Many new antileukotriene drugs are now marketed as antiasthma drugs and represent the first new drugs in this field since the 1970s. This book covers the steps that have led to the discovery and development of these new drugs and offers detailed descriptions of their clinical applications. The review chapters on the main aspects of basic and applied leukotriene research are written by leading specialists in the field, and the volume takes a new approach in presenting information of particular interest to both scientists and clinicians in the fields of asthma, inflammation and allergic diseases.

Nutrition and Osteoporosis: Seeing Through a Glass, Darkly (1 Cor. 13:12) This volume of Advances in Nutritional Research deals with the present state of knowledge relative to the role of nutrition in the etiology of osteoporosis, one of the most serious degenerative diseases in the aging population. As a back drop for subsequent chapters on specific nutrients, Chapter 1 provides a com prehensive account of the gain and loss of bone throughout the life cycle, with emphasis on the architectural changes in later life that predispose to osteoporotic bone fractures. Chapter 2 documents the occurrence of aging bone loss through out human archeological history and Chapter 3 extends this documentation to all non-human vertebrate species so far examined, including primates living in the wild. It is apparent that a progressive loss of bone tissue is a normal accompaniment of aging among higher vertebrates. Whether it is a cause of bone fractures in animals, as it is in humans, is still unknown. It has also been established that there are significant differences in the frequency of osteoporotic fractures among human families, ethnic groups, national populations and diet cultures. Numerous studies have been carried out in an effort to explain these differences, and many of these deal with the possible effect of nutrition. Protracted controversies over the role of nutrition in the etiology of osteoporosis are reflected in the contents of several of the ensuing chapters."

Researchers seeking problems that offer more hope of success often avoid subjects that seem to be difficult to approach experimentally, or subjects for which experimental results are difficult to interpret. The breakdown part of protein turnover in vivo, particularly in nervous tissue, was such a subject in the past - it was difficult to measure and difficult to explore the mechanisms involved. For factors that influence protein metabolism, it was thought that protein content, function, and distribution are controlled only by the synthetic mechanisms that can supply the needed specificity and response to stimuli. The role of breakdown was thought to be only a general metabolic digestion, elimination of excess polypeptides. We now know that the role of breakdown is much more complex: it has multiple functions, it is coupled to turnover, and it can affect protein composition, function, and synthesis. In addition to eliminating abnormal proteins, breakdown has many modulatory functions: it serves to activate and inactivate enzymes, modulate membrane function, alter receptor channel properties, affect transcription and cell cycle, form active peptides, and much more. The hydrolysis of peptide bonds often involves multiple steps, many enzymes, and cycles (such as ubiquination), and often requires the activity of enzyme complexes. Their activation, modification, and inactivation can thus play an important role in biological functions, with numerous families of proteases participating. The specific role of each remains to be elucidated.

Strong body odor is a condition for which, until now, there have been few treatment methods. The Japanese authors, encouraged by the willingness of Oriental patients to undergo radical treatment, have developed the subcutaneous tissue shaving method, which eliminates the condition in a very short period of time without ugly scarring. The book Human Body Odor not only introduces the completely new subcutaneous tissue shaving method, it also questions conventional theories on the hair cycle itself and throws a new hypothesis about the process of hair generation and regeneration into the scientific arena. This could even lead in the future to a formula for retarding hair loss! Developed over the past twenty years, the authors' new surgical method for the radical treatment of bromidrosis represents a landmark in cosmetic surgery and dermatology!

As a research subject, the biomechanics of the urinary bladder are relatively young, yet medical problems associated with them are as old as mankind. Offering an update on recent achievements in the field, the authors highlight the underlying biological, chemical and physical processes of bladder function and present the systematic development of a mathematical model of the organ as a thin, soft biological shell. The book will be a valuable resource for postgraduate students and researchers interested in the applications of computational mathematics and solid mechanics to modern problems in biomedical engineering and medicine.

Discusses the elements of the human body. Includes suggestions for related experiments and projects.

Comprehensive overview of different aspects of autophagy as it relates to neurodegenerative diseases. The pathogenesis of the main neurodegenerative disorders includes either the accumulation of altered or misfolded proteins or exposure to several toxics. Autophagy constitute one of the two principal cellular pathways implicate in the clearance of these material and can serve as a neuroprotective mechanism. Topics include: the role of autophagy in the brain, the role of autophagy in the principal neurodegenerative disorders, and the mechanism by which different molecules cause neurotoxicity and the role autophagy plays.

The understanding how complement relates to glomerular diseases has evolved considerably during the last years. Substantial evidence has accumulated that explain how a defective or deregulated complement system results in kidney diseases. The combination and close interaction of basic research with clinical medicine has demonstrated an important role of complement effector and regulatory proteins in pathological settings of the kidney. A large panel of distinct human kidney diseases such as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), membrano proliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and in ischemic reperfusions injury and transplantation are caused by defective complement control. Genetic analyses have identified mutations in complement regulators that are associated with these diseases. Mutations have been identified in the fluid phase alternative pathway regulator Factor H and the membrane regulator Membrane Cofactor Protein MCP (CD46). The functional characterization of the mutant proteins allows to define the pathophysiological events on a molecular level. These new concepts and data on disease mechanisms already allowed to establish new diagnostic and novel promising therapeutic approaches for several human kidney diseases.

This timely book provides an overview of topics related to obesity. These include associated health risks, childhood obesity, genetics, evaluation, treatment, behavioral strategies, and successes and failures in preventing obesity. The volume covers evaluation guidelines, different approaches to treatment, including diet, exercise, behavior, drugs, and surgery to deal with the current world-wide obesity epidemic.

Application of recent advances, such as non-equilibrium thermodynamics, the maintenance concept and the material balancing method, to the description, of microbial growth has suggested new experimental approaches which have yielded a wealth of data. These data have been used to develop mathematical models of microbial growth and metabolism, and the models have made it possible to direct the metabolism of a microorganism in such a way that more of a certain desired product is made. While a full quantitative description of all aspects of microbial growth and metabolism is till remote, the new approaches are opening up large areas of new potential -- it is now possible, for instance, to deal with individual cells in a population and with quantitative aspects of product formation and optimisation. Microbiologists, biochemists and physiologists will find this an invaluable update on a field of great promise.

Cytokines are cellular growth factors which also provide communication between cells and their milieu. This clearly is an exciting area in modern medicine that will have significant impact on various facets of transfusion. Erythropoietin therapy stimulates red cell production while thrombopoietin seems to positively affect megakaryopoiesis and can be an added armamentarium for the thrombocytopenic patient. Using haematnopoietic growth factors, stem cells could be mobilized early to the peripheral blood for collection and subsequent transplantation into haemato-oncology patients instead of bone marrow transplantation. Using a cocktail of cytokines in cell culture, stem cells could be expanded and selected for therapy. Cytokines and growth factors can even be modified, which may lead to successful gene therapy in malignancies, including solid tumour vaccines. However, the presence of cytokines in certain blood products could have biological effects following transfusion, although its clinical relevance needs to be ascertained. There is much potential for the use of cytokines in the treatment of infections. Early diagnostic methods are now available to monitor their levels and relevance. It is likely that cytokines will increasingly play a role in therapy and could develop our fundamental knowledge about the development of T-cells. An ethical dilemma remains, however, regarding the use of cytokines in healthy donors for harvesting suitable specific cells. Longer clinical observation will be necessary to gather the necessary information. Cytokines and growth factors in blood transfusion was the theme of the 21st International Symposium in Blood Transfusion, where twenty clinicians and scientists, experts in their own fields, were invited to update the above information. Their findings are presented in four sections in this volume: Fundamental aspects - cytokines in development of T-cells, growth factors in haematopoiesis, growth factor receptors and signal transduction, cytokine response in platelet and whole blood transfusions. Function, production and diagnosis &endash; laboratory diagnostics of cytokines and growth factors, cytokines in blood components, cytokines and growth factors in cell expansions, cytokines for genetic modification towards gene therapy, progenitor cells from healthy donors. Application in clinical medicine &endash; clinical relevance of cytokines in transfusion products, cytokines and growth factors in solid tumours, gene therapy in malignancies, vaccine strategies inducing T-cell immunity against tumours, cytokines in the treatment of infections, thrombopoietin and megakaryopoiesis. Future potential use in transfusion medicine &endash; erythropoietin, immunotherapy, ethical aspects of the use of cytokines and growth factors in donors, potential of cytokines and growth factors in transfusion medicine.

In this book, twenty-one researchers and clinicians review the study of the genetics of male infertility, the tools available in the laboratory and clinic, the current state of knowledge, and the future of research and translation into clinical diagnostics and treatments.

New tools discussed are discussed. This book therefore serves as a guide to evidence-based clinical applications, and a preview of future possibilities.

This volume provides an interdisciplinary perspective of applying Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology to cancer research. It aims to systematically introduce the concept of NGS, a variety of NGS platforms and their practical implications in cancer biology.This unique and comprehensive text will integrate the unprecedented NGS technology into various cancer research projects as opposed to most books which offer a detailed description of the technology. This volume will present true experimental results with concrete data processing pipelines, discuss the bottleneck of each platform for real project in cancer research. In additional, single cancer cell sequencing as the proof of concept will be introduced in this book, along with cutting-edge information provided will help the intended audience to develop a comprehensive understanding of the NGS technology and practical whole genome sequencing data analysis and rapidly translate into their own research, specifically in the field of cancer biology.

Should parents aim to make their children as normal as possible to increase their chances to "fit in"? Are neurological and mental health conditions a part of children's identity and if so, should parents aim to remove or treat these? Should they aim to instill self-control in their children? Should prospective parents take steps to insure that, of all the children they could have, they choose the ones with the best likely start in life? This volume explores all of these questions and more. Against the background of recent findings and expected advances in neuroscience and genetics, the extent and limits of parental responsibility are increasingly unclear. Awareness of the effects of parental choices on children's wellbeing, as well as evolving norms about the moral status of children, have further increased expectations from (prospective) parents to take up and act on their changing responsibilities. The contributors discuss conceptual issues such as the meaning and sources of moral responsibility, normality, treatment, and identity. They also explore more practical issues such as how responsibility for children is practiced in Yoruba culture in Nigeria or how parents and health professionals in Belgium perceive the dilemmas generated by prenatal diagnosis.

High-throughput RNAi screening remains one of the most widely used technologies to perform target identification and validation studies in an unbiased manner. These assays are equally important for research and development across academic, biotech, and pharmaceutical industries. The success of these screening efforts is dependent on robust methodologies to perform these screens. In High-Throughput RNAi Screening: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field share protocols and methods for performing high-throughput RNAi (HT-RNAi) screens. These include the use of various RNAi platforms and delivery methods in mammalian and non-mammalian systems, whole organism and cell models, and various applications, such as drug sensitizer identification. Finally, the book examines the latest advancements in the fields of assay development, library screening, data analysis, and hit selection. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, 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. Cutting-edge and thorough, High-Throughput RNAi Screening: Methods and Protocols provides a comprehensive source of protocols and other necessary information to make robust and successful assays possible for all who wish to apply HT-RNAi in their research.

Challenging and provocative overviews are presented in Volume 40 of Current Topics in Membranes. Topics on cell lipids vary from basic themes such as biosynthesis and membrane distribution to the role of lipids in intracellular signaling and membrane flow. This single volume also highlights the roles of lipids in eukaryotic cells and discusses organization of lipids in microdomains.

This is the 3rd volume in a series of reviews centered on the single major topic of bone replacement, discussing the biology of stem cells and cell signals, the knowledge needed to make stem cell-engineered bone tissue a reality, and how to prevent bone allograft infection. Useful as a followup to its predecessors, and as a stand-alone reference, it will interest a broad audience from orthopedists and bioengineers to dentists.

The molecular basis for the physiology of the brain has advanced enormously in the past twenty years with an influx of new information gleaned through technological developments in neuroimaging and molecular discoveries. Molecular Physiology and Metabolism of the Nervous System, authored by Gary A. Rosenberg, an authority on the physiology of brain fluids and metabolism, combines the classic physiology that dates back to the beginning of the nineteenth century with the advances in molecular sciences, providing a strong framework for understanding the diseases that are commonly treated by neurologists.
Molecular Physiology and Metabolism of the Nervous System focuses on the current neuropathology and implications of cerebrospinal fluid diseases and diseases of the blood-brain barrier: how the two affect stroke, infection, brain tumors, and increased intracranial pressure. The book discusses the effects of blood flow in stroke and dementia, the disruption of the blood-brain barrier in neuroinflammation, and the dysfunction due to brain edema and increased intracranial pressure.
Molecular Physiology and Metabolism of the Nervous System is necessary reading for neurologists, neuroscientists, and residents in neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, giving them a strong grounding in physiology and metabolism that will aid them in diagnosis and treatment.

In 1962, 30 years after the discovery by du Vigneaud have pathologic consequences. One potentially sig- of a new sulfur amino acid, homocysteine; Carson and nificant health outcome of such mild to moderate Neil reported two siblings with mental retardation in hyperhomocysteinemia is an increased risk of occlu- northern Ireland with elevated urinary homocystine. sive vascular disease. Homocysteine concentrations in Nearly simultaneously, Gerritsen and Waisman patients with vascular disease were, on average, 31 % greater than in normal controls. Prospective assess- identified increased homocystine in the urine of a mentally retarded infant in Wisconsin. Within two ment of vascular disease risk among men with higher years, Harvey Mudd, James Finkelstein, and their homocysteine concentrations indicated that plasma coworkers at the National Institutes of health (USA) homocysteine at only 12% above the upper limit of that the enzyme cystathionine ~- normal levels was associated with a 3. 4-fold increase had reported synthase was lacking in a liver biopsy specimen from in risk of acute myocardial infarction. Studies from another patient with homocystinuria. This was the original Framingham Heart Study cohort (USA) the first indication of a vitamin relationship to have shown strong, positive correlation between homocystinuria, because that enzyme has as its co- plasma homocysteine concentration and degree of factor vitamin B6 (pyridoxal phosphate). Thereafter, carotid stenosis.

1 2 MARCEL B. ROBERFROID AND GLENN R. GIBSON 1 Universite Catholique de Louvain, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Avenue Mounier 73, B-1200 Brussels, BELGIUM 2 Food Microbial Sciences Unit, Department of Food Science and Technology, The University of Reading, Reading, UK It is clear that diet fulfils a number of important human requirements. These include the provision of sufficient nutrients to meet the requirements of essential metabolic pathways, as well as the sensory (and social) values associated with eating. It is also evident that diet may control and modulate various body functions in a manner that can reduce the risk of certain diseases. This very broad view of nutrition has led to the development of foodstuffs with added "functionality." Many different definitions of functional foods have arisen. Most of these complicate the simple issue that a functional food is merely a dietary ingredient(s) that can have positive properties above its normal nutritional value. Other terms used to describe such foods include vitafoods, nutraceuticals, pharmafoods, foods for specified health use, health foods, designer foods, etc. Despite some trepidation, the concept has recently attracted much interest through a vast number of articles in both the popular and scientific media.

Neuroscience Perspectives provides multidisciplinary reviews of topics in one of the most diverse and rapidly advancing fields in the life sciences. Whether you are a new recruit to neuroscience, or an established expert, look to this series for 'one-stop' sources of the historical, physiological, pharmacological, biochemical, molecular biological and therapeutic aspects of chosen research areas. The sigma receptor was originally thought to be a subset of the opioid receptor family, and it is less than 10 years since it was recognized that this receptor represents unique binding sites in mammalian brain and peripheral organs, distinct from any other known neurotransmitter receptor. Since the sigma receptors exhibit high affinity for members of diverse classes of psychotropic drugs, and have been postulated to be involved in various central nervous disorders, neuroscientists have demonstrated a great deal of interest in the elucidation of these receptor sites and their biological relevance. Relatively little is known about the precise role of sigma receptors in normal brain function and in CNS disorders, despite an overwhelming research effort. This research has resulted in many controversies, some of which have been reconciled while others have not. This volume aims to update the reader on the current situation, and deals with the potential functional significance of these receptors in the brain and peripheral organs and, where appropriate, makes reference to the clinical potential of these sites.

Roger Cone and a distinguished team of expert investigators provide the first major treatment of this critically important receptor family. The book illuminates the structure and function of these receptors through a wide-ranging review of the latest findings concerning the biology, physiology, and pharmacology of their peptide ligands and covers the major melanocortin peptides, Melanocortin-1-Receptors through Melanocortin-5-Receptors. Topics include the characterization of the melanocortin receptors, the biochemical mechanism of receptor action, and receptor function and regulation. Timely and authoritative, The Melanocortin Receptors offers an up-to-date knowledge base on the remarkably complex structure and functions of the melanocortins, a guide that will prove invaluable for today's neuroscientists, endocrinologists, pharmacologists, and other clinical and experimental investigators working in this fast moving field.