Rehabilitation Robotics gives an introduction and overview of all areas of rehabilitation robotics, perfect for anyone new to the field. It also summarizes available robot technologies and their application to different pathologies for skilled researchers and clinicians. The editors have been involved in the development and application of robotic devices for neurorehabilitation for more than 15 years. This experience using several commercial devices for robotic rehabilitation has enabled them to develop the know-how and expertise necessary to guide those seeking comprehensive understanding of this topic. Each chapter is written by an expert in the respective field, pulling in perspectives from both engineers and clinicians to present a multi-disciplinary view. The book targets the implementation of efficient robot strategies to facilitate the re-acquisition of motor skills. This technology incorporates the outcomes of behavioral studies on motor learning and its neural correlates into the design, implementation and validation of robot agents that behave as 'optimal' trainers, efficiently exploiting the structure and plasticity of the human sensorimotor systems. In this context, human-robot interaction plays a paramount role, at both the physical and cognitive level, toward achieving a symbiotic interaction where the human body and the robot can benefit from each other's dynamics.

Biomedical Applications of Functionalized Nanomaterials: Concepts, Development and Clinical Translation presents a concise overview of the most promising nanomaterials functionalized with ligands for biomedical applications. The first section focuses on current strategies for identifying biological targets and screening of ligand to optimize anchoring to nanomaterials, providing the foundation for the remaining parts. Section Two covers specific applications of functionalized nanomaterials in therapy and diagnostics, highlighting current practice and addressing major challenges, in particular, case studies of successfully developed and marketed functionalized nanomaterials. The final section focuses on regulatory issues and clinical translation, providing a legal framework for their use in biomedicine. This book is an important reference source for worldwide drug and medical devices policymakers, biomaterials scientists and regulatory bodies.

Omics Technologies and Bio-Engineering: Towards Improving Quality of Life, Volume 1 is a unique reference that brings together multiple perspectives on omics research, providing in-depth analysis and insights from an international team of authors. The book delivers pivotal information that will inform and improve medical and biological research by helping readers gain more direct access to analytic data, an increased understanding on data evaluation, and a comprehensive picture on how to use omics data in molecular biology, biotechnology and human health care.

Personalized Predictive Modeling in Diabetes features state-of-the-art methodologies and algorithmic approaches which have been applied to predictive modeling of glucose concentration, ranging from simple autoregressive models of the CGM time series to multivariate nonlinear regression techniques of machine learning. Developments in the field have been analyzed with respect to: (i) feature set (univariate or multivariate), (ii) regression technique (linear or non-linear), (iii) learning mechanism (batch or sequential), (iv) development and testing procedure and (v) scaling properties. In addition, simulation models of meal-derived glucose absorption and insulin dynamics and kinetics are covered, as an integral part of glucose predictive models. This book will help engineers and clinicians to: select a regression technique which can capture both linear and non-linear dynamics in glucose metabolism in diabetes, and which exhibits good generalization performance under stationary and non-stationary conditions; ensure the scalability of the optimization algorithm (learning mechanism) with respect to the size of the dataset, provided that multiple days of patient monitoring are needed to obtain a reliable predictive model; select a features set which efficiently represents both spatial and temporal dependencies between the input variables and the glucose concentration; select simulation models of subcutaneous insulin absorption and meal absorption; identify an appropriate validation procedure, and identify realistic performance measures.

Nanostructures for the Engineering of Cells: Tissues and Organs showcases recent advances in pharmaceutical nanotechnology, with particular emphasis on tissue engineering, organ and cell applications. The book provides an up-to-date overview of organ targeting and cell targeting using nanotechnology. In addition, tissue engineering applications, such as skin regeneration are also discussed. Written by a diverse range of international academics, this book is a valuable research resource for researchers working in the biomaterials, medical and pharmaceutical industries.

Nanostructured Biomaterials for Cranio-maxillofacial and Oral Applications examines the combined impact of materials science, biomedical and chemical engineering, and biology to provide enhanced biomaterials for applications in maxillo-facial rehabilitation and implantology. With a strong focus on a variety of material classes, it examines material processing and characterization techniques to decrease mechanical and biological failure in the human body. After an introduction to the field, the most commonly used materials for cranio-facial applications, including ceramics, polymers and glass ceramics are presented. The book then looks at nanostructured surfaces, functionally graded biomaterials and the manufacturing of nanostructured materials via 3-D printing. This book is a valuable resource for scientists, researchers and clinicians wishing to broaden their knowledge in this important and developing field.

This volume focuses on smart medical and healthcare systems (modern intelligent systems for medicine and healthcare) and includes 31 papers presenting recent trends and innovations in medicine and healthcare, including biomedical engineering research and technologies; machine learning and labeling for biomedical visual data analysis and understanding; advanced ICT for medicine and healthcare; and healthcare support systems. Innovation in medicine and healthcare is an interdisciplinary research area, which combines advanced technologies and problem-solving skills with medical and biological science, and smart medical and healthcare systems can provide efficient and accurate solution to problems faced by healthcare and medical practitioners today by using advanced information communication techniques, computational intelligence, mathematics, robotics and other advanced technologies. Discussing the techniques developed in this area, which will have a significant effect on future medicine and healthcare, the book is a valuable resource for researchers, students, engineers, and professionals working in the fields of medical systems, medical technology, and intelligent systems.

Materials Science for Dentistry, Tenth Edition, is a standard resource for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in dentistry. It provides fundamental coverage of the materials on which dentistry depends, covering the structure and chemistry that govern the behavior and performance of materials. Particular classes of materials include gypsum, polymers, acrylic, cements, waxes, ceramics and metals. Other chapters review surfaces, corrosion, mixing, casting, cutting and bonding, and mechanical testing. This updated edition, which includes substantial chapters on chemistry, has been extensively revised with new material on temporary restoration resins, hydraulic silicate cements and the practical aspects of wetting surfaces. Mindfully written to provide explanations for behavior, formulation, clinical and laboratory instructions and procedures, there is no comparable resource for researchers, students, teachers and practitioners in the field of dentistry.

This book highlights the latest research presented at the International Conference on Translational Medicine and Imaging (ICTMI) 2017. This event brought together the world's leading scientists, engineers and clinicians from a wide range of disciplines in the field of medical imaging. Bioimaging has continued to evolve across a wide spectrum of applications from diagnostics and personalized therapy to the mechanistic understanding of biological processes, and as a result there is ever-increasing demand for more robust methods and their integration with clinical and molecular data. This book presents a number of these methods.

Biomedical Texture Analysis: Fundamentals, Applications, Tools and Challenges describes the fundamentals and applications of biomedical texture analysis (BTA) for precision medicine. It defines what biomedical textures (BTs) are and why they require specific image analysis design approaches when compared to more classical computer vision applications. The fundamental properties of BTs are given to highlight key aspects of texture operator design, providing a foundation for biomedical engineers to build the next generation of biomedical texture operators. Examples of novel texture operators are described and their ability to characterize BTs are demonstrated in a variety of applications in radiology and digital histopathology. Recent open-source software frameworks which enable the extraction, exploration and analysis of 2D and 3D texture-based imaging biomarkers are also presented. This book provides a thorough background on texture analysis for graduate students and biomedical engineers from both industry and academia who have basic image processing knowledge. Medical doctors and biologists with no background in image processing will also find available methods and software tools for analyzing textures in medical images.

Engineering of Biomaterials for Drug Delivery Systems: Beyond Polyethylene Glycol examines the combined issues of PEGylation and viable biomaterials as alternatives. With a strong focus on polymeric biomaterials, the book first reviews the major issues associated with PEGylation and its use in vivo. Chapters then focus on alternative polymer systems for drug delivery systems. Finally, nanoparticles and future perspectives are examined. This book is a valuable resource for scientists and researchers in biomaterials, pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology, and all those who wish to broaden their knowledge in this field.

Soft Computing Based Medical Image Analysis presents the foremost techniques of soft computing in medical image analysis and processing. It includes image enhancement, segmentation, classification-based soft computing, and their application in diagnostic imaging, as well as an extensive background for the development of intelligent systems based on soft computing used in medical image analysis and processing. The book introduces the theory and concepts of digital image analysis and processing based on soft computing with real-world medical imaging applications. Comparative studies for soft computing based medical imaging techniques and traditional approaches in medicine are addressed, providing flexible and sophisticated application-oriented solutions.

White biotechnology, or industrial biotechnology as it is also known, refers to the use of living cells and/or their enzymes to create industrial products that are more easily degradable, require less energy, create less waste during production and sometimes perform better than products created using traditional chemical processes. Over the last decade considerable progress has been made in white biotechnology research, and further major scientific and technological breakthroughs are expected in the future. Fungi are ubiquitous in nature and have been sorted out from different habitats, including extreme environments (high temperature, low temperature, salinity and pH), and may be associated with plants (epiphytic, endophytic and rhizospheric). The fungal strains are beneficial as well as harmful for human beings. The beneficial fungal strains may play important roles in the agricultural, industrial, and medical sectors. The fungal strains and their products (enzymes, bioactive compounds, and secondary metabolites) are very useful for industry (e.g., the discovery of penicillin from Penicillium chrysogenum). This discovery was a milestone in the development of white biotechnology as the industrial production of penicillin and antibiotics using fungi moved industrial biotechnology into the modern era, transforming it into a global industrial technology. Since then, white biotechnology has steadily developed and now plays a key role in several industrial sectors, providing both high value nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products. The fungal strains and bioactive compounds also play an important role in environmental cleaning. This volume covers the latest developments and research in white biotechnology with a focus on diversity and enzymes.

Biomedical Engineering in Gastrointestinal Surgery is a combination of engineering and surgical experience on the role of engineering in gastrointestinal surgery. There is currently no other book that combines engineering and clinical issues in this field, while engineering is becoming more and more important in surgery. This book is written to a high technical level, but also contains clear explanations of clinical conditions and clinical needs for engineers and students. Chapters covering anatomy and physiology are comprehensive and easy to understand for non-surgeons, while technologies are put into the context of surgical disease and anatomy for engineers. The authors are the two most senior members of the Institute for Minimally Invasive Interdisciplinary Therapeutic Interventions (MITI), which is pioneering this kind of collaboration between engineers and clinicians in minimally invasive surgery. MITI is an interdisciplinary platform for collaborative work of surgeons, gastroenterologists, biomedical engineers and industrial companies with mechanical and electronic workshops, dry laboratories and comprehensive facilities for animal studies as well as a fully integrated clinical "OR of the future".

This book reviews stem cell behavior in the lung as it relates to regenerative medicine and stem cell therapeutics. Topics ranging from basic developmental mechanisms of various types of lung stem cells through the identification and properties of stem cell behavior and their potential applications in lung repair and regeneration, are discussed by an expert in the field. These discoveries are placed within the structural context of tissue and developmental biology in sections dealing with recent advances in understanding of developmental lung stem cell biology and behavior and their potential applications. Lung Stem Cell Behavior is essential reading for researchers in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, patient advocates, undergraduate students, graduate students, and clinicians interested in cellular therapy and tissue engineering therapies.

This book exclusively focuses on the science and fundamentals of polymer gels, as well as the numerous advantages that polymer gel-based materials offer. It presents a comprehensive collection of chapters on the recent advances and developments in the core science and fundamentals of both synthetic and natural polymer-based gels, and pays particular attention to applications in the various research fields of biomedicine and engineering. Key topics addressed include: polysaccharide-based gels and their fundamentals; stimuli-responsive polymer gels; polymer gels applied to enzyme and cell immobilization; chitosan-based gels for cancer therapy; natural polymeric and gelling agents; radiation dosimetry; polymeric gels as vehicles for enhanced drug delivery across the skin; transport in and through gel; and polymer gel nanocomposites and functional gels. The book's extensive and highly topical coverage will appeal to researchers working in a broad range of fields in industry and academia alike.

This book provides a pioneering approach to modeling the human diabetic patient using a software agent. It is based on two MASc (Master of Applied Science) theses: one looking at the evolution of the patient agent in time, and another looking the interaction of the patient agent with the healthcare system. It shows that the software agent evolves in a manner analogous to the human patient and exhibits typical attributes of the illness such as reacting to food consumption, medications, and activity. This agent model can be used in a number of different ways, including as a prototype for a specific human patient with the purpose of helping to identify when that patient's condition deviates from normal variations. The software agent can also be used to study the interaction between the human patient and the health care system. This book is of interest to anyone involved in the management of diabetic patients or in societal research into the management of diabetes. The diabetic patient agent was developed using the Ackerman model for diabetes, but this model can be easily adapted for any other model subject with the necessary physiological data to support that model.

This book addresses a range of synthesis and characterization techniques that are critical for tailoring and broadening the various aspects of polymer gels, as well as the numerous advantages that polymer gel-based materials offer. It presents a comprehensive collection of chapters on the recent advances and developments in the science and fundamentals of both synthetic and natural polymer-based gels. Topics covered include: synthesis and structure of physically/chemically cross-linked polymer-gels/polymeric nanogels; gel formation through non-covalent cross-linking; molecular design and characterization; polysaccharide-based polymer gels: synthesis, characterization, and properties; modified polysaccharide gels: silica-based polymeric gels as platforms for the delivery of pharmaceuticals; gel-based approaches in genomic and proteomic sciences; emulgels in drug delivery; and organogels. The book provides a cutting-edge resource for researchers and scientists working in various fields involving polymers, biomaterials, bio-nanotechnology and functional materials.

This book discusses the emerging field of industrial neuroscience, and reports on the authors' cutting-edge findings in the evaluation of mental states, including mental workload, cognitive control and training of personnel involved either in the piloting of aircraft and helicopters, or in managing air traffic. It encompasses neuroimaging and cognitive psychology techniques and shows how they have been successfully applied in the evaluation of human performance and human-machine interactions, and to guarantee a proper level of safety in such operational contexts. With an introduction to the most relevant concepts of neuroscience, neurophysiological techniques, simulators and case studies in aviation environments, it is a must-have for both students and scientists in the field of aeronautic and biomedical engineering, as well as for various professionals in the aviation world. This is the first book to intensively apply neurosciences to the evaluation of human factors and mental states in aviation.

This volume will outline how to recreate the tumor microenvironment, to culture primary tumors without the need for developmental priming factors, and to deliver targeted therapeutics in a manner that recapitulates pharmacokinetics in vivo. Much of what may be learned from this volume will aid in understanding many aspects of the enhanced study of tumor cell biology in a physiologic context, open new avenues for drug screening and biomarker development, and accelerate the preclinical evaluation of novel personalized medicine strategies for patients in real time.

The book reports on advanced topics in interactive robotics research and practice; in particular, it addresses non-technical obstacles to the broadest uptake of these technologies. It focuses on new technologies that can physically and cognitively interact with humans, including neural interfaces, soft wearable robots, and sensor and actuator technologies; further, it discusses important regulatory challenges, including but not limited to business models, standardization, education and ethical-legal-socioeconomic issues. Gathering the outcomes of the 1st INBOTS Conference (INBOTS2018), held on October 16-20, 2018 in Pisa, Italy, the book addresses the needs of a broad audience of academics and professionals working in government and industry, as well as end users. In addition to providing readers with detailed information and a source of inspiration for new projects and collaborations, it discusses representative case studies highlighting practical challenges in the implementation of interactive robots in a number of fields, as well as solutions to improve communication between different stakeholders. By merging engineering, medical, ethical and political perspectives, the book offers a multidisciplinary, timely snapshot of interactive robotics.

This issue of Dental Clinics of North America focuses on Dental Materials, and is edited by Drs. Jack Ferracane, Luiz E. Bertassoni, and Carmem S. Pfeifer. Articles will include: Tooth: Its structure and properties; Dental light curing; Bioactive dental materials having remineralizing or antimicrobial characteristics; Materials for regenerating dental pulp and soft tissues; Dental adhesives; Polymer-based direct filling materials; Dental impression materials and techniques; Dental ceramics for restoration and metal-veneering; Dental cements for luting and bonding restorations; Bone augmentation materials; Dental implants, and more!

The Internet and other technological developments are now playing increasing roles in the management of knowledge within consumer health behavior and the delivery of health services. Biomedical Knowledge Management: Infrastructures and Processes for E-Health Systems provides multidisciplinary best practices and experiences in knowledge management relevant to the healthcare industry. A useful reference for field researchers, academicians, and healthcare practitioners, this Handbook of Research presents an in-depth examination of common approaches to shared problems in the management of knowledge within e-health services.

This book showcases new and innovative approaches to biometric data capture and analysis, focusing especially on those that are characterized by non-intrusiveness, reliable prediction algorithms, and high user acceptance. It comprises the peer-reviewed papers from the international workshop on the subject that was held in Ancona, Italy, in October 2014 and featured sessions on ICT for health care, biometric data in automotive and home applications, embedded systems for biometric data analysis, biometric data analysis: EMG and ECG, and ICT for gait analysis. The background to the book is the challenge posed by the prevention and treatment of common, widespread chronic diseases in modern, aging societies. Capture of biometric data is a cornerstone for any analysis and treatment strategy. The latest advances in sensor technology allow accurate data measurement in a non-intrusive way, and in many cases it is necessary to provide online monitoring and real-time data capturing to support a patient's prevention plans or to allow medical professionals to access the patient's current status. This book will be of value to all with an interest in this expanding field.

This book introduces readers to the latest exciting advances in human motion sensing and recognition, from the theoretical development of fuzzy approaches to their applications. The topics covered include human motion recognition in 2D and 3D, hand motion analysis with contact sensors, and vision-based view-invariant motion recognition, especially from the perspective of Fuzzy Qualitative techniques. With the rapid development of technologies in microelectronics, computers, networks, and robotics over the last decade, increasing attention has been focused on human motion sensing and recognition in many emerging and active disciplines where human motions need to be automatically tracked, analyzed or understood, such as smart surveillance, intelligent human-computer interaction, robot motion learning, and interactive gaming. Current challenges mainly stem from the dynamic environment, data multi-modality, uncertain sensory information, and real-time issues. These techniques are shown to effectively address the above challenges by bridging the gap between symbolic cognitive functions and numerical sensing & control tasks in intelligent systems. The book not only serves as a valuable reference source for researchers and professionals in the fields of computer vision and robotics, but will also benefit practitioners and graduates/postgraduates seeking advanced information on fuzzy techniques and their applications in motion analysis.