Biomedical Librarianship in the Post-Genomic Era

Post genomic era is known for the explosive growth in biomedical information. Bibliographic and sequence databases are increasing continuously and have voluminous data sets. Biomedical librarians are facing challenges in retrieval of relevant information from these electronic databases and related sources of information. This chapter discusses the changing role of biomedical librarians in post genomic era. The chapter covers features of the biomedical librarianship including library collection development, users' information needs and strategies adopted to provide services. Moreover, it focuses on the competencies required by librarians to face the challenges of management of information and services needed by biomedical researchers in the post genomic era.

Detection and Conditioning of EMG

In this chapter, the monitoring of the electrical activity of skeletal muscles is depicted. The main components of the detection and conditioning of the EMG signals is explained in the sense of the biomedical instrumentation. But, first, a brief description of EMG generation is introduced. The hardware components of the general instrumentation system used in the acquisition of EMG signal such as amplifier, filters, analog-to-digital converter are discussed in detail. Subsequently, different types of electrodes used in different EMG techniques are mentioned. Then, various EMG signals that can be detected and monitored via EMG systems are described and their clinical importance is discussed with detail. Finally, different EMG techniques used in clinical studies and their purposes are explained with detail.

Nanotechnology-Based Studies in Systems Biology

In recent years, nanotechnology-based studies have been employed in the area of systems biology. The current chapter aims to give a concise view of this emergent field of research, namely nano systems biology. A large number of such studies are based on understanding surface reactivities of a biological system. Another stream of studies is focused on imaging approaches using nano systems biology. In this chapter, the authors also illustrate state-of-the-art work using these approaches in nanomedicine.

Brain-Computer Interfaces for Control of Upper Extremity Neuroprostheses in Individuals with High Spinal Cord Injury

For individuals with tetraplegia, restoring limited or missing grasping function is the highest priority. In patients with high Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and a lack of surgical options, restricted upper extremity function can be improved with the use of neuroprostheses based on Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). Grasp neuroprostheses with different degrees of complexity and invasiveness exist, although few models are available for routine clinical application. Hybrid systems combining FES with orthoses hold promise for restoring completely lost upper extremity function. Novel user interfaces integrating biosignals from several sources are needed to make full use of the many degrees of freedom of hybrid neuroprostheses. Motor Imagery (MI)-based Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) are an emerging technology that may serve as a valuable adjunct to traditional control interfaces. This chapter provides an overview of the current state of the art of BCI-controlled upper-extremity neuroprostheses and describes the challenges and promises for the future.

Ventricular Assist Device and Its Necessity for Elderly Population

Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) is considered to be the part and parcel to those people who have cardiac complications or heart failure especially the aged patients. Although VADs have contributed remarkably for the past few years, yet these devices possess some limitations, mainly the driveline infections. Due to these conditions, researchers are aiming to improve its functionality as well as other necessary/additional features and hence there is a need to develop the ‘next generation' wireless VAD system which could be very effective to reduce the risk of this infection. In this chapter, the necessity of the VAD and different kinds of VADs are presented and discussed. These features incorporate hemodynamic states after receiving the VADs, selection of biomaterials for the VAD system, VAD pumps and its classifications. Finally, a brief discussion is also provided based on the recent advancement of the VAD system and the scope for the future research.

Mineralized Nanofibers for Bone Tissue Engineering

The limitation of orthopedic fractures and large bone defects treatments has brought the focus on fabricating bone grafts that could enhance ostegenesis and vascularization in-vitro. Developing biomimetic materials such as mineralized nanofibers that can provide three-dimensional templates of the natural bone extracellular-matrix is one of the most promising alternative for bone regeneration. Understanding the interactions between the structure of the scaffolds and cells and therefore the control cellular pathways are critical for developing functional bone grafts. In order to enhance bone regeneration, the engineered scaffold needs to mimic the characteristics of composite bone ECM. This chapter reviews the fabrication of and fabrication techniques for fabricating biomimetic bone tissue engineering scaffolds. In addition, the chapter covers design criteria for developing the scaffolds and examples of enhanced osteogenic differentiation outcomes by fabricating biomimetic scaffolds.

Human Voice Waveform Analysis for Categorization of Healthy and Parkinson Subjects

Parkinson disease is a neurological disorder. In this disease control over body muscles get disturbed. In almost 90% of the cases, people suffering from Parkinson disease (PD) have speech disorders. The goal of the paper is to differentiate healthy and PD affected persons using voice analysis. There are no well-developed lab techniques available for Parkinson detection. Parkinson detection using voice analysis is a noninvasive, reliable and economic method. Using this technique patient need not to visit the clinic. In this paper the authors have recorded 155 phonations from 25 healthy and 22 PD affected persons. Classification is done using two proposed parameters: Local angular frequency and instantaneous deviation in the waveform. Support vector machine is used as a classifier. Maximum 86.8% classification accuracy is achieved using linear kernel function.

Re-Engineering a Medical Devices Management Software System

The primary aim of a hospital Clinical Engineering Department (CED) is to ensure a safe and cost-effective operation of the medical devices. In order to achieve this goal, it needs to implement and establish a comprehensive biomedical technology management program, which is a complex and multidimensional task. This work presents a medical devices management software system to assist the CED in healthcare, and it appears, as a result, of an effort to re-engineer and rebuild such an old, successful management system. The findings of this re-engineering attempt are presented. The goal was the incorporation of the new trends in clinical engineering and medical devices management and the exploitation of the new capabilities provided by the modern software tools and platforms. The system is expected to respond to the changing healthcare environment demands, the increased efforts required, and the respective broader role that CEDs have to play.

Nanobiotechnology and Therapeutics

Nanobiotechnology deals with the application of the tools and processes of nanotechnology to build devices for studying and manipulating biological systems. Current approaches of diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, especially cancer have major limitations such as poor sensitivity or specificity and drug toxicities respectively. Novel and improved methods of cancer detection based on nanoparticles are required to be developed. Some of the nanoparticles used for diagnostic purposes are paramagnetic nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanoshells and nanosomes. Drugs with high toxic potential like cancer chemotherapeutic drugs can be given with a better safety profile with the utility of nanotechnology. These can be made to act specifically at the target tissue by active as well as passive means. Simultaneously, other alternative ways of therapy such as heat induced killings of cancer cells by nanoshells and gene therapy are also being developed. Thus, it indicates that nanomedicine in future would play a crucial role in the treatment of human diseases.

Preclinical Challenges and Clinical Target of Nanomaterials in Regenerative Medicine

Currently, practical application of nanotechnological approaches and stem cell therapies remains a challenge in both preclinical and clinical settings. Many existing problems in tissue engineering to organ engineering have been solved by the combined approaches of nanotechnology and stem cell biology, but significant barriers remain. Details about the role of various types of nanomaterial in preclinical and clinical research have been reviewed elsewhere, but scant information exists about the influence of nanomaterials on stem cell biology. Herein, the authors highlight the current advances of nanotechnological approaches for expansion, differentiations, harvesting, labeling, imagining, tissue engineering, and organ engineering of different types of stem cells. The preclinical outcome of in vitro and in vivo animal experimentations along with some examples of clinical outcomes of nanomaterials on stem cell research is the main focus of this chapter. This book chapter might be an impetus for the present generation of young scientists to revolutionize the coming generation of effective human healthcare.