A cutting-edge review of the biochemical, physiological, pharmacological, genetic, and molecular interactions involved in the development and homeostasis of the skeleton. Topics range from chondrogenesis, chondrocytes, and cartilage to skeletal dysmorphology, and include the control of skeletal development, osteoblastic cell differentiation,...

A comprehensive assessment of the clinical, psychological, legal, and cultural aspects of dealing with unnecessary pain in the elderly. The authors explore pharmacotherapy (nonopioids, opioids, and adjuvants), interventional strategies, the role of rehabilitation in managing pain in seniors, and the problems of pain management in long-term...

Gazing into crystal balls is beyond the expertise of most scientists. Yet, as we look further into the 21st century, one does not have to be Nostradamus to predict that the current genomics and proteomics "revolution" will have an immense impact on medical bacteriology. This impact is already being re- ized in many academic...

A thoroughly revised and updated collection readily reproducible techniques for culturing human cells. This new edition includes a wide range of human cell types relevant to human disease and new chapters on fibroblasts, Schwann cells, gastric and colonic epithelial cells, and parathyroid cells. The protocols follow the successful Methods in...

Expert laboratory and clinical researchers from around the world review how to design and evaluate studies of tumor markers and examine their use in breast cancer patients. The authors cover both the major advances in sophisticated molecular methods and the state-of-the-art in conventional prognostic and predictive indicators. Among the...

A comprehensive collection of cutting-edge methods to study and work with the vaccinia virus and other poxvirus gene transcriptions. These readily reproducible techniques can be used for the construction and characterization of recombinant viruses; for the study of poxvirus gene transcription and DNA replication; for the investigation of the...

This collection of readily reproducible molecular techniques and related in vitro/in vivo model systems can be used to explore the causes of autoimmunity, as well as how best it may be regulated. There are methods to assess immunological and biochemical pathways relevant for pathogenesis and to establish and assess a variety of autoimmune...

A cutting-edge review of the latest findings on the complexities of platelet function and the various means of inhibiting platelet clot formation. The authors delineate an up-to-date picture of platelet biology and describe methods for assessing platelet function, including the commonly used platelet aggregation, thromboxane production,...

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is generally characterized by a slowly progressive degeneration of articular cartilage, particularly in the weight-bearing joints. It has a stronger prevalence in women, and its incidence increases with age. OA is a major and growing health concern in developed countries, owing to...

This benchmark survey of drug-nutrient interactions details the mechanisms and clinical approaches to their effective management. Providing more than a simple listing of common interactions, the authors explore, in-depth, every major aspect of the problem, including drug and nutrient disposition, enzyme systems, the effects of nutritional...