C. Cannings - Böcker

The second part of this two-volume set contains advanced aspects of the quantitative theory of the dynamics of neurons. It begins with an introduction to the effects of reversal potentials on response to synaptic input. It then develops the theory of action potential generation based on the seminal Hodgkin-Huxley equations and gives methods for their solution in the space-clamped and non-space-clamped cases. The remainder of the book discusses stochastic models of neural activity and ends with a statistical analysis of neuronal data with emphasis on spike trains. The mathematics is more complex in this volume than in the first volume and involves numerical methods of solution of partial differential equations and the statistical analysis of point processes.

The human brain contains billions of nerve cells whose activity plays a critical role in the way we behave, feel, perceive, and think. This two-volume set explains the basic properties of a neuron - an electrically active nerve cell - and develops mathematical theories for the way neurons respond to the various stimuli they receive. Volume 1 contains descriptions and analyses of the principal mathematical models that have been developed for neurons in the past thirty years. It provides a brief review of the basic neuroanatomical and neurophysiological facts that will form the focus of the mathematical treatment. Tuckwell discusses the mathematical theories, beginning with the theory of membrane potentials. He then goes on to treat the Lapicque model, linear cable theory, and time-dependent solutions of the cable equations. He concludes with a description of Rall's model nerve cell. Because the level of mathematics increases steadily upward from Chapter Two, some familiarity with differential equations and linear algebra is desirable.

In studying the dynamics of populations, whether of animals, plants or cells, it is crucial to allow for intrinsic delays, due to such things as gestation, maturation or transport. This book is concerned with one of the fundamental questions in the analysis of the effect of delays, namely determining whether they effect the stability of steady states. The analysis is presented for one or two such delays treated both as discrete, where an event which occurred at a precise time in the past has an effect now, and distributed, where the delay is averaged over the population's history. Both of these types occur in biological contexts. The method used to tackle these questions is linear stability analysis which leads to an understanding of the local stability. By avoiding global questions, the author has kept the mathematical prerequisites to a minimum, essentially advanced calculus and ordinary differential equations.

This introduction to mathematical methods that are useful for studying population phenomena is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, and will be accessible to scientists who do not have a strong mathematics background. The material is graded in mathematical difficulty. The earlier parts of the book involve elementary diference equations while later chapters present topics that require more mathematical preparation. Models of total population and population age structure are first derived and studied, and then models of random population events are presented in terms of Markov chains. The last two chapters deal with mathematical methods used to uncover qualitative behaviour of more complicated difference equations. Each chapter begins with a simple model, usually of some historical interest, that defines the primary goals of the chapter. Exercises, for which solutions are provided, illustrate material in the text and also deal with models more advanced than those derived and studied in the text.

Although the long-term processes of evolution are selection and mutation, the infrastructure of a population is a no less important force in determining the distributions of genetic characteristics observable within populations. In small populations, and in particular in human populations, complex patterns of genealogical relationship between individuals can be an important factor in the maintenance of genetic variability. The aim of this book is to develop the quantitative theory of the interrelationship between the genealogical and the genetic structures of a population. Aspects of other structural features, such as migration patterns, are also discussed, but are not central to the development. There are three major aspects; each comprises two chapters of the text. First, genealogical relationships are characterized in a way which can illuminate their genetic consequences. Second, the evolutionary aspects of genealogical structure are developed. Finally, the last two chapters present methods of characterizing the complete structure of a genealogy, and of computing relevant parameters of genealogical structure; these topics are of relevance to genetic epidemiology as well as to population genetics.

This book is an introduction to the study of mathematical models of electrically active cells, which play an essential role in, for example, nerve conduction and cardiac functions. This is an important and vigorously researched field. In the book, Dr Cronin synthesizes and reviews this material and provides a detailed discussion of the Hodgkin-Huxley model for nerve conduction, which forms the cornerstone of this body of work. Her treatment includes a derivation of the Hodgkin-Huxley model, which is a system of four nonlinear differential equations; a discussion of the validity of this model; and a summary of some of the mathematical analysis carried out on this model. Special emphasis is placed on singular perturbation theory, and arguments, both mathematical and physiological, for using the perturbation viewpoint are presented.

In studying the dynamics of populations, whether of animals, plants or cells, it is crucial to allow for intrinsic delays, due to such things as gestation, maturation or transport. This book is concerned with one of the fundamental questions in the analysis of the effect of delays, namely determining whether they effect the stability of steady states. The analysis is presented for one or two such delays treated both as discrete, where an event which occurred at a precise time in the past has an effect now, and distributed, where the delay is averaged over the population's history. Both of these types occur in biological contexts. The method used to tackle these questions is linear stability analysis which leads to an understanding of the local stability. By avoiding global questions, the author has kept the mathematical prerequisites to a minimum, essentially advanced calculus and ordinary differential equations.

The human brain contains billions of nerve cells whose activity plays a critical role in the way we behave, feel, perceive, and think. This two-volume set explains the basic properties of a neuron - an electrically active nerve cell - and develops mathematical theories for the way neurons respond to the various stimuli they receive. Volume 1 contains descriptions and analyses of the principal mathematical models that have been developed for neurons in the past thirty years. It provides a brief review of the basic neuroanatomical and neurophysiological facts that will form the focus of the mathematical treatment. Tuckwell discusses the mathematical theories, beginning with the theory of membrane potentials. He then goes on to treat the Lapicque model, linear cable theory, and time-dependent solutions of the cable equations. He concludes with a description of Rall's model nerve cell. Because the level of mathematics increases steadily upward from Chapter Two, some familiarity with differential equations and linear algebra is desirable.

The second part of this two-volume set contains advanced aspects of the quantitative theory of the dynamics of neurons. It begins with an introduction to the effects of reversal potentials on response to synaptic input. It then develops the theory of action potential generation based on the seminal Hodgkin-Huxley equations and gives methods for their solution in the space-clamped and non-space-clamped cases. The remainder of the book discusses stochastic models of neural activity and ends with a statistical analysis of neuronal data with emphasis on spike trains. The mathematics is more complex in this volume than in the first volume and involves numerical methods of solution of partial differential equations and the statistical analysis of point processes.

The populations of many species of animals and plants are age-structured, i.e. the individuals present at any one time were born over a range of different times, and their fertility and survival depend on age. The properties of such populations are important for interpreting experiments and observations on the genetics of populations for animal and plant breeding, and for understanding the evolution of features of life-histories such as senescence and time of reproduction. In this new edition Brian Charlesworth provides a comprehensive review of the basic mathematical theory of the demography and genetics of age-structured populations. The mathematical level of the book is such that it will be accessible to anyone with a knowledge of basic calculus and linear algebra.

The chemostat is a basic piece of laboratory apparatus, yet it has occupied an increasingly central role in ecological studies. The ecological environment created by a chemostat is one of the few completely controlled experimental systems for testing microbial growth and competition. As a tool in biotechnology, the chemostat plays an important role in bioprocessing. This book presents the theory of the chemostat as a model for larger ecological problems such as food chains, competition along a gradient, competition in the presence of an inhibitor, and the effects of time varying inputs. Models which take account of size structure, variable yields, and diffusion are also considered. The basic phenomena are modelled and analysed using the dynamical systems approach. Directions for research and open problems are discussed. Six appendices provide an elementary description of the necessary mathematical tools. Teachers, researchers, and students in applied mathematics, chemical engineering and ecology will find this book a welcome resource.

This book describes the signal processing aspects of neural networks. It begins with a presentation of the necessary background material in electronic circuits, mathematical modeling and analysis, signal processing, and neurosciences, and then proceeds to applications. These applications include small networks of neurons, such as those used in control of warm-up and flight in moths and control of respiration during exercise in humans. Next, a theory of mnemonic surfaces is developed and studied and material on pattern formation and cellular automata is presented. Finally, large networks are studied, such as the thalamus-reticular complex circuit, believed to be involved in focusing attention, and the development of connections in the visual cortex. Additional material is also provided about nonlinear wave propagation in networks. This book will serve as an excellent text for advanced undergraduates and graduates in the physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, medicine and life sciences.

This book describes the signal processing aspects of neural networks. It begins with a presentation of the necessary background material in electronic circuits, mathematical modeling and analysis, signal processing, and neurosciences, and then proceeds to applications. These applications include small networks of neurons, such as those used in control of warm-up and flight in moths and control of respiration during exercise in humans. Next, a theory of mnemonic surfaces is developed and studied and material on pattern formation and cellular automata is presented. Finally, large networks are studied, such as the thalamus-reticular complex circuit, believed to be involved in focusing attention, and the development of connections in the visual cortex. Additional material is also provided about nonlinear wave propagation in networks. This book will serve as an excellent text for advanced undergraduates and graduates in the physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, medicine and life sciences.

This textbook is concerned with the mathematical modelling of biological and physiological phenomena for mathematically sophisticated students. A range of topics are discussed: diffusion population dynamics, autonomous differential equations and the stability of ecosystems, biogeography, pharmokinetics, biofluid mechanics, cardiac mechanics, the spectral analysis of heart sounds using FFT techniques. The last chapter deals with a wide variety of commonly used medical devices. This book is based on courses taught by the author over many years and the material is well class tested. The reader is aided by many exercises that examine key points and extend the presentation in the body of the text. All students of mathematical biology will find this book to be a highly useful resource.

This textbook is concerned with the mathematical modelling of biological and physiological phenomena for mathematically sophisticated students. A range of topics are discussed: diffusion population dynamics, autonomous differential equations and the stability of ecosystems, biogeography, pharmokinetics, biofluid mechanics, cardiac mechanics, the spectral analysis of heart sounds using FFT techniques. The last chapter deals with a wide variety of commonly used medical devices. This book is based on courses taught by the author over many years and the material is well class tested. The reader is aided by many exercises that examine key points and extend the presentation in the body of the text. All students of mathematical biology will find this book to be a highly useful resource.