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Networking of Mutagens in Environmental Toxicology (Environmental Science and Engineering)
by Kavindra Kumar KesariThis book covers the latest environmental issues based on current research objectives. All chapters are fundamentally interlinked and focus on deciphering the networking of mutagens in environmental toxicity and human health. Our changing environment, climate, and lifestyle factors are growing concerns in the 21st century. The existing mutagens, either physical or chemical, are responsible for environmental toxicity. These toxicants are carcinogenic and not limited to naturally occurring chemicals or biologicals, but can also be man-made, such as 'radiation'. The networking of mutagens can have a broad range of effects on both the environment and human health. Accordingly, the respective chapters explore the networking of mutagens in connection with environmental toxicity, and address: 1. Extant types of man-made radiation and their effects on the environment and biological systems2. Heavy metal contaminations: Effects on environmental health3. Networking of environmental pollutants in the air, dust, soil, water, and natural toxins in the environment: Exposure and health4. The molecular interaction of environmental carcinogens with DNA: An oncoinformatics approach5. Fundamentals of nonotoxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenic and neurotoxicity in environmental health6. The role of antioxidants and medicinal plants in reducing the impacts of disease-causing pollutants A sequel to Perspectives in Environmental Toxicology, this book highlights the latest developments in the field of environmental toxicology. It offers a valuable resource for researchers, scholars and graduate students alike.
Networking Technologies in Smart Healthcare: Innovations and Analytical Approaches (Wireless Communications and Networking Technologies)
by Pooja Singh Omprakash Kaiwartya Nidhi Sindhwani Vishal Jain Rohit AnandThis text provides novel smart network systems, wireless telecommunications infrastructures, and computing capabilities to help healthcare systems using computing techniques like IoT, cloud computing, machine and deep learning Big Data along with smart wireless networks. It discusses important topics, including robotics manipulation and analysis in smart healthcare industries, smart telemedicine framework using machine learning and deep learning, role of UAV and drones in smart hospitals, virtual reality based on 5G/6G and augmented reality in healthcare systems, data privacy and security, nanomedicine, and cloud-based artificial intelligence in healthcare systems. The book: • Discusses intelligent computing through IoT and Big Data in secure and smart healthcare systems. • Covers algorithms, including deterministic algorithms, randomized algorithms, iterative algorithms, and recursive algorithms. • Discusses remote sensing devices in hospitals and local health facilities for patient evaluation and care. • Covers wearable technology applications such as weight control and physical activity tracking for disease prevention and smart healthcare. This book will be useful for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and academic researchers in areas such as electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering, computer science, and information technology. Discussing concepts of smart networks, advanced wireless communication, and technologies in setting up smart healthcare services, this text will be useful for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and academic researchers in areas such as electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering, computer science, and information technology. It covers internet of things (IoT) implementation and challenges in healthcare industries, wireless network, and communication-based optimization algorithms for smart healthcare devices.
Networks in Systems Biology: Applications for Disease Modeling (Computational Biology #32)
by Fabricio Alves Barbosa da Silva Nicolas Carels Marcelo Trindade dos Santos Francisco José Pereira LopesThis book presents a range of current research topics in biological network modeling, as well as its application in studies on human hosts, pathogens, and diseases. Systems biology is a rapidly expanding field that involves the study of biological systems through the mathematical modeling and analysis of large volumes of biological data. Gathering contributions from renowned experts in the field, some of the topics discussed in depth here include networks in systems biology, the computational modeling of multidrug-resistant bacteria, and systems biology of cancer. Given its scope, the book is intended for researchers, advanced students, and practitioners of systems biology. The chapters are research-oriented, and present some of the latest findings on their respective topics.
Networks in Tropical Medicine: Internationalism, Colonialism, and the Rise of a Medical Specialty
by Neill Deborah J.Networks in Tropical Medicineexplores how European doctors and scientists worked together across borders to establish the new field of tropical medicine in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The book shows that this transnational collaboration in a context of European colonialism, scientific discovery, and internationalism shaped the character of the new medical specialty. Even in an era of intense competition among European states, practitioners of tropical medicine created a transnational scientific community through which they influenced each other and the health care that was introduced to the tropical world. One of the most important developments in the shaping of tropical medicine as a specialty was the major sleeping sickness epidemic that spread across sub-Saharan Africa at the turn of the century. The book describes how scientists and doctors collaborated across borders to control, contain, and find a treatment for the disease. It demonstrates that these medical specialists' shared notions of "Europeanness," rooted in common beliefs about scientific, technological, and racial superiority, led them establish a colonial medical practice in Africa that sometimes oppressed the same people it was created to help.
Networks, Knowledge Brokers, and the Public Policymaking Process
by Matthew S. Weber Itzhak YanovitzkySocial network analysis provides a meaningful lens for advancing a more nuanced understanding of the communication networks and practices that bring together policy advocates and practitioners in their day-to-day efforts to broker evidence into policymaking processes. This book advances knowledge brokerage scholarship and methodology as applied to policymaking contexts, focusing on the ways in which knowledge and research are utilized, and go on to influence policy and practice decisions across domains, including communication, health and education. There is a growing recognition that knowledge brokers – key intermediaries – have an important role in calling attention to research evidence that can facilitate the successful implementation of evidence-informed policies and practices. The chapters in this volume focus explicitly on the history of knowledge brokerage research in these contexts and the frameworks and methodologies that bridge these disparate domains. The contributors to this volume offer useful typologies of knowledge brokerage and explicate the range of causal mechanisms that enable knowledge brokers’ influence on policymaking. The work included in this volume responds to this emerging interest by comparing, assessing, and delineating social network approaches to knowledge brokerage across domains. The book is a useful resource for students and scholars of social network analysis and policymaking, including in health, communication, public policy and education policy.
Networks of the Brain
by Olaf SpornsAn integrative overview of network approaches to neuroscience explores the origins of brain complexity and the link between brain structure and function.Over the last decade, the study of complex networks has expanded across diverse scientific fields. Increasingly, science is concerned with the structure, behavior, and evolution of complex systems ranging from cells to ecosystems. In Networks of the Brain, Olaf Sporns describes how the integrative nature of brain function can be illuminated from a complex network perspective. Highlighting the many emerging points of contact between neuroscience and network science, the book serves to introduce network theory to neuroscientists and neuroscience to those working on theoretical network models. Sporns emphasizes how networks connect levels of organization in the brain and how they link structure to function, offering an informal and nonmathematical treatment of the subject. Networks of the Brain provides a synthesis of the sciences of complex networks and the brain that will be an essential foundation for future research.
Networks of the Brain
by Olaf SpornsOver the last decade, the study of complex networks has expanded across diverse scientific fields. Increasingly, science is concerned with the structure, behavior, and evolution of complex systems ranging from cells to ecosystems. Modern network approaches are beginning to reveal fundamental principles of brain architecture and function, and in Networks of the Brain, Olaf Sporns describes how the integrative nature of brain function can be illuminated from a complex network perspective. Highlighting the many emerging points of contact between neuroscience and network science, the book serves to introduce network theory to neuroscientists and neuroscience to those working on theoretical network models. Brain networks span the microscale of individual cells and synapses and the macroscale of cognitive systems and embodied cognition. Sporns emphasizes how networks connect levels of organization in the brain and how they link structure to function. In order to keep the book accessible and focused on the relevance to neuroscience of network approaches, he offers an informal and nonmathematical treatment of the subject. After describing the basic concepts of network theory and the fundamentals of brain connectivity, Sporns discusses how network approaches can reveal principles of brain architecture. He describes new links between network anatomy and function and investigates how networks shape complex brain dynamics and enable adaptive neural computation. The book documents the rapid pace of discovery and innovation while tracing the historical roots of the field. The study of brain connectivity has already opened new avenues of study in neuroscience. Networks of the Brain offers a synthesis of the sciences of complex networks and the brain that will be an essential foundation for future research.
Netzwerke in der stationären Altenhilfe: Eine empirische Analyse im Kontext der Quartiersöffnung
by Bernadette OhnesorgeIm Zuge des demografischen Wandels müssen neue Versorgungskonzepte im Bereich der Altenhilfe entwickelt werden, die den Sozialraum und das Quartier in den Fokus nehmen. Den Einrichtungen der stationären Altenhilfe kommt hierbei eine besondere Rolle zu, müssen sie doch einen Wechsel vollziehen von einer Einrichtung, die den Exklusionserwartungen der Gesellschaft entspricht, hin zu einer Institution, die aktiv Inklusion fördert und Teilhabeoptionen eröffnet. Dieser Paradigmenwechsel kann jedoch nur gelingen, wenn eine Einbettung in ein Netzwerk lokaler Akteure erfolgt, welches von Kontinuität und Belastbarkeit geprägt ist, da die Bedarfe und Bedürfnisse der Bewohnerinnen und Bewohner nicht mehr, wie bisher, an einem Ort, dem Pflegeheim, sondern im Quartierskontext befriedigt werden müssen. Die empirische Studie setzt sich deshalb mit der Frage auseinander, wie diese Netzwerke strukturiert sein müssen, damit eine verlässliche Unterstützung gewährleistet werden kann. In diesem Kontext werden in zwei Fallstudien und 23 Interviewanalysen die Perspektiven der Kooperationspartner aus unterschiedlichen gesellschaftlichen Feldern mit Hilfe qualitativer Methoden der Pflege- und Sozialforschung untersucht und netzwerkanalytisch eingeordnet.
Neue Infektionskrankheiten in Deutschland und Europa (essentials)
by Patric U. Vogel Günter A. SchaubIn diesem essential werden Infektionskrankheiten des Menschen und der Tiere vorgestellt, die in Deutschland und Europa auftreten bzw. endemisch werden können. Dazu zählen aktuelle Gefahren, Afrikanische Schweinepest, Vogelgrippe und COVID-19. Daneben wird die Biologie von Mücken beschrieben. Globalisierung und Erderwärmung begünstigen die Ansiedlung von neuen Mückenarten, die Viren der Tropen und Subtropen übertragen können, z.B. Chikungunya-, Dengue- und West-Nil-Virus. Das veterinärmedizinisch relevante Schmallenberg-Virus zeigt, wie rasant sich neue Erreger in Europa ausbreiten.
Neue Medien und kindliche Entwicklung: Ein Überblick für Therapeuten, Pädagogen und Pädiater (essentials)
by Martina Zemp Guy BodenmannDieses Essential zeigt, welche Konsequenzen die Nutzung von Fernseher, Computer und Internet für Kinder und Jugendliche hat - und was Fachleute Eltern raten können. Aus wissenschaftlicher Perspektive wird deutlich, dass die Nutzung von gewaltbetonten Medien ein Prädiktor für aggressives Verhalten bei Heranwachsenden ist, neuen Medien ein Suchtpotenzial innewohnt und exzessive Mediennutzung den kindlichen Schulleistungen abträglich sein kann. Entscheidend sind jedoch die Häufigkeit der Nutzung und der Medieninhalt. Vor diesem Hintergrund stehen Eltern in der Pflicht, klare Strukturen bezüglich Form, Inhalt und Dauer der Mediennutzung ihrer Kinder durchzusetzen.
Neues Entgeltsystem in der Psychiatrie und Psychosomatik
by Frank Studenski Mario C. Birr René BertonMit der Verabschiedung des § 17d des Krankenhausentgeltgesetzes zur "Einführung eines pauschalierenden Entgeltsystems für psychiatrische und psychosomatische Einrichtungen" im Jahre 2009 wurde ein Systemwechsel der Vergütungsform und der Fallabbildung der psychiatrischen und psychosomatischen stationären Versorgung in Gang gesetzt. Die Autoren - allesamt erfahrede Managementmitarbeiter aus dem Gesundheitswesen - schildern ihre Erfahrungen bei der Entwicklung und Umsetzung der neuen Anforderungen an die Kliniken in der Einführungsphase. Das Ziel der Kosten- und Leistungstransparenz geht einher mit einem hohen Dokumentationsaufwand, der eine Reorganisation des Behandlungsmanagements und des Therapiealltags seitens der Leistungserbringer und der ökonomischen wie der personellen Führung mit sich bringt. Das neue Vergütungssystem für den Bereich der Psychiatrie und Psychosomatik soll ab 2013 optional und ab 2014 für alle Einrichtungen nach § 17d gelten. Zur Zielgruppe dieses Buches gehören die Entscheidungs- sowie die ausführenden Ebenen der betroffenen Gesundheitsunternehmen.
Neugestaltung des Gesundheitssystems: Wie man die Gesundheitsversorgung personenzentriert, gerecht und nachhaltig gestaltet
by Joachim P. SturmbergDieser zukunftsweisende Band fordert Fachleute und interessierte Laien dazu auf, unsere Sichtweise von Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden, krank fühlen und krank sein sowie die Ziele von Gesundheits- und Sozialsystemen zu überdenken. Das Buch betrachtet Gesundheitssysteme als komplexe adaptive Systeme und identifiziert die Gesundheitsversorgung als einen zentralen Aspekt der sozialen Versorgung und Sicherheit für alle Menschen, insbesondere für die Schwächsten. Darauf aufbauend skizziert der Autor die notwendigen organisatorischen, gestalterischen, medizinischen und kommunalen Schritte zum Aufbau von Gesundheitssystemen, die die Gesundheitsversorgung als Menschenrecht betrachten und praktizieren und langfristig eine optimale Versorgung gewährleisten können. Ausführliche Illustrationen veranschaulichen die effektive Zusammenarbeit bei der Problemlösung innerhalb dieser Systeme, sowohl in faszinierenden theoretischen Modellen als auch in der realen Welt.Höhepunkte der Berichterstattung:- System- und Komplexitätsdenken in der Gesundheit und Gesundheitsversorgung- Neugestaltung auf der Grundlage von "ersten Prinzipien"- Neugestaltung aus einer organisatorischen Perspektive- Effektives und effizientes Zusammenarbeiten, um ein gemeinsames Ziel zu erreichen- Analyse der "Funktionsweise" von Gesundheitssystemen als komplexe adaptive Systeme- Personenzentrierte, gerechte und nachhaltige Gesundheitssysteme: das Ziel erreichenDie Neugestaltung von Gesundheitssystemen verleiht den drängendsten Problemen bei der Erbringung von Gesundheitsdienstleistungen eine Stimme und eine Vision und bietet Entscheidungsträgern in der Gesundheitspolitik, Finanziers des Gesundheitswesens, Organisationsleitern, Klinikern und besorgten Mitgliedern der lokalen Gemeinschaft neue Ziele und Zwecke.
Neural Assemblies: An Alternative Approach to Classical Artificial Intelligence
by Günther PalmIn the new edition of Neural Assemblies, the author places his original ideas and motivations within the framework of modern and cognitive neuroscience and gives a short and focused overview of the development of computational neuroscience and artificial neural networks over the last 40 years. In this book the author develops a theory of how the human brain might function. Starting with a motivational introduction to the brain as an organ of information processing, he presents a computational perspective on the basic concepts and ideas of neuroscience research on the underlying principles of brain function. In addition, the reader is introduced to the most important methods from computer science and mathematical modeling that are required for a computational understanding of information processing in the brain. Written by an expert in the field of neural information processing, this book offers a personal historical view of the development of artificial intelligence, artificial neural networks, and computational cognitive neuroscience over the last 40 years, with a focus on the realization of higher cognitive functions rather than more peripheral sensory or motor organization. The book is therefore aimed at students and researchers who want to understand how the basic neuroscientific and computational concepts in the study of brain function have changed over the last decades.
The Neural Basis of Mentalizing
by Michael Gilead Kevin N. OchsnerHumans have a unique ability to understand the beliefs, emotions, and intentions of others—a capacity often referred to as mentalizing. Much research in psychology and neuroscience has focused on delineating the mechanisms of mentalizing, and examining the role of mentalizing processes in other domains of cognitive and affective functioning. The purpose of the book is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research on the mechanisms of mentalizing at the neural, algorithmic, and computational levels of analysis.The book includes contributions from prominent researchers in the field of social-cognitive and affective neuroscience, as well as from related disciplines (e.g., cognitive, social, developmental and clinical psychology, psychiatry, philosophy, primatology). The contributors review their latest research in order to compile an authoritative source of knowledge on the psychological and brain bases of the unique human capacity to think about the mental states of others. The intended audience is researchers and students in the fields of social-cognitive and affective neuroscience and related disciplines such as neuroeconomics, cognitive neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, social cognition, social psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and affective science. Secondary audiences include researchers in decision science (economics, judgment and decision-making), philosophy of mind, and psychiatry.
The Neural Basis Of Thought: The Diaries Of Escher, Bodmer, May And De Gallois 1814-18
by Campion, George G & Elliot Smith, GraftonFirst Published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Neural Cell Biology
by Cheng Wang William Slikker Jr.This book delineates how systems biology, pharmacogenomic, and behavioral approaches, as applied to neurodevelopmental toxicology, provide a structure to arrange information in a biological model. The text reviews and discusses approaches that can be used as effective tools to dissect mechanisms underlying pharmacological and toxicological phenomena associated with the exposure to drugs or environmental toxicants during development. The book intends to elaborate functional outcomes of component-to-component relationships using rodent and nonhuman primate in vitro and in vivo models that allow for the directional and quantitative description of the complete organism in response to environmental perturbations. In addition, attention has also been directed to some of the more recent methodologies, including genomics, proteomics and metabolomics, applied in the evolutionary neurobiological field.
Neural Circuits of Innate Behaviors (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology #1284)
by Hao WangThis book summarizes the latest research findings in the neurocircuitry of innate behaviors, covering major topics such as innate fear, aggression, feeding, reward, social interaction, parental care, spatial navigation, and sleep-wake regulation. For decades, humans have been fascinated by wild animals’ instincts, like the annual two-thousand-mile migration of the monarch butterfly in North American, and the “imprint” behavior of newborn birds. Since these instincts are always displayed in stereotypical patterns in most individuals of a given species, the neural circuits processing such behaviors must be genetically hard-wired in the brain. Recently, with the development of modern techniques, including optogenetics, retrograde and anterograde virus tracing, and in vivo calcium imaging, researchers have been able to determine and dissect the specific neural circuits for many innate behaviors by selectively manipulating well-defined cell types in the brain. This book discusses recent advances in the investigation of the neural-circuit mechanisms underlying innate behaviors.
The Neural Code of Pitch and Harmony
by Langner, Gerald and Benson, Christina Gerald Langner Christina BensonHarmony is an integral part of our auditory environment. Resonances characterised by harmonic frequency relationships are found throughout the natural world and harmonic sounds are essential elements of speech, communication and, of course, music. Providing neurophysiological data and theories that are suitable to explain the neural code of pitch and harmony, the author demonstrates that musical pitch is a temporal phenomenon and musical harmony is a mathematical necessity based on neuronal mechanisms. Moreover, he offers new evidence for the role of an auditory time constant for speech and music perception as well as for similar neuronal processing mechanisms of auditory and brain waves. Successfully relating current neurophysiological results to the ancient ideas of Pythagoras, this unique title will appeal to specialists in the fields of neurophysiology, neuroacoustics, linguistics, behavioural biology and musicology as well as to a broader audience interested in the neural basis of music perception.
Neural Control of the Respiratory Muscles (Routledge Revivals)
by Alan D. Miller Armand L. Bianchi Beverly P. BishopFirst published in 1997. The respiratory muscles are multifunctional muscles involved in other behaviors besides breathing -- from the protection of the upper airway to cognitive functions such as speech or singing. Neural Control of the Respiratory Muscles presents an overall consideration of how these muscles are regulated by the central nervous system in normal as well as in pathological situations.A group of 40 internationally recognized scientists and clinicians have collaborated to discuss current findings in the field and to identify areas of future development such aso The anatomical and functional organization of the respiratory muscles and the mechanics of the chest wallo Respiratory muscle control by the central nervous system during normal breathing and during disease stateso Respiration during sleep, exercise, and locomotiono Respiratory muscle contribution to non-respiratory behaviors; interaction of the central pattern generator for respiration with other central pattern generatorso Multifunctional nature of respiratory muscles and respiratory neurons of the central nervous systemAlthough other texts exist that examine the control of breathing and other specialized topics considered in this volume, Neural Control of the Respiratory Muscles is the first major single-volume publication that takes a broad view of muscle control during non-respiratory behaviors and the coordination of respiration with non-respiratory behaviors.
Neural Correlates of Auditory Cognition
by Arthur N. Popper Yale E. Cohen Richard R. FayHearing and communication present a variety of challenges to the nervous system. To be heard and understood, a communication signal must be transformed from a time-varying acoustic waveform to a perceptual representation to an even more abstract representation that integrates memory stores with semantic/referential information. Finally, this complex, abstract representation must be interpreted to form categorical decisions that guide behavior. Did I hear the stimulus? From where and whom did it come? What does it tell me? How can I use this information to plan an action? All of these issues and questions underlie auditory cognition. Since the early 1990s, there has been a re-birth of studies that test the neural correlates of auditory cognition with a unique emphasis on the use of awake, behaving animals as model. Continuing today, how and where in the brain neural correlates of auditory cognition are formed is an intensive and active area of research. Importantly, our understanding of the role that the cortex plays in hearing has the potential to impact the next generation of cochlear- and brainstem-auditory implants and consequently help those with hearing impairments. Thus, it is timely to produce a volume that brings together this exciting literature on the neural correlates of auditory cognition. This volume compliments and extends many recent SHAR volumes such as Sound Source Localization (2005) Auditory Perception of Sound Sources (2007), and Human Auditory Cortex (2010). For example, in many of these volumes, similar issues are discussed such as auditory-object identification and perception with different emphases: in Auditory Perception of Sound Sources, authors discuss the underlying psychophysics/behavior, whereas in the Human Auditory Cortex, fMRI data are presented. The unique contribution of the proposed volume is that the authors will integrate both of these factors to highlight the neural correlates of cognition/behavior. Moreover, unlike other these other volumes, the neurophysiological data will emphasize the exquisite spatial and temporal resolution of single-neuron [as opposed to more coarse fMRI or MEG data] responses in order to reveal the elegant representations and computations used by the nervous system.
The Neural Crest and Neural Crest Cells in Vertebrate Development and Evolution
by Brian K. HallA presentation of all aspects of neural crest cell origins (embryological and evolutionary) development and evolution; neural crest cell behavior (migration) and anomalies (neurocristopathies and birth defects) that arise from defective neural crest development. The treatment of development will include discussions of cellular, molecular and genetic aspects of the differentiation and morphogenesis of neural crest cells and structures derived from neural crest cells. The origins of the neural crest in embryology will be discussed using the recent information on the molecular basis of the specification of the neural crest. Also presented are the advances in our understanding of the evolution of jaws from studies on lampreys and of the neural crest from studies on ascidians and amphioxus.
Neural Development
by Lin Mei Renping ZhouUnderstanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the development of specific neural circuits is not just an intellectual curiosity but also central to our ability to develop therapeutic approaches to repair damaged pathways in the future. In Neural Development: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field contribute commonly used protocols to facilitate future research in developmental neuroscience. Split into four convenient sections, this detailed volume covers techniques of culturing neurons and glia as well as their growth and differentiation, methods of gene delivery and down regulation, protocols for analyzing axon growth and guidance plus synapse formation, and, finally, basic methods to analyze brain morphology and axon pathways in developing animals. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, 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. Comprehensive and accessible, Neural Development: Methods and Protocols provides key guidance for students and postdoctoral fellows new to developmental neurobiology.
Neural Development and Stem Cells
by Melissa Carpenter Mahendra S. Rao Mohan C. VemuriThis expanded and updated edition reflects the enormous increase in our knowledge of the development of the nervous system and the use of neural stem cells in clinical applications. Integrating new information about the use of development of neural stem cells for clinical applications, Drs. Rao, Carpenter and Vemuri have added additional chapters on neural transplantation and development of neural stem cells using reprogramming technologies. A new chapter on cancer in nervous system delineates how the fundamental biology of neural stem cells informs our understanding of cancer and tumor formation in the nervous system. Special attention is paid to the derivation of neural cells from embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Authoritative and up-to-date, Neural Development and Stem Cells, 3rd Edition provides neuroscientists with a handy guide to stem cells in the nervous system, tracing with great clarity the development of stem cells from differentiation to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes.
Neural Dynamics of Neurological Disease
by Christopher A. ShawThe emerging understanding of age-related neurological disorders suggeststhat notions of a single causal gene/toxin being responsible is likely incorrect. Neurological disorders likely arise due to a unique intersection of multiple genetic and toxic factors combined with additional contributions of age, stage of development, immune system actions, and more. This perspective leads to the view that rather than reflecting only one pathway to end state disease, each is a spectrum disorder and each individual case is therefore unique. Neural Dynamics of Neurological Disease argues for a fundamental rethinking of what we think we know about neurological disorders, how these arise and progress and, crucially, what might be done to “cure” them. Chapters first introduce the concept of neural dynamics of neurological disease, then examine various diseases and give examples of the interplay of elements such as neural systems, cell types, and biochemical pathways which can contribute to disease. Concluding chapters point the way forward to how the emerging notion of neurological disease as a dynamic process may lead to more successful treatment options. Providing a cross disciplinary approach to understanding the origin and progression of neurological disease, Neural Dynamics of Neurological Disease is a timely and valuable resource for neuroscientists, researchers and clinicians. About the AuthorChristopher A. Shaw Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Canada
Neural Engineering: Computation, Representation, and Dynamics in Neurobiological Systems
by Chris Eliasmith Charles H. AndersonFor years, researchers have used the theoretical tools of engineering to understand neural systems, but much of this work has been conducted in relative isolation. In Neural Engineering, Chris Eliasmith and Charles Anderson provide a synthesis of the disparate approaches current in computational neuroscience, incorporating ideas from neural coding, neural computation, physiology, communications theory, control theory, dynamics, and probability theory. This synthesis, they argue, enables novel theoretical and practical insights into the functioning of neural systems. Such insights are pertinent to experimental and computational neuroscientists and to engineers, physicists, and computer scientists interested in how their quantitative tools relate to the brain. The authors present three principles of neural engineering based on the representation of signals by neural ensembles, transformations of these representations through neuronal coupling weights, and the integration of control theory and neural dynamics. Through detailed examples and in-depth discussion, they make the case that these guiding principles constitute a useful theory for generating large-scale models of neurobiological function. A software package written in MatLab for use with their methodology, as well as examples, course notes, exercises, documentation, and other material, are available on the Web.