Bücher von Leon Glass

Je tiens impossible de connaitre les parties sans connaitre le tout, non plus que de connaitre le tout sans connaitre particulierement les parties -Pascal The eterna[ mystery of the world is its comprehensibility -Einstein This book deals with the application of mathematical tools to the study of physiological systems. It is directed toward an audience of physiologists, physicians, physicists, kinesiologists, psychologists, engineers, mathemati- cians, and others interested in finding out more about the complexities and subtleties of rhythmic physiological processes from a theoretical per- spective. We have attempted to give a broad view of the underlying notions behind the dynamics of physiological rhythms, sometimes from a theoretical perspective and sometimes from the perspective of the experimentalist. This book can be used in a variety of ways, ranging from a more tra- ditional approach such as a textbook in a biomathematics course (at either the advanced undergraduate or graduate level) to a research re- source in which someone interested in a particular problem might look at the corresponding discussion here to guide their own thinking. We hope that researchers at all levels will find inspiration from the way we have dealt with particular research problems to tackle completely new areas of investigation, or even approach these in totally new ways.

Mathematics is playing an ever more important role in the physical and biological sciences, provoking a blurring of boundaries between scientific disciplines and a resurgence of interest in the modern as well as the classical techniques of applied mathematics. This renewal of interest, both in research and teaching, has led to the establishment of the series: Texts in Applied Mathematics ( TAM). The development of new courses is a natural consequence of a high level of excitement on the research frontier as newer techniques, such as numerical and symbolic computer systems, dynamical systems, and chaos, mix with and reinforce the traditional methods of applied mathematics. Thus, the purpose of this textbook series is to meet the current and future needs of these advances and encourage the teaching of new courses. TAM will publish textbooks suitable for use in advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses, and will complement the Applied Mathematical Sciences (AMS) series, which will focus on advanced textbooks and research level monographs. About the Authors Daniel Kaplan specializes in the analysis of data using techniques motivated by nonlinear dynamics. His primary interest is in the interpretation of irregular physiological rhythms, but the methods he has developed have been used in geo- physics, economics, marine ecology, and other fields. He joined McGill in 1991, after receiving his Ph.D from Harvard University and working at MIT. His un- dergraduate studies were completed at Swarthmore College. He has worked with several instrumentation companies to develop novel types of medical monitors.

Probes central theoretical questions about physiological rhythms. Topics discussed include: how are rhythms generated? How do they start and stop? What are the effects of perturbation of the rhythms? How are oscillations organized in space? This book is useful for biological scientists, physicians, physical scientists, and mathematicians.