Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research - Anti-Allergy Agents is a book series comprising of a selection of updated review articles relevant to the recent development of pharmacological agents used for the treatment of allergies. The scope of the reviews includes clinical trials of anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic drugs, drug delivery strategies used to treat specific allergies (such as inflammation, asthma and dermatological allergies), lifestyle dependent modes of therapies and the immunological or metabolic mechanisms that are of interest to researchers as targets for new drugs. The fifth volume of this series brings 5 reviews which cover the following topics: - Resistin: an irresistible therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases, allergy-related disorders, and cancer - Asthma in adults: evaluation, prevalence, and its clinical management - Nitrogen-containing heterocycles as anti-allergy agents - Experimental and clinical studies on the effects of nigella sativa and its constituents on allergic and immunological disorders - Aspirin desensitization/challenge in patients with cardiovascular diseases: current trends and advances Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research - Anti-Allergy Agents will be of interest to immunologists and drug discovery researchers interested in anti-allergic drug therapy as the series provides relevant cutting edge reviews written by experts in this rapidly expanding field.

Since a September, 1992, Nature article which read: “Can there be life without LIF?”, researchers now realize that the maternal immune system is both a foe (it can reject the conception) and a friend (immune cells and molecules are also necessary for successful pregnancy). Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) when absent, prevents embryo implantation in rodents. From fecundation to parturition, immunity acts as a Janus, required but potentially dangerous. However, the complexity and the diversity of immunity in pregnancy deters many from entering the field. This book will try to give a complete overview of immunity from gametes till parturition, in brief, but with complete chapters and subsections, each written by specialists in the field. The importance of the topic relies not only on “the riddle of the fetal allograft”, which is per se fascinating, but on its consequences, linked to the development of IVF and in general, Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) / Medicine. Since the discovery that there would not be (mammalian) life without LIF, it has become clear that Immune Molecules, and in general, transient post mating inflammatory reactions are required for successful implantation. Disruptions of this process can lead to implantation failure / sterility. In later stages of pregnancy immunological cells, mostly of the innate immune system, control formation of local spiral arteries. Finally, a state of tolerance establishes itself, whose “break’ leads to immune abortion and the vascular bed is further transformed and enlarged, till delivery, and here again “immunological cytokines” do play a major role and can eventually cause immune mediated abortion. Failure of, not just, the cytokine and cell recognition mediated dialogue, but also the pre and peri-implantation “preparation of the uterus”, as stated, leads to sterility, early pregnancy loss and recurrent abortions. There is also an increasingly stronger argument to implicate immunology in pre-eclampsia. Further still, immunology is also implicated in the control of local infection, mother to child transmission of pathogens (notably, but not limited to, HIV). Finally, pregnancy is the only known physiological phenomenon where the once named “suppressor T cells,” re-emerge as “regulatory T cells”, and play a cardinal role. This E-book provides a complete compendium of gynecological immunology, spanning from fecundation to delivery. Topics also include the role of various cell types (such as T regs ad NK cells) in implantation and uterine changes as well as the genetic regulation of immunological processes. As such it will be of interest not only to fundamental and reproductive immunologists, but more importantly, clinicians in obstetrics and gynecology.

For decades, scientific efforts have been made to understand obesity and related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and neurodegeneration, and their link with meta-inflammation. Adipose tissue is, at present, viewed as an endocrine organ with important biological effects on metabolism and inflammation, with a possible role in the pathogenesis of obesity-associated metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Chronic systemic low-grade inflammation has gained significant attention as the key player in the pathophysiology of obesity- and aging-associated diseases. Keeping view of this trend, Meta-Inflammation and Obesity offers readers state-of-the-art knowledge on this subject. Chapters cover special topics such as gender differences in obesity-related type 2 diabetes as the consequence of inflammatory response, insights into metabolic changes caused by excessive adipose tissue (which lead to abnormal brain metabolism, neuroinflammation, cognitive decline, development of type 3 diabetes), and the importance of inflammaging in the aging process. Graduate, postgraduate and Ph. D. candidates in medicine, pharmacy, and students of applied medicine, health care professionals as well as scientists involved in adipose tissue research, meta-inflammation analysis, obesity-related medical specialties will find this book a useful reference on the link between inflammation and obesity.

Host defense to intracellular pathogens depends upon both innate and adaptive cell-mediated immune responses. Polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes which belong to the innate immune system are the first cells that are recruited massively within hours of microbial infection. The importance of neutrophils in the development of an immune response is only emerging as they have long been considered by immunologists as short lived, non-dividing cells, of poor interest. Now, neutrophils are emerging as key components of the inflammatory response, and are shown to have immunoregulatory roles in microbial infections. The impact of neutrophils on cells present at the site of infection is only beginning to be studied and deserves more attention. This e-book provides an overview of the recent advances made in the field of neutrophil biology and motions towards some of the exciting new directions in which neutrophil research is moving.

This book introduces personalized immunotherapy with multi-dimensional models of analysis to determine the best plan for immunotherapy of patients. The book introduces readers to some basic concepts which lay the foundation for personalized immunotherapy: the development of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC), the genome profile of T cells and tumor cells, and genome-wide association studies. Chapters also cover special topics such as new immunoassay methods related to personalized immunotherapy and targeted immunotherapy which are geared towards familiarizing readers with current research practices. Focusing on the central theme of personalized immunotherapy, the authors provide a wealth of information about T-cell screening, tumor neoantigen cloning, primary tumor cell culture for T-cell cloning, bioinformatics strategies for understanding T-cell and primary tumor cell biology and function, and new developments in research on adoptive T-cell immunotherapy. These developments include T-cell gene therapy and T-cell gene editing, transgenic T-cells for increasing affinity to tumor cells such as CAR T-cells and TCR T-cells, and the systematic modeling of polyclonal specific T-cells and biobank technology. Key Features: - Introduces readers to basic concepts in personalized medicine and immunotherapy - Presents current information about immunological assays used in research - Presents an overview of T cell immunotherapy and cloning techniques - Presents an overview of tumor cell bioinformatics and its role in immunotherapy - Includes new developments and references for personalized immunotherapy techniques (T-cell gene therapy and T-cell gene editing, transgenic T-cells which target CAR T-cells and TCR T-cells, and polyclonal T-cell modeling) - Includes a section on biobanking - Presents information in an easy-to-read format for a wide range of readers - Brings contributions from experts with over 30 years of experience in personalized immunotherapy Personalized Immunotherapy for Tumor Diseases and Beyond is an ideal handbook for medical professionals and students involved in personalized medicine, immunology and oncology. General readers interested in the new developments in these fields will also benefit from the information provided.

The book is dedicated to the history and current status of physiologic autoimmunity concept and relation between autoimmunity and autoallergy in the context of disease prevention and prediction. The immune system is a natural component, regulator and direct participant in the physiological activities in a healthy body. The main forms of physiological activity of the immune system are based on the intrinsic abilities of self-identification, self-maintenance, self-regulation, and self-reparation — that is recognizing components of the “self ”, i.e. natural autoimmunity. The most ancient and homeostatically important functions of natural autoimmunity are autoclearance as well as construction and support of multicellularity. A considerable number of immune functions, including those related to antimicrobial defense, derive from these basic ones. Various pathological processes in any organ are usually accompanied by different patterns of cell death and, thus, by increased exposure and presentation of self antigens. These events induce the secondary rise in production of autoantibodies with appropriate specificity (opsonines), which provides augmentation of clearance by facilitating the efficacy of macrophage-dependent consumption of debris in the aff ected organ. This phenomenon is sanogenic in nature and adaptive in essence. Therefore, secondary changes in production and serum content of autoantibodies can be considered the universal and earliest detectable marker of any chronic disease. In relation to experimental production and clinical reveal of antibodies towards nuclear antigens, penetrating into living cell nuclei and altering nuclear acid synthesis, cell proliferation and function, autoantibodies can be regarded as hormone-like bioregulators of gene expression. Apparently, immune system is able to reproduce complementary regulators for various cell receptors, including nuclear ones. Book is unique, it is a single monograph comprehensively including history and current status of natural autoimmunity problem. It describes a fundamental concept essencial for every branch of Medicine and Pathology. The concept described has broad practical application for Health Care, because it establishes effective method of early prediction for many different diseases, creates a basis for prophylaxis. Reader has a chance to get rid of old dogmas and acquire new instrument for fruitful theoretical reasoning, research planning and predictive/preventive practical medical work.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection represents one of the biggest challenges of current years. However, scientists and physicians still do not have an efficient therapy for preventing or eradicating the virus. The selection of drug-resistant strains as well as side-effects, represent common problems encountered in all anti-viral therapies. However, it has been clearly demonstrated that the potency of early immune responses profoundly regulates levels of HIV, and hence also the generation of virus mutants as well as the velocity of disease progression to AIDS. A prominent feature of this e-book is the focus on interaction between innate immunity and HIV infection. This topic has been investigated by many authors from the late 80's, and many soluble factors responsible for such activity have been discovered, such as suPAR and HMGB1. At present, these two novel factors are the subject of very intense research on HIV infections. A key advantage of this e-book is the selection of authors, recognized worldwide as leading experts in their field. Because of the comprehensive coverage, as well as the eminence of the authors, this e-book provides a detailed and high quality description about the role of innate immune responses regulating HIV replication. It should prove to be a useful resource for readers interested in immunology and HIV research.

The kidneys are a vital organ present in humans and vertebrate animals. Various toxic chemicals, present in food and water adversely affect the kidneys. Plants and plant-derived compounds have been a major source for the treatment and cure of diseases since ancient times. Even today, almost 25% of the prescription drugs for renal problems are sourced from plants. An Introduction to Nephroprotective Plants gives an overview of nephrotoxicity and medicinal plants used for protecting the kidney and reducing the effect of kidney toxicity and managing renal diseases. This book is an answer to the current gaps in knowledge resources on nephroprotective plants. The reader is introduced to the basic physiology of the renal excretory system and its disorders. The introduction is followed by chapters which give information on medicinal plants used in traditional systems of medicine (both codified and noncodified). Information about plant parts used, method of use and dosage is provided along with references. <p> Key Features: <p> - Simple structured presentation in six chapters <p> - Includes an introduction to the urinary system and its diseases <p> - Includes information about codified and noncodified medicinal plants used for neuroprotection <p> - Covers phytochemicals extracted from medicinal plants which are screened and used in modern medicine for nephroprotection in detail. <p> - Covers ethnobotanical and polyherbal formulations <p> - References for further reading <p> An Introduction to Nephroprotective Plants serves as a convenient desk reference for all researchers (pharmacologists, medicinal chemists, ethnobotanists) and healthcare professionals (physicians, pharmacists, nurses and medical students) who require complete information on nephroprotective plants.

Kidney transplantation is worldwide considered the best replacement therapy in patients with end-stage renal disease. However, although impressive improvements in surgical techniques and in the management of immunosuppression, long-term results have not significantly changed over the last decades. The purpose of this book is not to be a comprehensive review on kidney transplantation, but it would overview the recent acquisitions in the field of kidney transplantation, by offering to clinicians the future directions and the possible fields of research to improve the long term outcome. The book is divided into 27 chapters. The first part of the book is devoted to the basic principles of immunity and organ transplantation and the clinical evaluation of potential recipient. Moreover, in this section are discussed the most recent strategies to increase the donor pool trying to offer a kidney transplantation to a growing number of patients. The second part of the book is devoted to the immunosuppression. In these two chapters, the authors present an overview on the immunosuppressive management of kidney transplant recipients, with particular emphasis on the minimization of immunosuppression. The third part of the book is devoted to the complications of immunosuppression and to the psychological aspects of transplantation. This section is particularly detailed, and offers a complete point of view on the consequences and benefits of kidney transplantation. Last section is devoted to the future. The clinical tolerance and xenotransplantation are not still the present, but the authors illustrate the fields of application of these fundamental aspects of organ transplantation. The authors and editors have tried to select an appropriate mix of citations, but it has not been possible to cite all the relevant articles. Apologies are due to those authors whose works we have failed to cite. Our goal was to provide the most recent acquisitions in a practical manner. We hope that we have succeeded. Special thanks to all the authors for their excellent and enthusiastic collaboration and special thanks to our patients to whom are dedicated all our efforts.

Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease (AD) is currently recognized as an untreatable, progressive, degenerative and terminal disease that is globally afflicting an estimated 36 million people and this number is growing in an unabated and frightening manner. Advances in Alzheimer Research, provides researchers with an integrated approach to AD academic literature ranging from basic to advanced clinical research. The series highlights the latest information in order to unravel the origin, pathogenesis and prevention of AD. The purpose of this book series is, therefore, to capture and discuss both, improvements towards the diagnosis and potential treatment of AD by established and novel strategies. This first volume of the series provides an important mechanism to bring individuals having a variety of scientific interests and expertise under one roof to specifically focus on AD and related dementias. This volume presents articles on beta amyloid protein targets as well as research on secretase enzyme systems among other topics that deal with AD therapy.