German Medical Data Sciences 2023 — Science. Close to People.

German Medical Data Sciences 2023 — Science. Close to People.

Author: R. Röhrig

Publisher: IOS Press

Published: 2023-10-19

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 1643684299

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The Covid-19 pandemic affected the daily lives of all of us on many levels. Epidemiology suddenly became a personal matter and general interest in many aspects of medical data science became much more widespread. And physical distance became the new normal. This book presents the full paper part of the proceedings of GMDS 2023, the 68th annual meeting of the German Association for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, held from 17 to 21 September 2023 in Heilbronn, Germany. The theme of the conference was, Science. Close to People, a particularly appropriate theme for the first of these annual conferences to be held face-to-face since 2019. A total of 227 scientific contributions were submitted to GMDS 2023, including 41 full papers for this volume in Studies in HTI. Of these, 30 papers are included here, following a rigorous two-stage review process, which represents an acceptance rate of 73%. The 30 papers in this book are grouped under 8 headings: FAIRification; research software engineering for research infrastructure & study data management; human factors; data quality; clinical decision support & artificial intelligence; evaluation of healthcare IT; biosignals; and interoperability. Providing a broad overview of current developments in the disciplines of medical informatics, biometry and epidemiology, the book will be of interest to all those working in these fields.


MEDINFO 2023 — The Future Is Accessible

MEDINFO 2023 — The Future Is Accessible

Author: J. Bichel-Findlay

Publisher: IOS Press

Published: 2024-04-02

Total Pages: 1676

ISBN-13: 1643684574

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Science-fiction author William Gibson is famously quoted as saying, “The future is already here – it's just not very evenly distributed.” During the Covid pandemic, telehealth and remote monitoring were elevated from interesting innovations to essential tools in many healthcare systems, but not all countries had the infrastructure necessary to pivot quickly, amply demonstrating the negative consequences of the digital divide. This book presents the proceedings of MedInfo 2023, the 19th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics, held from 8 – 12 July 2023 in Sydney, Australia. This series of biennial conferences provides a platform for the discussion of applied approaches to data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in health and wellness. The theme and title of MedInfo 2023 was The Future is Accessible, but the digital divide is a major concern for health and care-informatics professionals, whether because of global economic disparities, digital literacy gaps, or limited access to reliable information about health. A total of 935 submissions were received for the conference, of which 228 full papers, 43 student papers and 117 posters were accepted following a thorough peer-review process involving 279 reviewers. Topics covered include: information and knowledge management; quality, safety and outcomes; health data science; human, organizational and social aspects; and global health informatics. Significant advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, and genomics hold great hope for future healthcare planning, delivery, management, education, evaluation, and research, and this book will be of interest to all those working to not only exploit the benefits of these technologies, but also to identify ways to overcome their associated challenges.


Telehealth Ecosystems in Practice

Telehealth Ecosystems in Practice

Author: M. Giacomini

Publisher: IOS Press

Published: 2023-11-14

Total Pages: 346

ISBN-13: 1643684515

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Telemedicine is a term which covers all remotely-provided health services. It removes the obstacle of distance and can equalize access to care by means of technology. Telemedicine assumed increased importance during the time of pandemic restrictions, but despite increased interest, progress has been slowed by factors such as cost, lack of privacy legislation, the reluctance of elderly patients to use ICT, and a lack of qualified actors. It remains, however, one of the best solutions to the problems of different levels of healthcare provision and health outcomes across regions. This book presents the proceedings of STC2023, a Special Topic Conference (STC) organized by the European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI), and held from 25 - 27 October 2023 in Turin, Italy. These conferences promote research and development in a specific field of biomedical and health informatics, and the theme of the 2023 STC was Telehealth Ecosystems in Practice. A total of 112 submissions were received for the conference. Of these, the number of papers selected after a thorough review process was 51 full papers (acceptance 59%) and 26 posters, all of which are included in these proceedings. Topics covered include homecare and telemonitoring; televisits; teleradiology; telerehabilitation; data integration and standards; embedded decision support systems; sensors, devices and patient-reported outcomes; healthbots and conversational agents; and AI applications to telehealth. Covering a wide range of topics and methods in telemedicine and biomedical informatics, the book will be of interest to all those involved in the planning and provision of healthcare.


Advances in Biomedical and Bioinformatics Engineering

Advances in Biomedical and Bioinformatics Engineering

Author: Y. Yu

Publisher: IOS Press

Published: 2023-12-19

Total Pages: 810

ISBN-13: 1643684337

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Biomedicine and bioinformatics engineering are interdisciplinary fields combining expertise from biology, mathematics, chemistry, computer science, and engineering to develop technologies which will address major problems at the forefront of biomedical and bio-industrial research. This book presents the proceedings of ICBBE 2023, the 3rd International Conference on Biomedicine and Bioinformatics Engineering, held as a hybrid event from 16-18 June 2023 in Nanjing, China. The aim of the conference was to create a forum for the multi-disciplinary discussion of recent developments in biomedicine and bioinformatics engineering. A total of 253 submissions were received for the conference, of which 92 were accepted after a thorough double-blind peer review. The book is divided into 3 parts, covering biomedical material and imaging technology application; cell biology and medical signal processing; and biomechanical modeling and drug analysis, and topics addressed include biomedical signal processing; medical information; bioinformatics and computational biology; medical imaging technology and its application; molecular biology; chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. Addressing a number of highly relevant aspects of biomedicine and bioinformatics engineering and emphasizing the multi-disciplinary aspects of the field, the selected contributions in this book will provide valuable guidance for future interdisciplinary developments, and will be of interest to all those working in biomedicine and bioinformatics engineering.


Medical Image Analysis

Medical Image Analysis

Author: Alejandro Frangi

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2023-09-20

Total Pages: 700

ISBN-13: 0128136588

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Medical Image Analysis presents practical knowledge on medical image computing and analysis as written by top educators and experts. This text is a modern, practical, self-contained reference that conveys a mix of fundamental methodological concepts within different medical domains. Sections cover core representations and properties of digital images and image enhancement techniques, advanced image computing methods (including segmentation, registration, motion and shape analysis), machine learning, how medical image computing (MIC) is used in clinical and medical research, and how to identify alternative strategies and employ software tools to solve typical problems in MIC. - An authoritative presentation of key concepts and methods from experts in the field - Sections clearly explaining key methodological principles within relevant medical applications - Self-contained chapters enable the text to be used on courses with differing structures - A representative selection of modern topics and techniques in medical image computing - Focus on medical image computing as an enabling technology to tackle unmet clinical needs - Presentation of traditional and machine learning approaches to medical image computing


Global Health Essentials

Global Health Essentials

Author: Mario C. B. Raviglione

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-09-07

Total Pages: 537

ISBN-13: 3031338510

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This practical and handy textbook offers a succinct yet comprehensive overview of the main challenges, issues and solutions in global health in relation to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 agenda. Subdivided into 11 parts, devoted each to a macro-topic, the book opens with an introduction to Global Health followed by an overview of the global burden of disease – from child and maternal health to communicable and non-communicable diseases. The authors further examine the social determinants of health, health systems’ features as well as innovations, governance and methods in Global Health. In consideration of the emerging discussions and ideas, and beyond the more traditional and essential elements of global health, the book also looks at the need to re-think the whole concept of global health and the importance of a “decolonized” approach that engages low and lower-middle countries fully. One entire part is then devoted to analyzing the major threats to the health of humanity such as climate change, the need for an ecological approach to health (including “One Health” approaches), and, ultimately, planetary health. Written by an international panel of more than 100 experts, this manual will be an excellent resource for students in a broad range of disciplines – from medicine and other scientific studies to economics, social science, anthropology and international relations. Pragmatic and reader-friendly, it will further be a valuable tool for policymakers, program implementers and those wishing to build knowledge on the meaning, principles and practices of global health.


Covid-19 in Africa: Societal and Economic Implications

Covid-19 in Africa: Societal and Economic Implications

Author: Susan Arndt

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-12-16

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13: 3031403169

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Written amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, this edited volume draws on the expertise of social scientists and humanities scholars to understand the many ramifications of Covid-19 on societies, politics, and the economies of Africa. The contributors examine measures, communicative practices, and experiences that have guided the (inter)action of governments, societies, and citizens in this unpredictable moment. Covid-19 tested governments’ disaster preparedness as well as exposed governments’ attitudes towards the poor and vulnerable. In the same vein, it also tested the agency of the African populace in the face of containment measures and their impact on everyday social, cultural, and economic practices of ordinary people. In this vein, our concern is to understand the relationship between growing vulnerability on the one hand, and ingenuity of agency on the other, and how both were embodied, narrated and discoursed by the African poor, university students, religious entities, middle-classes, and those who bore the major brunt of the lockdowns. The volume is thus a useful resource for scholars of Africa, policy makers and those who want to understand Covid-19 in Africa. It provides a multiplicity of perspectives of the pandemic and African responses at different levels of society, economy and the political spectrum. The continental focus of this volume gives room for broader comparative analyses. Lastly, this interdisciplinary work benefits from the input of medical historians, anthropologists, sociologists, linguists, political scientists, literature scholars, urban planners, geographers and others.


The German Cannabis Protocols

The German Cannabis Protocols

Author: Stephan Schleim

Publisher: Stephan Schleim

Published: 2024-04-27

Total Pages: 77

ISBN-13: 9083429415

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A plant divides the nation: Does cannabis use cause psychosis? Does it damage the brain? Does smoking "weed" make you stupid? Does hemp endanger young people? How great is the risk of addiction and what is "addiction" anyway? Until the decisive vote in the German Federal Council on March 22, 2024, the Cannabis Act was on the brink. Politicians and doctors argued vehemently about these issues. The result of the vote is shown on the book cover. The author has been researching the use of psychoactive substances in society for 20 years. From 2022 to 2024, he accompanied Germany's drug policy paradigm shift in the media. In this book, his most important contributions are compiled for the first time and in revised form. There are also new chapters that provide important basic knowledge. An independent perspective is important: While 100 years ago large parts of the medical profession defended cannabis as a medicinal plant, today many have internalized the false conclusions and demonization of the prohibition policy. Those who are against the legal relaxation of cannabis and other drugs are often exaggerating the risks. And some medical experts are clearly misrepresenting scientific studies. From the content: What is a "drug", what is a "psychoactive substance"? How old is cannabis use in mankind? What do we know about brain development? What does the "cannabis brain" of long-term users look like? What do we make of the age limits that are often set? How does the relaxation of the law influence the frequency of use? What is the risk of psychosis or schizophrenia? A fact check by medical experts. How did the Federal Constitutional Court uphold the ban? Is there really no "right to intoxication"? How did the prohibition policy come about in the 20th century and why do political actors cling to it so stubbornly? What are the risks of prohibition? What would a better drug policy look like? What were the decisive steps leading up to decriminalization on April 1, 2024? What are the benefits and risks of cannabis use? And is the substance addictive? Find out for yourself how much substance there is to the cannabis debate in Germany – and what that means for you.