The Genetic Basis of Common Diseases


Book Description

Since the first edition of this highly acclaimed text was published in 1992, much new knowledge has been gained about the role of genetic factors in common adult diseases, and we now have a better understanding of the molecular processes involved in genetic susceptibility and diseases mechanisms. The second edition fully incorporates these advances. The entire book has been updated and twelve new chapters have been added. Most of these chapters deal with diseases such as gallstones, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, skin cancer, other common skin diseases, prostate cancer and migraine headaches that are seen by all physicians. Others address the genetic and molecular basis of spondylarthropathies, lupus, hemochromatosis, IgA deficiency, mental retardation, hearing loss, and the role of mitochondrial variation in adult diseases. Chapters on the evolution of human genetic disease and on animal models add important background on the omplexities of these diseases. Unique clinical applications of genetics to common diseases are covered in the additional new chapters on genetic counseling, pharmacogenetics, and the genetic consequences of modern therapeutics.




Precision Medicine: A Guide to Genomics in Clinical Practice


Book Description

Incorporate genomics into every applicable area of your clinical practice with this complete how-to guide Doody's Core Titles for 2021! Precision Medicine: A Guide to Genomics in Clinical Practice is a comprehensive, yet succinct overview of the practice of genomic medicine. It is written for general healthcare practitioners, specialists, and trainees with the goal of providing detailed guidance on how to incorporate genomic medicine into daily practice. Features that make this book valuable to every practice: Intentionally avoids excessive technical content and consistently emphasizes real-life patient care and decision support Follows the course of a human life, beginning before conception through pregnancy, childhood, and adulthood, discussing the current and future applications of genomics and precision medicine at each stage Organization allows healthcare providers to quickly and easily find the information relevant to their practice. The authors highlight common pitfalls – technical and ethical – that might complicate the delivery of quality genomic healthcare Enhanced by eleven valuable appendices that cover important topics ranging from the basics of genetics to ethical issues to regulation and reimbursement If you are searching for a clinically relevant, non-technical resource that will teach you how genomic medicine can and should be practiced in your specific field of interest, Precision Medicine: A Guide to Genomics in Clinical Practice belongs on your desk.




Assessing Genetic Risks


Book Description

Raising hopes for disease treatment and prevention, but also the specter of discrimination and "designer genes," genetic testing is potentially one of the most socially explosive developments of our time. This book presents a current assessment of this rapidly evolving field, offering principles for actions and research and recommendations on key issues in genetic testing and screening. Advantages of early genetic knowledge are balanced with issues associated with such knowledge: availability of treatment, privacy and discrimination, personal decision-making, public health objectives, cost, and more. Among the important issues covered: Quality control in genetic testing. Appropriate roles for public agencies, private health practitioners, and laboratories. Value-neutral education and counseling for persons considering testing. Use of test results in insurance, employment, and other settings.




Genetic Twists of Fate


Book Description

How tiny variations in our personal DNA can determine how we look, how we behave, how we get sick, and how we get well. News stories report almost daily on the remarkable progress scientists are making in unraveling the genetic basis of disease and behavior. Meanwhile, new technologies are rapidly reducing the cost of reading someone's personal DNA (all six billion letters of it). Within the next ten years, hospitals may present parents with their newborn's complete DNA code along with her footprints and APGAR score. In Genetic Twists of Fate, distinguished geneticists Stanley Fields and Mark Johnston help us make sense of the genetic revolution that is upon us. Fields and Johnston tell real life stories that hinge on the inheritance of one tiny change rather than another in an individual's DNA: a mother wrongly accused of poisoning her young son when the true killer was a genetic disorder; the screen siren who could no longer remember her lines because of Alzheimer's disease; and the president who was treated with rat poison to prevent another heart attack. In an engaging and accessible style, Fields and Johnston explain what our personal DNA code is, how a few differences in its long list of DNA letters makes each of us unique, and how that code influences our appearance, our behavior, and our risk for such common diseases as diabetes or cancer.




Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment


Book Description

Over the past century, we have made great strides in reducing rates of disease and enhancing people's general health. Public health measures such as sanitation, improved hygiene, and vaccines; reduced hazards in the workplace; new drugs and clinical procedures; and, more recently, a growing understanding of the human genome have each played a role in extending the duration and raising the quality of human life. But research conducted over the past few decades shows us that this progress, much of which was based on investigating one causative factor at a time—often, through a single discipline or by a narrow range of practitioners—can only go so far. Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment examines a number of well-described gene-environment interactions, reviews the state of the science in researching such interactions, and recommends priorities not only for research itself but also for its workforce, resource, and infrastructural needs.




The Genetics of Cancer


Book Description

It has been recognized for almost 200 years that certain families seem to inherit cancer. It is only in the past decade, however, that molecular genetics and epidemiology have combined to define the role of inheritance in cancer more clearly, and to identify some of the genes involved. The causative genes can be tracked through cancer-prone families via genetic linkage and positional cloning. Several of the genes discovered have subsequently been proved to play critical roles in normal growth and development. There are also implications for the families themselves in terms of genetic testing with its attendant dilemmas, if it is not clear that useful action will result. The chapters in The Genetics of Cancer illustrate what has already been achieved and take a critical look at the future directions of this research and its potential clinical applications.




The Genetics of African Populations in Health and Disease


Book Description

A pioneering work that focuses on the unique diversity of African genetics, offering insights into human biology and genetic approaches.







Genetic Basis of Oral Health Conditions


Book Description

This book explains the genetic basis of a wide range of dental disorders, including dental caries, periodontitis, congenital anomalies, malocclusions, orofacial pain, dental implant failure, and cancer. Such conditions are typically multifactorial or complex, with involvement of more than one gene as well as environmental influences. A sound grasp of this framework is ever more important, given the emergence of consumer genomics, including direct-to-consumer genetic testing. Dental professionals now need to understand why one person is susceptible to a particular oral health condition while a first-degree relative either does not develop the condition or does so in a less severe form. Knowledge of how genes operate in the susceptible host is essential if patients are to be offered accurate advice about their risks. The information provided in this book will assist in the delivery of effective personalized dental care through optimization of preventive strategies. It will enable the practitioner to explain the extent to which a patient’s condition is pure "bad luck", whether that bad luck can be changed by behavioral choices, and how many of our behaviors are influenced by genes.




Genetic Variants in Alzheimer's Disease


Book Description

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia. The disease is characterised by the loss of synapses and neurons in the cerebral cortex and certain subcortical regions. In the last three years, the genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease has made significant advances; in fact, one could argue more than in the previous two decades. This has resulted in the identification of nine new genes and perhaps more importantly the realization that new pathways could be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s. These new pathways are now legitimate targets for therapeutic intervention, which can possibly lead to treatment or a possible cure. The aim of this book is to put all of the recent genetic data on these new genes into context. Different genetic variants will be discussed, as well as biomarkers and future possibilities. ​