for interval-censored data. In the final part, the contributors use Monte Carlo simulation to assess biases in progression-free survival analysis as well as correct bias in interval-censored time-to-event applications. They also present adaptive decision making methods to optimize the rapid treatment of stroke, explore practical issues in using weighted logrank tests, and describe how to use two R packages. A practical guide for biomedical researchers, clinicians, biostatisticians, and graduate students in biostatistics, this volume covers the latest developments in the analysis and modeling of interval-censored time-to-event data. It shows how up-to-date statistical methods are used in biopharmaceutical and public health applications.

Researching, Reflecting and Writing about Work provides a guide to the research skills and critical thinking required to complete a research project for professional learning courses in counselling and psychotherapy.

Written at a level easily accessible to those enrolled on a work-based qualification as well as those considering postgraduate research at master's level, this book includes:

• how we reflect on our work
• discussion on preparation and structuring of a case study
• how to present work in supervision with advice on process recording
• essay plan structures and appropriate methodologies for research
• ethical considerations and critical linking
• dilemmas and tensions involved in 'research at work'.

Key learning points and reflective exercises are included throughout and theory is supported by contributions detailing specific learning experiences from a variety of work settings, including the public sector, an organisation, in the community, and as an independent counsellor in a voluntary agency. There is also a section on how to prepare your research for consideration for publication and how to present your findings to colleagues.

Researching, Reflecting and Writing about Work will be of interest to all those on counselling courses, or training as psychotherapists, as well as people involved in professional learning linked to the helping professions, including those interested in work-based research linked to therapy in any setting.

The contributed volume "Multidisciplinarity and Interdisciplinarity in Health" is a health-centered volume of the Integrated Science Book series. Lack of confidence, lack of expertise, complexities of healthcare, the confusing nature of healthcare environments, and lack of organization and standardization can become obstacles to successful communication. This volume establishes how extensive is the interface between formal sciences and medical sciences on health-related issues. The book provides an overview of the value of the integration of formal, biological, and medical sciences and related products, i.e., health informatics and biomedical engineering, to frame a holistic approach to health systems, healthcare, medical practice, drug discovery, and medical device design. The book also focuses on innovative solutions to the most critical issues of different health crisis, including obesity, infectious outbreaks, and cancer that can be found by using an integrative approach. It also contains the fascinating crossroads between medical sciences, physics, and mind that is discussed from multiple perspectives on cognition, neuroscience, and psychiatry. These multidisciplinary considerations will expand the concepts of creativity, leadership, aesthetics, empathy and mental health.

The objective of this CTMI volume is to provide readers with a foundation for understanding what ADARs are and how they act to affect gene expression and function. Because A-to-I editing may affect base-pairing and RNA structure, processes including translation, splicing, RNA replication, and miR and siRNA silencing may be affected. It also is becoming increasingly apparent that ADARs may possess roles not only as enzymes that deaminate adenosine to produce inosine in RNA substrates with double-stranded character, but also as proteins independent of their catalytic property. Future studies of ADARs no doubt will provide us with additional surprises and new insights into the modulation of biological processes by the ADAR family of proteins.

Building on its best-selling predecessors, Basic Statistics and Pharmaceutical Statistical Applications, Third Edition covers statistical topics most relevant to those in the pharmaceutical industry and pharmacy practice. It focuses on the fundamentals required to understand descriptive and inferential statistics for problem solving. Incorporating new material in virtually every chapter, this third edition now provides information on software applications to assist with evaluating data. New to the Third Edition Use of Excel (R) and Minitab (R) for performing statistical analysis Discussions of nonprobability sampling procedures, determining if data is normally distributed, evaluation of covariances, and testing for precision equivalence Expanded sections on regression analysis, chi square tests, tests for trends with ordinal data, and tests related to survival statistics Additional nonparametric procedures, including the one-sided sign test, Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, and Mood's median test With the help of flow charts and tables, the author dispels some of the anxiety associated with using basic statistical tests in the pharmacy profession and helps readers correctly interpret their results using statistical software. Through the text's worked-out examples, readers better understand how the mathematics works, the logic behind many of the equations, and the tests' outcomes.

The aim of this book is to equip biostatisticians and other quantitative scientists with the necessary skills, knowledge, and habits to collaborate effectively with clinicians in the healthcare field. The book provides valuable insight on where to look for information and material on sample size and statistical techniques commonly used in clinical research, and on how best to communicate with clinicians. It also covers the best practices to adopt in terms of project, time, and data management; relationship with collaborators; etc.

Accurate sample size calculation ensures that clinical studies have adequate power to detect clinically meaningful effects. This results in the efficient use of resources and avoids exposing a disproportionate number of patients to experimental treatments caused by an overpowered study. Sample Size Calculations for Clustered and Longitudinal Outcomes in Clinical Research explains how to determine sample size for studies with correlated outcomes, which are widely implemented in medical, epidemiological, and behavioral studies. The book focuses on issues specific to the two types of correlated outcomes: longitudinal and clustered. For clustered studies, the authors provide sample size formulas that accommodate variable cluster sizes and within-cluster correlation. For longitudinal studies, they present sample size formulas to account for within-subject correlation among repeated measurements and various missing data patterns. For multiple levels of clustering, the level at which to perform randomization actually becomes a design parameter. The authors show how this can greatly impact trial administration, analysis, and sample size requirement. Addressing the overarching theme of sample size determination for correlated outcomes, this book provides a useful resource for biostatisticians, clinical investigators, epidemiologists, and social scientists whose research involves trials with correlated outcomes. Each chapter is self-contained so readers can explore topics relevant to their research projects without having to refer to other chapters.

In clinical trial practice, controversial statistical issues inevitably occur regardless of the compliance with good statistical practice and good clinical practice. But by identifying the causes of the issues and correcting them, the study objectives of clinical trials can be better achieved. Controversial Statistical Issues in Clinical Trials covers commonly encountered controversial statistical issues in clinical trials and, whenever possible, makes recommendations to resolve these problems. The book focuses on issues occurring at various stages of clinical research and development, including early-phase clinical development (such as bioavailability/bioequivalence), bench-to-bedside translational research, and late-phase clinical development. Numerous examples illustrate the impact of these issues on the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the test treatment under investigation. The author also offers recommendations regarding possible resolutions of the problems. Written by one of the preeminent experts in the field, this book provides a useful desk reference and state-of-the art examination of problematic issues in clinical trials for scientists in the pharmaceutical industry, medical/statistical reviewers in government regulatory agencies, and researchers and students in academia.

Measures of Interobserver Agreement and Reliability, Second Edition covers important issues related to the design and analysis of reliability and agreement studies. It examines factors affecting the degree of measurement errors in reliability generalization studies and characteristics influencing the process of diagnosing each subject in a reliability study. The book also illustrates the importance of blinding and random selection of subjects. New to the Second Edition New chapter that describes various models for methods comparison studies New chapter on the analysis of reproducibility using the within-subjects coefficient of variation Emphasis on the definition of the subjects' and raters' population as well as sample size determination This edition continues to offer guidance on how to run sound reliability and agreement studies in clinical settings and other types of investigations. The author explores two ways of producing one pooled estimate of agreement from several centers: a fixed-effect approach and a random sample of centers using a simple meta-analytic approach. The text includes end-of-chapter exercises as well as downloadable resources of data sets and SAS code.

In response to the US FDA's Critical Path Initiative, innovative adaptive designs are being used more and more in clinical trials due to their flexibility and efficiency, especially during early phase development. Handbook of Adaptive Designs in Pharmaceutical and Clinical Development provides a comprehensive and unified presentation of the principles and latest statistical methodologies used when modifying trial procedures based on accrued data of ongoing clinical trials. The book also gives a well-balanced summary of current regulatory perspectives. The first several chapters focus on the fundamental theory behind adaptive trial design, the application of the Bayesian approach to adaptive designs, and the impact of potential population shift due to protocol amendments. The book then presents a variety of statistical methods for group sequential design, classical design, dose-finding trials, Phase I/II and Phase II/III seamless adaptive designs, multiple stage seamless adaptive trial design, adaptive randomization trials, hypotheses-adaptive design, and treatment-adaptive design. It also covers predictive biomarker diagnostics for new drug development, clinical strategies for endpoint selection in translational research, the role of independent data monitoring committees in adaptive clinical trials, the enrichment process in targeted clinical trials for personalized medicine, applications of adaptive designs that use genomic or genetic information, adaptive trial simulation, and the efficiency of adaptive design. The final chapters discuss case studies as well as standard operating procedures for good adaptive practices. With contributions from leading clinical researchers in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, and regulatory agencies, this handbook offers an up-to-date, complete treatment of the principles and methods of adaptive design and analysis. Along with reviewing recent developments, it examines issues commonly encountered when applying adaptive design methods in clinical trials.

The microfluidic lab-on-a-chip allows scientists to conduct chemical and biochemical analysis in a miniaturized format so small that properties and effects are successfully enhanced, and processes seamlessly integrated. This microscale advantage translates into greater sensitivity, more accurate results, and better information. Microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip for Chemical and Biological Analysis and Discovery focuses on all aspects of the microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technologies and offers an overview of the available technology, its limitations, and its breakthroughs over the years. It emphasizes analytical applications of microfluidic technology and offers in-depth coverage of micromachining methods, microfluidic operations, chemical separations, sample preparation and injection methods, detection technology, and various chemical and biological analyses. Other topics of interest include the use of polymeric chips, fluid flow valve and control, single-cell analysis, DNA and RNA amplification techniques, DNA hybridization, immunoassays and enzymatic assays. Originally conceived as a single chapter published in Ewing's Analytical Instrumentation, this book is a gateway to the vast literature and conference proceedings on the topic. Microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip for Chemical and Biological Analysis and Discovery expands upon its roots to present a comprehensive treatment of microfluidic lab-on-a-chip methods and applications for novices and advanced researchers alike.

Focusing on group sequential procedures, summarizes the sequential statistical methods used in anticancer, antiviral, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal drug research and screening. The clinical and preclinical applications are mainly presented as case studies, many of which form part of New Drug

New Developments in Dementia Prevention Research addresses a dearth of knowledge about dementia prevention and shows the importance of considering the broader social impact of certain risk factors, including the role we each play in our own cognitive health throughout the lifespan. The book draws on primary and secondary research in order to investigate the relationship between modifiable factors, including vascular and psychosocial risks, that may affect the incidence of dementia. Bringing together world-leading expertise from applied science, medicine, psychology, health promotion, epidemiology, health economics, social policy and primary care, the book compares and contrasts scientific and service developments across a range of settings. Each chapter presents these themes in a way that will ensure best practice and further research in the field of dementia prevention is disseminated successfully throughout the world. Perhaps most importantly, chapters also question what type of social responsibility we are prepared to embrace in order to address the challenges inherent in dementia prevalence. New Developments in Dementia Prevention Research includes contributions from leading authorities in brain health and dementia prevention and provides an essential contribution to the discourse on dementia prevention. It will be of great interest to academics, researchers and postgraduate students engaged in the study of the psychological and social aspects of aging and dementia.

Recent Advancement in Prodrugs Drugs used as medicines have many limitations like low chemical stability, aqueous solubility, or oral absorption/bioavailability, rapid presystemic metabolism, toxicity, inadequate site specificity, or poor patient acceptance/compliance (unwanted adverse effects, unacceptable taste or odor, irritation or pain). Prodrugs design is an approach to overcome these limitations. Key features Covers recent advancements in development of prodrugs Presents balanced synthesis and applications of prodrug chemistry Discusses broad spectrum of prodrug categories and outlines industrial applications Reviews prodrugs in cancer nanomedicine, its therapy and treatment Elucidates mathematical models to study the kinetics of prodrugs This book covers recent advances in the design of prodrugs. It contains all the significant recent examples of prodrug chemistry developments and will aid academics and researchers seeking to generate new projects in the field.

Nonpharmacological treatments include a wide variety of treatments such as surgery, technical procedures, implantable and non-implantable devices, rehabilitation, psychotherapy, and behavioral interventions. Unlike pharmacological treatments, these have no specific requirements for approval. Consequently, they can be widely proposed in clinical practice but may not have been adequately evaluated. This situation is an important barrier for the evaluation of the beneficial effects of these treatments and the conduct of clinical trials. Randomized Clinical Trials of Nonpharmacologic Treatments focuses on the methods for assessing nonpharmacological treatments, highlighting specific issues and trial design. Features: Chapters written by international experts in the field Highlights specific issues in assessing nonpharmacological treatments in trials including: how to overcome the difficulties of blinding patients, care providers, and outcome assessors the complexity of the intervention, the learning curve, and the clustering effect placebos that can be used issues of assessing harm and assessing the applicability of trials Presents a variety of trial designs for nonpharmacological treatments-including cluster randomized controlled trials, expertise-based trials, pragmatic trials, and nonrandomized trials. Provides several examples of the planning, conduct, analyses, and reporting of trials in different fields, including surgery, technical interventions, medical devices, rehabilitation, psychotherapy, and behavioral interventions. Providing practical examples that underline these issues and solutions, this book is one of the first to exclusively explore this topic, discussing various categories of treatments, from surgical procedures to psychotherapy.

Longitudinal studies often incur several problems that challenge standard statistical methods for data analysis. These problems include non-ignorable missing data in longitudinal measurements of one or more response variables, informative observation times of longitudinal data, and survival analysis with intermittently measured time-dependent covariates that are subject to measurement error and/or substantial biological variation. Joint modeling of longitudinal and time-to-event data has emerged as a novel approach to handle these issues. Joint Modeling of Longitudinal and Time-to-Event Data provides a systematic introduction and review of state-of-the-art statistical methodology in this active research field. The methods are illustrated by real data examples from a wide range of clinical research topics. A collection of data sets and software for practical implementation of the joint modeling methodologies are available through the book website. This book serves as a reference book for scientific investigators who need to analyze longitudinal and/or survival data, as well as researchers developing methodology in this field. It may also be used as a textbook for a graduate level course in biostatistics or statistics.

Take Your NI Trial to the Next Level Reflecting the vast research on noninferiority (NI) designs from the past 15 years, Noninferiority Testing in Clinical Trials: Issues and Challenges explains how to choose the NI margin as a small fraction of the therapeutic effect of the active control in a clinical trial. Requiring no prior knowledge of NI testing, the book is easily accessible to both statisticians and nonstatisticians involved in drug development. With over 20 years of experience in this area, the author introduces the basic elements of the NI trials one at a time in a logical order. He discusses issues with estimating the effect size based on historical placebo control trials of the active control. The book covers fundamental concepts related to NI trials, such as assay sensitivity, constancy assumption, discounting, and preservation. It also describes patient populations, three-arm trials, and the equivalence of three or more groups.

In cancer research, a traditional phase II trial is designed as a single-arm trial that compares the experimental therapy to a historical control. This simple trial design has led to several adverse issues, including increased false positivity of phase II trial results and negative phase III trials. To rectify these problems, oncologists and biostatisticians have begun to use a randomized phase II trial that compares an experimental therapy with a prospective control therapy. Randomized Phase II Cancer Clinical Trials explains how to properly select and accurately use diverse statistical methods for designing and analyzing phase II trials. The author first reviews the statistical methods for single-arm phase II trials since some methodologies for randomized phase II trials stem from single-arm phase II trials and many phase II cancer clinical trials still use single-arm designs. The book then presents methods for randomized phase II trials and describes statistical methods for both single-arm and randomized phase II trials. Although the text focuses on phase II cancer clinical trials, the statistical methods covered can also be used (with minor modifications) in phase II trials for other diseases and in phase III cancer clinical trials. Suitable for cancer clinicians and biostatisticians, this book shows how randomized phase II trials with a prospective control resolve the shortcomings of traditional single-arm phase II trials. It provides readers with numerous statistical design and analysis methods for randomized phase II trials in oncology.

Bioactive lipid metabolism and signaling are now widely accepted as major players in cancer biology. This volume helps to fill the urgent need to explore and investigate the innovations, current shortcomings, and future challenges of cancer therapy through the bioactive lipids by presenting new research on the use of bioactive lipids as effective weapons against cancer. The volume introduces the subject and then goes on to cover the chemistry, formulation, and mechanism of bioactive lipids in cancer. The volume takes a close look at lipoxins, ceramides, resolvins, and sphingosine-1-phosphate and their roles in cancer treatment. It also addresses the formulations based on bioactive lipids for the treatment of cancer. A variety of mechanisms of bioactive lipids as novel therapies are also covered, including using computational techniques to identify bioactive lipid drug targets, targeting therapy via KRAS and PI3K signals, and others. The authors also discuss the role and effects of various substances and their effect on various cancers, including colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and others. The application of lysophosphatidic acid, lipopolysaccharide, lipid-soluble bioactive substance from avocado, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids-derived lipid metabolites, and more are covered as well. The volume offers academia, technologists, and scientists from different disciplines valuable information to gain knowledge of bioactive lipid metabolism and signaling as an anti-cancer weapon in their fight against cancer.

The EuroQol Group first met in Rotterdam in May 1987 determined to develop a standardised non-disease-specific instrument for valuing health-related quality of life. The book traces the activities of the Group over the next 25 years. The instrument constructed, eventually named the EQ-5D, was translated into many languages and used in a wide range of countries and settings. The book describes how the instrument's descriptive system was determined, how translation and language issues were handled, and how valuations were provided. Recent developments, in particular a 5-level version (EQ-5D-5L), and a youth version (EQ-5D-Y) are covered. The history of the institutional and administrative framework within which the Group operated is also treated.

A Practical Guide to Managing Clinical Trials is a basic, comprehensive guide to conducting clinical trials. Designed for individuals working in research site operations, this user-friendly reference guides the reader through each step of the clinical trial process from site selection, to site set-up, subject recruitment, study visits, and to study close-out. Topics include staff roles/responsibilities/training, budget and contract review and management, subject study visits, data and document management, event reporting, research ethics, audits and inspections, consent processes, IRB, FDA regulations, and good clinical practices. Each chapter concludes with a review of key points and knowledge application. Unique to this book is "A View from India," a chapter-by-chapter comparison of clinical trial practices in India versus the U.S. Throughout the book and in Chapter 10, readers will glimpse some of the challenges and opportunities in the emerging and growing market of Indian clinical trials.