This book presents a multidisciplinary assessment of the state of science in the use of systemic delivery technologies to deliver anti-aging therapeutics now under development. There is a gap between basic aging research and the development of intervention technologies. This major obstacle must be overcome before biogerontological interventions can be put into clinical practice. As biogerontology comes to understand aging as a systemic degenerative process, it is clear that there is a pressing need for technologies that enable cells and tissues in a fully developed adult body to be manipulated systemically to combat aging. The authors review advances in the chemistry and engineering of systemic delivery methods and analyze the strengths and limitations of each. The book is organized into six sections. The first offers an overview of the need for systemic delivery technologies alongside the development of anti-aging therapies and describes approaches that will be required for studying the properties and efficiency of carriers for systemic delivery. Sections II, III and IV describe recent advances in a range of strategies that may enable systemic delivery to help combat aging conditions ranging from cell senescence to decline in immune function and hormonal secretion. Section V discusses practical strategies to engineer and optimize the performance of delivery technologies for applications in systemic delivery, along with their working principles. The final section discusses technical and biological barriers that must be overcome as systemic delivery technologies move from research laboratory to clinical applications aimed at tackling aging and age-associated diseases.Benefiting scholars, students and a broader audience of interested readers, the book includes helpful glossary sections in each chapter, as well as sidebars that highlight important notes, and questions for future research.

While the use of database technology is ubiquitous throughout IT (and health IT in particular), it is not generally appreciated that, as a database increases in scope, certain designs are far superior to others. In biomedical domains, new knowledge is being generated continually, and the databases that must support areas such as clinical care and research must also be able to evolve while requiring minimal or no logical / physical redesign. Appropriately designed metadata, and software designed to utilize it effectively, can provide significant insulation against change. Many of the larger EMR or clinical research database vendors have realized this, but their designs are proprietary and not described in the literature. Consequently, numerous misconceptions abound among individuals who have not had to work with large-scale biomedical systems, and graduates of a health or bioinformatics program may find that they need to unlearn what they were taught in database and software design classes in order to work productively with such systems. A working knowledge of such systems is also important for individuals who are not primarily software developers, such as health informaticians, medical information officers and data analysts. This book is, in a sense, intended to prepare all of the above individuals for the real world.

Encyclopedia of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology: ABC of Bioinformatics, Three Volume Set combines elements of computer science, information technology, mathematics, statistics and biotechnology, providing the methodology and in silico solutions to mine biological data and processes. The book covers Theory, Topics and Applications, with a special focus on Integrative -omics and Systems Biology. The theoretical, methodological underpinnings of BCB, including phylogeny are covered, as are more current areas of focus, such as translational bioinformatics, cheminformatics, and environmental informatics. Finally, Applications provide guidance for commonly asked questions. This major reference work spans basic and cutting-edge methodologies authored by leaders in the field, providing an invaluable resource for students, scientists, professionals in research institutes, and a broad swath of researchers in biotechnology and the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries.

This comprehensive volume explores the latest research on the mechanisms of resistance in cancer cells to CTL-mediated immunotherapy. Chapter topics discuss cell-mediated immunity as the result of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) directed specifically against cancer cells. In addition, the volume reviews how CTL mediate the cytotoxic activity, in large part, by the indication of apoptosis; hence, tumor cells develop anti-apoptotic mechanisms and thereby, resist CTL-induced apoptosis. In order for CTL-mediated antitumor immunotherapy to be effective, it is essential that agents directed against the resistant tumor cells sensitized cancer cells for CTL-mediated apoptosis. Examples of such agents discussed in the volume include are HDAC inhibitors, proteasome inhibitors, Bcl-2 family inhibitors, PARP, antibodies, and more.

The books Molecular Diagnostics Part 1 and 2 provide a comprehensive and practical overview of the state-of-the-art molecular biological diagnostic strategies that are being used in a wide variety of disciplines. The editors and experts in their respective fields have combined their knowledge to write these two books. Many years of experience in the development, application and quality control of molecular diagnostic methods is reflected herewith. Molecular Diagnostics Part 1 is dedicated to the theoretical backgrounds of the technologies often applied in molecular diagnostics, in which nucleic acid amplification methods (such as real-time PCR), sequencing and bioinformatics are the basic tools. The assay design and -development, combined with items of trouble-shooting are described in detail. As a foundation of reliable molecular diagnostic assays, the quality control required for validation, implementation and performance of molecular diagnostic assays is thoroughly discussed. This book also provides extensive information for those working with molecular techniques in a wide variety of research applications using conventional and real-time PCR technology, Sanger and high throughput sequencing techniques, and bioinformatics. Molecular Diagnostics Part 2 highlights the applications of the molecular diagnostic methods in the various diagnostic laboratories, comprising: - Clinical microbiology - Clinical chemistry - Clinical genetics - Clinical pathology - Molecular hematopathology - Veterinary health - Plant health - Food safety Both full-colour and well-illustrated books are particularly valuable for students, clinicians, scientists and other professionals who are interested in (designing) molecular diagnostic methods and for those who wish to broaden their knowledge on the current molecular biological revolution. The information in the books highlights the trend of the integration of multiple (clinical) disciplines into one universal molecular laboratory.

This volume builds upon the successful book Lanthanide Luminescence published in the Springer Series on Fluorescence in 2011. Since its publication, the field of lanthanide spectroscopy and the areas in which the light emission properties of the f-elements are used have experienced substantial advances. The luminescence properties of lanthanide ions make them unique candidates for a myriad of optical applications. This book highlights and reviews the latest research in areas ranging from luminescence thermometry to imaging, sensing and photonic applications of these fascinating elements. Each chapter provides a comprehensive introduction to a specific area of application of lanthanide luminescence and extensively reviews seminal papers and current research literature. Given its interdisciplinary scope, the book appeals to scientists and advanced students in physics, chemistry and materials science interested in compounds and materials with optical properties.

This detailed second edition provides key updates on well-established methods as well as coverage of recently emerging sophisticated techniques and methods that are essential for an in-depth and state-of-the-art understanding of skeletal development and homeostasis and the pathological mechanisms that cause skeletal degeneration. The first half of the book examines cell and molecular biological aspects of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, while the remainder of the collection focuses on in vivo models of skeletal tissue injury, degeneration, and repair. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis, Second Edition aims to assist investigators concerned with research topics broadly related to osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration, as well as other musculoskeletal disorders.

Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis: A Handbook for Healthcare Research provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental principles and methods that healthcare researchers need when considering, conducting or using individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis projects. Written and edited by researchers with substantial experience in the field, the book details key concepts and practical guidance for each stage of an IPD meta-analysis project, alongside illustrated examples and summary learning points. Split into five parts, the book chapters take the reader through the journey from initiating and planning IPD projects to obtaining, checking, and meta-analysing IPD, and appraising and reporting findings. The book initially focuses on the synthesis of IPD from randomised trials to evaluate treatment effects, including the evaluation of participant-level effect modifiers (treatment-covariate interactions). Detailed extension is then made to specialist topics such as diagnostic test accuracy, prognostic factors, risk prediction models, and advanced statistical topics such as multivariate and network meta-analysis, power calculations, and missing data. Intended for a broad audience, the book will enable the reader to: Understand the advantages of the IPD approach and decide when it is needed over a conventional systematic review Recognise the scope, resources and challenges of IPD meta-analysis projects Appreciate the importance of a multi-disciplinary project team and close collaboration with the original study investigators Understand how to obtain, check, manage and harmonise IPD from multiple studies Examine risk of bias (quality) of IPD and minimise potential biases throughout the project Understand fundamental statistical methods for IPD meta-analysis, including two-stage and one-stage approaches (and their differences), and statistical software to implement them Clearly report and disseminate IPD meta-analyses to inform policy, practice and future research Critically appraise existing IPD meta-analysis projects Address specialist topics such as effect modification, multiple correlated outcomes, multiple treatment comparisons, non-linear relationships, test accuracy at multiple thresholds, multiple imputation, and developing and validating clinical prediction models Detailed examples and case studies are provided throughout.

This book highlights the latest advances in functional micro/nano imaging probes and their applications for biomedical imaging and therapy. Given the rapid emergence of transdisciplinary research and applications in materials, chemical probes and translational medicine in recent years, scientists in these areas are expected to keep up to date on the latest technologies and advances to promote comprehensive innovations. Addressing this need, the book presents recently introduced features, emerging techniques, and new strategies, complemented by detailed illustrations. Covering the status quo and offering an outlook on the future, it benefits all readers with an interest in functional materials, especially micro/nano imaging materials for biomedical imaging applications, providing them with both vital updates and inspiration for their own research.

The annual cost of medical care in the U niled States is rapidly approaching a trillion dollars. Without doubt, much of the rise in costs is due to our health industry's concentration on high technology remediation and risk avoidance measures. From recent public discussions it is becoming in creasingly evident that to contain the costs and at the same time extend the benefits of health care without national bankruptcy will necessitate much greater attention to preventative medicine. The total cost of waste disposal by our health industry is well over a billion dollars. It is rising rapidly as we increasingly rely on high technol ogy remediation measures. Here, too, in the opinion of the authors of this work, it would be prudent to give much greater attention to preventative approaches. Incineration technology has largely been developed for disposing mu nicipal solid waste (MSW) and hazardous waste (HW). As a result of the multibillion dollar funding for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), most experts believe that pollution control is the key to minimizing toxic emissions from incinerators. This view is now beginning to take hold in medical waste (MW) incineration as well. However, the authors contributing to this book have concluded that precombustion measures can be most effective in reducing the toxic products of medical waste incineration."

Microbial physiology, biochemistry and genetics allowed the formulation of concepts that turned out to be important in the study of higher organisms. In the first section, the principles of bacterial growth are given, as well as the description of the different layers that enclose the bacterial cytoplasm, and their role in obtaining nutrients from the outside media through different permeability mechanism described in detail. A chapter is devoted to allostery and is indispensable for the comprehension of many regulatory mechanisms described throughout the book. Another section analyses the mechanisms by which cells obtain the energy necessary for their growth, glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the tricarboxylic and the anaplerotic cycles. Two chapters are devoted to classes of microorganisms rarely dealt with in textbooks, namely the Archaea, mainly the methanogenic bacteria, and the methylotrophs. Eight chapters describe the principles of the regulations at the transcriptional level, with the necessary knowledge of the machineries of transcription and translation. The next fifteen chapters deal with the biosynthesis of the cell building blocks, amino acids, purine and pyrimidine nucleotides and deoxynucleotides, water-soluble vitamins and coenzymes, isoprene and tetrapyrrole derivatives and vitamin B12. The two last chapters are devoted to the study of protein-DNA interactions and to the evolution of biosynthetic pathways. The considerable advances made in the last thirty years in the field by the introduction of gene cloning and sequencing and by the exponential development of physical methods such as X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance have helped presenting metabolism under a multidisciplinary attractive angle.

The difficulty in achieving effective translation of basic mechanistic biomedical knowledge into effective therapeutics, is the greatest challenge in biomedical research. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the reductionist approaches to understanding and manipulating the acute inflammatory response in the settings of sepsis, trauma/hemorrhage, wound healing, and related processes. This book discusses complex systems and computational biology methods and approaches that have advanced sufficiently to allow for knowledge generation, knowledge integration, and clinical translation in the settings of complex diseases related to the inflammatory response. Well-regulated, self-resolving inflammation is necessary for the appropriate communication and resolution of infection and trauma, and for maintenance of proper physiology and homeostasis. In contrast, self-sustaining inflammation drives the pathobiology of the aforementioned diseases. It is now increasingly recognized that controlling and reprogramming inflammation in order to reap the benefits of this evolutionarily-conserved process is preferred to simply abolishing indiscriminately.

This book aims to present the age-related alterations in redox signaling networks and their diagnostic biomarkers in aging cells using multidisciplinary approach. Establishing sensitive and specific biomarkers of dynamic redox homeostasis is crucially important in the development of effective antiaging and senolytic interventions. Recent years have seen tremendous advances in the understanding of redox signaling events which highlight the process of aging and age-related pathologies. A major challenge in biological aging research is developing reliable biomarkers to determine the consequences of disrupted redox signaling networks long before the clinical diagnosis of age-related diseases is made. Therefore, we have chosen to concentrate on aging-induced aberrant redox signaling networks, their biomarkers, and pathological consequences in this book. Although oxidation is a natural metabolic process, the imbalance in the level of oxidants and antioxidants causes oxidative stress and eventually leads to inflammatory conditions, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Novel redox-sensitive biomarkers for the evaluation of aging-induced proteinopathies such as amyloid ss and tau proteins in Alzheimer's disease, -synuclein in Parkinson's disease, and islet amyloid polypeptides in type 2 diabetes mellitus recently drew the attention of researchers. Inside this textbook, readers will find comprehensive perspectives on the association between redox homeostasis and the aging process both at the molecular and clinical levels. Due to the inherent relationship between impaired metabolic activities and oxidative stress, the temporal interaction between intermediary metabolism and disturbed redox status can lead to greater susceptibility to aging-induced diseases and disorders, such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and diabetes. This knowledge could be a key to continued research toward improving medication regimens such as in cancer and cardiovascular therapies, and procedural outcomes for patients. This book brings together current research evidence and knowledge on redox signaling and biomarkers in aging in chapters written by leading global experts in this rapidly evolving field. We hope that this textbook is of interest to a wide group of researchers, advanced students, scientifically curious non-specialist readers and clinicians alike.

"Systems Biology of Apoptosis" summarizes all current achievements in this emerging field. Apoptosis is a process common to all multicellular organisms. Apoptosis leads to the elimination of cells via a complex but highly defined cellular programme. Defects in the regulation of apoptosis result in serious diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, AIDS and neurodegeneration. Recently, a substantial step forward in understanding the complex apoptotic pathways has been made by utilising systems biology approaches. Systems biology combines rigorous mathematical modelling with experimental approaches in a closed loop cycle for advancing our knowledge about complex biological processes. In this book, the editor describes the contemporary systems biology studies devoted to apoptotic signaling and focuses on the question how systems biology helps to understand life/death decisions made in the cell and to develop new approaches to rational treatment strategies.

This fully updated book explores all-new and revised protocols involving the use of in silico models, particularly with regard to pharmaceuticals. Divided into five sections, the volume covers the modeling of pharmaceuticals in the body, toxicity data for modeling purposes, in silico models for multiple endpoints, a number of platforms for evaluating pharmaceuticals, as well as an exploration of challenges, both scientific and sociological. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include the kind of detail and implementation advice necessary for successful results. Authoritative and comprehensive, In Silico Methods for Predicting Drug Toxicity, Second Edition aims to guide the reader through the correct procedures needed to harness in silico models, a field which now touches a wide variety of research specialties.

This book highlights the analytics and optimization issues in healthcare systems, proposes new approaches, and presents applications of innovative approaches in real facilities. In the past few decades, there has been an exponential rise in the application of swarm intelligence techniques for solving complex and intricate problems arising in healthcare. The versatility of these techniques has made them a favorite among scientists and researchers working in diverse areas. The primary objective of this book is to bring forward thorough, in-depth, and well-focused developments of hybrid variants of swarm intelligence algorithms and their applications in healthcare systems.

Nations around the world are experiencing a spectacular increase in longevity. Society as a whole is being challenged by issues arising from this revolution in longevity. Although the specter of the loneliness and existential suffering of older citizens is such that some people under the age of 65 find it difficult to conceive of a long-term future, persons over 85 have proven that aging does not necessarily preclude a healthy and productive life. Extraordinary progress in both curative and preventive medicine justifies optimism about the quality of life and state of well-being that can be enjoyed even in great old age. We should look to professionals in diverse fields to develop creative solutions to the inevitable issues that will arise with aging. Governments must prepare for the future health of their citizens by making long-term investments to educate all sectors of society in the value of good nutrition, exercise, and lifestyles that enhance well-being throughout life. Also, governments should realize that the main cause of health care expenditure is serious illness which occurs in persons of all ages, and not predominantly in older people. Early detection can help save lives, as well. Health and longevity of life will ultimately end as a political issue. What is needed is long-term government investments necessary for a viable health policy. The question arises: will world leaders be able to commit to such a policy? Two major socioeconomic phenomena may have a regulating effect on this issue. The first is the emergence of pressure groups that have come into being in response to a particular health issue, such as AIDS. The second is the emergence of ethics committees in developed nations that deal solely with health issues.

The recent accumulation of information from genomes, including their sequences, has resultednotonlyinnewattemptstoansweroldquestionsandsolvelongstandingissues inbiology, butalsointheformulationofnovelhypothesesthatarisepreciselyfromthis wealth of data. The storage, processing, description, transmission, connection, and analysis of these data has prompted bioinformatics to become one the most relevant applied sciences for this new century, walking hand-in-hand with modern molecular biology and clearly impacting areas like biotechnology and biomedicine. Bioinformatics skills have now become essential for many scientists working with DNA sequences. With this idea in mind, this book aims to provide practical guidance andtroubleshootingadviceforthecomputationalanalysisofDNAsequences, covering a range of issues and methods that unveil the multitude of applications and relevance that Bioinformatics has today. The analysis of protein sequences has been purposely excludedtogainfocus.Individualbookchaptersareorientedtowardthedescriptionof theuseofspecificbioinformaticstools, accompaniedbypracticalexamples, adiscussion on the interpretation of results, and specific comments on strengths and limitations of the methods and tools. In a sense, chapters could be seen as enriched task-oriented manuals that will direct the reader in completing specific bioinformatics analyses. The target audience for this book is biochemists, and molecular and evolutionary biologiststhatwanttolearnhowtoanalyzeDNAsequencesinasimplebutmeaningful fashion. Readers do not need a special background in statistics, mathematics, or computer science, just a basic knowledge of molecular biology and genetics. All the tools described in the book are free and all of them can be downloaded or accessed throughtheweb.Mostchapterscouldbeusedforpracticaladvancedundergraduateor graduate-level courses in bioinformatics and molecular evolut

The book is an update on contentious or unsettled issues concerning invasive diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in cancer and related disorders, focusing on the surgical approach. Topics include recommendations for the best practice in using the surgery safety checklist, surgical strategies in a variety of thoracic cancers, renal cell carcinoma, tumors of parathyroid glands, mesothelioma, and bariatric surgeries. The focus is on the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of aggressive cancerous entities, choosing the most beneficial modes for optimal outcomes and patient survival. Chapters also address radioimaging and therapy outcomes in different intracranial lesions leading to severe neurological disabilities. The areas of medical practice addressed are still veiled in uncertainty, yet-unresolved pathogenetic background, and have a substantial component of empirical rather than evidence-based clinical approach. Pursuing and sharing new ideas and innovations is essential for improving the management and outcome. The book endeavors to disseminate and deliberate on the latest medical knowledge, studies, and advancements in surgical and diagnostic dealing with cancer. The book is addressed to physicians and surgeons, and all allied health care professionals engaged in patient care and therapy.

Gold nanoparticles provide a platform for the development of new and efficient diagnostic and therapeutic tools.This book offers a general guide to the synthesis and coating of gold nanoparticles. It describes the links between optical features and geometries of gold nanoparticles and provides a readily comprehensible connection in all the chapters between the geometry of gold nanoparticles and their final applications.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence technology in medical data analysis has led to the concept of radiomics. This book introduces the essential and latest technologies in radiomics, such as imaging segmentation, quantitative imaging feature extraction, and machine learning methods for model construction and performance evaluation, providing invaluable guidance for the researcher entering the field. It fully describes three key aspects of radiomic clinical practice: precision diagnosis, the therapeutic effect, and prognostic evaluation, which make radiomics a powerful tool in the clinical setting. This book is a very useful resource for scientists and computer engineers in machine learning and medical image analysis, scientists focusing on antineoplastic drugs, and radiologists, pathologists, oncologists, as well as surgeons wanting to understand radiomics and its potential in clinical practice.

This book presents novel and advanced topics in Medical Image Processing and Computational Vision in order to solidify knowledge in the related fields and define their key stakeholders. It contains extended versions of selected papers presented in VipIMAGE 2013 - IV International ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Computational Vision and Medical Image, which took place in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, 14-16 October 2013. The twenty-two chapters were written by invited experts of international recognition and address important issues in medical image processing and computational vision, including: 3D vision, 3D visualization, colour quantisation, continuum mechanics, data fusion, data mining, face recognition, GPU parallelisation, image acquisition and reconstruction, image and video analysis, image clustering, image registration, image restoring, image segmentation, machine learning, modelling and simulation, object detection, object recognition, object tracking, optical flow, pattern recognition, pose estimation, and texture analysis. Different applications are addressed and described throughout the book, comprising: biomechanical studies, bio-structure modelling and simulation, bone characterization, cell tracking, computer-aided diagnosis, dental imaging, face recognition, hand gestures detection and recognition, human motion analysis, human-computer interaction, image and video understanding, image processing, image segmentation, object and scene reconstruction, object recognition and tracking, remote robot control, and surgery planning. This volume is of use to researchers, students, practitioners and manufacturers from several multidisciplinary fields, such as artificial intelligence, bioengineering, biology, biomechanics, computational mechanics, computational vision, computer graphics, computer science, computer vision, human motion, imagiology, machine learning, machine vision, mathematics, medical image, medicine, pattern recognition, and physics.

Johannes Klumpers Biotechnologies, such as genetic engineering, cloning and biodiversity, raise many legal and ethical concerns, so it is important that people understand these issues and feel able to express their opinions. This is why the European Commission has been, for a number of years, supporting actions to improve communication among scientists in these diverse areas. The project 'Women in Biotechnology' (WONBIT), financed under the 6th Framework programme of the European Commission, is an excellent example of what can be done to target opinion-formers such as scientists, economists and lawyers in bottom-up activities, and to encourage a debate on gender issues triggered by developments in the life sciences. WONBIT gave rise to a successful international conference highlighting the importance of adopting good practices and ethical considerations in parallel with the rapid pace of progress in biotechnology - from a woman's point of view. In particular, the conference addressed women in decision-making positions in b- technology with specific reference to scientific excellence, social competencies and management qualities as well as issues relating to environment, society and the younger generation. But it did not stop there: a key part of the conference was dedicated to stimulating public debate among non-specialists, which has led to a number of recommen- tions to policy-makers on better communication in biotechnology, on taking better account of the gender aspects of research, and on involving more women in the decision-making process that surrounds developments in biotechnology.