Introduction To Computational Neurobiology And Clustering (series On Advances In Mathematics For Applied Sciences)

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTATIONAL NEUROBIOLOGY AND CLUSTERING This page intentionally left blank Series on Advances in Mathematics for Applied Sciences - Vol. 73 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTATIONAL NEUROBIOLOGY AND CLUSTERING Brunello Tirozzi Daniela Bianchi Department of Physics University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Italy Enrico Ferraro Department of Biology University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Italy wp World Scientific N E W JERSEY LONDON SINGAPORE BElJlNG SHANGHAI HONG KONG TAIPEI CHENNAI Published by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224 USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601 UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTATIONAL NEUROBIOLOGY AND CLUSTERING Series on Advances in Mathematics for Applied Sciences — Vol. 73 Copyright © 2007 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher. For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher. ISBN-13 978-981-270-539-6 ISBN-10 981-270-539-2 Printed in Singapore. EH - Intro to Comp Neurobiology.pmd 1 7/24/2007, 4:09 PM April 12, 2007 13:36 World Scientific Book - 9in x 6in To our dear ones v ws-book9x6 April 12, 2007 13:36 World Scientific Book - 9in x 6in This page intentionally left blank ws-book9x6 April 12, 2007 13:36 World Scientific Book - 9in x 6in Preface The book is divided into two parts. The first concerns the simulations of neurobiological systems, the second describes the currently used algorithms of genes and protein classification. The first part of this book corresponds to the lectures that one of us is giving for the course of Fisica Applicata alle Biotecnologie (Applied Physics to Biotechnology). Biotechnology is a quite recent discipline taught in Italian Universities, as well as in other parts of the world, and many students moved from Biology courses to it. The aim of the book, as well as the lectures, is to teach simulations of neurobiological systems to students with a little background of physics and mathematics, a usual situation for the students of biology. In the lectures I succeeded to teach only the first part but the most curious students and readers should not stop and should go