Energy And Information Transfer In Biological Systems

This volume contains papers based on the workshop OC Energy and Information Transfer in Biological Systems: How Physics Could Enrich Biological UnderstandingOCO, held in Italy in 2002. The meeting was a forum aimed at evaluating the potential and outlooks of a modern physics approach to understanding and describing biological processes, especially regarding the transition from the microscopic chemical scenario to the macroscopic functional configurations of living matter. In this frame some leading researchers presented and discussed several basic topics, such as the photon interaction with biological systems also from the viewpoint of photon information processes and of possible applications; the influence of electromagnetic fields on the self-organization of biosystems including the nonlinear mechanism for energy transfer and storage; and the influence of the structure of water on the properties of biological matter."

This volume contains papers based on the workshop “Energy and Information Transfer in Biological Systems: How Physics Could Enrich Biological Understanding”, held in Italy in 2002. The meeting was a forum aimed at evaluating the potential and outlooks of a modern physics approach to understanding and describing biological processes, especially regarding the transition from the microscopic chemical scenario to the macroscopic functional configurations of living matter. In this frame some leading researchers presented and discussed several basic topics, such as the photon interaction with biological systems also from the viewpoint of photon information processes and of possible applications; the influence of electromagnetic fields on the self-organization of biosystems including the nonlinear mechanism for energy transfer and storage; and the influence of the structure of water on the properties of biological matter. Contents:Soliton Mechanism of Charge, Energy and Information Transfer in Biosystems (L Brizhik)Delayed Luminescence and Motional Harmonicity (L Cordone et al.)62 AMEV Proton Beam for the Treatment of Ocular Melanoma at LNS — INFN (G Cuttone et al.)Search for Quantum and Classical Modes of Information Processing in Microtubules: Implications for “the Living State” (S Hameroff et al.)From ‘Molecular Machines’ to Coherent Organisms (M-W Ho)On the Physics of Ultraweak Bioluminescence and Intercellular Photon Signaling (V S Letokhov & A L Dobryakov)Nonlinearity in Biological Systems: How Can Physics Help? (A A Marino & C Frilot)Life as a Fourth Level of Quantum Organization of Nature (S P Sit'ko)Concept of Photon Storage Capacity in Cell Biology (R van Wijk)and other papers Readership: Graduate students and researchers in physics and biology. Keywords:Biophysics;Delayed Luminescence;Consciousness;Structure of Water;Electromagnetic Field and Biology;Nonlinearity in Biological Systems;Solitons in Biological Systems;Information and Life

This book is written for the biochemist, biophysicist or cell biologist, who is interested in applying Resonance Energy Transfer to study proteins, membranes and other biological systems. It is a handbook that provides a wealth of information an Förster distances, quantum yields and other spectroscopic parameters, and can, therefore, assist in choosing the Donor-Acceptor pairs that are most suitable for tackling the problem at hand. The book also gives a clear and virtually complete overview of the theory including limits on the orientation factor, effects of motion on transfer, concentration depolarization, and limitations of the technique. It contains a large number of tables and diagrams, is accessible to the beginning graduate student and is suitable as a supplementary text for courses on biophysical techniques.

Systems Biology represents a new paradigm aiming at a whole-organism-level understanding of biological phenomena, emphasizing interconnections and functional interrelationships rather than component parts. The study of network properties, and how they control and regulate behavior from the cellular to organism level, constitutes a main focus of Systems Biology. This book addresses from a novel perspective a major unsolved biological problem: understanding how a cell works and what goes wrong in pathology. The task undertaken by the authors is in equal parts conceptual and methodological, integrative and analytical, experimental and theoretical, qualitative and quantitative, didactic and comprehensive. Essentially, they unravel the spatio-temporal unfolding of interacting mass-energy and information networks at the cellular and organ levels, as well as its modulation through activation or repression by signaling networks to produce a certain phenotype or (patho)physiological response. Starting with the historical roots, in thirteen chapters this work explores the Systems Biology of signaling networks, cellular structures and fluxes, organ and microorganism functions. In doing so, it establishes the basis of a 21st century approach to biological complexity.

Resonance Energy Transfer offers a comprehensive theoretical treatment, up-to-date experimental data, and an extensive list of important references, making it an invaluable reference for those who wish to make full use of this powerful tool in physical, chemical, or biological research.

This volume contains the greater part of the papers submitted to the Information Processing in Biology portion of the 1983 Orbis Scientiae, then dedicated to the eightieth year of Professor P.A.M. Dirac. Before the volume could be published, Professor Dirac passed away on October 20, 1984, thereby changing the dedica tion of this volume, and its companion, on High Energy Physics, to his everlasting memory. The last Orbis Scientiae (as it was often in the past) was shared by two frontier fields - in this case by High Energy Physics and Information Processing in Biology, demonstrating the universality of scientific principles and goals. The interaction amongst scientists of diverse interests can only enhance the fruitfulness of their efforts. The editors take pride in the modest contribution of Orbis Scientiae towards this goal. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the typing of these proceedings by Regelio Rodriguez and Helga Billings, and the customary excellent supervision by the latter. The efficient preparation and organiza tion of the conference was due largely to the skill and dedication of Linda Scott. As in the past, Orbis Scientiae 1983 received nominal support from the United States Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.