This collection of current and future concepts of neovascularization offers fascinating insights into refining a powerful therapeutic tool which has not yet had the chance to live up to the expectations and needs of the medical community. It examines current refinements in the fundamental concept of neovascularization and describes the most recent developments, which in the future might pave the way towards a new era of therapeutic applications.
Exploring the contractile activity of smooth muscle segments isolated from various organs of healthy animals and animals with experimentally induced diabetes, she obtained original data about angiotensin II-induced force and time parameters. For the first time, she established the effect of ghrelin on angiotensin II-provoked contraction of the urinary bladder. Original data on the role of both types of angiotensin receptors for the contractile activity of the various segments of the gastrointestinal tract and bladder were obtained. By applying specific software for force and time parameter analysis, the contribution of different types of angiotensin receptors on muscle contractility has been shown. The new methodology was used to analyze the data obtained during the registration of smooth muscle relaxation activity, which allows the determination of not only the magnitude of the mechanical response but also the parameters related to the time and speed of the contractions. Plasma renin activity models have been developed using mathematical approaches to predict the effect of different drug doses on the behavior of the system.
This book highlights the role of Biomedical Engineering (BME) used in diagnosis (e.g., body scanners) and treatment (radiation therapy and minimal access surgery in order to prevent various diseases). In recent years, an important progress has been made in the expansion of biomedical microdevices which has a major role in diagnosis and therapy of cancer. When fighting cancer, efficacy and speed are of the utmost importance. A recently developed microfluidic chip has enabled a breakthrough in testing the efficacy of specialized cancer drugs. Effective cancer-targeting therapies will require both passive and active targeting strategies and a thorough understanding of physiologic barriers to targeted drug delivery. Targeted cancer treatments in development and the new combinatorial approaches show promise for improving targeted anticancer drug delivery and improving treatment outcomes. This book discusses the advancements and innovations in the field of BME that improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This book is focused on bioengineering approaches to improve targeted delivery for cancer therapeutics, which include particles, targeting moieties, and stimuli-responsive drug release mechanisms. This book is a useful resource for students, researchers, and professionals in BME and medicine.
This book provides up-to-date information on all aspects of radiotherapy for liver cancer, from the basic science to clinical practice. While demand for radiotherapy of liver cancer has been increasing, the guidance available to clinicians has remained limited. Radiotherapy of Liver Cancer aims to address this deficit on the basis of the best available evidence. The first two sections explain the relevant basic science and present detailed information on the available technologies and techniques, including the most recent advances. The radiotherapy strategies appropriate in different patient groups are then fully described, covering the use of ablative, adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and definitive radiotherapy, radiotherapy as a bridge to liver transplantation, and palliative radiotherapy. The final section addresses a range of specific issues of concern to the clinician. Radiotherapy of Liver Cancer will be an ideal reference for clinical radiation oncologists, radiation oncology residents, oncologists, and hepatologists.
This volume elucidates the pivotal ethical and legal issues arising from the use of brain organoids for research, therapeutic and enhancement purposes. The function of the human brain is still a mystery. Until recently, only post-mortem tissue was available for a structural examination of the brain. Consequently, the examination results could only reflect the state at the end of life. However, in order to better understand the development and function of the human brain, dynamic and functional investigations of different human brain cells are necessary. This is where brain organoids, artificially grown in vitro miniature brains, provide the opportunity for more flexible research scenarios. At the same time, however, the use of brain organoids in research and therapy raises the question of how these new entities are to be treated from an ethical and legal point of view. Against this background, this volume aims at clarifying the normative implications of the use of brain organoids in research and therapy. The ethical reflections on the status of brain organoids, informed consent, human-to-animal chimeras and neuro-enhancement are mirrored by corresponding legal analyses. The ethical and legal assessments are preceded by an introduction to the scientific and medical background of the brain organoid technology. A final chapter will be devoted to the issue of whether international harmonization of normative standards for brain organoid research and therapy is feasible and advisable.
Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease is a state-of-the-art reference that combines, in one place, the breadth and depth of information available on the topic. As stem cell and gene therapies are the most cutting-edge therapies currently available for patients with heart failure, each section of the book provides information on medical trials from contributors and specialists from around the world, including not only what has been completed, but also what is planned for future research and trials. Cardiology researchers, basic science clinicians, fellows, residents, students, and industry professionals will find this book an invaluable resource for further study on the topic. - Provides information on stem and gene therapy medical trials from contributors and specialists around the world, including not only what has been completed, but also what is planned for future research and trials - Presents topics that can be applied to allogeneic cells, mesenchymal cells, gene therapy, cardiomyoctyes, iPS cells, MAPC's, and organogenesis - Covers the three areas with the greatest clinical trials to date: chronic limb ischemia, chronic angina, and acute MI - Covers the prevailing opinions on how to harness the body's natural repair mechanisms - Ideal resource for cardiology researchers, basic science clinicians, fellows, residents, students, and industry professionals
Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. The high metabolism and oxygen demand of the cardiac myocardium depends on both a high blood flow and a rich capillary density. For this reason, the growth of the coronary vasculature is vital, not only in early development, but also in the adult faced with various stresses. Novel technologies have enabled the discovery of the molecular mechanisms underlying the growth and assembly coronary vessels, and this volume covers the hierarchy of the coronary vasculature from its embryonic origins through its postnatal growth, adulthood, and senescence. Chapters address normal coronary development, coronary anomalies and their possible underlying developmental errors, coronary vessel adaptations to exercise training, aging, hypoxia, myocardial ischemia, and cardiac hypertrophy. This comprehensive overview of current research in coronary vessels and myocardial perfusion was written by Dr. Robert J. Tomanek, Emeritus Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Iowa. The book reviews, discusses, and integrates findings from various areas of coronary vasculature research, and as a result, will be a valuable reference source for cardiovascular scientists and physicians for many years to come.
