This book discusses the emergence of a new class of genes with a specific anticancer activity. These genes, recently defined as “Anticancer Genes”, are reviewed in individual chapters on their mode of action, the specific cell death signals they induce, and the status of attempts to translate them into clinical application.Anticancer Genes provides an overview of this nascent field, its genesis, current state, and prospect. It discusses how Anticancer Genes might lead to t...

This book provides information on best practices and new thinking regarding the validation of alternative methods for toxicity testing. It covers the validation of experimental and computational methods and integrated approaches to testing and assessment. Validation strategies are discussed for methods employing the latest technologies such as tissue-on-a-chip systems, stem cells and transcriptomics, and for methods derived from pathway-based concepts in toxicology.Validation o...

New discoveries in biology are occurring at an incredible rate, and with these discoveries arise nearly unimaginable opportunities in every area of human existence. Imagine the excitement surround ing the "penicillin project" and the subsequent rapid development of anti-infective agents that took place in the 1940s and 1950s. Fast for ward to the world today and our ability to treat life-threatening infec tions. This is but one small piece in the present kaleidoscope of new therapeutic age...

Cell biology has made an appreciable impact on the evaluation of physiological and pathophysiological processes leading to a more detailed understanding of the signaling mechanisms by which cells communicate in vivo and in vitro and modify adaptively. By using cell culture models in addition to animal experiments we are now able to better define the overall and the selective potential of drugs. This book is designed to give information on the advantages and limitations and on new aspects a...

Heparins remain amongst the most commonly used drugs in clinical practice. Almost 100 years have passed since the initial discovery of this complex substance and, during this time, understanding of the nature and uses of heparin and related molecules has grown dramatically. The aim of this volume is to summarise the developments that have led to the current status of both heparins as drugs and the field of heparin research, with a focus on the particularly rapid progress that has been made...

This volume focuses on current evidence-based pharmacological treatments of various forms of pulmonary hypertension and provides a comprehensive review of the latest developments in this area. The first part of the book covers the definition, classification, pathophysiology, pathology, biomarkers and animal models of the disease, thus laying the conceptual basis for what follows. The middle section provides an overview of the established therapies, such as calcium channel blockers, prostan...

This book is based on Hans Zahner's Biologie der Antibiotica, published in 1965. There is a vast literature on antibiotics, covering chemical, phar macological, and clinical aspects. We have made no attempt to cover this literature comprehensively. Our effort is directed toward discuss ing antibiotics as biological agents. They are substances produced by living cells, yet they are able to inhibit the growth of living cells - in many cases even the cells that produce them. We have taken thi...

This is the very first book to deal with sex and gender differences in drug therapy - an increasingly recognized medical need. It starts with an overview on S/G in clinical syndromes and a documentation of the medical and socioeconomic damage caused by gender specific adverse drug effects. Part I covers S/G differences in pharmacokinetics. Researchers will be satisfied by the detailed discussion of the mechanisms of S/G differences in drug effects that represents cutting edge science and i...

Every three years, the International Society for Arterial Chemoreception (ISAC) arranges a Meeting to bring together all of the major International research groups investigating the general topic of oxygen sensing in health and disease, with a prime focus upon systemic level hypoxia and carotid body function. This volume summarises the proceedings of the XIXth meeting of the Society, held in Leeds, UK during the summer of 2014. As such this volume represents a unique collection of state of...

The induction of immune responses against tumor cells by vaccination is rapidly evolving as a therapeutic modality with new potentials for the treatment of cancer. It is based on the fact that our immune system can identify tumor cells and, once activated, is capable of developing specific immunity against the neoplastic cells. Numerous observations and intense research clearly document the major contribution of the immune system to the prevention of cancer. And there are many re ports of ...

Rabies is the deadliest zoonotic disease that threatens humans and animals on all continents except Antarctica. Asia and Africa are worst affected as more than 95 per cent of rabies associated human deaths occur in these regions. India alone bears about 36 per cent of the global human rabies burden. Dogs are the main transmitters of rabies that potentially threaten over 3 billion people in Asia and Africa. Many developed nations have been able to successfully control dog rabies but continu...