Frontiers in Neutron Capture Therapy contains current research results originally presented at the Eighth International Symposium on Neutron Capture Therapy for Cancer in La Jolla, CA. This comprehensive collection of peer-reviewed manuscripts is showcased in two volumes covering all aspects of the development of this multidisciplinary approach to cancer therapy. Volume I of this work includes clinical results and current progress in treatment planning, neutron sources and dosimetry, while Volume II presents the synthesis, pharmacology and tissue-targeting design of boron compounds, including work on preclinical dosimetry and radiobiology.
Intended for researchers and clinicians involved with or interested in new modes of cancer therapy, this volume will also serve as a useful guideline for scientists, students, and practitioners in the field.

The fascinating area of molecular medicine provides a molecular and cellular description of health and disease. Starting with the understanding of gene regulation and epigenetics, i.e., the interplay of transcription factors and chromatin, this book will provide an fundamental basis of nearly all processes in physiology, both in health as well as in most common disorders, such as cancer, diabetes as well as in autoimmune diseases. Most non-communicable human diseases have a genetic (= inherited) as well as an epigenetic component. The later one is based on our lifestyle choices and environmental exposures. Many common diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, can be explained only to some 20% via a genetic predisposition. We cannot change the genes that we are born with but we can take care of the remaining 80% being primarily based on our epigenome. Therefore, there is a high level of individual responsibility for staying healthy. Thus, not only biologists and biochemists should be aware of this topic, but all students of biomedical disciplines will benefit from being introduced into the concepts of molecular medicine. This will provide them with a good basis for their specialized disciplines of modern life science research.

Frontiers in Neutron Capture Therapy contains current research results originally presented at the Eighth International Symposium on Neutron Capture Therapy for Cancer in La Jolla, CA. This comprehensive collection of peer-reviewed manuscripts is showcased in two volumes covering all aspects of the development of this multidisciplinary approach to cancer therapy. Volume I of this work includes clinical results and current progress in treatment planning, neutron sources and dosimetry, while Volume II presents the synthesis, pharmacology and tissue-targeting design of boron compounds, including work on preclinical dosimetry and radiobiology.
Intended for researchers and clinicians involved with or interested in new modes of cancer therapy, this volume will also serve as a useful guideline for scientists, students, and practitioners in the field.

This book provides a comprehensive survey of the pharmacokinetic models used for the quantitative interpretation of contrast-enhanced imaging. It discusses all the available imaging technologies and the problems related to the calibration of the imaging system and accuracy of the estimated physiological parameters. Enhancing imaging modalities using contrast agents has opened up new opportunities for going beyond morphological information and enabling minimally invasive assessment of tissue and organ functionality down to the molecular level. In combination with mathematical modeling of the contrast agent kinetics, contrast- enhanced imaging has the potential to provide clinically valuable additional information by estimating quantitative physiological parameters. The book presents the broad spectrum of diagnostic possibilities provided by quantitative contrast-enhanced imaging, with a particular focus on cardiology and oncology, as well as novel developments in the area of quantitative molecular imaging along with their potential clinical applications. Given the variety of available techniques, the choice of the appropriate imaging modality and the most suitable pharmacokinetic model is often challenging. As such, the book provides a valuable technical guide for researchers, clinical scientists, and experts in the field who wish to better understand and properly apply tracer-kinetic modeling for quantitative contrast-enhanced imaging.

Cancer is a major public health concern and one of the leading causes of death. There is no simple solution for this complex disease, therefore interdisciplinary approaches might help to find solutions to many unanswered questions and challenges about cancer. The rapid flow of interdisciplinary research in cancer during recent years has increased our understanding of the nature of cancers. Such interdisciplinary approaches could be helpful for both the diagnosis and the development of more effective therapeutic strategies.

Advances in cancer genomics are transforming our understanding of cancer, and have profound implications for its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Evolutionary dynamics suggests that as few as two mutations can cause transformation of normal cells into cancer stem cells. A process of Darwinian selection, involving a further three or more mutations, taking place over a period of years, can then result in progression to a life-threatening tumour. In many cases the immune response can recognise and eliminate the mutant cells, but most advanced tumours have mutations that activate immune checkpoints and enable the tumour to hide from the immune system. For the most hard-to-treat tumours, future progress will require molecular diagnostics to detect cancer-causing mutations in healthy subjects, and new drugs or vaccines that prevent the progression process.

This book provides detailed information on the various types of cancer, etiology, effects, and challenges associated with current cancer treatment regimes. The present edition has been written to reflect recent developments, success rates and lacunae in herbal and modern cancer therapies. It also describes the use of several herbal formulations to boost patients’ immunity, in order to prevent or help them cope with several cancers. The book highlights several herbs/shrubs/trees that have been reported to possess anti-cancer properties, paving the way for in-depth research into the dose standardization and efficacy of plant-based bioactive molecules. It also focuses on the sustainable conservation of medicinal flora, so that, in future, novel biomolecules be extracted and made available for the treatment of various cancers.

Much research has focused on the basic cellular and molecular biological aspects of stem cells. Much of this research has been fueled by their potential for use in regenerative medicine applications, which has in turn spurred growing numbers of translational and clinical studies. However, more work is needed if the potential is to be realized for improvement of the lives and well-being of patients with numerous diseases and conditions.

The discovery of microRNAs and its role as gene expression regulators in human carcinogenesis represents one of the most important scientific achievements of the last decade. More recently, other non-coding RNAs have been discovered and its implications in cancer are emerging as well, suggesting a broader than anticipated involvement of the non-coding genome in cancer. Moreover, completely new and unexpected functions for microRNAs are being revealed, leading to the identification of new anticancer molecular targets. This book represents a comprehensive guide on non-coding RNAs and cancer, spanning from its role as cancer biomarkers, to providing the most useful bioinformatic tools, to presenting some of the most relevant discoveries, which indicates how these fascinating molecules act as fine orchestrators of cancer biology.

Frontiers in Neutron Capture Therapy contains current research results originally presented at the Eighth International Symposium on Neutron Capture Therapy for Cancer in La Jolla, CA. This comprehensive collection of peer-reviewed manuscripts is showcased in two volumes covering all aspects of the development of this multidisciplinary approach to cancer therapy. Volume I of this work includes clinical results and current progress in treatment planning, neutron sources and dosimetry, while Volume II presents the synthesis, pharmacology and tissue-targeting design of boron compounds, including work on preclinical dosimetry and radiobiology.

This book presents a systematic overview of the most relevant nanomaterials and their respective intrinsic properties that have been highly explored by the scientific community and pharmaceutical companies in several different modalities for cancer therapy and bioimaging. The chapters explore the synergistic effects provided by the different nanostructured materials and highlight the main in vitro and in vivo therapeutic achievements on cancer. This work also provides relevant discussion about the recent progresses and future challenges that nanotechnology faces on the conception of more efficient nanoformulations against primary tumors, circulating cancer cells and metastases.

This book details our progress in understanding the receptor and intracellular signaling mechanisms utilized by semaphorins. It covers the entire semaphorin field from neurosciences to cardiovascular research and beyond, detailing all the latest techniques and results. The comprehensive overview of semaphorin biology and signaling presented in this book allows one to compare semaphorin functions between different biological systems.

Human homeostasis refers to complex interactions to regulate and maintain the internal conditions of the organism under stable condition. In spite of the progress made on cell growth and division, the circuits that coordinate these processes and maintain the homeostatic balance between cell growth and cell death have not been clarified. Deregulation of homeostatic processes results in different forms of imbalances that can turn to diseases including hepatitis, cyrrhosis and tumor formation. Abnormal growth of tissues can lead to a broad spectrum of neoplastic diseases from tissue swelling, primary tumor formation, cancer and ultimately to secondary tumors known as metastases. Tumor formation is a complex process, that develops through many steps.

Revealing essential roles of the tumor microenvironment in cancer progression, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on how different signaling pathways are important in the tumor microenvironment. Multiple signaling pathways are covered, including Src, Neuregulin, Adenosine, TGFβ, Androgen, Wnt, and more.