Autoimmunity, Part A: Basic Principles and New Diagnostic Tools

Theincidenceofautoimmunediseasesisincreasingworldwide,andthesearchforbettermanagementofthesediseasesandevenforacureisbeingpursuedbyscientistsfrommanydisciplines.Toolsfromtheareasofgenetics,neuroscience,cellbiology,virology,andinfectiousdiseasearebeingappliedtotheproblemandareyieldingusefulresults.Thisvolumecontainsthefirstsectionoftheproceedingsofalarge,comprehensivemeetingheldinSorrento,Italy.Becausethemeetingfocusedonsuchanimportantareaofhumanhealth,fourvolumeshavebeendedicatedtoit:PartApresentsnewprinciplesinautoimmunity,includingtherolesofkeyplayerssuchasdesignedankyrinrepeatproteins,SLAM-associatedprotein,interleukin-12,humanproteinase3,thecomplementsystem,IgG,disturbancesincytokinesynthesis,andIFN-γblockers.Thesecondsectionofthevolumetakesalookatnewdiagnostictools,includingscreeningofendothelialexpressionlibraries,electricalskinimpedance,andIgAanti-tissuetransglutaminaseantibodyassays.Autoimmunity,PartBcontinuesthepresentationofbasicresearchanditsapplicationswithafocusongenetics.PartsCandDpresenttheclinicalresearchinvariousmanifestationsofautoimmunediseaseanditstreatments.NOTE:Annalsvolumesareavailableforsaleasindividualbooksorasajournal.Forinformationoninstitutionaljournalsubscriptions,pleasevisitwww.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMYMEMBERS:PleasecontacttheNewYorkAcademyofSciencesdirectlytoplaceyourorder(www.nyas.org).MembersoftheNewYorkAcademyofSciencereceivefull-textaccesstotheAnnalsonlineanddiscountsonprintvolumes.Pleasevisithttp://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspxformoreinformationaboutbecomingamember