Approx.572 pages

Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) receptor, is critical in the control of food intake and energy balance. The ghrelin receptors are now known to have important physiological properties as modulators of growth hormone release, appetite, glucose homeostasis, metabolism, immune function, neurotransmitter activity, cognitive function and neurodegeneration. Bringing all of this information together in the first comprehensive text on the topic, Ghrelin in Health and Disease provides a state-of-the-art synthesis of the latest work in this area for physicians and physician-scientists. This volume addresses the unique property of ghrelin as a modulator of function. Such a property provides potential utility for safe intervention in a wide variety of disease states. Indeed as we learn more about the basic physiology of ghrelin, the potential for treating new disease targets emerge requiring validation in the clinic. Each chapter in this volume is authored by a leading investigator in the field. The introductory chapter sets the background for the book and provides a superb overview of the relevance of ghrelin to physiology, describing how the discovery of ghrelin has prompted us to completely rethink traditional physiology. The authors conclude their chapters by critically addressing the future translational aspects of ghrelin biology and outlining what key basic research and clinical questions remain to be addressed. An invaluable resource, Ghrelin in Health and Disease distinguishes itself as the first comprehensive title covering all of the molecular and clinical issues relating to ghrelin and advancing our clinical understanding of obesity, growth, and reproductive pathogenesis.

This volume is concerned with the enzymes of the nervous system. Cerebral enzymes form the basis of the functional brain. They are needed for the control of the energetics of the nervous system, whether it be their release or their direction; for the elaboration of transmitters and for their destruction; for the synthesis, transport, and breakdown of all metabolites of the nervous system. They are indispensable for the control of the multitude of factors that govern our thinking and our behavior. They make it possible for us to comprehend what is taking place around us and perhaps to understand what may be in store for us. Enzymes are the stuff of life, and no living cell can be without them. They are the results of many millions of years of evolution, from the time when biological membranes first came into being and were folded to produce the first cells within which the earliest enzymes were wrought. Countless changes have taken place within them, so that, now, only those enzymes exist that play specific roles in the functions of the living cells of today. Those in the nervous system possess a mUltiple role: in the creation, maintenance, and ultimate breakdown of the component cells and in enabling consciousness, perception, memory, and thought to become possible. But though life may go on forever, the enzymes that make life possible will undergo the many changes involved in the evolutionary process.

Erasmus Darwin (1731 1802) is remembered not only as the grandfather of Charles but as a pioneering scientist in his own right. A friend and correspondent of Josiah Wedgwood, Joseph Priestley and Matthew Boulton, he practised medicine in Lichfield, but also wrote prolifically on scientific subjects. He organised the translation of Linnaeus from Latin into English prose, coining many plant names in the process, and also wrote a version in verse, The Loves of Plants. The aim of his Zoonomia, published in two volumes (1794 6), is to 'reduce the facts belonging to animal life into classes, orders, genera, and species; and by comparing them with each other, to unravel the theory of diseases'. The first volume describes human physiology, especially importance of motion, both voluntary and involuntary; the second is a detailed description of the symptoms of, and the cures for, diseases, categorised according to his physiological classes.

Reviews of Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology

Volume 160 2008

V. di Marzo: Endocannabinoids: Synthesis and Degradation

R. Rivera and J. Chun: Biological Effects of Lysophospholipids

S. J. O'Meara, K. Rodgers, and C. Godson: Lipoxins: Update and Impact of Endogenous Pro-Resolution Lipid Mediators

R.K.P. Benninger, M. Hao, and D. Piston: Multi-photon Excitation Imaging of Dynamic Processes in Living Cells and Tissues

G. Schmitz and M. Grandl: Lipid Homeostasis in Macrophages - Implications for Atherosclerosis

Despite the success of earlier Neuromethads volumes, I was initially reluctant to edit a further volume because my own - search is concerned with nonneural tissues. I changed my mind for two simple reasons. First, though the sheer diversity of ext- cellular signal molecules is staggering, still more impressive is the remarkably small number of transmembrane signaling processes they recruit- their receptors either have integral ion channels or enzyme activities, or else they catalytically activate G proteins. Likewise, when we look to the final intracellular t- gets of these signaling pathways, they are stucturally diverse, but again there are common themes: the response may either be the gating of an ion channel, or else the phosphorylation of a target protein. Such conservation of signaling mechanisms is both impressive and convenient, and provides my justification for asking authors with interests in diverse tissues to contribute their methodological expertise to this volume. Second, I think it would be difficult to overestimate the extent to which our understanding of intracellular signaling has been transformed by new and improved methodology. Thus, simple methods for measuring inositol phosphates have revealed the profound and widespread importance of the ph- phoinositide pathways, the techniques of contemporary - lecular biology have provided unrivaled opportunities to relate structure and function, and the complex spatial and t- poral characteristics of intracellular signaling pathways were barely imaginable before the introduction of fluorescent indi- tors and single cell-imaging technology.

This book dealing with stance and motion was planned in June 1986 at a meeting held in Moscow and Leningrad between a group of Soviet and French scientists interested in motor control. This meeting took place in the framework of an exchange program between the USSR Academy of Seiences and the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. It was very successful event and was greatly appreciated by all those who attended it. Several participants put forward the proposal that the possibility of publishing a book was worth exploring. What were the reasons for publishing a book on stance and motion ? The interest aroused in the participants by each others contributions was not a sufficiently decisive argument. It was feit, however, that a large proportion of the orginal material presented at the meeting, especially in the field of posture and locomotion but also on other aspects covered by the book could be presented in a summarized form which should appeal to a larger audience because the facts and hypotheses they contained especially those from the Soviet participants, were not very familiar among international circles, and that many scientists would appreciate having a single volume containing a survey ofthe current state of research in this field. This was also the opinion of Plenum Press, who agreed to publish the book. Each participant at the meeting submitted a paper which was examined by two referees before being accepted.

First published in 1988, Vertebrate Blood Cells provided a comprehensive review of our knowledge of the structure and function of vertebrate blood cells. This was the first book to attempt to draw together such a guide, and this volume was essential reading for this subject. The book consists of six chapters on general evolutionary aspects, fish, amphibian, reptilian, avian and mammalian haematology written by experts in his/her field. Of particular importance is the standardized format used from chapter to chapter which allows the reader to compare the information available on a particular aspect from one group of animals to another. The book should be of interest to immunologists, haematologists and general biologists as well as undergraduate students of zoology, cell biology, microbiology and veterinary and human medicine.

This contributed volume is the first of a series that introduces safe, feasible, and practical decellularization and recellularization techniques for tissue and organ reconstruction. We have put special emphasis on the research areas most likely to develop well-engineered scaffolds for tissue and organ engineering, while presenting easily applicable bench-to-bedside approaches highlighting the latest technical innovations in the field. This book includes both a fundamental discussion for a broad understanding of the basis of tissue repair and substitution, as well as chapters written by world renowned specialists from 20 countries providing deeper discussions and analysis of related sub disciplines. Within these pages, the reader will find state-of-the-art protocols and current clinical challenges in cell and tissue biology, including accurate and comprehensive information on extracellular matrices, natural biomaterials, tissue dynamics, morphogenesis, stem cells, cellular fate progressions, cell and tissue properties for in-vitro and in-vivo applications. This comprehensive and carefully organized treatise provides a clear framework for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers new to the field, but also for researchers and practitioners looking to expand their knowledge on tissue and organ reconstruction.

The central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, has a high metabolic demand. The physiology of the brain is such that it is easily affected by alterations in other systems, which in turn can compromise cerebral blood flow and oxygenation. Together the brain and spinal cord control the automatic function of our body systems. While other systems of body controls individual functions, central nervous system at the same time does many different functions, especially, controlling the function of other systems. This interaction between the brain and other systems is important when it comes to understanding how injuries to the brain can, at times, produce complications in remote organs or systems of the body, such as the lungs. This book explains the lesser-known crosstalks between acutely or chronically affected brain and lung, describing the pathophysiology of the lung following brain injury and discussing in detail the conflicts between the brain and lungs in relation to the tidal volumes, positive end-expiratory pressures, arterial carbon dioxide and oxygen levels, recruitment maneuvers and positioning, as well as potential therapeutic targets.

Salience Network of the Human Brain focuses on the multiple sources of stimuli that compete for our attention, providing interesting discussions on how the relative salience-importance or prominence-of each of these inputs determines which ones we choose to focus on for more in-depth processing. The salience network is a collection of regions of the brain that select which stimuli are deserving of our attention. The network has key nodes in the insular cortex and is critical for detecting behaviorally relevant stimuli and for coordinating the brain's neural resources in response to these stimuli. The insular cortex is a complex and multipurpose structure that plays a role in numerous cognitive functions related to perception, emotion, and interpersonal experience-and the failure of this network to function properly can lead to numerous neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, psychosis, and dementia.

Given the at times confusing new information concerning the human microbiome released over the last few years, this book seeks to put the research field into perspective for non-specialists. Addressing a timely topic, it breaks down recent research developments in a way that everyone with a scientific background can understand. The book discusses why microorganisms are vital to our lives and how our nutrition influences the interaction with our own gut bacteria. In turn, it goes into more detail on how microbial communities are organised and why they are able to survive in the unique environment of our intestines. Readers will also learn about how their personal microbial profile is as unique as their fingerprint, and how it can be affected by a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle. Thanks to the open and easy-to-follow language used, the book offers an overview for all readers with a basic understanding of biology, and sheds new light on this fascinating and important part of our bodies.

This book represents the first European effort to provide a collection of test descriptions used in evaluation of the compatibility of biomaterials in contact with tissues and blood. The urge to compile this book arose from the fact that it is the properties of the material which ultimatively seem to determine the functional outcome of a medical device, almost regardless of how ingenious the construction of the very device is. The longer the exposure is, the more important these basic properties become. Unfortunately only a small part of the interactive phenomena is fully elucidated and understood. This challenge reflects itself in an effort to cover numerous aspects of testing, beginning with fundamental analysis of the material, continuing with the mechanical properties, the resistance to degradation and the analysis of surface and chemical properties including adsorption patterns of proteins ending with test on cell cultures, ex vivo and in vivo. A number of the tests which are generally accepted as being important are already described as official requirements (primarily Pharmacopeas). These official requirements are not included in order to limit the size of the book. It is the aim of this book to present the tests like a recipe in a uniform way to ease the reader in finding his/her way through the material and to present it as a kind of "cook-book" in an order to provide an easy access to copy the procedures. This has unfortunately not been possible in all circumstances.

This proceedings volume highlights a selection of papers presented at the 7th International Conference on High Performance Scientific Computing, which took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, during March 19-23, 2018. The conference has been organized by the Institute of Mathematics of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR) of Heidelberg University and the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics. The contributions cover a broad, interdisciplinary spectrum of scientific computing and showcase recent advances in theory, methods, and practical applications. Subjects covered include numerical simulation, methods for optimization and control, machine learning, parallel computing and software development, as well as the applications of scientific computing in mechanical engineering, airspace engineering, environmental physics, decision making, hydrogeology, material science and electric circuits.

Cannabis Use, Neurobiology, Psychology, and Treatment offers readers a comprehensive reference on neurological changes, both transient and long-term, and other factors surrounding the use of these compounds and extracts. With coverage of both natural and synthetic cannabinoids, this broad coverage allows readers to learn about both adverse and non-adverse effects, including reactivity to pain, changes in behavior, and neuroactivity. This volume provides a platform for research on the effects of these compounds in brain function and neurological dysfunction. Extracts from the Cannabis sativa plant contain scores of psychoactive compounds in addition to the principal agent tetrahydrocannabinol, many of which are neuroactive.

This book covers in detail the mechanisms for how energy is managed in the human body. The basic principles that elucidate the reactivity and physical interactions of matter are addressed and quantified with simple approaches. Three-dimensional representations of molecules are presented throughout the book so molecules can be viewed as unique entities in their shape and function. The book is focused on the molecular mechanisms of cellular processes in the context of human physiological situations such as fasting, feeding and physical exercise, in which metabolic regulation is highlighted. Furthermore the book uses key historical experiments that opened up new concepts in biochemistry to further illustrate how the human body functions at molecular level, helping students to appreciate how scientific knowledge emerges. New to this edition: - 30 challenging practical case studies (2-3 at the end of each chapter) based on movies, novels, biographies, documentaries, paintings, and other cultural and artistic creations far beyond canonic academic exercises. - A set of challenging questions and problems in the end of each case study to further engage students with the applications of medical biochemistry - Insights into the answers to the challenging questions to help steer teaching/learning interactions key to productive lectures, PBL (problem-based learning) or traditional tutorials, or e-learning approaches. Advance praise for the second edition: "The Challenging Cases are compelling both from a scientific viewpoint and for the perspective they provide on the history of medicine." David M. Jameson, University of Hawaii "Using case studies to reinforce the biochemistry lessons is extremely effective - as well as entertaining!" Joseph P. Albanesi, UT Southwestern Medical Center Advance Praise for the first edition: "This textbook provides a modern and integrative perspective of human biochemistry and will be a faithful companion to health science students following curricula in which this discipline is addressed. This textbook will be a most useful tool for the teaching community." Joan Guinovart Former director of the Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona, Spain, and former president of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, IUBMB

This book summarizes the latest advances in pain research. All the chapters were contributed by speakers from Asian Pain Symposium (APS) on Acute and Chronic Pain, which was held in Taipei in 2017. Founded in Kyoto, Japan in 2000, the APS serves as a platform for scientists to present recent findings in pain research and discuss research orientation in this field. APS 2017 focused on novel strategies for pain treatment. Written by experts from various disciplines, from molecular to functional, and from basic to clinic studies, this book is composed of 18 review articles on the physiology and pathology of pain in these research fields. Specific topics include circuitry, neurotransmitter, physiology, behavior, neuropathology, pharmacology, and the treatments for neuropathic pain disorders. The book is a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students in pain medicine and neuroscience.

Biomechanics and Motor Control: Defining Central Concepts provides a thorough update to the rapidly evolving fields of biomechanics of human motion and motor control with research published in biology, psychology, physics, medicine, physical therapy, robotics, and engineering consistently breaking new ground. This book clarifies the meaning of the most frequently used terms, and consists of four parts, with part one covering biomechanical concepts, including joint torques, stiffness and stiffness-like measures, viscosity, damping and impedance, and mechanical work and energy. Other sections deal with neurophysiological concepts used in motor control, such as muscle tone, reflex, pre-programmed reactions, efferent copy, and central pattern generator, and central motor control concepts, including redundancy and abundance, synergy, equilibrium-point hypothesis, and motor program, and posture and prehension from the field of motor behavior. The book is organized to cover smaller concepts within the context of larger concepts. For example, internal models are covered in the chapter on motor programs. Major concepts are not only defined, but given context as to how research came to use the term in this manner.

Athymic Nude Rat Brain Atlas provides the first stereotaxic brain atlas of the athymic nude rat (Crl:NIH-Foxn1rnu), a T-cell deficient mouse model frequently used for experimental studies and pre-clinical safety and efficacy studies. This 2D vector-based atlas contains coronal, sagittal and horizontal brain sections of an athymic rat brain compared to SD rats both processed in parallel, stained with cresyl violet (Nissl) and placed in 3D using Cinema 4D using "flat" skull Bregma and Lambda as anatomical landmarks for correct placement in the 3D environment. Each brain structure is illustrated as a volume, making it easy to compare the two rat strains, allow for precise targeting, and better calculate coordinates to target specific structures for toxin, virus or cell delivery using stereotaxic surgery. This atlas will serve the needs of any neuroscientist who wishes to work with these mice in experimental and pre-clinical studies. In addition, it will serve as a valuable resource for the wider research community using nude rats.

This book provides a concise yet comprehensive review of the morphological, biochemical, electrical, mechanical, and metabolic properties of vascular smooth muscle, the regulation of vascular activities and the intracellular signaling involved. It particularly focuses on newly identified vasoactive agents, enzymes and transduction mechanisms. It also discusses the latest findings in the regulation of cerebral, coronary and pulmonary circulation as well as vascular activity under hypoxia and ageing. The second edition intends to update the contents of the first edition with the latest achievements in the regulation of vascular activities from biochemical, structural, genetic, physiological, and pharmacological aspects. In addition, two new chapters related to microRNA and extracellular vesicles have been added to reflect their newly discovered important roles in vascular activities. The contraction and dilatation activities of vasculature are of fundamental importance for maintaining circulation homeostasis and adapting to physiological changes. Over the last four decades, there have been significant advances in our understanding of the biochemical, structural, genetic, physiological, and pharmacological aspects of vascular activity regulation, and these insights into the responsiveness of blood vessels under normal and pathophysiological conditions help to provide valuable weapons in the fight vascular diseases. The book is of interest to researchers and graduate students, both in basic research and in clinic settings, in the field of vascular biology.

This book contains the refereed contributions from the 41st annual meeting of ISOTT. The annual meetings of ISOTT bring together scientists from various fields (medicine, physiology, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, etc.) in a unique international forum. Traditionally, ISOTT conferences are a place, where an atmosphere of interaction is created, where many questions are asked after each presentation and lively discussions occur at a high scientific level. This vivid interaction is the main motivation for members to participate and gain new ideas and knowledge in the broad field of oxygen transport to tissue. The papers in this volume summarize some of the outstanding contributions from the 41st annual meeting. Special features in this volume include invited presentations from senior members of ISOTT for the theme "the wisdom of ISOTT" in which founders, past presidents and prize winners from previous meetings provided both cutting edge new knowledge and integrated overviews of critical aspects of the field. The presentations and manuscripts also include those provided by the special opportunity provided by having part of the ISOTT meeting overlap with the EPR-2013 meeting where both focused on preclinical and clinical measurements of oxygen, with a particular emphasis on cancer. Chapters 22, 24, 25 and 26 are open access under a CC BY 4.0 license via link.springer.com.

This thorough volume explores protocols of proteome- and metabolome-wide strategies for the identification of protein-small molecule complexes in different organisms, in order to shed light on these important regulatory interactions. Experimental and computational strategies to characterize protein-metabolite interactions are discussed, and recent advances in enabling technologies are featured as well. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include the kind of detail and expert implementation advice to ensure success in future research. Authoritative and practical, Cell-Wide Identification of Metabolite-Protein Interactions will aid researchers seeking a better understanding of the mechanisms of signal transduction occurring in the cell and assessing the effect of complex formation on cell physiology.

This book systematically introduces the bionic nature of force sensing and control, the biomechanical principle on mechanism of force generation and control of skeletal muscle, and related applications in robotic exoskeleton. The book focuses on three main aspects: muscle force generation principle and biomechanical model, exoskeleton robot technology based on skeletal muscle biomechanical model, and SMA-based bionic skeletal muscle technology. This comprehensive and in-depth book presents the author's research experience and achievements of many years to readers in an effort to promote academic exchanges in this field. About the Author Yuehong Yin received his B.E. , M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, in 1990, 1995 and 1997, respectively, all in mechanical engineering. From December 1997 to December 1999, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow with Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, where he became an Associate Professor in July 1999. Since December 1999, he has been with the Robotics Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, where he became a Professor and a Tenure Professor in December 2005 and January 2016, respectively. His research interests include robotics, force control, exoskeleton robot, molecular motor, artificial limb, robotic assembly, reconfigurable assembly system, and augmented reality. Dr. Yin is a fellow of the International Academy of Production Engineering (CIRP).