Beads made from Egyptian faience have been excavated from grave deposits (c. 4000-3100 BC), together with beads of glazed steatite (a soft rock) and of se- precious stones such as turquoise, carnelian, quartz, and lapis lazuli. Information on these and many more ancient beads used for ornaments and jewelry, ritual ceremonies, as art artifacts and gifts for amorous women throughout history, and descriptions of the raw materials (e. g. , glass, bone, precious and other stones) and manufacturing technologies used for their production can be located in many references. Many books are devoted to the description of beads that are not of water-soluble polymer origin, techniques for their production, their art, value, and distribution, re?ecting the wealth of information existing in this ?eld of science and art. On the other hand, there are no books fully devoted to the fascinating topic of hydrocolloid (polymeric) beads and their unique applications. A few books c- tain scattered chapters and details on such topics, while emphasizing the possibility of locating fragments of information elsewhere; however, again, there is no book that is solely devoted to hydrocolloid beads and their versatile applications. In the meantime, the use of water-soluble hydrocolloid beads is on the rise in many ?elds, making a book that covers both past and novel applications of such beads, as well as their properties and ways in which to manipulate them, crucial.

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the technological applications of these fascinating materials. It introduces sources, structures, properties, and food uses, and describes gums in non-food areas, their applications and their multi-disciplinary contribution to these fields, as well as examples of their uses.

The prevalence of autoimmune diseases and rheumatic conditions is constantly increasing. Autoimmune diseases affect approximately 7-10% of the population of the United States, while more than 50,000,000 American adults suffer from some type of arthritis. The Heart in Rheumatic, Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases examines the complex mechanisms relating to cardiac diseases from a pathophysiological and clinical point of view. Autoimmune rheumatic diseases can affect the coronary vessels, myocardium, pericardium, heart valves and the conduction system. The diagnosis of these unique cardiac complications necessitates medical awareness and a high index of suspicion. Increased risk of advanced atherosclerosis plays a pivotal role in the development of cardiac diseases in systemic, rheumatic and autoimmune illnesses. Yet, other complex immune medicated mechanisms may contribute to the pathogenesis. Patients' optimal care requires coordination between the primary caregiver, the rheumatologist, immunologist and cardiologist. Screening for cardiovascular risk factors, recognition of high-risk patients and identification of subclinical cardiac conditions are of great importance. Moreover, regulation of inflammation, as well as abnormal immune responses and the initiation of early treatments should be the focus of patient management. A continuous attempt to identify novel therapeutic targets and change the natural history of the underlying disease and its cardiac manifestations is in progress. The book aims at providing the readers with a state of the art collection of up to date information regarding clinically important topics based on experts' perspectives. This book was a result of an extended coordinated collaboration of one-hundred and fifty-four distinguished scientists from thirty-one countries around the globe.

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the technological applications of these fascinating materials. It introduces sources, structures, properties, and food uses, and describes gums in non-food areas, their applications and their multi-disciplinary contribution to these fields, as well as examples of their uses.

Hydrocolloids are among the most commonly used ingredients in the food industry. They function as thickeners, gelling agents, texturizers, stabilizers, and emulsifiers, and have applications in the areas of edible coatings and flavor release. This book More Cooking Innovations: Novel Hydrocolloids for Special Dishes completes the very demanding task begun with our previous book: "Cooking Innovations, Using Hydrocolloids for Thickening, Gelling and Emulsification" of covering all hydrocolloids that are or will be very useful and important in the kitchen. Together, these books provide a complete picture of hydrocolloid use in foods, both in the kitchen and for food technologists and academics. The book includes several very important hydrocolloids, among them: chitin and chitosan, gum karaya, gum tragacanth, and milk proteins. Additional chapters comprise unique hydrocolloids which, in our opinion, will not only be used in future cooking (by both amateur cooks and professional chefs), but can pave the way to new and fascinating recipes and cooking techniques. The book also discusses novel hydrocolloids-the "where, why, and when" as well as future ideas for hydrocolloid processing and cooking. This book therefore describes more cooking innovations, and completes the list of hydrocolloids that are now, or will be used in kitchens and cooking for years to come.

To the layman, adhesion is a simple matter of how well two different materials stick together, and adhesion measurements provide some indication of the force required to separate them. However, a more detailed look at adhesion shows that it is a very important feature of food throughout its manufacturing, packaging and storage. Chapters are fully devoted to the fascinating topic of adhesion in foods. Key features of the book include, but are not limited to: definition and nomenclature of adhesion; adhesion mechanisms and measurements; stickiness in various foods and its relation to technological processes; perception of stickiness; hydrocolloids as adhesive agents for foods; adhesion phenomena in coated, battered, breaded and fried foods; electrostatic adhesion in foods; multilayered adhered food products, and adhesion of substances to packaging and cookware. Adhesion in Foods: Fundamental Principles and Applications is dedicated not only to the academic community but also to the broader population of industrialists and experimentalists who will find it to be not only a source of knowledge, but also a launching pad for novel ideas and inventions. In particular, this book is expected to be of interest to personnel involved in food formulation, food scientists, food technologists, industrial chemists and engineers, and those working in product development.

Beads made from Egyptian faience have been excavated from grave deposits (c. 4000-3100 BC), together with beads of glazed steatite (a soft rock) and of se- precious stones such as turquoise, carnelian, quartz, and lapis lazuli. Information on these and many more ancient beads used for ornaments and jewelry, ritual ceremonies, as art artifacts and gifts for amorous women throughout history, and descriptions of the raw materials (e. g. , glass, bone, precious and other stones) and manufacturing technologies used for their production can be located in many references. Many books are devoted to the description of beads that are not of water-soluble polymer origin, techniques for their production, their art, value, and distribution, re?ecting the wealth of information existing in this ?eld of science and art. On the other hand, there are no books fully devoted to the fascinating topic of hydrocolloid (polymeric) beads and their unique applications. A few books c- tain scattered chapters and details on such topics, while emphasizing the possibility of locating fragments of information elsewhere; however, again, there is no book that is solely devoted to hydrocolloid beads and their versatile applications. In the meantime, the use of water-soluble hydrocolloid beads is on the rise in many ?elds, making a book that covers both past and novel applications of such beads, as well as their properties and ways in which to manipulate them, crucial.

The increasing pace of advances in cardiology throughout the last few decades has fundamentally altered the natural course of heart patients. In the last few years, available therapies have been revolutionized completely by new transcatheter therapeutic approaches, novel ventricular assist devices, and new drugs. Also, molecular biology and genetics have a rapidly growing impact on cardiovascular diseases, enabling the field of regenerative medicine to become increasingly closer to routine clinical implementation. Emerging Technologies for Heart Diseases was conceived to cover the recent extensive literature on current and novel therapeutic options for cardiac patients. The first volume is dedicated to heart failure and valvular disorders, and the second covers myocardial ischemia and arrhythmias. The clinical topic is addressed in several chapters divided according to the therapeutic approach (mechanical or electrical device-based, or cell and gene-based). Each of the 46 chapters focuses on clinically available solutions, new therapies currently under evaluation in clinical trials, promising preclinical technologies, and emerging concepts and innovations that have not yet been tested in a preclinical model. Also, the book discusses future challenges and opportunities for clinical implementation. Lessons learned from abandoned experimental practices are also covered, giving the readers the widest possible perspective of current therapeutic dilemmas. Overall, this textbook was designed for physicians who want to stay up-to-date with current therapies and those of the future, for biomedical companies, and for those who wish to broaden their knowledge of new cardiovascular therapeutic options.

The increasing pace of advances in cardiology throughout the last few decades has fundamentally altered the natural course of heart patients. In the last few years, available therapies have been revolutionized completely by new transcatheter therapeutic approaches, novel ventricular assist devices, and new drugs. Also, molecular biology and genetics have a rapidly growing impact on cardiovascular diseases, enabling the field of regenerative medicine to become increasingly closer to routine clinical implementation. Emerging Technologies for Heart Diseases was conceived to cover the recent extensive literature on current and novel therapeutic options for cardiac patients. The first volume is dedicated to heart failure and valvular disorders, and the second covers myocardial ischemia and arrhythmias. The clinical topic is addressed in several chapters divided according to the therapeutic approach (mechanical or electrical device-based, or cell and gene-based). Each of the 46 chapters focuses on clinically available solutions, new therapies currently under evaluation in clinical trials, promising preclinical technologies, and emerging concepts and innovations that have not yet been tested in a preclinical model. Also, the book discusses future challenges and opportunities for clinical implementation. Lessons learned from abandoned experimental practices are also covered, giving the readers the widest possible perspective of current therapeutic dilemmas. Overall, this textbook was designed for physicians who want to stay up-to-date with current therapies and those of the future, for biomedical companies, and for those who wish to broaden their knowledge of new cardiovascular therapeutic options.