Humans coexist with millions of harmless microorganisms, but emerging diseases, resistance to antibiotics, and the threat of bioterrorism are forcing scientists to look for new ways to confront the microbes that do pose a danger. This report identifies innovative approaches to the development of antimicrobial drugs and vaccines based on a greater understanding of how the human immune system interacts with both good and bad microbes. The report concludes that the development of a single superdrug to fight all infectious agents is unrealistic.
Uric acid disorders are involved in both nephrological and hematological diseases. One of these crystal-associated diseases which has been known since antiquity is gout. More recently, tumor Lysis syndromes have been identified which affect patients with cancer, especially in the phase of cellular destruction after chemotherapy. The detection of these hyperuricemic syndromes, together with the improved understanding of urate handling by the kidney, have spurred new interest in the pathophysiology of hyperuricemic states, their clinical consequences and management. Moreover, the recent development of a recombinant form of urate oxidase transforming uric acid into allantoin (Rasburicase) has caused new interest in the pathophysiology of hyperuricemia and the potential applications of this new drug. The multidisciplinary approach of this book offers new insights into the metabolic syndromes in question by uniting authors from the fields of biochemistry, pharmacology, rheumatology, onco-hematology, and nephrology. The result is a compendium of the present knowledge in the field, which will also be very useful as a reference tool for professionals and students who want to expand their knowledge on this topic.
This volume examines in detail the role of chronic inflammatory processes in the development of several types of cancer. Leading experts describe the latest results of molecular and cellular research on infection, cancer-related inflammation and tumorigenesis. Further, the clinical significance of these findings in preventing cancer progression and approaches to treating the diseases are discussed. Individual chapters cover cancer of the lung, colon, breast, brain, head and neck, pancreas, prostate, bladder, kidney, liver, cervix and skin as well as gastric cancer, sarcoma, lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma.
Liver Immunology: Principles and Practice, Second Edition begins with important information about the epidemiology and mortality of liver disease worldwide. This information is followed by chapters related to basic immunology, application of liver immunology for diagnosis, and several excellent chapters that provide a solid foundation for understanding immune-mediated liver disease, including those associated with the biliary tree. A chapter on non-hepatic manifestations of immune mediated liver disease helps provide context for how these diseases affect the patient overall. In addition, chapters discuss various discrete immunologically-mediated infectious liver disorders including those related to bacteria, parasites, and all of the classic viruses. Chapters on the traditional autoimmune liver diseases -- primary biliary cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis as well as overlap syndrome – are also included. The breadth of this comprehensive second edition is highlighted by chapters on alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and drug-induced liver disease, among others. This invaluable new edition ends with a forward-looking view of future directions and how the field might meet the challenge of refractory patients. Developed by a renowned group of authors, Liver Immunology: Principles and Practice, Second Edition will again serve as a comprehensive textbook by providing an excellent overview for this rapidly evolving field. It greatly adds to the understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases, while also providing novel insights that can be harnessed into helping improve the care of patients afflicted with various immune-mediated diseases. This volume will again be a must-read for clinicians at all levels, investigators and students.
Increasing scientific evidence suggests that the majority of diseases including cancer are driven by oxidative stress and inflammation, attributed to environmental factors. These factors either drive genetic mutations or epigenetically modify expression of key regulatory genes. These changes can occur as early as gestational fetal development, and
This book provides readers with an up-to-date and comprehensive view on the resolution of inflammation and on new developments in this area, including pro-resolution mediators, apoptosis, macrophage clearance of apoptotic cells, possible novel drug developments.
Obesity is increasing in epidemic proportions worldwide. A low-grade inflammation caused by obesity leads to its many inflammation-associated complications, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, accelerated atherosclerosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis that can lead to liver cirrhosis, heart failure, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. This systemic inflammation is due to profound changes in the adipose tissue microenvironment, at the heart of which is the adipocyte. Increasing evidence suggests the adipocyte not only stores excess energy, but initiates an escalating pro-inflammatory cascade in adipose tissue during high-fat diet. The adipocyte secretes over 50 cytokines and hormones that both enhance and suppress inflammation, secretes extracellular matrix proteins that impact inflammation, produces and releases toxic lipids that aggravate inflammation, and, more recently, was shown to present antigen to activate CD4+ T cells. Although discovered several decades ago, studies continue to identify pro-inflammatory roles for leptin and anti-inflammatory activities for adiponectin, hormones secreted in large amounts by the adipocyte.
