Jean-Louis Vincent, MD, PhD, Professor of Critical Care Medicine, University of Brussels and Head, Department of Intensive Care, Erasme University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium, Edward Abraham, MD, Roger Sherman Profsesor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Head, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Vice President, Administrative Affairs, Department of Medicine University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, Patrick Kochanek, MD, Director Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, Professor University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA, Frederick A. Moore, MD, FACS, FCCM, Chief, Division of Acute Care Surgery and Critical Care, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas; Professor of Surgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York and Mitchell P. Fink, MD, Watson Professor of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Chair and Professor, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA