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".

Brownian diffusion is the motion of one or more solute molecules in a sea of very many, much smaller solvent molecules. Its importance today owes mainly to cellular chemistry, since Brownian diffusion is one of the ways in which key reactant molecules move about inside a living cell. This book focuses on the four simplest models of Brownian diffusion: the classical Fickian model, the Einstein model, the discrete-stochastic (cell-jumping) model, and the Langevin model. The authors carefully develop the theories underlying these models, assess their relative advantages, and clarify their conditions of applicability. Special attention is given to the stochastic simulation of diffusion, and to showing how simulation can complement theory and experiment. Two self-contained tutorial chapters, one on the mathematics of random variables and the other on the mathematics of continuous Markov processes (stochastic differential equations), make the book accessible to researchers from a broad spectrum of technical backgrounds.

Easily Get Started with Biological Experiments Introduction to Experimental Biophysics - A Laboratory Guide presents wet lab methods for courses in biophysics or molecular biology. A companion to the author's highly praised An Introduction to Experimental Biophysics: Biological Methods for Physical Scientists, this manual offers a flexible course plan that permits completion of the labs in either a full term or intensive summer course. Tested in a pedagogical setting, the experiments follow a logical progression beginning with a DNA construct. The book starts with the basics of molecular cloning: amplifying and purifying plasmid, plasmid mapping, and using restriction enzymes. Later experiments deal with more advanced, emerging techniques, such as the synthesis and characterization of quantum dots and gold nanoparticles, protein crystallization, and spectroscopic techniques. This accessible guide will help both students and instructors in molecular biology, biophysics, and biomedical engineering. Students will understand how to use a variety of techniques in biological experiments while instructors will get practical guidance on preparing the experiments.

Researchers from North America, eastern and western Europe, and the Soviet Union contribute 45 papers relating mathematical and experimental results on nonlinear wave phenomena in excitable media and related nonlinear systems. A nonlinear sampling of topics reveals such findings as sustained reactio

Do you often lose your keys? You will find in this book the best strategy to find them, or at least the one deduced from statistical physics. What is the link with biology? Some proteins use the same strategy to find their target inside a living cell. This example illustrates one of the many links between physics and biology. These links result from an intense research activity in the past years at the interface between those two disciplines. This book describes some of the most recent progresses at this interface: from instrumental progresses used in biology to the mechanical description of a cell, to molecular motors, from brain activity mechanisms to auditory or sensory perception. Many fields are covered from the molecular to the scale at the organ level. A few biological notions are presented in the first chapter that may help to access the biological aspects of the others. In the end this book may interest people passionate in science, from the simple amateur to the advanced researcher level.

The Latest Developments on the Role of Dynamics in Protein Functions Computational Approaches to Protein Dynamics: From Quantum to Coarse-Grained Methods presents modern biomolecular computational techniques that address protein flexibility/dynamics at all levels of theory. An international contingent of leading researchers in chemistry, physics, and biology show how these advanced methods provide insights into dynamic aspects of biochemical processes. A particular focus is on intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), which lack a well-defined three-dimensional structure and function as dynamic ensembles. The book covers a wide spectrum of dynamics, from electronic structure-based to coarse-grained techniques via multiscaling at different levels. After an introduction to dynamics and historical overview of basic methodologies, the book addresses the following issues: Is there a quantitative relationship between enzymatic catalysis and protein dynamics? Which are the functionally relevant motions of proteins? How can structural properties and partner recognition mechanisms of IDPs be simulated? How can we speed up molecular dynamics? How can we describe conformational ensembles by the synergistic effort of computations and experiments? While dynamics is now considered essential for interpreting protein action, it is not yet an integral component in establishing structure-function relationships of proteins. Helping to reshape this classical view in biochemistry, this groundbreaking book explores advances in computational methodology and contributes to the new, ensemble way of studying proteins.

Introduces both optical microscopy and medical imaging with an emphasis on recurring themes such as resolution and contrast to reinforce understanding. Includes many illustrations and boxed material that give more detailed explanations. Features hands-on activities and experiments. Provides end-of-chapter problems for self-study. Offers supplementary online materials including a solutions manual.

The chapters in this book originate from the research work and contributions presented at the Sixth International Symposium on Recurrence Plots held in Grenoble, France in June 2015. Scientists from numerous disciplines gathered to exchange knowledge on recent applications and developments in recurrence plots and recurrence quantification analysis. This meeting was remarkable because of the obvious expansion of recurrence strategies (theory) and applications (practice) into ever-broadening fields of science. It discusses real-world systems from various fields, including mathematics, strange attractors, applied physics, physiology, medicine, environmental and earth sciences, as well as psychology and linguistics. Even readers not actively researching any of these particular systems will benefit from discovering how other scientists are finding practical non-linear solutions to specific problems.The book is of interest to an interdisciplinary audience of recurrence plot users and researchers interested in time series analysis in particular, and in complex systems in general.

Replacement of a failing hip joint or other defective organs in the human body by artificial 'spare parts' has significantly improved our quality of life. These spare parts have to meet a wide spectrum of mechanical, chemical and design requirements. In this book, the properties and selection of materials for such `spare parts' are deduced from case studies at the start of each chapter. Hard tissue replacements (joints, long bones, dental), soft tissue (heart valves) and tissue engineering are included. The chapters also detail the three generic classes of materials: alloys (including shape memory alloys), ceramics & glasses and polymers. Separate chapters are devoted to the toxicity of implants, the metals zirconium(-zirconium oxide), tantalum, niobium and metallic glasses, soluble metals and Rapid Prototyping techniques for the fabrication of custom made prostheses. The book concludes by a chapter on water as water is always 'there' and conditions the interaction between body and implant. Water is the very matrix of life on earth. A peculiarity of the book is its 'perspective view', meaning that the authors looked behind the present biomaterials' decor and included historical backgrounds (real and mythological), future developments, and the relation to nature (plants and geology).

The transduction of signals from the extracellular space across the plasma membrane into the interior of cells and ultimately to the nucleus, where in - sponse to such external signals the transcription of the genetic code is inf- enced,belongs to the most fundamental and important events in the regulation of the life cycle of cells. During recent years several signal transduction cascades have been elucidated which regulate,for instance,the growth and the prolife- tion of organisms as diverse as mammals, flies, worms and yeast. The general picture which emerged from these investigations is that nature employs a c- bination of non-covalent ligand/protein and protein/protein interactions together with a set of covalent protein modifications to generate the signals and transduce them to their destinations. The ligands which are recognized may be low molecular weight compounds like lipids, inositol derivatives, steroids or microbial products like cyclosporin. They may be proteins like, for instance, growth factors or intracellular adaptor proteins which carry SH2 or SH3 domains, and they may be specific DNA stretches which are selectively rec- nized by transcription factors. These and other aspects of biological signal transduction provide an open and rewarding field for investigations by scientists from various different dis- plines of biology,medical research and chemistry working in academic research institutions or in industry.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. This book covers a wide scope of biological approaches to such biological phenomena as cell division, motility, collective cell behavior, multicellular structures, morphogenesis, and tumor development. Over the past two decades, biologists have generated large sets of experimental data and discovered a lot of facts that need explanation. This biological boom attracts physicists who believe they can help to develop a theoretical framework in biology and explain complete biological phenomena using basic principles. This is the first book to present recent advances in biophysical studies of the different aspects of cell life. This book presents recent advances in biophysical studies of living cells and gives the impression that a combination of quantitative live cell observations, detailed biochemical and biophysical data, and mathematical modeling are capable to answer many important biological questions and to achieve a more complete understanding of such complex phenomena.

Cold atmospheric plasma is an auspicious new candidate in cancer treatment. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a partially ionized gas in which the ion temperature is close to room temperature. It contains electrons, charged particles, radicals, various excited molecules and UV photons. These various compositional elements have the potential to inhibit cancer cell activity whilst doing no harm to healthy cells. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal primary brain tumor in adults; treatment including surgery, radio- and chemotherapy remains palliative for most patients as a cure remains elusive. The successful combination of the standard chemotherapeutic temozolomide (TMZ) and CAP treatment features synergistic effects even in resistant glioma cells. In particular in glioma therapy, CAP could offer an innovative approach allowing specific cancer cell / tumor tissue inhibition without damaging healthy cells. Thus CAP is a promising candidate for combination therapy especially for patients suffering from GBMs showing TMZ resistance.

Giant vesicles are widely used as a model membrane system, both for basic biological systems and for their promising applications in the development of smart materials and cell mimetics, as well as in driving new technologies in synthetic biology and for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry. The reader is guided to use giant vesicles, from the formation of simple membrane platforms to advanced membrane and cell system models. It also includes fundamentals for understanding lipid or polymer membrane structure, properties and behavior. Every chapter includes ideas for further applications and discussions on the implications of the observed phenomena towards understanding membrane-related processes. The Giant Vesicle Book is meant to be a road companion, a trusted guide for those making their first steps in this field as well as a source of information required by experts. Key Features * A complete summary of the field, covering fundamental concepts, practical methods, core theory, and the most promising applications * A start-up package of theoretical and experimental information for newcomers in the field * Extensive protocols for establishing the required preparations and assays * Tips and instructions for carefully performing and interpreting measurements with giant vesicles or for observing them, including pitfalls * Approaches developed for investigating giant vesicles as well as brief overviews of previous studies implementing the described techniques * Handy tables with data and structures for ready reference

The two volumes of this new edition of the Handbook cover the basic biological, medical, physical, and electrical engineering principles. They also include experimental results concerning how electric and magnetic fields affect biological systems-both as potential hazards to health and potential tools for medical treatment and scientific research. They also include material on the relationship between the science and the regulatory processes concerning human exposure to the fields. Like its predecessors, this edition is intended to be useful as a reference book but also for introducing the reader to bioelectromagnetics or some of its aspects. FEATURES * New topics include coverage of electromagnetic effects in the terahertz region, effects on plants, and explicitly applying feedback concepts to the analysis of biological electromagnetic effects * Expanded coverage of electromagnetic brain stimulation, characterization and modeling of epithelial wounds, and recent lab experiments on at all frequencies * Section on background for setting standards and precautionary principle * Discussion of recent epidemiological, laboratory, and theoretical results; including: WHO IARC syntheses of epidemiological results on both high and low frequency fields, IITRI lab study of cancer in mice exposed to cell phone-like radiation, and other RF studies * All chapters updated by internationally acknowledged experts in the field

This book is the third volume of lecture notes from summer schools held in the small village of Peyresq (France). These lectures cover nonlinear physics in a broad sense. They were given over the period 2004 to 2008. The summer schools were organized by the Institut Non Lineaire de Nice (Nice, France), the Laboratoire de Physique Statistique (ENS Paris, France) and the Institut de Recherche de Physique Hors Equilibre (Marseilles, France). The goal of the book is to provide a high-quality overview on the state of the art in nonlinear sciences, and to promote the transfer of knowledge between the various domains in physics dealing with nonlinear phenomena.

This is a graduate-level introduction to quantitative concepts and methods in the science of living systems. It relies on a systems approach for understanding the physical principles operating in biology. Physical phenomena are treated at the appropriate spatio-temporal scale and phenomenological equations are used in order to reflect the system of interest. Biological details enter to the degree necessary for understanding specific processes, but in many cases the approach is not reductionist. This is in line with the approach taken by physics to many other complex systems. The book bridges the gap between graduate students' general physics courses and research papers published in professional journals. It gives students the foundations needed for independent research in biological physics and for working in collaborations aimed at quantitative biology and biomedical research. Also included are modern mathematical and theoretical physics methods, giving the student a broad knowledge of tools that can shed light on the sophisticated mechanisms brought forth by evolution in biological systems. The content covers many aspects that have been the focus of active research over the past twenty years, reflecting the authors' experience as leading researchers and teachers in this field.

This book is a unique synthesis of the latest findings in the quantum physics and chemistry of water that will tell you why it is so remarkably fit for life. It offers a novel panoramic perspective of cell biology based on water as "means, medium, and message" of life. This book is a sequel to The Rainbow and The Worm, The Physics of Organisms, which has remained in a class of its own for nearly 20 years since the publication of the first edition. Living Rainbow H2O continues the fascinating journey in the author's quest for the meaning of life, in science and beyond. Like The Rainbow and The Worm, the present book will appeal to readers in the arts and humanities as well as scientists; not least because the author herself is an occasional artist and poet. Great care has been taken to explain terms and concepts for the benefit of the general reader. At the same time, sufficient scientific details are provided in text boxes for the advanced reader and researcher without interrupting the main story.

Molecular recognition, also known as biorecognition, is the heart of all biological interactions. Originating from protein stretching experiments, dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) allows for the extraction of detailed information on the unbinding process of biomolecular complexes. It is becoming progressively more important in biochemical studies and is finding wider applications in areas such as biophysics and polymer science. In six chapters, Dynamic Force Spectroscopy and Biomolecular Recognition covers the most recent ideas and advances in the field of DFS applied to biorecognition:

• Chapter 1: Reviews the basic and novel aspects of biorecognition and discusses the emerging capabilities of single-molecule techniques to disclose kinetic properties and molecular mechanisms usually hidden in bulk measurements
• Chapter 2: Describes the basic principle of atomic force microsocopy (AFM) and DFS, with particular attention to instrumental and theoretical aspects more strictly related to the study of biomolecules
• Chapter 3: Overviews the theoretical background in which experimental data taken in nonequilibrum measurements of biomolecular unbinding forces are extrapolated to equilibrium conditions
• Chapter 4: Reviews the most common and efficient strategies adopted in DFS experiments to immobilize the interacting biomolecules to the AFM tip and to the substrate
• Chapter 5: Presents and discusses the most representative aspects related to the analysis of DFS data and the challenges of integrating well-defined criteria to calibrate data in automatic routinary procedures
• Chapter 6 Overviews the most relevant DFS applications to study biorecognition processes, including the biotin/avidin pair, and selected results on various biological complexes, including antigen/antibody, proteins/DNA, and complexes involved in adhesion processes
• Chapter 7 Summarizes the main results obtained by DFS applied to study biorecognition processes with forthcoming theoretical and experimental advances

Although DFS is a widespread, worldwide technique, no books focused on this subject have been available until now. Dynamic Force Spectroscopy and Biomolecular Recognition provides the state of the art of experimental data analysis and theoretical procedures, making it a useful tool for researchers applying DFS to study biorecognition processes.

Biomedical photonics is currently one of the fastest growing fields, connecting research in physics, optics, and electrical engineering coupled with medical and biological applications. It allows for the structural and functional analysis of tissues and cells with resolution and contrast unattainable by any other methods. However, the major challenges of many biophotonics techniques are associated with the need to enhance imaging resolution even further to the sub-cellular level as well as translate them for in vivo studies. The tissue optical clearing method uses immersion of tissues into optical clearing agents (OCAs) that reduces the scattering of tissue and makes tissue more transparent and this method has been successfully used ever since. This book is a self-contained introduction to tissue optical clearing, including the basic principles and in vitro biological applications, from in vitro to in vivo tissue optical clearing methods, and combination of tissue optical clearing and various optical imaging for diagnosis. The chapters cover a wide range of issues related to the field of tissue optical clearing: mechanisms of tissue optical clearing in vitro and in vivo; traditional and innovative optical clearing agents; recent achievements in optical clearing of different tissues (including pathological tissues) and blood for optical imaging diagnosis and therapy. This book provides a comprehensive account of the latest research and possibilities of utilising optical clearing as an instrument for improving the diagnostic effectiveness of modern optical diagnostic methods. The book is addressed to biophysicist researchers, graduate students and postdocs of biomedical specialties, as well as biomedical engineers and physicians interested in the development and application of optical methods in medicine. Key features: The first collective reference to collate all known knowledge on this topic Edited by experts in the field with chapter contributions from subject area specialists Brings together the two main approaches in immersion optical clearing into one cohesive book

This book highlights the overview of the COVID-19 pandemic from both the scientific and the social perspectives. The scientific part presents key facts of COVID-19, including the structure of the virus and the techniques for the diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development against the disease, covering state-of-the-art findings and achievements worldwide. The social part is written by WHO professionals who worked on the frontier of the fight against the disease. It covers the global security situation during the pandemic, the WHO and governmental-level risk management measures, and the estimated impact that COVID-19 will eventually create on social life after it is globally controlled.

Chronic disease states of aging should be viewed through the prism of metabolism and biophysical processes at all levels of physiological organization present in the human body. The first volumeconnects these insights to what causes them to go awry in the context of unhealthy human behaviors and aging, aiming to buttress scientific creativity. It also provides links between the art and science of medicine that strengthens problem-solving in patient care. New and important discoveries in the area of metabolic health and metabolic diseases are discussed in exquisite detail. The second volume describes the building blocks of understanding from a reasonable but not high-level technical language viewpoint, employing the perspective of a clinical physician. It brings together concepts from five specific branches of physics relevant to biology and medicine, namely, biophysics, classical electromagnetism, thermodynamics, systems biology and quantum mechanics.