If you wish to grow or characterize embryonic stem cells or persuade them to differentiate into a particular cell type, then this book contains information that is vital to your success. The aim is to provide clear simple instructions and protocols for growing, maintaining and characterizing embryonic stem cells and details of the various methods used to make stem cells differentiate into specific cell types.The contents will be of interest to stem cell biologists, tissue engineers and scientists wishing to use embryonic stem cells for therapeutic purposes. Each chapter has been written and edited by internationally respected scientists working at the cutting edge of technological developments in human embryonic stem cells.

Despite the significant decline in heart disease mortaht>' rates over the last 25 years, heart failure has remained a significant problem. We are now confronted with large numbers of terminally ill patients for whom conventional therapies for heart failure have been exhausted and for whom repeated hospital visits are necessary. There now is a major thrust towards a management strategy which embraces a comprehensive approach including vigorous preventive measures and earlier surgical interventions. This book outlines the major surgical options for the treatment of heart failure and brings together a very broad base of opinions with contributions from several outstanding individuals. With the improved knowledge and techniques to control rejection, transplantation has become the central pillar in the surgical management of this group of patients. Unfortunately, because of limited donor supply the teclmique cannot be applied to large numbers of patients. A great deal of excitement, however, exists in the potential for xenotransplantation as a supplement to homotransplantation. The use of cardiac assist devices has become a reality with several hundred LVADS and BiVADS implanted throughout the world and cardiac replacement with total artificial hearts continues to be used successfully as a bridge to transplantation. We are on the thieshold of the broad application of assist devices to provide prolonged relief of heart failure and restore patients to an ambulatoiy home environment and hopefully return to the work force in significant numbers.

Despite the significant decline in heart disease mortaht>' rates over the last 25 years, heart failure has remained a significant problem. We are now confronted with large numbers of terminally ill patients for whom conventional therapies for heart failure have been exhausted and for whom repeated hospital visits are necessary. There now is a major thrust towards a management strategy which embraces a comprehensive approach including vigorous preventive measures and earlier surgical interventions. This book outlines the major surgical options for the treatment of heart failure and brings together a very broad base of opinions with contributions from several outstanding individuals. With the improved knowledge and techniques to control rejection, transplantation has become the central pillar in the surgical management of this group of patients. Unfortunately, because of limited donor supply the teclmique cannot be applied to large numbers of patients. A great deal of excitement, however, exists in the potential for xenotransplantation as a supplement to homotransplantation. The use of cardiac assist devices has become a reality with several hundred LVADS and BiVADS implanted throughout the world and cardiac replacement with total artificial hearts continues to be used successfully as a bridge to transplantation. We are on the thieshold of the broad application of assist devices to provide prolonged relief of heart failure and restore patients to an ambulatoiy home environment and hopefully return to the work force in significant numbers.

Noninvasive Diagnostic Techniques in Ophthalmology explores the special noninvasive tools developed to function as diagnostic indicators and to further our understanding of ocular function. The volume's focus is on new development in instrumentation and techniques for studying the cornea, lens, retina, vitreous, and aqueous dynamics; whereby special attention is given to how each technique has improved our understanding of basic processes and diagnostic capability. Theoretical aspects, possible sources of error, current problems and limitations, safety evaluation, and future applications and directions are considered. Topics examined include ophthalmic image processing; magnetic resonance imaging of the eye and orbit; diagnostic ocular ultrasound; corneal topography; holographic contour analysis of the cornea; wide field and color specular microscopy; use of the Fourier transform method for statistical evaluation of corneal endothelial morphology; confocal microscopy; in vivo corneal redox fluorometry; evaluation of cataract function with the Scheimp-flug camera; fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy of the crystallin lens; in vivo uses of quasi-elastic light scattering; fundus reflectometry; and clinical visual psychophysics measurements. The book offers discussions of fractal analysis of human retinal blood vessel patterns, scanning laser tomography of the living human eye, fundus imaging and diagnostic screening for public health, and digital image processing for ophthalmology, as well as a detailed appendix comprising additional topics and sources.

If you wish to grow or characterize embryonic stem cells or persuade them to differentiate into a particular cell type, then this book contains information that is vital to your success. The aim is to provide clear simple instructions and protocols for growing, maintaining and characterizing embryonic stem cells and details of the various methods used to make stem cells differentiate into specific cell types. The contents will be of interest to stem cell biologists, tissue engineers and scientists wishing to use embryonic stem cells for therapeutic purposes. Each chapter has been written and edited by internationally respected scientists working at the cutting edge of technological developments in human embryonic stem cells.

One of the most respected translations of this key work of 18th-century philosophy, this text includes a brief introduction to the two works as well as abundant notes that range from simple explanations to speculative interpretations.

The Handbook of Biomedical Nonlinear Optical Microscopies provides comprehensive treatment of the theories, techniques, and biomedical applications of nonlinear optics and microscopy for cell biologists, life scientists, biomedical engineers, and clinicians. The chapters are separated into basic and advanced sections, and provide both textual and graphical illustrations of all key concepts. The more basic sections are aimed at life scientists without advanced training in physics and mathematics, and tutorials are provided for the more challenging sections. The first part of the Handbook introduces the historical context of nonlinear microscopy. The second part presents the nonlinear optical theory of two- and multiphoton excited fluorescence (TPE, MPE) spectroscopy, second and third harmonic generation (SHG, THG) spectroscopy, and coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS). The third part introduces modern microscopic and spectroscopic instrumentation and techniques that are based on nonlinear optics. The fourth part provides key applications of nonlinear microscopy to the biomedical area: neurobiology, immunology, tumor biology, developmental biology, dermatology, and cellular metabolism. There are also chapters on nonlinear molecular probes, cellular damage, and nanoprocessing.