[tt] Complexity Digest 2008.06 (text version -2)
Eugen Leitl
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Sun Feb 10 21:15:24 UTC 2008
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Subject: Complexity Digest 2008.06 (text version -2)
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Complexity Digest 2008.06 08-Feb-2008
Archive: [1]http://www.comdig.org, European Mirror: [2]http://www.comdig.de
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"I think the next century will be the century of complexity." Stephen
Hawking, 2000
_________________________________________________________________
PDF files of our annual editions are available at
www.comdig.de/AnnualEditions.html
A letter from Gottfried Mayer to our readers and friends is at
www.comdig.de/GMLetter.html
_________________________________________________________________
01. Lessons From Davos, One Of Globalization's Best Classrooms,
Knowledge at Wharton
02. Languages Evolve in Punctuational Bursts, Science
02.01. Scientists Debate 'Six Degrees of Separation', NPR Science Friday
03. Tapping into the Cancer-Fighter Collective for Treatment, Scientific
American
03.01. Google Apps Team Edition Emulates Social Networking Model,
InformationWeek
04. Biological Moon Shot - Realizing The Dream Of A Web Page For Every Living
Thing, Science News
05. Genome Studies: Genetics By Numbers, Nature
05.01. Cell Biology: Dying To Hold You, Nature
06. Clinical Trials: Deaths Prompt a Review of Experimental Probiotic Therapy,
Science
07. Human Behaviour: Killer Instincts, Nature
07.01. Scratching Linked to Specific Brain Regions, MedPage Today
08. Creative And Noncreative Problem Solvers Exhibit Different Patterns Of
Brain Activity, ScienceDaily
09. Study Gives Key Role to Sleep in Helping Brain Learn Anew, NY Times
09.01. New Tool Probes Brain Circuits: Method Applied To Learning And Memory
Pathway, Science Daily
09.02. Scientists Discover A Way To Reverse Memory Loss In 'Accidental
Breakthrough', Daily Mail
09.03. Deep Brain Stimulation In Hypothalamus Triggers Déjà Vu In Patient,
ScienceDaily
09.04. Newborn Brain Cells Modulate Learning And Memory, PhysOrg.com
09.05. High Blood Sugar Can Hamper Memory, Innovations-report
10. Cancer Proliferation Gene Discovery Through Functional Genomics, Science
10.01. Profiling Essential Genes in Human Mammary Cells by Multiplex RNAi
Screening, Science
10.02. Killing Skin-Cancer Stem Cells, Technology Review
11. Three-Parent Embryo Formed In Lab, BBC News
12. Molecular Biology: The Art of Assembly, Science
13. Chemistry: DNA Assembles Materials From the Ground Up, Science
13.01. DNA Is Blueprint, Contractor And Construction Worker For New Structures,
Science Daily
13.02. New Process Makes Nanofibers In Complex Shapes And Unlimited Lengths,
Science Daily
13.03. Genetic 'Telepathy'? A Bizarre New Property Of DNA, PysOrg.com
14. Dusty Clues: Study Suggests No Dearth Of Earths, Science News
14.01. Seafloor Chemistry: Life's Building Blocks Made Inorganically, Science
News
14.02. Artificial Letters Added To Life's Alphabet, New Scientist
15. Lethargus Is A Caenorhabditis Elegans Sleep-Like State, Nature
15.01. Sex Determination: Some Like It Hot (And Some Don't), Nature
15.02. Conspicuous Social Signaling Drives Evolution Of Chameleon Color Change,
ScienceDaily
16. Large Contribution Of Sea Surface Warming To Recent Increase In Atlantic
Hurricane Activity, Nature
16.01. Climate Change: Stationarity Is Dead: Whither Water Management?, Science
17. Nanomaterials: Golden Handshake, Nature
17.01. A Memory Breakthrough - Two Firms Have Doubled The Capacity Of
Phase-Change Memory, A Likely Replacement For Flash., Technology Review
17.02. From Bacterium To Semiconductor, Innovations-report
17.03. Tiny Living Machines, Technology Review
17.04. Engineers Create New Adhesive That Mimics Gecko Toe Hairs, PhysOrg.com
18. Smart 'Lego' Conjures Up Virtual 3D Twin, New Scientist
19. Complex Challenges: Global Terrorist Networks
19.01. Intel Chief: Qaeda Threat Expanding Outside Iraq, Associated
Press/Boston Herald
19.02. UN Torture Investigator Blasts US White House Defense Of Waterboarding,
The Associated Press
20. Links & Snippets
20.01. Other Publications
20.02. Webcast Announcements
20.03. Conference Announcements
20.04. Other Announcements
_________________________________________________________________
01. Lessons From Davos, One Of Globalization's Best Classrooms ,
Knowledge at Wharton
Excerpts: (...) Davos has emerged as a "classroom on globalization."
Among the key lessons from this year's class: Central bankers have lost their
way; sovereign wealth, hedge and private equity funds are the new power
brokers; and no new authority should be put in control. (...) The Norwegian
fund, for instance, has accumulated $380 billion, now the equivalent of
Norway's GDP. Taken together, such funds worldwide control $2.5 trillion in
assets, and like traditional institutional holders such as pension funds and
investment companies, their managers said that they considered only risk and
return in their investment decisions. But another panelist questioned whether
they would long stay so un-sovereign in behavior. He urged that they explicitly
pledge to use purely financial principles in their investment decisions now to
ensure that political calculus would not intrude later.
* [4] Lessons From Davos, One Of Globalization's Best Classrooms, Michael
Useem, 08/02/06, Knowledge at Wharton
[4] http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1893
_________________________________________________________________
02. Languages Evolve in Punctuational Bursts , Science
Excerpts: Linguists speculate that human languages often evolve in rapid or
punctuational bursts, sometimes associated with their emergence from other
languages, but this phenomenon has never been demonstrated. We used vocabulary
data from three of the world's major language groups - Bantu, Indo-European,
and Austronesian - to show that 10 to 33% of the overall vocabulary differences
among these languages arose from rapid bursts of change associated with
language-splitting events. Our findings identify a general tendency for
increased rates of linguistic evolution in fledgling languages, perhaps arising
from a linguistic founder effect or a desire to establish a distinct social
identity.
* [5] Languages Evolve in Punctuational Bursts, Quentin D. Atkinson, Andrew
Meade, Chris Venditti, Simon J. Greenhill, Mark Pagel, 08/02/01, Science :
588.
[5] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5863/588
_________________________________________________________________
02.01. Scientists Debate 'Six Degrees of Separation' , NPR Science Friday
Excerpts: Judith Kleinfeld, a professor of psychology at the University of
Alaska, researched Milgram's original experiment in the hopes of updating it
for the digital world. "Milgram's startling conclusion turns out to rest on
scanty evidence," she says. "The idea of 'six degrees of separation' may, in
fact, be plain wrong - the academic equivalent of an urban myth." Steven
Strogatz, a professor of applied mathematics at Cornell University, disputes
this claim. He says it's important to remember that Milgram was not being
deceptive in his original study, and describes the small world property as a
sort of "universal architecture" of connection - both in the outside world and
in the biology of the human body.
* [6] Scientists Debate 'Six Degrees of Separation', 08/01/26, NPR Science
Friday
[6] http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18417083
_________________________________________________________________
03. Tapping into the Cancer-Fighter Collective for Treatment , Scientific
American
Excerpts: TISSUE MICROARRAY (TMA) technique enables investigators to
extract small cylinders of tissue from pathology specimens and arrange them in
a matrix configuration on a recipient paraffin block such that hundreds can be
analyzed simultaneously. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is working with
others to develop software that lets doctors and researchers compare cases and
treatment outcomes In an effort to improve cancer care, researchers today
announced plans to create a giant database designed to allow oncologists and
scientists to share vital information. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey
(CINJ) and Rutgers University, both in New Brunswick, along with IBM are
developing a computer system that allows physicians and researchers worldwide
to tap into the latest developments in cancer research and treatment; they
envision it as a tool that will help doctors tailor the best possible therapies
for their patients and let scientists track the success - or failure - of
previous research.
* [7] Tapping into the Cancer-Fighter Collective for Treatment, Larry
Greenemeier, 08/01/25, Scientific American
[7] http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=cancer-software-technology
_________________________________________________________________
03.01. Google Apps Team Edition Emulates Social Networking Model ,
InformationWeek
Excerpts: The search engine's latest software bundle builds a rudimentary
social graph where workers can collaborate and share documents. (...) Google
Apps Team Edition is more or less identical to the standard version of Google
Apps in function; it differs in that it's designed to spread virally and to
encourage collaboration. Upon logging in to Google Apps Team Edition, a user
can identify other Google Apps users in his or her organization and can easily
invite colleagues to share documents and calendars. Google Apps, in other
words, has gained the makings of a rudimentary social graph, as social network
friend lists are called.
* [8] Google Apps Team Edition Emulates Social Networking Model, Thomas
Claburn, 08/02/07, InformationWeek
[8] http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=206105424
_________________________________________________________________
04. Biological Moon Shot - Realizing The Dream Of A Web Page For Every Living
Thing , Science News
Excerpts: NEW BLUE. The deep blue chromis, first described in January, will
be among the 30,000 or so fish in the Encyclopedia of Life's first entries. T.
Clark So, the encyclopedia will release something fast, but just a small
something: a portal to basic info on fish. The creators will present the pages
as a work in progress, soliciting user comments. Visitors will be able to
admire a portrait of the zebra turkeyfish and a map of its range in the
Pacific, for example, or learn that the white-spotted boxfish typically
frequents tropical waters 1 meter to 30 m deep. The modern Latin names will be
paired with tables of common names in dozens of languages.
* [9] Biological Moon Shot - Realizing The Dream Of A Web Page For Every Living
Thing, Susan Milius, 08/02/02, Science News
[9] http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080202/bob9.asp
_________________________________________________________________
05. Genome Studies: Genetics By Numbers , Nature
Excerpts: Genomewide association studies are starting to turn up increasingly
reliable disease markers. (...) As researchers scan larger populations for more
SNPs [single nucleotide polymorphisms, Ed.], more SNPs will be associated more
reproducibly with more diseases. "Finding the initial SNP is not the same as
finding the underlying biology." David Altshuler But ask when these obfuscated
strings of digits and letters will be used to help find a drug, explain a
disease, or recommend tailored treatments for patients, and you'll get a sober
response that years of work lie ahead. Researchers readily admit that
SNP-scanning studies cannot find important contributors to disease, such as
environmental factors or extra copies of genes.
* [10] Genome Studies: Genetics By Numbers, Monya Baker, 08/01/30, DOI:
10.1038/451516a, Nature 451, 516-518
[10] http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080130/full/451516a.html
_________________________________________________________________
05.01. Cell Biology: Dying To Hold You , Nature
Excerpts: Certain cells bind so tightly to each other that, on occasion, one
cell ends up inside another, usually with fatal consequences for the ingested
cell. This involuntary cell death might help protect us from cancer. The
epithelial cells that cover most of the surfaces of our bodies create tight
physical barriers that protect us from the outside world. To do this
effectively, these cells need to stick to each other very well - which they do,
thanks to molecular Velcro proteins known as cadherins.
* [11] Cell Biology: Dying To Hold You, Kimon Doukoumetzidis, Michael O.
Hengartner, 08/01/31, DOI: 10.1038/451530a, Nature 451, 530-531
[11] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7178/full/451530a.html
_________________________________________________________________
06. Clinical Trials: Deaths Prompt a Review of Experimental Probiotic Therapy ,
Science
Experts: The high death rate in a Dutch clinical trial is raising concerns
about the use of friendly bacteria, or probiotics, in some patients. (...)
Probiotic bacteria are thought to have a positive effect on the health of the
gut, in part by stimulating the immune system and in part by outcompeting
pathogenic bacteria. Strains used as probiotics are typically those that
inhabit a healthy gut, such as lactobacilli or bifidobacteria. They have been
used to treat a variety of conditions, including allergies and some
inflammatory diseases.
* [12] Clinical Trials: Deaths Prompt a Review of Experimental Probiotic
Therapy, Gretchen Vogel, 08/02/01, DOI: 10.1126/science.319.5863.557a, Science
Vol. 319. no. 5863
[12] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5863/557a
_________________________________________________________________
07. Human Behaviour: Killer Instincts , Nature
Excerpts: What can evolution say about why humans kill - and about why we do so
less than we used to? (...) He says that the difference in the average volume o
f
the orbitofrontal cortex between men and women accounts for about half of the
variation in antisocial behaviour between the sexes. Just as evolution has
shaped men's bodies to be, on average, larger than women's, it has also
distributed the resources needed to regulate emotion and aggression unevenly
between the sexes.
* [13] Human Behaviour: Killer Instincts, Dan Jones, 08/01/30, DOI:
10.1038/451512a, Nature 451, 512-515
[13] http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080130/full/451512a.html
_________________________________________________________________
07.01. Scratching Linked to Specific Brain Regions , MedPage Today
Excerpts: The long-standing enigma of the itch-scratch cycle is beginning to be
unraveled by functional MRI studies of the brain. Scratching alters brain
activity in distinctive ways, increasing activity in several areas while
decreasing it in others, reported Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., and colleagues at Wake
Forest University online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. "We know
scratching is pleasurable, but we haven't known why," Dr. Yosipovitch added.
The group studied 13 healthy volunteers who were scratched on the leg with a
brush. Scratching lasted 30 seconds followed by no scratching for 30 seconds,
for five minutes total.
* [14] Scratching Linked to Specific Brain Regions, John Gever, Staff Writer,
08/01/31, MedPage Today
[14] http://www.medpagetoday.com/Dermatology/GeneralDermatology/tb/8178
_________________________________________________________________
08. Creative And Noncreative Problem Solvers Exhibit Different Patterns Of
Brain Activity , ScienceDaily
Excerpts: Why do some people solve problems more creatively than others? Are
people who think creatively somehow different from those who tend to think in a
more methodical fashion? These questions are part of a long-standing debate,
with some researchers arguing that what we call "creative thought" and
"noncreative thought" are not basically different. If this is the case, then
people who are thought of as creative do not really think in a fundamentally
different way from those who are thought of as noncreative. (...) addresses
these questions by comparing the brain activity of creative and noncreative
problem solvers. (...)
* [15] Creative And Noncreative Problem Solvers Exhibit Different Patterns Of
Brain Activity, Study Reveals, 2008/01/30, ScienceDaily
* Contributed by [16] Atin Das
[15] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080129170702.htm
[16] mailto:dasatin at yahoo.co.in
_________________________________________________________________
09. Study Gives Key Role to Sleep in Helping Brain Learn Anew , NY Times
Excerpts: (...) rats had stronger synapses after periods of wakefulness than
after periods of sleep. They measured the number of a certain type of
neuroreceptor in the synapses and found that there were 50 percent fewer in
rats that had been asleep. They also measured the electrical response across
neurons in brains of live rats and found that the response was weaker. The
results, Dr. Tononi said, suggest that after sleep "we get a leaner brain -
there's a gain in terms of energy, space and supplies, and you are ready to
learn anew."
* [17] Study Gives Key Role to Sleep in Helping Brain Learn Anew, Henry
Fountain, 08/01/29, NYTimes
[17] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/science/29obslee.html
_________________________________________________________________
09.01. New Tool Probes Brain Circuits: Method Applied To Learning And Memory
Pathway , Science Daily
Excerpts: The green-stained section of this mouse hippocampus represents
where the new DICE-K technique blocked the neural-signal transmission in one of
the hippocampal circuits of the brain. (Credit: Image / Toshi Nakashiba, MIT)
(...) to see how bypassing a major memory-forming circuit in the brain affecte
d
learning and memory in mice. "Our data strongly suggest that the hippocampal
neural pathway called the tri-synaptic pathway, or TSP, plays a crucial role in
quickly forming memories when encountering new events and episodes in day-to-da
y
life," Tonegawa said. "Our results indicate that the decline of these abilities
,
such as that which accompanies neurodegenerative diseases and normal aging in
humans, is likely to be due, at least in part, to the malfunctioning of this
circuit."
* [18] New Tool Probes Brain Circuits: Method Applied To Learning And Memory
Pathway, 08/01/31, ScienceDaily
[18] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080124145020.htm
_________________________________________________________________
09.02. Scientists Discover A Way To Reverse Memory Loss In 'Accidental
Breakthrough' , Daily Mail
Excerpts: Discovery: There has been an improvement in Alzheimer's patients
Scientists have stumbled on a world first in helping a man improve his
memory. They were experimenting with deep-brain stimulation in an attempt to
curb the appetite of a 30st patient who suffered from a lifelong obesity
problem. Electrodes were pushed into his brain and stimulated with an electric
current. The treatment did not cure his eating problem - but he experienced
vivid memories of an event that occurred 30 years earlier. In the following
weeks, and up to a year later, the memory of the 50-year-old patient improved.
* [19] Scientists Discover A Way To Reverse Memory Loss In 'Accidental
Breakthrough', Jenny Hope, 08/01/30, Daily Mail
[19]
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_articl
e_id=511222&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490
_________________________________________________________________
09.03. Deep Brain Stimulation In Hypothalamus Triggers Déjà Vu In Patient ,
ScienceDaily
Excerpts: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, which is used to treat
Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, is now being studied for its
potential to treat a variety of conditions. A new study found that hypothalamic
DBS performed in the treatment of a patient with morbid obesity unexpectedly
evoked a sense of déjà vu and detailed personal memories. (...) researchers
conducted an experimental study to treat a 50-year-old man with a lifelong
history of obesity (...). While they were identifying potential appetite
suppressant sites in the hypothalamus by stimulating electrode contacts that
had been implanted there, the patient suddenly experienced a feeling of "déjà
vu." (...)
* [20] Deep Brain Stimulation In Hypothalamus Triggers Déjà Vu In Patient,
2008/01/30, ScienceDaily
* Contributed by [21] Atin Das
[20] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130092102.htm
[21] mailto:dasatin at yahoo.co.in
_________________________________________________________________
09.04. Newborn Brain Cells Modulate Learning And Memory , PhysOrg.com
Excerpts: Boosted by physical and mental exercise, neural stem cells continue
to sprout new neurons throughout life, but the exact function of these
newcomers has been the topic of much debate. Removing a genetic master switch
that maintains neural stem cells in their proliferative state finally gave
researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies some definitive
answers. Without adult neurogenesis - literally the "birth of neurons" -
genetically engineered mice turned into "slow learners" that had trouble
navigating a water maze and remembering the location of a submerged platform,
(...).
* [22] Newborn Brain Cells Modulate Learning And Memory, 08/01/30, PhysOrg.com
[22] http://www.physorg.com/news120926010.html
_________________________________________________________________
09.05. High Blood Sugar Can Hamper Memory , Innovations-report
Excerpts: (...) presents findings that indicate that elevated levels of blood
sugar may have a negative impact on the memory function. It was previously
known that patients with diabetes run a higher risk of developing various forms
of dementia, including Alzheimer¡¦s disease. This increased risk may be caused
by
a combination of the risk factors for cardiovascular disorders that this patien
t
group has, including high blood pressure, high blood fats, heightened
inflammatory activity, and high blood sugar. (...)
* [23] High Blood Sugar Can Hamper Memory, 2008/02/01, Innovations-report
* Contributed by [24] Atin Das
[23]
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/medicine_health/report-102516.ht
ml
[24] mailto:dasatin at yahoo.co.in
_________________________________________________________________
10. Cancer Proliferation Gene Discovery Through Functional Genomics , Science
Excerpts: Retroviral short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated genetic screens in
mammalian cells are powerful tools for discovering loss-of-function phenotypes.
We describe a highly parallel multiplex methodology for screening large pools o
f
shRNAs using half-hairpin barcodes for microarray deconvolution. We carried out
dropout screens for shRNAs that affect cell proliferation and viability in
cancer cells and normal cells. We identified many shRNAs to be
antiproliferative that target core cellular processes, such as the cell cycle
and protein translation, in all cells examined. Moreover, we identified genes
that are selectively required for proliferation and survival in different cell
lines.
* [25] Cancer Proliferation Gene Discovery Through Functional Genomics, Michael
R. Schlabach, Ji Luo, Nicole L. Solimini, Guang Hu, Qikai Xu, Mamie Z. Li,
Zhenming Zhao, Agata Smogorzewska, Mathew E. Sowa, Xiaolu L. Ang, Thomas F.
Westbrook, Anthony C. Liang, Kenneth Chang, Jennifer A. Hackett, J. Wade
Harper, Gregory J. Hannon, Stephen J. Elledge, 08/02/01, Science : 620-624.
[25] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5863/620
_________________________________________________________________
10.01. Profiling Essential Genes in Human Mammary Cells by Multiplex RNAi
Screening , Science
Excerpts: Systematic inhibition of gene expression with RNA interference
screening reveals genes essential for growth and survival of tumor cells,
potentially leading to new cancer drugs. By virtue of their accumulated genetic
alterations, tumor cells may acquire vulnerabilities that create opportunities
for therapeutic intervention. We have devised a massively parallel strategy for
screening short hairpin RNA (shRNA) collections for stable loss-of-function
phenotypes. We assayed from 6000 to 20,000 shRNAs simultaneously to identify
genes important for the proliferation and survival of five cell lines derived
from human mammary tissue.
* [26] Profiling Essential Genes in Human Mammary Cells by Multiplex RNAi
Screening, Jose M. Silva, Krista Marran, Joel S. Parker, Javier Silva,
Michael Golding, Michael R. Schlabach, Stephen J. Elledge, Gregory J.
Hannon, Kenneth Chang, 08/02/01, Science : 617-620.
[26] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5863/617
_________________________________________________________________
10.02. Killing Skin-Cancer Stem Cells , Technology Review
Excerpts: Roots of cancer: Not all melanoma cells (above) are equal. Some
are capable of generating new tumors. Credit: Children's Hospital Boston
Harvard researchers are developing the first drug that specifically targets
cancer stem cells. (...) There is a hierarchy of cells inside a tumor, and only
a few cells, called cancer stem cells, are capable of generating new tumors.
Such tumor-initiating cells have been identified in many cancers, including
those of the colon, brain, and breast. These cells are also thought to play an
important role in chemotherapy resistance and cancer recurrence. (...)
* [27] Killing Skin-Cancer Stem Cells, Katherine Bourzac, 08/01/15, Technology
Review
[27] http://www.technologyreview.com/Biotech/20074/
_________________________________________________________________
11. Three-Parent Embryo Formed In Lab , BBC News
Excerpts: The scientists have created the embryo in the lab Scientists
believe they have made a potential breakthrough in the treatment of serious
disease by creating a human embryo with three separate parents. The Newcastle
University team believe the technique could help to eradicate a whole class of
hereditary diseases, including some forms of epilepsy. The embryos have been
created using DNA from a man and two women in lab tests. It could ensure women
with genetic defects do not pass the diseases on to their children. (...) The
Newcastle team have effectively given the embryos a mitochondria transplant.
* [28] Three-Parent Embryo Formed In Lab, 08/0205, BBC News
[28] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7227861.stm
_________________________________________________________________
12. Molecular Biology: The Art of Assembly , Science
Excerpts: Advances in delivering small interfering RNAs to specific tissues may
bring these nucleotides closer to reality as therapeutic agents. Small RNAs wer
e
chosen as the "Breakthrough of the Year" molecule for 2002 (1). One of these,
small interfering RNA (siRNA), which is 20 to 23 nucleotides in length, can
base pair with a target messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence and direct its
degradation, thus blocking production of the encoded protein.
* [29] Molecular Biology: The Art of Assembly, Francis Szoka, 08/02/01, Science
: 578-579.
[29] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5863/578
_________________________________________________________________
13. Chemistry: DNA Assembles Materials From the Ground Up , Science
Excerpts: On page 594 of this week's issue of Science, researchers report using
DNA as tweezers to pick up compounds and place them where they're wanted. The
technique could help researchers put chains of molecules together to answer
questions such as how different enzymes work together in a series. (...) Taken
together, the results show that nanotechnologists are beginning to look at DNA
in a whole new light. "This is a watershed in using DNA to assemble objects
other than DNA,"
* [30] Chemistry: DNA Assembles Materials From the Ground Up, Robert F.
Service, 08/02/01, Science : 558-559.
[30] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5863/558a
_________________________________________________________________
13.01. DNA Is Blueprint, Contractor And Construction Worker For New Structures
, Science Daily
Excerpts: Computer rendition of a structure created by using DNA to
assemble nanoparticles into well-defined crystal lattices. (Credit:
Northwestern University) DNA is the blueprint of all life, giving
instruction and function to organisms ranging from simple one-celled bacteria
to complex human beings. Now Northwestern University researchers report they
have used DNA as the blueprint, contractor and construction worker to build a
three-dimensional structure out of gold, a lifeless material.
* [31] DNA Is Blueprint, Contractor And Construction Worker For New Structures,
08/02/04, ScienceDaily
[31] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130130652.htm
_________________________________________________________________
13.02. New Process Makes Nanofibers In Complex Shapes And Unlimited Lengths ,
Science Daily
Excerpts: The continuous fabrication of complex, three-dimensional nanoscale
structures and the ability to grow individual nanowires of unlimited length are
now possible with a process developed by researchers at the University of
Illinois. (...) "The process is like drawing with a fountain pen -- the ink
comes out and quickly dries or 'solidifies,' " said Min-Feng Yu, a professor of
mechanical science and engineering, and an affiliate of the Beckman Institute.
"But, unlike drawing with a fountain pen, we can draw objects in three
dimensions."
* [32] New Process Makes Nanofibers In Complex Shapes And Unlimited Lengths,
08/02/06, ScienceDaily
[32] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130101732.htm
_________________________________________________________________
13.03. Genetic 'Telepathy'? A Bizarre New Property Of DNA , PysOrg.com
Excerpts: Scientists are reporting evidence that intact, double-stranded DNA
has the "amazing" ability to recognize similarities in other DNA strands from a
distance. And then like friends with similar interests, the bits of genetic
material hangout or congregate together. The recognition - of similar sequences
in DNA's chemical subunits - occurs in a way once regarded as impossible, (...)
.
"Amazingly, the forces responsible for the sequence recognition can reach acros
s
more than one nanometer of water separating the surfaces of the nearest neighbo
r
DNA," said the authors.
* [33] Genetic 'Telepathy'? A Bizarre New Property Of DNA, 08/01/28, PysOrg.com
[33] http://www.physorg.com/news120735315.html
_________________________________________________________________
14. Dusty Clues: Study Suggests No Dearth Of Earths , Science News
Excerpts: HOME AWAY FROM HOME. Artist's depiction of an earthlike planet
orbiting a star outside the solar system. NASA/JPL-Caltech But a new study
suggests that earthlike planets orbit or are forming around many, if not most,
nearby sunlike stars, providing places where life might have gained a foothold.
That conclusion comes from an infrared survey of some 300 stars similar in mass
to the sun and ranging in age from a youthful 3 million years to a middle-aged
3 billion. Using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, Mike Meyer of the University
of Arizona in Tucson and his colleagues surveyed those stars and their
surroundings at an infrared wavelength of 24 ?m.
* [34] Dusty Clues: Study Suggests No Dearth Of Earths, Ron Cowen, 08/02/02,
Science News
[34] http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080202/fob2.asp
_________________________________________________________________
14.01. Seafloor Chemistry: Life's Building Blocks Made Inorganically , Science
News
Excerpts: TALL TOWERS. Small amounts of hydrocarbons emitted from the Lost
City hydrothermal vent field (map below shows location) were probably produced
by inorganic chemical reactions. D.S. Kelley/Univ. of Washington, IFE, URI-IAO,
NOAA Hydrocarbons in the fluids spewing from a set of hydrothermal vents on
the seafloor of the central Atlantic were produced by inorganic chemical
reactions within the ocean crust, scientists suggest. The finding holds
possibly profound implications for the origins of life. (...) Although some
types of microorganisms that inhabit the mineral chimneys in the Lost City may
have generated a portion of the fluids' dissolved methane, none found there
could have produced the ethane, butane, or other organic compounds in the
vents' brew. Finding butane in the fluids is particularly important, because
that hydrocarbon is a building block for some of the organic substances found
in cell membranes,(...).
* [35] Seafloor Chemistry: Life's Building Blocks Made Inorganically, Sid
Perkins, 08/02/02, Science News
[35] http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080202/fob1.asp
_________________________________________________________________
14.02. Artificial Letters Added To Life's Alphabet , New Scientist
Excerpts: Two artificial DNA "letters" that are accurately and efficiently
replicated by a natural enzyme have been created by US researchers. Adding the
two artificial building blocks to the four that naturally comprise DNA could
allow wildly different kinds of genetic engineering, they say. Eventually, the
researchers say, they may be able to add them into the genetic code of living
organisms. (...) Two different screening approaches turned up the same pair of
molecules, called dSICS and dMMO2.
* [36] Artificial Letters Added To Life's Alphabet, Robert Adler, 08/01/30,
NewScientist
[36]
http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn13252-artificial-letters-added-to-
lifes-alphabet.html
_________________________________________________________________
15. Lethargus Is A Caenorhabditis Elegans Sleep-Like State , Nature
Excerpts: There are fundamental similarities between sleep in mammals and
quiescence in the arthropod Drosophila melanogaster, suggesting that sleep-like
states are evolutionarily ancient. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans also has
a quiescent behavioural state during a period called lethargus, which occurs
before each of the four moults. (...) suggest a common genetic regulation of
sleep-like states in arthropods and nematodes. (...) sleep may have evolved to
allow for developmental changes.
* [37] Lethargus Is A Caenorhabditis Elegans Sleep-Like State, David M. Raizen,
John E. Zimmerman, Matthew H. Maycock, Uyen D. Ta, Young-jai You, Meera V.
Sundaram, Allan I. Pack, 08/01/31, DOI: 10.1038/nature06535, Nature 451,
569-572
[37] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7178/full/nature06535.html
_________________________________________________________________
15.01. Sex Determination: Some Like It Hot (And Some Don't) , Nature
Excerpts: There is a widely accepted theoretical explanation for why sex in
some species is determined at the embryo stage by environmental factors such as
temperature. That theory is now supported by experiment. How the sex of
offspring is determined seems simple enough if you don't look beyond ourselves.
For humans, the system is genotypic: two X chromosomes, and you're female; an X
and a Y, and you're male. There are plenty of variants of this system, but in
many reptiles an entirely different mechanism applies: sex is determined by the
temperature of the incubating egg, and clutches can be all-male, all-female or
somewhere in between.
* [38] Sex Determination: Some Like It Hot (And Some Don't), David Crews,
James J. Bull, 08/01/31, DOI: 10.1038/451527a, Nature 451, 527-528
[38] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7178/full/451527a.html
_________________________________________________________________
15.02. Conspicuous Social Signaling Drives Evolution Of Chameleon Color Change
, ScienceDaily
Excerpts: What drove the evolution of color change in chameleons? Chameleons
can use color change to camouflage and to signal to other chameleons, but a new
paper shows that the need to rapidly signal to other chameleons, and not the
need to camouflage from predators, has driven the evolution of this
characteristic trait. The research, (...) shows that the dramatic color changes
of chameleons are tailored to aggressively display to conspecific competitors
and to seduce potential mates. Because these signals are quick--chameleons can
change color in a matter of milliseconds--the animal can afford to make it
obvious, (...).
* [39] Conspicuous Social Signaling Drives Evolution Of Chameleon Color Change,
2008/02/03, ScienceDaily
* Contributed by [40] Atin Das
[39] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080129125524.htm
[40] mailto:dasatin at yahoo.co.in
_________________________________________________________________
16. Large Contribution Of Sea Surface Warming To Recent Increase In Atlantic
Hurricane Activity , Nature
Excerpts: Atlantic hurricane activity has increased significantly since 1995,
but the underlying causes of this increase remain uncertain. It is widely
thought that rising Atlantic sea surface temperatures have had a role in this,
but the magnitude of this contribution is not known. Here we quantify this
contribution (...). (...) a 0.5 deg C increase in sea surface temperature is
associated with a 40% increase in hurricane frequency and activity. (...) Our
analysis does not identify whether warming induced by greenhouse gases
contributed to the increase in hurricane activity, (...).
* [41] Large Contribution Of Sea Surface Warming To Recent Increase In Atlantic
Hurricane Activity, Mark A. Saunders, Adam S. Lea, 08/01/31, DOI:
10.1038/nature06422, Nature 451, 557-560
[41] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7178/full/nature06422.html
_________________________________________________________________
16.01. Climate Change: Stationarity Is Dead: Whither Water Management? ,
Science
Excerpts: Systems for management of water throughout the developed world have
been designed and operated under the assumption of stationarity.
Stationarity--the idea that natural systems fluctuate within an unchanging
envelope of variability--is a foundational concept that permeates training and
practice in water-resource engineering. It implies that any variable (e.g.,
annual stream-flow or annual flood peak) has a time-invariant (or
1-year-periodic) probability density function (pdf), whose properties can be
estimated from the instrument record.
* [42] Climate Change: Stationarity Is Dead: Whither Water Management?, P. C.
D. Milly, Julio Betancourt, Malin Falkenmark, Robert M. Hirsch, Zbigniew W.
Kundzewicz, Dennis P. Lettenmaier, Ronald J. Stouffer, 08/02/01, Science :
573-574.
[42] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5863/573
_________________________________________________________________
17. Nanomaterials: Golden Handshake , Nature
Experts: Three-dimensional nanoparticle arrays are likely to be the foundation
of future optical and electronic materials. A promising way to assemble them is
through the transient pairings of complementary DNA strands.
(...)
Progress in achieving the directed self-assembly of nanoparticles had been
elusive, owing to one potentially daunting requirement: selective adhesion.
Each microscopic part must be engineered so that it sticks only to the others
it should abut in the desired final structure.
* [43] Nanomaterials: Golden Handshake, John C. Crocker, 08/01/31, DOI:
10.1038/451528a, Nature 451, 528-529
[43] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7178/full/451528a.html
_________________________________________________________________
17.01. A Memory Breakthrough - Two Firms Have Doubled The Capacity Of
Phase-Change Memory, A Likely Replacement For Flash. , Technology Review
Excerpts: Much more memory: A memory cell (shown above) in a phase-change
memory chip stores data by maintaining a particular physical state, or
orientation of atoms. A heater in the cell (the dark vertical line) heats the
material so that can change states. Previously, only two states were used.
Intel has now shown that there are two more distinct states that can be used to
store data, effectively doubling the capacity of a memory cell. Credit: Intel
Phase-change memory differs from other solid-state memory technologies such as
flash and random-access memory because it doesn't use electrons to store data.
Instead, it relies on the material's own arrangement of atoms, known as its
physical state. Previously, phase-change memory was designed to take advantage
of only two states: one in which atoms are loosely organized (amorphous), and
another where they are rigidly structured (crystalline). But in a paper
presented at the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San
Francisco, researchers illustrated that there are two more distinct states that
fall between amorphous and crystalline, and that these states can be used to
store data.
* [44] A Memory Breakthrough - Two Firms Have Doubled The Capacity Of
Phase-Change Memory, A Likely Replacement For Flash., Kate Greene, 08/02/04,
Technology Review
[44] http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20148/?a=f
_________________________________________________________________
17.02. From Bacterium To Semiconductor , Innovations-report
Excerpt: Proteins of photosynthetic bacteria can be used to generate
photocurrent. How to do that ¡V this can be learnt from the article by Russian
researchers. Researchers from different countries are accommodating to their
purposes proteins of photosynthesis system bacteria. They are used as an active
component of the photocurrent generation chain in the sensory and energy-storin
g
systems. (...)
* [45] From Bacterium To Semiconductor, 2008/02/01, Innovations-report
* Contributed by [46] Atin Das
[45]
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/physics_astronomy/report-102480.
html
[46] mailto:dasatin at yahoo.co.in
_________________________________________________________________
17.03. Tiny Living Machines , Technology Review
Excerpts: In a fourth-floor lab at Harvard University, Adam Feinberg is peering
through a low-magnification microscope and using a scalpel to cut out triangles
and rectangles from a thin polymer. What's impossible to see with the naked eye
is a one-cell-thick layer of heart tissue coating each shape. When Feinberg
connects the petri dish holding the triangles and rectangles to a pacemaker,
the tissue begins to rhythmically contract, and the shapes come
alive--twisting, pinching, and even swimming through a solution.
* [47] Tiny Living Machines, Kevin Bullis, 08/02, Technology Review
[47] http://www.technologyreview.com/Nanotech/19874/
_________________________________________________________________
17.04. Engineers Create New Adhesive That Mimics Gecko Toe Hairs , PhysOrg.com
Excerpts: The gecko-inspired adhesive can support significant weight.
Increasing weight increases contact area for the adhesive (contact area is the
bright area near the top of the patch). As the load increases, more fibers are
recruited to make contact, increasing the strength of the adhesion parallel to
the surface. When the sliding force is removed, the fibers straighten, and the
patch is easily released with negligible pull-off force. The patch has
demonstrated better than 1/6 of a real gecko's stress on the same glass
surface. Credit: J. Lee and R.S. Fearing, UC Berkeley A new anti-sliding
adhesive developed by engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, may
be the closest man-made material yet to mimic the remarkable gecko toe hairs
that allow the tiny lizard to scamper along vertical surfaces and ceilings.
(...) Taking a cue from the millions of hairs covering a gecko's toes,
researchers squeezed 42 million hard plastic microfibers onto each square
centimeter of material and loaded it with various weights. They found that on a
smooth, clean, vertical surface, two square centimeters of the synthetic
adhesive could hold 400 grams (0.88 pounds). At the same time, the adhesive
easily lifts off with minimal force and no residue.
Editor's Note: But does that explain how Geckos walk upside-down across the
ceiling?
* [48] Engineers Create New Adhesive That Mimics Gecko Toe Hairs, 08/01/29,
PhysOrg.com
[48] http://physorg.com/news120845139.html
_________________________________________________________________
18. Smart 'Lego' Conjures Up Virtual 3D Twin , New Scientist
Excerpts: The high-tech construction kit can sense its position and makes a
3D virtual double. Physical additions or adjustments are immediately reproduced
on-screen (Image: CoDe Lab/CMU) Posey's plastic pieces are a mix of hubs
and struts that connect with ball-and-socket joints. The pieces have LEDs and
sensors built into their ends so that they can communicate using coded signals
of light. Pieces can also sense the angles between themselves and their
neighbours, allowing the software to model their overall shape. Each piece's
plastic shell is stuffed with chips and devices for processing these signals.
They are sent wirelessly to a computer using a low-power protocol called [49]
ZigBee. This means, bending Posey's pieces can make objects on-screen respond
in real time.
* [50] Smart 'Lego' Conjures Up Virtual 3D Twin, Mason Inman, 08/01/31,
NewScientist.com
[49] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zigbee target=ns
[50]
http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn13261-smart-lego-conjures-up-virtu
al-3d-twin.html
_________________________________________________________________
19. Complex Challenges: Global Terrorist Networks
_________________________________________________________________
19.01. Intel Chief: Qaeda Threat Expanding Outside Iraq , Associated
Press/Boston Herald
Excerpts: Al-Qaeda, increasingly tamped down in Iraq, is establishing cells in
other countries as Osama bin Laden's organization uses Pakistan's tribal region
to train for attacks in Afghanistan, the Middle East, Africa and the United
States, the U.S. intelligence chief said yesterday. "Al-Qaeda remains the
pre-eminent threat against the United States," (...). The next attack on the
United States most likely would be launched by al-Qaeda operating in those
"under-governed region" of Pakistan, said Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff.
* [51] Intel Chief: Qaeda Threat Expanding Outside Iraq, 08/02/06, Associated
Press/Boston Herald
[51]
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/international/middle_east/view.bg?articleid=10
71605&srvc=rss
_________________________________________________________________
19.02. UN Torture Investigator Blasts US White House Defense Of Waterboarding ,
The Associated Press
Excerpts: "This is absolutely unacceptable under international human rights
law," said Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special rapporteur on torture. "Time has
come that the government will actually acknowledge that they did something
wrong and not continue trying to justify what is unjustifiable." On Tuesday,
the Bush administration acknowledged publicly for the first time that
waterboarding was used by U.S. government questioners on three terror suspects.
Testifying before Congress, CIA Director Michael Hayden said the suspects were
waterboarded in 2002 and 2003.
* [52] UN Torture Investigator Blasts US White House Defense Of Waterboarding,
08/02/06, The Associated Press
[52] http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/06/news/UN-GEN-UN-Waterboarding.php
_________________________________________________________________
20. Links & Snippets
_________________________________________________________________
20.01. Other Publications
- US IT Departments Slammed For Inefficiency: UK And German Departments 'Much
More Efficient', Claims Survey, 2008/01/30, vnunet.com
- How Is That Whale Listening?, 2008/02/04, Innovations-report
- Female-Mediated Causes And Consequences Of Status Change In A Social Fish,
2008/01/29, Proceedings B: Biological Sciences, DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2007.1449
- Place Memory In Crickets, 2008/01/29, Proceedings B: Biological Sciences,
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2007.1647
- The Anna's Hummingbird Chirps With Its Tail: A New Mechanism Of Sonation In
Birds, 2008/01/29, Proceedings B: Biological Sciences, DOI:
10.1098/rspb.2007.1619
- Wired For Sound: Implant Sends Signals Direct To Brain, 2008/01/31,
ScienceDaily
- E. Coli Bacteria: A Future Source Of Energy?, 2008/01/31, ScienceDaily
- Optimization Of Synchronization In Complex Clustered Networks, Mar. 2008,
online 2008/01/08, Chaos, DOI: 10.1063/1.2826289
- Self-Structuring In Spatial Evolutionary Ecology, Mar. 2008, online
2007/12/07, Ecology Letters, DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01132.x
- Prediction Uncertainty Of Environmental Change Effects On Temperate European
Biodiversity, Mar. 2008, online 2007/12/07, Ecology Letters, DOI:
10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01132.x
- ¡¥Nationalizing Embryos¡¦: The Politics Of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
In Italy, Dec. 2007, online 2007/12/03, Biosocieties, DOI:
10.1017/S1745855207005856
- Warning Sign: Genetic Fragments Tag Cancer Severity, 08/02/02, Science News,
High levels of the microRNA miR-21 lead to poor prognoses for colon cancer
patients.
- Spice It Up: Naked Mole-Rats Feel No Pain From Peppers, Acid, 08/02/02,
Science News, The African naked mole-rat doesn't feel pain from acid or
chilies, a possible adaptation to its cramped underground habitat.
- Live Long And Perspire: Exercise May Slow Aging At Chromosomal Level,
08/02/02, Science News, A new study finds that a sedentary lifestyle is linked
to short telomeres on chromosomes, potentially a sign of rapid aging.
- Embracing the Dark Side, 08/02/02, Science News, Ten years after researchers
discovered that the expansion of the universe was speeding up rather than
slowing down, cosmologists are still struggling to explain the astonishing
finding.
- Receptor May Be Cancer Accomplice, 08/02/02, Science News, Suppressing a
receptor protein called neuropilin-2 slows colon cancer growth in mice.
- Tasty Stalks, 08/02/02, Science News, Celery's tasteless compounds make
chicken soup taste better.
- Climate Change: The Big Thaw Reaches Mongolia's Pristine North, 08/02/01,
Science : 567-568. As warmer temperatures affect plants, animals, and human
society, researchers ask whether ecological changes can be reversed.
- Insights into Phases of Liquid Water from Study of Its Unusual Glass-Forming
Properties, 08/02/01, Science : 582-587.
- Single-Molecule Cut-and-Paste Surface Assembly, 08/02/01, Science : 594-596.
An atomic force microscope tip derivatized with DNA can pick up and assemble
large molecules bearing DNA handles into specific patterns on a surface in
aqueous solution.
- Electronic Liquid Crystal State in the High-Temperature Superconductor,
08/02/01, Science: 597-600. Neutron-scattering measurements suggest that
ordering of fluctuating electron spins explains the liquid crystal phases
recently seen in some correlated electron systems., DOI:
10.1126/science.1152309
- Prioritizing Climate Change Adaptation Needs for Food Security in 2030,
08/02/01, Science : 607-610. Analysis of 12 food-insecure regions for
vulnerability to crop failure from climate change indicates that those in
southern Africa and south Asia are in particular need of attention.
- Social Networking Websites from A to Z, 08/01/23, CIO, Here's an A-to-Z list
of professional and personal social networking sites to help you network your
way around the world.
_________________________________________________________________
20.02. Webcast Announcements
7th Intl Conf on Complex Systems (ICCS), Boston, MA, 07/10/28-11/02
[53]
Reseau Nationale des Systemes Complexes , (in French), 2007
[54] World Economic Forum , Davos, Switzerland, 08/01/22-27
TED Talks, TED Conferences LLC , since 2006
Talking Robots: The PodCast on Robotics and AI, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de
Lausanne, Switzerland, 06/11/03
Potentials of Complexity Science for Business, Governments, and the Media 2006,
Budapest, Hungary, 06/08/03-05
6th Intl Conf on Complex Systems (ICCS), Boston, MA, 06/06/25-30
Artificial Life X,
10th Intl Conf on the Simulation and Synthesis of Living Systems, Bloomington,
IN, USA. 2006/06/03-07
6th Understanding Complex Systems Symposium, Urbana-Champaign, Il, 06/05/15-18
Ralph Abraham on Complexity Digest, , Calcutta, India, 05/12/27
[55] An Afternoon with Michael Crichton, Washington, 05/11/06
[56]
Illuminating the Shadow of the Future, Ann Arbor, Mi 05/09/23-25
[57]
Open Network of Centres of Excellence in Complex Systems - Brainstorming
Meeting, Paris, France 05/09/19-23
[58]
Complexity, Science & Society Conference 2005, U. Liverpool, UK 2005/09/11-14
[59]
ECAL 2005 - VIIIth European Conference on Artificial Life,
Canterbury, Kent, UK 2005/09/5-9
[60]
T. Irene Sanders, Executive Director and Founder, [61] The Washington Center
for Complexity & Public Policy, 05/08/27, QuickTime video (10:38 min), [62]
Podcast
[63] North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity
2005 Conference, Virtual Conference Network, St. Pete's Beach, Florida,
05/06/09-11
[64] Understanding Complex Systems - Computational Complexity and
Bioinformatics, Virtual Conference Network, Urbana-Champaign, Il, UIUC,
05/05/16-19
[65] Nonlinearity, Fluctuations, and Complexity, with a celebration of the
65th birthday of Gregoire Nicolis. , Complexity Session, Universite' Libre de
Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium, 05/03/16
[66]
1st European Conference on Complex Systems, Torino, Italy, 04/12/5-7
>From Autopoiesis to Neurophenomenology: A Tribute to Francisco Varela
(1946-2001), Paris, France, 2004/06/18-20
Evolutionary Epistemology, Language, and Culture, Brussels, Belgium,
04/05/26-28
International Conference on Complex Systems 2004, Boston, 04/05/16-21
Nonlinear Dynamics And Chaos: Lab Demonstrations, Strogatz, Steven H.,
Internet-First University Press, 1994
CERN Webcast Service, Streamed videos of Archived Lectures and Live Events
Dean LeBaron's Archive of Daily Video Commentary, Ongoing Since February 1998
Edge Videos
[53] http://webcast.in2p3.fr/RNSC/ target=new
[54]
http://gaia.world-television.com/wef/worldeconomicforum_annualmeeting2008/Targe
t=new
[55] http://www.complexsys.org/news.htm target=new
[56] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/05ISF/index.html target=new
[57] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/ONCECS05/ target=new
[58] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/CSS05/ target=new
[59] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/ECAL2005/ target=new
[60] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/Sanders0508/Sanders0508.mov target=new
[61] http://www.complexsys.org/ target=new
[62] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/Sanders0508/Sanders.mp3
[63] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/05NASPSA/ target=new
[64] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/05UCS/ target=new
[65] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/Nicolis05/Target=new
[66] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/ECCS04/Target=new
_________________________________________________________________
20.03. Conference Announcements
8. Interdisziplinärer Salon für Europa [I.S.E.]. Thema: Struktur, Berlin,
Germany, 08/02/26
The 1st Conf on Artificial General Intelligence (AGI-08), Memphis, Tennessee,
USA, 08/03/01-03
The 3rd Intl Nonlinear Sciences Conference (INSC), Tokyo, Japan, 08/03/13-15
19th European Meeting On Cybernetics And Systems Research, (EMCSR 2008),
Vienna, Austria, 08/03/25-28
2nd KES Intl Symp on Agent and Multi-Agent Systems : Technologies and
Applications, Incheon, Korea, 08/03/26-28
[67]
Nexus for Change II,
Bowling Green, OH, 08/03/29-04/01
[68]
2nd Applied Neuroscience Meeting, Monterrey, Mexico, 08/04/03-06
[69]
Fumee 1 - 1St Futures Meeting - Understanding Anticipatory Systems, Rovereto
(Italy), 08/04/10-12
1st Intl Conf on Social Entrepreneurship & Complexity, Garden City, NY, USA,
08/04/10-12
[70]
Emergence In The Physical And Biological World: A Notion In Search Of
Clarification, Erice (Italy), 08/04/12-16
[71]
CHAOS2008
Chaotic Modeling and Simulation International Conference, Chania, Crete,
Greece, 08/06/03-06
[72] International Conference on Chaos, Complexity & Conflict, Omaha, NE,
08/06/05-07
[73]
4th Organization Studies Summer Workshop: ¡§Embracing Complexity: Advancing
Ecological Understanding in Organization Studies¡¨, Pissouri, Cyprus,
08/06/05-07
Cambridge Healthtech Institute's Tenth Annual... Applying Systems Biology, San
Francisco, CA, 08/06/09-11
[74]
9th Intl Mathematica Symposium, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 08/06/20-24
[75]
The 14th Intl Conf on Auditory Display (ICAD), Paris, France, 08/06/24-27
[76]
7th Intl Summer School and Conf "Let's Face Chaos through Nonlinear Dynamics",
Maribor, Slovenia, 08/06/29-07/13
The 12th World Multi-Conf on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics: WMSCI
2008, Orlando, Florida, USA, 08/06/29-07/02
>From Animals To Animats 10 - The 10th Intl Conf on the Simulation Of Adaptive
Behavior (SAB'08), Osaka, Japan, 08/07/07-12
[77]
Complex Systems and Social Simulations, CEU Summer University, Budapest,
Hungary, 08/07/07-18
Stochastic Resonance 2008, Perugia, Italy, 08/08/17-21
[78]
1st Intl Workshop on Nonlinear Dynamics and Synchronization
(INDS¡¦08), Klagenfurt, Austria, 08/07/18-19
[79]
Scratch at MIT,Cambridge, MA, 08/07/24-26
[80]
8th Intl Conf on Epigenetic Robotics:
Modeling Cognitive Development in Robotic Systems, Brighton, UK,
08/07/31-08/02
[67] http://www.nexusforchange.org/ TARGET=new
[68] http://www.appliedneuroscience.nl TARGET=new
[69] http://www.mitteleuropafoundation.org/events.html TARGET=new
[70] http://www.plluisi.org/Erice2008/origin.htm TARGET=new
[71] http://www.asmda.net/chaos2008/ TARGET=new
[72] http://law.creighton.edu/wernerInstitute/complexityconference/ TARGET=new
[73] http://www.egosnet.org/journal/os_summer_workshop_2008.shtml TARGET=new
[74] http://www.ims08.org/ TARGET=new
[75] http://http://icad08.ircam.fr TARGET=new
[76] http://www.camtp.uni-mb.si/chaos/2008/ TARGET=new
[77] http://www.sun.ceu.hu/complex-systems/ TARGET=new
[78] http://inds08.uni-klu.ac.at/ TARGET=new
[79] http://scratch.mit.edu/conference/ TARGET=new
[80] http://www.epigenetic-robotics.org TARGET=new
_________________________________________________________________
20.04. Other Announcements
A short notice from Dean LeBaron
Dear ComDig Readers,
Our editor, Dr. Gottfried Mayer, is affectionately esteemed by many of you --
as readers, you know he devotes himself unselfishly to widening our knowledge
of complexity science. He was recently diagnosed with advanced colon cancer and
given a timetable of a very few years. Knowing Gottfried, you can imagine that,
in addition to the customary processes of chemotherapy, he would explore other
frontier therapies, especially those arising out of interdisciplinary
applications of complexity. These are expensive ... if he can find them.
Many of you have sent your good wishes and indicated your desire to assist.
With Gottfried¡¦s permission, I am posting this note with information, below,
about how to send contributions to him. Please indicate the source since
Gottfried will want to express his warm gratitude.
I know that Gottfried, the good scientist that he is, will explain from time to
time what he is doing and what the results are ... and we will follow his
progress with great interest and hope.
Dean LeBaron
Publisher, Complexity Digest
Bank Information:
If your contribution is made by check:
Please mail the check, payable to ¡§Gottfried Mayer¡¨, to:
Manufacturers & Traders Trust
2080 Western Avenue
20 Mall
Guilderland, NY 12084 USA
(on the back of the check, please write: ¡§For Deposit Only: Account # 983 338
3814¡¨)
If your contribution is made by wire:
Manufacturers & Traders Trust
2080 Western Avenue
20 Mall
Guilderland, NY 12084 USA
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UID: 209 791
ABA routing # 022 00 00 46 [for US wire transfers]
Account # 983 338 3814
Ref. Gottfried Mayer
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