To you the reader, the joy of discovery begins, for We continue in our goal of providing a text which us the job is done. In this edition, we have corrected is useful, not only to the clinician, but of equal interest past deficiencies, added new topics, expanded infor- to the investigator. The selection of content has been mation regarding the pediatric age group, provided directed at topics of current interest rather than those up to date (March 2003) references, while remaining of historic contribution. We have stressed the cont- true to our concept of a multi-national author book. bution of cell biology and pathophysiology, were it We continue to believe that scientific information is an exists, believing it provides both a better understa- international commodity whose interpretation and ap- ing of toxic injury when known, and a rational dir- plication are strongly influenced by both the cultural tion for therapy and prevention. and ethnic background of the observer. The oppor- nity to share in the rich diversity of the international We are encouraged by the accumulation of rec- scientific community remains a fundamental goal of nized risk factors, which allow pre-treatment strati- this endeavor. To participate as equals leads to mu- cation of our patients’ relative risk and allow us to - tual respect and peer appreciation. The sharing of in- cus our preventative techniques on the individuals tellectual resources fostered by this effort should and most likely to gain the greatest benefit.

Clinical Nephrotoxins: Renal Injury from Drugs and Chemicals, Third Edition is a comprehensive text on all aspects of adverse effects by drugs, chemical substances and radiation on the kidneys. The importance of the toxicity of drugs and other substances for the kidneys is increasingly recognized. The book consists of themes such as clinical relevance, renal handling and cellular mechanisms of nephrotoxicity, as well as animal and cell culture models. In addition, the volume highlights specific types of drugs, such as anti-infectious agents and anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular and anti-cancer drugs. The last section deals with prevention and focuses on urinary biomarkers, pharmacological aspects and drug dosage in renal failure. In this third and completely revised edition, several new topics were added and additional figures and tables will be included. The book is of interest for the nephrologist, internist, general practitioner, toxicologist, pharmacologist, anesthesiologist, epidemiologist, public health official, pharmaceutical industry, and national drug safety committees, among others.

GEORGE A. PORTER information is an international commodity whose The field of clinical nephrotoxicity involves toxins of interpretation and application are strongly influenced diverse origin and exposure. A significant contribution by both the cultural and ethnic background of the to this problem arises from registered and non-regis observer. The opportunity to share in the rich diversity tered drugs either prescribed or purchased over the of the international scientific community was a fun counter. Another major contributor comes from occu pational or industrial exposures. Each situation pre damental goal of this endeavor. To participate as sents the nephrologist with unique challenges con equals leads to mutual respect and peer appreciation. cerning diagnosis, confirrnation, and treatment includ The sharing of intellectual resources which such an ing limitation from future exposure. In selecting drugs effort fosters, should facilitate the advancement of for inclusions in this book the editors were guided by sound science. both frequency and current knowledge. For occupa Our approach to the field of nephrotoxicity is from tionall environmental exposures similar guidelines the perspective of a book which will be of value to the were applied. As one reviews the world's literature clinician. In this respect we have chosen compounds concerning nephrotoxicity two types of investigation wh ich are of current importance to the nephrologist and his/her patient rather than of historical interest.

The book is devoted to partial differential equations of Hamiltonian form, close to integrable equations. For such equations a KAM-like theorem is proved, stating that solutions of the unperturbed equation that are quasiperiodic in time mostly persist in the perturbed one. The theorem is applied to classical nonlinear PDE's with one-dimensional space variable such as the nonlinear string and nonlinear Schr|dinger equation andshow that the equations have "regular" (=time-quasiperiodic and time-periodic) solutions in rich supply. These results cannot be obtained by other techniques. The book will thus be of interest to mathematicians and physicists working with nonlinear PDE's. An extensivesummary of the results and of related topics is provided in the Introduction. All the nontraditional material used is discussed in the firstpart of the book and in five appendices.

Here is an extensive update of Pediatric Nephrology, which has become the standard reference text in the field. It is global in perspective and reflects the international group of editors, who are well-recognized experts in pediatric nephrology. Within this text, the development of kidney structure and function is followed by detailed and comprehensive chapters on all childhood kidney diseases.

There has been a growing awareness that nephrotoxicity represents a key factor in human nephropathies, where, irrespective of the causative agent, only a few clinical end-effects are diagnosed. Thus nephropathies are generally classified as acute or chronic renal failure, malignancies or immunological changes. The weaknesses in diagnosing nephropathies arises because of the effective role the kidney plays in maintaining homeostasis, despite the fact that it has been extensively damaged. The frequencies of some type of chemically-induced acute renal failure is well documented, but the causes of chronic renal failure, malignancy, and other nephropathies are far more difficult to associate with a chemical aetiology. Many of the new therapeutic agents have important beneficial effects, but they are found to have marked nephrotoxic effects. Thus there is a growing urgency to increase the stringency of chemical safety evaluation for their potential nephrotoxic effects. This is strongly countered by the increased financial pressure to identify potentially nephrotoxic chemicals earlier in their development and humanitarian considerations to more closely relate animal test to the clinical situation. Part of the challenge may be achieved by the increasing use of in vitro techniques.

The kidney plays a vital role in certain endocrine functions. Abnormalities caused by toxic chemicals or other interventions can have profound effects on these functions and consequently, on total functions. Toxicology of the Kidney, Third Edition is updated to reflect the latest research in this field and focuses on the correlation between anatomy