Advances in Medicine and Biology

This volume discusses the merits and demerits of currently available conventional cholera vaccine delivery systems and therapies, and the potential role of novel nanomaterials-based delivery approaches for the management of cholera. Cholera, the watery diarrhea caused by Vibrio cholerae, is a major public health issue in the developing world. V. cholerae is a gram negative, facultative anaerobic, aquatic bacterium with single polar flagellum and is a member of γ subdivision of the family Proteobacteriaceae. Following this, the structures and functions of human helicases and the 5-upstream regions of the encoding genes are classified for further investigation. Genetic studies have revealed that mutations in some of these genes are associated with certain human diseases, including Xeroderma Pigmentosum, Cockayne Syndrome and Werner Syndrome. The authors describe a practical exercise where the construction of a pharmacophore model is interpreted with the aid of 2-D structures, while the final model is used in a virtual screening to identify potentially active kinase inhibitors. The use of freely available software and web servers makes this exercise a useful and easily implementable resource for almost any undergraduate student. This compilation also addresses how folate intake during pregnancy is essential for adequate fetoplacental development and for the health of the baby. Neural tube defects are a preventable cause of mortality and morbidity, and the prevalence of neural tube defects has significantly decreased worldwide after the fortification of folic acid. Subsequently, the authors describe recent findings in the storage and supply site, localization, and imaging of high-density lipoprotein in human coronary arteries. In an effort to achieve less invasive surgery justified by better outcomes, lower hospital costs, patient recovery time and cosmetic results, the authors also review innovative surgical techniques such as minilaparoscopy, single incision laparoscopic surgery, natural orifice transluminal surgery and others that are being employed or expected to be the future. The concluding chapter describes several cases where Mycoplasma have led to the electronic contamination of prestigious public data stores.