Medical science and practice have undergone fundamental changes in the last 5 years, as large-scale genome projects have resulted in the sequencing of a number of important microbial, plant and animal genomes. This book aims to combine industry standard software engineering and design principles with genomics, bioinformatics and cancer research. Rather than an exercise in learning a programming platform, the text focuses on useful analytical tools for the scientific community.

By the year 2050, the world's population is expected to reach nine billion. To feed and sustain this projected population, world food production must increase by at least 50 percent on much of the same land that we farm today. To meet this staggering challenge, scientists must develop the technology required to achieve an "evergreen" revolution -- one that increases crop productivity without degrading natural resources. With 30 percent new material, the updated and revised third edition of Growth and Mineral Nutrition of Field Crops covers all aspects of crop growth and mineral nutrition that contribute to sustainable, high-yield agriculture. Bringing together international scientific knowledge of crop production and the impacts of agriculture on the environment, this book: * Includes two new chapters on remediation of heavy-metal contaminated soils and cover crops * Covers theoretical and practical aspects of mineral nutrition of field crops * Provides recommendations for judicious use of fertilizers, which will reduce cost of crop production and enhance high crop yields without risking environmental pollution * Provides growth patterns for annual crops and forages * Includes a handful of color pictures of nutrient deficiencies for easy diagnostic purposes To make the book as practical as possible, each chapter is supported by experimental results and extensive references. A large number of figures and tables are also included to save readers time when researching. The overall emphasis of this reference is on the soil's ability to sustain high crop yields and a healthy human population.

In a systematic and clear manner, the authors discuss the problems associated with clinical decision making and explore the current methods to solve them. In this monograph, they examine the results of combining the classical control system approach with the symbolic approaches which have been central to developments in artificial intelligence. Well illustrated with case studies, this volume will prove to be an invaluable resource to system scientists, engineers, computer scientists, and members of the medical community.

This handbook brings together a variety of approaches to the uses of big data in multiple fields, primarily science, medicine, and business. This single resource features contributions from researchers around the world from a variety of fields, where they share their findings and experience. This book is intended to help spur further innovation in big data. The research is presented in a way that allows readers, regardless of their field of study, to learn from how applications have proven successful and how similar applications could be used in their own field. Contributions stem from researchers in fields such as physics, biology, energy, healthcare, and business. The contributors also discuss important topics such as fraud detection, privacy implications, legal perspectives, and ethical handling of big data.

Modern medicine generates, almost daily, huge amounts of heterogeneous data. For example, medical data may contain SPECT images, signals lik e ECG, clinical information like temperature, cholesterol levels, etc., as well as the physician's interpretation. Those who deal with such data understand that there is a widening gap between data collection a nd data comprehension. Computerized techniques are needed to help huma ns address this problem. This volume is devoted to the relatively youn g and growing field of medical data mining and knowledge discovery. As more and more medical procedures employ imaging as a preferred diagno stic tool, there is a need to develop methods for efficient mining in databases of images. Other significant features are security and confi dentiality concerns. Moreover, the physician's interpretation of image s, signals, or other technical data, is written in unstructured Englis h which is very difficult to mine. This book addresses all these speci fic features.

Microfluidics and BioMEMS Applications central idea is on microfluidics, a relatively new research field which finds its niche in biomedical devices, especially on lab-on-a-chip and related products. Being the essential component in providing driving fluidic flows, an example of micropump is chosen to illustrate a complete cycle in development of microfluidic devices which include literature review, designing and modelling, fabrication and testing. A few articles are included to demonstrate the idea of tackling this research problem, and they cover the main development scope discussed earlier as well as other advanced modelling schemes for microfluidics and beyond.

Scientists and students working in the areas of MEMS and microfluidics will benefit from this book, which may serve both communities as both a reference monograph and a textbook for courses in numerical simulation, and design and development of microfluidic devices.

The original role of RP was to confirm the shape and feel of concept design, but innovations in RP now allow for the development of sophisticated medical devices such as catheters, stents, drug delivery systems, syringes and cardio-vascular devices, and more. RP has moved beyond medical devices, as surgeons now regularly use RP models to brainstorm strategies for surgeries. This book presents new uses for rapid prototyping in state-of-the-art medical applications.

Explosive growth in the field of microsystem technology (MST) has introduced a variety of promising products in major disciplines from microelectronics to life sciences. Especially the life sciences and health care business was, and is expected to be a major market for MST products. Undoubtedly the merging of biological sciences with micro- and nanoscience will create a scientific and technological revolution in future. Microminiaturization of devices, down to the nanoscale, approaching the size of biological structures, will be a prerequisite for the future success of life sciences. Bioanalytical and therapeutic micro- and nanosystems will be mandatory for system biologists in the long run, to obtain insight into morphology, the function and the interactive processes of the living system. With such a deeper understanding new and personalized drugs could be developed leading to a revolution in life sciences. Today, microanalytical devices are used in clinical analytics or molecular biology as gene chips. In parallel, standard microbiomedical products are employed in the intensive care and surgical theatre, mainly for monitoring and implantation purposes. The gap between these two different scientific fields will be closed, however, as soon as functional micro devices can be produced, allowing a deeper view into the function of cells and whole organisms.

Here, a new discipline evolved which focuses on microsystems for living systems called "BIOMEMS." In this review at a glance the exciting field of bio-microsystems, from their beginnings to indicators of future successes are presented. It will also show that a broad penetration of micro and nano technologies into biology and medicine will be mandatory for future scientific and new product development progress in life science.

Health information about patients is critical; currently, health records are saved in databases controlled by individual users, organizations, or large groups of organizations. As there are many malicious users, this information is not shared with other organizations due to security issues and the chance of the data being modified or tampered with. Blockchain can be used to securely exchange healthcare data, which can be accessed by organizations sharing the same network, allowing doctors/practitioners to provide better care for patients. The key properties of decentralization, such as immutability and transparency, improve healthcare interoperability. This book brings forth the prospects and research trends of Blockchain in healthcare, so that Researchers, Database professionals, Academia, and Healthcare professionals across the world can know/use the concept of Blockchain in healthcare. The book provides the fundamental and technical details of Blockchain, the applications of Blockchain in healthcare, hands-on chapters for graduate/postgraduate/doctoral students/healthcare professionals to secure healthcare data of patients, and research challenges and future work directions for researchers in healthcare.

The term "electrophoresis" was first used by Michaelis in 1909, to - scribe the migration of colloids in an electric field. The first practical elect- phoresis method was described by Tiselius in 1937. He used a U-tube filled with buffer layered on top of sample; migration could be monitored using Schlieren optics. In zone electrophoresis, the U-tube was replaced by paper, a support material employed simply to prevent or minimize diffusion of ions, so that ions applied in a narrow strip to the paper will separate and remain as relatively discrete zones. Paper was superceded by a variety of other media, - cluding cellulose acetate, hydrolyzed starch (starch gel), agarose, and polyacry- mide. The latter, in addition to being a support medium, has size-sieving properties. From the basic zone electrophoresis, other means of separation have been dev- oped. These include, isoelectric focusing, isotachophoresis, density gradient el- trophoresis, and various forms of immunoelectrophoresis. In some ways Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) has gone full circle back to the original method of Tiselius. In its simplest form, separations occur in a buffer solution within a glass (fused silica) tube and detection occurs as sample moves past an optical window. CE has rapidly developed into a technique that rivals HPLC in its versatility. All the classical electrophoretic separations-zone, IEF, and isotachophoresis-have their counterparts in CE. Excitingly so, and - thoritatively treated in Clinical Applications of Capillary Electrophoresis.

Interrupted Time Series Analysis develops a comprehensive set of models and methods for drawing causal inferences from time series. It provides example analyses of social, behavioral, and biomedical time series to illustrate a general strategy for building AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) impact models. Additionally, the book supplements the classic Box-Jenkins-Tiao model-building strategy with recent auxiliary tests for transformation, differencing, and model selection. Not only does the text discuss new developments, including the prospects for widespread adoption of Bayesian hypothesis testing and synthetic control group designs, but it makes optimal use of graphical illustrations in its examples. With forty completed example analyses that demonstrate the implications of model properties, Interrupted Time Series Analysis will be a key inter-disciplinary text in classrooms, workshops, and short-courses for researchers familiar with time series data or cross-sectional regression analysis but limited background in the structure of time series processes and experiments.

This volume presents the latest research in Virtual Reality (VR), as it is being applied in psychotherapy, rehabilitation, and the analysis of behaviour for neurological assessment. This book will be of value to anyone already in the field and to those who are interested in the development of VR systems for therapeutic purposes. The contents include: * The latest literature reviews on VR in psychotherapy, psychological wellbeing, and rehabilitation * VR and cognitive behavior therapy * Increasing presence in VR for effective exposure therapy and treatment of anxiety disorders * VR military training for managing combat stress and preventing post traumatic stress * VR, mixed reality systems, and games for stroke rehabilitation * VR systems for improving vision in children with amblyopia * Therapeutic play in virtual environments * Healing potential of online virtual worlds such as Second Life * Neuropsychological assessment using virtual environments * Detailed accounts on how VR systems are designed, implemented, and best evaluated * Discussions of limitations, problems, and ethical concerns using VR in mental and physical therapy

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.

Nature-Inspired Computing Paradigms in Systems: Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Safety and Cost (RAMS+C) and Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) covers several areas that include bioinspired techniques and optimization approaches for system dependability. The book addresses the issue of integration and interaction of the bioinspired techniques in system dependability computing so that intelligent decisions, design, and architectures can be supported. It brings together these emerging areas under the umbrella of bio- and nature-inspired computational intelligence. The primary audience of this book includes experts and developers who want to deepen their understanding of bioinspired computing in basic theory, algorithms, and applications. The book is also intended to be used as a textbook for masters and doctoral students who want to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the role of bioinspired techniques in system dependability.

Technological Systems in the Bio Industries: An International Study represents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and systematic effort to understand the nature and role of technological change in a rapidly evolving arena of economic activity that can be loosely referred to as the bio industries. These include biomedical industries that deliver goods and services used in health care, including those based on genetic engineering, as well as applications of biotechnology in other industries such as agriculture, food production, and the forest industries.

This volume is the third in a continuing series of studies on technological systems; it seeks to identify and address new sets of conceptual and methodological issues in analyzing innovation systems, particularly as regards the delimitation of relevant systems. The book makes an in-depth comparison of the biomedical clusters in Sweden and Ohio. It also sheds light on the emergence of new science-based technological systems.

This book offers a comprehensive report on the technological aspects of Mobile Health (mHealth) and discusses the main challenges and future directions in the field. It is divided into eight parts: (1) preventive and curative medicine; (2) remote health monitoring; (3) interoperability; (4) framework, architecture, and software/hardware systems; (5) cloud applications; (6) radio technologies and applications; (7) communication networks and systems; and (8) security and privacy mechanisms. The first two parts cover sensor-based and bedside systems for remotely monitoring patients' health condition, which aim at preventing the development of health problems and managing the prognosis of acute and chronic diseases. The related chapters discuss how new sensing and wireless technologies can offer accurate and cost-effective means for monitoring and evaluating behavior of individuals with dementia and psychiatric disorders, such as wandering behavior and sleep impairments. The following two parts focus on architectures and higher level systems, and on the challenges associated with their interoperability and scalability, two important aspects that stand in the way of the widespread deployment of mHealth systems. The remaining parts focus on telecommunication support systems for mHealth, including radio technologies, communication and cloud networks, and secure health-related applications and systems. All in all, the book offers a snapshot of the state-of-art in mHealth systems, and addresses the needs of a multidisciplinary audience, including engineers, computer scientists, healthcare providers, and medical professionals, working in both academia and the industry, as well as stakeholders at government agencies and non-profit organizations.

This book highlights the latest advances in the application of artificial intelligence to healthcare and medicine. It gathers selected papers presented at the 2019 Health Intelligence workshop, which was jointly held with the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) annual conference, and presents an overview of the central issues, challenges, and potential opportunities in the field, along with new research results. By addressing a wide range of practical applications, the book makes the emerging topics of digital health and precision medicine accessible to a broad readership. Further, it offers an essential source of information for scientists, researchers, students, industry professionals, national and international public health agencies, and NGOs interested in the theory and practice of digital and precision medicine and health, with an emphasis on risk factors in connection with disease prevention, diagnosis, and intervention.

Recently, artificial intelligence technology has achieved much success in multiple fields, such as healthcare, security, precision agriculture, smart city, and autonomous driving. AI provides many benefits for social development, economic growth, wellbeing management, and human healthcare. Various intelligent healthcare applications have been created in order to assist in patient healthcare. The book discusses the advances of AI applications in healthcare such as disease diagnosis, diet proposal, drug prescription and trucking, and physical and psychological assistance. It also examines the applications of AI tools in healthcare such as machine learning, deep learning, soft computing, evolutionary computing techniques in the design, and implementation of healthcare solutions. This book is ideal for healthcare administrators, radiologists, medical imaging and signal specialists, diagnosticians, medical professionals, data analysts, computer science professionals, IT consultants, researchers, academicians, and students.

Looking beyond the communications technology horizon and projecting future competency-specific employment demand, this book presents an evaluation of desirable information systems enhancements by integrating two disparate-domain computer ontologies. It provides readers a fresh solutions approach based on dynamic modeling and methodological contributions to philosophical and assistive communications system development in healthcare, addressing the need for both demand intelligence and practical work environment support. The pace of change in redefining occupation-specific employee resourcing needs is unrelenting and continues to accelerate. And the exponential growth in the demand for healthcare service delivery is correspondingly daunting. As such, the public and private sectors are faced with the challenge of sustaining credible relevant demand intelligence and recruitment practices, while integration, expansion and enrichment of ostensibly unconnected ontologies represent key R&D issues.

Septic shock remains a serious medical condition with high mortality. Despite many advances in intensive care medicine and antibiotic devel- ment, this has not changed appreciably in the last 20 years. Frustratingly, over the same period of time, enormous advances have been made in understa- ing the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of this condition. This has resulted in the development of several novel therapies for septic shock, which, despite excellent theoretical grounds for their efficacy, have failed in altering mort- ity attributable to sepsis. The reasons for these failures are multiple, but it is clear that further research is required aimed at increasing our understanding of the basic pat- physiological processes that occur following infection. Research into septic shock draws upon a number of different disciplines, ranging from molecular and cellular biology to physiological measurements on whole animals. Septic Shock Methods and Protocols is an attempt to draw together into one volume a number of protocols that are of use in the investigation of the mechanisms of septic shock. I have divided the book into five sections. The first deals with endotoxin, the lipopolysaccharide component of the Gram-negative cell m- brane that can mimic many of the features of septic shock. Gram-positive organisms are found increasingly as causes of septic shock, and several - pects of toxins produced from these bacteria are considered in the second s- tion.