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

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.

This book explores the latest and most relevant topics in the field of computational bioengineering and bioinformatics, with a particular focus on patient-specific, disease-progression modeling. It covers computational methods for cardiovascular disease prediction, with an emphasis on biomechanics, biomedical decision support systems, data mining, personalized diagnostics, bio-signal processing, protein structure prediction, biomedical image processing, analysis and visualization, and high-performance computing. It also discusses state-of-the-art tools for disease characterization, and recent advances in areas such as biomechanics, cardiovascular engineering, patient-specific modeling, population-based modeling, multiscale modeling, image processing, data mining, biomedical decision-support systems, signal processing, biomaterials and dental biomechanics, tissue and cell engineering, computational chemistry and high-performance computing. As such, it is a valuable resource for researchers, medical and bioengineering students, and medical device and software experts

This book highlights the latest advances in the application of artificial intelligence and data science in health care and medicine. Featuring selected papers from the 2020 Health Intelligence Workshop, held as part of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) Annual Conference, it offers an overview of the issues, challenges, and opportunities in the field, along with the latest research findings. Discussing a wide range of practical applications, it makes the emerging topics of digital health and explainable AI in health care and medicine accessible to a broad readership. The availability of explainable and interpretable models is a first step toward building a culture of transparency and accountability in health care. As such, this book provides information for scientists, researchers, students, industry professionals, public health agencies, and NGOs interested in the theory and practice of computational models of public and personalized health intelligence.

Growth in the pharmaceutical market has slowed down - almost to a standstill. One reason is that governments and other payers are cutting costs in a faltering world economy. But a more fundamental problem is the failure of major companies to discover, develop and market new drugs. Major drugs losing patent protection or being withdrawn from the market are simply not being replaced by new therapies - the pharmaceutical market model is no longer functioning effectively and most pharmaceutical companies are failing to produce the innovation needed for success. This multi-authored new book looks at a vital strategy which can bring innovation to a market in need of new ideas and new products: Systems Biology (SB). Modeling is a significant task of systems biology. SB aims to develop and use efficient algorithms, data structures, visualization and communication tools to orchestrate the integration of large quantities of biological data with the goal of computer modeling. It involves the use of computer simulations of biological systems, such as the networks of metabolites comprise signal transduction pathways and gene regulatory networks to both analyze and visualize the complex connections of these cellular processes. SB involves a series of operational protocols used for performing research, namely a cycle composed of theoretical, analytic or computational modeling to propose specific testable hypotheses about a biological system, experimental validation, and then using the newly acquired quantitative description of cells or cell processes to refine the computational model or theory.

This book describes preparation techniques for well-defined, customizable poly(organo)phosphazene materials and their applications in nanomedicine, i.e. as macromolecular carriers for drug delivery, immunology, gene therapy, or tissue regeneration. This 2nd edition of Polyphosphazenes for Medical Applications has been updated and extended for researchers in the field as well as those considering using polyphosphazenes for a specific application.

Human Genome Informatics: Translating Genes into Health examines the most commonly used electronic tools for translating genomic information into clinically meaningful formats. By analyzing and comparing interpretation methods of whole genome data, the book discusses the possibilities of their application in genomic and translational medicine. Topics such as electronic decision-making tools, translation algorithms, interpretation and translation of whole genome data for rare diseases are thoroughly explored. In addition, discussions of current human genome databases and the possibilities of big data in genomic medicine are presented. With an updated approach on recent techniques and current human genomic databases, the book is a valuable source for students and researchers in genome and medical informatics. It is also ideal for workers in the bioinformatics industry who are interested in recent developments in the field.

Wearable Technology in Medicine and Health Care provides readers with the most current research and information on the clinical and biomedical applications of wearable technology. Wearable devices provide applicability and convenience beyond many other means of technical interface and can include varying applications, such as personal entertainment, social communications and personalized health and fitness. The book covers the rapidly expanding development of wearable systems, thus enabling clinical and medical applications, such as disease management and rehabilitation. Final chapters discuss the challenges inherent to these rapidly evolving technologies.

Completely up to date with the latest examination changes, Get Through First FRCR: Questions for the Anatomy Module offers a valuable insight into the updated anatomy module of the First FRCR examination. Over 150 5-part picture questions are presented according to syllabus topics, accurately reflecting the content, style and level of difficulty of the actual examination questions. Anatomical images are included from all modalities commonly used in current radiological practice (plain x-rays, CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine). Each question includes a full explanation for each of the 5 stems, providing appropriate anatomy knowledge and relevant radiological learning points for the candidate. Featuring a wealth of practice questions plus one full mock examination, this book has been designed for candidates to assess their knowledge, identify topics that require further study and to build up confidence in preparation for the exam day. Written by Specialty Trainees in Radiology, Get Through First FRCR: Questions for the Anatomy Module is the essential revision tool for all First FRCR candidates preparing for the newly revised examination.

This book describes novel hardware security and microfluidic biochip design methodologies to protect against tampering attacks in cyberphysical microfluidic biochips (CPMBs). It also provides a general overview of this nascent area of research, which will prove to be a vital resource for practitioners in the field.This book shows how hardware-based countermeasures and design innovations can be a simple and effective last line of defense, demonstrating that it is no longer justifiable to ignore security and trust in the design phase of biochips.

The microneedle field has been expanding exponentially with innovative designs and various applications, thus capturing the interest of academic industry and regulatory sectors. Microneedles: The Future of Drug Delivery equips readers with a comprehensive understanding of microneedles; from percutaneous absorption to microneedles production, characterization, applications in drug delivery and diagnosis, to practical perspectives on the development, manufacturing, regulatory issues, and commercialization of microneedles. This book is written by a single author and thus provides complex information in a simple, elegant and cohesive style. The book is intended for graduate students, researchers, scientists and engineers working in the pharmaceutical, medical, cosmeceutical, and biotechnology industry.

This book investigates several non-resonant inductive harvester architectures in order to find the magnet coil arrangement that generates the largest power output. The book is useful as a step-by-step guide for readers unfamiliar with this form of energy harvesting, but who want to build their own system models to calculate the magnet motion and, from that, the power generation available for body-worn sensor systems. The detailed description of system model development will greatly facilitate experimental work with the aim of fabricating the design with the highest predicted power output. Based on the simulated optimal geometry, fabricated devices achieve an average power output of up to 43 mW during walking, an amount of power that can supply modern low-power, body-worn systems. Experiments were also carried out in industrial applications with power outputs up to 15 mW. In sum, researchers and engineers will find a step-by-step introduction to inductive harvesting and its modeling aspects for achieving optimal harvester designs in an efficient manner.

This volume covers a variety of topics related to the practice of rule-based modeling, a type of mathematical modeling useful for studying biomolecular site dynamics. There is an emphasis on software tools and detailed descriptions of techniques. The chapters in this book discuss topics such as software tools and frameworks for compartmental modeling (Pycellerator, RuleBuilder, Prgy, rxncon, MSMB, and ML-Rules); tools for spatial modeling (Simmune, Smoldyn, MCell-R, SRSim, and CellOrganizer); rule-based models to analyze proteomic data; model annotation; Markov chain aggregation; BioJazz; and methods to identify model parameters (Data2Dynamics, RKappa, and BioNetFit). Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary resources, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and thorough, Modeling Biomolecular Site Dynamics: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for both the novice and expert rule-based modeler. It will also appeal to systems biologists and help them enhance their studies with easy-to-read and write rule-based models.

This book presents a compilation of the most recent implementation of artificial intelligence methods for solving different problems generated by the COVID-19. The problems addressed came from different fields and not only from medicine. The information contained in the book explores different areas of machine and deep learning, advanced image processing, computational intelligence, IoT, robotics and automation, optimization, mathematical modeling, neural networks, information technology, big data, data processing, data mining, and likewise. Moreover, the chapters include the theory and methodologies used to provide an overview of applying these tools to the useful contribution to help to face the emerging disaster. The book is primarily intended for researchers, decision makers, practitioners, and readers interested in these subject matters. The book is useful also as rich case studies and project proposals for postgraduate courses in those specializations.

The introduction of low temperature plasma technology to medical research and to the healthcare arena in general is set to revolutionise the way we cure diseases. This innovative medium offers a valid and advantageous replacement of traditional chemical-based medications. Its application in the inactivation of pathogens in particular, avoids the recurrent problem of drug resistant microorganisms. This is the first book dedicated exclusively to the emerging interdisciplinary field of plasma medicine. The opening chapters discuss plasmas and plasma chemistry, the fundamentals of non-equilibrium plasmas and cell biology. The rest of the book is dedicated to current applications, illustrating a plasma-based approach to wound healing, electrosurgery, cancer treatment and even dentistry. The text provides a clear and integrated introduction to plasma technology and has been devised to answer the needs of researchers from different communities. It will appeal to graduate students and physicists, engineers, biologists, medical doctors and biochemists.

Presents sensor specification, theory of operation, sensor design, and application criteria Provides background plus specific information for practicing engineers who want to understand sensors Includes a complete chapter on industrial sensor communication protocols Explains temperature sensitivity, how to determine, and how to avoid Discusses how to understand and utilize sensor specifications

This book provides an insightful guide to the design, testing and optimization of micro-electrode-dot-array (MEDA) digital microfluidic biochips. The authors focus on the characteristics specific for MEDA biochips, e.g., real-time sensing and advanced microfluidic operations like lamination mixing and droplet shape morphing. Readers will be enabled to enhance the automated design and use of MEDA and to develop a set of solutions to facilitate the full exploitation of design complexities that are possible with standard CMOS fabrication techniques. The book provides the first set of design automation and test techniques for MEDA biochips. The methods described in this book have been validated using fabricated MEDA biochips in the laboratory. Readers will benefit from an in-depth look at the MEDA platform and how to combine microfluidics with software, e.g., applying biomolecular protocols to software-controlled and cyberphysical microfluidic biochips.

This book examines the human auditory effects of exposure to directed beams of high-power microwave pulses, which research results have shown can cause a cascade of health events when aimed at a human subject or the subject's head. The book details multidisciplinary investigations using physical theories and models, physiological events and phenomena, and computer analysis and simulation. Coverage includes brain anatomy and physiology, dosimetry of microwave power deposition, microwave auditory effect, interaction mechanisms, shock/pressure wave induction, Havana syndrome, and application in microwave thermoacoustic tomography (MTT). The book will be welcomed by scientists, academics, health professionals, government officials, and practicing biomedical engineers as an important contribution to the continuing study of the effects of microwave pulse absorption on humans.

This book presents cutting-edge research on the use of physical and mathematical formalisms to model and quantitatively analyze biological phenomena ranging from microscopic to macroscopic systems. The systems discussed in this compilation cover protein folding pathways, gene regulation in prostate cancer, quorum sensing in bacteria to mathematical and physical descriptions to analyze anomalous diffusion in patchy environments and the physical mechanisms that drive active motion in large sets of particles, both fundamental descriptions that can be applied to different phenomena in biology. All chapters are written by well-known experts on their respective research fields with a vast amount of scientific discussion and references in order the interested reader can pursue a further reading. Given these features, we consider Quantitative Models for Microscopic to Macroscopic Biological Macromolecules and Tissues as an excellent and up-to-date resource and reference for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students and junior researchers interested in the latest developments at the intersection of physics, mathematics, molecular biology, and computational sciences. Such research field, without hesitation, is one of the most interesting, challenging and active of this century and the next.

This book highlights recent advances in the field of plant-biotic interactions and explores current serious issues in the crop production industry. It is intended to attract more attention to these important, but often overlooked areas, and to stimulate new ideas for future research. Plants are constantly under attack by pathogens, pests, and parasites, which can significantly impact worldwide food production and human health. While pathogens and pests attack and interconnect with their hosts in a variety of ways, plants have developed sophisticated immune systems to fight infections. In the field of plant-biotic interactions, most of the studies to date have focused on the function and signaling pathways of plant disease resistance proteins and pattern recognition receptors, as well as pathogen effector proteins. In contrast, this book presents new and emerging research areas, and introduces students, researchers, academics, and policy advisors to the latest trends in e.g. microbial technology, environmental microbiology, agricultural science, the health sciences, biological sciences and other related disciplines.