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| Tuszynski - Introduction to Molecular Biophysics (CRC, eBooks |
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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] INTRODUCTION TO MOLECULAR © 2003 by CRC Press LLC BIOPHYSICS CRC SERIES in PURE and APPLIED PHYSICS Dipak Basu Editor-in-Chief PUBLISHED TITLES Handbook of Particle Physics M. K. Sundaresan High-Field Electrodynamics Frederic V. Hartemann Fundamentals and Applications of Ultrasonic Waves J. David N. Cheeke Introduction to Molecular Biophysics Jack Tuszynski Michal Kurzynski © 2003 by CRC Press LLC INTRODUCTION TO MOLECULAR Jack A. Tuszynski Michal Kurzynski CRC PRESS Boca Raton London New York Washington, D.C. © 2003 by CRC Press LLC BIOPHYSICS Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Tuszynski, J.A. Introduction to molecular biophysics / Jack Tuszynski, Michal Kurzynski. p. cm. Ð (CRC series in pure and applied physics) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8493-0039-8 (alk. paper) 1. Molecular biology. 2. Biophysics. I. Kurzynski, Michal. II. Title. III. Series. QH506 .T877 2003 572.8Ðdc21 2002031592 This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reprinted material is quoted with permission, and sources are indicated. A wide variety of references are listed. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use. Neither this book nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microÝlming, and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The consent of CRC Press LLC does not extend to copying for general distribution, for promotion, for creating new works, or for resale. SpeciÝc permission must be obtained in writing from CRC Press LLC for such copying. Direct all inquiries to CRC Press LLC, 2000 N.W. Corporate Blvd., Boca Raton, Florida 33431. Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identiÝcation and explanation, without intent to infringe. Visit the CRC Press Web site at ¨ 2003 by CRC Press LLC No claim to original U.S. Government works International Standard Book Number 0-8493-0039-8 Library of Congress Card Number 2002031592 Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Printed on acid-free paper © 2003 by CRC Press LLC Trademark Notice: Preface Biology has become an appealing field of study for growing numbers of physicists, mathematicians, and engineers. The reason is obvious. Extensive media coverage has made much of the world familiar with biology’s critical role on the front lines of scientific research. Former U.S. President Clinton said that the last 50 years belonged to physics and the next 50 will belong to biology. His assessment requires a slight correction: the last 300 years focused on physics. Only the last 10 or 20 concentrated on biology, but the concentration will certainly continue as technology accelerates progress. The connection between the physical and biomedical sciences developed rapidly over the past few decades, particularly after the ground-breaking discoveries in mole- cular genetics. The need clearly exists for continuing dialogues and cross-fertilization between these two groups of scientists. Ideally, neither group should attempt to “civilize” the other. As a result of the interdisciplinary nature of modern life sciences, new areas of endeavor such as mathematical biology, biophysics, computational biology, biostatistics, biological physics, theoretical biology, biological chemistry (and its older sister, biochemistry), and biomedical engineering are emerging rapidly and contributing important information to our understanding of life processes. This new appeal of biology and our growing knowledge of physical concepts that play important roles in biological activities have not proceeded without significant friction among the disciplines. The representative quotes below reflect the mutual apprehension evident over decades (if not centuries) of co-existence. Sydney Brenner, a biologist and recent Noble Prize winner, says: Biology differs from physics in that organisms have risen by natural selection and not as the solutions to mathematical equations. Biological organisms are not made by condensation in a bag of elementary particles but by some very special processes that are, of course, consistent with the laws of physics but could not easily be directly derived from them. The trouble with physics is that its deepest pronouncements are totally incompre- hensible to almost everybody except the deepest physicists, and while they may be absolutely true, they are pretty useless ...to understand E. coli . In biology it is the detail that counts, and it counts because it is that natural selection needed to accomplish for there to be anything at all. Of course physicists have other views in this matter: There is a feeling that something is missing .... Molecular biology has revolu- tionized the understanding of how biological processes work, but ...not... why. (J. Krumhansl, 1995) © 2003 by CRC Press LLC [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |