Preface

In this book one finds the applications of Infrared Spectroscopy to Life and Biomedical Sciences. It contains three sections and 20 chapters.

The three sections are:

**Brain Activity and Clinical Research** The 10 chapters that are included in this section skillfully describe the application of MIRS and NIRS to such new areas of research in medicine like management of patients in neonatal intensive care, effects of sleep dept on cognitive performance in humans, neurorehabilitation, brain activity, social relations, non invasive measurements, cortical activation, brain oxygenation and haemodynamic activation.

The second section, **Cereals, Fruits and Plants** includes 4 chapters. In this section one can find applications of MIRS and NIRS in food industry and research, in quality control of wheat, in farms in order to predict the amounts of nitrogen and carbon at a farm scale, for assessing avocado quality control and in research to determine, for example the structure and dynamics of carotenoid and chlorophyll triplets in photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes.

Finally, the third and last section of this book, **Biomedical Applications** contains 6 chapters of MIRS and NIRS on medical applications, such as the role of β-antagonists on the structure of human bone, characterization of bone-based graft materials , brain computer interface in rehabilitation a review of FT-IR on medical applications, biomedical research in cells and biopolymer modifications for biomedical applications.

This book of Infrared Spectroscopy on Life and Biomedical Sciences is a state-of-the art publication in research and technology of FT-IR as applied to medicine.

#### **Theophile Theophanides**

National Technical University of Athens, Chemical Engineering Department, Radiation Chemistry and Biospectroscopy, Zografou Campus, Zografou, Athens Greece

**Introductory Chapter** 

Theophile Theophanides

*Greece* 

**Introduction to Infrared Spectroscopy** 

*National Technical University of Athens, Chemical Engineering Department, Radiation Chemistry and Biospectroscopy, Zografou Campus, Zografou, Athens* 

By 1950 IR spectroscopy was applied to more complicated molecules such as proteins by Elliot and Ambrose [1]. The studies showed that IR spectroscopy could also be used to study complex biological molecules, such as proteins, DNA and membranes and thus, IR could be

The FT-IR spectra of very complex biological or biomedical systems, such as, atheromatic plaques and carotids were studied and characterized as it will be shown in chapters of this book. From the interpretation of the spectra and the chemistry insights very interesting and significant conclusions could be reached on the healthy state of these systems. It is found that FT-IR can be used for diagnostic purposes for several diseases. Characteristic absorption bands of proteins, amide bands, O-P-O vibrations of DNA or phospholipids, disulfide groups, e.t.c.

Furthermore, with the addition of micro-FT-IR spectrometers one can obtain IR spectra of tissue cells, blood samples, bones and cancerous breast tissues [4-7]. Samples in solution can also be measured accurately. The spectra of substances can be compared with a store of thousands of reference spectra. IR spectroscopy is useful for identifying and characterizing substances and confirming their identity since the IR spectrum is the "fingerprint" of a

Therefore, IR has also a forensic purpose and is used to analyze substances, such as, alcohol, drugs, fibers, hair, blood and paints [8-12].In the sections that are given in the book the

*the Spectroscopy of Biological Molecules*, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dodrecht,

[1] Elliot and E. Ambrose, Nature, Structure of Synthetic Polypeptides 165, 921 (1950) [2] D.L.Woernley, Infrared Absorption Curves for Normal and Neoplastic Tissues and Related Biological Substances, Current Research, Vol. 12, , 1950 , 516p [3] T. Theophanides, J. Anastassopoulou and N. Fotopoulos, *Fifth International Conference on* 

can be very significant and give new information on the state of these molecules.

**1. Introduction** 

substance.

**2. References** 

1991,409p

also used as a powerful tool in biosciences [2, 3].

reader will find numerous examples of such applications.

**in Life and Biomedical Sciences** 
