Gregory R. Bock - Böcker

This book features scientists from a broad spectrum of disciplines discussing recent data on aggression in laboratory animals with particular reference to possible implications for understanding human aggression.  Chapters focus on the major current experimental issues in the study of aggression in humans and animals. The extensive discussions deal with specific problems of interpretation at the molecular level, as well as general issues relating to our understanding of human and animal aggression.

This book features contributions from experts in cell biology, genetics, neurobiology, immunology and structural biology.  The unifying element is that they all study processes of cell shape change and motility.  Several key questions in this field of research are discussed: What are the organising principles behind cell shape change?Are there ‘master switches’ present in every cell type?How are extracellular signals interpreted by the cell in order to activate intracellular mechanisms?What is the influence of the extracellular matrix on cell movement and internal signalling pathways?How do pathogens subvert cellular systems in order to stimulate or block their uptake?The book addresses all of these important questions.  Data are presented on the key proteins that regulate cell shape: the GTP binding proteins of the Rho family. There are also extensive discussions of the potential applications of the data to clinical problems, particularly that of cell motility in cancer.

Heart failure is the main cause of death and disability in the industrialized world. There is a major need for novel therapeutics for prevention and reversal of cardiac pathology associated with heart failure and cardiac enlargement. Over recent years, dramatic progress has been made in unravelling the cellular circuitry involved in cardiac failure, as well as in normal cardiac growth, development and apoptosis. This work has revealed new and unexpected therapeutic targets in the heart. In addition, advances in understanding the role of stem cells in cardiac physiology have suggested strategies for cardiac repair and regeneration once thought impossible. This book describes the work of leading investigators studying the basic mechanisms of cardiac growth, function and dysfunction. There are also exciting contributions from researchers developing novel therapeutic strategies for cardiac disease. The unique feature is the discussions amongst the contributors, which always return to the same basic problem: how can new data from biological studies be used to design novel therapies for the treatment of cardiac dysfunction following myocardial infarction, hypertension and other disorders?With its strong emphasis on translational research, this book will appeal to both scientists and clinicians interested in diminishing the impact of the current epidemic of cardiac diseases.

Dengue virus is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which includes viruses associated with human diseases such as yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis C. Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquitoes, principally Aedes aegypti. There are four serotypes of dengue virus, of which DENV-2 has been the most prevalent in many recent epidemics. Following primary infection, lifelong immunity develops, preventing repeated assault by the same serotype. However, the non-neutralizing antibodies from a previous infection or maternally acquired antibodies are thought to form complexes with a different serotype during a subsequent infection and cause dengue haemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome, which can be fatal. There is no treatment or vaccine available today that can combat this emerging and uncontrolled disease. This book features contributions from the world’s leading researchers working on dengue and related flaviviruses who examine the current state of the art in the molecular biology of the dengue virus. Particular emphasis is placed on the structure and function of the virus and the targeting of virus proteins by potential antiviral agents. The pathogenesis of dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever are discussed in detail, especially the target cells and the specific receptors on these cells, thereby developing a clear overview of host and viral factors that contribute to dengue haemorrhagic fever. Finally, the book reviews the therapeutic options, paying particular attention to ways in which vector, host and environment can play a critical role in the spread of this disease.With dengue fever and other emerging viral diseases becoming increasingly prevalent around the world, this book provides valuable insight into the virus that causes this disease and potential ways to manage it. It is essential reading for all those working in tropical diseases, public health and virology.Praise from the reviews:"The book provides an excellent summary of dengue/flavivirus research and is important for individuals and institutions interested in emerging infectious diseases." MICROBIOLOGY TODAY

Cigarette smoking is estimated to lead to 4.9 million premature deaths per year worldwide. This is predicted to rise to 10 million by 2020. In western countries it kills half of all smokers who fail to stop. The prevailing model for tobacco addiction is that nicotine from cigarettes rewards smoking and punishes abstinence, tapping into a motivational system of operant conditioning that requires no conscious awareness. However, there are also accounts which involve cognitive biases and the effect of nicotine on impulse control. The brain pathways involved have been studied extensively, but the role of different nicotine receptor subtypes and other neurotransmitter systems is still subject to debate. In western countries, cigarette smoking as an adult has a heritability of 30-50% and candidate genes have been identified that may contribute in part to addiction susceptibility. Many socio-cultural correlates of cigarette smoking have been established, but a comprehensive model that accounts for these and links them with the psychobiological aspects of nicotine addiction has not been forthcoming. Structured behavioural support programmes aid cessation attempts, as do a number of pharmacotherapies, most notably nicotine replacement treatments and bupropion, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. This book deals with the problems involved in understanding and treating nicotine and tobacco addiction. Topics covered include the nature of the worldwide health problem posed by cigarette smoking, the psychodynamics of cigarette addiction, and the basic pharmacology and biochemistry of nicotine and its effect on the brain. Further chapters analyse the genetic basis of susceptibility to nicotine addiction. Finally, the contributors address approaches to therapy. A continuing theme in the discussions throughout the book is how best to treat nicotine addiction, given that many smokers would like to stop smoking but are unable to do so because of their addiction. This book will be of great value to all psychologists and psychiatrists working on addiction, specifically to nicotine but also to other compounds and behaviours. It will also be of interest to neuroscientists and pharmacologists working on nicotine receptors and the brain pathways involved in dependence, as well as to biochemists, molecular biologist and to public health officials.

This title provides an extremely helpful analysis of genes that may be associated with autoimmunity, and answers questions such as how these genes can be identified, and how the functions of the gene products can be elucidated. Incorporating data on disease-associated chromosomal loci that has been accumulated from inbred mice, the title: descibes how some susceptibility loci may be common to many diseases, whereas others are relatively disease specificdiscusses the importance of developing criteria for establishing the significance of these different categories of disease-associated loci.

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 seems to be an automatic response of the brain to others’ emotional reactions, there are circumstances under which we do not share the same feeling as others.  Imagine, for example, that someone who does the same job as you is paid twice as much. In this case, that person might be very satisfied with their extra salary, but you would not share this satisfaction. This case illustrates the ubiquitous feeling of fairness and justice.Our sense of fairness has also become the focus of modern economic theories. In contrast to the prominent self-interest hypothesis of classic economy assuming that all people are exclusively motivated by their self-interest, humans are also strongly motivated by other-regarding preferences such as the concern for fairness and reciprocity. The notion of fairness is not only crucial in personal interaction with others in the context of families, workplace or interactions with strangers, but also guides people’s behaviour in impersonal economic and political domains.This book brings together work from a wide range of disciplines to explain processes underlying empathy and fairness. The expert contributors approach the topic of empathy and fairness from different viewpoints, namely those of social cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, evolutionary anthropology, economics and neuropathology. The result is an interdisciplinary and unitary framework focused on the neuronal, developmental, evolutionary and psychological basis of empathy and fairness. With its extensive discussions and the high calibre of the participants, this important new book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in this topic.

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 collaborative strategies of a scale and complexity we are only now beginning to comprehend. Specific problems addressed include the following: What kinds of information are we lacking to understand how the genome sequence specifies the differentiation and response of immune system cells, and system behaviour such as immunological memory and tolerance?Which genome sequences and cellular circuits cause or prevent pathological immune responses to foreign pathogens, allergens or self-tissues?Which host and pathogen genome sequences and cellular circuits explain the failure of sterilizing immune responses to sophisticated human pathogens such as the agents of tuberculosis, malaria, metazoan parasites and chronic viruses?Containing contributions from a range of leading experts in the field, this book provides an important new perspective for clinical immunologists and basic researchers alike.

Much recent research in evolutionary developmental biology has focused on the origin of new body plans. However, most evolutionary change at the population and species level consists of tinkering: small-scale alterations in developmental pathways within a single body plan. Such microevolutionary events have been well studied on a population genetic level and from the perspective of adaptive phenotypic evolution, but their developmental mechanisms remain poorly studied. This book explores both theoretical and practical issues of tinkering. It features a wide range of perspectives to address several fundamental questions. How does tinkering occur developmentally, and how is it manifested phenotypically? Are the developmental mechanisms by which tinkering occur different from those that underlie larger evolutionary changes? What are the developmental constraints on tinkering? And how do we test hypotheses about microevolutionary shifts in development from the fossil record?With contributions from experts in a range of fields, this fascinating book makes exciting reading for anyone studying evolution, developmental biology or genetics.

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 deals with the molecular aspects of fatty acid action in obesity and insulin resistance. The topics include lipid metabolism and adipose tissue biology, and β cell function and insulin resistance. Chapters deal with the molecular genetics and molecular physiology of energy homeostasis.

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 arealisation, and disorders which can arise from incorrect arealisation; genes implicated in the development of cortical connectivity and related pathologies such as schizophrenia and synaesthesia; and susceptibility genes for cognitive disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, dyslexia, and attention deficit disorder.

The past decade has seen mounting global concern regarding viral outbreaks such as SARS, avian influenza and West Nile virus. In 2004 and 2005, reports of bird-to-human, and possible human-to-human, transmissions of the H5N1 influenza viruses raised fears that these viruses could cause a pandemic on the scale of the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.   Previous to this, a novel coronavirus had been identified as the aetiological agent of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a new respiratory viral disease that emerged at the end of 2002 and caused profound disturbances in over 30 countries worldwide in 2003. It is not known whether the SARS coronavirus will re-emerge, especially since its origins and potential reservoir(s) are unresolved. However, these outbreaks have shown that these viruses can emerge in any part of the world at any time. This book critically evaluates the latest scientific evidence on novel or re-emerging viral diseases and brings together contributions from world experts on this topic, explaining best practice in their area, and discussing lessons learned and how best to collaborate to prevent and control future outbreaks. Topics covered include: the latest advances in virology, particularly in the area of epidemiologydiagnosticsanimal models for viral infectionantiviral and vaccine developmentNovel and Re-emerging Respiratory Viral Diseases offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary account of all aspects of the topic, from basic molecular biology to public health issues, and is therefore essential reading for virologists, infectious disease specialists, public health managers, researchers and epidemiologists, as well as those working in vaccine development, pharmaceutical medicine and drug discovery

Understanding stem cells at the molecular level is essential to understanding their behaviour in a physiological context. This volume in our acclaimed Novartis Foundation series features animated discussion from the world’s experts in this topic on the important ethical issues that are raised by research on stem cells. They review the various regulatory regimes, which apply in different countries – a key factor in determining where future stem cell research is carried out. Potential clinical applications covered in the book include the production of cardiomyocytes to replace damaged heart tissue, the production of insulin-producing cells for patients with diabetes, and the generation of neurons for the treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease or spinal cord injury. Particular attention is paid to the factors that maintain stem cells in a pluripotent state or which drive them to create differentiated and lineage-committed cells in vitro and in vivo.  Nuclear reprogramming, the process by which a nucleus acquires developmental potential, is covered here as well. It is relevant to stem cell research generally, and also to research on the cloning of animals by nuclear transfer. This book is an essential purchase for all those engaged in stem cell research, whether in the laboratory, the clinic or the regulatory authorities.From the reviews:"...this book provides: a comprehensive overview of current issues in stem cell research, with contributions from leading figures..."—BRITISH SOCIETY OF CELL BIOLOGY

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 format contains several discussions, which address specific questions and provides guidelines for future strategies and solutions for discovering a cure.

The object of this book is to gather together workers in the fields of epilepsy, those concerned with the basic science of resistance and the blood-brain barrier, and those with clinical experience of drug resistance in cancer, with a view to stimulating further work on drug resistance in epilepsy. Whilst resistance in cancer has been extensively studied, and trials of reversal of resistance have been undertaken, with some success, resistance in epilepsy has only just begun to be addressed.

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 status of computer-assisted modelling of biological processes. The initial chapters deal with fundamental developments in hardware, software and mathematics that underlie current approaches to biological modelling. Next, different approaches to collating data on gene structure and function are presented. These databases form a vital resource for any investigator trying to construct an integrated picture of particular biological systems.Cell signalling systems form a particularly complicated aspect of all cellular function and are important both in the understanding of basic cellular processes and in selecting targets for drugs. Recent approaches to integrating data on cell signalling into computer models are covered. Further chapters build on these approaches to show how computerized models of intact cells can be developed. Finally, approaches to the computer modelling of whole organs such as the heart are presented. The role of computer modelling in drug design is the subject of the final chapter and is also touched on throughout the discussions.

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 this book: it is difficult to grow and clone such cells, their phenotypes and effector functions are diverse and can sometimes easily be lost, and it is not well understood how they interact with antigen-presenting cells. This book contains contributions from leading investigators from around the world, including lively discussion of the current state of the art in studies of regulatory lymphocytes. Topics featured are the physiological control of autoimmunity, the role of antigen-specific cells in various diseases and disease models and effector mechanisms. Therapeutic applications are considered, particularly for type 1 diabetes, tissue transplantation and the control of viral infection. This important and groundbreaking book should be of interest to all immunologists.Related Novartis Foundation symposia:254 Immunoinformatics: bioinformatic strategies for better understanding of immune functionChair: Hans-Georg Rammensee256 Cancer and inflammationChair: Siamon Gordon

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 of susceptibility genes. The book discusses this issue in detail, along with the problem of why some additional symptoms are associated with autism while others are not.New techniques are available for examining the neurobiology of autism. The book contains results from imaging studies showing the contributions of different brain regions to autism. It includes neuropathological data and examines the neuropharmacology of autism.There is considerable discussion concerning the fundamental psychological deficit in children with autism. There is good evidence that "Theory of Mind" deficits are associated with autism and this issue is discussed in the book, as are other competing possibilities.The most important practical question facing medical and psychological practitioners is how to help children with autism. The evidence relating to possible psychological or psychiatric interventions for rehabilitation of children with autism is examined in detail. Drug treatments have generally been disappointing in this field and there is one chapter devoted specifically to this problem.The book focusses ultimately on intervention studies and so is of practical relevance to people interested in helping autistic children. In addition, it provides a very convenient summary of the principal controversies which currently exist in research on autism.

The astounding diversity of the immune system and the complexity of its regulatory pathways makes immunology a combinatorial science. Computational analysis has therefore become an essential element of immunology research and this has led to the creation of the emerging field of immunoinformatics. This book is the first to feature thorough coverage of this new field. Immunoinformatics facilitates the understanding of immune function by modelling the interactions among immunological components. Biological research provides ever deeper insights into the complexity of living organisms while computer science provides an effective means to store and analyse large volumes of complex data. Combining the two fields increases the efficiency of biological research and offers the potential for major advances in the study of biological systems.This book encompasses key developments in immunoinformatics, including immunological databases, sequence analysis, structure modelling, mathematical modelling of the immune system, simulation of laboratory experiments, statistical support for immunological experimentation and immunogenomics.The difficulties in effective application of bioinformatic tools in immunology arise at both ends of the spectrum: most immunologists have only a limited comprehension of sophisticated data analysis and applicability and limitations, while the average computer scientist lacks knowledge of the depth and complexity of biological data. The purpose of this book, therefore, is to present contributions from a multidisciplinary team of biologists and computer scientists to explore the issues related to better understanding of immune function and, in particular, to help apply new computer science methods to immunological research.Related Novartis Foundation symposia:247 In Silico Simulation of Biological ProcessesChair: Denis Noble252 Generation and effector functions of regulatory lymphocytesChair: Jean-François Bach

A comprehensive review of recent work on chromatin and non-histone proteins, this book arises from the interactions of a multidisciplinary group of scientists involved in the study of acetylation. This area of research opens up new and exciting possibilities for drug design, and so the final chapters in the book examine some of the potential applications in the treatment of various diseases.

Recent progress has led to a better understanding of the molecular structure of sodium channels, how they work and the mechanisms that restrict their expression to particular cell types. This book explains how these channels are modulated in various pathological states to enable the development of therapeutic strategies based on sodium channel restoration.The authors present the most current research on sodium channels and neuronal function. Brings together both the basic biology and biophysics with detailed consideration of the medical applications in chronic pain and epilepsy.Includes coverage of channelopathies, sodium channel gene expression, the modulation of sodium channels, and molecular mechanisms of gating and drug block of sodium channels.

With the ever-increasing rise in life expectancy, there is an urgent need to improve our understanding of the relationship between ageing and the pathogenesis of age-related diseases in order to identify more effective means of prevention, amelioration and management of such diseases. In addition, there is a need to reduce the social and economic impact of the ageing population. Age-related morbidity and mortality vary dramatically among individuals; this book focusses on individual differences in susceptibility to age-related disorders. It contains contributions from leading experts in the field on topics such as:age-related pathology in the brain, age-related processes in stem cells, and age-related effects on the immune system and in bone, muscle and cardiovascular tissue.For all those with an interest in the biology of ageing, this is compulsory reading.

This book brings together scientists working at the interface between the cell cycle, cell growth and development in a variety of model systems and research paradigms. The focus is on understanding how such diverse developmental inputs can modulate cell cycle regulation and, reciprocally, how a common way of regulating cell cycle progression can participate in different developmental strategies.

Many human diseases arise from the malfunction of signalling components, in particular alterations of multiple components of an integrated signalling network. Experimental and computational tools to describe and quantify these changes are increasingly available, providing a wealth of data that can stimulate systematic analysis of the entire signalling network and enable prediction of disease states not easily recognizable from complex data sets. This groundbreaking book explores the structural and temporal complexity in biological signalling exemplified in neuronal, immunological, humoral and genetic signal transduction networks. With discussions between experimentalists and theoretically oriented scientists, this book takes an interdisciplinary approach that may help switch the analysis of biological signalling from descriptive to predictive science and capture the behaviour of entire systems. Explores the structural and temporal complexity in biological signalling.Represents an unusual collocation of three different areas: immunology, cell signalling and neural networks.Contains interdisciplinary discussions between experimentalists and theoretically oriented scientists, in particular those working on computer simulations.

This important and exciting work brings together a high-calibre group of experts to discuss the practical application of genomic information to the development of drugs. Recent technological advances have led to a rapid acceleration in our ability to gather genetic data. The complete genetic sequences are now known for several organisms and accelerated programmes are in place for sequencing many other genomes, including human. The speed with which complete sequencing can be accomplished will continue to increase as new technologies come online. In principle, the scope for developing new diagnostic techniques and drugs is now greater than at any time in human history, but the pathway from genetic information to usable drug is a long and complex one. This major book covers such subjects as the current state of the art in squencing technology, the applications of these new technologies to sequencing the genomes of various organisms, and the challenge of proteomics. Additional contributions deal with legal and ethical implications of the new uses of genetic data, and functional genomics from the point of view of the pharmaceutical industry.