This volume explores techniques that are currently used to understand solid target-specific models in computational toxicology. The chapters are divided into four sections and discuss topics such as molecular descriptors, QSAR and read-across; molecular and data modeling techniques to comply with both scientific and regulatory sides; computational toxicology in drug discovery; and strategies on how to predict various human-health toxicology endpoints. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the methods and software tools used, step-by-step, readily reproducible computational protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Computational Toxicology: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers who are interested in learning more about this expanding field.

Toxicoepigenetics: Core Principles and Applications examines the core aspects of epigenetics, including chromatin biology, DNA methylation, and non-coding RNA, as well as fundamental techniques and considerations for studying each of these mechanisms of epigenetic regulation. Although its integration into the field of toxicology is in its infancy, epigenetics have taken center stage in the study of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and neurodegeneration. Increasing the presence of epigenetics in toxicological research allows for a more in-depth understanding of important aspects of toxicology such as the role of the environment and lifestyle influencing the individual susceptibility to these effects and the trans-generational transmission of these health effects and susceptibilities. Methods chapters are included to help improve efficacy and efficiency of protocols in both the laboratory and the classroom. Toxicoepigenetics: Core Principles and Applications is an essential book for researchers and academics using epigenetics in toxicology research and study.

Nutritional Epigenomics offers a comprehensive overview of nutritional epigenomics as a mode of study, along with nutrition's role in the epigenomic regulation of disease, health and developmental processes. Here, an expert team of international contributors introduces readers to nutritional epigenomic regulators of gene expression, our diet's role in epigenomic regulation of disease and disease inheritance, caloric restriction and exercise as they relate to recent epigenomic findings, and the influence of nutritional epigenomics over circadian rhythms, aging and longevity, and fetal health and development, among other processes. Disease specific chapters address metabolic disease (obesity and diabetes), cancer, and neurodegeneration, among other disorders. Diet-gut microbiome interactions in the epigenomic regulation of disease are also discussed, as is the role of micronutrients and milk miRNAs in epigenetic regulation. Finally, chapter authors examine ongoing discussions of race and ethnicity in the social-epigenomic regulation of health and disease.

This book sheds light on the major functions of microbial communities in aquaculture ecosystems, showing that by recycling nutrients, degrading organic matter and preventing disease outbreaks, a variety of microbes are truly beneficial to a wide range of aquaculture industries. It discusses how deteriorating environmental quality enables some microbial strains to trigger disease, describes the development of highly sustainable tools to improve water quality, and identifies crucial factors that endanger microbial homeostasis in aquaculture ecosystems. The book also covers post-antibiotic approaches for preventing and treating opportunistic microbial infections based on harnessing environmental and fish-associated microbial communities. Furthermore, it explores how manipulating and engineering these complex microbial communities using bio-agents such as probiotics, phages, natural nutritional additives, or with fine-tuned biofilters will open the door for new ways to develop a more sustainable and cost-effective aquaculture industry. Including an accessible presentation of modern high-throughput sequencing technology to identify host-microbial interactions in aquaculture ecosystems, this book is a valuable resource for scientists, aquaculture and fishery experts, sustainability enthusiasts and scholars in the areas of biology and marine agriculture.

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 aim of this book is not only to introduce readers with a broad spectrum of biological actions of the NOP receptor, but also to feature a detailed look at the N/OFQ-NOP receptor system, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and clinical data of NOP-targeted ligands. This special volume book - for the first time focusing on the NOP receptor - is designed to serve as a useful reference, stimulate more research on the N/OFQ-NOP receptor system, and lead to more development of NOP-related ligands for several therapeutic applications.

Nervous System Drug Delivery: Principles and Practice helps users understand the nervous system physiology affecting drug delivery, the principles that underlie various drug delivery methods, and the appropriate application of drug delivery methods for drug- and disease-specific treatments. Researchers developing nervous system putative therapeutic agents will use this book to optimize drug delivery during preclinical assessment and to prepare for regulatory advancement of new agents. Clinicians will gain direct insights into pathophysiologic alterations that impact drug delivery and students and trainees will find this a critical resource for understanding and applying nervous system drug delivery techniques.

NETosis: Immunity, Pathogenesis and Therapeutics takes a focused approach to the clinical aspects of NETosis and drug development, bringing critical findings. Chapters introduce NETosis, consider mechanisms and antimicrobial strategies regulating NETosis, examine NETosis in neonates, explore the role of NETosis in autoimmunity, delve into NETosis and other diseases, and present therapeutic approaches for dysregulated NETosis. Since Brinkamm, et al, discovered an unrecognized neutrophil anti-microbial mechanism responsible for the extracellular killing of invading pathogens in 2004, the novel process in which nuclear chromatin de-condenses and DNA is ejected into the extra cellular environment, trapping and inactivating tissue pathogens has rapidly evolved.

This book presents an overview of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), their mechanisms of antimicrobial action, other activities, and various problems that must still be overcome regarding their clinical application. Divided into four major parts, the book begins with a general overview of AMPs (Part I), and subsequently discusses the various mechanisms of antimicrobial action and methods for researching them (Part 2). It then addresses a range of activities other than antimicrobial action, such as cell penetration, antisepsis, anticancer, and immunomodulatory activities (Part 3), and explores the prospects of clinical application from various standpoints such as the selective toxicity, design, and discovery of AMPs (Part 4). A huge number of AMPs have been discovered in plants, insects, and vertebrates including humans, and constitute host defense systems against invading pathogenic microorganisms. Consequently, many attempts have been made to utilize AMPs as antibiotics. AMPs could help to solve the urgent problem of drug-resistant bacteria, and are also promising with regard to sepsis and cancer therapy. Gathering a wealth of information, this book will be a bible for all those seeking to develop antibiotics, anti-sepsis, or anticancer agents based on AMPs.

The detrimental effects of incomplete data sets on the results of clinical trials are both well known and all too commonly recurrent. It is essential that the correct statistical methodology be applied in order to effectively analyse the results of trials affected by missing data.

Missing Data in Clinical Trials provides a comprehensive account of the problems arising when data from clinical and related studies are incomplete, and presents the reader with approaches to effectively address them. The text provides a critique of conventional and simple methods before moving on to discuss more advanced approaches. The authors focus on practical and modeling concepts, providing an extensive set of case studies to illustrate the problems described.

Provides a practical guide to the analysis of clinical trials and related studies with missing data. Examines the problems caused by missing data, enabling a complete understanding of how to overcome them. Presents conventional, simple methods to tackle these problems, before addressing more advanced approaches, including sensitivity analysis, and the MAR missingness mechanism. Illustrated throughout with real-life case studies and worked examples from clinical trials. Details the use and implementation of the necessary statistical software, primarily SAS.

Missing Data in Clinical Trials has been developed through a series of courses and lectures. Its practical approach will appeal to applied statisticians and biomedical researchers, in particular those in the biopharmaceutical industry, medical and public health organisations. Graduate students of biostatistics will also find much of benefit.

Postmortem Toxicology addresses the various aspects of the practice of forensic postmortem toxicology from a viewpoint of elements which must be taken into consideration for proper interpretation of the toxicological result, not in a vacuum but in a more holistic and global sense. The volume examines pre-analytical factors, storage containers/conditions, prior medical interventions and therapy, along with information from the scene investigation and anatomical findings. This reference also provides explanation of the complicating conditions for the interpretation of the toxicological results due to postmortem decomposition, embalming artifacts and the postmortem redistribution of drugs. Tolerance is also discussed as an aid to interpreting results from a habitual/chronic user of medications and/or drugs of abuse. The book is geared towards the current practitioner; however, it is written to be used as a valuable reference for a graduate or post-graduate level courses in forensic toxicology or forensic pathology.

Fullerens, Graphenes and Nanotubes: A Pharmaceutical Approach shows how carbon nanomaterials are used in the pharmaceutical industry. While there are various books on the carbonaceous nanomaterials available on the market, none approach the subject from a pharmaceutical point-of-view. In this context, the book covers different applications of carbonaceous nanomaterials. Chapters examine different types of carbon nanomaterials and explore how they are used in such areas as cancer treatments, pulse sensing and prosthetics. Readers will find this book to be a valuable reference resource for those working in the areas of carbon materials, nanomaterials and pharmaceutical science.

Pharmacogenetics, Volume 83, the newest volume in the Advances in Pharmacology series, presents a variety of chapters and the best authors in the field, with this release highlighting regulatory perspectives, the implementation of pharmacogenetics in everyday clinical setting, imaging in pharmacogenetics, pharmacoepidemiology in pharmacogenetics, epigenetics and micro RNA in pharmacogenetics, ethnicity in pharmacogenetics, pediatric pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenetics and adverse drug reactions, and cytochrome P450 pharmacogenetics amongst other important topics. This series presents an essential resource for pharmacologists, immunologists, and biochemists alike.