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This book highlights all newly reported carbon nanostructures including graphene and its derivatives, carbon nanotubes, metal organic frameworks, fullerenes, nanorods, nanospheres, nano onions, porous nanoparticles, nanohorns, nanofibers and nanoribbons, nanodiamonds, graphitic carbon nitrides, carbon aerogels and hydrogels, graphdiyne and graphenylene. It presents the historical development of carbon nanostructures technologies, different types and classifications, and different fabrication and functionalization techniques, including outer/inner surface functionalization and covalent and noncovalent functionalization. This Handbook discusses the unique properties of functionalized carbon nanostructures that can be obtained by modifying their structures, composition, and surface. It gives the reader an in-depth look at the current achievements of research and practice while pointing you ahead to new possibilities in functionalizing and using carbon nanomaterials. Finally, it covers the various applications of functionalized carbon nanostructures including adsorbents, additives, active materials in energy accumulating systems (batteries, hydrogen storage systems, and supercapacitors), filtering media, catalysts or supports for catalysts, sensors or substrates for sensors, additives for polymers, ceramic composites, metal and carbon alloys, glasses, digital textiles, and composite materials.

This title provides a practically applicable guide to the use of immunomodulators and biologics to treat cutaneous diseases. Chapters cover the mechanisms, applications and safety concerns pertaining to the latest systemic therapies. Extensive guidance is provided on how to design lab monitoring schedules, manage patient follow-up visits, develop tapering plans and assess adverse outcomes. The book also reviews how to initiate off-label applications and establish methods of matching mechanisms for a range of diseases to the mechanisms of the available therapies. The latest updates in the development and utility of systemic immunomodulators, biologics and JAK Inhibitors from clinical trials and updated guidelines are also discussed. Immunomodulators and Biologics in Dermatologic Treatment comprehensively describes the use of a range of systemic therapies for immunomodulation in dermatology and how best to incorporate these into practice. It therefore represents a valuable resource for novice readers and experienced dermatologists involved in the management of these patients.

This book explains how peptide-based drug design works, what steps are needed to develop a peptide-based therapeutic, and challenges in synthesis as well as regulatory issues. It covers the design concept of peptide therapeutics from fundamental principles using structural biology and computational approaches. The chapters are arranged in a linear fashion. A fresh graduate or a scientist who works on small molecules can use this to follow the design and development of peptide therapeutics to use as understanding the basic concepts. Each chapter is written by experts from academia as well as industry. Rather than covering extensive literature, the book provides concepts of design, synthesis, delivery, as well as regulatory affairs and manufacturing of peptides in a systematic way with examples in each case. The book can be used as a reference for a pharmaceutical or biomedical scientist or graduate student who wants to pursue their career in peptide therapeutics. Some chapterswill be written as a combination of basic principles and protocol so that scientists can adopt these methods to their research work. The examples provided can be used to perform peptide formulation considerations for the designed peptides. The book has nine chapters, and each chapter can be read as an independent unit on a particular concept.

The book provides up-to-date information on all aspects of colonic diverticular disease, particularly common in Western countries. Most people suffering from it remain asymptomatic, while about 20% develop symptoms without complications, experiencing the so-called'Symptomatic Non-Complicated Diverticular Disease'(SUDD). 10-25% of this last group eventually develop diverticulitis, with or without complications. The incidence of diverticulitis and diverticular colon disease is increasing worldwide, and is becoming a significant burden for national health systems in terms of direct and indirect costs, also because its prevalence increases with age. Unfortunately, the disease pathogenesis is relatively unknown and several aetiological factors may play a role in its onset. The first parts of the book will deal with the disease epidemiology and etiopathogenesis, focusing on the roles of inflammation and dysbiosis as part of the pathophysiology of diverticular disease. The clinical spectrum, the diagnostic approach and differential diagnosis, medical and surgical treatments are described in the following sections. Written by experts in the field, the volume will be a unique and valuable resource for all clinicians, residents, and physicians involved in the management of this disease.

This book presents recent advances in nanostructured biomaterials. It covers the structures and applications of advanced nanostructured biomaterials. The topics covered include overview on biological activities of thiazole derivatives, imidazole derivatives, pyrazole derivatives, tetrazole derivatives, benzimidazole derivatives, oxazole, isoxazoles, etc. The book also covers the topic of nanocarriers as drug delivery vectors. Given the contents, the book will be useful for students, researchers and professionals working in the area of biomaterials and nanomaterials.

This book provides a comprehensive review of the development of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of chronic pain. The book consists of three sections; it begins with the foundations of RFA by examining its history, development, mechanisms of action, and types. The second section explores various indications for RFA, including cervical pain, spinal metastasis, vertebral body, and hip joint pain. The final section then discusses the utilization of peripheral nerve ablation. The book concludes with future indications and forward-looking options for these therapies. Essentials of Radiofrequency Ablation of the Spine and Joints is a forward-looking resource that recognizes the expanding field of RFA indications and new tools for ablation.

The expanded second edition of this important work provides an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of Behçet syndrome. New and updated chapters focus on recent advances in the areas of pathogenesis, the microbiome, genetics and epigenetics, clustering of symptoms, disease assessment and new treatment options. The book examines how these developments have changed the way physicians approach diagnosis, treatment, and management of Behçet patients. It also analyzes the wide variety of clinical manifestations of the disease including mucocutaneous lesions, intraocular inflammation, central nervous system involvement, deep vein thrombosis and other forms of major vascular disease. Building on the success of its predecessor, the Second Edition of Behçet Syndrome is an invaluable resource for physicians, residents, fellows, and graduate students in rheumatology, dermatology, ophthalmology, neurology, gastroenterology, and internal medicine.

The aim of this book is not only to introduce readers with a broad spectrum of biological actions of the NOP receptor, but also to feature a detailed look at the N/OFQ-NOP receptor system, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and clinical data of NOP-targeted ligands. This special volume book - for the first time focusing on the NOP receptor - is designed to serve as a useful reference, stimulate more research on the N/OFQ-NOP receptor system, and lead to more development of NOP-related ligands for several therapeutic applications.

The association between AIDS and cancer was recognized from the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, when the appearance of Kaposi sarcoma in a cluster of young men was one of the first signs of this new disease. It was soon recognized that AIDS was caused by infection with a novel virus (HIV) and that AIDS patients are prone to develop a number of “AIDS-defining” cancers: Kaposi sarcoma, lymphoma, and cervical cancer. The development of effective combination anti-HIV therapy starting around 1996 converted AIDS from a death sentence to a manageable disease and led to dramatic shifts in the epidemic. As this therapy was able to improve immune function in patients, the incidence of most “AIDS-defining” cancers decreased. There is a misconception, however, that AIDS has gone away. In fact, as AIDS patients are living longer, the number of AIDS patients has more than doubled in the United States since 1996, and the AIDS population overall has increased in age. Also, as AIDS patients are less likely to die of other complications, cancer is coming to the forefront as one of the most common causes of death in regions where AIDS drugs are widely available. Moreover, the three “AIDS-defining” cancers are now taking a back seat to a number of other HIV-associated cancers, such as Hodgkin lymphoma, lung cancer, and anal cancer. In the developing world, AIDS-associated cancers are a major public health problem, and in some regions of sub-Saharan Africa, Kaposi sarcoma is the most common tumor in men.In recent years, there has been a vast increase in our understanding of HIV-associated cancers. We now know, for example, that most are caused by other viruses and that the main role of HIV and immunodeficiency is to provide a supportive environment for the viruses to multiply and for the cancers to develop. But there remain a number of unanswered questions and a need for improved prevention and therapy. In the 28 chapters of this book, written by some of themost renowned experts in this field, we present up-to-date information on the cancers associated with HIV infection. The chapters cover the epidemiology of these cancers, their pathogenesis, their clinical presentation, and their treatment. The book will be of value to physicians, other medical professionals, students, and researchers with an interest in AIDS, viral-associated cancers, or HIV-associated malignancies.TABLE OF CONTENTS1. HIV-associated Cancers: OverviewRobert Yarchoan, Thomas Uldrick, Mark Polizotto2. Epidemiology of AIDS-defining MalignanciesWilliam A. Blattner and Rebecca G. Nowak3. Epidemiology of non-AIDS Defining MalignanciesAndrew E. Grulich4. HIV Cancers in Resource-Limited RegionsSam M. Mbulaiteye5. Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV)Blossom Damania and Dirk P. Dittmer6. Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)Lindsey Hutt-Fletcher7. Human Papillomavirus (HPV)Zhi-Ming Zheng8. Merkel Cell Polymavirus (MCV)Nicole Fischer and Adam Grundhoff9. Presentation and Pathogenesis of Kaposi's SarcomaCorey Casper10. Management of Kaposi's SarcomaSusan E. Krown11. Presentation and Pathogenesis of HIV LymphomasRichard F. Little, Stefania Pittaluga, Kieron Dunleavy12. Diffuse Large B-Cell LymphomaNeel K. Gupta and Lawrence D. Kaplan13. Burkitt and Burkitt-Like LymphomaKishor Bhatia and Sam M. Mbulaiteye14. Primary Effusion LymphomaGiovanna Tosato15. AIDS-related Central Nervous System Lymphoma Jan Davidson-Moncada and Thomas Uldrick16. Plasmablastic and Other LymphomasHuan-You Wang, Ida Wong-Sefidan, Erin Reid17. Hodkin LymphomaMichele Spina, Rosanna Ciancia, Accursio Augello18. Multicentric Castelman DiseaseMark N. Polizzotto, Thomas S. Uldrick, Robert Yarchoan19. CervicalCancerElizabeth A. Stier

Historically, nutrient deficiencies have been of greater concern than dietary excess. However, along with the realization that deaths due to certain diseases are more prevalent in affluent countries came the conclusion that nutritional excess is of equal or in greater concern in many nations. Because immunologic reactions may play a role development of both cancer and atherosclerosis, better understanding of these interre­ lated phenomena may lead to innovative ideas for control of these diseases. There has been considerable interest in the role various nutrients may play in regulating immunologic responses. This has been especially true as a possible mecha­ nism by which fat modulates growth of tumors in animals. Likewise, deficiency or excess of a number of other individual nutrients have been linked to altered immune responses. This volume of Human Nutrition-A Comprehensive Treatise details the effects of a number of nutrients on immunity. The first chapter covers questionable and fraudu­ lent claims linking nutrition and immunity. The next chapter examines several aspects of food allergy. Ensuing chapters focus on specific nutrients such as fat, cholesterol, arginine, vitamins C, A, and E, carotenoids, flavonoids, zinc, iron, copper, and sele­ nium. There are two chapters on total energy intake affecting immune response, one examining protein-energy malnutrition and the other describing the effects of food restriction in otherwise healthy animals.

The skin is the largest human organ system. Loss of skin integrity due to injury or illness results in a substantial physiologic imbalance and ultimately in severe disability or death. The most common cause of significant skin loss is thermal injury, followed by trauma and chronic ulcerations. Over the past decades extraordinary advances have been made in the understanding of cellular and molecular processes of wound healing and the pathobiology of chronic wounds. This knowledge has led to wound care innovations that facilitate more rapid closure of wounds with better functional and aesthetic outcome. A sensible and resource-saving utilization of these innovative technologies requires a broad knowledge of these processes and innovations.This book intends to give an overview about today's wound care developments in tissue engineering and skin replacement. It presents a variety of indications and diversities of clinical applications to help the surgeon select a specific procedure for each clinical situation.

Das Buch mit namhaften Autoren soll Medizinstudenten und Allgemeinmedizinern ebenso wie niedergelassenen und klinisch tätigen Internisten und Rheumatologen den derzeitigen Wissensstand über molekulare und zelluläre Grundlagen rheumatischer Erkrankungen und den sich daraus entwickelnden Therapieprinzipien vermitteln.

The aim of the book is to provide an in-depth review of our current understanding of the pathogenesis of both asthma and COPD. This volume also discusses the promising new options for pharmacological intervention of these diseases. Each chapter is extensively referenced, generously illustrated with clear diagrams and photographs, and represents a state-of-the-art review of this important area of lung biology.

Dieser Band des Gebietes Stoffe enthält in alphabetischer Reihenfolge als Ergänzung zum Hauptwerk Monographien über Arzneistoffe, Hilfsstoffe, Impfstoffe und Sera sowie Reagenzien. In den Monographien werden Aussagen über die Synthese, die Eigenschaften, die Erkennung, die Reinheit, den Gehalt, die Wirkung und die medizinische Anwendung gemacht. Von besonderer Bedeutung sind Stoffe des DAB und von in Europa gültigen Arzneibüchern.

From our current knowledge, it is obvious that estrogen action in­ volves more than reproduction and fertility. Rather, estrogens affect and influence a number of other organ systems such as the immune, cardiovascular and central nervous system as well as the gastrointes­ tinal tract, urinary tract and skeleton. The importance of estrogens and estrogen receptor activity is appreciated from the spectrum of significant physiological dysfunctions that occur when there is a loss The participants of the workshop VI Preface of the hormone or the receptor activity. Loss of estrogen, however (for instance during menopause), occurs with time and results in a variety of clinical conditions. We know that the developmental loss of estrogen, as seen in clinical cases of aromatase gene mutations and experimental models, has dramatic effects in both men and women alike. The evidence that these effects are mediated through the estrogen receptor(s) is based on similar but not always identical phenotypes as observed in experimental animal models of estrogen receptor mutations as well as the single clinical case of an estrogen receptor alpha mutant patient. Developing an understanding of the spectrum of estrogen in a variety of tissues related to the condition of estrogen loss is a major and highly active clinical as well as basic scientific research area. Following the discovery of a second estrogen receptor and possible receptor ligand-independent activity as well as the genomic and non­ genomic actions of estrogen, it is clear that the mechanisms of the effects of estrogen are multifaceted.

Dermatology is a complex and puzzling world of itching bumps, pim­ ples, and rashes. The multitude of clinically distinct skin diseases, their frequently unresolved pathogenesis, and the exponentially in­ creasing amount of scientific information add to the confusion about skin diseases. The great prevalence of skin diseases makes them an urgent priority for intensive research effort, and although many scientists and academic clinicians are vigorously trying to uncover we are only at the very brink of understanding the etiol­ their secrets, ogy of most dermatoses. The principle mechanisms of general organ pathology (physical, chemical, microbial, ischemic, degenerative, and neoplastic disturb­ ances) are believed to be relatively well understood. In contrast to skin pathomorphology, however little is known regarding the bio­ chemistry and physiology of dermatoses. The difficulty in under­ standing skin diseases may be overcome partially by finding biome­ dical simplifications, and the concept of'oxidative injury in dermatopathology'is just such a simplification. It should, of course, always be kept in mind that no single mechanism alone can explain the pathogenesis of a disease and that there may be a danger of over­ looking other important biological determinants.

The Reticuloendothelial (RE) Society, which is concerned with advd~cement of knowledge concerning the many diverse functions of RE cells, organizes national and international meetings and publishes a scientific journal. The VIII International Congress of the RE Society was held in Jerusalem, Israel, June 18-23, 1978. The Congress had as its scientific objec,tive a wide range of sub­ jects concerning the RE System, especially as related to macro­ phage function and interaction with lymphocytes. Emphasis of the Congress was placed on the nature and function of macrophages and other cells of the RE System with reference to immune responses, anti-infectious activity, tumor immunity, autoimmunity, and trans­ plant rejection. The secretion of soluble factors by rnacrophages and lymphocytes and the mode of action of these factors on other cells was stressed. During the Congress some discussion was entertained concerning the controversy as to what constitutes the'RE System'per se. Some investigators feel that the phagocytic activity of rnacrophages is the most important aspect of the RE System playing also a major role in many parameters of immunity. Mononuclear phagocytes include tissue rnacrophages as well as cir­ culating monocytes and their precursors. Although phagocytosis is a major functional activity of these cells, it is only one of several activities.

A Turkish dermatologist named Hulusi Beh~et defined a syndrome, the major symptoms of which comprise oral ulcers, genital ulcers, eye lesions, and skin lesions, as a specific disease in 1937, and the disease was named Beh~et's disease after him. Since then, there have been more than 4500 reports presented world­ wide on this disease showing that Beh~et's disease is no longer rare. Because Beh~et's disease is clinically dynamic and its clinical symptoms are various and their spectrum very wide. However, there are insufficient pathognomic laborato­ ry data for the diagnosis of Beh~et's disease, so it is with great difficulty that Beh~et's disease specialists diagnose the disease based only on their clinical expe­ rience. We have therefore collected data from more than 5500 living Beh~et's disease patients whom we have seen, and we have brought together data from other nations and other continents. We hope the result is a clinical guide for those inter­ ested in Beh~et's disease. To improve the accessibility of the information, this text­ book was made in a photo-monography style with an atlas style, and we have tried our best to make our sentences short and clear. We are grateful to the many scholars worldwide whose contributions have added greatly to the value of this textbook. We are especially grateful to the staff of Springer-Verlag who have shown deep kindness and patience. Special thanks to Ms. Heather Yu for helping us in writing this monograph in English, and Mr. Jung-Woon Lee for his assistance.

Biological inorganic chemistry is a field of research at the interface of inorganic and biological chemistry. The rapidly developing insights into the role of metals in biological systems has far-reaching implications not only for biological science but also for related disciplines, ranging from molecular medicine to the environment. In each volume the reader, whether engaged in chemistry, biochemistry, biology or molecular medicine, receives a comprehensive summary and critical overview of a topic of hight current interest written by leading international experts.

The presence of contaminant flavonoids in vitamin C preparations from citrus fruits initially led Szent-Gyorgyi and his collaborators to suggest that a flavonoid compound, with biological activity for the prevention of capillary fragility, was vitamin P. Later re­ search, although not disproving biological activity, discontinued the use of the vitamin classification for these compounds. However, the ubiquitous distribution of flavonoids in living organisms, and the continued discovery of various activity in biological systems makes these compounds targets of wide ranging investigation. This volume is primarily based on a Symposium on Flavonoids and related com­ pounds held during the 212th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society held in Orlando, Florida on August 28-29, 1996 under the sponsorship of the Division of Agricul­ tural and Food Chemistry. While the book is not intended to be a comprehensive volume on flavonoid research, the papers provide various approaches to exploring the biological functions of flavonoids in plants and animals, their chemical modifications for enhanced activity, some analytical techniques, as well as their use in food classification. A signifi­ cant portion is devoted to medicinal implications of these compounds. The organizers would like to express their appreciation to Tropicana Products, Inc., Bradenton, Florida, Coca-Cola Foods Division, Plymouth, Florida and the American Chemical Society's Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry for financial support. Of course, the book could not be produced without the authors, whose cooperation and pa­ tience is greatly appreciated.

In the first 20 years that followed the purinergic signalling hypothesis in 1972, most scientists were sceptical about its validity, largely because ATP was so well established as an intracellular molecule involved in cell biochemistry and it seemed unlikely that such a ubiquitous molecule would act as an extracellular signalling molecule. However, after the receptors for ATP and adenosine were cloned and characterized in the early 1990s and ATP was established as a synaptic transmitter in the brain and sympathetic ganglia, the tide turned. More recently it has become clear that ATP is involved in long-term (trophic) signalling in cell proliferation, differentiation and death, in development and regeneration, as well as in short-term signalling in neurotransmission and secretion. Also, important papers have been published showing the molecular structure of P2X receptors in primitive animals like Amoeba and Schistosoma, as well as green algae. This has led to the recognition of the widespread nature of the purinergic signalling system in most cell types and to a rapid expansion of the field, including studies of the pathophysiology as well as physiology and exploration of the therapeutic potential of purinergic agents.In two books, Geoffrey Burnstock and Alexej Verkhratsky have aimed at drawing together the massive and diverse body of literature on purinergic signalling. The topic of this first book is purinergic signalling in the peripheral and central nervous systems and in the individual senses. In a second book the authors focus on purinergic signalling in non-excitable cells, including those of the airways, kidney, pancreas, endocrine glands and blood vessels. Diseases related to these systems are also considered.

Physiological, pharmacological and molecular biological data generated over the past three decades have demonstrated the existence of two major families of extracellular receptors, the P1, a family of four G-protein coupled receptors and the P2, a family of at least 12 receptors responsive to purine (ATP, ADP) and pyrimidine (UTP) nucleotides through which adenosine and ATP can function as extracellular messengers. The present two-part volume represents an integrated compendium of invited chapters by leading researchers in the area focusing on advances in the understanding of purinergic and pyrimidinergic signaling systems, their role(s) in tissue function and pathophysiology and advances in developing potential new medications based on the modulation of P1 and P2 receptor signaling processes. The volumes will thus provide the reader with a topical, comprehensive and integrated overview of this important area.

During the past decade, the rapid growth of molecular and cellular knowledge of macrophages, as a specialized host defense and homeostatic system, has begun to offer attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. Macrophages play a central role in a wide range of disease processes, from genetically determined lysosomal storage diseases, to acute sepsis, chronic inflammation and repair, tissue injury and cell death. Under- or overactivity of macrophage clearance, immune effector functions and responses to metabolic abnormalities contribute to common disorders such as autoimmunity, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and major infections including AIDS and Tuberculosis. Whilst the goals of therapeutic intervention based on improved understanding of macrophage functions and their contribution to pathogenesis may seem self evident, there are considerable difficulties in producing useful new agents. The present volume covers a range of subjects and provides opportunities for a more focused macrophage-targeted approach. The individual chapters review selected topics briefly, to place cellular processes and molecular targets in perspective. Overall, the volume should provide a broad sample of the state of the art. Useful reviews and references in the literature are cited within individual chapters.

A representative cross-section of elastic biomolecules is covered in this volume, which combines seventeen contributions from leading research groups. State-of-the-art molecular mechanics experiments are described dealing with the elasticity of DNA and nucleoprotein complexes, titin and titin-like proteins in muscle, as well as proteins of the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix. The book speaks particularly to cell biologists, biophysicists, or bioengineers, and to senior researchers and graduate students alike, who are interested in recent advances in single-molecule technology (optical tweezers technique, atomic force microscopy), EM imaging, and computer simulation approaches to study nanobiomechanics. The findings discussed here have redefined our view of the role mechanical signals play in cellular functions and have greatly helped improve our understanding of biological elasticity in general.

This volume collects the papers presented at the'Second Euro­ pean Conference on Phagocytic Leucocytes'which was held in Trieste, September 15-18, 1980. The Conference was the continuation of the thread of a discourse initiated with the'First European Conference on Phagocytic Leucocytes,'which was held also in Trieste in 1976. In fact, in both Conferences the biochemical aspects of the basic functions of phagocytes--that is movement, metabolism, secretion, and bactericidal activity--were mainly emphasized. In the Second Confer­ ence, two additional subjects were also dealt with, and those are the tumoricidal activity of phagocytes and the clinical aspects of phagocyte functions. In connection with the latter subject a'Round Table on the Clinical Application of Leucocyte Function Tests'was held during the Conference, and the proceedings are reported in this book in the hope that they may be useful to those who are interested in the relationship between phagocytes and diseases. The number of papers which are being published concerning the phagocytic process is such that one wonders whether publication of a new book in this field is necessary. However, the philosophy which inspired the edi­ ting of this book differs from that underlying publication of origi­ nal articles in scientific journals. We started from the common notion that the real progress of our knowledge is not necessarily proportional to the amount of published material in that specific field.

In September 1998 experts from 19 countries came together for an interdisciplinary discussion of the function of animal peroxidases, a family of enzymes embracing myeloperoxidase, eosinophil peroxidase, thyroid peroxidase and lactoperoxidase. Their papers have been updated for publication, yielding a wide-ranging overview of the state of the art. The chapters cover a wide range of topics, including three-dimensional structure of representative family members, their biosynthesis and intracellular transport, mechanism of action as well as applications to clinical medicine. They are of clinical relevance in, for example, arteriosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, infections, tumorigenesis, rheumatic diseases and hypothyroidism. This book forms an excellent introduction for anyone interested in the peroxidase family of enzymes.

We proudly present the first book to integrate all aspects of purinergic signaling in the respiratory system. The first chapters introduce basic notions of purinergic pharmacology and metabolism, which allows readers from all scientific backgrounds to fully grasp the importance of these signaling networks for airway defenses, including mucociliary clearance and inflammatory responses. Then, chapters are devoted to the groundbreaking discovery that chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma, cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), present specific aberrances in purinergic signaling which essentially drive lung complications. The last chapters describe the animal models used to investigate purinergic signaling in respiratory diseases, and the therapeutic applications developed by the pharmaceutical industry based on receptor agonists/antagonists and metabolic correctors. This highly comprehensive manuscript constitutes an invaluable tool for beginners and experts to follow the rapidly evolving research field of purinergic signaling. Furthermore, the critical analysis of past clinical protocols should facilitate the identification of potent therapeutic targets, and provide a better understanding of the data acquired in current clinical trials.

This book, with its 16 chapters, documents the present state of knowledge of the adenosine A receptor. It covers a wide range of information, including data from 3 studies of theoretical, molecular and cellular pharmacology, signal transduction, integrative physiology, new drug discoveries and clinical applications. It fills an important gap in the literature since no alternative source of such information is currently available. Although the A receptor is increasingly being recognized for 3 its increasing number of biological roles throughout the body and many A receptor 3 ligands have proven useful in elucidating peripheral and central pathologies, many issues remain unresolved. Moreover, research activity in this field continues to grow exponentially, resulting in a constant flow of new information. The chapters in this book cover both basic science and the relevant applications and provide an authoritative account of the current status of the field. They have enabled my goal as editor to make “A Adenosine Receptors from Cell Biology to Pharmacology and 3 Therapeutics” an up to date, scientifically excellent, reference source, attractive to basic and clinical scientists alike, a reality. Detailed understanding of the physico-chemical aspects and molecular biology of the A receptor provides a solid basis for its future development as a target for 3 adenosine-based pharmacotherapies (Chapters 2 and 3).

Behçet's Syndrome has seen great strides over the last two decades in the availability of new treatments and the understanding of underlying pathogenesis. Only 30 years ago the majority of particularly young men with Behçet's lost total eye sight, now only a minority do. This book covers the most recent developments in the basic and clinical aspects of Behçet's Syndrome. International authorities have collaborated to offer their diverse expert knowledge on the multiple affected organs and systems, including the skin, the eye, the brain, the lungs and not the least the gastrointestinal and the locomotor systems. A special chapter is devoted to juvenile disease. The definitive resource on Behçet's Syndrome, this book is well suited for rheumatologists, dermatologists, ophthalmologists, neurologists, and health professionals caring for Behçet's patients.

The goal of the International Immune-Mediated Diseases: From Theory to Therapy (IMD) Congress is to bring the best world immunologists and clinicians to Moscow to participate in plenary sessions, symposia and educational workshops designed to expose basic and clinical immunologist as well as practicing clinicians to the newest developments in the field. First IMD Congress consisted of 8 Plenary Sessions, 40 Symposia and 25 Workshops. The meeting attracted almost 2000 participants and speakers from 15 countries. After this great success of the First IMD Congress, the Organizing Committee decided to convene the meeting every other year and the Second International IMD Congress was planned for September 2007. Special attention will be given to innovative therapeutic modalities, allergy and asthma, immunodeficiency, tumor and transplant immunology, immunotherapy and vaccines, HIV and infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, inflammation, immunomonitoring and immunodiagnostics. This volume includes contributions from the speakers of the Second IMD Congress (September 10-15, 2007; Moscow, Russia) who are eager to share some of the academic and clinical enthusiasm that defines the IMD meetings.

Bone Resorption, the second volume in the series Topics in Bone Biology, deals with the osteoclast, the bone-resorbing cell, its origins, its enzymes, the regulation of osteoclast activity, and structural aspects of bone resorption. Diseases involving osteoclast function are discussed from the genetic viewpoint in two chapters that span transgenic mouse models to human pathology. Another chapter treats diseases of osteoclast function. Because osteoporosis may be considered a disease in which the bone resorption rate exceeds formation, a separate chapter deals with current and potential therapeutic approaches to this widespread disease that affects both men and women. Bone metastases and an analysis of the central role of the osteoclast in this condition are treated in the concluding chapter. The reviews in the book are essential reading for clinicians, researchers and students in a variety of fields: skeletal biology and orthopedics, nutrition, rheumatology, endocrinology, nephrology, oncology, dentistry, nursing, and chiropractic medicine. Together with the earlier volume on Bone Formation, this volumes serves as a beacon to a field that has become a major topic for those who study the health concerns of the aged, the very young, athletes and those with cancer.

Drs. Xander Wehrens and Andrew Marks have gathered the collected wisdom of scientists that have devoted their working lives to the study of ryanodine receptors. In this series of brief, but informative, chapters, the contributions progress from the basic gene family and primary structure, through its 3D structure so far, to its regulation and physiology. The book ends with several chapters on mutations in the receptor that causes disease and their role in adaptation to disease. There are interesting new developments in the control of ryanodine receptors by accessory proteins, the latest of which is the proposed role of leaky RyR channels in causing delayed after depolarizations, a cause of lethal ventricular arrhythmias. The series of reviews in Ryanodine Receptors: Structure, Function and Dysfunction in Clinical Disease will bring anyone rapidly up to speed in current progress in the field, as well as highlight remaining questions. David E. Clapham, MD, PhDProfessor of Neurobiology and PediatricsHarvard Medical School