The present volume is the record of a recent topical conference on the interplay between heating and cooling processes in galaxies and clusters of galaxies. The volume documents recent progress in our understanding of the dense central regions of these objects. Chapters detail recent results from multiwavelength observations and advances in numerical hydrodynamical simulations. An additional section covers new research on feedback and self-regulatory mechanisms during cosmic structure formation in general, and in galaxy formation in particular. With reviews and technical papers written by leading scientists, this state-of-the art report will be a valuable and comprehensive source of reference for all astronomers and astrophysicists active in this field.