BOOK REVIEWS
Chapter 3 gives a balanced overview of genetic
linkage analysis, an area that has attracted many
statisticians in recent years. The author de"nes link-
age, recombination fraction and gene mapping and
then discusses linkage analysis using fully informa-
tive gametes, phase-unknown meioses, general pedi-
grees and multiple loci. He provides simple examples
for all these concepts which can be very useful in
a statistical genetics course. He also discusses the use
of linkage analysis for disease mapping, covering
both parametric and non-parametric approaches.
The author gives a brief introduction to the com-
puter program GENEHUNTER [1] for non-para-
metric tests of linkage based on identity by descent
(IBD) allele-sharing among a!ected relative-sets.
Chapter 4 introduces the concept of association
studies (linkage disequilibrium) between several
genetic markers and discusses how it is used for
"ne genetic mapping. Again the author provides
examples on topics such as association between
two codominant loci, association between a com-
plex disorder and a marker locus, and association
between a disease and a highly polymorphic
marker locus. In the last mentioned topic, he ana-
lyses a data set using the computer programs
CLUMP [2] and DISLAMB. The book has a siz-
able discussion on the transmission disequilibrium
test of linkage or linkage disequilibrium which has
many positive features in terms of disease allele
transmission. Lastly, the book discusses the analy-
sis of phenotypic continuous and quasi-continuous
characters using the classical twin model. In addi-
6. MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS IN ANAESTHESIA.
Steven Cruickshante, Oxford University Press,
Oxford, 1998. No. of pages: x#258. Price: @49.50.
ISBN 0}19}262313-3
This is a well-written textbook aiming to facilitate
the understanding of basic quantitative aspects of
anaesthesia and statistics. Such basic insight is
highly desirable for all anaesthetists. The author is
a consultant anaesthetist with an impressive know-
ledge of mathematics. In spite of all the equations,
the book is easily read due to an appropriate
balance between algebra, explanations in plain
language and nice illustrations.
It contains sections on physiological and phar-
macological modelling, the underlying mathemat-
Copyright  2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
1385
tion to that, there is a very brief discussion on
quantitative trait loci (QTL) linkage analysis.
The book has its fair share of misprints like other
"rst editions. Overall, the book gives a #avour of
the nature of the statistical problems in di!erent
branches of human genetics. Without going into too
much detail, it does an excellent job of raising
interest amongst statisticians contemplating a re-
search career in human genetics. A beginner may
"nd some of the topics not very clear because of
their brief coverage; however, readers are provided
with many references for further clari"cation. This
book has an extensive reference list of over 200
articles. In my opinion this is a very useful book for
statistical aspects in human genetic research.
SUSMITA DATTA
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Georgia State University
University Plaza
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083. U.S.A.
REFERENCES
1. Kruglyak L, Daly MJ, Reeve-Daly MP, Lander LS.
Parametric and nonparametric linkage analysis: a uni-
"ed multipoint approach. American Journal of Human
Genetics 1996; 58:1347}1363.
2. Sham PC, Curtis D. An extended transmission/dis-
equilibrium test (TDT) for multiallele marker loci.
Annnals of Human Genetics 1995; 59:323}336.
ical considerations and statistics. The "rst part
provides good explanations of the use of math-
ematical models in physiology and how modelling
is used in the description and analysis of some
complex processes. Examples from respiratory
physiology and cardiac physiology as well as neur-
ophysiology are used. Some of these are used in
later sections to illustrate other aspects and this is
a very nice approach. A less valuable section de-
scribes the classical pharmacokinetic models and
some commonly used pharmacodynamic models.
Since most anaesthesia textbooks already describe
these models quite extensively, this part of the
chapter should probably have focused more on the
practical use of such modelling in clinical practice
and scienti"c studies. Furthermore, the description
Statist. Med. 2000; 19:1379}1388
1386 BOOK REVIEWS
of the arterial blood pressure curve is too theoret-
ical and too complicated. Instead, a guideline for
practical evaluation of the system performance in
clinical practice is lacking.
The middle part of the book is the mathematical
background. It occupies more than 60 pages but
only a minor part of it is actually necessary. In
particular, it is hard to understand why the sec-
tions on di!erentiation, integrals and sinusoidal
functions have been included at all. The most rel-
evant of this is the description of log transforma-
tions of exponential curves in order to obtain
straight lines.
The last part deals with probability and statis-
tics. There is an excellent introduction to the whole
concept of statistics, of random processes and dis-
tributions with good illustrations. The central limit
theorem is also very well explained. Signi"cance
testing in general, the t-test and chi-square test are
also described, but I think that other tests should
have been mentioned also. Some of the commonly
used methods such as logistic regression and anal-
ysis of variance are examples. In the description of
the chi-square test, con"dence intervals for pro-
portions and odds ratios should have been de-
scribed in su$cient detail to interpret scienti"c
papers. Of the non-parametric tests, only the
Mann}Whitney test is described. In addition, the
use of descriptive statistics should have been ex-
plained as an aid in the critical reading of the
literature.
7. NONPARAMETRIC STATISTICAL METHODS. Myles
Hollander and Douglas A. Wolfe, Wiley, Chiches-
ter, 1999. No. of pages: xiii#779. Price: @ 39.95.
ISBN 0-471-19045-4
The book is truly impressive, with nearly 800 pages
including a rich set of statistical tables (75 pages)
and an exhaustive bibliography (20 pages).
Nonparametric Statistical Methods begins with
the list of advantages of non-parametric (or, more
precisely, distribution-free) methods. Some of them,
such as limited assumptions about the underlying
population, insensitivity to outlying observations
and ease of understanding, are well known. The
authors explain that the preconceived shortcom-
ings of non-parametric methods, such as loss in
Copyright  2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Some of the most misused techniques are regres-
sion and correlation analyses. The theoretical basis
for linear relationships between variables and the
regression model is thoroughly described using an
example from respiratory physiology. However,
the correlation analysis is only brie#y described
and the Spearman coe$cient is not mentioned.
I also missed a description of the pitfalls in regres-
sion and correlation analyses. A general weakness
in the book is the omission of important pre-
cautions and misuses of statistics. Suggestions for
appropriate statistical approaches in common an-
aesthesiological scienti"c challenges would have
been helpful, for instance how to calculate the
sample size.
The book may be useful as an introduction to
modelling and basic statistical concepts for
trainees. The statistical part, however, is far from
su$cient to be useful as an introduction or support
for the medical doctor actively participating in
research or seeking competence in critical apprai-
sal of the literature.
LARS S. RASMUSSEN
Copenhagen University Hospital
Department of Anaesthesia
Center of Head and Orthopaedics
Blegdamsvej 9
DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
e$ciency, di$culties in applications and calcu-
lations of exact P-values, are often exaggerated.
They encourage the readers to use more actively
non-parametric statistical methods, which have ex-
perienced the most rapid progress during recent
decades.
The sphere of potential users of the book is
rather wide. On the one hand, it can be used as a
textbook for students of di!erent specialities. In the
preface the authors suggest the best way to organ-
ize the course either for the undergraduate or grad-
uate level. With this aim each chapter of the book
contains a series of problems, and some of them
(especially those needing computations) are equip-
ped with answers (in a separate section of the
book).
Statist. Med. 2000; 19:1379}1388