Noise-Induced Transitions

Noise-Induced Transitions PDF Author: W. Horsthemke
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540368523
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
The study of phase transitions is among the most fascinating fields in physics. Originally limited to transition phenomena in equilibrium systems, this field has outgrown its classical confines during the last two decades. The behavior of far from equilibrium systems has received more and more attention and has been an extremely active and productive subject of research for physicists, chemists and biologists. Their studies have brought about a more unified vision of the laws which govern self-organization processes of physico-chemical and biological sys tems. A major achievement has been the extension of the notion of phase transi tion to instabilities which occur only in open nonlinear systems. The notion of phase transition has been proven fruitful in apphcation to nonequilibrium ins- bihties known for about eight decades, like certain hydrodynamic instabilities, as well as in the case of the more recently discovered instabilities in quantum optical systems such as the laser, in chemical systems such as the Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction and in biological systems. Even outside the realm of natural sciences, this notion is now used in economics and sociology. In this monograph we show that the notion of phase transition can be extend ed even further. It apphes also to a new class of transition phenomena which occur only in nonequilibrium systems subjected to a randomly fluctuating en vironment.

The Major Transitions in Evolution

The Major Transitions in Evolution PDF Author: John Maynard Smith
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019850294X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 361

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Book Description
During evolution there have been several major changes in the way genetic information is organized and transmitted from one generation to the next. These transitions include the origin of life itself, the first eukaryotic cells, reproduction by sexual means, the appearance of multicellular plants and animals, the emergence of cooperation and of animal societies. This is the first book to discuss all these major transitions and their implications for our understanding of evolution.Clearly written and illustrated with many original diagrams, this book will be welcomed by students and researchers in the fields of evolutionary biology, ecology, and genetics.

Open Science: the Very Idea

Open Science: the Very Idea PDF Author: Frank Miedema
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 9402421157
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 265

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Book Description
This open access book provides a broad context for the understanding of current problems of science and of the different movements aiming to improve the societal impact of science and research. The author offers insights with regard to ideas, old and new, about science, and their historical origins in philosophy and sociology of science, which is of interest to a broad readership. The book shows that scientifically grounded knowledge is required and helpful in understanding intellectual and political positions in various discussions on the grand challenges of our time and how science makes impact on society. The book reveals why interventions that look good or even obvious, are often met with resistance and are hard to realize in practice. Based on a thorough analysis, as well as personal experiences in aids research, university administration and as a science observer, the author provides - while being totally open regarding science's limitations- a realistic narrative about how research is conducted, and how reliable ‘objective’ knowledge is produced. His idea of science, which draws heavily on American pragmatism, fits in with the global Open Science movement. It is argued that Open Science is a truly and historically unique movement in that it translates the analysis of the problems of science into major institutional actions of system change in order to improve academic culture and the impact of science, engaging all actors in the field of science and academia.

Inorganic and Organometallic Transition Metal Complexes with Biological Molecules and Living Cells

Inorganic and Organometallic Transition Metal Complexes with Biological Molecules and Living Cells PDF Author: Kenneth Kam-Wing Lo
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 012803887X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 408

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Book Description
Inorganic and Organometallic Transition Metal Complexes with Biological Molecules and Living Cells provides a complete overview of this important research area that is perfect for both newcomers and expert researchers in the field. Through concise chapters written and edited by esteemed experts, this book brings together a comprehensive treatment of the area previously only available through scattered, lengthy review articles in the literature. Advanced topics of research are covered, with particular focus on recent advances in the biological applications of transition metal complexes, including inorganic medicine, enzyme inhibitors, antiparasital agents, and biological imaging reagents. - Geared toward researchers and students who seek an introductory overview of the field, as well as researchers working in advanced areas - Focuses on the interactions of inorganic and organometallic transition metal complexes with biological molecules and live cells - Foscuses on the fundamentals and their potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications - Covers recent biological applications of transition metal complexes, such as anticancer drugs, enzyme inhibitors, bioconjugation agents, chemical biology tools, and bioimaging reagents

Gender Differences at Critical Transitions in the Careers of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Faculty

Gender Differences at Critical Transitions in the Careers of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Faculty PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 030915586X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 384

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Book Description
Gender Differences at Critical Transitions in the Careers of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Faculty presents new and surprising findings about career differences between female and male full-time, tenure-track, and tenured faculty in science, engineering, and mathematics at the nation's top research universities. Much of this congressionally mandated book is based on two unique surveys of faculty and departments at major U.S. research universities in six fields: biology, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mathematics, and physics. A departmental survey collected information on departmental policies, recent tenure and promotion cases, and recent hires in almost 500 departments. A faculty survey gathered information from a stratified, random sample of about 1,800 faculty on demographic characteristics, employment experiences, the allocation of institutional resources such as laboratory space, professional activities, and scholarly productivity. This book paints a timely picture of the status of female faculty at top universities, clarifies whether male and female faculty have similar opportunities to advance and succeed in academia, challenges some commonly held views, and poses several questions still in need of answers. This book will be of special interest to university administrators and faculty, graduate students, policy makers, professional and academic societies, federal funding agencies, and others concerned with the vitality of the U.S. research base and economy.

Organization in Biology

Organization in Biology PDF Author: Matteo Mossio
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031389689
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 338

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Book Description
This open access book assesses the prospects of (re)adopting organization as a pivotal concept in biology. It shows how organization can nourish biological thinking and practice, by reconnecting with the idea of biology as the science of organized systems. The book provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art picture of the characterizations and uses of the concept of organization in both biological science and philosophy of biology. It also deals with a variety of themes – including evolution, organogenesis, heredity, cognition and ecology – with respect to which the concept of organization can guide the elaboration of original models and new experimental protocols. It will be of interest to biologists and scholars working in philosophy of science alike.

Adolescent Development and the Biology of Puberty

Adolescent Development and the Biology of Puberty PDF Author: National Research Council and Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309172756
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Book Description
Adolescence is one of the most fascinating and complex transitions in the human life span. Its breathtaking pace of growth and change is second only to that of infancy. Over the last two decades, the research base in the field of adolescence has had its own growth spurt. New studies have provided fresh insights while theoretical assumptions have changed and matured. This summary of an important 1998 workshop reviews key findings and addresses the most pressing research challenges.

Computer Simulations in Condensed Matter: From Materials to Chemical Biology. Volume 1

Computer Simulations in Condensed Matter: From Materials to Chemical Biology. Volume 1 PDF Author: Mauro Ferrario
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3540352732
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 716

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Book Description
This comprehensive collection of lectures by leading experts in the field introduces and reviews all relevant computer simulation methods and their applications in condensed matter systems. Volume 1 is an in-depth introduction to a vast spectrum of computational techniques for statistical mechanical systems of condensed matter. Volume 2 is a collection of state-of-the-art surveys on numerical experiments carried out for a great number of systems.

Coral Reefs: An Ecosystem in Transition

Coral Reefs: An Ecosystem in Transition PDF Author: Zvy Dubinsky
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400701144
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 541

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Book Description
This book covers in one volume materials scattered in hundreds of research articles, in most cases focusing on specialized aspects of coral biology. In addition to the latest developments in coral evolution and physiology, it presents chapters devoted to novel frontiers in coral reef research. These include the molecular biology of corals and their symbiotic algae, remote sensing of reef systems, ecology of coral disease spread, effects of various scenarios of global climate change, ocean acidification effects of increasing CO2 levels on coral calcification, and damaged coral reef remediation. Beyond extensive coverage of the above aspects, key issues regarding the coral organism and the reef ecosystem such as calcification, reproduction, modeling, algae, reef invertebrates, competition and fish are re-evaluated in the light of new research and emerging insights. In all chapters novel theories as well as challenges to established paradigms are introduced, evaluated and discussed. This volume is indispensible for all those involved in coral reef management and conservation.

Phase Transitions in Cell Biology

Phase Transitions in Cell Biology PDF Author: Gerald H. Pollack
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402086512
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 187

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Book Description
Phase transitions occur throughout nature. The most familiar example is the one that occurs in water – the abrupt, discontinuous transition from a liquid to a gas or a solid, induced by a subtle environmental change. Practically magical, the ever-so-slight shift of temperature or pressure can induce an astonishing transition from one entity to another entity that bears little resemblance to the first. So "convenient" a feature is seen throughout the domains of physics and chemistry, and one is therefore led to wonder whether it might also be common to biology. Indeed, many of the most fundamental cellular processes are arguably attributable to radical structural shifts triggered by subtle changes that cross a critical threshold. These processes include transport, motion, signaling, division, and other fundamental aspects of cellular function. Largely on the basis of this radical concept, a symposium was organized in Poitiers, France, to bring together people who have additional evidence for the role of phase transitions in biology, and this book is a compendium of some of the more far-reaching of those presentations, as well as several others that seemed to the editors to be compelling. The book should be suitable for anyone interested in the nature of biological function, particularly those who tire of lumbering along well trodden pathways of pursuit, and are eager to hear something fresh. The book is replete with fresh interpretations of familiar phenomena, and should serve as an excellent gateway to deeper understanding.

Transition Metals in the Synthesis of Complex Organic Molecules

Transition Metals in the Synthesis of Complex Organic Molecules PDF Author: Louis S. Hegedus
Publisher: University Science Books
ISBN: 9781891389047
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 358

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Book Description
This second edition offers easy access to the field of organotransition metal chemistry. The book covers the basics of transition metal chemistry, giving a practical introduction to organotransition reaction mechanisms.