The 'golden age' for antibiotic discovery, from 1940 until the early 1970s, ushered in a new era in human- and animal-health and the associated dramatic increase in human life expectancies. Indeed the possibility of eradicating infectious disease seemed feasible. However it soon became apparent that microorganisms wouldn't be defeated so easily. Their weapon: antibiotic resistance. Today microbial antibiotic resistance is rapidly exhausting our supply of effective compounds and making the possibility of a global public health disaster seems likely. The urgency of this situation has spawned a plethora of new multi-disciplinary research initiatives looking for novel antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents. In this timely book respected international experts summarize the most important research to provide a timely overview of the field. Opening chapters define 'antibiotic', explain why we need new compounds, outline the applications of antibiotics, both old and new, and describe the producing microbes. These are followed by chapters that cover antibiotic resistance, toxicity, overuse, new antimicrobial sources, new targets, novel technologies for antibiotic discovery (e.g. silent gene clusters), lantibiotics, natural antivirals, new macrolide derivatives, and antibiotics in the pipeline. This books is essential reading for everyone working in antimicrobial research in academia, biotechnology companies, and the pharmaceutical industry and a recommended volume for all microbiology libraries.

Anthrax is only one of many biological threats. We read and hear about the others in the news: mad cow disease, shark attacks, killer bees, the West Nile virus, polluted wells-countless stories of biological hazards in the U.S. and around the world. This compact reference handbook covers everything from disease-causing viruses and bacteria, to harmful insects, poisonous plants, dangerous animals, and other types of living threats to human life. Readers will learn the nature of these hazards, the associated risks, and where to find information for further study and research. Topics include: Human Pathogens in Water Human Pathogens in Food Human Pathogens in Air Human Pathogens Transmitted by Contact Crop and Livestock Pathogens and Pests Toxins and Allergens Predators and Other Biological Hazards Hazard and Controversy. In each category, the author presents the current scientific knowledge on causes, preventive measures, costs, outlook, and other topics of interest. Historical contexts are also provided. Every chapter ends with an anecdote illustrating its major themes. Primary source documents, statistical information, and a glossary are added features that make this resource the ideal starting point for anyone interested in biological hazards.

History of Risk Assessment in Toxicology guides the reader through the historical narrative of the evolution of risk assessment thinking in human and environmental practices. Risk assessment concepts are used in many different professional practice areas. In the health and environmental practices of risk assessment, the critical issue is often what chemical concentration in air, water, food, or a solid substance is acceptable, or considered not to result in any adverse effect. The book reviews examples from early scientific and health studies to showcase the foundations of risk assessment. The book also explores the development of risk assessment as practiced by major regulatory bodies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reveal how risk assessment has evolved in the 20th and 21st centuries. Modern technology has created opportunities in silicon in vitro, computational modeling, omics, and big data techniques to assess the toxicity of chemicals, while traditional approaches to risk assessment are being challenged with new and innovative approaches. Finally, current issues being debated and tested in risk assessment are outlined with possible future avenues suggested.

An Introduction to Ethical, Safety and Intellectual Property Rights Issues in Biotechnology provides a comprehensive look at the biggest technologies that have revolutionized biology since the early 20th century, also discussing their impact on society. The book focuses on issues related to bioethics, biosafety and intellectual property rights, and is written in an easy-to-understand manner for graduate students and early career researchers interested in the opportunities and challenges associated with advances in biotechnology. Important topics covered include the Human Genome Project, human cloning, rDNA technology, the 3Rs and animal welfare, bioterrorism, human rights and genetic discrimination, good laboratory practices, good manufacturing practices, the protection of biological material and much more. Full of relevant case studies, practical examples, weblinks and resources for further reading, this book offers an essential and holistic look at the ways in which biotechnology has affected our global society.

This dictionary spans the practice of pharmacology, and of allied sciences insofar as they are related to it, with particular emphasis on the development, regulation and use of human medicine. It is offered to students as well as to professionals in pharmacology and allied sciences for "reference" and for "browsing," and as a bedside book and travelling companion. Its size (approximately 2000 entries) is appropriate for these uses.

Features of this dictionary:

- Provides definitions of terms in pharmacology, both basic and clinical

- Gives information on new medicine development and official regulations

- Covers allied topics, including statistics, ethics, scientific miscounduct, authorship, publication and law.

Multifunctional Systems for Combined Delivery, Biosensing, and Diagnostics explores how multifunctional nanocarriers are being used in combined delivery and diagnostics in contemporary medicine. Particular attention is given to efforts to i) reduce the side effects of therapeutic agents, ii) increase the pharmacological effect, and iii) improve aqueous solubility and chemical stability of different therapeutic agents. The chapters focus on applications of nanostructured materials and nanocarriers, highlighting how these can be used effectively in both diagnosis and delivery. This applied focus makes the book an important reference source for those wanting to learn more about how specific nanomaterials and nanotechnology systems can help to solve drug delivery and diagnostics problems. This book is a valuable resource for materials scientists, bioengineers, and medical researchers who are looking for an applications-oriented guide on how nanotechnology and nanomaterials can be used effectively throughout the medical treatment process, from diagnosis to treatment.

Nanostructures for Drug Delivery extensively covers the various nanostructured products that have been tested as carriers in target drug delivery systems. In addition, the book analyses the advantages of, and issues related to, using nanostructured materials in drug delivery systems, also detailing various nanocarrier preparation techniques. As delivering the drug to the target site is a major problem in providing effective treatment for many diseases, this book covers the latest advancements in numerous nanotechnological products that are being used in disease detection, controlled drug delivery, as biosensors, and in tissue engineering that have been developed for more efficient patient healthcare. Due to the versatility of nanostructured materials, it is now possible to deliver a drug at its target site in a more accurate and efficient way. This volume is an up-to-date, state-of-the-art work that highlights the principal mechanistic aspects related to the delivery of active nanoscale therapeutic agents (natural or synthetic) and their release profile in different environmental media. It highlights nanoscale encapsulation strategies and discusses both organic and inorganic nanomaterials as carriers and delivery platforms.

The content of this book is intended to provide the toxicologist in drug development in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries with a broad understanding of bone and its interactions with other organ systems in safety assessments. The book is divided into three parts. The first part describes our current understanding of bone biology and its primary regulatory pathways. Additional chapters address regulatory and study design considerations for incorporating bone end points in toxicology studies, with special consideration being given to juvenile toxicology studies. This is intended to address recent regulatory requirements to evaluate skeletal development for drugs in development for pediatric populations. The second part of the book describes the principal techniques and methods used in bone research; understanding how these end-points are derived is fundamental to their appropriate application. These first two parts of the book provide the background and the means to develop the concepts in part three which describes bone and its interaction with other organ systems. The unique series of chapters in part three, contributed to by key leaders in their respective fields and in bone research, provides a comprehensive collective work. Although constantly evolving, the crosstalk and interaction of the skeleton with several organ systems is now recognized and well documented, such as for the reproductive system, muscle and kidney, while our understanding of the interaction with other organ systems, such as the immune system and CNS, is in its infancy. Recent work highlights the key role of the skeleton in the regulation of energy metabolism and the impact this has on research in metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. The hope is that this book will enlighten many and encourage more to explore the impact of new compounds on the skeleton in the development of effective and safe drugs.

In this book, the author provides expert analysis on naturally occurring iridoids, their chemistry and their distribution in plants and insects. Particular attention is given to the pharmacology of iridoids and their prospective applications in pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Iridoids are found in a wide variety of plants and some insects, and they are structurally derived from monoterpenoid natural products. In the first two chapters of this book, the author describes the iridoids classification, occurrence and distribution in plants and insects. The following chapters cover different chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques that can be used to identify and quantify iridoids in herbal formulations, and also the biosynthesis of iridoids, in which the reader will discover a metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis to identify the genes involved in the biosynthesis. The final chapters provide insights on several pharmacological activities of iridoids, their physiological role in insects, pharmacokinetics in mammals, insects and microorganisms, and their applications in medicine and agriculture. This book will engage students and researchers interested in the chemistry of natural products, and it will also appeal to medicinal chemists and practitioners working in the design of new herbal drugs with bioactive pure iridoids.

Vascular Pharmacology: Smooth Muscle provides up-to-date information on the structure, function, signaling, and development of vascular smooth muscle. Contributors include prominent scientists and highly-recognized experts with major accomplishments in the field of vascular smooth muscle research.

Pharmaceutics: Basic Principles and Application to Pharmacy Practice, Second Edition is a valuable textbook covering the role and application of pharmaceutics within pharmacy practice. This updated resource is geared toward meeting and incorporating the current curricular guidelines on pharmaceutics and laboratory skills mandated by the American Council for Pharmacy Education. It includes a number of student-friendly features, including chapter objectives and summaries, practical examples, case studies, numerous images and key-concept text boxes. Two new chapters are included, as well as a new end of chapter section covering "critical reflections and practice applications". Divided into three sections – Physical Principles and Properties of Pharmaceutics; Practical Aspects of Pharmaceutics; and Biological Applications of Pharmaceutics – this new edition covers all aspects of pharmaceutics and providing a single and compelling source for students.

This book presents formulations for over-the-counter (OTC) or nonprescription drugs. The phrase "over-the-counter" implies that the product may be purchased by the consumer without the need for a physician's prescription. The terms "nonprescription" and "OTC" are synonymous.

The OTC drug formulations in this book are organized according to their therapeutic effect. There are 19 categories of OTC drugs included. Each category is presented in a single chapter that consists of two parts; Part I presents the composition of brand name products, and Part II presents starting or prototype formulations contributed by suppliers of raw materials for OTC drugs.

The brand name products are listed alphabetically in Part I of each chapter, followed by the name of the manufacturer, the type and concentration of the active ingredient(s) and the product form(s). It is also customary, but not required, for the manufacturer to list the so-called "inactive ingredients" on the label of the product.

Part II of each chapter (except Chapter 17) includes starting formulations, developed by a number of raw material suppliers. Those formulations that are included, contain not only the concentration of the active ingredients but also the concentration of the other ingredients and, in most cases, a recommended procedure for mixing the formulation.

This book includes 559 brand name formulations of 63 manufacturers and 270 supplier's suggested formulations for a total of 829 formulations.

Nano- and Microscale Drug Delivery Systems: Design and Fabrication presents the developments that have taken place in recent years in the field of micro- and nanoscale drug delivery systems. Particular attention is assigned to the fabrication and design of drug delivery systems in order to i) reduce the side effects of therapeutic agents, ii) increase their pharmacological effect, and iii) improve aqueous solubility and chemical stability of different therapeutic agents. This book is designed to offer a cogent, concise overview of current scholarship in this important area of research through its focus on the characterization and fabrication of a variety of nanomaterials for drug delivery applications. It is an invaluable reference source for both biomaterials scientists and biomedical engineers who want to learn more about how nanomaterials are engineered and used in the design of drug delivery nanosystems.

This collection explores up-to-date descriptions of known G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK)-dependent mechanisms, both associated with G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) functions and the receptor-independent. The chapters cover a wide range of studies from invertebrates to humans, with sections of the volume covering GRK structure, mechanisms of activation, and interaction with GPCRs, GRKs in cell signaling, as well as physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms regulated by GRKs. Written for the Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology series, this book features the kind of practical detail necessary for success in the laboratory. Authoritative and timely, G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinases features the kind of comprehensive mechanistic elucidation of GRK functions and their regulation in cells necessary for a better understanding of cell biology as well as for devising novel research approaches and therapeutic strategies.

Ion Channels Down Under, Volume 79 provides up-to-date information on ion channel pharmacology, their pharmacological modulators, and their role in a diverse range of poorly treated medical conditions. This new volume covers specific topics relating to Receptors and the Diversity in their Structure and Pharmacology, Acid-Sensing Ion Channel Pharmacology, Past, Present and Future, Sodium Channels and Venom Peptide Pharmacology, the Role of Non-Neuronal TRPV4 Signaling in Inflammatory Processes, and Genetically Encoded Calcium Indicators as Probes to Assess the Role of Calcium Channels in Disease and for High-Throughput Drug Discovery. Contributors in this series include prominent scientists and highly-recognized experts with major accomplishments in the field of ion channel pharmacology. Topics covered include the role of ion channels in health and disease, ion channels as therapeutic targets and the molecular pharmacology of ion channels.

Protein pharmaceuticals form a fast-growing category in the arsenal of drugs. This book explores the nature of different analytical techniques and the way in which they are related to pharmaceutical proteins. In addition to serving the analytical chemist, this book is needed by the formulation scientist who is responsible for design and formulation of a pharmaceutical protein that can be monitored during production and over time.

Assembles international authorities to address contemporary research in metal neurotoxicity. Essential and non-essential metals play an important role in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent developments in understanding the role of metals in the etiology of these disorders have led to rapid growth in clarifying the pathology of some of the most devastating diseases we face and in identifying potential new therapies. Few books or periodicals have been wholly dedicated to the topic of metals, and this collection is intended to serve as a resource for all researchers interested in metals and their role in health and disease.

This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of the currently used concepts, approaches and technologies in the discovery and development of new treatments for the full spectrum of disorders of the central nervous system. It guides the reader through all essential steps, from finding an innovative idea, to the registration of a new drug. Divided into four sections, the book starts by presenting a broad perspective on current approaches in central nervous system (CNS) drug discovery. The second section addresses the generation of ideas for the identification of targets and novel treatment strategies; covers core functions in early discovery, and provides an example of a novel treatment paradigm: brain stimulation. The third section highlights strategies and technologies in translational CNS drug discovery. In an effort to bridge the gap between discovery and clinical development, it also covers brain imaging, EEG and cognitive testing approaches. The fourth section extensively discusses the clinical phase of drug development, covering the basics of early clinical testing for psychopharmacological drugs. The book's final chapter addresses the registration for newly developed drugs. Written by experts from academia and industry, the book covers important basics and best practices, as well as recent developments in drug discovery. Offering in-depth insights into the world of drug development, it represents essential reading for early researchers who want to prepare for a career in drug discovery in academia or industry.