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This paper summarizes the discussions held during the First IEEE Life Sciences Grand Challenges Conference, held on October 4–5, 2012, at the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, and the grand challenges identified by the conference participants. Despite tremendous efforts to develop the knowledge and ability that are essential in addressing biomedical and health problems using engineering methodologies, the optimization of this approach toward engineering the life sciences and healthcare remains a grand challenge. The conference was aimed at high-level discussions by participants representing various sectors, including academia, government, and industry. Grand challenges were identified by the conference participants in five areas including engineering the brain and nervous system; engineering the cardiovascular system; engineering of cancer diagnostics, therapeutics, and prevention; translation of discoveries to clinical applications; and education and training. A number of these challenges are identified and summarized in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article presents abstracts of papers presented at the 3rd European meeting on vascular biology and medicine. The aim of the study titled "Antibody Conjugated Near Infrared Dye Detects Focal Atherosclerotic Lesions in ApoE Deficient Mice," by M. Roser and colleagues, was to examine the expression of ED-B fibronectin in a murine model of moderate atherosclerosis to investigate its relevance for imaging of early atherosclerotic lesions. In order to better characterize the role of the B7/CD28 pathway in atherosclerosis, the study titled "Protective Role of B7 and CD28 Co-Stimulatory Molecules in the Development of Atherosclerosis," by S. Potteaux and colleagues, generated chimeric mice.

This article presents abstracts of papers presented at the 3rd European meeting on vascular biology and medicine. The study titled "Chronic Pentaerithrityl Tetranitrate (PETN) Treatment Does Not Induce Nitrate Tolerance And Cross-Tolerance in Wistar Rats: Antioxidative Side-Effects and Protection of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH-2) Activity as a Possible Explanation," by M. Coldewey and colleagues, tested whether lack of tolerance development upon chronic PETN treatment may be explained by the lack of oxidative stress induction and protection of mitochondrial ALDH-2. The study "Potent Novel Peroxynitrite Decomposition Catalyst FP15 Improves Endothelial Dysfunction Associated With Aging," by T. Radovits and colleagues, aging male rats were treated for 3 weeks with vehicle or FP15.

This article presents abstracts of papers presented at the 3rd European meeting on vascular biology and medicine. The study titled "Elevated Lipoprotein (a) Levels: A New Biological Marker of Venous Thromboembolic Risk," by F. Casals and colleagues, performed an observational study to characterize clinical and biological characteristics in a group of adult patients who presented with an episode of venous thromboembolism and very high levels of lipoprotein (a). The study "Cocultures of Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (SMC) and Mononuclear Cells Synergistically Produce Interleukin-6," by L. Chen and colleagues, investigated the interaction of human mononuclear cells (MNC) and SMC. MNC or SMC were cocultured in vitro in one well, in the absence or presence of endotoxin.

This article presents abstracts of papers presented at the 3rd European meeting on vascular biology and medicine. The study titled "Complement Factor B and sC5b-9 are Elevated in First-Degree Relatives of South Asian Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)," by R. Somani and colleagues, recruited 119 first-degree relatives of South Asian subjects with T2DM and 119 age and sex-matched South Asian controls. All subjects provided a full medical history, underwent a physical examination and provided a fasting blood sample for measurement of complement factors and standard biochemical risk factors. The study "Collateral Growth in Patients with Chronic Total Coronary Occlusions: Enhanced Proliferative Activity in the Collateral Circulation of Diabetics," by V. Tchaikovski and colleagues, investigated the total proliferative activity of serum from the collateral circulation and compared this with the proliferative activity in the systemic circulation in patients with chronic total coronary occlusions.

Highlights the CIRSE 2005, the annual meeting of and postgraduate course of the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe, set on September 10 to 14, 2005 in Nice, France. Special sessions on cardiac, stroke therapy, pediatric intervention, renovascular intervention, and biliary intervention; Abstracts of studies to be presented at the event, such as the mid-term results after endovascular stent grafting of descending aortic aneurysms in high-risk patients, and the long-term follow-up after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm using the Talent stent-graft.