Gregory Bock R.

Over the last several years, immunologists have re-discovered the importance of regulatory lymphocytes, formerly termed 'suppressor cells'. Many recent reports have documented their existence, effector functions and potential therapeutic benefits in autoimmunity and transplantation. However, even though modern techniques have allowed us to get a much more detailed picture of these cells, they are still highly controversial. Several unresolved issues responsible for this dilemma are discussed in...

The potential lipotoxic effect of accumulation of fatty acids in non-adipose tissues is thought to be a major component in the development of insulin resistance. Chronic exposure to high concentrations of free fatty acids in the blood affects pancreatic β cell function, insulin secretion and lipid synthesis in the liver, and storage in adipose tissue. Maintaining the normal levels of fatty acids requires coordinated regulation between the liver, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. This book...

This book explores the possibility that life exists on Mars. It provides an interdisciplinary overview of the early evolution of life in hydrothermal ecosystems on Earth, focusing on the problem of remote sensing and incorporating geological work relevant to the search for evidence of early life on Earth and Mars. It discusses the belief that studying thermal spring deposits as part of this search may be the best opportunity to test whether life on earth is a «unique experiment,» or whether...

Environmental statistics is a rapidly growing discipline that is important not only as a division of professional and academic statistics, but also in the accumulation of data on environmental effects and in the formulation of environmental policy by government agencies. This book features contributions from policy makers, scientists actively involved in collection of data, and professional, academic and government statisticians. These explore the interfaces between the different areas of...

Empathy is the process that allows us to share the feelings and emotions of others, in the absence of any direct emotional stimulation to the self. Humans can feel empathy for other people in a wide array of contexts: for basic emotions and sensation such as anger, fear, sadness, joy, pain and lust as well as for more complex emotions such as guilt, embarrassment and love. It has been proposed that, for most people, empathy is the process that prevents us doing harm to others. Although empathy...

Dietary supplements can contain a wide variety of ingredients, either singly or in combination, including nutrients, botanicals and 'bioactive components' commonly found in foods. They are marketed and used by consumers for a range of reasons: to enhance «well-being», as traditional medicines, for health promotion or disease risk reduction, and as alternatives or complements to conventional drug therapies. On a global basis, the dietary supplement industry has enjoyed rapid growth, becoming a...

This book is a comprehensive and up-to-date account of where we stand in immunological strategies for preventing or treating type 1 diabetes (T1D). Brings together contributions from the leaders in the arena of clinical immunotherapy, not limited to the diabetes field exclusively, in order to delineate a road-map that would lead to future clinical trials. The book integrates information from human and animal studies. The book considers T1D within the broader context of autoimmune disease. The...

This book explores existing and potential strategies for using the genome sequences of human, mouse, other vertebrates and human pathogens to solve key problems in the treatment of immunological diseases and chronic infections. The assembled genome sequences now provide important opportunities for solving these problems, but a major bottleneck is the identification of key sequences and circuits controlling the relevant immune reactions. This will require innovative, interdisciplinary and...

To understand the brain and its devastating diseases, we need to reveal the mechanisms that produce it and the ways in which it can constantly change throughout a lifetime. This book features a timely and insightful discussion between developmental neurobiologists and clinicians who deal with disorders of the nervous system. Chapters in this book deal specifically with cell fate determination, cell migration and disorders of cell migration; current concepts and new ideas about cortical...

An invaluable book containing a series of interdisciplinary discussions between clinical and basic scientists. Biology of IGF-1: Its interaction with insulin and health and malignant states focuses on key issues such as: the definition of danger zones the development of methods for early recognition of malignant states linked to IGF-1 and/or insulin possible approaches to preventative intervention the relevance in this field of research to the development of novel therapeutic approaches to...

This book draws together contributions from some of the leading investigators in the field of autism to consider specific problem areas in current research. Each contributor brings expertise from a different field, providing a balanced view of the whole spectrum of study of this disorder. It covers four main areas: Twin and family studies indicate that the heritability of the underlying liability to autism exceeds 90% and point to a multifactorial causation, involving a relatively small number...

Anaphylaxis is an immediate-type allergic reaction involving the whole organism. It is the most life-threatening allergic condition. Although there are few exact epidemiological data regarding prevalence, estimates regarding insect sting anaphylaxis range from 1-3% in the general population, but much higher values have been reported by some authors for food and drug-induced anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is the main acute killer of allergic individuals. Although anaphylaxis was discovered at the...

Over recent decades vast amounts of biological data have been accumulated. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to apply traditional theoretical methods to the formulation of coherent pictures of cell and organ function because it is no longer possible for a human theorist to integrate all of the available information. Instead, computer technologies must now be used to perform this integration. This book brings together contributions from many different fields to summarize the current...