Bücher veröffentlicht von Springer Basel

Earlier efforts in the field of thermal analysis were concerned with the demonstration of the applicability of techniques to a broad spectrum of materials and to establish the relationship of such techniques with other more accepted methods.

Pure and applied stochastic analysis and random fields form the subject of this book. The collection of articles on these topics represent the state of the art of the research in the field, with particular attention being devoted to stochastic models in finance. Some are review articles, others are original papers;

These notes are based on lectures given in the semmar on "Coding Theory and Algebraic Geometry" held at Schloss Mickeln, Diisseldorf, November 16-21, 1987. In 1982 Tsfasman, Vladut and Zink, using algebraic geometry and ideas of Goppa, constructed a seqeunce of codes that exceed the Gilbert-Varshamov bound. The result was considered sensational. Furthermore, it was surprising to see these unrelated areas of mathematics collaborating. The aim of this course is to give an introduction to coding theory and to sketch the ideas of algebraic geometry that led to the new result. Finally, a number of applications of these methods of algebraic geometry to coding theory are given. Since this is a new area, there are presently no references where one can find a more extensive treatment of all the material. However, both for algebraic geometry and for coding theory excellent textbooks are available. The combination ofthe two subjects can only be found in a number ofsurvey papers. A book by C. Moreno with a complete treatment of this area is in preparation. We hope that these notes will stimulate further research and collaboration of algebraic geometers and coding theorists. G. van der Geer, J.H. van Lint Introduction to CodingTheory and Algebraic Geometry PartI -- CodingTheory Jacobus H. vanLint 11 1. Finite fields In this chapter we collect (without proof) the facts from the theory of finite fields that we shall need in this course.

Der vorliegende 48. Band der Reihe «Fortschritte der Arzneimittelfor­ schung» enthält acht Beiträge, die wiederum von anerkannten Forschern verfasst wurden. Ausserdem sind auch in diesem Band ein Stichwortver­ zeichnis des Bandes sowie ein Autoren-und Titelverzeichnis und ein Titel­ verzeichnis aller 48 Bände enthalten. Der Leser hat dadurch die Mög­ lichkeit, nicht nur den vorliegenden Band zu konsultieren, sondern auch alle bisher erschienenen Bände quasi als enzyklopädisches N achschla­ gewerk zu benutzen. Da alle Beiträge umfangreiche Literaturnachweise enthalten, ist die Möglichkeit des Zugriffes auf Original-Publikationen gegeben, was dem aktiven Forscher besonders wichtig ist und seinen eige­ nen Arbeiten Impulse geben kann. Die Artikel des 48. Bandes behandeln neue Entwicklungen der Genetik, der enzymatischen Herstellung von komplexen Peptiden und bringen die neuesten Erkenntnisse der Apoptose unserem Verständnis näher. Immun­ therapie bei Hirnerkrankungen und psychischen Störungen, der Einsatz vonNaturproduktenzur Vorbeugung von Krebserkrankungen, das beun­ ruhigende Anwachsen der Arzneimittelresistenz, die Mannigfaltigkeit der Dopamin-Rezeptor-Wirkung und die faszinierende Darstellung einer grösseren Gruppe von neuartigen Nukleosiden als Arzneimittel runden den vorliegenden Band der «Fortschritte der Arzneimittelforschung» ab und bieten dem Leser viel Neuartiges und Interessantes.

Inhibition of the proton pump in the parietal cells has been established as the main therapeutic principle in the treatment of acid-related diseases, such as peptic ulcer and gastro-oesophageal reflux.

The accumulation of white blood cells is a hallmark of inflammation. The penetra­ tion through the vessel walls and the infiltration around the inflammatory stimulus is a complex process which involves active adherence and directed migration of the inflammatory cells. Chemotactic factors stimulate both adherence and migration. Technical tools such as the Boyden chamber [1] made it possible to study leukocyte migration in vitro. This technique allows differentiation between migration direct­ ed towards a chemotactic stimulus and non-directed migration. Until a decade ago only two naturally occurring molecules had been clearly iden­ tified as potent chemotactic attractants of neutrophilic granulocytes. They were the split product of the fifth complement component C5a [2] and the arachidonic acid metabolite leukotriene B4 [3]. In 1986, a novel human monocyte-derived chemo­ taxin attracting neutrophilic granulocytes with a similar potency was found [4]. This report was quickly confirmed by several groups [5-8]. The new factor was purified, cloned and sequenced [9, 10]. The term "interleukin 8" (IL-8) replaced the various names proposed previously [4-8]. Sequence data revealed that IL-8 belonged to a large family of chemotactic cytokines, now called "chemokines" [11]. Four subfamilies were distinguished on the basis of the number and position of the first cysteine residues. They are desig­ nated accordingly as C, CC, CXC and CX C chemokines [11-13]. The number of 3 human chemokines identified so far is close to 40 [11-13].

In recent years, the area of pharmacotherapy of GI inflammation has witnessed important progress, with new drugs and therapeutic approaches being introduced. The volume reviews the pharmacotherapy of selected gastrointestinal inflammatory conditions chosen on the basis of their clinical importance and/or the areas where important and exciting progress has been made recently. Besides discussing current pharmacotherapy to treat the most important GI inflammation conditions, the book also indicates possible future therapeutic avenues likely to become available in a few years.The book is of interest to various sectors of the scientific community ranging from clinicians to pharmacologists and from biochemists to microbiologists, who will find it a useful tool for their clinical practice and research activity.

The purpose of this volume in the Progress in Inflammation Research series is to provide the biomedical and clinical researcher with a state-of-the-art insight in the role of cytokines in joint inflammation and joint destruction.

Since the discovery of the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) more than 15 years ago, there has been an unpredicted explosion of both basic scientific discoveries and clinical reports on their use from institutions all over the world.

Such coverage, as presented in this volume, may help further understanding and bring new approaches to therapeutics.The first section of the book discusses inflammatory mechanisms, studied in cellular and animal studies.

Arachidonic acid (AA) and other 20 or 22-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are precursors of lipid mediators of inflammation known as eicosanoids. These mediators are critical in disease processes and in regulating normal cell function. Remodeling is important in maintaining homeostasis and in regulating cell function by dictating how PUFAs are converted to lipid mediators of inflammation. Thus, PUFA remodeling is a critical process in the biosynthesis of a multitude of mediators, and understanding this process will unravel better therapeutic targets for controlling inflammatory diseases such as asthma and Alzheimer¿s disease.AA metabolism is described in an integrated context linking the remodeling processes with the biosynthesis of mediators and diseases. By following the movement of the substrate (AA), the volume describes how upstream biosynthetic pathways influence the formation of lipid mediators of inflammation, showing the metabolic interrelationship between all AA-derived mediators.

Gene therapy for inflammatory diseases is a new , burgeoning field of medicine. Edited by the undisputed pioneers of this area of research, this volume is the first devoted to its topic. It contains thirteen chapters, each written by leaders in their respective fields, that summarize the state of the art in developing novel, gene based treatments for inflammatory diseases. As well as providing an introduction to the basic concepts of gene therapy and the use of naked DNA approaches, the book describes the advances that have been made in applying them to arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Sjogren`s syndrome and transplantation.One chapter is devoted to discussing the first human clinical trials that apply gene therapy to the treatment of an inflammatory disease. As well as providing novel therapeutic approaches, gene therapy facilitates the development of new and improved animal models of disease; a chapter describing these advances is also included. As an up-to-date, timely book written by th

Combinatorial chemistry in conjunction with High Throughput Screening (HTS) is revolutionizing the drug discovery process.

The TGF-13 superfamily is a large and expanding multigene family which in verte­ brates includes the TGF-13 proteins themselves, the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), the growth and differentiation factors (GDF), the activins/inhibins (INH), Mullerian inhibitory substance (MIS), glial derived neurotropic factor (GDNF) and more recently macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1). They are characterised by conserved structural elements and a broad commonality of function. Major structural elements All members of the TGF-13 superfamily contain as their major structural hallmark a conserved spacing and distribution of seven cysteine residues. This structure is known as the cysteine knot and tethers together regions of the peptide as well as binding the two chains of the dimer to each other. High resolution structures are now available on proteins from three families within this group including glial derived neurotropic factor (GDNF), BMP-7 and several of the TGF-13s. Despite low similarity between some of these proteins (eg, TGF-13s and GDNF are only 13% identical) they share a strikingly similar three dimensional conformation (Fig. 1). These structural elements imbue the protein with some of its familial characteristics. These include its physico-chemical stability due to tight tethering of portions of the peptide chain via criss-crossing disulphide bonds. Much of its surfaces are coated with hydrophobic patches leading to a propensity to bind non-specifically to other proteins as well as to its self. This also causes a marked propensity for aggregation when the recombinant protein is present at high concentration.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was first identified in 1989 as the etiologic agent of non-A, non-B hepatitis [1] and is currently recognized as the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide.

In the last ten years, major strides have been made in defining the presence and role of inflammation in atherosclerosis as well as in injury to the tissues that occurs after episodes of ischemia and reperfusion.

Philanthropic societies funded by the Rockefeller family were prominent in the social history of the twentieth century, for their involvement in medicine and applied science. This book provides the first detailed study of their relatively brief but nonetheless influential foray into the field of mathematics.

Heart failure research is a most active area of research in academic, industrial and government-sponsored research and receives intense clinical attention.

Polymer and cell dynamics play an important role in processes like tumor growth, metastasis, embryogenesis, immune reactions and regeneration.

Several new developments in the field of neuroimmunology with focus on the brain-to-immune system communication have been the incentive for this PIR volume. It covers topics such as brain-immune interactions, the impact of stress on the immune response, pain and immunosuppression, the modulation of inflammation and pain by the sympathetic nervous system, consequences of nerve injury for the immune system, neuronal mechanisms of immune cell recruitment, and the modulation of the immune response by corticotropin-releasing hormone or adenosine. The authors are a unique group of scientists who are all interested in brain-to-immune interactions; however, each from a different perspective. The volume will serve both neurobiologists and immunologists to understand the influence of the central nervous system on peripheral inflammation. Many aspects of this book will also be stimulating for researchers in the pain field.

An exploration of the theory of discrete integrable systems, with an emphasis on the following general problem: how to discretize one or several of independent variables in a given integrable system of differential equations, maintaining the integrability property?

The most specific immune response to chemicals and drugs that cause allergic contact dermatitis, respiratory disease and adverse drug reactions is the highly antigen-specific T lymphocyte response.

Here is a comprehensive overview of the development of Onbrez Breezhaler, a newly approved once-daily inhaled beta2 agonist for treating COPD. Covers design and pre-clinical pharmacology of the molecule, early clinical development, efficacy studies and more.

Nonnenmacher of the "anatomy" of the eigenmodes of quantized chaotic systems, namely of their macroscopic localization properties, as ruled by the Quantum Ergodic theorem, and of the deep mathematical challenge posed by their fluctuations at the microscopic scale;

This book provides a detailed overview of B-cell directed therapies in patients with rheumatic and systemic autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjoegren syndrome, ANCA-associated vasculitis and cryoglobulinemia.

The inflammasome was first described in 2002 as a molecular complex activating proinflammatory caspases and therefore regulating the maturation and biological activities of cytokines such as IL-1 and IL-18.

The book consists of solicited articles from a select group of mathematicians and physicists working at the interface between positivity and the geometry, combinatorics or analysis of polynomials of one or several variables.

This book is an introduction to the subject of mean curvature flow of hypersurfaces with special emphasis on the analysis of singularities. This flow occurs in the description of the evolution of numerous physical models where the energy is given by the area of the interfaces. These notes provide a detailed discussion of the classical parametric approach (mainly developed by R. Hamilton and G. Huisken). They are well suited for a course at PhD/PostDoc level and can be useful for any researcher interested in a solid introduction to the technical issues of the field. All the proofs are carefully written, often simplified, and contain several comments. Moreover, the author revisited and organized a large amount of material scattered around in literature in the last 25 years.