Revascularization of the heart is the prime objective following a myocardial infarction as the morbidity inflicted severely impacts the patient's lifestyle and working capabilities. The use of stem cell transplantation is one route that is receiving considerable funding from government and private sources. This book examines the various methods ava

Medical research made huge strides in treating heart disease in the 20th century, from drug-eluding stents to automatic internal defibrillators. Public awareness of the dangers of heart disease has never been more pervasive. Now, though, ten years into a new millennium, scientists are gearing up for the next great challenges in tackling this pervasive condition. Cell therapy is going to be a key weapon in the fight against heart disease. It has the potential to address many cardiovascular conditions. From heart failure to atrioventricular nodal dysfunction, the young but promising field of cell therapy is set to play a significant role in developing the cures that the upcoming decades of hard work will yield. Regenerating the Heart: Stem Cells and the Cardiovascular System organizes the field into a digestible body of knowledge. Its four sections cover mechanical regeneration, electrical regeneration, cardiac tissues and in vivo stem cell therapies. An array of talented researchers share the fruits of their labors, with chapters covering such crucial issues as the cardiogenic potential of varying stem cell types, the ways in which they might be used to tackle arrhythmias, their possible application to biological replacements for cardiac tissues such as valves, and the varying approaches used in the in vivo evaluation of stem cell therapies, including methods of delivering stem cells to the myocardium. This comprehensive survey of an area of research with such exciting potential is an invaluable resource both for veteran stem cell researchers who need to monitor fresh developments, and for newly minted investigators seeking inspirational examples.

Applications of Nanocomposite in Drug Delivery discusses and explores the applications of nanocomposites in the area of drug delivery. Starting with a scientific understanding of drug delivery fundamentals, the book explores the utility of nanocomposites in the area of controlled, transdermal, osteo-articular tuberculosis and stimulus sensitive drug delivery applications. The book intricately details and discusses a variety of methods for their preparation, while also highlighting specific applications of nanocomposites in targeted drug delivery. - Discusses nanocomposite and nanotechnology for drug delivery - Outlines the mechanisms involved in targeted drug delivery using nanocomposites - Includes synthesis methods for nanocomposites used in controlled drug delivery - Lists various applications of nanocomposites in drug delivery

The Frontiers in Cardiovascular Health varies between and within nations, depend ing upon the level at which the battle is fought for better cardiovascular health. According to the 1997 World Health Report, 15 million deaths (i. e. 30% of the total number of deaths) were attributable to cardiovascular diseases and this number is on the rise. The projection for the year 2020 is quite alarming with an expected cardiovascular mortality reaching 50 million. Much of this burden is projected to occur in developing countries, more specifically in the most populous countries of the world, namely China and India. These countries are already burdened with infectious and parasitic diseases and are trying to eradicate such diseases. With increasing life expectancies people all over the world, especially in developing coun tries, are exposed to degenerative atherosclerosis resulting in increased cardiovascu lar mortality and morbidity. In developing countries, resources available for health care are very limited. For example many of the African countries spend less than $10 per person per year on his/her entire health care let alone cardiovascular health. The average health care budget for nearly two thirds of the global population is well below $100 per year, on a per capita basis. Therefore, in developing countries health promotion and primary prevention are the frontiers by necessity. Improving awareness and health education is not only a matter of choice but is an absolute necessity.

If you have been told that you must take statins or risk a devastating heart attack or stroke, you need to read this book. Dr Kendrick, a well-known statin sceptic and author of the bestselling The Great Cholesterol Con, has returned to the diet-heart-cholesterol battlefield to warn that people are being conned. In relaxed and humorous style, he lifts the rock to allow the reader to peer underneath. He points out that statins, even in high-risk individuals, increase life expectancy by a mere four days after five years of treatment. Yet adverse effects have been swept under the carpet by researchers who are closely tied to the industry. The way to avoid heart disease, and strokes, is simple - but, as this riveting book shows, it has nothing to do with lowering cholesterol levels.

Stem cell research is one of the leading “cutting edge” areas of life science research in the world today and is a topic of significant interest to a broad range of the medical and scientific community. This authoritative book provides reviews by the field's leading scientists and covers many of the areas in which stem cells are becoming increasingly important, such as in organ repair and regeneration. Stem cells offer the possibility of cell therapy issues to treat a myriad of diseases, conditions, and disabilities including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, heart disease, and diabetes.

Cardiac Regeneration and Repair, Volume One reviews the pathology of cardiac injury and the latest advances in cell therapy. Chapters in part one explore the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure, the mechanisms responsible for adverse cardiac matrix remodeling, and potential interventions to restore ventricular function. Part two highlights new approaches to cell therapy for cardiac regeneration, and includes chapters covering alternative routes of cell delivery, monitoring cell engraftment, and the feasibility of using allogeneic stem cells to restore cardiac function. Chapters in part three move on to highlight novel stem cells for cardiac repair, including human embryonic stem cells and human pluripotent stem cells, and detail their current status and future potential for cardiac therapy. Finally, part four explores gene therapy, and includes ultrasound-targeted or direct gene delivery as well as cell-based gene therapy for cardiac regeneration. Cardiac Regeneration and Repair, Volume One is complemented by a second volume covering biomaterials and tissue engineering. Together, the two volumes of Cardiac Regeneration and Repair provide a comprehensive resource for clinicians, scientists, or academicians fascinated with cardiac regeneration, including those interested in cell therapy, tissue engineering, or biomaterials. - Explores the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure, the mechanisms responsible for adverse cardiac matrix remodeling, and potential interventions to restore ventricular function - Highlights new approaches to cell therapy for cardiac regeneration and includes chapters covering alternative routes of cell delivery, monitoring cell engraftment, and the feasibility of using allogeneic stem cells to restore cardiac function - Explores gene therapy and includes ultrasound-targeted or direct gene delivery as well as cell-based gene therapy for cardiac regeneration

This hugely important volume presents in a single text many novel aspects of stem cell biology with respect to scientific endeavors and future applications. During the past few years, stem cell research has metamorphosed into distinct and specialized avenues of research. What makes this book unique is that it not only covers these varied areas of research, but examines in detail some of the key pharmacological issues that up to now have not been addressed in a single volume.

In excess of 7 million people worldwide die of coronary heart disease each year. Only one-third of these heart attack victims recover completely. The remainder suffer the consequences of myocardial infarction and its ill fated remodeling process, resulting in chronic congestive heart failure. This malady alone is the leading cause of hospital admissions in the United States. New breakthroughs in stem cell therapy and tissue engineering have promised to reverse this dismal outcome by cardiovascular repair. World authorities, including scientists and regulatory authorities, have joined in a collaborative effort to present for the reader the first collective review of stem cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. These contributions in basic science, pre-clinical and clinical experience guided by the regulatory pathways, assure a rapid course of translational research and clinical trials. The contents of this publication will become a prerequisite for those preparing to meet the challenges of this exciting and potentially rewarding field of stem cell research.