Mechanisms of Angiogenesis
Is it advisable to go back from bedside to the bench? During the last decade, few topics encountered such a broad interest in bio- gy and medicine as angiogenesis. The amazing ability of the body to restore blood flow by induction of blood vessel growth as part of an adaptive process has alarmed physicians dealing with diseases in which angiogenesis is either exaggerated (as in tumors) or too slow (as in ischemic diseases of heart and brain). Not surprisingly, pro- and antiangiogenic strategies have found their way into clinical trials. For instance, for the USA, the NIH website in early 2004 displayed 38 clinical studies involving either pro- or antiangiogenic th- apies. Given the expected overwhelming wealth of clinical data, the question may be asked whether further exploration of biological mechanisms is required or whether results from the bedside are instructive enough to proceed. This question depends also on the progress of pro- and antiangiogenic clinical trials. In the following, I give a short overview about some of the progress that has been made in this field. Since Judah Folkman proposed antiangiogenic tumor therapy thirty years ago, it has become increasingly evident that agents which interfere with blood vessel formation also block tumor progression. Accordingly, antiangiogenic therapy has gained much attention as a potential adjunct to conventional c- cer therapy.
Mechanics of Biological Tissue
The mechanics of biological tissues is a multidisciplinary and rapidly expanding area of research. This book highlights some important research directions that combine mechanical sciences with exciting new developments in biology. This collection of papers should be of interest to theoretical, computational and experimental researchers and doctoral students in the area of biomechanics and in related areas of engineering, biology and medicine.
Hypoxia and Exercise
The 14th volume in the series will focus on cutting edge research at the interface of hypoxia and exercise. The work will cover the range from molecular mechanisms of muscle fatigue and muscle wasting to whole body exercise on the world’s highest mountains. State of the art papers on training at high altitude for low altitude athletic performance will also be featured.
Heart block
Cardiac muscle (also called heart muscle or myocardium) is one of three types of vertebrate muscle tissue, with the other two being skeletal muscle and smooth muscle. It is involuntary, striated muscle that constitutes the main tissue of the wall of the heart. The cardiac muscle (myocardium) forms a thick middle layer between the outer layer of the heart wall (the pericardium) and the inner layer (the endocardium), with blood supplied via the coronary circulation. It is composed of individual cardiac muscle cells joined together by intercalated discs, and encased by collagen fibers and other substances that form the extracellular matrix.
Lung biology and pathophysiology
The lungs are the organ for gas exchange between the body and the external environment. Dysfunction of upper airway epithelium and smooth muscle cells leads to pathogenesis of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, and other conditions, resulting in airway inflammation and narrowing. Injury to alveolar epithelium and endothelium causes influx of neutrophil and protein-rich fluid from circulation, resulting in edema and disruption of gas exchange. In addition to lung structural cells, immune cells, including alveolar macrophages and lymphocytes play critical roles in the maintenance of lung function. This book contributes to the understanding homeostasis of lung cells in the physiological and pathological conditions critical to the development of novel therapeutics.
Katzung & Trevor's pharmacology : Examination & board review
Excellent Q & A and rationales for course exams and USMLE Step 1. With 1,000+ board-style questions/answers and fully up-to-date content, this is the most popular review in pharmacology. Organized to reflect the syllabi in pharmacology courses, Katzung & Trevor's Pharmacology Exam and Board Review covers all current drugs and retrovirals, immunologic agents, and chemotherapies. Each chapter begins with 20 pages of informative text, followed by questions and answers, and includes concise discussions of the concepts underlying basic principles or specific drug groups. Edited by the world leading figures in pharmacology and medicine, this high-yield text focuses on basic principles, autonomic drugs, cardiovascular-renal drugs, and drugs with actions on smooth muscle, central nervous system drugs, and drugs used to treat chemotherapeutic drugs, and toxicology.
Adrenomedullin in Cardiovascular Disease
Adrenomedullin in Cardiovascular Disease is an up-to-date review of the most relevant aspects of adrenomedullin. It encompasses a broad range of fields including biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease and clinical applications of adrenomedullin to cardiovascular disease.






