Biomedical engineering - Book Report/Review Example

07 October Biomedical Engineering: In “Why life oscillates - from a topographical towards a functional chronobiology”, Moser et al. intelligently illustrate the obvious benefits offered by chronobiology and chronomedicine in understanding the depths of human body’s regulation in a more refined way. This comprehensive article provides an in-depth outlook on several areas about which not much optimum quality research could be found in the past studies which explains why it is worth reading to familiarize oneself with the exceptionally insightful content it contains.

The importance of circadian rhythms and polarities in human body and how it connects with body regulation is scrutinized at length and made interesting by the way the authors dig with acute intelligence into it. It is identified that there are circadian rhythms in human body for the regulation of which certain hormone centres are responsible. The identification and biological significance of these rhythms has helped prodigiously in understanding myriad needs of life like digestion, fight and flight mechanism, and immune system function.

Before the valuable nature of these rhythms was revealed, it was not very easy to access the autonomic nervous system but now such things are made feasible enough considering information about the sympathico-vagal balance contained in the heart rhythms. Because normal rhythms help in maintaining body balance, abnormal development witnessed in cancer cells can now also be connected to abnormal rhythmic patterns. The rhythmic ups and down are presently recognized as an “important tumor suppressor (Moser et al. 595). All this information is now available and has helped in improving human life because of momentous advancements made in chronobiology.

In “Transdisciplinary unifying implications of circadian findings in the 1950s”, Halberg et al. identify circadian rhythms as indisputably the biggest and most important aspect of human physiology which has naturally attached profound value to the field of chronobiology. The article contains detailed illustration of many wonderful experiences of Dr. Refinetti who has written a book on circadian physiology. Highly insightful biomedical experience shared by Dr. Refinetti identifies that many threats to human physiology remain in the dark owing to insufficient chronomic surveillance.

If circumstances change in the world of medicine in respect to chronobiology, massive strokes can be prevented as one of the gigantic benefits ensured by circadian systems in addition to refined knowledge is improved health care at reduced cost. The literature contained in the article attaches extreme importance to understanding how circadian systems operate because that could crucially help in detecting minute alterations in the human system on time. Undeniably, detecting alterations or abnormalities when they are still reversible remains the dream of any physician to prevent cardiovascular disease but doing so without excessively relying on chronobiologic interpretation of the blood pressure records can leave many loopholes in successful treatment.

It is stressed by the article that deep analysis of chronobiologic information should become a routine in medical practice. Prof. Refinetti’s extensive involvement with rhythms research illustrates how understanding approaches of the timing of rhythms led him to appreciate their influence on adrenocortical cycle and temporal compartmentalization, the latter of which is the key to intervene through the polarities in human body. It is argued by Moser et al. in their article that ups and downs in blood pressure are not controlled by a single group of neurons, rather highly intricate regulation curve is responsible for their monitoring.

However, it is not yet known owing to limited research in this area if in addition to blood pressure such curves also exist for hormonal parameters or not. It is also claimed that improvements made in applied chronobiology indicate that future medical practice would lay huge emphasis on the human rhythms to enhance health care in organized fashion. This is true as already a growing body of literature can be found proving the solid connection between sleep quality improvement and melatonin administration in the evening.

One major implication of the article is that it is critically important to play in harmony with the body’s rhythms as stressed by modern chronobiology because this is really more effective than adamantly sticking to orthodox measures. Similarly, it is claimed by renowned researcher Dr. Refinetti in Halberg et al.’s article that the future of the study of chronobiology is indisputably very bright owing to revolutionary merits offered by achievements made in this field. Circadian rhythms help in early diagnosis of any disturbances in blood pressure and such timely warnings can greatly help the physicians in resolving a stroke.

One major implication of this article is that it has become increasingly important to advocate the value of circadian systems in order to draw back the curtain of ignorance. More focus in this area holds many benefits like timed treatment of cardiovascular disease and early prevention of cancer. Work cited: Moser, Maximilian, et al. “Why life oscillates – from a topographical towards a functional chronobiology.” Cancer Causes Control 17 (2006): 591–599. Print.