Cardiomyopathies and Heart Failure Biomolecular, Infectious and Immune Mechanisms

This volume comprises the most up-to-date account of existing knowledge on the subject of cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Its multidisciplinary approach covers cardiovascular medicine; biochemistry; immunology; molecular biology; virology; epidemiology; and clinical medicine. Cardiomyopathies and Heart Failure: -Covers all major investigational and clinical aspects of the topic; -Provides syntheses as well as reviews; -Offers a unique multidisciplinary and international perspective; -Includes an extensive list of references to relevant work; -Targeted towards practicing physicians and basic researchers. TOC:Contributors.- Preface.- I: Introductory Chapter.- II: Cytokines in Cardiomyopathies and Heart Failure.- III: Autoimmunity in Cardiomyopathies and Heart Failure.- IV: Mast Cell Mediators and Human Diseases: Basic Aspects.- V: Mast Cell Mediators and Human Diseases Clinical Aspects.- VI: Viral Etiology of Cardiomyopathies and Heart Failure.- VII: Diagnosis and Treatment of Myocarditis.- VIII: Molecular and Genetic Analyses in Heart Disease.- IX: The Future in the Management of Cardiomyopathies and Heart Failure.- Index.

Cardiomyopathies and Heart Failure: Biomolecular, Infectious and Immune Mechanisms.- 1. Chemokines and Cardiovascular Diseases.- 2. Negative Regulator of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) Genes in Inflammation.- 3. The Interleukin-6 Family of Cytokines and their Receptors in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure.- 4. Animal Model of Cardiomyopathy Due to Overexpression of TNF-?.- 5. Myosin Autoreactive T Cells and Autoimmune Myocarditis: Lessons from the Disease Caused by Cardiac Myosin Peptide CM2.- 6. Autoimmunity in Cardiomyopathies.- 7. Anti-G-Protein Coupled Cardiac Receptor Autoantibodies In Dilated Cardiomyopathy.- 8. Clinical Significance of Circulating Cardiac Autoantibodies in Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Myocarditis.- 9. Development of Mast Cells: Process and Regulatory Mechanisms.- 10. Mast Cells in Experimental Myocardial Infarction.- 11. Possible Involvement of Mast Cells in the Development of Fibrosis.- 12. Human Mast Cell Chymase and 31 Amino Acid Endothelin-1.- 13. Tryptase From Human Mast Cells.- 14. Effects of the Tryptase Receptor Activating Peptide and Antibodies Against the Tryptase Receptor Par-2 On Neonatal Rat Cardiomyocytes in Culture.- 15. Role of Human Heart Mast Cells in Immunologic and Inflammatory Mechanisms Underlying Cardiovascular Disorders.- 16. Mast Cells in Atherosclerotic Human Coronary Arteries: Implications for Coronary Fatty Streak Formation and Plaque Erosion or Rupture.- 17. The Key Role of Mast Cells in the Evolution to Congestive Heart Failure.- 18. Links Between Viral Infections And Heart Disease.- 19. Molecular Detection and Characterization of Human Enteroviruses.- 20. Detection and Biological Implications of Genetic Memory in Viral Quasispecies.- 21. The Group B Coxsackieviruses as Vaccines and Vectors.- 22. Detection ofImportant Diagnostic Markers of HCV Infection.- 23. Large Animal Model of Viral Myocarditis.- 24. Hepatitis C Virus and Cardiomyopathy.- 25. Diagnosis and Treatment of Myocarditis: The Role of Adenovirus Infection in Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure.- 26. The Natural History of Viral Myocarditis: Pathogenetic Role of Adrenergic System Dysfunction in the Development of Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy.- 27. Clinical Diagnosis of Myocarditis.- 28. Recent Advances in Giant Cell Myocarditis.- 29. Registry of Myocarditis and Heart Failure.- 30. Molecular Etiology of Idiopathic Cardiomyopathy.- 31. Gene-Based Therapy of Long QT Syndrome.- 32. How Does Adenosine Mediate Cardioprotection?.- 33. Protection of Cell Injury by Thioredoxin.- 34. Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Angiogenesis.- 35. Transplanting Cells for the Treatment of Cardiomyopathy.- 36. Toward an Ideal Large Animal Model Of Dilated Cardiomyopathy to Study Left Ventricular Volume Reduction Surgery.- 37. Heart Transplantation: 35 Years of Progress.- 38. Genes of the Major Histocompability Complex Class II Influence The Phenotype Of Cardiomyopathies Associated With Hepatitis C Virus Infection.