Mitochondria are multifunctional organelles that actively participate in the immune-inflammatory response in various pathologies. This volume updates readers on knowledge about mitochondria function. The editors have compiled six chapters about inflammation in its broadest sense, with contributions from active groups of cell biologists, infectologists and pathologists. The chapters in this volume focus on research related to five notable diseases: (1) two diseases (one bacterial and one viral) in which the exacerbation of the inflammatory response can lead to neuropathies: leprosy (one of the oldest diseases in the world) and Zika fever (a disease relatively new in Brazil) (2) three diseases (two bacterial and one viral) in which the exacerbation of the inflammatory response can lead to irreversible lung damage that can cause rapid death: tuberculosis, pneumonia and the most recent global disease, COVID- 19. New information about mitochondrial biology is presented, such as the effect of aerobic physical exercise as a stimulator for mitochondria multiplication, and the role of mitochondrial damage in inducing immune-inflammatory responses to pathogens. The contents shed light on mitochondrial biochemical pathways that could serve as potential therapeutic targets. This is an important reference for scholars (cell biologists, microbiologists) in universities, hospitals and scientific research centers working on biological and biomedical problems, and for health professionals involved in infection control.

Occupational disease is an important public health problem of the 21st century. Occupational disease still accounts for many preventable illnesses and injuries in the workplace. It is important to incorporate modern knowledge of disease epidemiology and cutting-edge diagnostic methods and treatment with the most recent developments in the management and prevention methods to better control work-related diseases and injuries. This book covers a selection of the common occupational diseases and injuries. It offers accurate, current information on the history, causes, diagnosis, management and prevention of several occupational diseases. Key features: - 14 chapters contributed by more than 30 experts in occupational and preventive medicine - Comprehensive treatment of the history, causes, diagnosis, management and prevention of many important occupational diseases (including asbestosis, silicosis, work-related asthma, occupational cancer, mesothelioma, arsenic, and other diseases.). - Each chapter highlights the latest research findings and cutting-edge technologies - References for further reading Modern Occupational Diseases: Diagnosis, Epidemiology, Management and Prevention serves as a useful guide for all readers interested in occupational diseases. The suggested readership includes trainees in occupational medicine, general practitioners, medical students, graduate students in public health programs, occupational health nurses, and professionals involved in occupational health and safety roles at public and private levels.

This book focuses on the physiology and molecular biology of the front and back regions of the eye. Specifically, the chapters of this book cover topics that explain currently less understood aspects of retinal health as well as the use of zebrafish models to understand the molecular pathogenesis of associated diseases. This includes retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy ciliopathies in the eye, rhodopsin trafficking and associated disorders, and the biochemistry of cone defects. This book serves as a useful reference for scientists and graduate students seeking to understand protein trafficking mechanisms and metabolic control in retinal diseases.

Today, treatment options for cancer patients typically include surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. While these therapies have saved lives and reduced pain and suffering, cancer still takes millions of lives every year around the world. Researchers are now developing advanced therapeutic strategies such as immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and combination nanotechnology for drug delivery. In addition, the identification of new biomarkers will potentiate early-stage diagnosis. Molecular Targets and Cancer presents information about cancer diagnosis and therapy in a simple way. It covers several aspects of the topic with updated information on par with medical board levels. The book features contributions from experts and includes an overview of cancer from basic biology and pathology, classifications, surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, types of cancer, treatment and prognosis. The first part of this book introduces the reader to cancer epidemiology, genetic alterations in cancer, exogenous and endogenous factors in carcinogenesis, roles for growth factors in cancer progression, cell signaling in cancer, transcription factors in cancer, and cancer genetics and epigenetics. This comprehensive guide is a valuable resource for oncologists, researchers, and all medical professionals who work in cancer care and research.

Today, treatment options for cancer patients typically include surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. While these therapies have saved lives and reduced pain and suffering, cancer still takes millions of lives every year around the world. Researchers are now developing advanced therapeutic strategies such as immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and combination nanotechnology for drug delivery. In addition, the identification of new biomarkers will potentiate early-stage diagnosis. Molecular Targets and Cancer presents information about cancer diagnosis and therapy in a simple way. It covers several aspects of the topic with updated information on par with medical board levels. The book features contributions from experts and includes an overview of cancer from basic biology and pathology, classifications, surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, types of cancer, treatment and prognosis. The second part of this book discusses specialized topics in clinical oncology which include the pathophysiology of various types of cancer, cancer screening, different types of cancer surgery, cancer stem cell-targeted immunotherapy, nanotechnology for precision medicine applications in cancer and cancer surveillance. This comprehensive guide is a valuable resource for oncologists, researchers, and all medical professionals who work in cancer care and research.

This compendium represents a set of guides to understanding the challenging scientific, epidemiological, clinical, social, and economic phenomenon that is represented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The book explains the mathematical modeling of COVID-19 infection, with emphasis on traditional epidemiological principles. It represents a rigorous, comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to a complex phenomenon. The chapters take into account the knowledge arising from different disciplines (epidemiology, pathophysiology, immunology, medicine, biology, vaccine development, etc.). It also covers COVID-19 data analysis, giving the reader a perspective of statistics and data science, and includes a discussion about social and economic issues of the pandemic. Each chapter is devoted to a specific topic, and is contributed by experts in epidemiology. Because of its multidisciplinary nature, this book is intended as a reference on mathematical models and basic immunotherapy for COVID-19 for a broad community of readers, from scholars who have scientific training, to general readers who have an interest in the disease.

Natural Immunomodulators: Promising Therapy for Disease Management discusses the use of natural immunomodulators as a promising therapy for managing various diseases. The book begins with an introduction to the immune system and the ways in which it can be modulated. This is followed by a discussion on the various diseases and disorders associated with the immune system, including autoimmune disorders, allergies, and immune deficiency conditions. The natural sources of immunomodulators, including plants, herbs, and other natural substances is also explained along with the importance of standardizing natural immunomodulator drugs, including the methods used to ensure their quality and consistency. The book also delves into the chemistry and analytical techniques used to study immunomodulators, clinical and pre-clinical bioassays. The next couple of chapters focus on the use of natural immunomodulators in cancer, the therapy of cancer and infectious diseases. Drug delivery and the strategy and regulatory perspective for natural immunomodulators. The final 2 chapters round up the contents with information about synthetic immunomodulators and the future perspective for the use of immunomodulators in disease management. Natural Immunomodulators: Promising Therapy for Disease Management is a comprehensive guide to the use of natural immunomodulators as a therapy for various diseases, and is a valuable resource for professionals and students interested in this topic. The book is aimed at health care professionals such as medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and life science and nutritionist professionals, as well as students.

Recent Trends and the Future of Antimicrobial Agents provides a significantly expanded overview of the topic with updated research in a broader context on the development of alternative approaches against microbial infections. This part primarily describes the use of probiotics, chemically synthesized compounds and nanomaterials as antimicrobial agents. The first chapter describes the potential of probiotics for the restoration of gut microbiomes. Amongst various antimicrobial agents, the use of antibodies has recently been investigated as a potential remedy. A chapter on antibody-based therapy as an alternative to antibiotics has been included. Chemical synthesis has eased the development of target-based prospective drug molecules against microorganisms. Chemically synthesized cationic amphiphiles and amphiphilic nanocarriers as antimicrobial agents have been discussed with sufficient detail in two different chapters. Research and progress in Schiff Base-Metal Complexes and Metal-Organic Frameworks for their antimicrobial applications have also been described in two separate chapters. Independent chapters discussing the design, synthesis and antimicrobial applications of biogenic metal or metalloid nanoparticles, bactericidal QDs and MoS2-based antibacterial nanocomposites have fulfilled the aim of incorporating cutting-edge research in the areas of alternative antimicrobials. Also, a new-age approach to combat microbes, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), is discussed in the final chapter of the edited volume. This part intends to provide the readers with an updated and broad view of research and development in alternative remedial approaches against microbial infections. The contents cater to the information needs of professionals and learners in academia, industry and health services who aim to learn the most significant experimental and practical approaches towards finding alternatives to existing antimicrobial therapies.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of death globally. Conventional chemotherapeutic agents are unable to penetrate cancerous hepatocytes completely and are toxic to non cancerous cells and tissues. This toxicity significantly compromises the therapeutic outcome of conventional chemotherapeutic agents which is also reflected in the high mortality of the disease. Nanotherapeutics have shed new light onto HCC treatment by enabling site-specific in vivo delivery of chemotherapeutics specifically to neoplastic hepatocytes without affecting normal hepatocytes. Thus, nanotherapeutics have shown considerable potential and there is tremendous impetus for rapid translation from the pre-clinical to the clinical domain to significantly prolong the survival in HCC. In Nanotherapeutics for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, authoritative experts of the field have explored the important aspects of nanotherapeutics against HCC. The book exhaustively, vividly and explicitly describes the molecular pathogenesis, diagnostic aspects and nanotherapy of HCC, while also highlighting the challenges of conventional therapy and the benefits of nanotherapeutics. Chapters of the book also cover recent investigations of nanotherapeutics against HCC, types of nanomedicines, recent patents, commercially available nanotherapeutics and a future perspective to give a comprehensive review of the topic to readers. In addition to these defining features, the book provides several references for further reading. The book is an ideal resource on HCC nanotherapeutics for medical and pharmacology postgraduate students, faculties, researchers, and biomedical scientists working on HCC and nanotherapy.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory complication and affects approximately 1 % of the global population. It affects three times more women than men. RA is an autoimmune disorder elicited by exposure of genetic factors from the host to unknown antigens causing arthritogenic complaints. It also includes the activation of lymphocytes as well as CD4+ helper T cells along with the local release of chronic inflammatory mediators and cytokines like tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and various cytokines like interleukins (IL) that enormously affect the joints. The available allopathic therapies for RA are not a cure for the complications, and antibody therapy and surgical procedures are expensive. However, in the present era, researchers and healthcare professionals have moved toward natural medicines obtained from plants and other natural sources. Research-based on developments in phytomedicine has progressed steadily. Evidence has been collected to show the massive therapeutic potential of medicinal plants used in various traditional systems against many pathological complications. Researchers have focused on the therapeutic potential of natural products used for treatment and counteracting various disorders along with their complications having negligible adverse effects. Natural Products for the Management of Arthritic Disorders compiles current knowledge about the bioactive compounds and herbal formulations useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. 11 chapters explain the role of natural products in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Topics have been contributed by experts in medicinal chemistry and rheumatology. The book first introduces the reader to rheumatoid arthritis before delving into conventional and alternative therapies for the disease. The editors have also included special topics such as the biomarkers for RA, cytokines and anti-inflammatory mediators, and preclinical and clinical studies. The range of topics should provide a comprehensive overview of natural remedies for arthritis and the role of natural products in anti-arthritic drug development. The information will be useful for many readers including medical and pharmacology students, multidisciplinary research scholars, scientists, pharma/herbal/food industrialists, and policy makers.