Current Concepts in Kinin Research contains the proceedings of the Satellite Symposium of the 7th International Congress of Pharmacology held in Paris on July 22, 1978. The book is organized into four parts. Part I explains the functions and mechanisms of the kinin system. Part II focuses on kallikreins and the methods of their determination. Part III describes the intrinsic blood clotting and plasma kinin formation. The last part deals with the characterization of plasma kininogens.
Scientists from 25 countries came together at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on October 21-25, 1984, for the 4th International Kinin Congress in the beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia. Many of the delegates enjoyed southern hospitality for the first time. The friendly city with its streets lined with the Live Oak Tree (symbol of the Congress), the balmy weather, and the excellent facilities of the hotel set the stage for scientific events and exchange that proved so successful. The organ ization of the meeting was the result of many hours, days and weeks of effort by many, including from Augusta Drs. James H. Sutherland, John Catravas, William Davis, Jr. , and Hiroshi Okamoto; and from Charleston, SC, Julie Chao, Ronald Mayfield and Donald Miller. Special thanks go to Ms. Cher Cornett of the Department of Medical Illustration at the Medical College of Georgia for her talent in the design of the logo, as well as the graphics of the program and abstracts. We are indeed indebted to Dr. Paul Brucker, Director of the Division of Health Communi cations at the Medical College of Georgia, for his considerable aid in spending time with us to arrange the programming format and continuity. Ms. Sandra Usry provided very excellent and devoted secretarial help for several years while the Congress was in the making.
The physiological and pathological significance of the kallikrein-kinin system was recently explored extensively, resulting in a rapid accumulation of information regarding their potential importance. This publication provides an integrated picture of the latest information on the kallikrein kinin system. It contains contributions from morphologists, geneticists, biochemists, pharmacologists, physiologists, and clinicians. The Fifth International Kinin Congress (Nov. 29-Dec. 3, 1987) provided a forum for the exchange of information and ideas on the kallikrein-kinin system. The participation of more than 350 scientists from 23 countries reflects the widespread interest and international scope of research activity in the physiological and pathological functions of the kallikrein-kinin system. A total of 275 papers including posters were presented, attesting to the unquestioned success of this Congress. These proceedings, in two volumes, contain the collective studies presented, studies of high scientific standard that provoked stimulating and fruitful discussions. Also included in these volumes are the two plenary lectures presented by Dr. H.A. Margolius (USA) and Dr. S. Nakanishi (Japan). During the last decade our knowledge of the role of the kallikrein kinin system in health and disease has been greatly advanced by the develop ment of antagonists to bradykinin and the introduction to clinical practice of converting enzyme inhibitors. Symposia on converting enzyme and on recent advances in research on the kallikrein-kinin system are included in the proceedings.
Bradykinin is a type of plasma hormone that causes blood vessels to dilate, resulting in a drop in blood pressure, the contraction of muscles in the lungs, intestines, and uterus, and pain. The Kinin System reviews the molecular biology of the kinins through their roles in a complex array of inflammatory conditions such as asthma, GI disease, cardiovascular complaints and examines the future therapeutic opportunities. From the prepublication reviews: "A delicious masterpiece." --Chef's DigestThe Kinin System is a comprehensive, timely book covering all aspects of the kinin system from its disocvery to the pathophysiology, pharmacology, and molecular biology of the mechanisms regulating kinin production to kinin receptors in health and disease. The authors take a refreshingly different view of the kinin system than previous books on the subject. Several chapters contain new information on the gene expression, regulation, and cell surface presentation of kininogens and kallikreins, as well as new data, some of it from human studies, on the role of kinins in pain angiogenesis, tissue repair, sepsis, arthritis, asthma, allergic rhinits, myocardial ischemia, and other diseases. * * Offers new information on kinin reception, regulation of gene expression of receptors, and kinin-generating proteins. * Provides a distinctly immunopharmacological approach to the kinin system. * Reviews of the role of kinins in disease and inlcudes data from human studies. * Includes information that is fully up-to-date and comprehensive.
Recent Advances In Neuropsychopharmacology contains selected papers from the 12th Congress of the Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum held in Gõteborg, Sweden, 22-26 June 1980. The 47 papers in the volume are organized into six parts. The papers in Part I deal with the subject of psychostimulants in psychiatric research. Topics covered include the effect of chronic d-amphetamine and chronic apomorphine treatment on non-human primate social and solitary behavior; and the behavioral effects of dopamine agonists. Part II assesses the prescription of psychotropic drugs by general practitioners. Part III examines blood platelets as a model system for central monoaminergic neurons. Part IV focuses on anxiety pathways in the brain. Part V considers prospects for a biochemical classification system in psychiatry. Part VI presents pharmacokinetic studies of psychotropic drugs. Part VI contains two papers on the renal function and renal histology of lithium patients on maintenance lithium therapy and pre-lithium patients; and the treatment of refractory schizophrenia.
The recent interest in the pharmacology of the skin and the treatment of its diseases has come about for two reasons. The first is a realisation that many aspects of pharmacology can be studied as easily in human skin, where they may be more relevant to human physiology and diseases, as in animal models. Examples of this are the action of various vasoactive agents and the isolation of mediators of inflammation after UV irradiation and antigen-induced dermatitis. The second reason is the fortuitous realisation that a pharmacological approach to the treatment of skin disease need not always await the full elucidation of etiology and mechanism. For example, whilst the argument continued unresolved as to whether the pilo-sebaceous infection which constitutes acne was due to a blocked duct or to a simple increase in sebum production, 13-cis-retinoic acid was found quite by chance totally to ablate the disease; again, whilst cyclosporin, fresh from its triumphs in organ transplantation, has been found able to suppress the rash of psoriasis, it has resuscitated the debate on etiology. We are therefore entering a new era in which the pharmacology and clinical pharmacology of skin are being studied as a fascinating new way of exploring questions of human physiology and pharmacology as well as an important step in the development and study of new drugs, use of which will improve disease control and at the same time help to define pathological mechanisms.
Advances in the Biosciences, Volume 29: Melatonin – Current Status and Perspectives is a compilation of papers by different authors presented in the Proceedings of an International Symposium on Melatonin, held in Bremen, Federal Republic of Germany on September 28-30, 1980. This volume is divided into six parts, wherein the first part covers the testing methods of melatonin; the use of the status of assay methods of melatonin; and related studies. Part 2 tracks the developments in melatonin histophysiology, with attempts to clarify cytological aspects of the indoleamine secretory process in the pineal gland; melatonin production by extra-pineal tissues; and other relationships with the pineal gland. Part 3 focuses on advances in melatonin physiology from hypothetical evolutionary function; the biochemistry and pharmacology of melatonin; to melatonin and pigment cell rhythmicity. Part 4 shows the progress made in molecular endocrinology, while Part 5 presents the results of human melatonin research and covers melatonin serum in humans. The last part is comprised of additional papers that are not classified in the former categories: studies of the effects of light on human plasma melatonin; the role of the environmental factors; and the histology melatonin localized in the salivary glands of the rat palate. This compilation of papers is intended for biochemists, neuroscientists, and researchers in the fields of endocrinology, human genetics, and pharmaceutical chemistry.
Microcirculation: Current Physiologic, Medical, and Surgical Concepts is based primarily on a course and a series of lectures presented at a congress on microcirculation held at the University of California in August 1979. The book gives an overview of the concepts regarding the structure and properties of small vessels, a topic mostly read only in specialized journals. The primary focus of the text is on the function and dysfunction of small blood vessels. Three major parts comprise the text. Part I discusses the morphology, physiology, and pharmacology of circulation, and Part II presents the dynamics or role of the microcirculation in the study of diabetes. Finally, Part III discusses also the role of microcirculation in disease states, particularly hemoconcentration. The book will provide much information to researchers and students in the fields of biology, medicine, physiology, and pharmacology.
