Urban parks and gardens are where people go to reconnect with nature and destress. But do they all provide the same benefits or are some better than others? What specific attributes set some green spaces apart? Can we objectively measure their impact on mental health and well-being? If so, how do we use this evidence to guide the design of mentally healthy cities? The Contemplative Landscape Model unveils the path to answer these questions. Rooted in landscape architecture and neuroscience, this innovative concept is described for the first time in an extended format, offering a deep dive into contemplative design and the science behind it. In the face of the global mental health crisis, and increasing disconnection from nature, design strategies for creating healthier urban environments are what our cities so sorely need. The book delves into the neuroscience behind contemplative landscapes, their key spatial characteristics, and practical application of the Contemplative Landscape Model through case studies from around the world. Landscape architects, urban planners, students, land managers, and anyone interested in unlocking the healing power of landscapes will find inspiration here.

Image synthesis across and within medical imaging modalities is an active area of research with broad applications in radiology and radiation oncology. This book covers the principles and methods of medical image synthesis, along with state-of-the-art research. First, various traditional non-learning-based, traditional machine-learning-based, and recent deep-learning-based medical image synthesis methods are reviewed. Second, specific applications of different inter- and intra-modality image synthesis tasks and of synthetic image-aided segmentation and registration are introduced and summarized, listing and highlighting the proposed methods, study designs, and reported performances with the related clinical applications of representative studies. Third, the clinical usages of medical image synthesis, such as treatment planning and image-guided adaptive radiotherapy, are discussed. Last, the limitations and current challenges of various medical synthesis applications are explored, along with future trends and potential solutions to solve these difficulties. The benefits of medical image synthesis have sparked growing interest in a number of advanced clinical applications, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-only radiation therapy treatment planning and positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI scanning. This book will be a comprehensive and exciting resource for undergraduates, graduates, researchers, and practitioners.

This volume contains the papers of the 1st Workshop IFToMM for Sustainable Development Goals (I4SDG), held online on November 25-26, 2021. The main topics of the workshop include the aspects of theory, design and practice of mechanism and machine science which are instrumental in reaching a sustainable development, such as: biomechanical engineering, sustainable energy systems, robotics and mechatronics, green tribology, computational kinematics, dynamics of machinery, industrial applications of mechanism design, gearing and transmissions, multibody dynamics rotor dynamics, vibrations, humanitarian engineering, and socio-technical systems for sustainable and inclusive development. The contributions, which were selected by means of a rigorous international peer-review process, highlight numerous exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaboration among different specialists, demonstrating that medical and service robotics will drive the technological and societal change in the coming decades.

The future of gene editing in humans will involve the use of CRISPR. How we think about the combination of the scientific, ethical, and moral aspects of this technology is paramount to the success or failure of CRISPR in humans. Unfortunately, the current scientific discussion around CRISPR in humans has left ethics trailing behind due to the rapid pace of innovation. New modes of ethics and stakeholder participation are needed to keep pace with rapid scientific advances and provide the necessary policy and ethical frameworks necessary to help CRISPR flourish as an important health care tool to treat human disease. This requires intense interdisciplinary collaboration and discussion between scientists and philosophers, policymakers and legal scholars, and the public. Dr. Michael W. Nestor (a neuroscientist who actively uses CRISPR in pre-clinical research) and Professor Richard Wilson (a philosopher who focuses on anticipatory ethics) set out to develop a new ethical approach considering the use of CRISPR in human targeted therapies. The field of anticipatory ethics is uniquely poised to tackle questions in fast-evolving technical areas where the pace of innovation outstrips traditional philosophical approaches. Furthermore, because of its "anticipatory" nature, this type of analysis provides the opportunity to look ahead and into the future concerning potential uses of CRISPR in humans, uses that are not currently possible. Nestor and Wilson collaborate both scientifically and philosophically in this book to forecast potential outcomes as the scientific and medical community goes beyond using CRISPR to correct genes that underlie diseases where a single gene is involved. Instead, Nestor and Wilson envision CRISPR in complex, multigenic disorders with a specific focus on the use of CRISPR to edit genes involved in mental traits like IQ or other cognitive characteristics. They argue that the use of CRISPR to modify genes that are potentially important for mental traits represents a particular category for special consideration from scientists, policymakers, the public, and other stakeholders. Nestor and Wilson explain why using CRISPR to alter mental states is very different from treating a disease like cancer by combining the latest scientific advancements with anticipatory ethics and philosophical phenomenology. Their analysis considers the role that mental states play in personhood and the lived experience-as genes that can change mental/cognitive attributes like IQ have wide-ranging effects on the lived experience in ways that are categorically different from other attributes. This book was written to set a non-exhaustive framework for shared understanding and discussion across disciplines and appeal to scientists and non-scientists alike. This appeal is made inclusively, inviting all stakeholders to engage in active dialogue about the appropriate context for using CRISPR and other gene-editing technologies in humans. It provides policy analysis and recommendations for assuring the most inclusive, equitable, and ethically sound use of CRISPR in humans, concerning its positive potential to treat mental conditions like depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, autism, and the potential to induce other cognitive enhancements.

This contributed volume reviews the latest advances in all the new technologies currently developed for MagnetoEncephaloGraphy (MEG) recordings, as well as sensor technologies and integrated sensor arrays for on-scalp MEG. The book gives an account of the first MEG imaging studies and explores the new field of feasible, experimental paradigms of on-scalp MEG. This is an ideal book for engineers, researchers, and students in the neurosciences interested in MEG imaging.

Biomateriomics is the holistic study of biological material systems. While such systems are undoubtedly complex, we frequently encounter similar components -- universal building blocks and hierarchical structure motifs -- which result in a diverse set of functionalities. Similar to the way music or language arises from a limited set of music notes and words, we exploit the relationships between form and function in a meaningful way by recognizing the similarities between Beethoven and bone, or Shakespeare and silk. Through the investigation of material properties, examining fundamental links between processes, structures, and properties at multiple scales and their interactions, materiomics explains system functionality from the level of building blocks. Biomateriomics specifically focuses the analysis of the role of materials in the context of biological processes, the transfer of biological material principles towards biomimetic and bioinspired applications, and the study of interfaces between living and non-living systems. The challenges of biological materials are vast, but the convergence of biology, mathematics and engineering as well as computational and experimental techniques have resulted in the toolset necessary to describe complex material systems, from nano to macro. Applying biomateriomics can unlock Nature's secret to high performance materials such as spider silk, bone, and nacre, and elucidate the progression and diagnosis or the treatment of diseases. Similarly, it contributes to develop a de novo understanding of biological material processes and to the potential of exploiting novel concepts in innovation, material synthesis and design.

Managing Medical Devices within a Regulatory Framework helps administrators, designers, manufacturers, clinical engineers, and biomedical support staff to navigate worldwide regulation, carefully consider the parameters for medical equipment patient safety, anticipate problems with equipment, and efficiently manage medical device acquisition budgets throughout the total product life cycle. This contributed book contains perspectives from industry professionals and academics providing a comprehensive look at health technology management (HTM) best practices for medical records management, interoperability between and among devices outside of healthcare, and the dynamics of implementation of new devices. Various chapters advise on how to achieve patient confidentiality compliance for medical devices and their software, discuss legal issues surrounding device use in the hospital environment of care, the impact of device failures on patient safety, methods to advance skillsets for HTM professionals, and resources to assess digital technology. The authors bring forth relevant challenges and demonstrate how management can foster increased clinical and non-clinical collaboration to enhance patient outcomes and the bottom line by translating the regulatory impact on operational requirements.

This book presents a novel continuum finite deformation framework addressing the complex interactions among electrostatics, species transport, and mechanics in solid networks immersed in a fluid phase of solvent and ions. Grounded on cutting-edge multiphysics theories for soft active materials, the proposed model is primarily applied to ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs). First, the influence of shear deformation on the IPMC response is analyzed through semi-analytical solutions obtained via the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Second, the novel electrochemo-poromechanical theory is used to predict the curvature relaxation and electric discharge that are observed in IPMC actuation and sensing, respectively, under a sustained stimulus. This newly formulated theory is, in turn, applied to biological cell clusters. Here, important mechanical considerations are integrated into classical bioelectrical models, thus offering novel insights into the interplay of mechanical and electrical signaling in the coordination of developmental processes.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Brain Computer Interface provides concepts of AI for the modeling of non-invasive modalities of medical signals such as EEG, MRI and FMRI. These modalities and their AI-based analysis are employed in BCI and related applications. The book emphasizes the real challenges in non-invasive input due to the complex nature of the human brain and for a variety of applications for analysis, classification and identification of different mental states. Each chapter starts with a description of a non-invasive input example and the need and motivation of the associated AI methods, along with discussions to connect the technology through BCI. Major topics include different AI methods/techniques such as Deep Neural Networks and Machine Learning algorithms for different non-invasive modalities such as EEG, MRI, FMRI for improving the diagnosis and prognosis of numerous disorders of the nervous system, cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, respiratory system and various organs of the body. The book also covers applications of AI in the management of chronic conditions, databases, and in the delivery of health services.

Augmenting Neurological Disorder Prediction and Rehabilitation Using Artificial Intelligence focuses on how the neurosciences can benefit from advances in AI, especially in areas such as medical image analysis for the improved diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, early detection of acute neurologic events, prediction of stroke, medical image segmentation for quantitative evaluation of neuroanatomy and vasculature, diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease, autism spectrum disorder, and other key neurological disorders. Chapters also focus on how AI can help in predicting stroke recovery, and the use of Machine Learning and AI in personalizing stroke rehabilitation therapy. Other sections delve into Epilepsy and the use of Machine Learning techniques to detect epileptogenic lesions on MRIs and how to understand neural networks.

3D Bioprinting and Nanotechnology in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Second Edition provides an in-depth introduction to bioprinting and nanotechnology and their industrial applications. Sections cover 4D Printing Smart Multi-responsive Structure, Cells for Bioprinting, 4D Printing Biomaterials, 3D/4D printing functional biomedical devices, 3D Printing for Cardiac and Heart Regeneration, Integrating 3D printing with Ultrasound for Musculoskeletal Regeneration, 3D Printing for Liver Regeneration, 3D Printing for Cancer Studies, 4D Printing Soft Bio-robots, Clinical Translation and Future Directions. The book's team of expert contributors have pooled their expertise in order to provide a summary of the suitability, sustainability and limitations of each technique for each specific application. The increasing availability and decreasing costs of nanotechnologies and 3D printing technologies are driving their use to meet medical needs. This book provides an overview of these technologies and their integration.

This book reports on the state of the art in the field of aerial-aquatic locomotion, focusing on the main challenges concerning the translation of this important ability from nature to synthetic systems, and describing innovative engineering solutions that have been applied in practice by the authors at the Aerial Robotics Lab of Imperial College London. After a general introduction to aerial-aquatic locomotion in nature, and a summary of the most important engineering achievements, the book introduces readers to important physical and mathematical aspects of the multimodal locomotion problem. Besides the basic physics involved in aerial-aquatic locomotion, the role of different phenomena happening in fluids, or those due to structural mechanics effects or to power provision, are presented in depth, across a large dimension range, from millimeters to hundreds of meters. In turn, a practice-oriented discussion on the obstacles and opportunities of miniaturization, for both robots and animals is carried out. This is followed by applied engineering considerations, which describe relevant hardware considerations involved in propulsion, control, communication and fabrication. Different case studies are analyzed in detail, reporting on the latest research carried out by the authors, and covering topics such as propulsive aquatic escape, the challenging mechanics of water impact, and a hybrid sailing and flying aircraft. Offering extensive and timely information on the design, construction and operation of small-scale robots, and on multimodal locomotion, this book provides researchers, students and professionals with a comprehensive and timely reference guide to the topic of aerial-aquatic locomotion, and the relevant bioinspired approaches. It is also expected to inspire future research and foster a stronger multidisciplinary discussion in the field.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of recent novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection and discusses developments in the field of nanoparticle/inorganic/organic materials development for antiviral application, therapeutic applications, PPE kit formulations and inclusion of simulated data. The contents focus on measures to keep the infections in check, materials aspects for detection and monitoring, AI modeling for prediction of spread of the virus, among others. This book will be a useful reference for researchers, scientists and policy makers alike.

Introduction to Biomedical Instrumentation and Its Applications delivers a detailed overview of the various instruments used in the biomedical and healthcare domain, focusing on both their main features and their uses in the medical industry. Each chapter focuses on biomedical instrumentation in a different medical discipline, covering a range of different topics including radiological devices, instruments used for blood analysis, defibrillators, ventilators, nerve stimulators and baby incubators. This book seeks to provide the reader with in-depth knowledge on biomedical devices, thus enabling them to contribute to the future development of instruments in the healthcare domain. This is a concise handbook that will be useful to students, researchers and practitioners involved in biomedical engineering, as well as doctors and clinicians who specialize in areas such as cardiology, anesthesiology and physiotherapy.

Micro/Nano-robotics for Biomedical Applications features a system approach and incorporates modern methodologies in autonomous mobile robots for programmable and controllable micro/nano-robots aiming at biomedical applications. The book provides chapters of instructional materials in micro/nanorobotics for biomedical applications. The book features lecture units on micro/nanorobot components and techniques, including sensors, actuator, power supply, and micro/nano-fabrication and assembly. It also contains case studies on using micro/nano-robots in biomedical environments and in biomedicine, as well as a design example to conceptually develop a Vitamin-pill sized robot to enter human s gastrointestinal tract. Laboratory modules to teach robot navigation and cooperation methods suitable to biomedical applications will be also provided based on existing simulation and robot platforms."

This open access book describes modern applications of computational human modelling to advance neurology, cancer treatment, and radio-frequency studies including regulatory, safety, and wireless communication fields. Readers working on any application that may expose human subjects to electromagnetic radiation will benefit from this book's coverage of the latest models and techniques available to assess a given technology's safety and efficacy in a timely and efficient manner. This is an Open Access book.

This book covers virtually all aspects of image formation in medical imaging, including systems based on ionizing radiation (x-rays, gamma rays) and non-ionizing techniques (ultrasound, optical, thermal, magnetic resonance, and magnetic particle imaging) alike. In addition, it discusses the development and application of computer-aided detection and diagnosis (CAD) systems in medical imaging. Also there will be a special track on computer-aided diagnosis on COVID-19 by CT and X-rays images. Given its coverage, the book provides both a forum and valuable resource for researchers involved in image formation, experimental methods, image performance, segmentation, pattern recognition, feature extraction, classifier design, machine learning / deep learning, radiomics, CAD workstation design, human-computer interaction, databases, and performance evaluation.

This book gathers extended contributions to the workshop on Long-Term Digital Care, LTC-2021, organized by the Universita Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM), Ancona, Italy, and the Hochschule Konstanz (HTWG), Germany, in November 2021, and funded by the DAAD Joint Mobility Program. It covers innovative, practice-oriented approaches that are expected to foster digital health care, with a special focus on improving internationalization and accessibility. The book, which bridges between technological and social disciplines, reports on selected studies with the main goals of: establishing a comparison of Long-Term Digital Care approaches, with focus on exchange and networking processes; defining practical roadmaps for digital social innovation; establishing concepts and methods for process evaluation and sustainability. It offers a timely snapshot on technologies for patient monitoring and assistant systems, medical data analysis and image processing, digital platforms and advanced diagnostics techniques, and discusses important concepts relating to traceable process evaluation, networking and accessibility. It aims at informing, yet it is also intended to inspire and foster a stronger collaboration across disciplines, countries, as well as academic and professional institutions.

This volume gives an overview on recent developments for various applications of modern engineering design. Different engineering disciplines such as mechanical, materials, computer and process engineering provide the foundation for the design and development of improved structures, materials and processes. The modern design cycle is characterized by an interaction of different disciplines and a strong shift to computer-based approaches where only a few experiments are performed for verification purposes. A major driver for this development is the increased demand for cost reduction, which is also connected to environmental demands. In the transportation industry (e.g. automotive or aerospace), this is connected with the demand for higher fuel efficiency, which is related to the operational costs and the lower harm for the environment. One way to fulfil such requirements are lighter structures and/or improved processes for energy conversion. Another emerging area is the interaction of classical engineering with the health and medical sector. In this book, many examples of the mentioned design applications are presented.

The Pumps and Pipes collaboration and conference brings together energy, medicine, and higher education in a unique shared effort, exploring ideas and research common to these important fields and stimulating discussion and sharing technologies that can further the reach and goals of each individual area. The Proceedings explores the common attributes of oil and gas technology, computational sciences and cardiovascular medicine and probe the areas where there is room to cross-fertilize and develop research and commercial programs.

This body of work represents the first volume of a book series covering the field of tissue engineering. Tissue engineering, which refers to a category of therapeutic or diagnostic products and processes which are based upon a combination of living cells and biomaterials, was defined as a field only a few years ago (1988). Tissue engineering is an inherently interdisciplinary field, combining bioengineering, life sciences and clinical sciences. The definition of this area of work as the field of tissue engineering brought together scientists from multiple backgrounds who already were working toward the achievement of similar goals. Why a book series exclusively devoted to tissue engineering? The field of tissue engineering is heterogeneous. The cells involved in tissue engineering can be autologous, allogeneic or xenogeneic. The biomaterials utilized can be either naturally occurring, synthetic or a combination of both. The appli cation of the technology can be either for acute or permanent purposes. An attempt to cover the field of tissue engineering in a single volume, with the degree of detail necessary for individuals with different scientific back grounds and disciplines, would be a difficult task to accomplish, particularly when this field is just emerging and changing rapidly. Therefore, addressing different technologies within the field of tissue engineering, in a comprehen sive manner, is the main mission of this series of volumes. A stellar group of scientists has been brought together to form the editorial board of the series."

This textbook fills a gap to supply students with the fundamental principles and tools they need to perform the quantitative analyses of the neuroelectrophysiological approaches, including both conventional and emerging ones, prevalently used in neuroscience research and neuroprosthetics. The content grows out of a course on Neuroengineering and Neuroprosthetics, which the author has taught already several times. The key problems the author addresses include (1) the universal operating mechanisms of neuroelectrophysiological approaches, (2) proper configuration of each approach, and (3) proper interpretation of the resulting signals. Efforts are made both to extract the universal principles underlying this common class of approaches and discern the unique properties of each individual approach. To address these important problems, equivalent electrical circuit modeling and signal analysis are used to unravel the functioning mechanisms and principles and provide sound interpretations to the associated signals and phenomena. This book aims to derive analytical solutions to these equivalent circuits, which can offer clear and complete mechanistic insights to the underlying biophysics.

Biomedical Literature Mining, discusses the multiple facets of modern biomedical literature mining and its many applications in genomics and systems biology. The volume is divided into three sections focusing on information retrieval, integrated text-mining approaches, and domain-specific mining methods. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Biomedical Literature Mining is designed as a useful bioinformatics resource in biomedical literature text mining for both those long experienced in, or entirely new to, the field.