The hematopoietic system plays roles that are crucial for survival of the host: delivery of oxygen to tissues, arrest of accidental blood leaking from blood vessels, and fending off of invading microbes by humoral, cell-mediated, and phagocytic immunity. The activity of the hematopoietic system is staggering: daily, a normal adult produces approximately 2.5 billion erythrocytes, 2.5 billion platelets, and 1 billion granulocytes per kilogram of body weight. This production is adjusted in a timely fashion to changes in actual needs and can vary from nearly none to many times the normal rate depending on needs which vary from day to day, or even minute to minute. In response to a variety of stimuli, the cellular components of the blood are promptly increased or decreased in production to maintain appropriate numbers to optimally protect the host from hypoxia, infection, and hemorrhage. How does this all happen and happen without over or under responding? There has been extraordinary growth in our understanding ofhematopoiesis over the last two decades. Occupying center stage is the pluripotent stern cell and its progeny. Hematopoietic stern cells have been characterized by their capacity for self renewal and their ability to proliferate and differentiate along multiple lineages. Few in number, the stern cell gives rise to all circulating neutrophils, erythrocytes, lymphoid cells, and platelets. In hematopoietic transplantation, the stern cell is capable of restoring long-term hematopoiesis in a lethally irradiated host.

Every aspect of immune function and host defense is dependent upon a proper supply and balance of nutrients. Severe malnutrition can cause significant alteration in immune response, but even subclinical deficits may be associated with an impaired immune response, and an increased risk of infection. Infectious diseases have accounted for more off-duty days during major wars than combat wounds or nonbattle injuries. Combined stressors may reduce the normal ability of soldiers to resist pathogens, increase their susceptibility to biological warfare agents, and reduce the effectiveness of vaccines intended to protect them. There is also a concern with the inappropriate use of dietary supplements. This book, one of a series, examines the impact of various types of stressors and the role of specific dietary nutrients in maintaining immune function of military personnel in the field. It reviews the impact of compromised nutrition status on immune function; the interaction of health, exercise, and stress (both physical and psychological) in immune function; and the role of nutritional supplements and newer biotechnology methods reported to enhance immune function. The first part of the book contains the committee's workshop summary and evaluation of ongoing research by Army scientists on immune status in special forces troops, responses to the Army's questions, conclusions, and recommendations. The rest of the book contains papers contributed by workshop speakers, grouped under such broad topics as an introduction to what is known about immune function, the assessment of immune function, the effect of nutrition, and the relation between the many and varied stresses encountered by military personnel and their effect on health.

It is only during the last decade that the functions of sinusoidal endothelial cells, Kupffer cells, hepatic stellate cells, pit cells and other intrahepatic lymphocytes have been better understood. The development of methods for isolation and co-culturing various types of liver cells has established that they communicate and cooperate via secretion of various intercellular mediators. This monograph summarizes multiple data that suggest the important role of cellular cross-talk for the functions of both normal and diseased liver. Special features of the book include concise presentation of the majority of detailed data in 19 tables. Original schemes allow for the clear illustration of complicated intercellular relationships. This is the first ever presentation of the newly emerging field of liver biology, which is important for hepatic function in health and disease and opens new avenues for therapeutic interventions.

This long overdue title provides a comprehensive, up-to-date, state-of-the art review of approved biologic therapies, with coverage of mechanisms of action, Indications for therapy, immunogenicity and a detailed examination of adverse effects and safety of the many and diverse therapeutic agents presented in a total of 13 chapters. It is predicted that by 2016, biologics will make up half of the world's 20 top-selling drugs and by 2018, biologic medicine sales will account for almost half of the world's 100 biggest selling drugs. Recombinant proteins dominate the growing list of the more than 200 approved biotherapeutic agents with targeted antibodies, fusion proteins and receptors; cytokines; hormones; enzymes; proteins involved in blood-clotting, homeostasis and thrombosis; vaccines; botulinum neurotoxins; and, more recently, biosimilar preparations, comprising the majority of approved biologics. Written with clinicians, other health care professionals, and researchers in mind, Safety of Biologics Therapy examines, in a single volume, the full range of issues surrounding the safety of approved biologic therapies. A good understanding of the risks and safety issues of modern biologics therapy is increasingly being demanded of all those connected with their development, handling, prescribing, administration and subsequent patient management. In addition to being of great value to clinicians in all branches of medicine, and to nurses, pharmacists and researchers, this book will prove invaluable for students taking undergraduate and graduate courses in the above disciplines and in the biomedical sciences.

Principles of Immunopharmacology provides a unique source of essential knowledge on the immune response, its diagnosis and its modification by drugs and chemicals. The 4th edition of this internationally recognized textbook has been revised to include recent developments, but continues the established format, dealing with four related fields in a single volume, thus obviating the need to refer to several different textbooks. The first section of the book, providing a basic introduction to immunology and its relevance for human disease, has been updated to accommodate new immunological concepts, particularly the role of epigenetics and the latest understanding of cancer immunology. The second section on immunodiagnostics offers a topical description of widely used molecular techniques and a new chapter on imaging techniques. This is followed by a systematic coverage of drugs affecting the immune system, including natural products. This third section contains 15 updated chapters, covering classical immunopharmacological topics such as anti-asthmatic, anti-rheumatic and immunosuppressive drugs, but also deals with antibiotics, plant-derived and dietary agents, with new chapters on monoclonal antibodies, immunotherapy in sepsis and infection, drugs for soft-tissue autoimmunity and cell therapy. The book concludes with a chapter on immunotoxicology and drug safety tests. Aids to the reader include a two-column format, glossaries of technical terms and appendix reference tables. The emphasis on illustrations is maintained from the first three editions. The book is a valuable single reference for undergraduate and graduate medical and biomedical students, postgraduate chemistry and pharmacy students, researchers in chemistry, biochemistry and the pharmaceutical industry and researchers lacking basic immunological knowledge, who want to understand the actions of drugs on the immune system.

Choose the best possible skin and wound care products to support your patients’ skin health and wound healing, with the invaluable Product Guide to Skin and Wound Care, 8th Edition. Listing 294 products in alphabetical order, this handy product guide for wound care practitioners across all practice settings offers detailed information—sizes, action, indications, contraindications, application, and removal information—so that your choices stay informed and accurate.

The driving force for research on cytokines has always been their clinical promise. Their biological properties suggested a key role in hematopoiesis, immunity, tumor genesis, hemostasis, vascularization, repair of connective tissues and integration of the immune system with the neuroendocrine system. Animal studies have shown that cytokines could be used as effective biotherapeutics with easily manageable and reversible toxicities. Clinical trials have confirmed these findings, culminating in the licensing of a number of the cytokines such as interferon alpha, interferon gamma, interleukin 2, erythropoietin, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. Many other cytokines are in clinical trials. This is the first comprehensive volume on the cytokines written primarily from a medical perspective. After presenting background information about the structure, production, assays and systemic effects of cytokines and their receptors, it is organized around diseases and organ systems. Infectious diseases, autoimmunity, immunodeficiency states, defective hematopoiesis, allergies, injury repair, cancer, vascular and skin diseases, and neurological disorders are all covered. This work reviews the role that cytokines play in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of each disease. The authors assess both the current state of the art and the potential for future applications.