This comprehensive book focuses on better big-data security for healthcare organizations. Following an extensive introduction to the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare including challenging topics and scenarios, it offers an in-depth analysis of medical body area networks with the 5th generation of IoT communication technology along with its nanotechnology. It also describes a novel strategic framework and computationally intelligent model to measure possible security vulnerabilities in the context of e-health. Moreover, the book addresses healthcare systems that handle large volumes of data driven by patients' records and health/personal information, including big-data-based knowledge management systems to support clinical decisions. Several of the issues faced in storing/processing big data are presented along with the available tools, technologies and algorithms to deal with those problems as well as a case study in healthcare analytics. Addressing trust, privacy, and security issues as well as the IoT and big-data challenges, the book highlights the advances in the field to guide engineers developing different IoT devices and evaluating the performance of different IoT techniques. Additionally, it explores the impact of such technologies on public, private, community, and hybrid scenarios in healthcare. This book offers professionals, scientists and engineers the latest technologies, techniques, and strategies for IoT and big data.

Peritoneoscopy and culdoscopy were first introduced in the second edition of TeLinde's Operative Gynecology in 1953. TeLinde noted, "In many instances we find peritoneoscopy to be a useful procedure. Nevertheless it often left something to be desired." During the subsequent four decades, enormous progress has allowed the expansion of the application of laparoscopy and hysteroscopy throughout gynecol- ogy. Thus, it is appropriate and quite useful to have a text devoted solely to this rapidly advancing specialty. In its second edition, the text Practical Manual of Operative Laparoscopy and Hys- teroscopy is a complete and honest overview of the field providing the reader with a critical appraisal of the current literature on technique, development, and long- term follow-up. Refreshingly, the authors include not only the American experi- ence but also advances from Europe and Asia. Ricardo Azziz and Ana Alvarez Murphy have carefully organized the text into general concepts and laparoscopic and hysteroscopic operative techniques. The editors have selected authors of national and international stature to prepare chap- ters in their areas of expertise. The edited text carefully analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of each operative technique so as to allow readers insight as to the proper place for a particular endoscopic technique in their surgical practices.

Medical Informatics (MI) is an emerging interdisciplinary science that deals with clinical health-related information, its structure, acquisition and use. MI is grounded in the principles of computer science, computational intelligence, as well as the clinical and basic sciences. This book deals with the application of computational intelligence in medical informatics. Addressing the various issues of medical informatics using different computational intelligence approaches is the novelty of this edited volume. This volume comprises of 15 chapters including an introductory chapter giving the fundamental definitions and some important research challenges.

Chapters were selected on the basis of fundamental ideas/concepts rather than the thoroughness of techniques deployed.

Genomic Data Sharing: Case Studies, Challenges, and Opportunities for Precision Medicine provides a comprehensive overview of current and emerging issues in genomic data sharing. In this book, international leaders in genomic data examine these issues in-depth, offering practical case studies that highlight key successes, challenges and opportunities. Sections discuss the eMERGE Network, Undiagnosed Disease Network, Vanderbilt Biobank, Marshfield Clinic Biobank, Minnesota Authorization, Rochester Epidemiology Project, NIH sponsored biobanks, GINA, and Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH). In addition to these perspectives from the frontlines, the book also provides succinct overviews of ethical, legal, social and IT challenges. Clinician investigators, clinicians affiliated with academic medical centers, policymakers and regulators will also gain insights that will allow them to navigate the increasingly complex ethical, social and clinical landscape of genomic data sharing.

Swamy Laxminarayan was an outstanding researcher active in many diverse fields of science and technology. He was one of the most prominent biomedical scientists and his ideas influenced the Biomedical Technology substantially. This book tries to provide an overview on the multiple achievements of Swamy Laxminarayan. It presents a collection of his most outstanding publications and an overview on his outstanding life. This Volume is the second part of the liber amicorum in Memory of Swamy Laxminarayan.

The two phenomena are occurring side by side: a rapidly growing elder population and a burgeoning tech sector. Where a few years ago these worlds would not have met, a new generation of older adults has grown comfortable with technology and open to its possibilities for improving their lives as they age.

"Technologies for Active Aging" offers novel answers to a range of aging issues, from safety and mobility to cognition and continence. Written for the non-technical reader, the book examines the potential of information and communicative technologies such as pervasive computing, smart environments, and robotics to enhance seniors' quality of life and encourage independent living, better care and self-care, and social participation.

Diversity is emphasized here, in terms of the life areas addressed, the perspectives of elders and caregivers, and the global reach of those working toward solutions. This state-of-the-field volume looks ahead to future research and the next wave of innovations to help all seniors, regardless of health or ability. Among the topics featured: Promoting technology use by people with dementia.Wheelchair mobility in older adults.Intelligent systems for assessing age-related changes using home-based technology.Measuring the effectiveness of assistive technologies in community and home settings.Technology for the prevention of fall-related injuries.Tele-health in chronic disease management.

A comprehensive mix of theoretical developments and emerging realities, "Technologies for Active Aging" serves a variety of professionals, including gerontologists, sociologists, health and cross-cultural psychologists, and public health policymakers.

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In the field of health, information practices and the organization of knowledge constitute a major challenge today. The practices of the medical profession, or of patients, are evolving under the influence of digital technology. At the same time, the way in which medical knowledge is organized, represented and mediated is also evolving. Information Practices and Knowledge in Health addresses the different aspects of the field of specialized medical and health information; it focuses on the informational practices of professionals in the sector, of patients and, more broadly, of citizens with regards to their health. This book also considers the systems that are used for organizing knowledge in this field.

Aging is an almost universal process within biological systems, one which leads to a decline in functional capacity, disease onset, and eventually death. There has been much interest in recent years to elucidate the molecular mec- nisms that underlie the aging process. Many theories have been proposed since the last century that aim to explain the causes of aging. There is no one theory that completely satisfies the phenotype of aging, but genetics and environm- tal factors play an important role in the etiology of age-related pathologies and the aging process. However, there is still much to be learned about the aging process which has been termed one of the last great frontiers in biology. De- graphic changes worldwide are leading to increased average life expectancies within our populations. These changes in population characteristics will impact upon the economies of the supporting society, with increasing healthcare and infrastructural costs arising from the prevalence of age-related pathologies and other physical disabilities associated with advancing years. Many researchers worldwide are working in the attempt to identify key cellular processes through which it might one day be possible to slow down the aging process and thus increase the health span of humans. Numerous research projects-from the cellular through to tissue, organ, and whole organism studies-are currently underway to investigate the mul- factorial aging process.

Frontiers in Biochip Technology
Dr. Wan-Li Xing and Dr. Jing Cheng

Frontiers in Biochip Technology serves as an essential collection of new research in the field of biochip technology. This comprehensive collection covers emerging technologies and cutting a "edge research in the field of biochip technology, with all chapters written by the international stars of this evolving field.

Key topics and current trends in biochip technology covered include:

-microarray technology and its applications

- microfluidics

- drug discovery

- detection technology

- lab-on-chip technology and bioinformatics.

Frontiers in Biochip Technology is an important volume for all biotechnologists, bioengineers, genetic engineers, pharmacological researchers, and general bench researchers who want to be up-to-date on the latest advances in the rapidly growing field of biochip technology.

The Editors:

Dr. Wan-Li Xing, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for Beijing Biochip Technology (NERCBBT), and CapitalBio Corporation, Beijing, China
Dr. Xing is a Professor at Medical Systems Biology Research Center, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, and also serves as the Executive Deputy Director at NERCBBT, CapitalBio Corporation, a world-leader in biochip research. Dr. Xing has published widely and obtained many patents and applications.

Dr. Jing Cheng, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, National Engineering Research Center for Beijing Biochip Technology (NERCBBT), and CapitalBio Corporation, Beijing, China
Dr. Jing Cheng is the Cheung Kong Professor at Medical Systems Biology Research Center, Tsinghua University School ofMedicine, the Director of NERCBBT and CEO & CTO of CapitalBio. Dr. Cheng developed the worlda (TM)s first system of laboratory-on-a-chip in 1998; this work was featured in the front-cover story of the June 1998 issue of Nature Biotechnology and cited as the breakthrough of the year by Science in the same year. He has been awarded Nanogena (TM)s most prestigious award Nano Grant, Distinguished Achievement Award for Overseas Chinese Scholars Returned, Chinaa (TM)s Science & Technology Award for Outstanding Youth, and Qiushi Technology Transfer Award for Outstanding Youth. Dr. Cheng has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers. In addition, he has obtained over 60 European and U.S. patents and applications.

This volume is based on selected and updated papers from the symposium on "Basic Mechanisms of the EEG," which was held under the sponsor ship of the German EEG Society in Hamburg on September 28-29, 1990. The intention of this symposium was to relate recent experimental, clini cal, and neuropathological data on the basic mechanism that underlie the EEG. Although we know much about these mechanisms, there is still much more to be learned. The symposium was partly the continuation of an earlier symposium on "Origin of Cerebral Field Potentials" held in 1979 in Munster under the leadership of one of the present editors (E. -J. Speckmann) and H. Caspers. The present work combines new experimental and clinical results with state-of-the-art reports giving excellent general views. The first chapter presents a historical survey of the roots of current developments in neu rophysiology. It seems that in the near future we may decipher the EEG, which we have considered up to now somewhat as a cryptogram (chap ter 2). After chapter 3-a chapter concerned with more general points of the generation of cortical field potentials-chapters 4, 5, and 6 deal with several aspects and models of interactions and rhythms of cortical neurons. The role of glial cells in cortical electrical field generation is considered in chapter 7. Chapter 8 emphasizes the significance of brain metabolism."

This special issue of the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology presents much of the research described at the recent 2nd International Tissue Engineering Conference held in Crete in May 2005. The conference brought together over 150 researchers from around the world to examine the emerging and most advanced aspects of their particular field. The chapters reflect a diverse group of authors, including both clinicians and academicians.

In this book, research and development trends of physics, engineering, mathematics and computer sciences in biomedical engineering are presented. Contributions from industry, clinics, universities and research labs with foci on medical imaging (CT, MRT, US, PET, SPECT etc.), medical image processing (segmentation, registration, visualization etc.), computer-assisted surgery (medical robotics, navigation), biomechanics (motion analysis, accident research, computer in sports, ergonomics etc.), biomedical optics (OCT, soft-tissue optics, optical monitoring etc.) and laser medicine (tissue ablation, gas analytics, topometry etc.) give insight to recent engineering, clinical and mathematical studies.

The discovery of uniform latex particles by polymer chemists of the Dow Chemical Company nearly 50 years ago opened up new exciting fields for scientists and physicians and established many new biomedical applications. Many in vitro diagnostic tests such as the latex agglutination tests, analytical cell and phagocytosis tests have since become rou tine. They were all developed on the basis of small particles bound to biological active molecules and fluorescent and radioactive markers. Further developments are ongoing, with the focus now shifted to applications of polymer particles in the controlled and di rected transport of drugs in living systems. Four important factors make microspheres interesting for in vivo applications: First, biocompatible polymer particles can be used to transport known amounts of drug and re lease them in a controlled fashion. Second, particles can be made of materials which bio degrade in living organisms without doing any harm. Third, particles with modified surfaces are able to avoid rapid capture by the reticuloendothelial system and therefore en hance their blood circulation time. Fourth, combining particles with specific molecules may allow organ-directed targeting."

Organ regeneration, once unknown in adult mammals, is at the threshold of maturity as a clinical method for restoration of organ function in humans. Several laboratories around the world are engaged in the development of new tools such as stem cells and biologically active scaffolds. Others are taking fresh looks at well-known clinical problems of replacement of a large variety of organs: Bone, skin, the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, articular cartilage, the conjunctiva, heart valves and urologic organs. Still other investigators are working out the mechanistic pathways of regeneration and the theoretical implications of growing back organs in an adult. The time has come to present a collection of these efforts from leading practitioners in the field of organ regeneration.

Swamy Laxminarayan was an outstanding researcher active in many diverse fields of science and technology. This liber amicorum in memory of Swamy Laxminarayan collects Medical and Biological Engineering and Informatics contributions to the Safety and Security of Individuals and Society. The authors are renowned scientists and the aim of their writing is to recall the enormous personal and scientific achievement of Swamy Laxminarayan.

In the twenty-first century, applications in medicine and engineering must acquire greater safety and flexibility if they are to yield better products at higher efficiency. To this end, complex science and technology must be integrated in medicine and engineering. Complex medical engineering (CME) is a new field that merges medical science and technology, and includes biomedical robotics and biomechatronics, complex virtual technology in medicine, information and communication technology in medicine, complex technology in rehabilitation, cognitive neuroscience and technology, and complex bioinformatics. Experts from academia, industry, and government research laboratories who have pioneered CME ideas and technologies describe its concept and research approach and discuss related hardware and software, science and technology, and medicine and engineering. This book will be invaluable to scientists, researchers, and graduates in the emerging field of CME.

Addressing the origin, current status, and future development of point-of-care diagnostics, and serving to integrate knowledge and tools from Analytical Chemistry, Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanotechnology, this book focusses on addressing the collective and combined needs of industry and academia (including medical schools) to effectively conduct interdisciplinary research. In addition to summarizing and detailing developed diagnostic devices, this book will attempt to point out the possible future trends of development for point-of-care diagnostics using both scientifically based research and practical engineering needs with the aim to help novices comprehensively understand the development of point-of-care diagnostics. This includes demonstrating several common but critical principles and mechanisms used in point-of-care diagnostics that address practical needs (e.g., disease or healthcare monitoring) using two well-developed examples so far: 1) blood glucose meters (via electrochemistry); and, 2) pregnancy tests (via lateral flow assay). Readers of this book will come to fully comprehend how to develop point-of-care diagnostics devices, and will be inspired to contribute to a critical global cause - the development of inexpensive, effective, and portable in vitro diagnostics tools (for any purpose) that can be used either at home or in resource limited areas.

Over the next few years, the Connecting for Health IT programme for the NHS in England is due to implement electronic prescribing systems at all hospitals in England. Furthermore, the other UK countries are likely to follow suit with clinical IT implementation programmes, and these developments will generate interest in electronic prescribing at European and international level. There is therefore likely to be an exponential growth in the significance of electronic prescribing over the next ten years. Principles of Electronic Prescribing discusses the basic principles of design and implementation of secondary care electronic medicines management systems, and how their design and configuration can impact on benefits realization, hospital workflow and clinical practice.

In the last decade, remarkable advances have been made in bone marrow transplantation (BMT), which is now becoming a powerful tool in the treatment of diseases such as leukemia, aplastic anemia, and congenital immunodeficiency. In animal experiments, it has been found that BMT can be used to treat not only systemic autoimmune diseases but also organ-specific autoimmune diseases. In humans, it has recently been shown that rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease can be successfully treated after BMT. This volume contains new information on how to prevent graft rejection, how T cell functions can be completely restored, and how concomitant BMT can prevent the rejection of organ allografts without the use of immunosuppressive agents. BMT will become an increasingly useful and powerful treatment for various currently intractable diseases, and this book will contribute by providing details of the latest research in the field.

Emerging Practices in Telehealth: Best Practices in a Rapidly Changing Field is an introduction to telehealth basics, best practices and implementation methods. The book guides the reader from start to finish through the workflow implementation of telehealth technology, including EMRs, clinical workflows, RPM, billing systems, and patient experience. It also explores how telehealth can increase healthcare access and decrease disparities across the globe. Practicing clinicians, medical fellows, allied healthcare professionals, hospital administrators, and hospital IT professionals will all benefit from this practical guidebook.