1 comments about Introduction to Physics in Modern Medicine.

1. Increasingly in medicine, tools or techniques based on advances in physics have been making their mark. A problem that then arises is how to educate health professionals and students in this area about the basic physical principles behind these advances. Kane does a nice job of tackling the problem.

   You don't need a degree in physics, or a heavy mathematical background to benefit from this text.

   The idea behind lasers, and how they are used in surgery - from dermatology to retinal corrections to internal surgery - are clearly explained.

   Of course, MRI and PET principles are covered, with the reader getting some appreciation of the immense computing power needed to obtain even the simplest images.

   Even the century-old Xrays are explained. Though here one might imagine that there must be many existing texts with excellent discussions of this. But Xrays are included in this text for completeness.

5 comments about Field Methods in Archaeology.

1. The three recent comments on FIELD METHODS, 7th ed. need some clarification. Yes, the book is long, very long. I didn't know we had any statistics in it (reviewer #1)! It is not comparable to Joukowsky, as her book, like our 6th ed., Hester, et al. l975, is now badly out of date. The 7th ed., l997, is designed as (l) a text, especially for field schools (2) a reference on contemporary approaches to field archaeology. It is not a trade book, especially since Mayfield does not discount to bookstores. The long-winded aspect comes from an effort to review contemporary archaeology, which is changing rapidly and covers a broad area of inquiry. The academic review cards received by Mayfield after publication were overwhelmingly positive. Thus, the book appeals largely to professionals and active avocational archaeologists. It is not a "light read" on the glorious discoveries of archaeology.



2. As a person interested in learning more about archaeology field methods, I found this book had good explanations of some very puzzling processes. It also makes a great textbook and was used to prepare students for a field school by professors at UT Dallas. Good book - but you may have to read it over a couple of times in order to fully grasp all the knowledge presented.



3. This is a comprehensive text book, not of the "Archaeology for Dummies" variety. More than a couple universities use this book as their standard text for senior level courses in archaeological field methods. Be prepared to learn rather than entertained...it's a serious work. As for the writing style, most text books could stand to be re-written by some best-selling author, but had to give this one five stars just to bring its score up from the absurd two and a half it is currently rated at.



4. Fantastic book! Very clear and very comprehensive. If you are serious about archaeology, you'll enjoy this book. If you're a hobbyist or have comprehension issues, you might not enjoy it. Highly recommended.



5. This is an excellent book for a student of archaeological methods. If you are looking for light reading, as some of the earlier reviews must have been, then look somewhere else.

3 comments about Handbook of MRI Pulse Sequences.

1. I got to know this good handbook from an international conference. It was sold out in few days during the exhibition period. I strongly recommend every MRI guy own at least one copy of it. ^__^



2. I tried the green book but found it didn't cover the pulse sequence development to a depth that was acceptable to me. This books covers pulses in such a way that it's invaluable if you're developing or rewriting any MR sequences.



3. Great book for those who want to know in and outs of MRI sequences. Very detailed in terms of mathematical description

5 comments about Biophysics of Computation: Information Processing in Single Neurons (Computational Neuroscience).

1. This is a fine comprehensive book. However, it might be helpful to bear in mind, as you study it, that although it was published in late 1998, a few fundamental principles presented in the early chapters were originally developed a long time ago. In particular, the Hodgkin Huxley Katz picture of the neuron was developed in the heroic period of the 1950s after the introduction of the voltage clamp. It is a good model but it may not be the whole story, and could change in important ways as we learn more about the molecular structure of ion channels.

   The possibility exists that the neuron is a multichannel device, a cable rather than a wire. The model is attractive because a multichannel nerve would enable us to think as fast as we do. Because nerve impulses are so very slow moving, each successive impulse might, (contrary to everything we thought we knew) be rich in information. A multichannel neuron has the power to convey, with each single all-or-nothing impulse, graded information. For example, to 20 discrete channels, one can assign 20 distinct tiers of meaning, and each channel can thus "mean" a level of intensity between 1 and 20. The phenomenon can easily escape detection because such a neuron appears, to conventional instruments, to convey only the classically blank, binary impulse that is so confidently presented to us on the first page of every neurobiology text, and in summary in this book as well.

   To create a continuous longitudinal information channel running the full length of an axon membrane, one would simply link each ion portal to its next door neighbor. A conformation change in one portal induces a conformation change in the next in line. A domino effect more intuitively satisfying, perhaps, than the familiar waveguide or cable models of membrane depolarization reiterated here.

   One can visualize many parallel tracks, a corduroy membrane. Possibly linear, possibly helical. Linked receptors are commonplace. The molecular structure of the potassium channel has been published recently, and so we are now finally working at the level where a multichannel membrane can be detected. It is a theoretical construct but if each single impulse carries information, then the computational burden on the nervous system is vastly reduced, and the physiological meaning of intensively studied structures like the synapse suddenly changes. The meaning of several of the models presented in this book also changes, often in quite intriguing ways.




2. This book attempts to integrate bits from papers & other textbooks. Incorporated in the book are all but the most oft-discussed topics in neurophysics.

   We don't know much about biological neurons. We don't really understand how they perform computation. Yet we have some models, approximations of the models, and theories of how the model neurons get organized to do computation. These are summarized in this book in a breif & comprehensive manner.

   Some notes: 1) Portions of the book may be found in greater detail elsewhere. 2) The book is more about biophysics than compuation.




3. For young scientists who are interested in understanding the dynamics of the human brain this change in collective attitude is of profound significance, to which Koch's book provides an ideal introduction.Written in a precise yet easy style, the 21 chapters of Biophysics of Computation begin at the beginning, introducing the reader to elementary electrical properties of membrane patches, linear cable theory and the properties of passive dendritic trees. These introductory chapters are followed by two on the properties of synapses and the various ways that synapses can interact to perform logic on passive dendritic trees. Then the Hodgkin-Huxley formulation for impulse propagation on a single fibre is discussed in detail, and various simplifying models are presented. As a basis for the Hodgkin-Huxley description the present
   understanding of ionic channels is reviewed, emphasizing the importance of calcium currents. Further chapters discuss linearization of the H-H equations for small amplitude behavior; present a careful examination of ionic diffusion processes; and describe electrochemical properties of dendritic spines, synaptic plasticity, simple neural models, stochastic neural models and the properties of bursting cells. Just about every facet of currently available neural knowledge is touched upon, with appropriate references to a carefully selected bibliography that will help the diligent novice delve deeply into whatever aspect of neural information processing he or she chooses.

   All of the above comprises an extended introduction to Chapters 17 to 19, which: `synthesize the previously learned lessons into a complete account of the events occurring in realistic dendritic trees with all of their attendant nonlinearities'. `We will see', the author writes, `that dendrites can indeed be very powerful, nontraditional computational devices, implementing a number of continuous operations.' Thus Biophysics of Computation offers a definitive statement for the direction in which the neural research of the new century should go. Chapter 20, the penultimate, discusses several speculations for non-neural computation in the brain, ranging from molecular computing below the level of a single neuron to the effects of chemical diffusants (nitric oxide, calcium ions, carbon monoxide, etc.) on large numbers of neurons. Although this entire area has been neglected by most of the neuroscience community, Koch points out that there are no good reasons for doing so. As we enter the new century, neuroscientists should keep their minds open. Finally, in the summary of Chapter 21, seven problems for future research projects are listed, emphasizing that the investigation of information processing in single neurons is very much a work in progress. It is of interest to examine these `strategic questions' as they reveal the author's intuitions about possible directions of future developments. (Note that these are not direct quotes, as I have taken the liberty of summarizing Koch's questions.)

   (1) How can the operation of multiplication be implemented at the level of a single neuron?
   (2) What are the sources of noise in a neural system and how does this noise influence the logical operation of a single neuron?
   (3) How is the style of neural computation influenced by metabolic considerations?
   (4) What is the function of the apical dendrite, which is a typical cortical structure?
   (5) How and where does learning actually take place in a neural system?
   (6) What are the functions of the dendritic trees, the forms of which vary so widely from neuron to neuron?
   (7) How can we construct neural models that are sufficiently realistic to capture the essential functions of real neurons yet simple enough to allow large-scale computations of brain dynamics?

   As these questions indicate, Koch is not merely concerned with understanding
   what unusual behaviours the neuron does or might exhibit. His broad aim is to comprehend the relation between this behavioural ability and the computational tasks that the neuron is called upon to perform. In his words:

   ``Thinking about brain style computation requires a certain frame of mind, related to but distinctly different from that of the biophysicist. For instance, how should we think of a chemical synapse? In terms of complicated pre- and post-synaptic elements? Ionic channels? Calcium binding proteins? Or as a non-reciprocal and stochastic switching device that transmits a binary signal rapidly between two neurons and remembers its history of usage? The answer is that we must be concerned with both aspects, with biophysics as well as computation.''

   This excellent book is evidently a labour of love, stemming from the author's 1982 doctoral thesis on information processing in dendritic trees. As far as I can tell all relevant aspects of neural processing are considered, with what seem to me to be just the proper amounts of emphasis. The writing style is precise and rigorous without being stuffy, and the many references to a fifty-page bibliography will be of enormous value to young researchers starting out in this field.

   In addition to its obvious value for those engaged in experimental, theoretical or numerical studies of neuronal behaviour Biophysics of Computation would also work well as the text for an introductory course in neural dynamics, perhaps as part of a neuroscience program.

   Alwyn Scott
   http://personal.riverusers.com/~rover/




4. This is the main book, the "Bible", on single neuron and ion channel computational modeling. Plenty of theory & rigor here! Professor Koch, with CalTech, models single ion channel function, dendrite, dendrite tree function, cable theory, stocastic theories, integrate-fire model, the Poisson model, and discusses how single neurons work together inside the brain. It is worth owning both as a reference book and to use in the laboratory. Dr. Koch has written many other books, but I think this stands out as his best. Methods in Neuronal Modeling 2nd edition is also very good. Koch's writings are complementary, but are not redundant. One can read this book without a problem if you know Calculus.



5. Koch's book is a tour de force - a chocolate box of biophysics with coatings of equations and melting illustrative centers. I dip into it whenever I want a sharply phrased insight, or hunger for a fact. I have only 2 quibbles. The book is unfortunately too good - the brilliance lavished on it would perhaps have been even better deployed in a frontal attack on the real problem in the biophysics of single neuron computation: understanding how neurons can "learn" the subtle and complex higher-order correlations in their inputs. And the account of the core issue - how single synapses can be both electrically coupled to the distant spike-initiating zone (perhaps 1 mm away) and yet chemically isolated from other synapses that are less than a micron away - is oversimplified and leans too heavily on the author's own somewhat naive analyses. Koch is a genius who risks frittering away his energies on impressing his (grateful and appreciative) audience, rather than pulling the Excalibur of Mind from the Rock of Matter.

1 comments about Fundamentals of Protein NMR Spectroscopy (Focus on Structural Biology).

1. I'm a complete novice to NMR and this text provides a great introduction to the field with a focus on biological molecules. I've also read parts of Protein NMR Spectroscopy by John Cavanagh and I think Rule's book sets up the stage nicely for the reader to explore further by reading more detailed texts (Cavanagh) on particulars of the field. It's a relatively slim volume and not as intimidating in the mathematical modelling as some of the other books. If you need to understand an NMR phenomenon, read about it in this book first and it'll save you some time in developing an overall picture before looking at pages and pages of derivations in a dusty old book. I have Dr. Rule in part of my classes, I'm a first year grad student, and his amazing teaching ability in the classroom is reflected in the book. Highly recommended to those new to NMR along with Cavanagh's text. I wouldn't leave home without them.

5 comments about Surviving the Extremes: A Doctor's Journey to the Limits of Human Endurance.

1. First is the ostensible grounds for Kamler writing this book -- how the human body survives under the six extremes of jungle, high seas, desert, undersea, high altitude and outer space.
   
   But secondarily, it's a look at the human determination and spirit to get to those six extremes.
   
   Kamler has a lot of experience in some of these extremes and at least a bit in most others. As a member of the Explorers Club, and through other connections, he has some experience with the first five categories, including being on the ill-fated Beck Weathers/Rob Hall "Into Thin Air" (Jon Krakauer) Everest climb. With the last, he's done some on-Earth weightlessness work and talked with astronauts; a fair amount of it is psychological, not physiological, and specifically is such in the context of speculation about a manned journey to Mars.
   
   Kamler also has plenty of statistics to liven up the pages, such as details of depressurization from the bends, highest G force ever undergone by an astronaut, and so forth.
   
   National Geographic readers, hikers and adventurers of all types will love this book.



2. For those unfamiliar with the author, Kenneth Kalmer was the only doctor on Mt Everest during the 1996 tragedy. This book touches on human physiology and how we adapt to and tolerate extremes in environmental conditions. It contains valuable information with which every adventurer should be acquainted. Though it is written for the layman, this is certainly not the kind of book you can read just before going to sleep. It's pretty heavy on scientific principles.
   Dr Kalmer begins with the jungle environment, namely the Amazon forest and swamps. Though heat exhaustion can be a problem here, most of the hazards of this environment seem to come from the denizens of the jungle. Survivors in this environment need to keep a constant lookout for the anopheles mosquito (malaria), black caiman, anaconda, venomous snakes, poisonous frogs and caterpillars, schisto worm (liver parasite), stingray, electric eel and a most interesting creature called the candiru. This is actually a very tiny catfish which has a great affinity for salt. When an animal urinates under water, this tiny creature will follow the stream of urine and lodge itself in the animal's urethra. Surgery is required to remove it.
   
   Ironically, the jungle is also a natural pharmacy that provides medicines to heal the sick as well as poisons for blowdart hunting. No wonder people still live there.
   
   The next hostile environment is the open sea - endless stretches of water, not a drop of which can keep the castaway's body hydrated. Dr Kalmer gives many examples of how castaways survive. The world record is held by Chinese sailor Poon Lim, who drifted on a raft for 130 days without supplies. He collected rain water and used a spring in his torch to catch fish. Methods thought up by other survivors include using improvised solar-powered stoves to distill seawater. The physiology of salt intake, dehydration and starvation are presented along with some coverage on cannibalism at sea.
   
   The scorching desert is an even more hostile environment that causes heat exhaustion, dehydration and starvation to set in even more rapidly. Dr Kalmer explains in detail how the body regulates temperature and maintains a constant internal environment. He also explains how this system can break down under extreme external temperature and dehydration. Death occurs with the loss of 15-20 litres of body fluids. However, defying the limits of human physiology, is one Mauro Prosperi, who claimed to have survived for 9 days in the desert without any water.
   
   Diving medicine is a very big topic by itself, but Dr Kalmer gives us the essentials on what happens to the body during free diving, the mechanics of SCUBA as well as the causes of decompression sickness. As with the other environments, many examples of diving accidents along with a microscopic view of what went on inside the victims' bodies are presented.
   
   High altitude medicine is one area where Dr Kalmer has the most firsthand experience. Bringing out actual situations he encountered on Himalayan expeditions, the author presents a flowing account of Himalayan expeditions alongside an "insiders'" view of the characters' bodies. The mechanics of AMS (acute mountain sickness), HAPE (high altitude pulmonary edema), HACE (high altitude cerebral edema) and frostbite are neatly woven into the story. Dr Kalmer even proposes a somewhat controversial evolutionary advantage that the Sherpas may have over other people. Even more surprising but factually indisputable, is his mention of the "miraculous" survival of Beck Weathers and Pasang Sherpa.
   
   The final chapter is really out of this world - space adventure. Space is the ultimate hostile environment combining extreme cold, extreme heat, vacuum and cosmic radiation from which the human body must be almost completely insulated. Topics covered include the physiological effects of G force and zero gravity. Also mentioned are research projects into building self-sufficient spacecrafts for interplanetary exploration. Interesting hypothetical situations are presented and Dr Kalmer manages not to bore the reader with his wit and humour.



3. This book has a great deal of promise and starts well. Contrary to what some reviewers here have said, I thought the chapter on the Amazon was well written and useful. The author's personal experiences should be welcomed by the reader because they are the source of authority and insight. Moreover, Kamler is able to draw on the experiences of human beings indigenous to the Amazon and impart their knowledge. That such personal involvement is necessary becomes sadly obvious in the subsequent chapters where the author seems out of his depth, despite a lot of desperate self-promotion and misleading marketing. In particular, the chapter on open-ocean survival is pathetically weak. Kamler "mailed it in." I got the distinct impression that he went on-line one morning, culled a few facts that anyone else could have easily gotten too, and then rubbed out the chapter in the afternoon. There was no personal insight, no real feel for his material, and he gets some key facts dead wrong. For example, he says that Steve Callahan managed to kill a four foot dolphin and eat it. But Kamler obviously thinks this is a mammalian dolphin, and not the dolphin-fish (dorado) that is so prevalent in tropical waters. Any blue water sailor would have recognized that.
   
   The other chapters, with the semi-exception of the one on mountaineering where Kamler had personal experience, display a similar lack of depth and detail. It all becomes very superficial, and to anyone familiar with such situations or at least the extant literature on them, it achieves a remarkable feat: Kamler takes a fascinating subject and makes it boring.
   
   I suspect the doctor wrote some good initial passages, got a publisher involved, then just ran out of gas. I am enthralled by the subjects of anatomy, survival, ultra-endurance, and human adaptation to our environment. But Kamler's work put me to sleep. On certain subjects, such as immunological response, Kamler merely says it is not well understood and leaves it at that. Jeez, Doc, you promote yourself as the expert - take a shot at it, yeah? At least get your hands dirty. Some suggestions: to write about "the limits of human endurance" in the desert, instead of reading about it perhaps the good doctor should leave New York and experience the 135-mile Badwater Run, from Death Valley to Mount Whitney. Instead of reading about open ocean survival, perhaps the author should actually sail across an ocean (one with dorados, for example). I want to know what goes on in the mind and body of a person at the limit of their endurance. I want to know the chemical and emotional changes that make such endurance possible. And I want the doctor to use his own experience in such situations to give me insight into how the body is able to deal with physical and mental stress. Instead, Kamler throws a few facts and cliches at the reader and moves on. Maybe Larry King was calling.
   
   If you have never read anything in this field, the book is not a bad introduction. For anyone else it is a disappointment. And for people who have actually experienced the situations Kamler tries to describe, the book is largely a waste of time and could legitimately be called a rip-off.



4. Trained as a doctor but always craved adventure, Dr. Kamler deliberately carved out his personal niche as Professional Expedition Doctor, and loved every minute of it, it shows in the writing. Having read Krakauer's account and leafed through Boukreev's, what a surprise to find Dr. Kamler personally weighing-in, he was the one who supervised the thawing-out of Beck Weathers, who knew the procedure was so delicate... At $3.00 used, this was QUITE a good deal !



5. The book begins with a powerful hook of a tale - about a sherpa who is gravely ill, the possible effects of the chanting that fills the air around him, and his seemingly impossible recovery.
   
   Kamler divvies up different extreme climates and explores their effects on our human bodies. For the most part, the information is engrossing, although I found that my attention dipped in and out on occasion, mostly during his underwater sections.
   
   Kamler's writing style is pretty straightforward and readable; I enjoyed the periodic witticisms that he injected, which were most prevalent toward the end of the book. I particularly appreciated that he selected the imaginary Mars-mission doctor to be the one who unravels on the journey. As a matter of fact, his Mars-mission narrative offered the most entertaining and illustrative comment on how a long-term mission in an enclosed space will affect our emotional selves and thus, the health of the mission.
   
   I also especially enjoyed the story of the 1800s desert survivor, whose will to live was fueled by his raging desire for violent revenge on his former companion.
   
   Throughout the book, Kamler's discussion on how the brain works, especially the electrical qualities of our thoughts, and how that plays into our survival, was fascinating.
   
   I have some minor quibbles. One is that he makes reference to the "hottentots," an anachronistic - and offensive - name for the Khoikhoi people in South Africa.

3 comments about Biological Physics of the Developing Embryo.

1. The book by Forgacs and Newman on one hand introduces important biological concepts for physicists with interest in development, covering properties of isolated cells and principles of their regulation, the interaction between cells and cell and their environment, the formation of tissues by morphogenesis, principles underlying organogenesis, and evolutionary aspects important in development.
   On the other hand the book also presents the complex interplay of physical processes under genetic control during development. It introduces fundamental physical concepts from point and continuum mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics (including critical phenomena), dynamical systems theory and reaction-diffusion systems. A major strength of the book is that physics is introduced through fundamental biological processes, thus using a framework familiar to biologists (and not the other way around, as in most texts on biophysics). The selection of examples captures many stages and processes during development.
   The model description does not stop at the level of purely qualitative text description but includes the basic equations and their analysis, although this is done at an elementary level, requiring minimal knowledge of calculus (and the more complicated concepts are discussed in special "Boxes"). In this way the book also contains a short course in mathematical model formulation written for biologists. It does not aim at replacing existing books on developmental biology or biophysics but fits into the gap between both. It builds an interface between physicists and biologists in embryonic development and thereby should facilitate the reading of the more specialized books on developmental biology by physicists as well as the better understanding of physical principles and mathematical models and the role these play in biological systems, by biologists.



2. While the course of embryological development is extremely complex, many of the component processes that go into shaping an embryo are strongly reminiscent of simpler physical phenomena which occur in nonliving materials. Some of these analogies are exact, the same physics applies in both cases. However, often the analogy is inexact or even misleading. Thus, while physical analogies can be extremely useful in understanding development, they also need to be approached with caution. Until now, no book-length overview has reviewed the many successes and pitfalls of a biological-physics approach to development and the material available in technical articles has been dispersed and often written in a technical jargon inaccessible to its target audience. Biological Physics of the Developing Embryo, fills this niche in a style that is easily comprehensible by advanced undergraduate biologists and physicists (and assumes minimal background on either side), while containing enough material that even senior researchers in development will learn a great deal. I've been working in the area for 15 years and found many ideas and references that were both new and valuable. The biological illustrations and examples are well chosen and cover almost every aspect of development in a clear, logical sequence. The consistent philosophy and approach of the two writers, one a physicist and bioengineer and the other a developmental biologist, helps organize an apparently heterogeneous collection of models and developmental mechanisms into a coherent story.
   
   Because of its novelty and breadth, the book contains a number of minor errors, which will doubtless be corrected in a future edition. Overall, this is a path-breaking book, which I am recommending to all of my own students and to any colleagues interested in the question "What does physics have to say about development?"



3. "Biological Physics of the Developing Embryo" is a remarkable causal description of embryonic development as controlled by the interplay of physical and biomolecular processes. Based on their expertise in both theory and experiment (Forgacs is a condensed matter physicist and Newman was trained in physical chemistry, and each currently directs a program in cell and tissue biology), the authors present an engaging and original view of cell-cell interactions and multicellular morphogenesis and pattern formation. They offer a paradigm within which spatiotemporal cell behavior is explained by the concerted action of "generic" physical principles and specific genetic factors. Reading the book is made easy for both the physical and life scientist by the logic of its presentation: early development is presented according to the major stages familiar to the biologist in a clear fashion that also provides a short introduction to each event or process (cleavage, differentiation, gastrulation, segmentation, several kinds of organogenesis, fertilization) for the physicist. The physical modeling of each developmental episode is then discussed, making a smooth transition that is not overwhelming for the biologist. Each chapter ends with a short "perspective" which epitomizes the main conceptual lessons of the chapter resulting from the synthesis of experimental facts and relevant physical models. Books of this kind are rare, although badly needed, due to the large accumulation of facts. Not to be lost in the sea of data, an atheoretical descriptive analysis is no longer an option. Experimental results must be supplemented by systematic modeling for useful interpretations to emerge. The book by Forgacs and Newman teaches us how to accomplish this.

2 comments about Biophysics.

1. This book is written by a biologist. However, the author discussed lots of physics topics closely related to basic biological phenomena. The most important role of this book, I believe, is making the bridge between physics and biology as well as biochemistry. Untill now, most of biophyiscs text books have been a kind of biochemsitry text book like ones. This one is distingusihed from those. This is also good for biochemistry student who wants to study physical aspects of biological system beyond the scope of biochemistry. Some parts of this book might be difficult for biology and biochemistry students but surely deserves to be read.



2. This is a very thoroughly written introductory work for biophysics, an area where it is very difficult indeed to find intro-level textbooks.
   
   Both biologists and physicists will find many new things worth exploring, and this book will certainly provide the basics for further research and study. It isn't the ten volume all-you-will-ever-want-to-know-about-biophysics, but whichever area You are starting to work with, from membrane transport to biomechanics, have a look at this book first.

5 comments about Mathematical Biology II.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although a tough read, it is well worth your time and effort. The sections on spots and stripe formation are excellent and quite interesting. An excellent book!



2. A few decades ago mathematical biology consisted mostly of evolutionary and predator-prey models. This has changed dramatically in recent years with the advent of computational biology and gene sequencing projects. The applications of mathematics to biology are now exploding and this book is an excellent example of that. The book could best be described as the application of nonlinear dynamical systems and reaction-diffusion partial differential equations to biology structures and processes. Readers with background in these areas of mathematics will find their ideas applied beautifully in this book. The best sections of the book for me were the discussions of synchronized insect emergence, models of testosterone secretion control, insect dispersal models, calcium waves on amphibian eggs, mammalian coat patterns, models of hallucination patterns in the brain, and modeling the transmission dynamics of HIV. Numerous exercises end each chapter, and the mathematical algorithms can easily be coded in Mathematica or some other high level language. This is a fine addition to the literature on mathematical biology and for the price it is a real bargain.



3. Many reviews here are about the old edition of Mathematical Biology (the softcover one volume, 2nd ed). Recently J.D. Murray split the second edition in two hardcover volumes. Volume 1 discusses mainly models that use Ordinary Differential Equation, while slightly more complicated Math is required for Volume 2. These new books have added topics (modelling of marital interaction, temperature-dependent sex determination, wolf territoriality, etc). While sometimes the model is still very simple and in its inital stages (e.g. marital interaction model), the books show how much biology and applied mathematics intersect, and they make very interesting read.
   There is a certain lack of analysis of the nonlinear cases, so for those who need examples of amplitude equations, different ways of perturbing a linear model, these books are not so good. These books might be too complicated for a bio person with not much mathematical background, but it is very accessible to those with some math background, and are certainly easy for Math or Physics people who want to know more applications to biology.



4. This product was in fabulous condition and was shipped quickly--I recommend the company to all.



5. I bought part I a few years ago. I am an economist interested in using examples from biology to explain and model commercial markets, more as a hobby than as a professional. I recently worked on Lotka-Volterra predator prey models and competitive models (a grey squirrel competing a brown squirrel out of business). I hope to find patterns in time series that are similar to patterns in economic time series. Book I covers this but most of the subject is in book II. With help of the Mathematica package I played with the examples in the book and it worked fine. It is a high level mathematical book and although the approach is pragmatic and well written, this book is primarily written for specialized mathematicians which I am not. However I like these two books very much just because of the mathematical depth. Normally the author decides how deep I will dig into matters, here I can decide myself.

4 comments about The Secret of Life.

1. Not much to say about Lakhovsky, other than his Multi~wave oscillator has a proven 'case history' record of over 90% symptom loss ---hiv,cancer,diabetes,herpes,hepatitus,tB,common cold,etc etc etc.... it is in my opinion much better than the Rife frequency device...and it is said Lakhovsky was the one responsible for Rife's accomplishments in that respect to a large degree. It is far more user friendly and easy to use. *There are various theories on what would happen to an individual sitting between the coils past a certain period of time... I have not attempted this past the 15-20 minute mark.. I think the bottom line here and what Lakhovsky just prooves again is that no matter where the truth takes us particularly in the field of health, untill humanity as a collective consciousness wakes up (search under "adventures of don croft" on a search engine and you will see the rate at which this is happening across the world..some amazing(...)), it will never find the answers it seeks. The fact of the matter is this:(...)there is really nothing very exciting to gossip about when problems just disappear and go away. "do you want to find out what the problem is, or do you want to get your life back?!!" a doc once told me...i think that sums up the Multi Wave Oscillator perfectly.. it's the ideal method to use if you have been to 100 doctors and still have no idea what you have .. this device should have made megalithic breakthroughs in medicine.. of course mr. lakhovsky died suddenly like wilhelm reich and royal rife(...))(...)NOTE: it is very important once you are 'over' your condition to rebuild your body as the damage will not go away immediately.. cardiovascular excercise and only the best in food and supplements should be used. the Life Extension Foundation is your best bet for the supplements and their magazine is a must (they are non profit)*be well*



2. Very interesting Book on which the author explains his theory that
   all cells work as antennas and absorb energy from cosmic rays (ether),
   unfortunately there is no more books from this author.
   
   For the people who would like to read more about similar opinions
   I would recommend to get the following: The secret life of the Plants,
   Persecution and Trial of Gaston Naessens, Shape Power by Dan A. Davidson,
   Ultimate Reality by Joseph Cater, The Discovery of Orgone Vol 1 and 2
   by Wilhelm Reich.
   
   Enjoy.



3. I was working in MWO some time before buying this book. Inside it you can find some info that it's hard to find at the WEB, other stufs are eassy to read anywere. I believe that there isn't so much more to read about MWO (few other publications) then investigation is the way to learn more. Buy it anyway, will not be spent money.



4. This book is a real eye opener, A must read for everyone! I found that one can not admire everything in the natural world in the same way after reading this work. I just find it a shame that the medical world did not push Mr. Lakhovsky's work further. His concepts and work where way ahead of his time! Yet another that has been swept under the rug!