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Every medical specialty has a core of classic papers that reflect both the historical development of the discipline and point the way to present and future developments. A distinguished team of international contributors have been assembled by the Editors to identify, analyze and collate the most important articles from a broad range of publications that have become recognized as the defining articles in coronary angioplasty. It is a unique reference, for not only does it provide a single source for reviewing the most important papers in the discipline, it also provides a critical analysis of the strengths, weaknesses and the impact each paper has had on the development of coronary angioplasty. This book will be essential reading for cardiologists – in particular interventional cardiologists – radiologists, vascular surgeons and all involved in research and clinical practice in the field of coronary angioplasty.

I am very pleased to have been asked to write the foreword to this book. The technical advances in diagnostic radiology in the last few decades have transformed clinical practice and have been nothing short of astonishing. The subject of diagnostic radiology is now very large and radiology depa- ments are involved in all areas of modern patient care.The defining event in m- ern radiology,and arguably the most significant development in radiology since Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays, was the invention of the CT scanner in the 1970s.The CT scanner introduced modern cross-sectional imaging and also di- tal imaging.We now have MRI and ultrasound and these techniques are replacing many traditional X-ray procedures.The developments in radiology have been the result of a fruitful interaction between the basic sciences, clinical medicine and the manufacturers. This can be seen by looking at the various sources of these publications. Change is produced by the interactions between the variousdis- plines. The editors have had a very difficult task in selecting the key discoveries and descriptions.The radiological literature is very large.Medical imaging continues to develop rapidly and these papers are the foundations of our current practice.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-workshop proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Statistical Atlases and Computational Models of the Heart: Imaging and Modelling Challenges. 7th International Workshop, STACOM 2016, Held in conjunction with MICCAI 2016, Athens, Greece, October 17, 2016, Revised Selected papers The 24 revised full workshop papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 32 submissions. The papers cover a wide range of topics such as cardiac image processing; atlas construction, statistical modelling of cardiac function across different patient populations; cardiac mapping, cardiac computational physiology; model customization; image-based modelling and image-guided interventional procedures; atlas based functional analysis, ontological schemata for data and results; integrated functional and structural analyses; pre-clinical and clinical applicability of the methods described.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-workshop proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Statistical Atlases and Computational Models of the Heart: Imaging and Modelling Challenges, STACOM 2015, held in conjunction with MICCAI 2015, in Munich, Germany, in October 2015. The 23 revised full workshop papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 34 submissions. The papers cover a wide range of topics such cardiac image processing, atlas construction, statistical modeling of cardiac function across different patient populations, cardiac mapping, cardiac computational physiology, model customization, image-based modelling and image-guided interventional procedures, atlas based functional analysis, ontological schemata for data and results, integrated functional and structural analysis.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the 5th International Workshop on Statistical Atlases and Computational Models of the Heart: Imaging and Modelling Challenges, STACOM 2014, held in conjunction with MICCAI 2014, in Boston, MA, USA, in September 2014. The 30 revised full papers were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. The papers cover a wide range of topics such as sections on cardiac image processing; atlas construction; statistical modelling of cardiac function across different patient populations; cardiac mapping; cardiac computational physiology; model customization; atlas based functional analysis; ontological schemata for data and results; integrated functional and structural analyses; as well as the pre-clinical and clinical applicability of these methods.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Functional Imaging and Modeling of the Heart, held in Toronto, ON, Canada, in June 2017. The 48 revised full papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 63 submissions. The focus of the papers is on following topics: novel imaging and analysis methods for myocardial tissue characterization and remodeling; advanced cardiac image analysis tools for diagnostic and interventions; electrophysiology: mapping and biophysical modeling; biomechanics and flow: modeling and tissue property measurements.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Functional Imaging and Modeling of the Heart, held in Maastricht, The Netherlands, in June 2015. The 54 revised full papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 72 submissions. The focus of the papers is on following topics: function; imaging; models of mechanics; and models of electrophysiology.

The 8th International Congress of Biorheology was held at the Pacifico Yokohama, Japan, a brand new, versatile convention center for international meetings, from August 3 through 8, 1992. There were many plenary lectures and symposia, one of which was entitled'Mechanics of the Venous System.'It was at this symposium that we, the editors of this monograph, each presented papers. We then moved to Gifu, Japan, for the Gifu Workshop on Veins and Vascular Capacitance. This was held on August 9, 1992, with the Second Department of Medicine, Gifu University School of Medicine, serving as the host. Nine papers were presented in the oral sessions and there were five poster presentations. This monograph, which is intended to provide a bird's­ eye view of recent trends in studies of the venous system, is an outgrowth of the Gifu Workshop. While it is not exactly the Proceedings ofthat workshop, materials in the monograph were developed from ideas presented there.

This monograph comprises 17 papers written by prominent authors in the field, each of whom presents his most recent experiences. The papers were not specially selected so that this work is far from being a comprehensive textbook covering all aspects of right ventricular hypertrophy and failure in chronic lung disease. Perhaps some of the papers dealing with more strictly physiological problems and experimental models will be somewhat difficult to relate directly to former modes of thinking of both cardiologists and pneumologists. Nevertheless, we hope and expect that this book will provide the reader with, an in-depth appreciation of the situation of present research in different laboratories and countries. Occasionally contradictions between different papers may be noticed. We have not tried to remove these, since each contradiction reflects current areas of dispute or uncertainty in this developing field. We wish finally to acknowledge the continuing support of the Clinica del Lavoro Foundation for projects aimed at promoting education in all fields related to medical rehabilitation. Vlastimil Jdek Mario Morpurgo Roberto Tramarin Foreword This volume is the sixth issue in the Series'Current Topics in Rehabilitation', which was ftrst conceived in 1987 with the aim of offering updated indications as to functional comprehensive evaluation strategies and rehabilitation programmes.

The chapters of this book represent contributions by plenary lecturers and invited symposium speakers of the Fourth Annual Meet­ ing of the American Section of the International Society for Heart Research, held on May 26-29, 1982 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The aim of the Organizing Committee was to present an up-to-date picture of our knowledge of myocardial injury which would be equally useful to basic scientists and clinicians. The papers of this volume are divided into two groups: a) those dealing primarily with techniques to study myocardial injury, and b) those that discuss the different types of myocardial lnJury. The grouping of the papers within each of these headings roughly corresponds to the symposia presented at the meeting. I wish to acknowledge the financial support of the National Institutes of Health. Without grant HL 29149, the program could not have been financed. Contributions from the following companies were also gratefully received: Ayerst Laboratories, Ciba-Geigy, Merck Sharp and Dome, Pfizer Laboratories Division, A.H. Robbin Co., Smith-Kline Corporation, U.S.V. Pharmaceutical Co., and The Upjohn Co. My thanks are due to the members of The Organizing Committee (Drs. Gregory J. Bagby, Gerald S. Berenson, Alastair H. Burns, Harvey I. Miller, Robert Roskoski, Jr., and Judy A. Spitzer) for their help and support, and to the Secretary of the Meeting, Ms. L. Beatrice Abene for her excellent assistance. John J. Spitzer, M.D.

The main aim of this monograph is to provide an overview of calcium regulation in cardiac muscle cells, particularly with respect to excitation-contraction coupling and the control of cardiac contractile force. It is my hope that this book will be useful to students of the cardiovascular system and muscle at all different levels and in different disciplines (such as physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology and pathophysiology). I also hope that it will find use for those studying developmental, comparative and disease processes as well as more integrative phenomenon. I kept several goals in mind in writing this monograph. First, it should be easily readable. Second, I chose to include numerous illustrations and tables to help integrate results from numerous investigators in practical formats and also present key figures from important papers. Thus, this monograph may serve as a resource of information for people working in the areas described herein. Third, the presentation is a very personal one, and I have necessarily drawn extensively on my personal experience in this field over the past 15 years. This, I think, helps maintain a certain continuity of thought from chapter to chapter. Fourth, I have made serious attempts to make each chapter'up to date', despite the breadth of topics covered. I have also tried to be equitable in choosing references while not intending to be comprehensive or exhaustive. Neither of these aims can be perfectly matched, and I apologize to the many investigators whose papers I have not cited, but should have.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Functional Imaging and Modeling of the Heart, held in London, UK, in June 2013. The 58 revised full papers were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous initial submissions. The focus of the papers is on following topics: image driven modeling, biophysical modeling, image analysis, biophysical modeling, cardiac imaging, parameter estimation, modeling methods, and biomedical engineering.

The International Workshop - Conference on Atherosclerosis was held at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, September 1 - 3, 1975. This book does not represent in a strict sense the entire proceedings of the above Workshop - Conference, but does reflect largely the format and the essential content of the scientific sessions. Thus, each of the three Sections of the book is comprised of the summarized presentations either at the Plenary Sessions (Section I), Proffered Papers (Section II) or Workshops (Section III). Section I comprises all the presentations of the Plenary Session on September 1 and the first three presentations at the Plenary Session on the last day of the Conference (September 3). The remaining two addresses of the latter Session (Resume of Workshop - Conference and Closing Remarks) follow the Section III at the end of the book. Sections II and III are subdivided into Chapters which correspond to the individual Sessions of Proffered Papers and Workshops, respectively. To facilitate the orientation, particularly for those who attended the Workshop - Conference, a Summary Table of all Sessions of Proffered Papers designated as Chapters in this book, precedes Section II, and a similar Summary Table of Workshops, also designated as Chapters, precedes Section III. The Tables include, in addition, the names of both Chairmen of each Session. The Chairmen whose names do not appear on either Summary Table are those who chaired the two Plenary Sessions, i. e.

The present volume contains the first half of the edited tran­ script of a six-day Conference,'Fundamental Data on Reactions of Vascular Tissue in Man,'held April 19-25, 1970, in Lindau, West Germany. The remainder of the proceedings, dealing with the epide­ miologic, clinical and preventive aspects of arteriosclerosis, will be published in a second volume. The Conference was held under the auspices of the International Society of Cardiology, the International Cardiology Foundation and the European Atherosclerosis Group. The aim of the Conference was to achieve a synthesis of present knowledge concerning arterioscle­ rosis. Therefore, workers were brought together from several coun­ tries and from various disciplines that do not ordinarily intercom­ municate for free exchange of data and ideas. Six broad subject areas were introduced by single papers; three of them are included in this volume. In the discussion which followed each formal pres­ entation, the participants attempted to reconcile disparate data and interpretations and to reach.a clear identification of important areas of ignorance and of crucial questions for future research. The format of the proceedings does not follow precisely that of the Conference itself. The formal papers are included, somewhat ab­ breviated, and excerpts of the discussion have been gathered under a series of topics arranged in logical sequence. Therefore, the quoted statements do not necessarily appear in order or in the place in the program where they were made. Principal issues, syntheses and unanswered questions are interspersed among the topics as edi­ torial comments.

This volume of Advances in Myocardiology is derived from a part of the proceedings of the 10th Congress of the International Society for Heart Research, which was held in Moscow on September 23-29, 1980. This book contains selected papers which have been arranged in two sections, Cardiac Hypertrophy, Adaptation, and Pathophysiology and Cardiac Hypoxia, Is­ chemia, and Infarction. The first section, on the pathophysiology of heart hypertrophy and failure, contains 24 chapters that focus on the derangement of biochemical, physiological, and immunological processes during the de­ velopment of heart disease due to a wide variety of pathogenic factors. Some of the recent developments in understanding the myocardial synthetic ma­ chinery in heart hypertrophy are also described in these papers, and we believe that the contents of this section will stimulate further research in the area of heart disease. The second section, which mainly deals with myocardial ischemia, contains 35 chapters providing the necessary back­ ground for the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease and some possible ther­ apeutic approaches. It hardly needs to be emphasized that ischemic heart disease is a major cause of death in highly industrialized countries, but unfortunately the exact mechanism by which ischemic insult leads to the development of heart cell damage is far from understood. We are hopeful that the articles in this section will provide valuable information in this field and thus will help in improving the treatment of ischemic heart disease.

Once in four years, cardiologists of the world united into the International Society and Federation of Cardiology corne together to discuss the most pressing problems of cardiovascular pathology, sum up the accomplishments of the intervening years, and set directions for future research and exploitation of the existing knowledge. Not too much time passed since the I Paris Congress of International Foundation of Cardiology in 1950, but since then we have been witnessing a real information explosion. Extraordinary amounts of new knowledge, accumulated during the past three decades, has revolutionized our understanding of major cardiovascular diseases as well as approach to their treatment and diagnosis. The IX World Congress of Cardiology, held in Moscow in June 20-26, gathered 5,099 delegates from 78 countries. In the course of the Congress, prominent scientists presenting 21 lectures on topical problems of theoretical and practical cardiology; 900 papers were heard at 37 Symposia and 58 Free Communication Sessions. The papers and discussions demonstrated an increased contribution of fundamental research to clinical arsenal. Another feature of modern biomedical research is that it makes use of the latest accomplishments in other fields of science and technology: physics, chemistry, elec­ tronics, etc. Of late, a new research discipline, called molecular cardiology, has formed. By elucidating the most subtle basic mechanisms whereby pathological processes develop, it is expected to afford ultimate control of cardiovascular diseases. The Congress demonstrated that new knowledge about the diagnosis and treatment is being successfully introduced into clinical practice.

The increasing number of pacemaker patients correlates with the number of pacemaker meetings that attract physicians and medical engineers entering this expanding branch of medicine. The Pacemaker Colloquium organised in Brussels April 21st and 22nd 1977 was such a meeting. It was different from previous meetings as it had no surveys or summaries on patient series but instead it focused on controversial subjects that have emerged from pacing in the past and on new developments for the future. Besides controversial papers on indications for temporary and long-term pacing, new technical developments were presented in Brussels, where for the first time the important lithium battery manufacturers demonstrated their data. The surveys on electrodes, especially the fixation mechanisms and the atrial electrodes, initiated an animated discussion. This all converged in a Round Table on the choice of the electrode-pacemaker combination. Pacemaker electrocar­ diography and the application of cardiac stimulation in various types oftachyar­ rhythmias formed two clinically oriented sessions. Mter a survey ofthe various follow-up systems a series of presentations deals for the first time with the possibilities and difficulties of the application of com­ puters in cardiac pacing. A Round Table on the organisation of the Pacemaker clinic closed this friendly and animated meeting. It is our sincere hope that the publication of the presented papers and dis­ cussions in these Proceedings will help all those active in cardiac pacing to answer some of their problems and to improve the treatment of pacemaker patients.

The first invasive evaluation of cardiac arrhythmias in humans was performed in 1967 in Paris (Prof. P. Coumel) and Amsterdam (Prof. D. Durrer). This was the start of a rapid increase in our knowledge of the diagnosis, mechanism and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. In that same year Prof. Hein J.J. Wellens became cardiologist in the Wilhelmina Gasthuis in Amsterdam. Initially in Amsterdam (1967-1977) and later on in Maastricht (from 1977), he was the driving force for many breakthroughs in clinical cardiac electrophysiology. With an active interplay between the knowledge derived from the 12-lead electrocardiogram and the recordings made with invasive electrophysiology, he composed new ideas leading to major contributions in clinical cardiac electrophysiology and, more generally, in arrhythmology. He published over 650 scientific papers and 14 books, and had numerous functions within scientific boards of prestigious journals. In addition he trained more than 120 cardiologists in clinical cardiac electrophysiology. On the occasion of the congress `2000, Future of Arrhythmology: Lessons From the Past, Promises For Tomorrow', we highlight the scientific work of Prof. Hein J.J. Wellens. A selection of more than 60 articles over the whole time span has been selected. These articles are accompanied by comments from an expert, co-worker and/or former fellow in order to place the paper in a scientific time frame, including the relationship of the author with Prof. Hein J.J. Wellens.

The Fourteenth Washington International Spring Symposium, held in Washington, D.C., in June 1994, brought together over 400 leading scientists from 21 countries to review and update research on cardiovascular disease. This group satisfied the symposium goals of formulating a more comprehensive and integrated picture of the events contributing to atherosclerosis and of exploring modified gene expression as an to understanding the causes of atherosclerosis and providing clues to the approach prevention and treatment. This volume contains most of the papers presented at the eight plenary sessions together with selected contributions from the special sessions. The multidisciplinary nature of the chapters and their authors should stimulate the interests of biochemists, cell and molecular biologists, pathologists, pharmacologists, epidemiologists, nutritionists, and clinicians. The volume is divided into eight sections which reflect the focus of the plenary sessions. Part I focuses on the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic plaques and predicts that the nature of the fibrous cap of atheroma determines plaque disruption and clinical events. Papers in Part II deal with atherogenic lipoproteins. The introductory paper reviews the current view of the role of plasma lipoproteins in atherosclerosis. With respect to the newer members on the list,: [oxidized LDL, Lp(a)] evidence is provided that suggests the involvement of one major gene in the development of oxidized LDL lipids. the expression of inflammatory genes, and the development of aortic fatty streaks.

An International Symposium'Catecholamines and the Heart'was held in Munich in May 1981, which was organized in cooperation with the Council on Cardiac Metabolism of the International Society and Federation of Cardiology and with the Microcirculation Working Group of the European Society of Cardiology. It was the aim of the organizers to evaluate in this Symposium the recent advances made in the field of sympathetic control of heart function. Particular attention was given to neural sympathetic pathways, to mechanisms and consequences of adrenoceptor stimulation and blockade as well as to clinically relevant implications mainly regarding the significance of catecholamines and of adrenoceptors in various heart diseases. The broad scope was covered in 34 papers presented by physiologists, pharmacologists and cardiologists during a two day meeting which was attended by an international audience. This book includes all papers as well as the discussions following each presentation. To accomplish rapid publication the manuscripts are published as submitted by the authors. The discussions were edited making use of the written questions and answers of the discussants. The Symposium was generously sponsored by Astra Chemicals GmbH, Wedell Holstein, Germany, which thus made possible a very fruitful exchange of information, ideas and concepts between specialists in various disciplines. The organizers gratefully acknowledge this support once again and would like to thank Dr. T. Kreuzer, the representative of Astra Chemicals, for his personal engagement.

This book summarizes the papers presented at the International Symposium on vascular smooth muscle, organized in combination with the XXV Interna­ tional Congress of Physiological Sciences by the German Society of Angiology e. V. Honorary Presidents were Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. K. Wezler and Profes­ sor Dr. Dr. h. c. H. E. Bock. The annual meeting of the SOCiety of Angiology was combined with the Symposium. It was held at the Physiological Institute of the University of TUBINGEN, an appropriate setting, since in the last century numerous scientists from this institute were engaged in special problems con­ nected with the vascular system and muscles. The topics of this meeting covered a wide field of vascular research; it was the aim of the organizers to the discuss the physiological, biochemical and morphological basis of the vascular muscles with clinicians and to stress some important aspects in the form of round table discussions. On the following pages the reader will therefore find numerous papers on spe­ cial basic problems of the physiology, biochemistry and morphology of vascu­ lar smooth muscle as well as on pathophysiological and pathological changes and papers about the clinical treatment of vascular disorders. The more ex­ perimental and theoretical papers and discussions are concerned with the sin­ gle smooth muscle cell and the different types of vessels in various organs whereas the discussion of the clinical sections concentrate on the coronary system.

This monograph contains 20 selected papers presented at the Symposium on Subcellular Basis of Contractile Failure which was held in Ottawa during May 11-13, 1989 and is designed for the benefit ofthose who were unable to attend this event. It is now increasingly becoming clear that an excessive amount of calcium is intimately involved in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of heart diseases. Accordingly, the investigations concerning the role of calcium chan­ nels and their regulatory mechanisms in heart function as well as of the intra­ cellular calcium overload in cardiac dysfunction are presented here. Since sodium is also considered to influence the cardiac contractile force by chang­ 2 ing the intracellular concentration of calcium through the Na +-Ca+ exchange 2 mechanism in the cell membrane, the role of Na +-Ca+ exchange in heart func­ tion as well as pathology of contractile failure is discussed. In view of the new­ ly discovered implications of the oxygen free radicals in cellular injury, papers concerning the role of these radicals in heart disease are included in this book. For the purpose of clarity, different chapters have been organized under three main headings: (I) Role of cations in heart function, (II) Cardiac hypertrophy and cardiomyopathies, and (III) Ischemic heart disease and cardiac failure.

The coronary circulation is central to sustaining myocardial viability. Unlike the cir­ culations of most other organs, if the coronary circulation becomes insufficient to sustain myocardial contractile function, overall quality of life rapidly declines and life can abruptly end. In partnership with the cerebral circulation, the coronary circula­ tion plays a central role in sustaining life. However, unlike the cerebral circulation, whose function is self-sufficient to define life, the coronary circulation determines global blood flow and thus the initial state for the remainder of the body. This unique condition, together with the reality that coronary artery disease primarily affects peo­ ple in their productive years of life, has allowed physicians and scientists who study the heart to enjoy a privileged position in the field of medical research and clinical practice. Thus, it comes as little surprise that many new and exciting research developments involving the coronary circulation have recently come to the forefront of medical thinking. This reality, coupled with the large number of clinical trials of agents specif­ ically designed to sustain or improve coronary flow in many disease states, makes the timing of this monograph relevant. The book features papers presented at a recent international symposium, the fourth in a series of meetings on Applied Physiology of the Peripheral Circulation. The papers selected by the editors review the most impor­ tant advances in the fields of cardiology and the coronary circulation.

Campy/o/meler pylori was described for the first time in 1983. Up to now more than 100 papers have been published dealing with its microbiological properties and its clinical implications. The lime has come to survey the field, to evaluate the hith­ erto accumulated information, and 10 discuss the questions thai should be answered in the ruture. It was for these purposes that the First International Symposium on Campy/abaeter pylori was held. bringing together specialists from a variety of discipl ines, including basic scientists as well as clinicians. This book is based on papers given at the symposium. We are very grateful 10 Rohm-Pharma for undertaking to sponsor this meeting, and to Mrs. C. 1. Klein and her starr for the impeccable organisation which permillcd us to work in such a pleasant environment, In the interest of rapidity of publication, we have reduced the amount of editing to a minimum and have not, in any sense,'re­ fereed'the discussions, which were written by the contributors at the time of the question-and-answer session. They were also veiled by their authors at the proof stage, and we have done our best to retain their original spontaneous flavour. We hope, in this way. 10 have produced a satisfactory record of the events and an up-Io-dale overview of research on Campylobacrer pylori.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Functional Imaging and Modeling of the Heart, held in New York City, NY, USA in May 2011. The 24 revised full papers presented together with 29 revised poster papers were carefully reviewed and selected from about 120 initial submissions. The contributions feature current research and development efforts in the fields of cardiovascular modeling, physiology, and image-based analysis, at a range of scales and imaging methods. Topics addresses are such as imaging, signal and image processing, applied mathematics, biomedical engineering and computer science; biologically oriented fields such as cardiac physiology and biology; as well as clinical issues such as cardiology, radiology and surgery, with a common interest in the heart.

This manual defines sex and gender differences in cardiovascular disease and how they have become an important topic within most subspecialities in the field of cardiology. It is now evident that sex differences in biology and lifestyle influence the pathophysiology of heart disease. Consequently risk factors for cardiac disease are modified by sex and gender, and women and men develop partly different variants of the same heart diseases. These facts profoundly influence prevention and management in clinical practice. Good medical practice demands a more tailored and personal care for each individual patient. In addition, the life-course of women has a few unique phases, related to hormonal changes in pregnancy and after menopause, that also interact with individual risk and the development of co-morbidities. As heart disease is now the number one cause of death in women worldwide, a more specific attention to cardiovascular disease in women is justified. Most important advances in gender-specific knowledge are related to ischemic heart disease and its traditional and sex-specific risk factors. Diagnostic pathways have changed, coronary angiography is no longer the gold standard that it used to be. Recent guidelines and position papers have paid attention to these new insights, whereas educational programs urgently need to be adapted. The ongoing paradigm shift in cardiology needs to be updated for the clinician in an easy and accessible manner. Other important topics in which sex and gender differences have been elaborated are heart failure, atrial fibrillation, aortic valve disease and its treatment, cardiac rehabilitation, co-morbidities, cardiotoxicity in cancer treatment and neurology. In addition, female-specific risk factors and socio-economic factors are relevant to women's cardiovascular health. We will invite the best EU experts in this field to contribute to the various chapters. Manual of Cardiovascular Disease in Women has an educational role for established cardiologists and vascular specialists in training, nurses and other allied professionals. It represents an update on the most recent insights in sex- and gender differences in cardiovascular health with a focus on women's cardiovascular diseases. Additional questions via app: Download the Springer Nature Flashcards app for free and use exclusive additional material to test your knowledge.

Fluid-structure interactions (FSI), that is interactions of some movable or deformable structure with an internal or surrounding fluid flow, are among the most important and, with respect to both modelling and computational issues, the most challenging multi-physics problems. The variety of FSI occurrences is abundant and ranges from tent-roofs to micropumps, from parachutes via airbags to blood flow in arteries. This volume of LNCSE contains a collection of papers presented at the International Workshop on FSI held in October 2005 in Hohenwart and organized by DFG's Research Unit 493'FSI: Modelling, Simulation, and Optimization'. The papers address partitioned and monolithic coupling approaches, methodical issues and applications, and discuss FSI from the mathematical, informatical, and engineering point of view.

The1stand2ndInternationalConferencesonFunctionalImagingandModelling of the Heart (FIMH) were held in Helsinki, Finland, in November 2001, and in Lyon, France, in June 2003. These meetings were born through a fruitful sci- ti?c collaboration between France and Finland that outreached to other groups and led to the start of this biennial event. The FIMH conference was the?rst attempt to agglutinate researchers from several complementary but often i- lated?elds: cardiac imaging, signal and image processing, applied mathematics and physics, biomedical engineering and computer science, cardiology, radi- ogy, biology, and physiology. In the?rst two editions, the conference received an enthusiastic acceptance by experts of all these communities. FIMH was ori- nally started as a European event and has increasingly attracted more and more people from the US and Asia. This edition of FIMH received the largest number of submissions so far with a result of 47 papers being accepted as either oral presentations or posters. There were a number of submissions from non-EU institutions which con?rms the growing interest in this series of meetings. All papers were reviewed by up to four reviewers. The accepted contributions were organized into 8 oral sessions and 3 poster sessions complemented by a number of invited talks. This year we tried to allocate as many papers as possible as oral presentations to facilitate more active participation and to stimulate multidisciplinary discussions.

In recent years, several scientific papers have highlighted the role of the thyroid system in cardioprotection, and several clinical studies – including multicenter studies – have identified the role of thyroid hormones (TH) in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease, making an update of TH and heart relationship both necessary and timely. This second edition of Thyroid and Heart failure provides a careful and updated review of the experimental, clinical and epidemiological results in the field of TH and heart failure, with a particular focus on the translational - bench to bedside - significance of the obtained results. It discusses topics such as the molecular, structural, functional, cellular and histological cardiac changes; the reversibility of these changes with TH replacement therapy; the systemic effects – kidney, hormonal pathways systems, brain, muscle, etc – of altered TH metabolism in HF, as well as the clinical and prognostic implications. The section devoted to the potential therapeutic treatments has been expanded. Thanks to its translational approach to this highly complex subject, the book will be of interest to a broad readership, including cardiologists, endocrinologists and internists.

The original articles included in the present book have primarily been taken from papers presented at the International Advanced Course, more precise the Master on Sports Cardiology, held in Rome from November 27 to December 15 1995 at the School of Sport and Institute of Sport Sciences of the Italian National Olympic Committee. The contributions, written by internationally acknowledged scientists, appeared after extensive and careful revision by the Authors, and represent current and highly profitable scientific material. The incentive to publish this work came from Springer-Verlag, a renowned publi­ sher, and the articles have been compiled in Advances in Sports Cardiology. The present volume is an easy-to-consult, comprehensive and up-to-date refe­ rence. Possible future developments in cardiovascular evaluation in athletes have been covered, too. The cardiological evaluation of athletes represents a more than 30 years-old discipline in'Italy, with legal implications, which compel physicians in this field to investigate in each individual athlete the possible, innermost causes of cardiovascular abnormality and to express a circumstantial prognostic asses­ sment. Cardiologists in this field should have an extensive background in phy­ siology but should also be aware of the indications and limits of the instrumen­ tal diagnostic procedures used in clinical practice as well as of the distinction between normal physiological adaptation to exercise and training and a true pathological cardiac process. Hence, sound basis in physiology with a major interest in clinical practice distinguishes sports cardiology as a new and origi­ nal discipline.

This publication contains the papers presented at a special Symposium on Atrial Fibrillation during the European Society of Cardiology 1991 meeting in Amsterdam, Holland. The contributors offer the current state of the art of the management of the most difficult cardiac arrhythmias atrial fibrillation.

In recent years there has been rapid progress in research on vascular endothelium. This has led to significant advances in our understanding of the structure and function of vascular endothelium in health and disease, including such aspects as the permeability of endothelium in relation to its ultrastructural correlates, theoretical basis, regulatory factors, and role in atherogenesis; the interaction between endothelium and blood cells; the endothelial release and processing of a number of important physiological agents, such as eicosanoids, hemostatic factors, and histamine; the cell biology of endothelium with respect to the cytoskeletal apparatus, cell activation, and cell locomotion; and the role of endothelium in microcirculatory regulation in normal and pathophysiological circumstances. A Symposium on'Vascular Endothelium in Health and Disease'was held on August 5-6, 1987, at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China, following the 4th World Congress for Microcirculation in Japan. Experts working on various aspects of vascular endothelium came from allover the world to participate in this two-day Symposium and gave excellent presentations. This volume, embodying the proceedings of that Symposium, is a collection of the papers given by the speakers with, in many cases, further updating and new information added subsequent to the Symposium. The Institute of Biomedical Sciences (IBMS), the site of this Symposium, is a newlJl established research institution, which has vascular endothelium as one of its areas of research emphasis.

The advances in the field of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease continue at an increasingly rapid pace and it is an arduous task for those not directly involved to keep up with the latest developments. The papers presented at the 7th Meeting on Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Disease, held in Bologna, as part of the Ninth Centenary of the foundation of the University of Bologna, have been collected together here with the aim of providing all the latest information for doctors and research workers concerned with this important branch of medicine. We are pleased to be able to thank all those who joined us in celebrating the oldest university in the world. The scientific contributions, of the highest level, are valid proof of the tradition of exchanging experiences and of the continual up-dating of knowledge in the different sectors of lipid metabolism, genetics, physiopathology, pathological anatomy, bio­ chemical and clinical diagnosis, diet, pharmacological and non-pharmacological ther­ apy. The numerous contributions made by authors in the field of epidemiology and the prevention of atherosclerosis were also fundamental since not only research centres but also doctors all over the world are engaged in the battle which was defined by the WHO, twenty-five years ago, as the most important epidemic of the modern age.

Pediatric cardiology is celebrating in the 1990s the 50th anniversary of the beginnings of the age of therapy. This informal `history'describes how the discipline grew from the era of pathologic anatomy to the dawn of therapy, the beginnings of closed heart surgery between 1939 and 1945. That dawn ushered in a remarkable half century of change and growth, leading from clinicophysiologic correlations through the start of open heart surgery in the 1950s. The text celebrates some of the achievements of this vivid and heroic age, and describes how, in the mid 1970s, new surgical and medical approaches, including prostaglandins and Doppler echocardiography, led to successful cardiac treatment in infancy, the `infant era'. Interventional cardiology and the study of childhood arrhythmias began. Now, in the 1990s, a new era emphasising molecular biology and cardiac development is growing from the tools and concepts of the past. The four eras have focused on pathologic anatomy, clinicophysiologic correlations and surgery, heart problems in infancy, and now the developing heart. In each era there have been advances in the four domains of pediatric cardiology, the heart before birth, the normal heart, heart disease and defects, and preventive cardiology. Growth in knowledge has been both episodic and dramatic, yet not a picture of unalloyed achievement. The later chapters discuss some of the problems beginning to be recognised in the new and current `developmental era'. The pioneers of pediatric cardiology, both men and women, are more than eponyms, for each used in new and original ways the tools and concepts available in their era. The interaction of tools and concepts is a theme in this book. Just as the tool of the stethoscope was vital in delineating the clinical profile of ventricular septal defect and patent ductus, the fluoroscope played a role in developing the concept of the Blalock Taussig shunt. Pioneers also includepatients and their families, and the book includes some discussion of what little is known of childhood and of the child with heart disease in the four different eras. This is a brief overview of the growth of knowledge of children's hearts from before William Harvey until our own time, and includes references to histories of cardiac surgery and to collections of classic cardiac papers. By its emphasis on the child as the central historic figure, and on the interaction of tools and concepts in the growth of knowledge, the text provides a celebratory approach to the 50th anniversary of modern pediatric cardiology.

The nitrates have remarkable clinical effects that have stood the test of time in the management of ischemic heart disease. What is unusual about this class of com­ pounds is that, after many years of clinical use, we are still exploring new avenues as to the vascular mechanisms of their effect, their applications in treating other clini­ cal conditions, and the development of products with more favorable pharmacoki­ netic properties. This volume represents the proceedings of a symposium held June 14-16, 1984, in Montreux. The papers were selected to explore the current state of knowledge re­ garding the mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, and clinical efficacy of ni­ trates. Particular attention has been given to newer studies utilizing the 5-mononi­ trate metabolite of isosorbide dinitrate, a drug whose pharmacokinetic properties may make it an important new agent in the treatment of angina and congestive heart failure. One of the benefits of an international meeting of experts sharing their views on an internationally used group of drugs is that differences in concepts and clinical practice become apparent and can be discussed. The Montreux forum made it clear that clinicians in North and South America and Europe have diverging views on how the nitrates should be used.

Measurement of Cardiac Deformations from MRI: Physical and Mathematical Models describes the latest imaging and imag analysis techniques that have been developed at leading centers for the visualization, analysis, and understanding of normal and abnormal cardiac motion with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The use of MRI in measuring cardiac motion is particularly important because MRI is non-invasive, and it is the only modality capable of imaging detailed intramural motion within the myocardium. Biomedical engineers, medical physicists, computer scientists, and physicians interested in learning about the latest advances in cardiovascular MRI should find this book to be a valuable educational resource. In particular, it is more tutorial in nature than most of the technical papers where the research was originally published. Practitioners and researchers working in the field of cardiovascular MRI will find the book to be filled with practical technical details and references to other work, enabling the implementation of existing methods and serving as a basis for further research in the area.

Handbook of Endovascular Interventions presents a step-wise approach to the techniques of peripheral vascular interventions. Covering interventions in all major organ systems, this concise and comprehensive resource provides the rationale on why these approaches have been adopted by most practicing vascular interventionalists. This volume also presents key information on intervention techniques and pitfalls, complications and their management, surgical management options, as well as landmark papers on the topic. Unique to this book is the inclusion of sections building an endovascular suite, and coding as well as international training paradigms across the globe.Authored by international experts from around the globe, Handbook of Endovascular Interventions is a true how-to book for the busy interventionalist.

This volume contains selected papers presented at the Sendai International Sympo­ sium on Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Regulation held from May 10-12, 1995, to honor the contributions ofProfessorNorio Taira, Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology (1972-1995), Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. The Department of Pharmacology at Sendai has a long tradition of significant contribution to the development of drug therapy for cardiovascular diseases. The late Professor Koroku Hashimoto, the predecessor of Professor Norio Taira, first suggested the mode of action of calcium antagonists and their potential usefulness in therapy of ischemic heart disease and hypertension at an early stage of their development. The need for greater understanding of the pathophysiology of cardiovascular dis­ eases is more critical now than ever before because modern advances in basic and clinical sciences have prolonged the average life expectancy. Using a wide range of molecular and electrophysiological techniques, major advances are occurring frequently in the field of cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology. Such multifaceted approaches are preferred because human cardiovascular diseases are complex, requiring multiple interventions and an in-depth understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the disease. The first section of this book focuses on molecular mechanisms of ion channel regulation. Eight of ten chapters in this section are devoted to the recent advances in molecular characterization and regulation of various types of potassium channels in cardiac, vascular, and neuronal tissues. A discussion of the structure and function of sodium and calcium channels is also included.

Recent advances have revolutionized diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in pediatric cardiology. Powerful new diagnostic techniques include color Doppler echocardiography, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Catheter-directed treatment of cardiac lesions with balloons and stents has become the treatment of choice, and cardiac arrhythmias in infancy and childhood are treated with radio-frequency ablation. To provide an update on these and other recent developments, the First Asian-Pacific Symposium on Pediatric Cardiology was held in Taipei in November 1994, attended by pediatricians, cardiologists, and surgeons, many of them of world renown. This book, a collection of the papers presented at the symposium, will contribute to improved recognition, understanding, and treatment of many important congenital and acquired heart problems in children. It will be of special interest to pathologists, pediatricians, cardiologists, and surgeons whose work involves care of infants and children with heart disease.

This book is the outcome of a cardiologist switching to clinical pharma­ cology in mid-career and may be seen as representing the interface between the two disciplines. In this second edition I have not tried to be encyclopaedic, but have asked the contributors to give a brief account of current practice, so that it represents the present state of cardiac thera­ peutics. Although some contributors are from Bart's, I have tried to spread my net widely and produce a general view from the English speaking world. I hope this will be enough to draw the teeth of my colleagues who will react at once to say that'this is not what we do at Bart's.'Some chapters, mostly the early ones, are drug orientated and describe the use and properties of individual groups of drugs. Other later chapters are disease orientated and describe the use of various groups of drugs in different conditions, such as angina or hypertension. This necessarily leads to some overlap, but I have not tried to produce a uniformity of view, but have been content with Chairman Mao'to let a hundred flowers bloom'. I am grateful to my cardiological colleague, Professor A. John Camm for his help and advice on current cardiological practice. To improve the flow of the text I have limited the references to key publications, rather than trying to quote all the papers published on each topic.

Presently, and in the past, the predominant investigative emphasis among research workers in arteriosclerosis has been on plasma and arterial lipids. Recent data from a number of laboratories suggest that arterial mesenchyme is of considerable importance in the pathogenesis and fate of arteriosclerotic lesions. The significance of some of these observations made it clear that there was need for intensified research on the connective tissue components of the arteriosclerotic lesion and that arteriosclerosis research workers could benefit from a more comprehensive view of the subject. Because of their experience in the field of arteriosclerosis and their interest in stimulating new directions for research on the lesion, the Committee on Coronary Artery Lesions and Myocardial Infarctions of the Council on Arteriosclerosis, American Heart Association, planned an International Workshop on Arterial Mesenchyme and Arteriosclerosis. The Workshop brought together scientists expert in connective tissue research and research on arteriosclerosis who presented the current status of knowledge in their areas of expertise. The Workshop was held April 2-3, 1973 at the Royal Orleans Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana and was attended by more than 170 people. The twenty papers and discussions presented in this volume summarize the proceedings of the Workshop and represent a comprehensive review of the role of arterial mesenchyme in arteriosclerosis.

The discovery of biological activity associated with flavonoid contaminants in vitamin C preparations from bell peppers and lemons by Szent-Gyorgyi and his associates opened a floodgate of research into the biological functions of this ubiquitous and diverse group of compounds. Since then, a broad range of physiological and biochemical activities were discovered in living systems including most plants and animals. With the continued discovery, isolation and identification of new natural and synthetic compounds exhibiting biological activities, entire research programs are devoted to wide ranging investigations to nearly every conceivable area, from microbial and plant interaction, growth regulation and development to physiological, genetical, medicinal actions and uses in animals. This volume is based on presentations made at a Symposium, titled Flavonoids in Cell Function, held during the 219'h National Meeting of the American Chemical Society held in San Francisco, California on March 29-30, 2000. The book is not intended to be a comprehensive treatise on flavonoid research, only a sampling of recent results. The papers cover a range of topics discussing various approaches to flavonoid study, starting at plant­ microbe communication through analytical methods to medicinal and systemic implications of these compounds in animal cells and systems. The organizers would like to express their thanks to Cargill Foods, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota and the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry of the American Chemical Society for financial support. A great deal of thanks is also due to the authors without whose cooperation and patience this volume would not be realized.

This monograph was developed from a collection of papers that were origi­ nally presented at a symposium entitled'Pathogenesis of Hypertension'held at the Henry Chauncy Conference Center, Princeton. New Jersey. These manuscripts were subsequently revised, updated, and reorganized in a manner suitable for this publication. The symposium was planned to stimu­ late interest among investigators and clinicians alike in the potential for a new class of drugs called converting enzyme inhibitors in clinical medicine. The meeting was sponsored by the Squibb Institute for Medical Research, whose pioneering biochemical and pharmaceutical research had led to the development of the first orally active converting enzyme inhibitor. It is hoped that this monograph will cohesively pull together the thesis that the identification, quantification, and containment of the renin factor in hypertension can be a powerful diagnostic and therapeutic strategy in clinical medicine. In addition, the sequence of studies presented in this manuscript will serve to demonstrate how basic biochemical and physio­ logical research produces fundamental and critical information on which subsequent major advances in clinical pharmacology and medicine can be based.

This Symposium is the third of a series of scientific meetings in the field of echocardiology, held at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. • The series was initiated by Klaas Born, who organized the first two meetings with great success. These followed the procedure of two days of parallel sessions with invited speakers only. This time, we decided to broaden the basis of the meeting and have a three-day program of parallel sessions, combining invited papers, free com­ munications and posters. We decided, however, to maintain one of the most striking features of the last meeting- having the complete proceedings available at the time of the meeting. We confronted the authors-to-be with a very tight schedule in order to make the book a true reflection of the state of the art in echocardiology. As a'result, editing time was also very limited and neither terminology nor units have been completely standardized. This book has three main parts. The first, and largest, part consists of contributions on echocardiology in adults, and is divided into four sections. The first section is a general survey of various applications, whereas the remaining three centre round specific applications, i.e. ischemic disease, left ventricular function and cardiac valves, respectively. The second part con­ tains applications in pediatric cardiology; due to the wide variety of topics covered, no particular subdivision has been made. The last part of the book is devoted to instrumentation, methods and new developments.

A lot of time has been spent trying to convince health care providers and policy makers of the enormous importance of macrovascular disease in persons with type 2 diabetes. In this volume, we present facts that dem­ onstrate how important it is to recognize macrovascular disease in these patients in daily practice. This volume has been compiled to help those already involved in dia­ betes care, to be more involved in cardiovascular risk control, a task that is not easily achieved. The area of cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes is heterogeneous. Trying to characterize it, we can only say: certainly we know more than we do, but for sure we do less than we could. Our challenge is to change this. Nicolae Htmcu Professor N. Hancu was born in Romania in 1940. He studied medicine at the Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, and obtained his speciality in internal medicine in 1970, and in diabetes, nutrition and metabolic disease in 1986. He was appointed Professor and Head of the Department of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases of the same university in 1993. He has been a full member of the Romanian Academy of Medical Sciences since 1995. Professor Hancu's major interest is related to clinical lipidology, visceral obesity, and cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes. He has published over 200 papers and 14 books in this area. He has been invited as Visiting Professor at many universities in Madrid, Valladolid, Barcelona, and Los Angeles.

Because stroke is essentially a disease of the vessels and blood flow, the most fundamental aspects of ischemic blood flow in the brain are under investigation by researchers. Their work was the focus of the sixth in the series of Keio University International Symposia for Life Sciences and Medicine, held in Tokyo in 1999. Selected here are 55 papers from the symposium, covering the buffy coat (glycocalyx) of endothelial cells, the blood-brain barrier and permeability, gene expression, vascular reactivity, dysregulation, inflammatory deterioration, cortical spreading depression, edema, microvascular derangement, and pathology, in ten major sections. The book includes the thought-provoking discussions that followed the presentations, thus providing an invaluable source of up-to-date information not only for researchers investigating microcirculation but also for clinicians implementing the most effective treatment for stroke patients.

Attention to reducing the major risk factors Contemporary coronary care involves a associated with the development of arterio­ multitude of measures: efforts to prevent the sclerosis has been widespread and appears to acute event; thrombolytic therapy to abort have lowered the incidence of coronary artery infarction; pharmacological measures to delay disease. Nevertheless, acute myocardial and reduce ischemic cell death; monitoring of infarction and related ischemic syndromes the hemodynamic consequences of myocardial represent the most common causes of death as infarction; treatment of acute pump failure; use well as one of the principal reasons for of modern electrical devices as well as a large hospitalization in the industrialized world. In number of new drugs to prevent and treat light of this, care of the patient with acute cardiac arrhythmias; and finally, identification coronary disease remains a major medical prior to hospital discharge of patients who are at challenge. high risk for recurrent infarction or sudden The approach to managing patients with death and the choice of the appropriate acute myocardial infarction can be said to have management approach. evolved through three major phases. For the This fine book provides comprehensive first half-century after Herrick's landmark descriptions of these various aspects of paper describing this condition was published in contemporary coronary care. It is accurate, 1912, management consisted primarily of thorough, and easily readable.

In the era of instant global communication, medicine is an international discipline characterized by a wide range of patient referral systems, world-wide discussion of clinical and research findings, and an explosion in the medical literature. Perhaps no field has progressed more than cardiology in the past few years. Contemporary Concepts in Cardiology has been conceived as a supplement to the classic cardiology textbooks for the use of practicing physicians, cardiologists-in-training, medical students, and research investigators. This volume focuses on associations between refinements in the understanding of disease and clinical applications. The material is presented in a way that limns the latest advances and focuses thinking towards future developments in cardiology. The Editors have assembled a respected international panel of contributors so that each chapter is authored by a well-known specialist in his or her field. Every attempt was made to avoid the fragmentation which often characterizes the digest approach. Because the constant flow of information makes it nearly impossible to construct a timely book on advances in cardiology, the chapters in this volume describe the current concepts in cardiology and their underlying rationale, rather than attempting a comprehensive review of the most recent papers in each discipline.

This book is timely and challenging. Within its pages are commentaries and opinions on the scientific background and explanatory ideas for a complex of symptoms and investigations known as syndrome X. The commonest cause by far of angina pectoris is coronary artery obstruction due to atheromatous lesions both within the wall of the artery and intruding into the lumen; in such patients it is expected that there maybe ST segment depression on atrial pacing or on an exercise test indicating myocardial ischemia. Syndrome X was a term first used in an editorial written by Kemp in 1973. He was referring to patients in group X in a paper from Arbogast and Bourassa. Patients in group X had three features, namely angina as judged on a clinical history, alterations of the ST segment on the electrocardiogram during atrial pacing and smooth unobstructed coronary arteries (presumed normal) as assessed by the technique of coronary angiography. The changes on the electrocardiogram, conventionally indicative of myocardial ischemia, could not be explained on the basis of any abnormality of the coronary arteries and Kemp named the complex of fmdings syndrome X because of this seeming paradox and the lack of a single explanation. In the last thirty-one years there has been substantial scientific interest in this syndrome giving rise to a large number of publications. The name syndrome X has led to considerable confusion. Physicians are familiar with the X chromosome and with X linked congenital disorders.

Principles of Research Methodology: A Guide for Clinical Investigators is the definitive, comprehensive guide to understanding and performing clinical research. Designed for medical students, physicians, basic scientists involved in translational research, and other health professionals, this indispensable reference also addresses the unique challenges and demands of clinical research and offers clear guidance in becoming a more successful member of a medical research team and critical reader of the medical research literature. The book covers the entire research process, beginning with the conception of the research problem to publication of findings. Principles of Research Methodology: A Guide for Clinical Investigators comprehensively and concisely presents concepts in a manner that is relevant and engaging to read. The text combines theory and practical application to familiarize the reader with the logic of research design and hypothesis construction, the importance of research planning, the ethical basis of human subjects research, the basics of writing a clinical research protocol and scientific paper, the logic and techniques of data generation and management, and the fundamentals and implications of various sampling techniques and alternative statistical methodologies. Organized in thirteen easy to read chapters, the text emphasizes the importance of clearly-defined research questions and well-constructed hypothesis (reinforced throughout the various chapters) for informing methods and in guiding data interpretation. Written by prominent medical scientists and methodologists who have extensive personal experience in biomedical investigation and in teaching key aspects of research methodology to medical students, physicians and other health professionals, the authors expertly integrate theory with examples and employ language that is clear and useful for a general medical audience. A major contribution to the methodology literature, Principles of Research Methodology: A Guide for Clinical Investigators is an authoritative resource for all individuals who perform research, plan to perform it, or wish to understand it better.