Problems of Living: Perspectives from Philosophy, Psychiatry, and Cognitive-Affective Science addresses philosophical questions related to problems of living, including questions about the nature of the brain-mind, reason and emotion, happiness and suffering, goodness and truth, and the meaning of life. It draws on critical, pragmatic, and embodied realism as well as moral naturalism, and brings arguments from metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics together with data from cognitive-affective science. This multidisciplinary integrated approach provides a novel framework for considering not only the nature of mental disorders, but also broader issues in mental health, such as finding pleasure and purpose in life.

Iodine is an essential micronutrient and an integral component of the thyroid hormones, which are required for normal growth and development. The iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) encompass a spectrum of adverse health effects including goiter, cretinism, hypothyroidism, growth retardation, and increased pregnancy loss and infant mortality. This volume summarizes the current understanding of the effects of iodine deficiency as well as iodine excess. It also discusses best practices for salt iodization, the mainstay of global IDD prevention efforts, and other forms of food fortification. The effectiveness of iodine supplementation for vulnerable populations, an evolving strategy in many regions, is also described. Low level environmental exposure to chemicals such as perchlorate and thiocyanate, which competitively block thyroidal iodine uptake, appears to be ubiquitous worldwide. There has been recent concern that such environmental exposures might pose a health hazard by inducing or aggravating underlying thyroid dysfunction. This up-to-date volume explores both the effects of iodine deficiency as well as the best strategies for IDD prevention.

This book comprehensively describes the association between metabolic syndrome and pancreatic cancer progression, and the mechanism of action and target definition with a view to drug discovery. Metabolic syndrome, which includes adnominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia, has recently been shown to play an important role in the etiology and progression of various cancers. Further, obesity and diabetes have been associated with an increased incidence of gastric cancers. The book reviews the key biological mechanisms underlying the association between metabolic dysregulation, including obesity-associated enhancement of growth factor signaling, inflammation, and perturbation in pancreatic cancer cell growth and metastasis. It also illustrates the role of the inflammatory signaling pathway in metabolic diseases as well as tumor growth and explores the potential of these pathways as the rational targets for pancreatic cancer therapy. Lastly, the book offers a comprehensive description of the challenges associated with diabetes and pancreatic cancer therapy.

Cilia are tiny microtubule-based organelles projecting from the plasma membrane of practically all cells in the body. In the past 10 years a flurry of research has indicated a crucial role of this long-neglected organelle in the development and function of the central nervous system. A common theme of these studies is the critical dependency of signal transduction of the Sonic hedgehog, and more recently, Wnt signaling pathways upon cilia to regulate fate decisions and morphogenesis. Both primary and motile cilia also play crucial roles in the function of the nervous system, including the primary processing of sensory information, the control of body mass, and higher functions such as behavior and cognition, serving as "antennae" for neurons to sense and process their environment. In this book we describe the structure and function of cilia and the various tissues throughout the brain and spinal cord that are dependent upon cilia for their proper development and function.

Lipids and Women's Health is an up-to-date critical review of pertinent scientific and clinical issues connected with lipid disorders in women. Topics discussed include the public health significance of cardiovascular disease in women, lipoprotein and lipid metabolism, effects of estrogens and progestins on lipid metabolism, metabolic changes of menopause, and the paradox of obesity, a curable disease that is rarely cured, as well as those conceptual advances in our understanding of diabetes mellitus that have clarified diagnosis and may have improved treatment. The relationship of diet and lipid intake to the development of breast and uterine cancer; dietary and drug treatment of lipid disorders; effects of exercise, smoking, and stress; and repercussions of lipid disorders on the family are explored. The volume should prove of use to gynecologists, internists, family practitioners, and pediatricians, as well as to all other professionals with a major concern for the health of female patients.

Neurocognitive Mechanisms of Attention: Computational Models, Physiology, and Disease States describes the brain mechanisms underlying the attention control system, how those mechanisms are examined, how they operate in different disease states, and methods for improving them. Conceptual models of attention further explore their functional operation. Coverage includes the different types of attention, processing paths, brain anatomy, and attention's role in memory and movement. Factors affecting attention are explored including nutrition, exercise, and genetics. Neurocognitive disorders impacting attention are discussed including autism, ADHD, OCD, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease. Assessment methods and treatments are uniquely set against the backdrop of current conceptual, computational, and oscillatory-based models to encourage researchers to pursue continued development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

This book is the compilation of papers presented at the International Symposium on in vivo Body Composition Studies, held at the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 20 - 23, 1989. The purpose of this conference was to report on advances in techniques for the in vivo measurement of body composition and to present recent data on normal body composition and changes during disease. This conference was the most recent of several meetings on body composition studies, and follows two successful such meetings, one at Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1986, and at Edinburgh in 1988. The large number of excellent research papers and posters presented at these conferences demonstrates the rapid growth of the field and the broad interest in the subject of in vivo body composition studies. The proceedings of the Brookhaven meeting "In Vivo Body Composition Studies", is published by The Institute of Physical Sciences in Medicine, London. Both the Brookhaven and the current Toronto meeting emphasized the clinical applications, together with the techniques employed. The Edinburgh meeting placed more emphasis on the methodological problems and design of instrumentation. Because of the number of papers presented at the meeting it was necessary to ask the authors from the same institution to combine their presentations into a single paper where appropriate. The editors wish to thank the authors for their cooperation and for graciously accepting the minor revisions made to each manuscript.

This new edition presents an authoritative account of the current state of brain biomechanics research for engineers, scientists and medical professionals. Since the first edition in 2011, this topic has unquestionably entered into the mainstream of biomechanical research. The book brings together leading scientists in the diverse fields of anatomy, neuroimaging, image-guided neurosurgery, brain injury, solid and fluid mechanics, mathematical modelling and computer simulation to paint an inclusive picture of the rapidly evolving field. Covering topics from brain anatomy and imaging to sophisticated methods of modeling brain injury and neurosurgery (including the most recent applications of biomechanics to treat epilepsy), to the cutting edge methods in analyzing cerebrospinal fluid and blood flow, this book is the comprehensive reference in the field. Experienced researchers as well as students will find this book useful.

This is the first textbook solely dedicated to the study of exocrine glands and cells throughout the human body. Students will gain a broad overview of the whole exocrine system, it's structural features and learn to understand it's integral parts in almost all bodily functions. Taking a systemic approach, the author guides readers through the different organ sites, shapes, methods of secretion and their secretory products. Starting with the glands of the integument, which is covering the outside of the body, the chapters proceed to also discuss the urinary tract, respiratory, digestive and reproductive systems. Various levels of complexity, from single goblet cells to the major organs, are thoroughly explained. A basic knowledge in histology is advantageous, for the numerous and rich illustrations. With its inviting writing style, this textbook is a perfect learning tool for students in Physiology and Medicine - particularly considering Dentistry, Dermatology, Gastroenterology and Pulmonology.

This book reviews the various applications of nanotechnology in human health. The introductory chapters focus on the classifications, types, synthesis, and characterization of various types of nanomaterials, while subsequent chapters highlight current applications of nanomaterials in the diagnosis and treatment of microbial and viral infections, and also in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Further, the book explores the potential role of nanomaterials in connection with neuronal differentiation, neuronal protection, and neurological diseases. It demonstrates the use of nanotechnology to diagnose and treat genetic disorders, as well as endocrine and metabolic syndrome diseases. It also discusses the ethics and the negative impacts of nanomaterials on human health. Lastly, it examines the intellectual property aspects and government regulations associated with the research, design, and commercialization of nanotechnology-based products. Given its scope, it offers a valuable resource for all researchers and professionals working with nanotechnology-based applications in human health.

The carotid body arterial chemoreceptors constitute unique sensory receptors capable of monitoring in an instant to instant fashion the levels of arterial blood oxygen and carbon dioxide, capturing any deviations from normality and initiating bodily homeostatic reflexes aimed to correct the detected deviations. Chemoreceptor cells of the carotid body constitute ideal models to study the entire processes of O2-sensing as well as CO2-sensing. The Arterial Chemoreceptors represents an updated review of the physiology of the carotid body chemoreceptors. More importantly, the book presents the trends in the field as it contains results in the topics that are at the frontiers of future developments in O2-sensing in chemoreceptor cells. Additionally, this volume contains data from studies carried out in other O2-sensing tissues including pulmonary vasculature and erythropoietin producing cells. This book should be considered as a prime source of information and as a guideline for every researcher in the field of arterial chemoreception in the years to come. of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and pulmonary hypertension as well as for researchers in the field of erythropoietin.

This book summarizes 20 years of work on the kinetics of blood-brain transfer and metabolism mechanisms in mammalian brain. The substances affiliated with these mechanisms include glucose, amino acids, monocarboxylic acids, and oxygen. These substances are important to energy metabolism and neurotransmission in the mammalian brain at rest and during activation.

To understand the processes addressed by these mechanisms, the book examines the kinetics of compartmentation and compartmental analysis, particularly as they relate to transporter, enzyme, and receptor function. Compartments are subsets of substances separated by transporters and receptors in membranes, and enzymes in cells.

This book is divided in six major chapters covering compartmental analysis, kinetic analysis of transport and metabolism, blood-brain transfer and metabolism of glucose, amino acids, and oxygen, and amino acid metabolism and interaction of amino acid metabolites with receptors.

An essential component of inflammation is the migration of circulating leukocytes from blood into tissues. This process is characterized by a multistep paradigm of sequential cell adhesion and activation events that lead to the extravasation of specific leukocyte subsets to different tissues in health and disease. The first step of leukocyte extravasation, the rolling of leukocytes, is primarily mediated by the interactions of selectins and their ligands. It has recently become evident that fucosyltransferases are crucial for selectin ligand synthesis, inflammation, and skin homing. This book provides an in-depth overview of the mechanisms of leukocyte trafficking and of the molecular mechanisms of selectin/selectin ligand interactions and discusses options for pharmacological intervention to treat inflammatory diseases.

This book provides a clear link between the application of sports science principles and theory to practice. The book allows practitioners to go off and design and defend their own evidence-based training programmes Provides the reader with an appropriate background in physiology, biomechanics and psychology to aid in the development of the training process

Natural killer (NK) cells have been at the forefront of immunology for two decades. During that time, a great amount of information about these cells has been obtained. They are important in antiinfectious and antitumoral defense and shape the adaptive immune response. In addition, they can act as immunoregulatory cells. In recent years, the therapeutic potential of NK cells in cancer immunotherapy has become increasingly evident. This book describes in detail current knowledge about NK cells and covers a broad range of NK cell-related topics, including those that are not frequently reviewed, e.g. NK cells and allergy or NK cells and skin diseases.

This book focuses on recent advances regarding clinical conditions and ailments whose mechanisms remain unclear, limiting our ability to treat them. The respective chapters address a range of multidisciplinary topics related to timely or emergent research areas, such as osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, the optimal surgical procedures for vertebral compression fractures, novel rehabilitative approaches in pelvic muscle training in case of urinary incontinence, and a rational approach to balneotherapy not only for the skin but also other organ systems disorders. Alterations in the endocrine function during strenuous physical activity at high altitude - a multi-stressor environment comprising hypobaric hypoxia, exercise, and nutritional changes - are presented as well. Other articles provide evidence-based insights into the diagnosis, mechanisms, and clinical course of respiratory infections in children such as bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and influenza. Finally, the pros and cons of e-health are discussed; a rapidly growing area based on the use of information and communication technology to streamline the flow of health information and patient-healthcare provider connections. The content is a well-structured blend of research and practical aspects, as well as updates on cutting-edge developments. All these essential topics are presented in a format suitable for medical professionals engaged in day-to-day patient care and therapy, as well as researchers, academics, and physiotherapists.

Soft biological tissues often undergo large (nearly) elastic deformations that can be modeled using the nonlinear theory of elasticity. Because of the varied approaches to nonlinear elasticity in the literature, some aspects of the subject may be difficult to appreciate.This volume clarifies and unifies those treatments, illustrating the advantages and disadvantages of each through various examples in biomechanics. Applications include muscle, arteries, the heart, and embryonic tissues.The revised edition includes new end-of-chapter problems, including answers and detailed solutions to most. The useful reference can be a good textbook for self-study, as well as senior- and graduate-level courses in biomechanics and nonlinear elasticity.

Fatigue is a condition spanning the breadth of human functioning in health and disease and is a central concern in sport and exercise. Even so we are yet to fully understand its causes. One reason for this lack of understanding is that we seldom consider fatigue from an evolutionary perspective - as an adaptation that provided reproductive success. This ground-breaking book outlines the evidence that fatigue is a result of adaptations distinctive to humans. It argues that humans developed adaptations which led to enhanced fatigue resistance compared with other mammals and discusses the implications in the context of exercise, health and performance. Highly illustrated throughout, it covers topics such as defining and measuring fatigue, the emotional aspect of fatigue, how thermoregulation affects the human capacity to resist fatigue, and fatigue in disease. Human Fatigue is essential reading for all exercise scientists as well as graduate and undergraduate students in the broad field of physiology and exercise physiology.

Autophagy Processes and Mechanisms details the process of autophagy and its significance in diseases and aging. It provides insights into autophagy mechanisms and processes to broaden our understanding. By collecting recent progress on several aspects of the autophagy process, it provides a more integrative perspective and serves as a resource that can influence future research initiatives in the field. This new book is appropriate for basic and applied researchers in cell biology, biologists and those working in the pharmaceutical sciences.

Introduction to Deep Learning and Neural Networks with Python (TM): A Practical Guide is an intensive step-by-step guide for neuroscientists to fully understand, practice, and build neural networks. Providing math and Python (TM) code examples to clarify neural network calculations, by book's end readers will fully understand how neural networks work starting from the simplest model Y=X and building from scratch. Details and explanations are provided on how a generic gradient descent algorithm works based on mathematical and Python (TM) examples, teaching you how to use the gradient descent algorithm to manually perform all calculations in both the forward and backward passes of training a neural network.

This volume is the selected, edited proceedings of the International Taurine Sympo- th sium held in Tucson, Arizona, in July 1997. The meeting was a satellite symposium ofthe 16 Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Neurochemistry, which was held in Boston immediately following the Tucson meeting. In view of the desert location of Tucson, the meeting was advertised tongue-in-cheek as being the hottest scientific meeting ever. As the weather lived up to its billing, the Symposium may well have earned the title. The meeting was held in an atmospheric cluster of adobe buildings, old by the stan- dards of the American southwest, at the Westward Look Resort in the Sonoran Desert foot- hills of Tucson, which is overlooked by the 9000' high Santa Catalina mountains. As is the norm for taurine symposia, participants formed a multinational group, with representatives from China, Korea, Japan, United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Ireland, England, Spain, Italy, Finland, France, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Armenia. The meeting was organized around plenary lectures by Russell Chesney (University of Tennessee: Taurine and infant nutrition), Herminia Pasantes-Morales (National Autono- mous University of Mexico: Taurine: An osmolyte in mammalian tissues) and Kinya Kuri- yama (Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine: Interrelationship between taurine and GABA).

In this manuscript, practitioners and students who are concerned with sports and rehabilitation medicine, kinesiology, as well as coaches and athletes, are introduced to numerous concepts, including mechanotransduction, inflammation, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, calpains, the extracellular matrix, neutrophils and macrophages, and their relevance to stretching, particularly stretching intensity. Although the quantitative parameters of training, duration, and frequency are important, it is the qualitative criterion of intensity ("how much") that the author suggests is ultimately of greater concern. Intensity, the rate and magnitude of force, may be responsible for the proper recovery, regeneration, and adaptation of the musculoskeletal tissues from training, competition, or rehabilitation from injuries. Research suggests that too much force results in the stimulation of an inflammatory response, one associated with a biochemical feedback emerging from a mechanical stimulus. The intent of this manuscript is twofold: to initiate the discussion of the importance of stretching intensity with regard to proper recovery, regeneration, and adaptation, and to suggest that researchers need to explore its potential role in addressing numerous inflammatory (RA) and non-inflammatory (OA, recurrent tendinitis etc.) musculoskeletal conditions as well.

It has been over 50 years since Hans Selye formulated his concept of stress. This came after the isolation of epinephrine and norepinephrine and after the sympathetic system was associated with Walter Cannon's "fight or flight" response. The intervening years have witnessed a number of dis coveries that have furthered our understanding of the mechanisms of the stress response. The isolation, identification and manufacture of gluco corticoids, the identification and synthesis of ACTH and vasopressin, and the demonstration of hypothalamic regulation of ACTH secretion were pivotal discoveries. The recent identification and synthesis of CRR by Willie Vale and his colleagues gave new impetus to stress research. Several new concepts of stress have developed as a result of advances in bench research. These include the concept of an integrated "stress sys tem," the realization that there are bi-directional effects between stress and the immune system, the suggestion that a number of common psychiatric disorders represent dysregulation of systems responding to stress, and the epidemiologic association of stress with the major scourges of humanity."

The development of a bio-engineered pacemaker is of substantial clinical and also scientific interest because it promises to overcome several limitations of electronic pacemakers. Moreover it may answer the longstanding question of whether the complex structure of the sinus node is indeed a prerequisite for reliable pacemaking, or simpler structures might work as well.

This book gives an overview of the current state-of-the-art of creating a bio-engineered pacemaker. It shows the approaches to develop of genetic and cell-based engineering methods suitable to implement them with safety and stability. It also illuminates the problems that need to be solved before bio-pacemaking can be considered for clinical use.

Min Li and a panel of hands-on experimentalists detail state-of-the-art molecular techniques for studying NMDA ligand-gated ion channels and developing assays for nontherapeutic lead selection. The topics range from cDNA cloning to in vitro and in vivo investigation of the channel complex in the mammalian brain. Additional topics include the biochemical analysis of the channel protein and the construction of various heterologous systems for both basic research and high throughput screens (HTS) for pharmaceutical chemicals. Although the focus is on NMDA receptors, the methods are applicable to other ligand-gated ion channels and with some modification may be extended to related membrane signaling receptors. NMDA Receptor Protocols offers today's scientists powerful methods for basic research on NMDA receptor structure and function, as well as enormous opportunities for clinical investigation toward the development of novel bioactive compounds.