Clinical Systems Engineering: New Challenges for Future Healthcare covers the critical issues relating to the risk management and design of new technologies in the healthcare sector. It is a comprehensive summary of the advances in clinical engineering over the past 40 years, presenting guidance on compliance and safety for hospitals and engineering teams. This contributed book contains chapters from international experts, who provide their solutions, experiences, and the successful methodologies they have applied to solve common problems in the area of healthcare technology. Topics include compliance with the European Directive on Medical Devices 93/42/EEC, European Norms EN 60601-1-6, EN 62366, and the American Standards ANSI/AAMI HE75: 2009. Content coverage includes decision support systems, clinical complex systems, and human factor engineering. Examples are fully supported with case studies, and global perspective is maintained throughout. This book is ideal for clinical engineers, biomedical engineers, hospital administrators and medical technology manufacturers.

Mushroom Biotechnology: Developments and Applications is a comprehensive book to provide a better understanding of the main interactions between biological, chemical and physical factors directly involved in biotechnological procedures of using mushrooms as bioremediation tools, high nutritive food sources, and as biological helpers in healing serious diseases of the human body. The book points out the latest research results and original approaches to the use of edible and medicinal mushrooms as efficient bio-instruments to reduce the environment and food crises. This is a valuable scientific resource to any researcher, professional, and student interested in the fields of mushroom biotechnology, bioengineering, bioremediation, biochemistry, eco-toxicology, environmental engineering, food engineering, mycology, pharmacists, and more.

Biomimetic engineering takes the principles of biological organisms and copies, mimics or adapts these in the design and development of new materials and technologies. Biomimetic Technologies reviews the key materials and processes involved in this groundbreaking field, supporting theoretical background by outlining a range of applications. Beginning with an overview of the key principles and materials associated with biomimetic technologies in Part One, the book goes on to explore biomimetic sensors in more detail in Part Two, with bio-inspired tactile, hair-based, gas-sensing and sonar systems all reviewed. Biomimetic actuators are then the focus of Part Three, with vision systems, tissue growth and muscles all discussed. Finally, a wide range of applications are investigated in Part Four, where biomimetic technology and artificial intelligence are reviewed for such uses as bio-inspired climbing robots and multi-robot systems, microrobots with CMOS IC neural networks locomotion control, central pattern generators (CPG's) and biologically inspired antenna arrays.

Genetic and Genomic Resources For Cereals Improvement is the first book to bring together the latest available genetic resources and genomics to facilitate the identification of specific germplasm, trait mapping, and allele mining that are needed to more effectively develop biotic and abiotic-stress-resistant grains. As grain cereals, including rice, wheat, maize, barley, sorghum, and millets constitute the bulk of global diets, both of vegetarian and non-vegetarian, there is a greater need for further genetic improvement, breeding, and plant genetic resources to secure the future food supply. This book is an invaluable resource for researchers, crop biologists, and students working with crop development and the changes in environmental climate that have had significant impact on crop production. It includes the latest information on tactics that ensure that environmentally robust genes and crops resilient to climate change are identified and preserved.

Genetically Modified Organisms in Food focuses on scientific evaluation of published research relating to GMO food products to assert their safety as well as potential health risks. This book is a solid reference for researchers and professionals needing information on the safety of GMO and non-GMO food production, the economic benefits of both GMO and non-GMO foods, and includes in-depth coverage of the surrounding issues of genetic engineering in foods. This is a timely publication written by a team of scientific experts in the field who present research results to help further more evidence based research to educate scientists, academics, government professionals about the safety of the global food supply.

UHMWPE Biomaterials Handbook, Third Edition, describes the science, development, properties, and application of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) used in artificial joints. UHMWPE is now the material of choice for joint replacements, and is increasingly being used in fibers for sutures. This book is a one-stop reference for information on this advanced material, covering both introductory topics and the most advanced developments. The third edition adds six new chapters on a range of topics, including the latest in anti-oxidant technologies for stabilizing HXLPE and up-to-date systematic reviews of the clinical literature for HXLPE in hips and knees. The book chronicles the rise and fall of all-metal hip implants, as well as the increased use of ceramic biomaterials and UHMWPE for this application. This book also brings orthopedic researchers and practitioners up to date on the stabilization of UHMWPE with antioxidants, as well as the choices of antioxidant available for practitioners. The book also thoroughly assesses the clinical performance of HXLPE, as well as alternative bearings in knee replacement and UHMWPE articulations with polyether ether ketone (PEEK). Written and edited by the top experts in the field of UHMWPE, this is the only state-of-the-art reference for professionals, researchers, and clinicians working with this material.

The Elsevier book-series "Advances in Planar Lipid Bilayers and Liposomes' (APLBL) provides a global platform for a broad community of experimental and theoretical researchers studying cell membranes, lipid model membranes and lipid self-assemblies from the micro- to the nanoscale. Planar lipid bilayers are widely studied due to their ubiquity in nature and find their application in the formulation of biomimetic model membranes and in the design of artificial dispersion of liposomes. Moreover, lipids self-assemble into a wide range of other structures including micelles and the liquid crystalline hexagonal and cubic phases. Consensus has been reached that curved membrane phases do play an important role in nature as well, especially in dynamic processes such as vesicles fusion and cell communication. Self-assembled lipid structures have enormous potential as dynamic materials ranging from artificial lipid membranes to cell membranes, from biosensing to controlled drug delivery, from pharmaceutical formulations to novel food products to mention a few. An assortment of chapters in APLBL represents both an original research as well as comprehensives reviews written by world leading experts and young researchers.

Modern Applications of Plant Biotechnology in Pharmaceutical Sciences explores advanced techniques in plant biotechnology, their applications to pharmaceutical sciences, and how these methods can lead to more effective, safe, and affordable drugs. The book covers modern approaches in a practical, step-by-step manner, and includes illustrations, examples, and case studies to enhance understanding. Key topics include plant-made pharmaceuticals, classical and non-classical techniques for secondary metabolite production in plant cell culture and their relevance to pharmaceutical science, edible vaccines, novel delivery systems for plant-based products, international industry regulatory guidelines, and more. Readers will find the book to be a comprehensive and valuable resource for the study of modern plant biotechnology approaches and their pharmaceutical applications.

The advances in microsystems offer new opportunities and capabilities to develop systems for biomedical applications, such as diagnostics and therapy. There is a need for a comprehensive treatment of microsystems and in particular for an understanding of performance limits associated with the shrinking scale of microsystems. The new edition of Microsystems for Bioelectronics addresses those needs and represents a major revision, expansion and advancement of the previous edition. This book considers physical principles and trends in extremely scaled autonomous microsystems such as integrated intelligent sensor systems, with a focus on energy minimization. It explores the implications of energy minimization on device and system architecture. It further details behavior of electronic components and its implications on system-level scaling and performance limits. In particular, fundamental scaling limits for energy sourcing, sensing, memory, computation and communication subsystems are developed and new applications such as optical, magnetic and mechanical sensors are presented. The new edition of this well-proven book with its unique focus and interdisciplinary approach shows the complexities of the next generation of nanoelectronic microsystems in a simple and illuminating view, and is aimed for a broad audience within the engineering and biomedical community.

Despite advances in alternative materials, metals are still the biomaterial of choice for a number of clinical applications such as dental, orthopedic and cardiac implants. However, there are a number of intrinsic problems associated with implanting metal in the biological environment, such as wear, corrosion, biocompatibility and toxicity, which must be addressed. Modern technology has enabled scientists to modify metal surfaces or apply special coatings to metals to improve their performance safety. Surface Coating and Modification of Metallic Biomaterials will discuss the most important modification techniques and coatings for metals, first covering the fundamentals of metals as a biomaterial and then exploring surface modification techniques and coatings.

Tissue engineering involves seeding of cells on bio-mimicked scaffolds providing adhesive surfaces. Researchers though face a range of problems in generating tissue which can be circumvented by employing nanotechnology. It provides substrates for cell adhesion and proliferation and agents for cell growth and can be used to create nanostructures and nanoparticles to aid the engineering of different types of tissue. Written by renowned scientists from academia and industry, this book covers the recent developments, trends and innovations in the application of nanotechnologies in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It provides information on methodologies for designing and using biomaterials to regenerate tissue, on novel nano-textured surface features of materials (nano-structured polymers and metals e.g.) as well as on theranostics, immunology and nano-toxicology aspects. In the book also explained are fabrication techniques for production of scaffolds to a series of tissue-specific applications of scaffolds in tissue engineering for specific biomaterials and several types of tissue (such as skin bone, cartilage, vascular, cardiac, bladder and brain tissue). Furthermore, developments in nano drug delivery, gene therapy and cancer nanotechonology are described. The book helps readers to gain a working knowledge about the nanotechnology aspects of tissue engineering and will be of great use to those involved in building specific tissue substitutes in reaching their objective in a more efficient way. It is aimed for R&D and academic scientists, lab engineers, lecturers and PhD students engaged in the fields of tissue engineering or more generally regenerative medicine, nanomedicine, medical devices, nanofabrication, biofabrication, nano- and biomaterials and biomedical engineering.

'Direct Microbial Conversion of Biomass to Advanced Biofuels' is a stylized text that is rich in both the basic and applied sciences. It provides a higher level summary of the most important aspects of the topic, addressing critical problems solved by deep science. Expert users will find new, critical methods that can be applied to their work, detailed experimental plans, important outcomes given for illustrative problems, and conclusions drawn for specific studies that address broad based issues. A broad range of readers will find this to be a comprehensive, informational text on the subject matter, including experimentalists and even CEOs deciding on new business directions.

Advances in Plant Tissue Culture: Current Developments and Future Trends provides a complete and up-to-date text on all basic and applied aspects of plant tissue cultures and their latest application implications. It will be beneficial for students and early-career researchers of plant sciences and plant/agricultural biotechnology. Plant tissue culture has emerged as a sustainable way to meet the requirements of fresh produces, horticultural crops, medicinal or ornamental plants. Nowadays, plant tissue culture is an emerging filed applied in various aspects, including sustainable agriculture, plant breeding, horticulture and forestry. This book covers the latest technology, broadly applied for crop improvement, clonal propagation, Somatic hybridization Embryo rescue, Germplasm conservation, genetic conservation, or for the preservation of endangered species. However, these technologies also play a vital role in breaking seed dormancy over conventional methods of conservation.

A compilation of up to date reviews of topics in biotechnology and the medical field.

Applied plant genomics and biotechnology reviews the recent advancements in the post-genomic era, discussing how different varieties respond to abiotic and biotic stresses, investigating epigenetic modifications and epigenetic memory through analysis of DNA methylation states, applicative uses of RNA silencing and RNA interference in plant physiology and in experimental transgenics, and plants modified to produce high-value pharmaceutical proteins. The book provides an overview of research advances in application of RNA silencing and RNA interference, through Virus-based transient gene expression systems, Virus induced gene complementation (VIGC), Virus induced gene silencing (Sir VIGS, Mr VIGS) Virus-based microRNA silencing (VbMS) and Virus-based RNA mobility assays (VRMA); RNA based vaccines and expression of virus proteins or RNA, and virus-like particles in plants, the potential of virus vaccines and therapeutics, and exploring plants as factories for useful products and pharmaceuticals are topics wholly deepened. The book reviews and discuss Plant Functional Genomic studies discussing the technologies supporting the genetic improvement of plants and the production of plant varieties more resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. Several important crops are analysed providing a glimpse on the most up-to-date methods and topics of investigation. The book presents a review on current state of GMO, the cisgenesis-derived plants and novel plant products devoid of transgene elements, discuss their regulation and the production of desired traits such as resistance to viruses and disease also in fruit trees and wood trees with long vegetative periods. Several chapters cover aspects of plant physiology related to plant improvement: cytokinin metabolism and hormone signaling pathways are discussed in barley; PARP-domain proteins involved in Stress-Induced Morphogenetic Response, regulation of NAD signaling and ROS dependent synthesis of anthocyanins. Apple allergen isoforms and the various content in different varieties are discussed and approaches to reduce their presence. Euphorbiaceae, castor bean, cassava and Jathropa are discussed at genomic structure, their diseases and viruses, and methods of transformation. Rice genomics and agricultural traits are discussed, and biotechnology for engineering and improve rice varieties. Mango topics are presented with an overview of molecular methods for variety differentiation, and aspects of fruit improvement by traditional and biotechnology methods. Oilseed rape is presented, discussing the genetic diversity, quality traits, genetic maps, genomic selection and comparative genomics for improvement of varieties. Tomato studies are presented, with an overview on the knowledge of the regulatory networks involved in flowering, methods applied to study the tomato genome-wide DNA methylation, its regulation by small RNAs, microRNA-dependent control of transcription factors expression, the development and ripening processes in tomato, genomic studies and fruit modelling to establish fleshy fruit traits of interest; the gene reprogramming during fruit ripening, and the ethylene dependent and independent DNA methylation changes.

This book reviews the state of the art in the use of organic materals as physical, chemical and biomedical sensors in a variety of application settings. Topics covered include organic semiconductors for chemical and physical sensing; conducting polymers in sensor applications; chemically functionalized organic semiconductors for highly selective sensing; composite organic-inorganic sensors; artificial skin applications; organic thin film transistor strain gauges for biomedical applications; OTFT infrared sensors for touchless human-machine interaction; smart fabric sensors and e-textile technologie; image capture with organic sensors; organic gas sensors and electronic noses; electrolyte gated organic transistors for bio-chemical sensing; ion-selective organic electrochemical transistors; DNA biosensors; metabolic organic sensors; and conductive polymer based sensors for biomedical applications.

Published since 1959, Advances in Applied Microbiology continues to be one of the most widely read and authoritative review sources in microbiology. The series contains comprehensive reviews of the most current research in applied microbiology. Recent areas covered include bacterial diversity in the human gut, protozoan grazing of freshwater biofilms, metals in yeast fermentation processes and the interpretation of host-pathogen dialogue through microarrays. Eclectic volumes are supplemented by thematic volumes on various topics, including Archaea and sick building syndrome. Impact factor for 2012: 4.974.

"Biotechnology and Biology of Trichoderma" serves as a comprehensive reference on the chemistry and biochemistry of one of the most important microbial agents, Trichoderma, and its use in an increased number of industrial bioprocesses for the synthesis of many biochemicals such as pharmaceuticals and biofuels. This book provides individuals working in the field of Trichoderma, especially biochemical engineers, biochemists and biotechnologists, important information on how these valuable fungi can contribute to the production of a wide range of products of commercial and ecological interest.
Provides a detailed and comprehensive coverage of the chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology of Trichoderma, fungi present in soil and plantsIncludes most important current and potential applications of Trichoderma in bioengineering, bioprocess technology including bioenergy & biofuels, biopharmaceuticals, secondary metabolites and protein engineeringIncludes the most recent research advancements made on Trichoderma applications in plant biotechnology and ecologyand environment"