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Portal hypertension is the most important complication of a great variety of both acute and chronic liver diseases. Nevertheless, hepatic cirrhosis is the most frequent cause of portal hypertension. Gastrointestinal bleeding due to rupture of oesophageal varices is, without doubt, the most severe complication of portal hypertension. At present, great advances are being made in the pathophysiology and in the development of new therapeutic tools for controlling and preventing this severe clinical event. This book contains the papers presented and discussed during the Symposium on'Portal Hypertension in the 21st Century', held in Montréal, Canada, in April 2004, and sponsored by Axcan Pharma Inc. and NicOx S.A. There are eight sections covering basic mechanisms, new drugs, prevention and current treatment of variceal bleeding, prevention of recurrent bleeding and hepatic hemodynamic monitoring. An international faculty of authors have contributed chapters at an outstanding scientific level which will be vital reading for scientists and clinicians alike.

Cellular and Molecular Pathology of the Liver is extensive, complex and ranges from the understanding the basic molecular mechanisms that dictate everything from liver homeostasis to liver disease. Molecular Pathology of the liver is complicated due to some of the important functions inherent and unique to the Liver, including its innate ability to regenerate and the multitude of functions it plays for the wellbeing of an organism. With all this in mind, Molecular Pathology of Liver Diseases is organized in different sections, which will coherently and cohesively present the molecular basis of hepatic physiology and pathology. The first two sections are key to understanding the liver anatomy and physiology at a cellular level and go on to define the molecular mechanics in various liver cell types. These sections also cover the existing paradigms in liver development, regeneration and growth. The next section is key to understanding the Molecular Pathology unique to liver diseases and associated phenotypes. The final sections are geared towards the existing knowledge of the molecular basis of many common and uncommon liver diseases in both neoplastic and non-neoplastic areas including pathologies associated with intra-hepatic and extra-hepatic biliary tree. Thus, this textbook is a one-stop reference for comprehending the molecular mechanisms of hepatic pathobiology. It is clearly unique in its format, readability and information and thus will be an asset to many in the field of Pathology and other disciplines.

Fas Signaling is focused on the signaling mechanisms and biology of the prototypic death receptor Fas, also called CD95 or APO-1. The chapters of this book cover, besides the well recognized apoptosis-related functions of Fas, its emerging role as a proinflammatory cytokine and as an inducer of alternative forms of cell death. Fas Signaling aims to provide the reader with an up-to-date survey of the various aspects of Fas biology and the open questions of the field are addressed. This title is intended for Ph.D and post-doctoral students starting to work in the field, but is also useful for everyone with an interest in the biology of this exciting molecule.