Modeling dynamic phenomena in molecular and cellular biology

Book Reviews It is unfortunate biological

that

audience.

its application

Jones

and Sleeman

have

text

is full of very

pleasing

Their

to biological

be lost on those

who

and medical

1661

elected

problems.

to address

a mathematical

and interesting

However.

do not have the mathematical

examples

the elegance

sophistication

Dynamic

As the author retical

Phenomena

states

analyses

essential

this premise,

Professor

at the Weizman primarily

The main which

purpose

increase review

sionless

in the

differential

variables.

concepts

The

there

strategies

dynamics: 6) a model

pattern

formation

This

reviewer

graduate biology.

with

and stability The

formulas

1 found

it necessary

in course

lectures

that the book, course quainted

with

This

they

modeling

mathematics,

calculation

on the material

with

This

of derivatives

that mathematical

book

with

such a wide

introduces

play

modeling

several

a good

For students analysis models

generally

agreed

a scope for a general

range of interests.

They

and had become

students

excitedly

recent

ac-

reported

role in chemistry

can provide

areas where

over-

designed

for the course.

on phase plane

techniques an important

to

physics.

some non-biological the students

One of the pre-medical could

and gives

was of too narrow

mathematical

for under-

of calculus

economics.

and the like.

in the appendices

of students of new

modeling

semesters

As the instructor

I also included

on biology,

a variety

5) the che-

8) developmental

some of the problems.

At the end of the course,

for a group

the author

three

is readable

that

be an advantage.

of the students.

of mathematics.

processes.

included

that the book

had no idea that mathematics

agrees

biological

in mathematical

of study

concentration

I) optimal and cellular

kinetics;

71 diffusion:

fields

was some complaint

detail

headings:

in ecological

with

that could

in

equations.

good sophomores

too much

calculus

basis for morphogenesis.

for a course

reported

dimen-

In the penultimate

41 enzyme

system;

equa-

and

and culminates

chapter

relations

generations:

in is a

which

difference

elementary

and bifurcation.

2) recursion signaling

with

differential

There

analysis,

equations,

by the following

separate

text

begins

in the

biology

are included linear

from

reading.

had learned

new applications

reviewer

some

more

its exclusive

that he had previously biology. into

involve

and assigned

with

that

There

was new to most

on mathematical

also agreed

ranged

background.

to offer

which

space,

9) a mechanical

The students

in the text,

of the text

modeling

in progress.

phase-plane

for partial

cAIMP

as primary

it addresses.

mathematical

and stability,

theory;

and major

and pre-medicine.

weaker

genetics:

on

students

It is intended

and cellular

appendices

and differential

materials;

slime mold

students

majors,

in the body

of stability

for that course.

also introduce

coefficients,

difference

Based

graduate

of mathematical

Mathematical

may be indicated

of storage

to first-year

or is currently

and vvhich

in parameter

discussion

3) population

of the models

to verify

used uses

of this text

used the book

students.

constant

domains

of the cellular

mathematics

view

some

content

mostat;

senior

stability

for the metabolism

population

with

becomes

and profound.”

areas of molecular

done

used.

calculus.

I. then

the usefulness

been

to agree that theo-

and that the theory

detailed

biology

WITTEN

for a year.

several

from

mathematics

is even

The biological

from

of mathematics topics

in Chapter

calculus

has recently

equations

of stability,

chapter.

level

more

would

Lee A. Segel.

are coming

subject

is based on his lectures

studied

is to demonstrate

work

of necessary

(maximization)

in theoretical

are chosen

theoretical

provide

linear

Examples

biologists

a course

have

Biology.

of their

grows

This book

who

of the book

sciences.

gradual tions.

of Science.

students

aspects

information

Segel has taught

Institute

important

in certain

as experimental

for biology

biological

.’ IMore and more

in his introduction,

can be of great value

increasingly

and Cellular

a

and

it.

MATTHEW

in Molecular

than

of the application

to appreciate

University of Louisville Speed Scientific School and Schocl of Medicine Louisville, KY 40292

Modeling

rather

of mathematics

important or current

and

insights work

1662

Book Reviews

may be providing leaders

such insights.

of research.

developing include

the

very

especially

much

our

references

useful five

principal

preferably

including

I intend

instructor readers

probably

will

dynamical

a brief

introduction

grateful

that

in learning

modeling.

Professor

about

Segel

that this was done

of the book

this

for

text,

but as a principal also be very material

“so

background

IModelmaking we have.

models

reading. and anyone

we are no longer

in sucher

rods or oil well

As everyone

can

linguistics.

obliged pumps:

notice.

thinking

models.

But to build

the human field:

for many

every much

to explain

purposes

that

etc.

For

the world.

and even

Newton

completely

to study

d>.namic

on an electronic

system

the loads

computer.

On

or our galaxy.

experience

sciences.

models.

has changed

in order

instalation

cardio-vascular

natural

proposed

models

consider

behavioural

of the computer

up mechanical

we can simultate

models,

of models

techniques

the advent

in the last 20 years

in every

and some neurocyberneticians language

is the history

and simulation

theorem.

we can simulate

modelling

world

of science

models

situation:

of human

models:

the history

has utilized

mathematical

feature

many

of a similitude

the same device

interested

field.

New

is an essential

is the author

for my

We can be

and Simulation. Jan A. Spriet and Ghislain C. Vansteenkiste. York. 1982. 490 pp. (no price indicated).

London.

in our brain.

The engineer

In the future

K. L. COOKE

Modelling

an epistemologist.

in calculus,

text.

Pomonn College Clarrtnor~t. CA 9171 I

Computer-Aided Academic Press,

the but

or mathematical

for biological

students

too

from

in biology.

background

for individual for

not

expounded.

readings

in theoretical

reference useful

of

does

as not to stray

it is an excellent

available

in this

little

book

the theories

a reasonable

equations.

The

by assigning

a course with

It should this

with

lack

need very

For students

developments

and does a good job

as needed.

to compare

be as a text

has made

the exciting

Segel has been one of the

indicates

to differential

to use it. not as the primary

course in mathematical

analysis

can remedy

aspects.

Professor

free of misprints,

evidence

The author

The

where

systems

of experimental

In principle.

use of the book

topics virtually

of dynamical

chapters.

goals.”

that emphasizes

several

constructed.

parts

in the way

provided.

the main biology

most

in the first

far from

including

It is carefully

has been

engineering,

medicine.

art. etc. It is now time to assess the state of the art, to establish

gained

in the field

biology.

of

economics.

a framework

for modelling

and simulation. The

book

held during Five

under

experts

Wolfgang tures

review

a year-long

in modelling

K. Giloi

on their

is a synthesis

International

Chair

and simulation

and Leendert

separate

fields.

of the lectures, in Computer (Walter

Dekker-in The

book

J. Karplus,

the order reflects,

discussions

Science

Peter

mentioned

in many

and informal

at the University C. Young,

Bernard

by the authors)

aspects.

their

conversations

of Ghent-Belgium.

points

P. Zeigler.

contributed

Iec-

of view

and their

It is of interest

to notice

expertise. As the title

indicates,

that the authors considering quantitative The book science

modelling

and simulation

a scientific-engineering

are considered

approach

that a large part of all scientific

work

together.

to the problem

of human-world

is based on model-building.

interaction.

i.e. formalization

and

model-building. can be divided

aspects

In the first Models

adopt

part

and Modelling

In this part,

in three

of the problem.

parts:

an introduction,

In all. there

we encounter

the first

are eight two

a mathematical

theory

and the computer-

chapters.

chapters:

Introduction

and Outline:

hlathematical

Generalities.

methodology

for modelling

and simulation

is contemplated.

The interaction

between