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I have long had an interest in the life sciences, but have had few opportunities to indulge that interest in my professional activities. It has only been through simulation that those opportunities have arisen. Some of my most enjoyable classes were those I taught to students in the life sciences, where I attempted to show them the value of simulation to their discipline. That there is such a value cannot be questioned. Whether you are interested in population ecology, phar macokinetics, the cardiovascular system, or cell interaction, simulation can play a vital role in explaining the underlying processes and in enhancing our understanding of these processes. This book comprises an excellent collection of contributions, and clearly demonstrates the value of simulation in the particular areas of physiology and bioengineering. My main frustration when teaching these classes to people with little or no computer background was the lack of suitable simulation software. This di rectly inspired my own attempts at producing software usable by the computer novice. It is especially nice that software is available that enables readers to experience the examples in this book for themselves. I would like to congratulate and thank the editors, Rogier P. van Wijk van Brievingh and Dietmar P. P. Moller, for all of their excellent efforts. They should be proud of their achievement. This is the sixth volume in the Advances in Simulation series, and other volumes are in preparation.
List of contents
1 State of the Art and Future Aspects of Modeling and Simulation in Physiology and Biomedical Engineering.- 2 Computer Simulation as an Educational Tool.- 3 Artificial Intelligence and Simulation: An Introductory Review.- 4 Simulation: A General Design Tool.- 5 Experience in Teaching with the Help of Models.- 6 How to Use This Book.- 7 The Excitable Membrane: The Hodgkin-Huxley Model.- 8 The Specific Conduction System of the Heart.- 9 Electrodes for Bioelectric Signals.- 10 The Heart as a Pump: The Program "CARDIO".- 11 A Model of the Baroreflex-Controlled Circulation with Emphasis on the Baromodulation Hypothesis.- 12 Pumping and Wall Mechanics of the Left Ventricle.- 13 Heart Rate Regulation During Physical Load.- 14 Catheter-Manometer Systems.- 15 Regulation of Respiration.- 16 A Model for Capnograms from the Bain Circuit.- 17 Renal Function and Blood Pressure Stabilization.- 18 Urodynamics of the Lower Urinary Tract.- 19 Fluid Volumes: The Program "FLUIDS".- 20 Pharmacokinetics.- 21 Optimal Experiment Design in Pharmacokinetics.- 22 The Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulation Model.- 23 Blood Glucose Regulation by the Pancreas and the Kidney.- 24 Regulation of Gastric Acidity.- 25 Thermoregulation.- 26 Muscle Control.- 27 How to Use the Student Programs.- 28 How to Use the Teacher's Facilities.- 29 The Student Database.- 30 Interactive Simulation Program BIOPSI.
