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All living things are remarkably complex, yet their DNA is unstable, undergoing countless random mutations over generations. Despite this instability, most animals do not grow two heads or die, plants continue to thrive, and bacteria continue to divide. Robustness and Evolvability in Living Systems tackles this perplexing paradox. The book explores why genetic changes do not cause organisms to fail catastrophically and how evolution shapes organisms' robustness. Andreas Wagner looks at this problem from the ground up, starting with the alphabet of DNA, the genetic code, RNA, and protein molecules, moving on to genetic networks and embryonic development, and working his way up to whole organisms. He then develops an evolutionary explanation for robustness. Wagner shows how evolution by natural selection preferentially finds and favors robust solutions to the problems organisms face in surviving and reproducing. Such robustness, he argues, also enhances the potential for future evolutionary innovation. Wagner also argues that robustness has less to do with organisms having plenty of spare parts (the redundancy theory that has been popular) and more to do with the reality that mutations can change organisms in ways that do not substantively affect their fitness. Unparalleled in its field, this book offers the most detailed analysis available of all facets of robustness within organisms. It will appeal not only to biologists but also to engineers interested in the design of robust systems and to social scientists concerned with robustness in human communities and populations.
Robust control --- Robust control. --- Genomic Instability. --- Mutation (Biology). --- Robustness (Control systems) --- Mutation. --- Evolution, Molecular. --- Biological systems --- Mutation (Biology) --- Molecular evolution. --- Genetic Evolution --- Molecular Evolution --- Evolution, Genetic --- Directed Molecular Evolution --- Genome Instability --- Genome Stability --- Genomic Stability --- Genome Instabilities --- Genome Stabilities --- Genomic Instabilities --- Genomic Stabilities --- Instabilities, Genome --- Instabilities, Genomic --- Instability, Genome --- Instability, Genomic --- Stabilities, Genome --- Stabilities, Genomic --- Stability, Genome --- Stability, Genomic --- Chromothripsis --- DNA Sequence, Unstable --- Mutations --- DNA Damage --- Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length --- Automatic control --- Biosystems --- Systems, Biological --- Biology --- System theory --- Systems biology --- Genetics --- Variation (Biology) --- Biochemical evolution --- Chemical evolution --- Evolution --- Life --- Molecular biology --- Stability. --- Philosophy --- Origin --- Molecular evolution --- Stability --- General biophysics --- Biological systems - Stability --- Acqui 2006
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What can a fingernail tell us about the mysteries of creation? In one sense, a nail is merely a hunk of mute matter, yet in another, it's an information superhighway quite literally at our fingertips. Every moment, streams of molecular signals direct our cells to move, flatten, swell, shrink, divide, or die. Andreas Wagner's ambitious new book explores this hidden web of unimaginably complex interactions in every living being. In the process, he unveils a host of paradoxes underpinning our understanding of modern biology, contradictions he considers gatekeepers at the frontiers of knowledge.Though we tend to think of concepts in such mutually exclusive pairs as mind-matter, self-other, and nature-nurture, Wagner argues that these opposing ideas are not actually separate. Indeed, they are as inextricably connected as the two sides of a coin. Through a tour of modern biological marvels, Wagner illustrates how this paradoxical tension has a profound effect on the way we define the world around us. Paradoxical Life is thus not only a unique account of modern biology. It ultimately serves a radical-and optimistic-outlook for humans and the world we help create.
Biology --- Paradox. --- Figures of speech --- Logic --- Contradiction --- Vitalism --- Philosophy.
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This book is the first to comprehensively cover research methods for building occupant behavior. As this is of growing importance for building design and for building performance optimization, the book aims to provide a sound scientific basis for experimental studies in this field. It introduces the reader to fundamental questions about the topic and unfolds the different fields related to occupant actions and comfort. This is followed by more general questions about developing an appropriate research method and experimental design. A comprehensive overview of sensors for monitoring environmental and also behavioral and action-related quantities helps to set up an experiment. In this context, different experimental environments and data collection methods (in-situ, laboratories, surveys) are introduced and discussed in terms of their suitability for the respective research question. Furthermore, data management and reporting is addressed. The book concludes with fundamental challenges in conducting occupant studies, with chapters on ground truth, ethics and privacy.
Engineering. --- Computer simulation. --- Facility management. --- Building construction. --- Sociology --- Building Physics, HVAC. --- Research Methodology. --- Simulation and Modeling. --- Facility Management. --- Industrial and Organizational Psychology. --- Research. --- Buildings --- Energy conservation. --- Energy consumption. --- Edifices --- Halls --- Structures --- Architecture --- Sociology-Research. --- Applied psychology. --- Computer modeling --- Computer models --- Modeling, Computer --- Models, Computer --- Simulation, Computer --- Electromechanical analogies --- Mathematical models --- Simulation methods --- Model-integrated computing --- Applied psychology --- Psychagogy --- Psychology, Practical --- Social psychotechnics --- Psychology --- Construction --- Industrial arts --- Technology --- Sociology—Research. --- Industrial psychology. --- Business psychology --- Industrial psychology --- Psychotechnics --- Industrial engineering --- Personnel management --- Psychology, Applied --- Industrial psychologists --- Facilities management --- Factory management --- Plant engineering
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