Features that characterize the aging process include the gradual accumulation of cell damage after prolonged exposure to oxidative and inflammatory events over a lifetime. In addition to the accretion of lesions, the intrinsic levels of pro-oxidant and aberrant immune responses are elevated with age. These adverse events are often further enhanced by the chronic and slow progressing diseases that characterize the senescent brain and cardiovascular system. The incidence of some disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular diseases are sufficiently prevalent in the extreme elderly that these disorders can arguably be considered "normal." Aging and Aging-Related Disorders examines the interface between normal and pathological aging, and illustrates how this border can sometimes be diffuse. It explores and illustrates the processes underlying the means by which aging becomes increasingly associated with inappropriate levels of free radical activity and how this can serve as a platform for the progression of age-related diseases. The book provides chapters that examine the interactive relationship between systems in the body that can enhance or sometimes even limit cellular longevity. In addition, specific redox mechanisms in cells are discussed. Another important aspect for aging discussed here is the close relationship between the systems of the body and exposure to environmental influences of oxidative stress that can affect both cellular senescence and a cell's nuclear DNA. What may be even more interesting to note is that these external stressors are not simply confined to illnesses usually associated with aging, but can be evident in maturing and young individuals. A broad range of internationally recognized experts have contributed to this book. Their aim is to successfully highlight emerging knowledge and therapy for the understanding of the basis and development of aging related disorders.

Galen in the 2nd century AD could be considered one of the earliest researchers who attempted to bridge the gap between basic science and clinical medicine. Galen is given initial credit for the recognition that vital organs of the body are exquisitely dependent upon the intact function of the circulatory system. The doctrines of Galenic physiology stated that blood was produced in the liver, flowed to the heart to obtain "vital spirits", and subsequently bathed the brain to gain "animal spirits". The "vital spirits" described by Galen were later disclosed to consist of oxygen. Oxygen was discovered independently by Schiele in Sweden and by Priestly in England. It was named oxygen (acid-former) by Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794) of France. Lavoisier made significant medical discoveries concerning oxygen's role in respiration. In animal experiments, Lavoisier and others discovered that anoxia could rapidly lead to death. The initial work by these investigators helped provide direction for modern clinical science and the treatment of disease, especially concerning disorders of the nervous system. Remarkably, our understanding of human disease continues to grow at an exponential rate. At times, the accumulation of knowledge of the cellular components of clinical disease exceeds all prior expectations held just a few years ago, such as evidenced by the recent cloning of the human and mouse genomes. Despite theses advances, both biomedical scientists and clinicians sometimes are at a loss to recognize the crucial link between basic science discovery and the development of therapeutic regiments for clinical disease.

Features that characterize the aging process include the gradual accumulation of cell damage after prolonged exposure to oxidative and inflammatory events over a lifetime. In addition to the accretion of lesions, the intrinsic levels of pro-oxidant and aberrant immune responses are elevated with age. These adverse events are often further enhanced by the chronic and slow progressing diseases that characterize the senescent brain and cardiovascular system. The incidence of some disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular diseases are sufficiently prevalent in the extreme elderly that these disorders can arguably be considered "normal". Aging and Aging-Related Disorders examines the interface between normal and pathological aging, and illustrates how this border can sometimes be diffuse. It explores and illustrates the processes underlying the means by which aging becomes increasingly associated with inappropriate levels of free radical activity and how this can serve as a platform for the progression of age-related diseases. The book provides chapters that examine the interactive relationship between systems in the body that can enhance or sometimes even limit cellular longevity. In addition, specific redox mechanisms in cells are discussed. Another important aspect for aging discussed here is the close relationship between the systems of the body and exposure to environmental influences of oxidative stress that can affect both cellular senescence and a cell's nuclear DNA. What may be even more interesting to note is that these external stressors are not simply confined to illnesses usually associated with aging, but can be evident in maturing and young individuals. A broad range of internationally recognized experts have contributed to this book. Their aim is to successfully highlight emerging knowledge and therapy for the understanding of the basis and development of aging-related disorders.

Galen in the 2nd century AD could be considered one of the earliest researchers who attempted to bridge the gap between basic science and clinical medicine. Galen is given initial credit for the recognition that vital organs of the body are exquisitely dependent upon the intact function of the circulatory system. The doctrines of Galenic physiology stated that blood was produced in the liver, flowed to the heart to obtain "vital spirits", and subsequently bathed the brain to gain "animal spirits". The "vital spirits" described by Galen were later disclosed to consist of oxygen. Oxygen was discovered independently by Schiele in Sweden and by Priestly in England. It was named oxygen (acid-former) by Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794) of France. Lavoisier made significant medical discoveries concerning oxygen's role in respiration. In animal experiments, Lavoisier and others discovered that anoxia could rapidly lead to death. The initial work by these investigators helped provide direction for modern clinical science and the treatment of disease, especially concerning disorders of the nervous system. Remarkably, our understanding of human disease continues to grow at an exponential rate. At times, the accumulation of knowledge of the cellular components of clinical disease exceeds all prior expectations held just a few years ago, such as evidenced by the recent cloning of the human and mouse genomes. Despite theses advances, both biomedical scientists and clinicians sometimes are at a loss to recognize the crucial link between basic science discovery and the development of therapeutic regiments for clinical disease.

Forkhead Transcription Factors: Vital Elements in Biology and Medicine provides a unique platform for the presentation of novel work and new insights into the vital role that forkhead transcription factors play in multiple systems throughout the body. Leading international authorities provide their knowledge and insights to offer a novel perspective for translational medicine that highlights the role of forkhead genes and proteins that may have the greatest impact for the development of new strategies for a broad array of disorders. Equally important, Forkhead Transcription Factors: Vital Elements in Biology and Medicine clearly sets a precedent for the necessity to understand the diverse and complex nature of forkhead proteins since this family of transcription factors can limit as well as foster disease progression depending upon the cellular environment. The presentation and discussion of innovative studies and especially those that examine previously unexplored pathways that may influence clinical survival and longevity offer an exciting approach to address the potential of forkhead transcription factors for new therapeutic avenues in multiple disciplines.

Disorders of the nervous and vascular systems continue to burden the planet's population not only with increasing morbidity and mortality, but also with a significant financial drain through increasing medical care costs coupled to a progressive loss in economic productivity. For example, more than 500 million individuals suffer from nervous and vascular system disorders in the world that comprise both acute and chronic degenerative diseases such as hypertension, cardiac insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and Alzheimer's disease. Given the vulnerability of the nervous and vascular systems, identifying the cellular pathways that determine cellular function, injury, and longevity may significantly assist in the development of therapeutic strategies to either prevent or at least reduce disability from crippling degenerative disorders. With this objective, Neurovascular Medicine: Pursuing Cellular Longevity for Healthy Aging is intended to offer unique insights into the cellular and molecular pathways that can govern neuronal, vascular, and inflammatory cell function and provide a platform for investigative perspectives that employ novel "bench to bedside" strategies from internationally recognized scientific leaders. In light of the significant and multifaceted role neuronal, vascular, and inflammatory cells play during degenerative disorders, novel studies that elucidate the role of these cells may greatly further our understanding of disease mechanisms for the development of targeted treatments for a wide spectrum of diseases. The authors of this monograph strive to lay the course for the continued progression of innovative investigations and especially those that examine previously unexplored pathways of cell biology with new avenues of study for the maintenance of healthy aging and extended cellular longevity.

Sirtuin Biology in Cancer and Metabolic Disease: Cellular Pathways for Clinical Discovery offers a compelling and thought-provoking perspective for the examination of the intriguing biology of sirtuins that ties cancer and metabolic disease together and provides a critical platform for the development of sirtuin-based novel therapeutic strategies to effectively treat cancer and metabolic disorders with precision in order to minimize any potentially detrimental clinical outcomes. An exciting prospect for the development of innovative therapeutics for cancer and metabolic disorders involves sirtuins. Sirtuins are histone deacetylases that have an intricate role in the onset and development of cancer and metabolic disease. Implementing a translational medicine format, this innovative reference highlights the ability of sirtuins to oversee critical pathways that involve stem cell maintenance, cellular proliferation, metabolic homeostasis, apoptosis, and autophagy that can impact cellular dysfunction and unchecked cellular growth that can occur during cancer and metabolic disease. Each chapter offers an intuitive perspective of advances on the application of sirtuin pathways for cancer and metabolic disease that will be become a "go-to" resource for a broad audience of scientists, physicians, pharmaceutical industry experts, nutritionists, and students.

Molecules to Medicine with mTOR: Translating Critical Pathways into Novel Therapeutic Strategies is a one-stop reference that thoroughly covers the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). mTOR, also known as the mammalian target of rapamycin, is a 289-kDa serine/threonine protein kinase that is ubiquitous throughout the body and has a critical role in gene transcription and protein formation, stem cell development, cell survival and senescence, aging, immunity, tissue regeneration and repair, metabolism, tumorigenesis, oxidative stress, and pathways of programmed cell death that include apoptosis and autophagy. Incorporating a translational medicine approach, this important reference highlights the basic cellular biology of mTOR pathways, presents the role of mTOR during normal physiologic function and disease, and illustrates how the mechanisms of mTOR can be targeted for current and future therapeutic treatment strategies. Coverage of mTOR signaling includes the entire life cycle of cells that impacts multiple systems of the body including those of nervous, cardiovascular, immune, musculoskeletal, endocrine, reproductive, renal, and respiratory origin.

Sirtuin Biology in Medicine: Targeting New Avenues of Care in Development, Aging, and Disease provides a fascinating and in-depth analysis of sirtuins in the body during normal physiology as well during disease highlighting the targeting of sirtuin-controlled pathways for the development of innovative, efficacious, and safe therapeutic strategies for multiple disorders in the body that ultimately can affect lifespan extension. Sirtuins are expressed throughout the body, have broad biological effects, and can significantly impact both cellular survival and longevity during acute and long-term illnesses. These histone deacetylases play an intricate role in the pathology, progression, and treatment of several disease entities ranging from neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular disease, immune system dysfunction, reproductive dysfunction, endocrine disorders, gastrointestinal disease, drug dependency, and aging-related disorders. Implementing a translational medicine format, this unique reference highlights novel signaling pathways for sirtuins that promote stem cell proliferation, enhance cellular protection, modulate pathways of apoptosis and autophagy, and extend life span. Each chapter is presented with insightful detail that will be of interest and a comprehensive resource to audiences that include scientists, physicians, pharmaceutical industry experts, nutritionists, and students.