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Sacks' real-world talk is very interesting in pointing out that sometimes a problem is "over-analyzed" by having too many papers concentrating on too much detail and forgetting about essential simplifications for a real-world solution. He used his development of a simple device for self-measurement of blood pressure on one's finger as an example. Many intriguing questions are raised for a bioengineer in his/her function as an academic researcher, inventor, developer, and businessman. The volume contains a number of original research published for the first time. For example, Downing's paper on the maximum expiratory gas flow in the lung explores a unique point of view first stated by C. A. Jacobs in his 1971 PhD thesis at USC. Jacobs and Downing feel that the flow limitation arises because of "selective merging" of confluent flow from small branches into larger ones. When two tubes converge at one point, the one with larger flow and higher pressure can effectively block the flow in the other tube. Hence the effective total tube area in each generation of bronchi is smaller than the anatomical value. The reviewer finds that the general scientific level of the papers is high. There are many very good papers on experimental and computational biofluid mechanics. There are papers providing data on pressure and flow relations in the bronchial airways, (Hardin, et al., Reynolds). There are excellent theoretical papers on unsteady flow by Lion, Clark, Robertson and Cheng, and by O'Brien and Ehrlich. Experimental investigations by Walburn, Schneck, Balasubramanian, Giddens, and Mabon on flow separation and carotid bifurcation are superior. There are several very good papers on heart valves. An unusual paper by B. W. Vorhauer on the bioengineering aspects on contraction applied to the development of a new female contraceptive device documents the various considerations and research efforts that went into the development of a practical device. But the reader would miss the interesting motion picture which was shown at the meeting. These volumes testify the vigorous state of development of biomechanics in the United States.

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