This book explores the latest and most relevant topics in the field of computational bioengineering and bioinformatics, with a particular focus on patient-specific, disease-progression modeling. It covers computational methods for cardiovascular disease prediction, with an emphasis on biomechanics, biomedical decision support systems, data mining, personalized diagnostics, bio-signal processing, protein structure prediction, biomedical image processing, analysis and visualization, and high-performance computing. It also discusses state-of-the-art tools for disease characterization, and recent advances in areas such as biomechanics, cardiovascular engineering, patient-specific modeling, population-based modeling, multiscale modeling, image processing, data mining, biomedical decision-support systems, signal processing, biomaterials and dental biomechanics, tissue and cell engineering, computational chemistry and high-performance computing. As such, it is a valuable resource for researchers, medical and bioengineering students, and medical device and software experts

This book provides a comprehensive review of recent innovations in food science that are being used to tackle the challenges of food safety, nutritional security and sustainability. With a major focus on developing nations, like India, the book is divided into four main sections. The first section provides an overview of the food industry, while the second explores food safety in various segments, with an interesting account of street food safety - an important, yet often neglected aspect for safety parameters. The third section, on nutritional security and sustainability, explores various ways of maximizing nutrition and optimizing waste management in the food industry. The book closes with a section on emerging technologies and innovations, which introduces readers to some of the latest technologies in the food industry, including advances in food processing, packaging, nanotechnology, etc. The topics have been divided into 25 different chapters, which offer a diverse blend of perspectives on innovations in the developing world. Ideally suited for students and researchers in the food sciences, the book is also an interesting read for industry experts in Food Science and Technology.

This invaluable resource discusses clinical applications with effects and side-effects of applications of stem cells in diabetes, kidney and wound treatment. All chapters are contributed by pre-eminent scientists in the field and covers such topics as stem cells and cell therapy in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, wound and other skin aging diseases, characteristics of some kinds of stem/progenitor cells for therapy, future directions of the discussed therapies and much more. Pancreas, Kidney and Skin Regeneration and the other books in the Stem Cells in Clinical Applications series will be invaluable to scientists, researchers, advanced students and clinicians working in stem cells, regenerative medicine or tissue engineering.

This book focuses on the mechanobiological principles in tissue engineering with a particular emphasis on the multiscale aspects of the translation of mechanical forces from bioreactors down to the cellular level. The book contributes to a better understanding of the design and use of bioreactors for tissue engineering and the use of mechanical loading to optimize in vitro cell culture conditions. It covers experimental and computational approaches and the combination of both to show the benefits that computational modelling can bring to experimentalists when studying in vitro cell culture within a scaffold. With topics from multidisciplinary fields of the life sciences, medicine, and engineering, this work provides a novel approach to the use of engineering tools for the optimization of biological processes and its application to regenerative medicine. The volume is a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students studying mechanobiology and tissue engineering. For undergraduate students it also provides deep insight into tissue engineering and its use in the design of bioreactors. The book is supplemented with extensive references for all chapters to help the reader to progress through the study of each topic.

The application of nanotechnology within the medical sphere has had a significant influence on how diseases and conditions are treated and diagnosed. While many strides have been made, there is still continuous research on nanotechnology being performed in the field. Advancing Medicine through Nanotechnology and Nanomechanics Applications highlights emergent trends and empirical research on technological innovations in medicine and healthcare. Investigating the impact of nanotechnology and nanomechanics on the treatment of diseases, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery systems, this publication is a vital reference source for professionals, researchers, medical students, and engineering students.

This book investigates several non-resonant inductive harvester architectures in order to find the magnet coil arrangement that generates the largest power output. The book is useful as a step-by-step guide for readers unfamiliar with this form of energy harvesting, but who want to build their own system models to calculate the magnet motion and, from that, the power generation available for body-worn sensor systems. The detailed description of system model development will greatly facilitate experimental work with the aim of fabricating the design with the highest predicted power output. Based on the simulated optimal geometry, fabricated devices achieve an average power output of up to 43 mW during walking, an amount of power that can supply modern low-power, body-worn systems. Experiments were also carried out in industrial applications with power outputs up to 15 mW. In sum, researchers and engineers will find a step-by-step introduction to inductive harvesting and its modeling aspects for achieving optimal harvester designs in an efficient manner.

This book talks about photoplethysmography (PPG) techniques based on computer-aided data processing. In particular, it presents the results of a co-operative Indo-German project on the topic between Indian Institute of Technology at Chennai and RWTH Aachen University. Measuring system design, experimental details and some preliminary results obtained so far within the framework of this project are presented here. From the investigations carried out so far using the PPG sensors in conjunction with breathing sensors, it has been possible to monitor the 0.125 to 0.15 Hz rhythms in the arterial volumetric changes and to study the influence of breathing on them. These rhythms, which according to medical experts have relevance to psychosomatic conditions e.g. stress or relaxation, can also be addressed to by ancient Indian practices like yoga and meditation. This book presents the results of studying the effects of Indian relaxation techniques like pranayama, meditation, etc. in comparison to western relaxation techniques like autogenic training. So far it has been established that the Indian techniques of relaxation like yoga and meditation are very effective in generating low frequency rhythms in the skin perfusion as monitored by optical sensors. According to medical experts, these low frequency rhythms have a very important bearing on the human physiology and have potential therapeutic implications. This book is meant to provide an overview of the current state-of-knowledge and encourage the next generation of scientists/engineers to carry this work forward, especially on the novel PPG application fields that are of growing importance like pain and stress assessment, detection of peripheral venous saturation and local arterio-venous oxygen consumption as well as contactless space resolved skin perfusion studies with modern camera based PPG technology.

This book analyzes several compliant contact force models within the context of multibody dynamics, while also revisiting the main issues associated with fundamental contact mechanics. In particular, it presents various contact force models, from linear to nonlinear, from purely elastic to dissipative, and describes their parameters. Addressing the different numerical methods and algorithms for contact problems in multibody systems, the book describes the gross motion of multibody systems by using a two-dimensional formulation based on the absolute coordinates and employs different contact models to represent contact-impact events. Results for selected planar multibody mechanical systems are presented and utilized to discuss the main assumptions and procedures adopted throughout this work. The material provided here indicates that the prediction of the dynamic behavior of mechanical systems involving contact-impact strongly depends on the choice of contact force model. In short, the book provides a comprehensive resource for the multibody dynamics community and beyond on modeling contact forces and the dynamics of mechanical systems undergoing contact-impact events.

This book reports on the latest technological and clinical advances in the field of neurorehabilitation. It is, however, much more than a conventional survey of the state-of-the-art in neurorehabilitation technologies and therapies. It was written on the basis of a week of lively discussions between PhD students and leading research experts during the Summer School on Neurorehabilitation (SSNR2014), held September 15-19 in Baiona, Spain. Its unconventional format makes it a perfect guide for all PhD students, researchers and professionals interested in gaining a multidisciplinary perspective on current and future neurorehabilitation scenarios. The book addresses various aspects of neurorehabilitation research and practice, including a selection of common impairments affecting CNS function, such as stroke and spinal cord injury, as well as cutting-edge rehabilitation and diagnostics technologies, including robotics, neuroprosthetics, brain-machine interfaces and neuromodulation.

Ever since the birth of molecular biology, the tantalizing possibility of treating disease at its genetic roots has become increasingly feasible. Gene therapy - though still in its infancy - remains one of the hottest areas of research in medicine. Its approach utilizes a gene transfer vehicle ('vector') to deliver therapeutic DNA or RNA to cells of the body in order to rectify the defect that is causing the disease. Successful therapies have been reported in humans in recent years such as cures in boys with severe immune deficiencies. Moreover, gene therapy strategies are being adapted in numerous biomedical laboratories to obtain novel treatments for a variety of diseases and to study basic biological aspects of disease. Correction of disease in animal studies, is steadily gaining ground, highlighting the immense potential of gene therapy in the medical profession.This book will cover topics that are at the forefront of biomedical research such as RNA interference, viral and non-viral gene transfer systems, treatment of hematological diseases and disorders of the central nervous system. Leading experts on the respective vector or disease will contribute the individual chapters and explain cutting-edge technologies. It also gives a broad overview of the most important gene transfer vectors and most extensively studied target diseases. This comprehensive guide is therefore a must-read for anyone in the biotechnology, biomedical or medical industries seeking to further their knowledge in the area of human gene therapy.

This book provides a comprehensive reference to major neural interfacing technologies used to transmit signals between the physical world and the nervous system for repairing, restoring and even augmenting body functions. The authors discuss the classic approaches for neural interfacing, the major challenges encountered, and recent, emerging techniques to mitigate these challenges for better chronic performances. Readers will benefit from this book's unprecedented scope and depth of coverage on the technology of neural interfaces, the most critical component in any type of neural prostheses. Provides comprehensive coverage of major neural interfacing technologies; Reviews and discusses both classic and latest, emerging topics; Includes classification of technologies to provide an easy grasp of research and trends in the field.

This book shows how to develop efficient quantitative methods to characterize neural data and extra information that reveals underlying dynamics and neurophysiological mechanisms. Written by active experts in the field, it contains an exchange of innovative ideas among researchers at both computational and experimental ends, as well as those at the interface. Authors discuss research challenges and new directions in emerging areas with two goals in mind: to collect recent advances in statistics, signal processing, modeling, and control methods in neuroscience; and to welcome and foster innovative or cross-disciplinary ideas along this line of research and discuss important research issues in neural data analysis. Making use of both tutorial and review materials, this book is written for neural, electrical, and biomedical engineers; computational neuroscientists; statisticians; computer scientists; and clinical engineers.

This book presents not only the simultaneous combination of optical methods based on holographic principles for marker-free imaging, real-time trapping, identification and tracking of micro objects, but also the application of substantial low coherent light sources and non-diffractive beams. It first provides an overview of digital holographic microscopy (DHM) and holographic optical tweezers as well as non-diffracting beam types for minimal-invasive, real-time and marker-free imaging as well as manipulation of micro and nano objects. It then investigates the design concepts for the optical layout of holographic optical tweezers (HOTs) and their optimization using optical simulations and experimental methods. In a further part, the book characterizes the corresponding system modules that allow the addition of HOTs to commercial microscopes with regard to stability and diffraction efficiency. Further, based on experiments and microfluidic applications, it demonstrates the functionality of the combined setup, and discusses several types of non-diffracting beams and their application in optical manipulation. The book shows that holographic optical tweezers, including several non-diffracting beam types like Mathieu beams, combined parabolic and Airy beams, not only open up the possibility of generating efficient multiple dynamic traps for micro and nano particles with forces in the pico and nano newton range, but also the opportunity to exert optical torque with special beams like Bessel beams, which can facilitate the movement and rotation of particles by generating microfluidic flows. The last part discusses the potential use of a slightly modified DHM-HOT-system to explore the functionality of direct laser writing based on a two photon absorption process in a negative photoresist with a continuous wave laser

This book describes novel hardware security and microfluidic biochip design methodologies to protect against tampering attacks in cyberphysical microfluidic biochips (CPMBs). It also provides a general overview of this nascent area of research, which will prove to be a vital resource for practitioners in the field.This book shows how hardware-based countermeasures and design innovations can be a simple and effective last line of defense, demonstrating that it is no longer justifiable to ignore security and trust in the design phase of biochips.

Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine in Ophthalmology, Second Edition, focuses on an aging population and the increasing instances of eye diseases. Biomaterials continue to be used for numerous medical devices for the restoration of eyesight, improving many patients' quality of life. Consequently, biomaterials and regenerative medicine are becoming increasingly important to the advances of ophthalmology and optometry. This book provides readers with an updated and expanded look at the present status and future direction of biomaterials and regenerative medicine in this important field.

This book presents cutting-edge research on the use of physical and mathematical formalisms to model and quantitatively analyze biological phenomena ranging from microscopic to macroscopic systems. The systems discussed in this compilation cover protein folding pathways, gene regulation in prostate cancer, quorum sensing in bacteria to mathematical and physical descriptions to analyze anomalous diffusion in patchy environments and the physical mechanisms that drive active motion in large sets of particles, both fundamental descriptions that can be applied to different phenomena in biology. All chapters are written by well-known experts on their respective research fields with a vast amount of scientific discussion and references in order the interested reader can pursue a further reading. Given these features, we consider Quantitative Models for Microscopic to Macroscopic Biological Macromolecules and Tissues as an excellent and up-to-date resource and reference for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students and junior researchers interested in the latest developments at the intersection of physics, mathematics, molecular biology, and computational sciences. Such research field, without hesitation, is one of the most interesting, challenging and active of this century and the next.

Focussing on the key technologies in developing robots for a wide range of medical rehabilitation activities - which will include robotics basics, modelling and control, biomechanics modelling, rehabilitation strategies, robot assistance, clinical setup/implementation as well as neural and muscular interfaces for rehabilitation robot control - this book is split into two parts; a review of the current state of the art, and recent advances in robotics for medical rehabilitation. Both parts will include five sections for the five key areas in rehabilitation robotics: (i) the upper limb; (ii) lower limb for gait rehabilitation (iii) hand, finger and wrist; (iv) ankle for strains and sprains; and (v) the use of EEG and EMG to create interfaces between the neurological and muscular functions of the patients and the rehabilitation robots. Each chapter provides a description of the design of the device, the control system used, and the implementation and testing to show how it fulfils the needs of that specific area of rehabilitation. The book will detail new devices, some of which have never been published before in any journal or conference.

This book contains the full papers presented at the MICCAI 2014 workshop on Computational Methods and Clinical Applications for Spine Imaging. The workshop brought together scientists and clinicians in the field of computational spine imaging. The chapters included in this book present and discuss the new advances and challenges in these fields, using several methods and techniques in order to address more efficiently different and timely applications involving signal and image acquisition, image processing and analysis, image segmentation, image registration and fusion, computer simulation, image based modeling, simulation and surgical planning, image guided robot assisted surgical and image based diagnosis. The book also includes papers and reports from the first challenge on vertebra segmentation held at the workshop.

This book documents the state of the art in the field of ambient assisted living (AAL), highlighting the impressive potential of novel methodologies and technologies to enhance well-being and promote active ageing. The coverage is wide ranging, with sections on assistive devices, elderly people monitoring, home rehabilitation, ICT solutions for AAL, living with chronic conditions, robotic assistance for the elderly, sensing technologies for AAL, and smart housing. The book comprises a selection of the best papers presented at the 7th Italian Forum on Ambient Assisted Living (ForitAAL 2016), which was held in Pisa, Italy, in June 2016 and brought together end users, technology teams, and policy makers to develop a consensus on how to improve provision for elderly and impaired people. Readers will find that the expert contributions offer clear insights into the ways in which the most recent exciti ng advances may be expected to assist in addressing the needs of the elderly and those with chronic conditions.

This book covers diverse areas in which nanoscience and nanotechnology have led to significant technological advances and practical applications, with special emphasis on novel types of nanomaterials and their applicability into a new generation of nano- and micro-devices. Different nanomaterials are reviewed with a focus on several practical application areas and their commercial utilization. Production technologies of nanomaterials are presented as one of the challenges today. Sectors where nanotechnology has already significantly contributed are presented, along with specific nanotechnology solutions: energy related sectors, NEMS/MEMS, micro power generators, spintronics and healthcare. The basic properties and applications of nanostructured thermoelectric materials, ferroelectric and piezoelectric nanomaterials are reviewed. Examples of several developed thin-film thermogenerators are shown. A review of existing solutions and developing challenges are given regarding sustainable energy production, photovoltaics, solar cells, hydrogen economy and improved classes of batteries as contributions to green products and circular economy. Novel, highly promising areas in nanotechnology, are shown, such as voltage-driven nano-spintronics. Recent advances in friction characterisation at the nano level are described. Several proven nanomaterials have been reviewed pertaining to biomedicine. The use of nanomaterials in ophthalmology and cosmetic industry are reviewed, and the potential for silver nanoparticles and iron-based nanomaterials in biomedicine, also with recognised challenges and possible threats of non-controlled use of nanomaterials. This work is the result of joint efforts of different companies, academic, and research institutions participating in WIMB Tempus project, 543898-TEMPUS-1-2013-1-ES-TEMPUS-JPHES, "Development of Sustainable Interrelations between Education, Research and Innovation at WBC Universities in Nanotechnologies and Advanced Materials where Innovation Means Business", co-funded by the Tempus Programme of the European Union.

This is the first book in the series to focus on dynamic hyperpolarized nuclear magnetic resonance, a burgeoning topic in biophysics. The volume follows the format and style of the Handbook of Modern Biophysics series and expands on topics already discussed in previous volumes. It builds a theoretical and experimental framework for students and researchers who wish to investigate the biophysics and biomedical application of dynamic hyperpolarized NMR. All contributors are internationally recognized experts, lead the dynamic hyperpolarized NMR field, and have first-hand knowledge of the chapter material. The book covers the following topics: Hyperpolarization by dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Design considerations for implementing a hyperpolarizer Chemical Shift Imaging with Dynamic Hyperpolarized NMR Signal Sampling Strategies in Dynamic Hyperpolarized NMR Kinetic Modeling of Enzymatic Reactions in Analyzing Hyperpolarized NMR Data Using Hyperpolarized NMR to Understand Biochemistry from Cells to Humans Innovating Metabolic Biomarkers for Hyperpolarized NMR New Insights into Metabolic Regulation from Hyperpolarized 13C MRS/MRI Studies Novel Views on Heart Function from Dynamic Hyperpolarized NMR Insights on Lactate Metabolism in Skeletal Muscle based on 13C Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Studies About the Editors Dirk Mayer is Professor of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at the University of Maryland and is the Director of Metabolic Imaging. He is a recognized expert on dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) MRI-based imaging techniques and has optimized acquisition and reconstruction techniques, has constructed kinetic modeling for quantitative analysis, and has developing new probes. Thomas Jue is Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the University of California Davis. He is an internationally recognized expert in developing and applying magnetic resonance techniques to study animal as well as human physiology in vivo. He served as a Chair of the Biophysics Graduate Group Program at UC Davis, where he started to redesign a graduate curriculum that balances physical science/mathematics formalism and biomedical perspective in order to promote interest at the interface of physical science, engineering, mathematics, biology, and medicine. The Handbook of Modern Biophysics represents an aspect of that effort.

Computational modeling allows to reduce, refine and replace animal experimentation as well as to translate findings obtained in these experiments to the human background. However these biomedical problems are inherently complex with a myriad of influencing factors, which strongly complicates the model building and validation process. This book wants to address four main issues related to the building and validation of computational models of biomedical processes: 1. Modeling establishment under uncertainty 2. Model selection and parameter fitting 3. Sensitivity analysis and model adaptation 4. Model predictions under uncertainty In each of the abovementioned areas, the book discusses a number of key-techniques by means of a general theoretical description followed by one or more practical examples. This book is intended for graduate students and researchers active in the field of computational modeling of biomedical processes who seek to acquaint themselves with the different ways in which to study the parameter space of their model as well as its overall behavior.

This informative book compiles the most up-to-date applications of nanobiosensors in fields ranging from agriculture to medicine. The introductory section describes different types of nanobiosensors and use of nanobiosensors towards a sustainable environment. The applications are divided into four broad sections for easy reading and understanding. The book discusses how manipulation, control and integration of atoms and molecules are used to form materials, structures, devices and systems in nano-scale. Chapters in the book shed light on the use of nanosensors in diagnostics and medical devices. Application in food processing as well as in cell signaling is also described. Nanobiosensors have immense use, and this book captures the most important ones.

This book describes the design, fabrication and evaluation of a polymer-based neural interface for a cochlear electrode array, reviewed in terms of fabrication process, functionality, and reliability. Polymer-based devices have attracted attention in the neural prosthetic field due to their flexibility and compatibility with micro-fabrication process. A liquid crystal polymer (LCP) is an inert, highly water-resistant polymer suitable for the encapsulation of electronic components and as a substrate material for fabricating neural interfaces. The author has designed, fabricated, and evaluated an LCP-based cochlear electrode array for an improved polymer-based cochlear implant. The thesis deals with 3 key topics: atraumatic deep insertion, tripolar stimulation, and long-term reliability. Atraumatic insertion of the intracochlear electrode and resulting preservation of residual hearing have become essential in state-of-the-art cochlear implantation. A novel tapered design of an LCP-based cochlear electrode array is presented to meet such goals. For high-density and pitch-recognizable cochlear implant, channel interaction should be avoided. Local tripolar stimulation using multi-layered electrode sites are shown to achieve highly focused electrical stimulation. This thesis addresses another vital issue in the polymer-based neural implants: the long-term reliability issue. After suggesting a new method of forming mechanical interlocking to improve polymer-metal adhesion, the author performs accelerating aging tests to verify the method's efficacy. The aforementioned three topics have been thoroughly examined through various in vitro and in vivo studies. Verification foresees the development of LCP-based cochlear electrode array for an atraumatic deep insertion, advanced stimulation, and long-term clinical implant.