Books in the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology series

This book provides a state-of-the-art report on our current understanding of aquaporins and the future direction of the field. Aquaporins (AQPs) are a group of water-channel proteins that are specifically permeable to water and other small molecules, such as glycerol and urea. To date thirteen water-channel proteins (AQP0 ¿ AQP12) have been cloned and the mechanisms and physiological functions of water transport across biological membranes have long been the subject of interest. Recent advances in the molecular biology and physiology of water transport have yielded new insights into how and why water moves across cell membranes, and studies on aquaporin knockout mouse models suggest that aquaporins are involved in the development of some diseases and they may be useful targets of research into selective-inhibitor drugs. By focusing on the advances made over the last 30 years in the biophysics, genetics, protein structure, molecular biology, physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology of aquaporins in mammalian cell membranes, this book provides novel insights into further mechanisms and the physiological significance of water and some small molecule transport in mammals in order to stimulate further research in new directions.In the second version, fourteen chapters will be updated base on the most recent research articles. Ten new chapters will be added.

This book discusses the role of oxidative stress in human reproduction with a focus on men's health. The physiological roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in male fertility are the focus in this book. This topic is important because oxidative stress is a result of the imbalance between ROS and antioxidants in the body which may lead to sperm damage (DNA or count), deformity, and eventually, male infertility. Therefore, for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms related to male genotoxicity and its regulation in infertility, this book provides an up-to-date view on the impact of oxidative stress factors in male reproduction .The main aim of this book is to collect a series of research articles and reviews from a diverse group of scientists to share their research work on the role of ROS or oxidative stress in physiological and pathological states in relation to (in)fertility in the male. This book presents various state-of-the-art chapters of the recent progress in the field of cellular toxicology and clinical manifestations of various issues related to men's health and fertility. Topics include cell signaling, DNA damage and infertility, the pathophysiology of disease instigation and distribution, immune toxicity and prevention.

This book provides basic knowledge of the biology, chemistry, and function of oxysterols and its derivatives as well as of phytosterols in numerous human diseases.The book is divided into six sections and begins with an introduction to the biological and chemical properties of oxysterols and its derivatives as well as phytosterols, their synthesis, and the methods currently used for their detection in various biospecimens. The following section discusses in detail the various effects of oxysterols on numerous human diseases, including infectious diseases, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, atherosclerosis, and cancer, as well as neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Importantly, the potential of oxysterols as biomarkers for some of these diseases is also highlighted. The book concludes with an outlook on the pharmacological and nutritional effects of oxysterols and phytosterols and their potential use by the food, and pharmaceutical industries.Aiming to provide an in-depth overview of the biological and the chemical properties of oxysterols and phytosterols and their implications for human health, this book will be of interest to basic and clinical scientists, as well as to anyone working in the food or pharmaceutical industry who is exploring the potential of oxysterols and phytosterols.

This book covers the latest developments in tissue electrical conductivity and current density imaging, increasingly popular as well as challenging applications of MRI. These applications are enabled by the acquisition of high-quality MR phase images. This book provides a practical description of the MRI physics needed to understand and acquire phase images in MRI and the key details required to reconstruct them into conductivity, current density or electric field distributions. Comprehensive details are provided about the electrical properties of biological tissues, computational modeling considerations, experimental methods, construction of non-biological and biological phantoms and MRI pulse sequences. An inclusive review of image reconstruction algorithms, and their potential applications is provided for applications directed at determining current density or electric fields, such as in transcranial DC or AC stimulation techniques; as well as electrical conductivity reconstructions that may be of use in quantitative MRI applications used to detect cancer or other pathologies. This is an excellent book for undergraduate and graduate students beginning to explore phase, current density, and conductivity imaging in MRI, and will also be of great use to researchers interested in the area of MR-based electrical property imaging.

This book covers the wide set of well-regulated virulence factors and defense mechanisms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa focusing on stress responses and the evolution of this opportunistic human pathogen.Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for one out of ten hospital infections.  Additionally, this Gram-negative bacterium is accountable for persistent infections in immunocompromised individuals and the leading cause of chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. This book provides insight on the metabolic versatility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its mechanisms for biofilm formation that make this organism highly efficient  in causing infections.  The book invites the readers to learn more about the intrinsic ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to resist a wide variety of antimicrobial agents due to the concerted action of multidrug efflux pumps, antibiotic-degrading enzymes, and the low permeability of bacterial cellular envelopes. Particular focus is put on the evolutionary role of different types of protein-secretion systems in pathogenesis, flagella and their role in chemotaxis and surface sensing, and host-pathogen interactions.This book is a useful introduction to the field for junior scientists interested in the biology and pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is also an interesting read for advanced scientists and medical specialists working within this field, providing a broader view of the topic beyond their specific area of specialization.

The book focuses on biomedical innovations related to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea. The latest diagnostic tools are described, including sleep laboratory equipment, wearables, and even smartphone apps. Innovative medical devices for treatment are also covered, such as CPAP, Auto-PAP, hypoglossal nerve stimulation, phrenic nerve stimulation, acoustic brain stimulation and electrical brain stimulation. This is an ideal book for biomedical engineers, pneumologists, neurologists, cardiologists, physiologists, ENT physicians, pediatrics, and epidemiologists who are interested in learning about the latest technologies in treating and diagnosing sleep apnea.

This book renders a comprehensive understanding of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from their embryonic development through adult maintenance to aging, in the studies conducted in zebrafish and mammals. Hematopoiesis provides a paradigm for understanding the development, maintenance, regeneration, aging and malignant transformation of mammalian organs. Sitting at the apex of the hematopoiesis hierarchy tree, HSCs orchestrate their proliferation, self-renewal, and differentiation to produce all the blood cell lineages throughout life, which represents the best example for somatic stem cell studies. In this book, key regulatory mechanisms for HSC self-renewal and differentiation are overviewed in an array of fields including epigenetics, metabolism and microenvironment regulation. It also highlights the HSC heterogeneity and clonal dynamics from the recent advanced single-cell technologies. This book elaborates on the research history of HSC studies and reveals how the insights from HSC studies shed light on their clinic application. It presents great value from the bench to the clinic.

Much research has focused on the basic cellular and molecular biological aspects of stem cells. Much of this research has been fueled by their potential for use in regenerative medicine applications, which has in turn spurred growing numbers of translational and clinical studies. However, more work is needed if the potential is to be realized for improvement of the lives and well-being of patients with numerous diseases and conditions.This book series 'Cell Biology and Translational Medicine (CBTMED)' as part of Springer Nature's longstanding and very successful Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series, has the goal to accelerate advances by timely information exchange. Emerging areas of regenerative medicine and translational aspects of stem cells are covered in each volume. Outstanding researchers are recruited to highlight developments and remaining challenges in both the basic research and clinical arenas. This current book is the 16th volume of a continuing series.Chapter "e;Epithelial Stem Cells: Making, Shaping and Breaking the Niche"e; is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the development and application of microfluidics and biosensors in cancer research, in particular, their applications in cancer modeling and theranostics.Over the last decades, considerable effort has been made to develop new technologies to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Microfluidics has proven to be a powerful tool for manipulating biological fluids with high precision and efficiency and has already been adopted by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With recent technological advances, particularly biosensors, microfluidic devices have increased their usefulness and importance in oncology and cancer research.The aim of this book is to bring together in a single volume all the knowledge and expertise required for the development and application of microfluidic systems and biosensors in cancer modeling and theranostics. It begins with a detailed introduction to the fundamental aspects of tumor biology, cancer biomarkers, biosensors and microfluidics. With this knowledge in mind, the following sections highlight important advances in developing and applying biosensors and microfluidic devices in cancer research at universities and in the industry. Strategies for identifying and evaluating potent disease biomarkers and developing biosensors and microfluidic devices for their detection are discussed in detail. Finally, the transfer of these technologies into the clinical environment for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients will be highlighted. By combining the recent advances made in the development and application of microfluidics and biosensors in cancer research in academia and clinics, this book will be useful literature for readers from a variety of backgrounds. It offers new visions of how this technology can influence daily life in hospitals and companies, improving research methodologies and the prognosis of cancer patients.

Much research has focused on the basic cellular and molecular biological aspects of stem cells. Much of this research has been fueled by their potential for use in regenerative medicine applications, which has in turn spurred growing numbers of translational and clinical studies. However, more work is needed if the potential is to be realized for improvement of the lives and well-being of patients with numerous diseases and conditions.This book series 'Cell Biology and Translational Medicine (CBTMED)' as part of Springer Nature's longstanding and very successful Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series, has the goal to accelerate advances by timely information exchange. Emerging areas of regenerative medicine and translational aspects of stem cells are covered in each volume. Outstanding researchers are recruited to highlight developments and remaining challenges in both the basic research and clinical arenas. This current book is the 15th volume of a continuing series.

This second edition is fully updated throughout and covers the emerging evidence that indicates that the Gadd45 family of proteins plays a unique and critical role as sensors of stress, including genotoxic, physiological, and oncogenic stress.  It sheds light on the complex cellular stress response, encompassing myriad molecular pathways with a plethora of regulators and effectors.The GADD45 stress response genes encode small (18 kd) nuclear/cytoplasmic proteins.  These genes are rapidly induced by a wide variety of endogenous and exogenous stress stimuli. Despite marked similarities, Gadd45 genes are regulated differentially and exhibit functional diversity.  Gadd45 proteins respond to physiological and oncogenic stress, and are implicated in cell cycle arrest, DNA demethylation and repair, apoptosis, cell survival, genomic stability, and inflammation. The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive overview of the unique global role that Gadd45 proteins play as stress sensors and the molecular pathways involved.

The present work corresponds to a compilation of independent contributions in the fields of endocrinology, immunity, cancer, neurobiology, and myology. Revision of current advances as well as novel findings in the form of original articles are presented in a balanced fashion. The book has been divided into three sections in line with the main subject: Molecular pathology of immune, inflammatory, and hemostatic disorders; Molecular pathology of endocrine and muscular disorders; and Molecular pathology of cancer: determinants and potential therapies. In the first section, contributing authors take the reader through the molecular pathology of immune responses, inflammation, and hemostasis, by collating an update on systemic autoimmune diseases, the therapeutic potential of statins in hemostasis, the effects of adrenergic stimulation on coagulation, the emerging field of physical burnout due to the mobility restrictions in response to the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic imposed worldwide, and the success of community-oriented muscular kinesic rehabilitation. The second section presents engaging results from a survey of iodine intake through the diet of pregnant females, an appraisal of the neuroprotective effect of dexmedetomidine, novel evidence on muscle physiopathology, describing the upregulation of CCL5/RANTES during cholestatic liver disease, the fibrotic response emerging in response to cholic and deoxycholic acids, and the altering effects of bile acids in autophagy and mitogenesis. In the third section, a comprehensive revision of cancer literature is offered with an emphasis on melanoma, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, microRNA-based diagnostic approaches, and new avenues for cancer immunotherapy. Altogether, these individual contributions offer a comprehensive and up-to-date outlook of the current state in the field of molecular pathology.Chapter 14 is available open access under a CreativeCommons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

The Protein Reviews series serves as a publication vehicle for reviews that focus on crucial contemporary and vital aspects of protein structure, function, evolution and genetics. Volumes are published online first, prior to publication in a printed book. Chapters are selected according to their importance to the understanding of biological systems, relevance to the unravelling of issues associated with health and disease, or impact on scientific or technological advances and developments.Volume 22 presents six review chapters authored by experts in related fields. The first chapter covers carotenoid-protein interactions. Chapter two addresses the non-continuum of eukaryotic transcriptional regulation. The third chapter reviews the structure of the regulatory and catalytic domains of the photoreceptor phosphodiesterase (PDE6) holoenzyme. Chapter four reviews the current knowledge on small molecule compounds that have been evaluated as rhodopsin modulators to be considered as leads for the development of novel therapies for retinitis pigmentosa. Chapter five deals with Plasticity-associated functionality and inhibition of the HIV protease. Finally, chapter six covers single-run catalysis and kinetic control of human telomerase holoenzyme. This volume is intended for research scientists, clinicians, physicians and graduate students in the fields of biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, immunology and genetics.  

This book intends to investigate the broad spectrum of genetic changes in immunological processes involved in cutaneous diseases. One of the main goals of immunogenetic studies is finding susceptibility genes for complex diseases. This can provide an insight into the pathogenesis of the condition in a way that is not easily achievable through other kinds of studies. Thus they are a rational initial step for generating hypotheses about disease pathogenesis. This may especially benefit dermatology, a field notorious for having too many diseases with unknown etiologies.Immunogenetic investigations have made targeted treatment strategies possible for diseases such as psoriasis and pemphigus. Even though these strategies have revolutionized the management of chronic dermatological conditions such as psoriasis, still there are a lot of unanswered questions. For instance, psoriasis patients respond very differently to each of the commercially available biological agents. This diversity could be partially explained by the differences in the sets of genes responsible for disease induction in each individual. Thus whole genome sequencing strategies, if feasible at individual levels, might help in tailoring these targeted treatments based on specific genetic backgrounds.Our intention in preparing this book was to explore the broad spectrum of the genetic aspects of immunological processes involved in cutaneous diseases. We have tried to cover most areas of dermatology where enough studies were available to gather a chapter. Still, there is a substantial lack of knowledge on the immunogenetics of many dermatological conditions. We hope that this book would encourage the investigators to fill these gaps of knowledge.

This book provides the latest research progress on Extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. EVs are small bilayer lipid membrane vesicles released by cells and function for intercellular communication. Increasing evidence has shown that EVs play crucial roles in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, which seriously threaten human health worldwide. The book contains four sections: 1) Extraction Methods; 2) EVs in Cardiovascular Diseases; 3) EVs in Metabolic Diseases; and 4) Therapeutic Implications. This book is useful for biologists, cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, endocrinologists, internists, nurses, undergraduate and graduate students in medicine and cell biology, and others interested in cardiovascular and metabolic medicine.

This book brings together what is currently known in terms of basic research in the field of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and builds on this to delve more deeply in the specific roles that lncRNAs are playing during inflammation. The book provides readers with basic knowledge on lncRNAs: from understanding the complexity of the transcriptome, conservation, structure and the tools used to investigate these aspects, to how we use this information to study lncRNAs in a specific biological context. The volume covers the emerging roles of lncRNAs in the initial stages of inflammation as well as their roles in specific inflammatory diseases including arthritis, lupus, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The book also shows the emerging interest in using lncRNAs as a therapeutic target and how this could impact our ability to diagnose and treat inflammatory diseases in the future.

This book addresses current topics on pathogenic Vibrio spp. from a comprehensive and holistic perspective. Here, experts in the field provide timely chapters, ranging from genomics, pathogen emergence, and epidemiology to pathogenesis, virulence regulation and host colonization. Questions addressed include: How does climate change affect the spread of these bacteria? What is the status of current vaccines? Are there novel therapeutic options to treat Vibrio infections? Is there likelihood of emergence of new pathogenic strains or species? Can insights from mathematical models and epidemiology lead to prediction of pathogen outbreaks?Recent decades have seen a steady increase in Vibrio spp. infections originating in aquatic and marine habitats, driven by higher human population densities, warming of polluted oceans, natural and human-made disasters, and mass seafood production. These conditions increase the likelihood of pathogenic Vibrio spp. coming into contact with humans, making their study even more timely and relevant as these problems escalate over time. This book is a valuable resource for health management professionals, experienced microbiologists/ microbial ecologists, and early career scientists alike who want to learn more about these important environmental human pathogens. The ideas and technologies presented in this book for preventing, controlling, and monitoring Vibrio spp. infections contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being.

The book Coronavirus Therapeutics Volume I provides the most comprehensive review on contemporary knowledge on the origin and structural biology and molecular aspects of Coronaviruses. This also describes the etiology and pathogeny and therapeutic targets including vaccine drug candidates against Coronaviruses in the light of current scientific knowledge. Using an integrative approach to the understanding of Coronaviruses structure, function and immunobiology, the contributors provide a synopsis of novel mechanisms by which Coronaviruses can be treated.Key basic and clinical research laboratories from major universities, academic medical hospitals, biotechnology and pharmaceutical laboratories around the world have contributed articles that review present research activity on the role of heat shock proteins in human diseases and importantly project the field into the future. The book is a must read for graduate students. medical students, basic science researchers and postdoctoral scholars in the fields of Cancer Biology, Oncology, Cardiovascular Diseases, Microbiology, Inflammation, Translational Medicine, Clinical Research, Biotechnology, Cell & Molecular Medicine, Pharmaceutical Scientists and Researchers involved in Drug Discovery.

The 4th World Congress on Genetics, Geriatrics and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research (GeNeDis 2020) focuses on the latest major challenges in scientific research, new drug targets, the development of novel biomarkers, new imaging techniques, novel protocols for early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, and several other scientific advances, with the aim of better, safer, and healthier aging. The increase in the average length of life leads to the development of various diseases in the elderly population. This volume focuses on the sessions from the conference on Geriatrics.

This book describes recent advances in translational research in breast cancer and presents emerging applications of this research that promise to have meaningful impacts on diagnosis and treatment. It introduces ideas and materials derived from the clinic that have been brought to "the bench" for basic research, as well as findings that have been applied back to "the bedside". Detailed attention is devoted to breast cancer biology and cell signaling pathways and to cancer stem cell and tumor heterogeneity in breast cancer. Various patient-derived research models are discussed, and a further focus is the role of biomarkers in precision medicine for breast cancer patients. Next-generation clinical research receives detailed attention, addressing the increasingly important role of big data in breast cancer research and a wide range of other emerging developments. An entire section is also devoted to the management of women with high-risk breast cancer. Translational Research in Breast Cancer will help clinicians and scientists to optimize their collaboration in order to achieve the common goal of conquering breast cancer.