This comprehensive volume explores the latest research on the mechanisms of resistance in cancer cells to CTL-mediated immunotherapy. Chapter topics discuss cell-mediated immunity as the result of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) directed specifically against cancer cells. In addition, the volume reviews how CTL mediate the cytotoxic activity, in large part, by the indication of apoptosis; hence, tumor cells develop anti-apoptotic mechanisms and thereby, resist CTL-induced apoptosis. In order for CTL-mediated antitumor immunotherapy to be effective, it is essential that agents directed against the resistant tumor cells sensitized cancer cells for CTL-mediated apoptosis. Examples of such agents discussed in the volume include are HDAC inhibitors, proteasome inhibitors, Bcl-2 family inhibitors, PARP, antibodies, and more.

This volume builds upon the successful book Lanthanide Luminescence published in the Springer Series on Fluorescence in 2011. Since its publication, the field of lanthanide spectroscopy and the areas in which the light emission properties of the f-elements are used have experienced substantial advances. The luminescence properties of lanthanide ions make them unique candidates for a myriad of optical applications. This book highlights and reviews the latest research in areas ranging from luminescence thermometry to imaging, sensing and photonic applications of these fascinating elements. Each chapter provides a comprehensive introduction to a specific area of application of lanthanide luminescence and extensively reviews seminal papers and current research literature. Given its interdisciplinary scope, the book appeals to scientists and advanced students in physics, chemistry and materials science interested in compounds and materials with optical properties.

This detailed second edition provides key updates on well-established methods as well as coverage of recently emerging sophisticated techniques and methods that are essential for an in-depth and state-of-the-art understanding of skeletal development and homeostasis and the pathological mechanisms that cause skeletal degeneration. The first half of the book examines cell and molecular biological aspects of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, while the remainder of the collection focuses on in vivo models of skeletal tissue injury, degeneration, and repair. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis, Second Edition aims to assist investigators concerned with research topics broadly related to osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration, as well as other musculoskeletal disorders.

This book highlights the latest advances in functional micro/nano imaging probes and their applications for biomedical imaging and therapy. Given the rapid emergence of transdisciplinary research and applications in materials, chemical probes and translational medicine in recent years, scientists in these areas are expected to keep up to date on the latest technologies and advances to promote comprehensive innovations. Addressing this need, the book presents recently introduced features, emerging techniques, and new strategies, complemented by detailed illustrations. Covering the status quo and offering an outlook on the future, it benefits all readers with an interest in functional materials, especially micro/nano imaging materials for biomedical imaging applications, providing them with both vital updates and inspiration for their own research.

The annual cost of medical care in the U niled States is rapidly approaching a trillion dollars. Without doubt, much of the rise in costs is due to our health industry's concentration on high technology remediation and risk avoidance measures. From recent public discussions it is becoming in creasingly evident that to contain the costs and at the same time extend the benefits of health care without national bankruptcy will necessitate much greater attention to preventative medicine. The total cost of waste disposal by our health industry is well over a billion dollars. It is rising rapidly as we increasingly rely on high technol ogy remediation measures. Here, too, in the opinion of the authors of this work, it would be prudent to give much greater attention to preventative approaches. Incineration technology has largely been developed for disposing mu nicipal solid waste (MSW) and hazardous waste (HW). As a result of the multibillion dollar funding for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), most experts believe that pollution control is the key to minimizing toxic emissions from incinerators. This view is now beginning to take hold in medical waste (MW) incineration as well. However, the authors contributing to this book have concluded that precombustion measures can be most effective in reducing the toxic products of medical waste incineration."

Microbial physiology, biochemistry and genetics allowed the formulation of concepts that turned out to be important in the study of higher organisms. In the first section, the principles of bacterial growth are given, as well as the description of the different layers that enclose the bacterial cytoplasm, and their role in obtaining nutrients from the outside media through different permeability mechanism described in detail. A chapter is devoted to allostery and is indispensable for the comprehension of many regulatory mechanisms described throughout the book. Another section analyses the mechanisms by which cells obtain the energy necessary for their growth, glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the tricarboxylic and the anaplerotic cycles. Two chapters are devoted to classes of microorganisms rarely dealt with in textbooks, namely the Archaea, mainly the methanogenic bacteria, and the methylotrophs. Eight chapters describe the principles of the regulations at the transcriptional level, with the necessary knowledge of the machineries of transcription and translation. The next fifteen chapters deal with the biosynthesis of the cell building blocks, amino acids, purine and pyrimidine nucleotides and deoxynucleotides, water-soluble vitamins and coenzymes, isoprene and tetrapyrrole derivatives and vitamin B12. The two last chapters are devoted to the study of protein-DNA interactions and to the evolution of biosynthetic pathways. The considerable advances made in the last thirty years in the field by the introduction of gene cloning and sequencing and by the exponential development of physical methods such as X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance have helped presenting metabolism under a multidisciplinary attractive angle.

The difficulty in achieving effective translation of basic mechanistic biomedical knowledge into effective therapeutics, is the greatest challenge in biomedical research. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the reductionist approaches to understanding and manipulating the acute inflammatory response in the settings of sepsis, trauma/hemorrhage, wound healing, and related processes. This book discusses complex systems and computational biology methods and approaches that have advanced sufficiently to allow for knowledge generation, knowledge integration, and clinical translation in the settings of complex diseases related to the inflammatory response. Well-regulated, self-resolving inflammation is necessary for the appropriate communication and resolution of infection and trauma, and for maintenance of proper physiology and homeostasis. In contrast, self-sustaining inflammation drives the pathobiology of the aforementioned diseases. It is now increasingly recognized that controlling and reprogramming inflammation in order to reap the benefits of this evolutionarily-conserved process is preferred to simply abolishing indiscriminately.

This book aims to present the age-related alterations in redox signaling networks and their diagnostic biomarkers in aging cells using multidisciplinary approach. Establishing sensitive and specific biomarkers of dynamic redox homeostasis is crucially important in the development of effective antiaging and senolytic interventions. Recent years have seen tremendous advances in the understanding of redox signaling events which highlight the process of aging and age-related pathologies. A major challenge in biological aging research is developing reliable biomarkers to determine the consequences of disrupted redox signaling networks long before the clinical diagnosis of age-related diseases is made. Therefore, we have chosen to concentrate on aging-induced aberrant redox signaling networks, their biomarkers, and pathological consequences in this book. Although oxidation is a natural metabolic process, the imbalance in the level of oxidants and antioxidants causes oxidative stress and eventually leads to inflammatory conditions, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Novel redox-sensitive biomarkers for the evaluation of aging-induced proteinopathies such as amyloid ss and tau proteins in Alzheimer's disease, -synuclein in Parkinson's disease, and islet amyloid polypeptides in type 2 diabetes mellitus recently drew the attention of researchers. Inside this textbook, readers will find comprehensive perspectives on the association between redox homeostasis and the aging process both at the molecular and clinical levels. Due to the inherent relationship between impaired metabolic activities and oxidative stress, the temporal interaction between intermediary metabolism and disturbed redox status can lead to greater susceptibility to aging-induced diseases and disorders, such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and diabetes. This knowledge could be a key to continued research toward improving medication regimens such as in cancer and cardiovascular therapies, and procedural outcomes for patients. This book brings together current research evidence and knowledge on redox signaling and biomarkers in aging in chapters written by leading global experts in this rapidly evolving field. We hope that this textbook is of interest to a wide group of researchers, advanced students, scientifically curious non-specialist readers and clinicians alike.

"Systems Biology of Apoptosis" summarizes all current achievements in this emerging field. Apoptosis is a process common to all multicellular organisms. Apoptosis leads to the elimination of cells via a complex but highly defined cellular programme. Defects in the regulation of apoptosis result in serious diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, AIDS and neurodegeneration. Recently, a substantial step forward in understanding the complex apoptotic pathways has been made by utilising systems biology approaches. Systems biology combines rigorous mathematical modelling with experimental approaches in a closed loop cycle for advancing our knowledge about complex biological processes. In this book, the editor describes the contemporary systems biology studies devoted to apoptotic signaling and focuses on the question how systems biology helps to understand life/death decisions made in the cell and to develop new approaches to rational treatment strategies.

This fully updated book explores all-new and revised protocols involving the use of in silico models, particularly with regard to pharmaceuticals. Divided into five sections, the volume covers the modeling of pharmaceuticals in the body, toxicity data for modeling purposes, in silico models for multiple endpoints, a number of platforms for evaluating pharmaceuticals, as well as an exploration of challenges, both scientific and sociological. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include the kind of detail and implementation advice necessary for successful results. Authoritative and comprehensive, In Silico Methods for Predicting Drug Toxicity, Second Edition aims to guide the reader through the correct procedures needed to harness in silico models, a field which now touches a wide variety of research specialties.

Nations around the world are experiencing a spectacular increase in longevity. Society as a whole is being challenged by issues arising from this revolution in longevity. Although the specter of the loneliness and existential suffering of older citizens is such that some people under the age of 65 find it difficult to conceive of a long-term future, persons over 85 have proven that aging does not necessarily preclude a healthy and productive life. Extraordinary progress in both curative and preventive medicine justifies optimism about the quality of life and state of well-being that can be enjoyed even in great old age. We should look to professionals in diverse fields to develop creative solutions to the inevitable issues that will arise with aging. Governments must prepare for the future health of their citizens by making long-term investments to educate all sectors of society in the value of good nutrition, exercise, and lifestyles that enhance well-being throughout life. Also, governments should realize that the main cause of health care expenditure is serious illness which occurs in persons of all ages, and not predominantly in older people. Early detection can help save lives, as well. Health and longevity of life will ultimately end as a political issue. What is needed is long-term government investments necessary for a viable health policy. The question arises: will world leaders be able to commit to such a policy? Two major socioeconomic phenomena may have a regulating effect on this issue. The first is the emergence of pressure groups that have come into being in response to a particular health issue, such as AIDS. The second is the emergence of ethics committees in developed nations that deal solely with health issues.

The book is an update on contentious or unsettled issues concerning invasive diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in cancer and related disorders, focusing on the surgical approach. Topics include recommendations for the best practice in using the surgery safety checklist, surgical strategies in a variety of thoracic cancers, renal cell carcinoma, tumors of parathyroid glands, mesothelioma, and bariatric surgeries. The focus is on the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of aggressive cancerous entities, choosing the most beneficial modes for optimal outcomes and patient survival. Chapters also address radioimaging and therapy outcomes in different intracranial lesions leading to severe neurological disabilities. The areas of medical practice addressed are still veiled in uncertainty, yet-unresolved pathogenetic background, and have a substantial component of empirical rather than evidence-based clinical approach. Pursuing and sharing new ideas and innovations is essential for improving the management and outcome. The book endeavors to disseminate and deliberate on the latest medical knowledge, studies, and advancements in surgical and diagnostic dealing with cancer. The book is addressed to physicians and surgeons, and all allied health care professionals engaged in patient care and therapy.

This book presents novel and advanced topics in Medical Image Processing and Computational Vision in order to solidify knowledge in the related fields and define their key stakeholders. It contains extended versions of selected papers presented in VipIMAGE 2013 - IV International ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Computational Vision and Medical Image, which took place in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, 14-16 October 2013. The twenty-two chapters were written by invited experts of international recognition and address important issues in medical image processing and computational vision, including: 3D vision, 3D visualization, colour quantisation, continuum mechanics, data fusion, data mining, face recognition, GPU parallelisation, image acquisition and reconstruction, image and video analysis, image clustering, image registration, image restoring, image segmentation, machine learning, modelling and simulation, object detection, object recognition, object tracking, optical flow, pattern recognition, pose estimation, and texture analysis. Different applications are addressed and described throughout the book, comprising: biomechanical studies, bio-structure modelling and simulation, bone characterization, cell tracking, computer-aided diagnosis, dental imaging, face recognition, hand gestures detection and recognition, human motion analysis, human-computer interaction, image and video understanding, image processing, image segmentation, object and scene reconstruction, object recognition and tracking, remote robot control, and surgery planning. This volume is of use to researchers, students, practitioners and manufacturers from several multidisciplinary fields, such as artificial intelligence, bioengineering, biology, biomechanics, computational mechanics, computational vision, computer graphics, computer science, computer vision, human motion, imagiology, machine learning, machine vision, mathematics, medical image, medicine, pattern recognition, and physics.

Johannes Klumpers Biotechnologies, such as genetic engineering, cloning and biodiversity, raise many legal and ethical concerns, so it is important that people understand these issues and feel able to express their opinions. This is why the European Commission has been, for a number of years, supporting actions to improve communication among scientists in these diverse areas. The project 'Women in Biotechnology' (WONBIT), financed under the 6th Framework programme of the European Commission, is an excellent example of what can be done to target opinion-formers such as scientists, economists and lawyers in bottom-up activities, and to encourage a debate on gender issues triggered by developments in the life sciences. WONBIT gave rise to a successful international conference highlighting the importance of adopting good practices and ethical considerations in parallel with the rapid pace of progress in biotechnology - from a woman's point of view. In particular, the conference addressed women in decision-making positions in b- technology with specific reference to scientific excellence, social competencies and management qualities as well as issues relating to environment, society and the younger generation. But it did not stop there: a key part of the conference was dedicated to stimulating public debate among non-specialists, which has led to a number of recommen- tions to policy-makers on better communication in biotechnology, on taking better account of the gender aspects of research, and on involving more women in the decision-making process that surrounds developments in biotechnology.

This second edition offers 88 chapters divided among three volumes providing the most comprehensive source of know-how in the wide-ranging field of Mitochondrial Medicine. Volume III guides readers through chapters on intercellular mitochondrial transfer, Cytoplasmic transfer methods, Ndufs4 knockout mouse, in vivo assessment of mitochondrial oxygen consumption, mitochondrial network analysis by imaging, mitochondrial respiration in platelets, Heterologous Inferential Analysis (HIA), bioenergetic profiling, integrative methods for studying cardiac energetics, and isolation and deep sequencing of mitochondrial DNA.Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, application details for both the expert and non-expert reader, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and accessible, Mitochondrial Medicine, Second Edition, Volume 3: Manipulating Mitochondria and Disease- Specific Approaches aims to be a comprehensive source of know-how in the wide-ranging field of Mitochondrial Medicine.

This book examines the role of nanobiosensors in point-of-care applications for personalized healthcare and management. It begins by discussing various biomaterials that are used for the development of biosensors in medical diagnostics, and reviews advances in their fabrication and the miniaturization of biosensor devices for lab-on-chip analysis. In turn, it explores the rapidly evolving applications of nanomaterials in the context of biomaterial diagnostics. The book also explores the immense potential of biosensors in medical diagnostics, where they are increasingly being used to detect a wide range of biomolecules and biomarkers. In closing, it discusses the current challenges and outlines the future role of nanobiosensors in the development of next-generation point-of-care applications.

Stem cell therapy is ushering in a new era of medicine in which we will be able to repair human organs and tissue at their most fundamental level- that of the cell. The power of stem cells to regenerate cells of specific types, such as heart, liver, and muscle, is unique and extraordinary. In 1998 researchers learned how to isolate and culture embryonic stem cells, which are only obtainable through the destruction of human embryos. An ethical debate has raged since then about the ethics of this research, usually pitting pro-life advocates vs. those who see the great promise of curing some of humanity's most persistent diseases.
In this book Cynthia Cohen agrees that we need to work toward a consensus on the issue of how we treat the embryo. But more broadly she claims that we need to transform and expand the ethical and policy debates on stem cells (adult and embryonic). This important and much-needed book is both a primer and a means by which to understand the implications of this research. Cohen starts by introducing readers to the basic science of stem cell research, and the core ethical questions surrounding the embryo. She then expands the scope of the debate, looking at the moral questions that will crop up down the line, such as e.g. the use of therapeutic cloning to overcome the body's immune resistance to stem cells; the ethics of using animals to test stem cells; how to disentangle federal and state legal and regulatory policies in pursuit of a coherent national policy; and how to develop an ethics of stem cell research that will accommodate new techniques and controversies that we cannot even foresee now. Her final chapter develops a concrete plan for an oversight systemfor this research.
This is the first single-author book that addresses the many broad ethical and legal issues related to stem cells, and it should be of great interest to bioethicists, researchers, clinicians, philosophers, theologians, lawyers, policy makers, and general readers.

New discoveries in the field of stem cells increasingly dominate the news and scientific literature revealing an avalanche of new knowledge and research tools that are producing therapies for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and a wide variety of other diseases that afflict humanity. The Handbook of Stem Cells integrates this exciting area of life science, combining in two volumes the requisites for a general understanding of adult and embryonic stem cells. Organized in two volumes entitled Pluripotent Stem Cells & Cell Biology and Adult & Fetal Stem Cells, this work contains contributions from the world s experts in stem cell research to provide a description of the tools, methods, and experimental protocols needed to study and characterize stem cells and progenitor populations as well as a the latest information of what is known about each specific organ system.
* Provides comprehensive coverage on this highly topical subject
* Contains contributions by the foremost authorities and premiere names in the field of stem cell research
*Companion website - http: //booksite.elsevier.com/9780123859426/- containsover 250 color figures in presentation format"

Eleven essays by historians and sociologists examine cancer research and treatment as everyday practice in post-war Europe and North America. These are not stories of inevitable medical progress and obstacles overcome, but of historical contingencies, cultural differences, hope, and often disappointed expectations.

This book provides an authoritative overview of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) treatment menus for 16 pain categories with an evidence-based literature review on each pain disorder, illustrative figures showing anatomy and techniques Introductory chapters cover basic information about the mechanism, function and the analgesic effects of the BoNTs based on the data derived from animal studies. Clinical chapters define pain in conditions such as post-herpetic and post-traumatic neuralgias, plantar fasciitis, low back pain, post-surgical pain syndromes and migraine in detail, provide discussion of current modes of treatment and updated information on BoNT therapy. Each chapter also includes illustrative case histories. The new edition is updated with all the new findings since the explosion in research and literature since 2015. New chapters on the history and pain in dentistry round out the update. Botulinum Toxin Treatment of Pain Disorders provides an invaluable resource for clinicians and researchers involved in the treatment of pain disorders including neurologists, pain medicine specialists, anesthesiologists, internists, those conducting research in pharmacology and toxicology as well as students in these areas.

Whether you are new to literature reviews or working with new types of data, this book takes the guesswork out of writing your literature review. From deciding how much literature to include to managing your data, assessing your sources, and writing results, it outlines a step-by-step process that works with any data. To help you choose best approach for your research, this book includes: * Worksheets and decision aids to help you plan and organise your literature review * Worked examples and case studies to show you what - and what not - to do in practice * Troubleshooting tips and answers to all your frequently asked questions * Online access to a literature review starter template, an exercise workbook, project diary template, and a source credibility checklist. The perfect project support for any social sciences student, this edition also includes a new chapter on analysing mixed methods research.

This book walks you step-by-step through the whole research process so you can get up to speed understanding and doing your own research. In their friendly, down to earth style, the authors lay the theoretical foundations you need to consume and critique research, before showing how to translate this into action when tackling your own literature review or research project. This second edition: Draws on a wealth of examples from midwifery, four fields of nursing including mental health nursing and child nursing, and a range of health care specialities. Covers new and updated NMC professional education standards and maps all relevant policy and law. Supports your learning with reflective exercises, online activities and quizzes that enable you to be confident in your understanding and develop your thinking. Whether you're encountering research and evidence-based practice for the first time or refreshing your methods knowledge, this is the ideal research companion for nurses and midwives pre-registration, post-registration and beyond.

Signal Processing in Medicine and Biology: Innovations in Big Data Processing provides an interdisciplinary look at state-of-the-art innovations in biomedical signal processing, especially as it applies to large data sets and machine learning. Chapters are presented with detailed mathematics and complete implementation specifics so that readers can completely master these techniques. The book presents tutorials and examples of successful applications and will appeal to a wide range of professionals, researchers, and students interested in applications of signal processing, medicine, and biology at the intersection between healthcare, engineering, and computer science.