This monograph sketches out a broad spectrum of problems (from evolution and metabolism to morphogenesis and biogeographical dynamics) whose solution has been impacted by mathematical models. Each of the selected examples has led to the recognition-and set direction to further study-of certain fundamental but unintuitive properties of biological systems, such as the making and breaking of specific symmetries that underlie morphogenesis. Whether they are long-established or only recently accepted, these models are selected for being thought-provoking and illuminating both the achievements and the gaps in our current understanding of the given area of biology. The selection of models is also meant to bring to the fore the existing degree of unity in the quantitative approach to diverse general-biological questions and in the systems-level properties that are discovered across the levels of biological organization. It is the thesis of this book that further cultivation of such unity is a way forward as we progress toward a general theory of living matter. This is an ideal book for students (in the broadest sense) of biology who wish to learn from this attempt to present the exemplary models, their methodological lessons, and the outline of a unified theory of living matter that is now beginning to emerge. In addition to a doctoral student preparing for quantitative biology research, this reader could also be an interdisciplinary scientist transitioning to biology. The latter-for example, a physicist or an engineer-may be comfortable with the mathematical apparatus and prepared to quickly enter the intended area of work, but desires a broader foundation in biology from the quantitative perspective.

Engineered Biomaterials: Progress and Prospects presents state-of-the-art developments in the area of biomaterials research exemplified by experts in the fields of tissue engineering, wound healing, bio-diagnostics, novel therapeutics and advanced drug delivery systems.It provides a comprehensive account of preparation, characterisation, properties, processing, biological and clinical evaluation of a large variety of materials for specific biomedical applications. Basic concepts related to wound healing, tissue engineering and drug delivery systems, and the principal role played by macro, micro and nano scaled structures in biomaterials are presented in a clear manner. Developments in the area of conventional and advanced wound care strategies, materials for periodontal therapeutics, in-situ gelling tissue adhesives, biodegradable composites etc are illustrated in a lucid manner. Advanced processing techniques explored for the fabrication of micro-needles for vaccine delivery, 3D printing of personalized pharmaceuticals, bio-resorbable coatings, metallosurfactants and surface engineering of nanosystems are depicted in a straightforward and reasonable way.This book also discusses various advanced therapeutic and diagnostic systems such as magnetic nanoparticle based hyperthermia and their surface functionalization techniques. Lipid-based nano delivery systems for psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome and pain management, polyrotaxane polymers, wearable devices for sensing etc are also depicted in this book. The contents are designed in a manner that will be highly suited for academic researchers, clinicians and industrialists who wish to explore in the versatile field of biomaterials as it contains a wealth of valuable information that will be equally useful to both beginners as well as established researchers.

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.

Bioceramics: For Materials Science and Engineering provides a great working knowledge on the field of biomaterials, including the interaction of biomaterials with their biological surroundings. The book discussees the biomedical applications of materials, the standpoint of biomedical professionals, and a real-world assessment of the academic research in the field. It addresses the types of bioceramics currently available, their structure and fundamental properties, and their most important applications. Users will find this to be the only book to cover all these aspects.

This volume focuses on the fundamentals and advancements in micro and nanomanufacturing technologies applied in the biomedical and biochemical domain. The contents of this volume provide comprehensive coverage of the physical principles of advanced manufacturing technologies and the know-how of their applications in the fabrication of biomedical devices and systems. The book begins by documenting the journey of miniaturization and micro-and nano-fabrication. It then delves into the fundamentals of various advanced technologies such as micro-wire moulding, 3D printing, lithography, imprinting, direct laser machining, and laser-induced plasma-assisted machining. It also covers laser-based technologies which are a promising option due to their flexibility, ease in control and application, high precision, and availability. These technologies can be employed to process several materials such as glass, polymers: polycarbonate, polydimethylsiloxane, polymethylmethacrylate, and metals such as stainless steel, which are commonly used in the fabrication of biomedical devices, such as microfluidic technology, optical and fiber-optic sensors, and electro-chemical bio-sensors. It also discusses advancements in various MEMS/NEMS based technologies and their applications in energy conversion and storage devices. The chapters are written by experts from the fields of micro- and nano-manufacturing, materials engineering, nano-biotechnology, and end-users such as clinicians, engineers, academicians of interdisciplinary background. This book will be a useful guide for academia and industry alike.

The Computational Biomechanics for Medicine titles provide an opportunity for specialists in computational biomechanics to present their latest methodologiesand advancements. Thisvolumecomprises twelve of the newest approaches and applications of computational biomechanics, from researchers in Australia, New Zealand, USA, France, Spain and Switzerland. Some of the interesting topics discussed are:real-time simulations; growth and remodelling of soft tissues; inverse and meshless solutions; medical image analysis; and patient-specific solid mechanics simulations. One of the greatest challenges facing the computational engineering community is to extend the success of computational mechanics to fields outside traditional engineering, in particular to biology, the biomedical sciences, and medicine. We hope the research presented within this book series will contribute to overcoming this grand challenge.

Features • Discusses novel methods of cancer diagnostics and cancer treatment. • Details non and minimally-invasive photonics techniques. • Explores the applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence to these novel techniques.

Reviews different machine learning and deep learning techniques with a biomedical perspective Provides the relevant case studies that demonstrate applicability of different AI techniques Explain different kinds of inputs like various image modalities, biomedical signals types, etc. Covers the latest trends of AI-based biomedical domains including IoT, drug discovery, biomechanics, robotics, electronic health records, etc. Discusses the research challenges and opportunities in AI and biomedical domain

This book highlights recent advances in soft and stretchable biointegrated electronics. A renowned group of authors address key ideas in the materials, processes, mechanics, and devices of soft and stretchable electronics; the wearable electronics systems; and bioinspired and implantable biomedical electronics. Among the topics discussed are liquid metals, stretchable and flexible energy sources, skin-like devices, in vitro neural recording, and more. Special focus is given to recent advances in extremely soft and stretchable bio-inspired electronics with real-world clinical studies that validate the technology. Foundational theoretical and experimental aspects are also covered in relation to the design and application of these biointegrated electronics systems. This is an ideal book for researchers, engineers, and industry professionals involved in developing healthcare devices, medical tools and related instruments relevant to various clinical practices.

The Use of Mass Spectrometry Technology (MALDI-TOF) in Clinical Microbiology presents the state-of the-art for MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. It is a key reference defining how MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is used in clinical settings as a diagnostic tool of microbial identification and characterization that is based on the detection of a mass of molecules. The book provides updated applications of MALDI-TOF techniques in clinical microbiology, presenting the latest information available on a technology that is now used for rapid microbial identification at relatively low cost, thus offering an alternative to conventional laboratory diagnosis and proteomic identification systems. Although the main use of the technology has, until now, been identification or typing of bacteria from a positive culture, applications in the field of virology, mycology, microbacteriology and resistances are opening up new opportunities.

"In an environment of intensifying global competition, deployment of technology is becoming the strategic battlefield of the international marketplace." —National Critical Technologies Panel.

Creating Technology Strategies prepares business and scientific leaders in the biomedical industries to battle for dominance in the global marketplace. It closes the gap between R&D scientists' and corporate executives' understanding of the relationship between R&D decisions and the achievement of business objectives. In doing so, the book creates a blueprint to guide the day-to-day and long-term allocation of science and technology resources and helps achieve a consistency among corporate, R&D, program, and project decisions.

Alice M. Sapienza, a scholar and strategic consultant to biomedical firms, explains the special issues of concern to these firms and some of the pressures on their leadership to invest in and manage R&D resources wisely. She provides a conceptual foundation for understanding the technology life cycle and supplies tools with which the leadership team can.

• Analyze the external environment and take advantage of the competitive situation
• Codify the firm's competitive position in terms of the technology it possesses
• Develop a strategic vision that encourages consistent R&D investments
• Determine the consequences of and requirements for changing the firm's competitive position
• Assess the fit of external knowledge sources (new recruits, acquired firms, etc.) with the biomedical firm
• Implement competitive technology strategy at program and project levels.

Supplemented with strategic investment assessment guidelines for both industry insiders and nonindustry venture capitalists, Creating Technology Strategies covers both macro and micro R&D issues. For R&D scientists, managers, and potential investors in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and diagnostic industries, this book provides much of the information needed to understand the complex and crucial issues of biomedical R&D strategy.

How to compete successfully in an industry unlike any other . . .

A direct relationship to public and personal health; a three-part consumer base consisting of medical professionals, third-party payers, and patients; a high level of government regulation; and the intensely emotional nature of many of the decisions that must be made—this combination of factors sets the biomedical industry apart from all others when it comes to determining R&D strategies. In this book, a leading industry consultant, Dr. Alice Sapienza, speaks directly to biomedical scientists, corporate strategists, and R&D managers. Dr. Sapienza sorts through the many complex issues that affect both business and R&D decisions and arrives at sensible conclusions that enable biomedical firms to maximize the effectiveness of R&D programs while strengthening their competitive position. The approaches developed in Creating Technology Strategies will be of particular interest to

• Members of the R&D leadership team, who must understand, design, and implement a technology strategy that supports the achievement of business goals.
• Corporate management, who must better understand the role of science and technology in the attainment of strategic objectives.
• R&D scientists, who must assess and manage programs and projects in ways that are consistent with corporate and technology strategies.
• Investors, who must analyze a biomedical firm's competitive position before committing their resources.

"Dr. Sapienza provides an extremely useful framework for R&D based companies to use in attempting to realign their business strategies. . . . [She] touches on many of the critical elements of the competitive technology environment. . . . [The book provides] a highly effective vehicle to allow groups of key decision makers . . . to understand the future of the research-based biomedical research industry for the 21st century." —Michael Williams, Ph.D., D.Sc., Vice President, Neuroscience Research, Abbott Laboratories

"[It] is well worth reading and thinking about. . . . includes several hypothetical cases . . . bringing to life some of the more difficult conceptual material. Dr. Sapienza brings an intimate knowledge . . . of technology and strategic issues facing the leadership of many knowledge-based organizations today." —Muzammil Mansuri, Ph.D., Vice President, MITOTIX.

"I am impressed . . . it presents a sophisticated, but realistic, approach to the problems facing the biopharmaceutical industry in defining and implementing a relevant business and research strategy. . . . Dr. Sapienza has caught the flavor excellently." —J.D. Fitzgerald, M.D., Materia Medica.

This book presents a systematic overview of the most relevant nanomaterials and their respective intrinsic properties that have been highly explored by the scientific community and pharmaceutical companies in several different modalities for cancer therapy and bioimaging. The chapters explore the synergistic effects provided by the different nanostructured materials and highlight the main in vitro and in vivo therapeutic achievements on cancer. This work also provides relevant discussion about the recent progresses and future challenges that nanotechnology faces on the conception of more efficient nanoformulations against primary tumors, circulating cancer cells and metastases.

This book fills the gap between fundamental and applied research in the use of nanomaterials in biomedical applications, covering the most relevant areas, such as the fundamental concepts of the preparation of nanostructures and regulatory requirements for their safe use in biomedical devices. It also critically discusses what has been achieved in the field, and what needs to be urgently addressed and reviews the state-of-the-art medical uses of nanomaterials for treating damaged organs and tissues. Combining the expertise of clinical researchers working in the field of tissue engineering and novel materials, the book explores the main topics regarding the characterization of materials, specific organ-oriented biomaterials and their applications, as well as regulations and safety. Further, it also examines recent advances, difficulties, and clinical requirements in terms of human bone, cornea, heart, skin and the nervous system, allowing readers to gain a clear and comprehensive understanding of current nanomaterial use in biomedical applications and devices, together with the challenges and future trends. This book is a valuable tool for multidisciplinary scientists and experts interested in fundamental concepts and synthetic routes for preparing nanomaterials. It is also of interest to students and researchers involved in cross-disciplinary research in nanomaterials for clinical applications and offers practical insights for clinicians as well as engineers and materials scientists working in nanoengineering.

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 book reviews the potential of next-generation point-of-care diagnosis in healthcare. It also discusses the printed chip-based assay (Lab-on-a-Chip, Lab-on-a-PCB) for rapid, inexpensive biomarkers detection. The book presents the development of sensory systems based on the use of nanomaterials. It examines different biosensors for medical diagnosis using surface modification strategies of transducers. It presents electrochemical concepts based on different nanobiomaterials and nanocomposites for cancer theranostics. Notably, the book examines the recent advances in wearable, cost-effective hemodynamic sensors to detect diseases at an early stage. It further explores the combination of redox cycling and electrochemical detection to develop ultrasensitive and reproducible biosensors for point-of-care testing. Finally, the book summarizes the significant challenges in the point of care diagnostics and its future opportunities in healthcare.

This book explores the status of paper-based diagnostic solutions, or Microfluidics 2.0. The contributors explore: how paper-based tests can be widely distributed and utilized by semi-skilled personnel; how close to commercial applications the technology has become, and what is still required to make paper-based diagnostics the game-changer it can be. The technology is examined through the lens of the World Health Organization's ASSURED criteria for low-resource countries (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment-free, and Deliverable to end-users). Its applications have to include: health technology, environmental technology, food safety, and more. This book is appropriate for researchers in these areas, as well as those interested in microfluidics, and includes chapters dedicated to principles such as theory of flow and surface treatments; components such as biomarkers and detection; and current methods of manufacturing. Discusses how paper-based diagnostics can be used in developing countries by comparing current diagnostic tests with the World Health Organization's ASSURED criteria Examines how paper-based diagnostics could be integrated with other technologies, such as printed electronics, and the Internet of Things. Outlines how semi-skilled personnel across a variety of fields can implement paper-based diagnostics

Human Embryonic Stem Cells in Development, Volume 129, the latest release in the Current Topics in Developmental Biology series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on topics such as recapitulating pancreas development from human embryonic stem cells in a dish, modeling mammalian gastrulation with embryonic stem cells, and a section on what stem cells tell us about human germ cell biology. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

Medical Devices Quality Management Systems: Strategy and Techniques for Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness is written for the needs of quality, compliance, and regulatory professionals in medical device companies. It includes secrets for developing an effective, yet efficient, Quality Management System (QMS) and explains how to create a vision, strategy, and tactical plans. Author Manz shares lessons on leadership, key roles and responsibilities within a medical device company, while also exploring the concepts of process ownership, individual accountability, and how to cultivate a culture of quality and compliance. This book is useful for all executive, functional leaders, and organizations in the highly regulated medical device industry.

The processing of medical images in a reasonable timeframe and with high definition is very challenging. This volume helps to meet that challenge by presenting a thorough overview of medical imaging modalities, its processing, high-performance computing, and the need to embed parallelism in medical image processing techniques to achieve efficient and fast results. With contributions from researchers from prestigious laboratories and educational institutions, High-Performance Medical Image Processing provides important information on medical image processing techniques, parallel computing techniques, and embedding parallelism in different image processing techniques. A comprehensive review of parallel algorithms in medical image processing problems is a key feature of this book. The volume presents the relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings in the area and provides detailed descriptions about the diverse high-performance techniques. Topics discussed include parallel computing, multicore architectures and their applications in image processing, machine learning applications, conventional and advanced magnetic resonance imaging methods, hyperspectral image processing, algorithms for segmenting 2D slices for 3D viewing, and more. Case studies, such as on the detection of cancer tumors, expound on the information presented. Key features: Provides descriptions of different medical imaging modalities and their applications Discusses the basics and advanced aspects of parallel computing with different multicore architectures Expounds on the need for embedding data and task parallelism in different medical image processing techniques Presents helpful examples and case studies of the discussed methods This book will be valuable for professionals, researchers, and students working in the field of healthcare engineering, medical imaging technology, applications in machine and deep learning, and more. It is also appropriate for courses in computer engineering, biomedical engineering and electrical engineering based on artificial intelligence, parallel computing, high performance computing, and machine learning and its applications in medical imaging.

Clearly presents the state of the art and future trends in the research of the biodegradable polymers in the context of circular economy Covers entire value chain and life cycle of biopolymers, considering different types of polymers Clarifies the life safety of (bio)degradable polymeric materials Presents novel opportunities and ideas for developing or improving technologies Determines the course of degradation during prediction study

Improving the quality of life for the disabled and elderly is a pressing issue for today s European societies, as Europe, and industrialized countries worldwide, are confronted with a demographic shift. Researchers are looking toward Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) as the solution to this problem. Wireless Technologies for Ambient Assisted Living and Healthcare: Systems and Applications provides a compendium of terms, definitions, and explanations of concepts and processes within the area of AAL. It focuses on innovative wireless solutions for smart home environments, which will positively contribute to independent living and quality of life for disabled and elderly individuals, as they rely less on caretakers and more on technology. Other topics include information and communication technologies related to health, new developments in distributed applications and interoperable systems, applications and services, wireless technologies and architectures for health monitoring systems, and wireless communication and sensor networks in smart living space.

This book offers a timely review of modern technologies for health, with a special emphasis on wireless and wearable technologies, GIS tools and machine learning methods for managing the impacts of pandemics. It describes new strategies for forecasting evolution of pandemics, optimizing contract tracing, and for detection and diagnosis of diseases, among others. Written by researchers and professionals with different backgrounds, this book offers a extensive information and a source of inspiration for physiologists, engineers, IT scientists and policy makers in the health and technology sector.

Biomechanics of the Spine encompasses the basics of spine biomechanics, spinal tissues, spinal disorders and treatment methods. Organized into four parts, the first chapters explore the functional anatomy of the spine, with special emphasis on aspects which are biomechanically relevant and quite often neglected in clinical literature. The second part describes the mechanics of the individual spinal tissues, along with commonly used testing set-ups and the constitutive models used to represent them in mathematical studies. The third part covers in detail the current methods which are used in spine research: experimental testing, numerical simulation and in vivo studies (imaging and motion analysis). The last part covers the biomechanical aspects of spinal pathologies and their surgical treatment. This valuable reference is ideal for bioengineers who are involved in spine biomechanics, and spinal surgeons who are looking to broaden their biomechanical knowledge base. The contributors to this book are from the leading institutions in the world that are researching spine biomechanics.

Medical Innovation: Concept to Commercialization is a practical, step-by-step approach on how to move a novel concept through development to realize a commercially successful product. Real-world experience cases and knowledgeable contributors provide lessons that cover the practices of diverse organizations and multiple products. This important reference will help improve success and avoid innovation failure for translational researchers, entrepreneurs, medical school educators, biomedical engineering students and faculty, and aspiring physicians.

Synchrotron radiation has been a revolutionary and invaluable research tool for a wide range of scientists, including chemists, biologists, physicists, materials scientists, geophysicists. It has also found multidisciplinary applications with problems ranging from archeology through cultural heritage to paleontology. The subject of this book is x-ray spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation, and the target audience is both current and potential users of synchrotron facilities. The first half of the book introduces readers to the fundamentals of storage ring operations, the qualities of the synchrotron radiation produced, the x-ray optics required to transport this radiation, and the detectors used for measurements. The second half of the book describes the important spectroscopic techniques that use synchrotron x-rays, including chapters on x-ray absorption, x-ray fluorescence, resonant and non-resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, nuclear spectroscopies, and x-ray photoemission. A final chapter surveys the exciting developments of free electron laser sources, which promise a second revolution in x-ray science. Thanks to the detailed descriptions in the book, prospective users will be able to quickly begin working with these techniques. Experienced users will find useful summaries, key equations, and exhaustive references to key papers in the field, as well as outlines of the historical developments in the field. Along with plentiful illustrations, this work includes access to supplemental Mathematica notebooks, which can be used for some of the more complex calculations and as a teaching aid. This book should appeal to graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and senior scientists alike.