Prion diseases recently have attracted interest not only scientifically but also socially because of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic and the outbreak of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in the United Kingdom. In 2004, the International Symposium of Prion Diseases for Food and Drug Safety was held October...

The Second Edition of this internationally acclaimed text expands its coverage of the molecular genetics of inherited human diseases with the latest research findings and discoveries. Using a unique, systems-based approach, the text offers readers a thorough explanation of the gene discovery process and how defective genes are linked to...

This is a comprehensive and novel text that examines key features that predispose individuals to autoimmune diseases. The first section details the basic mechanism of autoimmunity and examines immunogenetic and environmental factors in autoimmunity. The next section examines autoimmune thyroid disease. The third section takes a look at Type 1...

Within contemporary society, globalization has emerged as a key concern at the centre of ethical, legal and policy debates relating to health care. Conflicts between public interests and individual rights, the challenge of regulating health professionals and access to health services, and the effects of a global market all feature prominently...

Cardiac surgery is performed on hundreds of thousands of patients a year, and can have an important beneficial impact on the outcomes of patients with coronary and valvular heart diseases. Despite the favorable recovery of most patients, some will have their post-operative period interrupted by the development of atrial fibrillation, with a...