Biomathematics

Essential for all biology and biomathematics courses, this textbook provides students with a fresh perspective of quantitative techniques in biology in a field where virtually any advance in the life sciences requires a sophisticated mathematical approach. An Invitation to Biomathematics, expertly written by a team of experienced educators, offers students a solid understanding of solving biological problems with mathematical applications. This text succeeds in enabling students to truly experience advancements made in biology through mathematical models by containing computer-based hands-on laboratory projects with emphasis on model development, model validation, and model refinement. The supplementary work, Laboratory Manual of Biomathematics is available separately ISBN 0123740223, or as a set ISBN: 0123740290) * Provides a complete guide for development of quantification skills crucial for applying mathematical methods to biological problems * Includes well-known examples from across disciplines in the life sciences including modern biomedical research * Explains how to use data sets or dynamical processes to build mathematical models * Offers extensive illustrative materials * Written in clear and easy-to-follow language without assuming a background in math or biology * A laboratory manual is available for hands-on, computer-assisted projects based on material covered in the text

This book presents new mathematics for the description of structure and dynamics in molecular and cellular biology. On an exponential scale it is possible to combine functions describing inner organisation, including finite periodicity, with functions for outside morphology into a complete definition of structure. This mathematics is particularly fruitful to apply at molecular and atomic distances. The structure descriptions can then be related to atomic and molecular forces and provide information on structural mechanisms. The calculations have been focussed on lipid membranes forming the surface layers of cell organelles. Calculated surfaces represent the mid-surface of the lipid bilayer. Membrane dynamics such as vesicle transport are described in this new language. Periodic membrane assemblies exhibit conformations based on the standing wave oscillations of the bilayer, considered to reflect the true dynamic nature of periodic membrane structures. As an illustration the structure of an endoplasmatic reticulum has been calculated. The transformation of such cell membrane assemblies into cubosomes seems to reflect a transition into vegetative states. The organisation of the lipid bilayer of nerve cells is analyzed, taking into account an earlier observed lipid bilayer phase transition associated with the depolarisation of the membrane. Evidence is given for a new structure of the alveolar surface, relating the mathematical surface defining the bilayer organisation to new experimental data. The surface layer is proposed to consist of a coherent phase, consisting of a lipid-protein bilayer curved according to a classical surface - the CLP surface. Without employing this new mathematics it would not be possible to give an analytical description of this structure and its deformation during the respiration cycle. In more general terms this mathematics is applied to the description of the structure and dynamic properties of motor proteins, cytoskeleton proteins, and RNA/DNA. On a macroscopic scale the motions of cilia, sperm and flagella are modelled. This mathematical description of biological structure and dynamics, biomathematics, also provides significant new information in order to understand the mechanisms governing shape of living organisms.

Biomathematics in 1980

Biomathematics emerged and rapidly grew as an independent discipline in the late sixties as scientists with various backgrounds in the mathematical, biological and physical sciences gathered together to form Departments and Institutes centered around this discipline that many at that time felt should fall between the cracks of legitimate science. For various reasons some of these new institutions vanished in the mid-seventies, particularly in the U. S. , the main reason for their demise being economic. Nevertheless, good biomathematical so that the range research has been ceaselessly carried on by numerous workers worldwide of this activity appears now as truly impressive: from useful and effective mathematical statements about problems that are firmly rooted in the 'wet' reality of biology to deep theoretical investigations on outstanding basic questions. It is also interesting to take note that some ideas and theories set forth by 'paleo-biomathematicians' almost a quarter of century ago are now becoming highly appreciated also by scientists engaged in quite different research fields. For instance, neural nets is the hot topic in computer science these days! Well aware of the growing interest in this relatively new field, years back I organized a small workshop on Biomathematics: Current Status and Future Perspectives which was held at the University of Salerno during the middle of April, 1980.

This book provides an essential introduction to the field of dynamical models. Starting from classical theories such as set theory and probability, it allows readers to draw near to the fuzzy case. On one hand, the book equips readers with a fundamental understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of fuzzy sets and fuzzy dynamical systems. On the other, it demonstrates how these theories are used to solve modeling problems in biomathematics, and presents existing derivatives and integrals applied to the context of fuzzy functions. Each of the major topics is accompanied by examples, worked-out exercises, and exercises to be completed. Moreover, many applications to real problems are presented. The book has been developed on the basis of the authors’ lectures to university students and is accordingly primarily intended as a textbook for both upper-level undergraduates and graduates in applied mathematics, statistics, and engineering. It also offers a valuable resource for practitioners such as mathematical consultants and modelers, and for researchers alike, as it may provide both groups with new ideas and inspirations for projects in the fields of fuzzy logic and biomathematics.

Laboratory Manual of Biomathematics is a companion to the textbook An Invitation to Biomathematics. This laboratory manual expertly aids students who wish to gain a deeper understanding of solving biological issues with computer programs. It provides hands-on exploration of model development, model validation, and model refinement, enabling students to truly experience advancements made in biology by mathematical models. Each of the projects offered can be used as individual module in traditional biology or mathematics courses such as calculus, ordinary differential equations, elementary probability, statistics, and genetics. Biological topics include: Ecology, Toxicology, Microbiology, Epidemiology, Genetics, Biostatistics, Physiology, Cell Biology, and Molecular Biology . Mathematical topics include Discrete and continuous dynamical systems, difference equations, differential equations, probability distributions, statistics, data transformation, risk function, statistics, approximate entropy, periodic components, and pulse-detection algorithms. It includes more than 120 exercises derived from ongoing research studies. This text is designed for courses in mathematical biology, undergraduate biology majors, as well as general mathematics. The reader is not expected to have any extensive background in either math or biology. Can be used as a computer lab component of a course in biomathematics or as homework projects for independent student work Biological topics include: Ecology, Toxicology, Microbiology, Epidemiology, Genetics, Biostatistics, Physiology, Cell Biology, and Molecular Biology Mathematical topics include: Discrete and continuous dynamical systems, difference equations, differential equations, probability distributions, statistics, data transformation, risk function, statistics, approximate entropy, periodic components, and pulse-detection algorithms Includes more than 120 exercises derived from ongoing research studies

This book provides an excellent overview of current developments in a wide range of topics in biomathematics, such as population dynamics, neural networks, fishery markets, transmission of infectious diseases, genetic analysis, biostatistics and biomechanics. The contributors are leading researchers from Australia, Canada, the People's Republic of China, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Singapore and the USA.

Provides a unique comprehensive review of axiomatic consensus theory in biomathematics as it has developed over the past 30 years.