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This book summarizes the effects of obesity on health and its correlation with a wide range of debilitating and life-threatening conditions in humans. It discusses the possible pathological mechanisms that are involved in the development of obesity and highlights obesity-associated molecular mechanisms that contribute to reproductive dysfunctions in men and women. The book provides mechanistic insights on the role of obesity in cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, and examines the role of the complementary molecular mechanism of the gut microbiota in the development of obesity. It also reviews the interaction between the metabolic system and immune cells in the pathogenesis of obesity-associated diseases. Lastly, it assesses the latest advances in nanomedicine as an emerging strategy for the treatment of obesity.

In the context of the most significant influx of migrants in European history, the objective of this book is to provide healthcare professionals with essential knowledge and skills to effectively treat and prevent cardiovascular diseases in ethnic minorities. Acknowledging that the scientific and cultural training of health professionals on the specific health needs of minority groups is still limited and likely biased, the book sheds light on the different health policies in European countries as well as epidemiologic data on cardiovascular events among migrants. In addition, it presents an in-depth analysis of potential ethnic-group-specific drivers of global cardiovascular risk within this new and challenging framework – as well as issues related to its prevention and treatment.The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obesity, and metabolic syndrome is found to be higher among most minority groups than in the native population, yet theiraccess to treatment and health services may be limited by cultural and language barriers. As health professionals are confronted with such intercultural challenges on a daily basis, specific training and dedicated publications are thus essential to accompany and foster a constructive development towards a pluralist and healthier society. This book addresses that need, offering a unique and revealing resource.

Diabetes has long been recognized as a disease of high blood sugar, and there has been a continuous search of the exact reason for its development and effective treatment. In 2005, the World Health Organization had estimated that more than 180 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes mellitus and indicated that this figure is likely to double within the next 20 years. Among the 3.8 million deaths each year associated with diabetes, about two thirds are attributable to cardiovascular complications, and diabetes is now considered to be a major metabolic risk factor for the occurrence of heart disease.Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: Biochemical and Molecular Mechanisms is a compilation of review articles devoted to the study on the topic with respect to biochemical and molecular mechanisms of hyperglycaemia. The wide range of areas covered here is of interest to basic research scientists, clinicians and graduate students, who are devoted to study the pathogenesis of diabetes-induced cardiovascular dysfunction. Furthermore, some chapters are directed towards increasing our understanding of novel ways for the prevention/treatment of cardiomyopathy.Twenty five articles in this book are organized in three sections. The first section discusses general aspects of the metabolic derangements in diabetic cardiomyopathy including metabolic alterations and substrate utilization as well as cardiac remodelling in the heart; role of diet in the development of metabolic syndrome in the heart; effect of hyperglycaemia in terms of biochemical and structural alterations in heart. In the second section, several cellular and molecular mechanisms are discussed indicating that diabetic cardiomyopathy is a multifactorial and complex problem. The third section discusses the prevention and treatment of diabetes using appropriate diet, proper supplements including antioxidants, angiotensin inhibitors and some other drugs. All in all, this book discusses the diverse mechanisms of diabetic cardiomyopathy with some information on new therapeutic approaches for finding solutions to prevent or reverse the development of cardiac dysfunction.

Diabetes mellitus is a very common disease which affects approximately 150,000,000 worldwide. With its prevalence rising rapidly, diabetes continues to mystify and fascinate both practitioners and investigators by its elusive causes and multitude of This textbook is written for endocrinologists, specialists in other disciplines who treat diabetic patients, primary care physicians, housestaff and medical students. It covers, in a concise and clear manner, all aspects of the disease, from its pathogenesis on the molecular and cellular levels to its most modern therapy.

In just under three decades, the world has witnessed an enormous rise in obesity with a parallel growth in cardiometabolic disease risk factors characterized by insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, together known as the metabolic syndrome - conditions previously unheard of in children and adolescents. During this time, we have little knowledge of the global and cumulative detrimental health effects of childhood obesity. As obese children age, not only will their health be negatively affected, but infertility and pregnancy complications associated with the metabolic syndrome will affect generations to come. The work force will undoubtedly be affected because of increased sick days and decreased work productivity. Identifying children and adolescents at the earliest stages of chronic disease onset should be the goal of clinical practice, yet there is no clear guidance for defining the risk of metabolic syndrome or appropriate risk-factor thresholds in these groups. If children are identified early in the disease process, lifestyle and clinical interventions can be instituted when they are potentially more effective. Pediatric Metabolic Syndrome: Comprehensive Clinical Review and Related Health Issues approaches the pediatric metabolic syndrome by elucidating its effects on specific organ systems and by considering the problem through understanding the social, psychological and economic consequences of it. The Editors have recruited an invited group of esteemed experts in the fieldto provide the most timely and informative approaches on how to deal with this health crisis. Through educating our practitioners, our future researchers, our health and community organizations, our legislators and our families and children, we have the best chance at improving the health trajectory of the next generation.

The book describes how the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules is related to health and disease. It is suggested that many diseases are initiated and their progress is influenced by inflammatory molecules and a decrease in the production and/or action of anti-inflammatory molecules and this imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules seems to have been initiated in the perinatal period. This implies that strategies to prevent and manage various adult diseases should start in the perinatal period. An alteration in the metaolism of essential fatty acids and their anti-inflammatory molecules such as lipoxins, resolvins, protecitns, maresins and nitrolipids seems to play a major role in the pathobiology of several adult diseases. Based on these concepts, novel therapeutic approaches in the management of insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, cancer, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune diseases are presented. Based on all these evidences, a unified concept that several adult diseases are due to an alteration in the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules is discussed and novel methods of their management are presented.

Heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome caused by a variety of etiologies: myocardial, valvular, and congenital. While the majority of its signs and symptoms are because of myocardial disease, one should not forget the less common cases which need the surgeon's intervention. In addition, the fast development of cardiac devices has set a platform for potential recovery of patients previously considered as end-stage heart failure. I strongly recommend this excellent and comprehensive book edited by Professor Michael Henein as a manual and guide for understanding and managing patients with heart failure. Donald Ross v Preface Over the years we have made considerable progress in the diagnosis and management of the syndrome of heart failure, the end-stage of most cardiac diseases. A Pharaonic diag- sis by means of observation of the signs of fuid retention has now been replaced by n- invasive cardiac function assessment, while tests for myocardial pathology and the assessment of intra-cardiac pressures aid in the diagnosis.

'Principles of Diabetes Mellitus, Second Edition'is an important update to the comprehensive textbook first published in 2002 and reissued in 2004. It is written for physicians of all specialties who, on a daily basis, deal with an illness which has reached epidemic proportions. The book is also intended for medical students and investigators of all aspects of diabetes. The last five years have witnessed major developments in our understanding of diabetes and in therapeutic approaches to this disease. Thus, in addition to updating all chapters, the authors added eight new chapters to the second edition.'Principles of Diabetes Mellitus, Second Edition'covers diabetes in all of its aspects – genetics, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, therapy and prevention.