In October 1995, the 1st Colloquium on Mitochondria and Myopathies in Halle/Saale was organized in Halle/Saale by the editors of this focused issue. The meeting took up what might be called an East German tradition: from 1976 to 1990 Andreas Schmidt organized seven clinically orientated Colloquia on Myology in Jena, and from 1974 to 1990 a series of twelve Colloquia on Mitochondria focused on basic research aspects was arranged by Wolfgang Kunz in Magdeburg. At those meetings, East Germany was a mediator between East European, West European and American scientists. In continuation of this tradition, scientists from more than 17 countries working on mitochondria as neurologists, biochemists, geneticists, or as physiologists came to Halle. The title of the colloquium indicated the combination of both basic and clinical mitochondrial research. The most important contributions of this meeting are now published in this focused issue. We thank all authors for their patience and cooperation that have made it possible to produce this unique collection of papers representing current knowledge on detection of mitochondrial causes of diseases. We especially thank Prof. N.S. Dhalla for making it possible to publish these contributions together in this focused issue and also as a hard-cover book.

the GABA increase takes place and (2) the area of the brain that may mediate the anticonvulsant Investigation of the physiology, biochemistry, activity. Three compounds that increase brain pharmacology and anatomy of GAB A and GABA GABA by distinct mechanisms were used in these containing neural systems, continues to reveal the studies: di-n-propylacetate (DPA, sodium val rich complexities associated with this neuroactive proate, Depakene(R)), amino-oxyacetic acid amino acid (see recent symposia 1,2,3). Advances (AOAA) and y-vinyl GABA (GVG). in the pharmacology of GABA-mimetic agents In the next sections, the metabolism of GABA have resulted in the development of compounds and a brief historical account of the relationship that can selectively activate GABA receptors (4,5, between GABA and anticonvulsant activity are 6, 7), inhibit the synthetic and degradative enzymes outlined followed by a discussion ofthe biochemical for GABA (8, 9) or affect the neuronal and glial and pharmacological effects of the three drugs. In uptake processes for GABA (10, 11). This has particular, the literature pertaining to the suppres already had a significant impact on our under sion of seizures and the correlation between anti standing of the role of GABA in convulsions and a convulsant action and increases in brain G ABA will range of other CNS functions including feeding be examined. (12), cardiovascular control (13), motor activity (14) and release of pituitary hormones (15). Before 1.

Pathophysiology of Cardiovascular Disease has been divided into four sections that focus on heart dysfunction and its associated characteristics (hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy and failure); vascular dysfunction and disease; ischemic heart disease; and novel therapeutic interventions.
This volume is a compendium of different approaches to understanding cardiovascular disease and identifying the proteins, pathways and processes that impact it.

New York Times Bestseller and an Amazon Best Science Book of 2015, Life on the Edge alters our understanding of our world's fundamental dynamics through the use of quantum mechanics

Life is the most extraordinary phenomenon in the known universe; but how did it come to be? Even in an age of cloning and artificial biology, the remarkable truth remains: nobody has ever made anything living entirely out of dead material. Life remains the only way to make life. Are we still missing a vital ingredient in its creation?

Using first-hand experience at the cutting edge of science, Jim Al-Khalili and Johnjoe Macfadden reveal that missing ingredient to be quantum mechanics. Drawing on recent ground-breaking experiments around the world, each chapter in Life on the Edge illustrates one of life's puzzles: How do migrating birds know where to go? How do we really smell the scent of a rose? How do our genes copy themselves with such precision? Life on the Edge accessibly reveals how quantum mechanics can answer these probing questions of the universe.

Guiding the reader through the rapidly unfolding discoveries of the last few years, Al-Khalili and McFadden describe the explosive new field of quantum biology and its potentially revolutionary applications, while offering insights into the biggest puzzle of all: what is life? As they brilliantly demonstrate in these groundbreaking pages, life exists on the quantum edge.

– Winner, Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication

This special issue of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry contains original research articles and review papers which were invited from the participants of a recent meeting organized to honour the 60th birthday of Naranjan S. Dhalla, Ph.D., M.D.(Hon.). The meeting, organized by Drs. Morris Karmazyn (London), Grant Pierce (Winnipeg) and Balwant Tuana (Ottawa), was held at the Best Western Lakeside Inn in Kenora, Ontario, Canada on August 23-25, 1996. The meeting was entitled The Cellular Basis of Cardiovascular Function in Health and Disease. There were over 40 invited speakers from 15 different countries represented at the meeting, attended by over 280 people. Keynote lectures were presented by Drs. Norman Alpert (Burlington, VT), Robert Jennings (Chapel Hill, NC), Makoto Nagano (Tokyo, Japan), Howard Morgan (Danville, PA), John Solaro (Chicago, IL) and Nobuskira Takeda (Tokyo, Japan). Dr. Henry Friesen, President of the Medical Research Council of Canada, presented Dr. Dhalla with a plaque at the banquet honouring his research accomplishments over his distinguished career. Dr. Dhalla's outstanding research achievements in understanding the subcellular basis of cardiovascular disease were highlighted at the meeting. One of the unique aspects of the meeting was the special effort made by 39 former trainees of Dr. Dhalla to attend the meeting to honour their mentor. The ex-students and trainees came from all over Canada, the United States, Japan, Slovakia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia and the Netherlands. The meeting was judged to be an overwhelming success in terms of the scientific content as well as collaborative interactions initiated.

The probability for exposure to damaging radiation, toxic chemicals in the environment and adverse biological agents has increased exponentially today. The more frequent and faster travel that we experience today also escalates the risk of contraction and transmission of potentially deadly infections. This has created a very real and escalating risk for injuries and deaths. This is accentuated in the military and medical staff that is more frequently exposed to radiological, chemical, and biological agents in their normal working environment. Understanding the mechanisms whereby these toxic agents inflict damage to our bodies is essential to prepare us for these challenges. Much of the damage is inflicted through the generation of free radicals and non-radical oxidants which then act through oxidative mechanisms to injury the body. This volume will discuss the damage caused by these radiological, chemical, and biological environmental stressors, the mechanisms through which the damage can occur and the novel strategies that can be used to reduce the injury inflicted by these toxic compounds. Using basic and clinical research approaches, the contents of this book discuss new ideas for the development of bioactive products and environmental approaches to lessen or negate the biological damage inflicted by these noxious compounds.

"This is science writing as wonder and as inspiration." —The Wall Street Journal

Wall Street Journal

From one of the most influential scientists of our time, a dazzling exploration of the hidden laws that govern the life cycle of everything from plants and animals to the cities we live in.

Visionary physicist Geoffrey West is a pioneer in the field of complexity science, the science of emergent systems and networks. The term “complexity” can be misleading, however, because what makes West’s discoveries so beautiful is that he has found an underlying simplicity that unites the seemingly complex and diverse phenomena of living systems, including our bodies, our cities and our businesses.

Fascinated by aging and mortality, West applied the rigor of a physicist to the biological question of why we live as long as we do and no longer. The result was astonishing, and changed science: West found that despite the riotous diversity in mammals, they are all, to a large degree, scaled versions of each other. If you know the size of a mammal, you can use scaling laws to learn everything from how much food it eats per day, what its heart-rate is, how long it will take to mature, its lifespan, and so on. Furthermore, the efficiency of the mammal’s circulatory systems scales up precisely based on weight: if you compare a mouse, a human and an elephant on a logarithmic graph, you find with every doubling of average weight, a species gets 25% more efficient—and lives 25% longer. Fundamentally, he has proven, the issue has to do with the fractal geometry of the networks that supply energy and remove waste from the organism’s body.

West’s work has been game-changing for biologists, but then he made the even bolder move of exploring his work’s applicability. Cities, too, are constellations of networks and laws of scalability relate with eerie precision to them. Recently, West has applied his revolutionary work to the business world. This investigation has led to powerful insights into why some companies thrive while others fail. The implications of these discoveries are far-reaching, and are just beginning to be explored. Scale is a thrilling scientific adventure story about the elemental natural laws that bind us together in simple but profound ways. Through the brilliant mind of Geoffrey West, we can envision how cities, companies and biological life alike are dancing to the same simple, powerful tune.

This special issue of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry contains original research papers as well as invited reviews focused in the field of cardiac metabolism and its regulation under normal and disease conditions. These papers cover many areas under intensive and rapid development such as the regulation of fatty acid oxidation in the heart, the role of cardiac glycogen during ischemia, the role of CPT I isoenzymes, the pathophysiology of diabetic cardiomyopathy, cardiac protection through regulation of energy production, the role of fatty acid binding protein under normal and pathological conditions, and several other important topics in this area of research. We hope that this special issue of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry provides an up-to-date source of information for scientists and clinicians interested in the mechanism by which cardiac metabolism is regulated in health and disease and the mechanistic relationship between disturbances in cardiac metabolism and the genesis of cardiovascular diseases.

In 1996 the 75th anniversary of the discovery of insulin was celebrated at the University of Toronto, the scene of that discovery in 1921. This volume was stimulated by the scientific program which was staged at that time and brought together much of the world's best talent to discuss and analyze the most recent developments in our understanding of pancreatic function, insulin secretion, the interaction of insulin with its target tissues, the mechanism of insulin action at the cellular level, and the defects which underlie both Type I (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM) and Type II (noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM) forms of the disease. We have chosen to focus the present volume on work related to insulin action.

Proceedings of the Symposium held at the 8th Annual Meeting of the American Section of the International Society for Heart Research, July 8-11, 1986, Winnipeg, Canada

A series of books for Classes IX and X according to the CBSE syllabus and CCE Pattern

This volume continues the discussion of the problems of in vivo and in vitro. The recently solved X-ray structure of the mitochondrial creatine kinase and its molecular biology cellular bioenergetics - the tradition we started in 1994 by publication of the focused issue of Molecular and Cellular are analyzed with respect to its molecular physiology and Biochemistry, volume 133/134 and a book 'Cellular Bio functional coupling to the adenine nucleotide translocase, as energetics: role of coupled creatine kinases' edited by V. Saks well as its participation, together with the adenylate kinase and R. Ventura-Clapier and published by Kluwer Publishers, system, in intracellular energy transfer. The results of the Dordrecht -Boston. In the present volume, use of quantitative studies of creatine kinase deficient transgenic mice are methods of studies of organized metabolic systems, such as summarized and analyzed by using mathematical models of mathematical modeling and Metabolic Control Analysis, for the compartmentalized energy transfer, thus combining two investigation of the problems of bioenergetics of the cell is powerful new methods of the research. All these results, described together with presentation of new experimental together with the physiological and NMR data on the cardiac results. The following central problems of the cellular bio metabolic and mitochondrial responses to work-load changes energetics are the focus of the discussions: the mechanisms concord to the concept of metabolic networks of energy of regulation of oxidative phosphorylation in the cells in vivo transfer and feedback regulation.

This volume contains the proceedings of the 2nd World Conference of the International Society for Molecular Nutrition & Therapy. This conference was held on August 2-4, 1997, in Winnipeg, Canada. The goal of the conference was to advance our knowledge concerning the molecular events which link nutrition to various disease processes in the body. This volume represents an important compilation of unique articles addressing the molecular and cellular basis for the nutritional and therapeutic treatment of five general disease processes.

Physical Biology of the Cell is a textbook for a first course in physical biology or biophysics for undergraduate or graduate students. It maps the huge and complex landscape of cell and molecular biology from the distinct perspective of physical biology. As a key organizing principle, the proximity of topics is based on the physical concepts that unite a given set of biological phenomena. Herein lies the central premise: that the appropriate application of a few fundamental physical models can serve as the foundation of whole bodies of quantitative biological intuition, useful across a wide range of biological problems. The Second Edition features full-color illustrations throughout, two new chapters, a significantly expanded set of end-of-chapter problems, and is available in a variety of e-book formats.

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease together account for the largest portion of health care spending compared to all other diseases in Western society. This work seeks to provide an understanding of the causes of diabetes and its cardiovascular complications. As this understanding becomes more widely appreciated, it will serve as a foundation for evidence-based care and wider acceptance of sound science. The International Conference on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease, held in Winnipeg, in June 1999, was organized to bring together a multi-disciplinary group of researchers dedicated to further knowledge amongst researchers, care givers, and the managers of the health system. The invited speakers submitted their works for publication, which serves as the basis for this book. Major themes include: epidemiology of diabetes mellitus, metabolic risk factors in diabetes and cardiovascular disease, hypertension in diabetes mellitus, cardiac function in diabetes, glycemic control and improved cardiovascular function, diabetes management, and endothelial function in diabetes.

It is now generally recognized that protein kinase signaling is involved in virtually every aspect of cell function, including growth and proliferation. The field of protein phosphorylation, including the enzymes involved in this post-translational modification, continues to advance at a fascinating pace.
Since the first international meeting on this topic, held in Heidelberg in 1994, several new avenues of CK2 research have emerged despite persistent deficiencies in our understanding of the regulation of its activity. Among the significant new directions are studies related to the structure of the enzyme, especially its crystal structure, as well as an interesting aspect of CK2 function that involves its subunits as binding partners of several other proteins. In addition, new data have been gathered on the role of CK2 in transcription as well as in certain other cellular functions. To address these various aspects of the progress of CK2, a number of key scientists from different parts of the world came together at the second international meeting on `A Molecular and Cellular View of Protein Kinase CK2', held at Villard de Lans near Grenoble on September 24-26, 1997. The meeting was attended by nearly 50 participants and included 28 presentations, which provide a view of the latest progress on protein kinase CK2.

The articles collected in this volume largely arose from two related meetings held last spring. The first was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 11-12, 1997 and was titled Nuevos Avances en el Fenómeno de Isquemia y Reperfusión (New Advances in the Phenomenon of Ischemia and Reperfusion). The second meeting took place in Stará Lesná located in the High Tatras Mountains of the Slovak Republic on June 27-30, 1997. Both meetings were sponsored by several organizations including the International Society and Federation of Cardiology, the International Society for Heart Research and The American Heart Association.

Thorough and accessible, this book presents the design principles of biological systems, and highlights the recurring circuit elements that make up biological networks. It provides a simple mathematical framework which can be used to understand and even design biological circuits. The textavoids specialist terms, focusing instead on several well-studied biological systems that concisely demonstrate key principles.

An Introduction to Systems Biology: Design Principles of Biological Circuits builds a solid foundation for the intuitive understanding of general principles. It encourages the reader to ask why a system is designed in a particular way and then proceeds to answer with simplified models.

Heart Hypertrophy and Failure brings together leading basic scientists and clinicians, presenting improved knowledge of the pathophysiology and treatment of the condition. The result is a synthesis of state-of-the-art information on molecular biology, cellular physiology and structure-function relationships in the cardiovascular system in health and disease. The papers presented describe fundamental mechanisms underlying changes in the cellular machinery during the development of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
Audience: Students, scientists, clinical and experimental cardiologists who seek to understand and manage the perplexing problems of hypertrophy and heart failure.

The breadth of modern biology is characterized by a comprehension of phenomena at many levels of organization. Such levels of understanding range from the organismal to the molecular. It is when all these levels can be discussed together that a sense of true achievement begins to be felt. The topical area of fatty acid transport and metabolism was the focus of the Third International Conference on Lipid-Binding Proteins held at the University of Minnesota in May 1997. This volume contains a sampling of the proceedings of this meeting.

This text is meant to serve as the basis for a two-course series in the study of radiation protection (a. k. a. “health physics”). The ?rst course would be an introduction to and fast-paced overview of the subject. For some, this is the only course in radiation protection that they will take, and thus all material must be covered in a fairly super?cial and rapid fashion. The second course is a more in-depth and applied study of radiation protection, bringing in current materials from the literature, a detailed study of regulations, practice with re- world dose and shielding calculations, and perhaps application in a semest- long student project assigned by the instructor. Several chapters include an additional section of suggested readings and other resources that can be used by the instructor to build such detailed investigations in a second course of this nature. In the ?rst course, the chapter may be basically studied, with reference to the idea that a much richer literature base exists than can be covered in a broad overview of radiation protection. Through exploration of this literature base, and other similar materials that the instructor may be aware of that are not speci?cally cited, this second, more in-depth course may be developed. A routine part of any good health physics program is a complete course in radiation detection and measurement. My brief overview chapter here cannot provide the depth needed for this subject.

This volume is devoted to atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes, three of the most important disease conditions in the world today. Nutritional intervention, cholesterol lowering agents, lipids themselves, particularly oxidized LDL, protein modification by ADP-ribose, bone marrow study, endothelial cell dysfunction, angiotensin, and the role of infection and inflammation are all discussed in the context of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The hypertension section focuses on factors that may be responsible for high blood pressure, such as genetic predisposition, vascular hyperplasia and remodeling, insulin resistance, neurological aspects such as hypothalamic peptides. Also discussed are the possible contributions of the cellular function of the endothelium, nutrition, kidney dysfunction, leptin, and the brain. Novel routes of drug delivery for treatment of hypertension is also a focus. The risk factors and mechanisms responsible for diabetic vascular and cardiac dysfunction are discussed. Lipid profile changes and fibrinolysis in diabetic patients is detailed, along with adipogenesis, diabetic cardiomyopathy, energy metabolism in the diabetic heart, vanadate as an alternative to insulin, insulin resistance mechanisms, and neurotransmitters as targets for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

This special issue of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry contains twenty-two selected research papers and reviews from a total of one hundred and ten presentations given at the 12th International Symposium on ADP-ribosylation Reactions: From Bacterial Pathogenesis to Cancer, held in Cancun, Mexico, May 10-14, 1997. The Symposium was hosted by the Sociedad Mexicana de Bioquimica and was sponsored by the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
This volume provides a state-of-the-art source of information for basic scientists and clinicians who are interested in the molecular, biochemical, and cellular aspects of protein-(ADP-ribose) transfer reactions in human health and disease.

The papers in this volume were contributed by close friends, co-workers and pupils of Professor Setsuro Ebashi. They are dedicated to him to commemorate his great and pioneering contribution to the advancement of muscle physiology and biochemistry, which, in time, exerted a great influence on the whole field of life science. We believe that this issue reveals the present state of research on muscle and/or calcium that was opened up by Professor Ebashi.

The fun, easy way to get up to speed on biophysics concepts, principles, and practices

One of the most diverse of modern scientific disciplines, biophysics applies methods and technologies from physics to the study of biological systems and phenomena, from the human nervous system to soil erosion to global warming. What are the best options for satisfying the world's growing energy demands? How can we feed the world's growing population? How can we contain, or reverse, global warming? How can we vouchsafe a plentiful supply of potable water for future generations? These are among the critical questions to which biophysicists work to provide answers.

Biophysics courses are increasingly taken by students of biology, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, statistics, bioengineering, neuroscience, computer science, pharmacology, agriculture,and many moreProvides a friendly, unintimidating overview of the material covered in a typical college-level biophysics courseA one-stop reference, course supplement and exam preparation tool for university students currently enrolled in an introductory biophysics coursesAn indispensable resource for those studying the natural sciences, biological sciences, and physics, as well as math, statistics,computer science, pharmacology and many other disciplinesThe current job market for people well versed in biophysics is very strong, and biophysics is currently listed as one of the fast-growing occupations in the North America

Stress reaction is likely to play a crucial role in a variety of degenerative diseases including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The process of stress adaptation may appear to be simple, but in reality this is a very complex process and we are only beginning to understand the mechanism of adaptation. In January, 1998, scientists from around the world assembled to discuss the potential applicability of the concept of stress adaptation in the clinical arena. This volume contains original research papers presented on this subject during the conference Stress Adaptation, Prophylaxis and Treatment held in Calcutta, India, and serves as an up-to-date source of information for scientists, as well as clinicians interested in applying the concept of stress adaptation to the cure of diseases.

The special issue of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry focuses on `Control of Gene Expression by Catecholamines and the Renin-Angiotensin System' in health and disease. In recent years, great progress has been made in the understanding of catecholamine and angiotensin II modulated gene expression. There is also increasing evidence that catecholamine and angiotensin II induced cellular injury not solely arises from classical pathways but also from a perturbed gene expression.
Taking into account that catecholamines and angiotensin II are vital for a balanced gene expression of many cells, the intriguing possibility arises that various disease are initiated or aggravated by such an imbalance. Catecholamine and angiotensin II influences can be in excess arising from, for example, hypercaloric food intake or psychosocial stress. During early progression of heart failure, sympathetic activity and angiotensin II influences also become increased. Due to beta-adrenergic receptor downregulation, depressed catecholamine influences are expected in the final stage of heart failure. An imbalanced influence of catecholamines and angiotensin II on gene expression leads to disordered molecular structures of the cell and an impaired cell function.
This focused issue is organized into chapters concentrating on catecholamines, angiotensin II, and the interaction between catecholamines and angiotensin II. Basic biochemical processes are covered in detail and the potential of these pathways for explaining chronic diseases associated with excess catecholamine and angiotensin II influences should become apparent. It is hoped that this focussed issue triggers novel research into the development of drugs that are targeted at diseases characterized by an imbalanced gene expression involving catecholamines and angiotensin II.

Physics in Biology and Medicine, Fourth Edition, covers topics in physics as they apply to the life sciences, specifically medicine, physiology, nursing and other applied health fields. This is a concise introductory paperback that provides practical techniques for applying knowledge of physics to the study of living systems and presents material in a straightforward manner requiring very little background in physics or biology. Applicable courses are Biophysics and Applied Physics.

This new edition discusses biological systems that can be analyzed quantitatively, and how advances in the life sciences have been aided by the knowledge of physical or engineering analysis techniques. The volume is organized into 18 chapters encompassing thermodynamics, electricity, optics, sound, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, and atomic and nuclear physics. Each chapter provides a brief review of the background physics before focusing on the applications of physics to biology and medicine. Topics range from the role of diffusion in the functioning of cells to the effect of surface tension on the growth of plants in soil and the conduction of impulses along the nervous system. Each section contains problems that explore and expand some of the concepts. The text includes many figures, examples and illustrative problems and appendices which provide convenient access to the most important concepts of mechanics, electricity, and optics in the body.

Physics in Biology and Medicine will be a valuable resource for students and professors of physics, biology, and medicine, as well as for applied health workers.

Provides practical techniques for applying knowledge of physics to the study of living systemsPresents material in a straight forward manner requiring very little background in physics or biologyIncludes many figures, examples and illustrative problems and appendices which provide convenient access to the most important concepts of mechanics, electricity, and optics in the body

During the last two decades, chemical and cellular studies have contributed enormously to our understanding of metal-induced carcinogenesis, and many hypotheses on the role of metals in pathophysiological processes have been investigated. In addition, new techniques are available to shed light on the mechanism of carcinogenesis in molecular terms. This conference on Molecular Mechanisms of Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis in September 2000 focused on the latest research in molecular mechanisms of metal-induced toxicity and carcinogenesis. The conference promoted a multidisciplinary investigative approach and included presentations from international experts on state-of-the-art information in this field.

Signal Transduction through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of proteins in the cell is now a well-recognized mechanism involved in countless physiological and pathological processes. Consequently, the enzymes, known as protein kinases, which catalyze the phosphorylation of proteins, are critical regulators of cellular events. One of these protein kinases is the protein kinase CK2 (also known as casein kinase 2) that has been implicated in multiple functions including control of cell growth and proliferation. CK2 is a protein serine/threonine kinase which is a highly conserved and ubiquitous protein kinase. It is localized in the cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments, which accords with its multiple functional activities in the cell. Pertinent to this is also the recognition that a large number of putative substrates for this kinase have been identified in various compartments of the cell. New evidence from several laboratories has further reinforced the involvement of CK2 in signal transduction related to many cellular functions, thus underscoring the significance of its functional role in normal and abnormal cell growth and proliferation.

This volume provides an overview of the state of knowledge concerning this intriguing protein kinase. It brings together contributions from leading investigators engaged in research in this field. Key developments during the past three years pertain to the elaboration of the crystal structure and definition of novel functions of the kinase, such as its role as an inhibitor of apoptosis. Additionally, the shuttling of the kinase to various compartments in response to physiological and stress stimuli appears to be a key feature of the functional regulation of its activity in the cell.

From somewhat enigmatic beginnings 40 years ago, guanylate cyclase research has emerged to occupy a position of prominence in the study of signal transduction. Guanylate cyclase has several intriguing features, including existence in two major forms, membrane and soluble, each independently regulated by distinct mechanisms. The membrane form gives rise to a fascinating signal transduction story important to both peptide hormones and sensory neurons. This volume covers the evolution of the field, peptide hormone receptor work, membrane guanylate cycles, related retinal diseases, and the biochemistry and physiology of the soluble form. The 16 chapters are written by leaders in the field.

This text acquaints the reader on the biomechanics of injury to the human body caused by impact and the use of computer models to simulate impact events. It provides a basic understanding of the biomechanics of the injuries resulting from the impact to the head, neck, chest, abdomen, spine, pelvis and the lower extremities, including the foot and ankle. Other topics include side impact, car-pedestrian impact, effectiveness of automotive restraint systems and sports-related injuries. Featuring problems and PowerPoint slides for lectures, the volume is ideal for students in graduate programs in biomechanics, as well as practicing engineers, and researchers in the life sciences concerned with orthopedics.

A veritable mountain of literature has been published showing the causal relationship of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species in human disease conditions, and there has been an explosion in the understanding of oxidative stress, the protective role of antioxidants and molecular events involved in the regulation of transcription, editing, and translation of key events leading to disease processes. Strategies need to be developed for prevention of diseases by allowing scientists and clinicians to obtain information on new and emerging advances. The molecular mechanisms involved in several diseases including Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, arthritis, and Parkinson's disease, as well as disorders of the eye, skin, cardiac, and pulmonary systems are discussed in this volume, along with scientific evidence supporting the value of dietary supplementation with antioxidants in the prevention of cellular damage leading to chronic disease. Special in vivo techniques are also discussed at length, along with the role of molecular studies in human risk assessment.

It is well established that cellular lipid binding proteins serve central roles in cellular lipid uptake and metabolism. Evidence has been presented that various metabolic diseases, such as hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, and diabetes, are characterized by malfunctioning or deficiencies in cellular lipid binding proteins. For better understanding of the action of lipids as signaling compounds and the role of lipids in intermediary metabolism, it is essential to have detailed knowledge of the interactions between lipids and their cognant binding proteins. In view of this growing interest in lipid-protein interaction, the 4th International Conference on Lipid Binding Proteins was held in Maastricht, The Netherlands, in June 2001. The proceedings of the previous three meetings have been published in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. The present focused issue of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry comprises selected papers based on the lectures and posters presented during the 4th conference, and provides insight into the significance of these proteins for the functioning of the cell.

Cardiac cell biology has come of age.
Recognition of activated or modified signaling molecules by specific antibodies, new selective inhibitors, and fluorescent fusion tags are but a few of the tools used to dissect signaling pathways and cross-talk mechanisms that may eventually allow rational drug design. Understanding the regulation of cardiac hypertrophy in all its complexity remains a fundamental goal of cardiac research. Since the advancement of adenovirally mediated gene transfer, transfection efficiency is no longer a limiting factor in the study of cardiomyocytes. A limiting factor in considering cell transplantion as a strategy to repair the damaged heart is cell availability at the right time. Cardiac gap junctions, intercellular communication channels that allow electrical and metabolic coupling and play an important role in arrhythmogenesis are now understood to be exquisite sensors of cardiac change.
The reports in this volume incLude elegant studies that made use of cutting edge technological advances and many specialized reagents to address these issues.

As with the successful first edition, the new edition of Microbiology: A Clinical Approach is written specifically for pre-nursing and allied health students. It is clinically-relevant throughout and uses the theme of infection as its foundation. Microbiology is student-friendly: its text, figures, and electronic resources have been carefully designed to help students understand difficult concepts and keep them interested in the material.

The Second Edition includes a robust instructor ancillary package that allows professors to easily incorporate the book's unique approach into their lectures. And in addition to the many free resources for students––including the E-Tutor, Bug Parade, Flashcards, and MicroMovies–– a new online homework platform, will be available for Spring 2016 courses. The homework platform will have a module for each chapter including tutorials, media assessments, and quizzes, and is accompanied by an instructor dashboard which displays data on student performance.

Guanidino compounds comprise Creatine, Arginine, and the Guanidines. In the past two years there have been over 2000 published articles with the names of these compounds in the title. One can go to any nutrition or health food store and buy these as supplements because it is believed they improve health and athletic performance.

This volume includes an up to date summary of the scientific and clinical aspects of essentially all the biologically active Guanidino Compounds. The articles summarize the current scientific knowledge of these compounds with reference to relevant clinical conditions, and discuss the chemical, biological, and clinical functions of these compounds.

This volume explores all aspects of vascular biochemistry and includes chapters that provide an understanding of vascular function with descriptions of tissue components present in the vascular wall as well as an exploration of the hemodynamic and metabolic activities associated with this function. In addition, some chapters explore the vasculature under conditions which mimic various disease states.

The information provided in this volume will provide new insights into the mechanisms that control vascular function as well as therapies designed to treat vascular disease.

A detailed look at the latest research in non-invasive in vivo cytometry and its applications, with particular emphasis on novel biophotonic methods, disease diagnosis, and monitoring of disease treatment at single cell level in stationary and flow conditions.
This book thus covers the spectrum ranging from fundamental interactions between light, cells, vascular tissue, and cell labeling particles, to strategies and opportunities for preclinical and clinical research. General topics include light scattering by cells, fast video microscopy, polarization, laser-scanning, fluorescence, Raman, multi-photon, photothermal, and photoacoustic methods for cellular diagnostics and monitoring of disease treatment in living organisms. Also presented are discussions of advanced methods and techniques of classical flow cytometry.

Diabetes is an autoimmune, inflammatory disease affecting many different organ systems and exhibiting both primary and secondary defects. Because diabetes affects a wide range of cellular systems, a multidisciplinary effort has been mounted over the past several decades using a wide range of investigative techniques and methodologies in order to identify molecular mechanisms responsible for cellular dysfunction. Because primary defects at various levels of sub-cellular signaling, intracellular calcium handling, protein expression and energy regulation are often a primary consequence of diabetes.

This volume is a compilation of new multidisciplinary research that will broaden our current understanding of diabetes and cardiovascular disease as well as provide the basis for the development of novel therapeutic interventions.

Nutrition is truly a science of the 20th century. That physiological disabilities could be caused by a lack of exogenous substances which could be supplied by foods is a concept of relatively recent origins. It is not surprising, therefore, that, until the last few years, much of nutritional science research was tied to: 1) establishing a cause and effect relationship between a physiological problem and its cure/prevention by a chemical substance in food; 2) quantifying the amount of the substance (nutrient) needed to prevent deficiency symptoms; and 3) quantifying the amounts of nutrients found in various food substances. That a nutrient might be present in apparently adequate amounts in foods consumed by an individual but could not be fully utilized because of the concurrent consumption of anti-nutrients has been recognized as being an important problem as, for example, iodine-deficiency goiters resulting from consumption of gOitrigens. That less specific, less dramatic interactions among nutrients and among nutrients and other food components might enhance or inhibit the absorption of nutrients from the intestines or of the metabolism of nutrients within the body is an area of current concern.

The focus of this special issue of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry is underlying mechanisms that regulate cardiac growth. The new information provided in this special issue can be utilized to design new treatment modalities that will reduce the incidence of cardiac failure which will improve quality of life in patients with chronic heart disease.

All living cells are made up of an extraordinary collection of tiny molecular machines, which orchestrate the millions of tasks needed for life. Cells build these machines for a variety of purposes: to digest food, to propel them to fertile feeding grounds or away from predators, to store the genetic blueprint, and to fight disease-causing invaders. The Machinery of Life is a journey into the sub-microscopic world of molecular machines. The reader is first introduced to the types of molecules built by cells: proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides. In a series of distinctive illustrations, the reader is then guided through the interior world of cells, exploring the ways in which molecules work in concert to perform the processes of living. Finally, the book shows how vitamins, viruses, poisons, and drugs each have their effects on the molecules in our bodies. The author and illustrator, David Goodsell, has prepared a fascinating introduction to biochemistry for the nonspecialist. This book combines a clear text with an abundance of drawings and computer graphics that present the world of cells and their components in a new and unique way.

Biochemistry laboratory manual for undergraduates – an inquiry based approach by Gerczei and Pattison is the first textbook on the market that uses a highly relevant model, antibiotic resistance, to teach seminal topics of biochemistry and molecular biology while incorporating the blossoming field of bioinformatics. The novelty of this manual is the incorporation of a student-driven real real-life research project into the undergraduate curriculum. Since students test their own mutant design, even the most experienced students remain engaged with the process, while the less experienced ones get their first taste of biochemistry research. Inclusion of a research project does not entail a limitation: this manual includes all classic biochemistry techniques such as HPLC or enzyme kinetics and is complete with numerous problem sets relating to each topic.

During recent decades, bewildering progress has occurred in the field of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. Progress has been extraordinarily rapid primarily because of the challenge for finding solutions to a wide variety of diseases and the availability of new techniques for monitoring biochemical processes. This has resulted in a voluminous and complex literature in the field of biochemical medicine so that there is a clear need for the synthesis and analysis of the continuing expansion of valuable data. It was thus considered appropriate to initiate a new series of monographs, each dedicated to a specialized area of investigation, encompassing molecular and cellular processes in health and disease. Most of the biochemical scientists have devoted their energies in understanding the fundamentals of biochemistry and indeed impressive advances have been made in the past. However, the full potential for explanation has been hampered by the concept of universality of biochemical reactions occurring in the cell. In view of the fact that each organ in the body performs a distinct function, it is now beginning to be realized that each cell type is unique in its need to survive and perform its specific function. Accordingly, the aspect of individualty is receiving increased attention for revealing new avenues in the study of pathophysiology of cellular abnormalities.

A series of books for Classes IX and X according to the CBSE syllabus and CCE Pattern

Modern medical imaging and radiation therapy technologies are so complex and computer driven that it is difficult for physicians and technologists to know exactly what is happening at the point-of-care. Medical physicists responsible for filling this gap in knowledge must stay abreast of the latest advances at the intersection of medical imaging and radiation therapy. This book provides medical physicists and radiation oncologists current and relevant information on Adaptive Radiation Therapy (ART), a state-of-the-art approach that uses a feedback process to account for patient-specific anatomic and/or biological changes, thus delivering highly individualized radiation therapy for cancer patients. The book should also benefit medical dosimetrists and radiation therapists.

Adaptive Radiation Therapy describes technological and methodological advances in the field of ART, as well as initial clinical experiences using ART for selected anatomic sites. Divided into three sections (radiobiological basis, current technologies, and clinical applications), the book covers:

Morphological and biological biomarkers for patient-specific planning Design and optimization of treatment plans Delivery of IMRT and IGRT intervention methodologies of ART Management of intrafraction variations, particularly with respiratory motion Quality assurance needed to ensure the safe delivery of ART ART applications in several common cancer types / anatomic sites

The technology and methodology for ART have advanced significantly in the last few years and accumulated clinical data have demonstrated the need for ART in clinical settings, assisted by the wide application of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). This book shows the real potential for supplying every patient with individualized radiation therapy that is maximally accurate and precise.

Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Lipid Metabolism in the Normoxic and Ischemic Heart, September 9 & 10, 1991, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Explore and analyze the solutions of mathematical models from diverse disciplines

As biology increasingly depends on data, algorithms, and models, it has become necessary to use a computing language, such as the user-friendly MATLAB, to focus more on building and analyzing models as opposed to configuring tedious calculations. Explorations of Mathematical Models in Biology with MATLAB provides an introduction to model creation using MATLAB, followed by the translation, analysis, interpretation, and observation of the models.

With an integrated and interdisciplinary approach that embeds mathematical modeling into biological applications, the book illustrates numerous applications of mathematical techniques within biology, ecology, and environmental sciences. Featuring a quantitative, computational, and mathematical approach, the book includes:

Examples of real-world applications, such as population dynamics, genetics, drug administration, interacting species, and the spread of contagious diseases, to showcase the relevancy and wide applicability of abstract mathematical techniquesDiscussion of various mathematical concepts, such as Markov chains, matrix algebra, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, first-order linear difference equations, and nonlinear first-order difference equationsCoverage of difference equations to model a wide range of real-life discrete time situations in diverse areas as well as discussions on matrices to model linear problemsSolutions to selected exercises and additional MATLAB codes

Explorations of Mathematical Models in Biology with MATLAB is an ideal textbook for upper-undergraduate courses in mathematical models in biology, theoretical ecology, bioeconomics, forensic science, applied mathematics, and environmental science. The book is also an excellent reference for biologists, ecologists, mathematicians, biomathematicians, and environmental and resource economists.

A variety of metabolic processes are known to be intimately involved in the maintenance of cellular structure and function. It has also become clear that metabolic events involved in the synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP as well as for the synthesis of proteins and phospholipids are essential for cellular health. The regulation of cell function is generally achieved through participation of a wide variety of hormones and different signal transduction mechanisms for the activation/deactivation of some specific metabolic processes. In this regard cyclic AMP and calcium seem to play a crucial role. Various hormones are also known to affect the genetic machinery of all the cell; however, the exact signals for genetic control of cellular function are not well defined. In particular, the sequence of events concerned with remodelling of different types of cells under various pathological situations is poorly understood. In this book we have therefore dealt with some of these issues from biochemical, molecular biological, physiological, and pharmacological viewpoints. Special emphasis has been laid on understanding heart function and metabolism in health and disease in general, and cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, and ischemic heart disease in particular. It is hoped that this multidisciplinary information will be of value to basic scientists and clinical investigators.

Twenty years have elapsed since cytoplasmic proteins exhibiting high-affinity binding of long-chain fatty acids were first identified (Ockner et al., Science 177:56-58, 1972). These cellular fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are now well established to comprise a ligand-defined group of macromolecules belonging to a family of cytoplasmic lipid binding proteins. Unique features of the FABPs are the existence of distinct types of FABP and that these are found in a variety of tissues in remarkable abundance, with some cells expressing more than one type. The physiological significance of the FABPs has only partly been elucidated. By increasing the cytoplasmic solubilization of fatty acids, the cellular FABPs are considered to function primarily in intracellular fatty acid transport, but may also be assigned important regulatory roles in cellular lipid homeostasis as well as in the modulation of cell growth and differentiation. The broad interests in cellular FABPs has led to the organization of the 1st International Workshop on Fatty Acid-Binding Protein, held in Maastricht, the Netherlands, in 1989. Prompted by the success of the first meeting, the 2nd International Workshop on Fatty-Acid-Binding Proteins, which was held again in Maastricht, on August 31 and September 1, 1992, brought together scientific scpecialists in the field of FABP research for two days of intensive and fruitful discussion. This volume is a collection of selected papers from this conference, and thus provides the state-of-the-art knowledge of cellular FABPs. The contributors to this issue represent pioneering as well as new investigators, and also reflect the multidisciplinary nature of research in this exciting and rapidly progressing field.

The revised edition of this renowned and bestselling title is the most comprehensive single text on all aspects of biomaterials science. It provides a balanced, insightful approach to both the learning of the science and technology of biomaterials and acts as the key reference for practitioners who are involved in the applications of materials in medicine. Over 29,000 copies sold, this is the most comprehensive coverage of principles and applications of all classes of biomaterials: "the only such text that currently covers this area comprehensively" - Materials Today Edited by four of the best-known figures in the biomaterials field today; fully endorsed and supported by the Society for Biomaterials Fully revised and expanded, key new topics include of tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, and new clinical applications, with new teaching and learning material throughout, case studies and a downloadable image bank

This book, published in association with the journal MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, is dedicated to Ed Krebs and Eddy Fischer in celebration of their 1992 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Reversible protein phosphorylation is a research field pioneered and developed by Krebs and Fischer. This book contains short reviews and original research papers contributed by Krebs and Fischer's coworkers, both former and current. The contents reflect the two-way interaction between protein phosphorylation and other biomedical research fields. The chapters are grouped into four sections. The first two deal with structure/function aspects of protein kinases and protein mechanisms. Unlike many other research fields, which undergo periods of intense activity and productivity followed by relative calm, the protein phosphorylation field enjoyed continued growth both in scope and intensity, and the pace of this growth has increased markedly in recent years. This volume will provide a glimpse of the dynamism and diversity of the research activity representative of the current state of the field.

The New Benchmark for Understanding the Latest Developments of Ion Channels

Ion channels control the electrical properties of neurons and cardiac cells, mediate the detection and response to sensory stimuli, and regulate the response to physical stimuli. They can often interact with the cellular environment due to their location at the surface of cells. In nonexcitable tissues, they also help regulate basic salt balance critical for homeostasis. All of these features make ion channels important targets for pharmaceuticals.

Handbook of Ion Channels illustrates the fundamental importance of these membrane proteins to human health and disease. Renowned researchers from around the world introduce the technical aspects of ion channel research, provide a modern guide to the properties of major ion channels, and present powerful methods for modeling ion channel diseases and performing clinical trials for ion channel drugs.

Conveniently divided into five parts, the handbook first describes the basic concepts of permeation and gating mechanisms, balancing classic theories and the latest developments. The second part covers the principles and practical issues of both traditional and new ion channel techniques and their applications to channel research. The third part organizes the material to follow the superfamilies of ion channels. This part focuses on the classification, properties, gating mechanisms, function, and pharmacology of established and novel channel types. The fourth part addresses ion channel regulation as well as trafficking and distribution. The final part examines several ion channel-related diseases, discussing genetics, mechanisms, and pharmaceutical advances.

Considering the current interest in cellular regulation and intracellular signalling systems, it is surprising that the contribution of ADP-ribosylation reactions to the modulation of a variety of specific cell processes, in parallel with other post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation, has not been generally recognized. While it is not feasible to cover all aspects of ADP-ribosylation, the thirty-one articles contained in this volume provide a valuable overview of recent progress in the field within the context of cell control mechanisms. For the convenience of the reader, the various topics have been grouped into several sections: (a) poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation; (b) mono-ADP-ribosylation; (c) toxin mono-ADP-ribosylation; (d) inhibitors and activators; (e) protein modification with ADP-ribose and its analogues; and (f) non-modification forms of ADP-ribose. The contents of the individual chapters reflect the ideas of the contributors, many of whom have spent their careers attempting to resolve the biological functions of ADP-ribosylation. We hope that this publication will serve as a useful reference for those investigators that are new to the area as well as those who are actively studying ADP-ribosylation.