Derek LeRoith

The Year Book of Medicine brings you abstracts of the articles that reported the year's breakthrough developments in medicine, carefully selected from more than 500 journals worldwide. Expert commentaries evaluate the clinical importance of each article and discuss its application to your practice. There's no faster or easier way to stay informed! Sections are included on Rheumatology, Infectious Disease, Hematology and Oncology, Kidney, Water, and Electrolytes, Pulmonary Disease, Heart and Cardiovascular Disease, The Digestive System, and Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism.

The Year Book of Medicine brings you abstracts of the articles that reported the year's breakthrough developments in medicine, carefully selected from more than 500 journals worldwide. Expert commentaries evaluate the clinical importance of each article and discuss its application to your practice. Chapters include Rheumatology; Infectious Disease; Hematology and Oncology; Kidney, Water, and Electrolytes; Pulmonary Disease; Heart and Cardiovascular Disease; The Digestive System; and Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism.

An essential element in the development and functional integrity of all organisms is intercellular communication. This is achieved by the secretion of soluble messenger molecules which subsequently interact with receptor-effector pathways in the responsive cells. Hormones are traditionally defined as chemical messengers synthesized by endocrine glands. Unlike hormones produced by endocrine glands, growth factors are hormone-related substances produced by many tissues and play an important role in controlling growth and development. While the exact physiological roles of growth factors have yet to be elucidated, they play important roles in the regulation of cellular proliferation and/or differentiation during ontogenesis, growth and differentiation. During recent years there has been a substantial increase in research related to peptide growth factors, their receptors, and modes of action. With the discovery and characterization of numerous growth factors, it became clear that these growth factors had multiple features in common with classic hormones as well as with oncogenes. Furthermore, there are distinct families of growth factors based either on structural or functional similarities.

Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic that is also driving the marked increase in Type 2 diabetes across the globe. While it is easily recognizable clinically, and readily measurable in the United States, a feature that is not well recognized is the central adiposity that may be the only or primary feature in South East Asian communities. Thus it is imperative for clinicians to be brought up do date in order for preventative or therapeutic modalities are introduced early in the disease process. This issue of Medical Clinics of North America covers numerous clinical aspects of obesity including metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, the link with cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Several treatment modalities are covered including diet, exercise, cognitive and behavioral approaches, medications, and surgery.

During the past decade, the continued interest in insulin-related growth factors has been documented by a plethora of research programs and publications focused on these growth factors. Both molecular and cellular biological techniques have improved and enabled investigators to study the properties of the growth factors in depth. This volume covers the molecular (genetic) aspects of the growth factors, their binding proteins and receptors, as well as those factors affecting their gene transcription and translation. In addition, aspects of the cellular action of these growth factors through their receptors and how this impacts normal cellular function are discussed. The book will provide valuable information for researchers in physiology, biology, endocrinology, and metabolism.