Biomechanics of the Gastrointestinal Tract is an up-to-date book for researchers on the study of the mechanical properties and the motor system of the gastrointestinal tract. A well-illustrated book, it provides a comprehensive overview to relevant tissue geometry, morphology and biomechanical theory. Separate chapters cover smooth muscle and nerve function including the application to animal and human studies of motility, symptoms and pain, determination of the true resting state, history-dependent properties, and tissue remodelling in disease. Several methods and diagnostic applications such as determination of in vivo length-tension diagrams and multimodal pain testing are completely new but will undoubtedly be used by many in the future. New non-invasive imaging techniques based on ultrasound, MR- and CT-scanning in combination with balloon distension are emerging as the techniques for future in vivo studies.

Mathematical modelling of physiological systems promises to advance our understanding of complex biological phenomena and pathophysiology of diseases. In this book, the authors adopt a mathematical approach to characterize and explain the functioning of the gastrointestinal system. Using the mathematical foundations of thin shell theory, the authors patiently and comprehensively guide the reader through the fundamental theoretical concepts, via step-by-step derivations and mathematical exercises, from basic theory to complex physiological models. Applications to nonlinear problems related to the biomechanics of abdominal viscera and the theoretical limitations are discussed. Special attention is given to questions of complex geometry of organs, effects of boundary conditions on pellet propulsion, as well as to clinical conditions, e.g. functional dyspepsia, intestinal dysrhythmias and the effect of drugs to treat motility disorders. With end of chapter problems, this book is ideal for bioengineers and applied mathematicians.

Integrated Nano-Biomechanics provides an integrated look into the rapidly evolving field of nanobiomechanics. The book demystifies the processes in living organisms at the micro- and nano-scale through mechanics, using theoretical, computational and experimental means. The book develops the concept of integrating different technologies along the hierarchical structure of biological systems and clarifies biomechanical interactions among different levels for the analysis of multi-scale pathophysiological phenomena. With a focus on nano-scale processes and biomedical applications, it is shown how knowledge obtained can be utilized in a range of areas, including diagnosis and treatment of various human diseases and alternative energy production. This book is based on collaboration of researchers from a unique combination of fields, including biomechanics, computational mechanics, GPU application, electron microscopy, biology of motile micro-organisms, entomological mechanics and clinical medicine. The book will be of great interest to scientists and researchers involved in disciplines, such as micro- and nano-engineering, bionanotechnology, biomedical engineering, micro- and nano-scale fluid-mechanics (such as in MEMS devices), nanomedicine and microbiology, as well as industries such as optical devices, computer simulation, plant based energy sources and clinical diagnosis of the gastric diseases. - Provides knowledge of integrated biomechanics, focusing on nano-scale, in this rapidly growing research field - Explains how the different technologies can be integrated and applied in a variety of biomedical application fields, as well as for alternative energy sources - Uses a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to provide a comprehensive coverage of nano-biomechanics

The gastrointestinal tract is a series of organs each with distinct mechanical functions. Each organ within the system brings food contents in the gut lumen to the site of absorption through separate mechanical functions. These mechanical functions are generated by a fine-tuned interaction between neuronal networks and active muscle layers. The passive components of the gastrointestinal wall such as the collagen-rich submucosa also play an important role in these mechanical actions. Clinical Mechanics in The Gut provides a thorough understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of the physiological function and pathophysiology of the gastrointestinal tract. The book first gives an introduction to readers about the physical geometry of the gastrointestinal tract followed by a detailed explanation of biomechanical theory and its application to approximating and modeling gut mechanics. This is expanded further by detailed explanations of gut muscle and motor nerve functions in proceeding chapters. A biomechanical evaluation of disorders of regulatory mechanisms such as achalasia and Hirschsprung disease and disorders of effector mechanisms such as reflux disease, systemic sclerosis of the gastrointestinal tract and colonic diverticular disease are also included. Readers will, therefore, gain an understanding about clinical problems in gastroenterology from a bioengineering and modeling perspective. Clinical Mechanics in The Gut is a useful reference for gastroenterology researchers, biomedical engineers and systems biologists seeking to understand the physiology of the gut and applying this knowledge to surgical procedures, computer-based modeling systems and robotics.

This book concerns the mathematical modeling and computer simulation of the human stomach. It follows the four modern P’s (prevention, prediction, personalization, and precision in medicine) approach in addressing the highly heterogeneous nature of processes underlying gastric motility disorders manifested as gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, myenteric enteropathy etc. The book comprehensively guides readers through the fundamental theoretical concepts to complex physiological models of the organ. This requires a deep and thorough understanding of driving pathophysiological mechanisms as well as the collaborative effort of specialists working in fundamental and biological science. Such a multidisciplinary partnership is vital because it upholds gnostic capabilities and provides the exchange of thoughts and ideas thus offering broad perspectives into the evolution and management of diseases. The book is a valuable resource for applied mathematicians, computational biologists, bioengineers, physicians, physiologists and researchers working in various fields of biomedicine.

Food research (and funding) is becoming more and more focused on health. While researchers and product developers have made great strides in food engineering, there needs to be increased focus on what happens when the food is actually digested. How is the food absorbed? Do the benefits remain? Digestion is a complex topic, and this will be the first book aimed at food researchers. Authored by a physiologist and a food engineer, the book will be a welcome addition to the literature.

Biomechanics of the Female Reproductive System: Breast and Pelvic Organs: From Models to Patients synthesizes complementary advances in women's reproductive biomechanics, medical imaging analysis, patient-specific characterization, and computational finite element models. The book discusses the biomechanical aspects related to the breast and female pelvic floor system at each step of development. The table of contents also covers certain events and diseases, including cancers, delivery, aging, breast, hysterectomy or prolapse surgery. It presents the main biomechanical experimental results obtained and models developed this last decade to highlight the importance of accounting for patient-specific history and aging characteristics to consider damage growth effect and impact. As part of Elsevier's Biomechanics of Living Organs series, this book provides an opportunity for students, researchers, clinicians and engineers to study the main topics related to the biomechanics of the women's reproductive system in a single book written by a global base of experts. - Introduces fundamental aspects of breast and pelvic floor Anatomy, Physiology and Physiopathology - Covers the most recent imaging techniques (such as image analysis reconstruction, elastography, tagged MRI, nondestructive inverse methods) developed to characterize patient-specific anatomy and mechanical properties characteristics - Discusses the main computational studies performed this last decade for modeling the delivery process and potential induced injury