Thermostable Proteins: Structural Stability and Design provides a comprehensive, updated account of the physical basis of enhanced stability of thermophilic proteins and the design of tailor-made thermostable proteins, paving the way for their possible industrial applications. This book is devoted to understanding the survival mechanisms of "thermophilic life forms" at the molecular level with an emphasis on design strategies. The review chapters presented in Thermostable Proteins span a wide range of protein thermostability research. Basic structural, thermodynamic, and kinetic principles are explained and molecular strategies for the adaptation to high temperatures are delineated. In addition, this book covers: Computing and simulation methods in current and future thermostability research, especially in nonempirical situations How rigidity theory is used to improve the thermal adaptation of mesophiles Subtilisin-like serine proteases and their significant engineering applications The state of knowledge concerning structure-function relations and the origins of their structural stability Computational and experimental approaches for the design of proteins with increased thermal stability based on sequences or three-dimensional structures Understanding the molecular basis of how thermostable and hyperthermostable proteins gain and maintain their stability and biological function at high temperatures remains an important scientific challenge. A more detailed knowledge of protein stability not only deepens our understanding of protein structure but also helps in obtaining insights into processes that drive protein activities-folding, unfolding, and misfolding-essential to biological function.

Multiple senses, like multiple intelligences, are a key to brain variability and therefore human evolution. Besides the traditional five senses (vision, olfaction, gustation, audition, and somatosensory), humans can also perceive the body's own position (the sense of proprioception) and movement (the vestibular sense). Interoception is the feeling one has about the internal physiological conditions of the entire body. Additionally there is a sense of intuition, also known as the sixth sense. Despite their best efforts, researchers are still unable to concur in specifying the nature of the sixth sense; some consider the sense of proprioception as the sixth sense, whereas others prefer to consider that as a part of interoception. This book will provide a scientific system for the human sixth sense using relevant biophysical and neurophysiological evidence. The power of "sixth sense" seems to be underestimated, due to difficulties in defining the concept clearly. According to socioeconomics and neural physics, the sixth sense is that which permits humans to create perception or to enhance the quality of their perception of events. Roughly speaking, the sixth sense engages a metacognitive process through which prior knowledge and the information received from other sensory modalities are synergized. It is not restricted to specific arrow of time and type of mind or to the observer's body, but it considers all arrows of time (past, present, future), types of mind (conscious and unconscious), and physical bodies (self and other). However it is expected that the observer has specific biases towards what happens now or would happen in the future and its relation to himself. Particularly, humans appeal to the sixth sense on the road to achieving success in social competitions and to reduce uncertainty in complex decision making processes. In addition to evidence linking genetic components to the sixth sense submodalities, there have been developed strategies for increasing the quality of perceptions provided by the sixth sense. Meditation, through which individuals try to be detached from the world, increases gamma-band activity and that increased gamma-band activity is found following top-down processing. Therefore it can be inferred that the detachment from the environment may enhance synchronization of the wave functions in favor of strengthening the sixth sense. It can serve as the mechanism of enhancement of the sixth sense in those whose sensory systems are intact, it can also serve as the mechanism of compensation in those who have sensory deficiencies. In the latter case, it in fact encourages creativity in the use of relatively strong senses. This justifies Beethoven's deafness and his great musical creativity or Bramblitt's blindness and his enormous capability to paint and many other similar examples. In summary, the present book is divided into five parts. Part 1 (chapters 1-6) provides information about the system of proprioception and its neurophysiology and biophysics. Part 2 (chapters 7-10) examines the system of interoception. The information provided in these two parts would enable us to move towards the next three parts of the story, aimed at developing a scientific system of the sixth sense. The first chapter of part 3 begins with concepts and uses them to arrive at reasonable conclusion that there must be a sense that requires multistep information processing and that is separate from the sense of proprioception and the sense of interoception. Such sense is commonly known as the sixth sense. However it should be re-numbered because the sense of proprioception is already known as the sixth sense. The second chapter of this part is to draw neurocircuitry that innervates the sixth sense in the mind of a man, while the third chapter would address the questions whether the sixth sense system requires an optimal competence or consciousness of mind to function properly and if so which is the optimal state: conscious or unconscious and competence or incompetence. In the fourth chapter of this part, we will focus on the self-other mergence as a pivotal step of the sixth sense system. The next chapter would be of great interest to neurobiologists. It talks about that the human sixth sense of the unseen world, either the unseen arrow of time or the unseen events, requires creativity and therefore the human sixth sense should be considered a source of creativity, variability and thus evolution. In the sixth chapter, the sixth sense is viewed as an economic activity stimulated by social environments. This chapter arisen from the fact that humans are full of enthusiasm to heighten their sixth sense and its accuracy and that they owe their enthusiasm largely to achieving the best possible profit and in other words to wining intense competitions in their life holds mainly on the concept of elasticity. Finally this part is finished by an amazing discussion on the art of the sixth sense. The first chapter of part 4 discusses physical theories that support the existence of sixth sense in the universe. The next chapter is to apply the Bayes' theory to the sixth sense, leading to the conclusion that the sixth sense improves multisensory integration through optimizing uncertainty of information received from other sensory modalities. Chapter three in this part would address whether relative timing is applicable to the sixth sense like other senses. The last part of book aimed at directly discussing the sixth sense into the context of human health and behavior is organized into four chapters. The first chapter is to discuss neurodevelopmental changes in the sixth sense, while the second and third ones will discuss that in relation to psychiatric and neurological disorders. The most striking question how much power the sixth sense the sixth sense have over human health and behavior is addressed in the fourth chapter of this part and final chapter of book, which will be prepared using neural network models and sophisticated portraits possible for the system of sixth sense.

The book involves the basic principles, methods, anatomy and other knowledge for modelling and simulation of the musculoskeletal system. In addition, abundant examples are presented in detail to help readers easily learn the principles and methods of modelling and simulation. These examples include the impact injury and clinical application of the modelling of bone and muscle. In terms of impact injury, the book introduces the biomechanical simulation of impact injury in head, spine, ankle, knee, eyeball and many other parts. With regard to clinical application, it explores the optimization of orthopaedic surgery and design of orthopaedic implants. Readers will find this is a highly informative and carefully presented book, introducing not only the biomechanical principles in the musculoskeletal system, but also the application abilities of modelling and simulation on the musculoskeletal system.

Exploring current themes in modern computational and membrane protein biophysics, this book presents a comprehensive account of the fundamental principles underlying different methods and techniques used to describe the intriguing mechanisms by which membrane proteins function. The book discusses the experimental approaches employed to study these proteins, with chapters reviewing recent crucial structural advances that have allowed computational biophysicists to discern how these molecular machines work. The book then explores what computational methods are available to researchers and what these have taught us about three key families of membrane proteins: ion channels, transporters and receptors. The book is ideal for researchers in computational chemistry and computational biophysics.

This book examines the human auditory effects of exposure to directed beams of high-power microwave pulses, which research results have shown can cause a cascade of health events when aimed at a human subject or the subject's head. The book details multidisciplinary investigations using physical theories and models, physiological events and phenomena, and computer analysis and simulation. Coverage includes brain anatomy and physiology, dosimetry of microwave power deposition, microwave auditory effect, interaction mechanisms, shock/pressure wave induction, Havana syndrome, and application in microwave thermoacoustic tomography (MTT). The book will be welcomed by scientists, academics, health professionals, government officials, and practicing biomedical engineers as an important contribution to the continuing study of the effects of microwave pulse absorption on humans.

This open access book summarizes the latest scientific findings regarding the biological effects of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident in 2011. Various cases of changes in animals and organisms have been reported since the FNPP accident. However, it is often unknown whether they are actually due to radiation, since the dose or dose-rate are not necessarily associated with the changes observed. This book brings together the works of radiation biologists and ecologists to provide reliable radioecology data and gives insight into future radioprotection. The book examines the environmental pollution and radiation exposure, and contains valuable data from abandoned livestock in the ex-evacuation zone and from wild animals including invertebrates and vertebrates, aqueous and terrestrial animals, and plants that are subjected to long-term exposure in the area still affected by radiation. It also analyzes dose evaluation, and offers new perspectives gained from the accident, as well as an overview for future studies to promote radioprotection of humans and the ecosystem. Since the biological impact of radiation is influenced by various factors, it is difficult to scientifically define the effects of low-dose/low-dose-rate radiation. However, the detailed research data presented can be combined with the latest scientific and technological advances, such as artificial intelligence, to provide new insights in the future. This book is a unique and valuable resource for researchers, professionals and anyone interested in the impact of exposure to radiation or contamination with radioactive materials.

The problem of how the brain produces consciousness, subjectivity and 'something it is like to be' remains one of the greatest challenges to a complete science of the natural world. While various scientists and philosophers approach the problem from their own unique perspectives and in the terms of their own respective fields, Biophysics of Consciousness: A Foundational Approach attempts a consilience across disparate disciplines to explain how it is possible that an objective brain produces subjective experience.This volume unites the creme de la creme of physicists, neuroscientists, and psychiatrists in the attempt to understand consciousness through a foundational approach encompassing ontological, evolutionary, neurobiological, and Freudian interpretations with the focus on conscious phenomena occurring in the brain. By integrating the perspectives of these diverse disciplines with the latest research and theories on the biophysics of the brain, the book tries to explain how consciousness can be an adaptive and causal element in the natural world.

The Textbook of Ion Channels is a set of three volumes providing a wide-ranging reference source on ion channels for students, instructors, and researchers. Ion channels are membrane proteins that control the electrical properties of neurons and cardiac cells, mediate the detection and response to sensory stimuli like light, sound, odor, and taste, and regulate the response to physical stimuli like temperature and pressure. In non-excitable tissues, ion channels are instrumental for the regulation of basic salt balance that is critical for homeostasis. Ion channels are located at the surface membrane of cells, giving them the unique ability to communicate with the environment, as well as the membrane of intracellular organelles, allowing them to regulate internal homeostasis. Ion channels are fundamentally important for human health and diseases, and are important targets for pharmaceuticals in mental illness, heart disease, anesthesia, pain and other clinical applications. The modern methods used in their study are powerful and diverse, ranging from single ion-channel measurement techniques to models of ion channel diseases in animals, and human clinical trials for ion channel drugs. Volume I, Part 1 covers fundamental topics such as the basic principles of ion permeation and selectivity, voltage-dependent, ligand-dependent and mechano-dependent ion channel activation mechanisms, the mechanisms for ion channel desensitization and inactivation and basic ion channel pharmacology and inhibition. Volume I, Part 2 aims to offer a practical guide of cardinal methods for researching ion channels, including heterologous expression and voltage-clamp and patch-clamp electrophysiology, isolation of native currents using patch-clamp, modelling ion channel gating, structures and its dynamics, crystallography and cryo- electron microscopy, fluorescence and paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy methods and genetics approaches in model organisms. All three volumes give the reader an introduction to fundamental concepts needed to understand the mechanism of ion channels, a guide to the technical aspects of ion channel research, offer a modern guide to the properties of major ion channel families, and include coverage of key examples of regulatory, physiological, and disease roles for ion channels.

As a result of their unique physical properties, biological membrane mimetics, such as liposomes, are used in a broad range of scientific and technological applications. Liposomes, Lipid Bilayers and Model Membranes: From Basic Research to Application describes state-of-the-art research and future directions in the field of membranes, which has evolved from basic studies of the physicochemical properties of amphiphiles to their application in industry and medicine. Written by leading researchers in their fields, this book describes basic and applied research, and serves as a useful reference for both the novice and the expert. Part one covers a range of basic research topics, from theory and computational simulations to some of the most up-to-date experimental research. Topics discussed include soft matter physics of membranes, nonlamellar phases, extraction of molecules by amphiphiles, lipid models for membrane rafts, membrane dynamics, nanodiscs, microemulsions, active membranes, as well as interactions of bilayers with drugs or DNA to treat disease or for gene transfer, respectively. Part two of the book focuses on technological applications of amphiphiles, such as liposome-based nanoparticles for drug delivery, formulation of liposomes for prolonged in vivo circulation and functionalization for medical purposes, novel drug delivery systems for increased drug loading, and the use of tethered membranes for bio-sensing applications. Chapters also describe the use of liposomes in textile dyeing and how lipidic nanoparticles are used by the food industry.

This two volume set introduces the up-to-date high-tech applications of Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) luminogens mainly in the areas of biosensing, bioimaging, and biomedicine. The 1st volume covers the applications of AIE materials in biosensing and bioimaging, including the technological utilizations in ionic/biomolecular sensing, bacterial imaging, cell imaging, intracellular microenvironment analysis, advanced optical imaging and multimodality, etc. It is an essential reference for materials scientists, chemists, physicists and biological chemists.

The workshop "Biologically Inspired Physics" was organized, with the support of the NATO Scientific Affairs Division and the Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development of the Commission of the European Communities, in order to review some subjects of physics of condensed matter which are inspired by biological problems or deal with biological systems, but which address physical questions. The main topics discussed in the meeting were: 1. Macromolecules: In particular, proteins and nucleic acids. Special emphasis was placed on modelling protein folding, where analogies with disordered systems in con densed matter (glasses, spin glasses) were suggested. It is not clear at this point whether such analogies will help in solving the folding problem. Interesting problems in nucleic acids (in particular DNA) deal with the dynamics of semiflexible chains with torsion and the relationship between topology and local structure. They arise from such biological problems as DNA packing or supercoiling. 2. Membranes: This field has witnessed recent progress in the understanding of the statistical mechanics of fluctuating flexible sheets, such as lipid bilayers. It appears that one is close to understanding shape fluctuations in red blood cells on a molec ular basis. Open problems arise from phenomena such as budding or membrane fusion. Experiments on model systems, such as vesicle systems or artificial lipids, have great potential. Phenomena occurring inside the membrane (protein diffusion, ionic pumps) were only discussed briefly."

Molecular bioelectronics is a field in strong evolution at the frontier of life and materials sciences. The term is utilized in a broad context to emphasize a unique blend of electronics and biotechnology which is seen as the best way to achieve many objectives of industrial and scientific relevance, including biomolecular engineering, bioelectronic devices, materials and sensors capable of optimal hardware efficiency and intelligence and molecular miniaturization.

There is something special about cancer compared to other diseases. It is a horrific disease that has defied attempts to find a reliable cure. Life spans after diagnosis have increased, but the mortality rate has remained about the same even after 40 years of extensive research. Cancer provides a major scientific challenge. Tumors evolve and spread in response to internal and external factors that involve feed-back mechanisms and non-linear behavior. In recent years, physicists have become involved in studying cancer, with the ultimate aim of finding a cure. Physicists approach a problem with unique experimental, theoretical, and computational skills and perspectives. This book will be comprised of chapters written by physicists from all over the world who perform research on cancer. They will describe their research and summarize their results.

Readable and concise - focusing on the common diseases that medical students most frequently encounter Fully revised and updated - including up to date information on the latest imaging techniques including spectral CT, liver elastography, new and emerging PET techniques, multiparametric imaging and the role of AI Heavily illustrated - over 450 high-quality photographs, many new to this edition including colour images, are essential to support this visual subject Highly structured and accessible format - plentiful use of tables and lists, and introduction of new summary boxes, all ideal for study and exam preparation Companion website - image library including normal anatomy, clinical cases and MCQs for self-assessment, RADS reporting systems and detailed staging systems for common tumours relevant to each section; visit www.routledge.com/cw/hacking Drawing on the extensive clinical and teaching experience of its respected author team, the fifth edition of Imaging for Students gives students and junior doctors everything they need to understand the advantages, disadvantages, and possible side effects of the imaging modalities available, and how to apply them appropriately in clinical practice.

This volume summarizes the state-of-the-art technologies, key advances and future trends in the field of label-free biosensing. It provides detailed insights into the different types of solid-state, label-free biosensors, their underlying transducer principles, advanced materials utilized, device-fabrication techniques and various applications. The book offers graduate students, academic researchers, and industry professionals a comprehensive source of information on all facets of label-free biosensing and the future trends in this flourishing field. Highlights of the subjects covered include label-free biosensing with: * semiconductor field-effect devices such as nanomaterial-modified capacitive electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor structures, silicon nanowire transistors, III-nitride semiconductor devices and light-addressable potentiometric sensors * impedimetric biosensors using planar and 3D electrodes * nanocavity and solid-state nanopore devices * carbon nanotube and graphene/graphene oxide biosensors * electrochemical biosensors using molecularly imprinted polymers * biomimetic sensors based on acoustic signal transduction * enzyme logic systems and digital biosensors based on the biocomputing concept * heat-transfer as a novel transducer principle * ultrasensitive surface plasmon resonance biosensors * magnetic biosensors and magnetic imaging devices

This book showcases the state of the art in the field of sensors and microsystems, revealing the impressive potential of novel methodologies and technologies. It covers a broad range of aspects, including: bio-, physical and chemical sensors; actuators; micro- and nano-structured materials; mechanisms of interaction and signal transduction; polymers and biomaterials; sensor electronics and instrumentation; analytical microsystems, recognition systems and signal analysis; and sensor networks, as well as manufacturing technologies, environmental, food and biomedical applications. The book gathers a selection of papers presented at the 21st AISEM National Conference on Sensors and Microsystems, held in Rome, Italy, in February 2022, which brought together researchers, end users, technology teams and policymakers.

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) can supply rich information on the mass, shape, size distribution, solvation, and composition of macromolecules and nanoscopic particles. It also provides a detailed view of their reversible single- or multi-component interactions over a wide range of affinities. Yet this powerful technique has been hard to master in mainstream molecular sciences due to a lack of comprehensive books on the subject. Filling this gap in the literature of biophysical methodology, Basic Principles of Analytical Ultracentrifugation explains the fundamentals in the theory and practice of AUC. The book provides you with up-to-date experimental information to confidently practice AUC. You will understand the basic concepts, full potential, and possible pitfalls of AUC as well as appreciate the current relevance of past work in the field. The book first introduces the basic principles and technical setup of an AUC experiment and briefly describes the optical systems used for detection. It then explores the ultracentrifugation experiment from a macromolecular standpoint, offering a detailed physical picture of the sedimentation process and relevant macromolecular parameters. The authors present important practical aspects for conducting an experiment, including sample preparation, data acquisition and data structure, and the execution of the centrifugal experiment. They also cover instrument calibration and quality control experiments.

A review of our current understanding of the physical phenomena associated with the flow of blood through the brain, applying these concepts to the physiological and medical aspects of cerebrovascular disease so as to be useful to both the scientist and the clinician. Specifically the book discusses the physical bases for the development of cerebrovascular disease and for its clinical consequences; specific current and possible future therapies; experimental, clinical, and computational techniques used to investigate cerebrovascular disease; blood dynamics and its role; imaging methods used in the diagnosis and management of cerebrovascular disease. Intended as a one- or two-semester course in biophysics, biomedical engineering or medical physics, this is also of interest to medical students and interns in neurology and cardiology, and provides a useful overview of current practice for researchers and clinicians.

This book updates and expands on various aspects of the vasculature's microenvironment and how these regulate differentiation and assembly. Discussed in this new edition are efforts to capitalize on combing engineering techniques, to study and manipulate various biophysical cues, including: endothelial cell- pericyte interactions (Davis), mechanical forces to regulate vascularization in three-dimensional constructs (Levenberg), how matrix properties and oxygen tension regulate vascular fate and assembly (Gerecht), biophysical cues in relation to vascular aging (Ferreira), 3D printing of complex vascularized tissue (Hibino), the harnessing of biophysical cues for therapeutic vasculature interfacing with the damaged brain (Segura) and finally, the infarcted heart (Grayson). This second edition of Biophysical Regulation of Vascular Differentiation and Assembly provides an interdisciplinary view of vasculature regulation thru various biophysical cues and presents recent advances in measuring and controlling such parameters. This book will be of interest to biologists, biophysicists and engineers who work with vascular differentiation and assembly.

Written for researchers and postgraduate students with a background in physics or applied mathematics and a desire to apply their skills to problems in the life sciences, this beautifully illustrated and stimulating book develops an understanding of the gene-to-trait problem in the context of evolutionary dynamics, from the modern perspective of integrative biology. The gene-to-trait problem resides at the heart of a great many questions in biology. The author presents both elementary and advanced material in a way that brings out how this gene-to-trait problem is treated in the contexts of bioinformatics and evolutionary dynamics. Key ideas and techniques that underlie some of the most-used bioinformatics methods are discussed in an integrative context and a wide range of examples of mathematical models of living things is developed in an evolutionary framework.

Medical practitioners, scientists and graduate students alike will find this exhaustive survey a vital learning tool. It provides a thorough description of the fundamentals and applications in the field of laser-tissue interactions. Basic concepts such as the optical and thermal properties of tissue, the various types of tissue ablation, and optical breakdown and its related effects are treated in detail. The author pays special attention to mathematical tools (Monte Carlo simulations, the Kubelka-Munk theory etc.) and approved techniques (photodynamic therapy, laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy etc.). A section on applications reviews clinically relevant methods in modern medicine using the latest references.

Introduces new and advanced methods of model discovery for time-series data using artificial intelligence. Implements topological approaches to distill "machine-intuitive" models from complex dynamics data. Introduces a new paradigm for a parsimonious model of a dynamical system without resorting to differential equations. Heralds a new era in data-driven science and engineering based on the operational concept of "computational intuition".