Advanced Methods of Physiological System Modeling

Book excerpt: This volume is the second in a series of publications sponsored by the Biomedical Simulations Resource (BMSR) at the University of Southern California that report on recent research developments in the area of physiological systems modeling and anal ysis of physiological signals. As in the first volume of this series, the work reported herein is concerned with the development of advanced methodologies and their novel application to problems of biomedical interest, with emphasis on nonlinear aspects of physiological function. The term "advanced methodologies" is used to indicate that the scope of this work extends beyond the ordinary type of analysis used by most investigators in this area, which is confined primarily in the linear domain. As the im portance of nonlinearities in understanding the complex mechanisms of physiological function is increasingly recognized, the need for effective and practical methodolo gies that address the issue of nonlinear dynamics in life sciences becomes more and more pressing. The publication of these volumes and the workshops, organized by the BMSR on the same subject, are two key activities in our efforts to promote and intensify research in this area, foster interaction and collaboration among interested investigators, and disseminate recent results throughout the biomedical community.