Advances in Medicine and Biology : Volume 189

This edited monograph includes seven chapters, each discussing recent advancements in the fields of medicine and biology. Chapter One discusses the biomedical engineering must frequently develop a great variety of sensors by including information from performance of bio-samples (cell cultures or tissues), technical specifications of transducers, and constrains derived from electronic circuits. In this work it is described a methodology for real-time cell culture monitoring system design; analysing, modelling, and integrating into the design flow the electrodes, cell culture and test circuit''s influences. Chapter Two contributes to a deeper understanding of the main pathways playing a role in the complex mechanisms triggered in Fe-treated organisms. Chapter Three describes one of the most important medical evolutions of the last decade is the development of personalised medicine. The success of personalised medicine depends on having accurate diagnostic tests that identify patients who can benefit from targeted treatment strategies. Over the last years, a large range of different omics have led to the development of valuable biomarkers, based on genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics etc. Only few attention has been paid to the study of glycomics, an attractive though not well known technology that can lead to the development of biomarkers in a variety of diseases. Chapter Four provides information that amoeboid protists are a taxonomically eclectic group encompassing ''amoebae'' and ''amoeboflagellates''. They are single-celled organisms that move by a crawling-like motion, while extending pseudopodia (slender or finger-shaped protrusions) from the periphery of the cell. Their shape is highly variable; and the number and organization of the pseudopodia, in addition to cell shape, are important features used to categorize and taxonomically identify the amoebae. Chapter Five subject dealt with in this chapter may be useful for improving strategies to treat certain diseases as well as for the design of materials for tissue engineering, among other applications. Chapter Six indicates that abnormalities in physical properties of the cell membranes may be strongly linked to hypertension and other circulatory disorders. Finally, Chapter Seven review that Diphtheria, known to be an acute toxin mediated, contagious febrile illness is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae.