On Fröhlich's coherent effects in biological systems: Influence of carriers and high order dissipative effects

Lauck, Leonardo; Vasconcellos, Áurea R.; Luzzi, Roberto

doi:10.1016/s0022-5193(05)80645-9

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The idea of coherence is not new. Roles for coherent vibrations have been postulated in processes as diverse and important as the development of cancer (Cooper, 1981;Frohlich, 1978), enzymic function (Frohlich, 1986;Lauck, et aL, 1992), and the organization of the entire cell (Ho, 1993). These roles would be consistent with the triggering of fundamental biological processes by exposure to electromagnetic radiation at specific microwave frequencies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elements of a unifying theory of biology

1996

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To discover a unifying theory of biology, it is necessary first to believe in its existence and second to seek its elements. Such a theory would explain the regulation of the cell cycle, differentiation and the origin of life. Some elements of the theory may be obtained by considering both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell cycles. These elements include cytoskeletal proteins, calcium, cyclins, protein kinase C, phosphorylation, transcriptional sensing, autocatalytic gene expression and the physical properties of lipids. Other more exotic candidate elements include the dynamic enzoskeleton, ATP generation, mechanotransduction, the piezoelectric effect and resonance. Bringing these disparate elements together--and discovering others--will require extensive collaborations between specialists from different sciences. This can only be achieved within the context of an integrated approach to biology.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elements of a unifying theory of biology

1996

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“…In Refs. [158][159][160][161][162][163][164][168][169][170][171][172][173] is given an overview of the role of the irreversible thermodynamics based on NESEF in dealing with biosystems. On the question of the relation of Biology and Physics we may say that the sometimes mentioned gap between both disciplines has been slowly shrinking along recent decades.…”

Section: Coherent States and Nonequilibrium Bose-einstein-like Conmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An alternative possibility for Fröhlich condensation to follow due to higher-order relaxation processes mediated by carriers -as for example in proteins -, was considered by L. Lauck et al [173], who took into account the above model of a biological system consisting of a long chain of proteins possessing polar modes of vibration, and where energy is pumped through metabolic processes. It was considered the effect produced by free electrons that are usually present as hole carriers in proteins with electron-donor molecules.…”

Section: Coherent States and Nonequilibrium Bose-einstein-like Conmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of nonequilibrium thermo-mechanical statistics in modern technologies and industrial processes: an overview

Rodrigues¹,

Silva²,

Silva³

et al. 2010

Braz. J. Phys.

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The nowadays notable development of all the modern technology, fundamental for the progress and well being of world society, imposes a great deal of stress in the realm of basic Physics, more precisely on ThermoStatistics. We do face situations in electronics and optoelectronics involving physical-chemical systems farremoved-from equilibrium, where ultrafast (in pico-and femto-second scale) and non-linear processes are present. Further, we need to be aware of the rapid unfolding of nano-technologies and use of low-dimensional systems (e.g., nanometric quantum wells and quantum dots in semiconductor heterostructures). All together this demands having an access to a Statistical Mechanics being efficient to deal with such requirements. It is worth noticing that the renowned Ryogo Kubo once stated that "statistical mechanics has been considered a theoretical endeavor. However, statistical mechanics exists for the sake of the real world, not for fictions. Further progress can only be hoped by close cooperation with experiment". Moreover, one needs to face the study of soft matter and fluids with complex structures (usually of the average self-affine fractal-like type). This is relevant for technological improvement in industries like, for example, that of polymers, petroleum, cosmetics, food, electronics and photonics (conducting polymers and glasses), in medical engineering, etc. It is then required to introduce a thermo-hydrodynamics going well beyond the classical (Onsagerian) one. Moreover, in the both type of situations above mentioned there often appear difficulties of description and objectivity (existence of so-called "hidden constraints"), which impair the proper application of the conventional ensemble approach used in the general, logically and physically sound, and well established Boltzmann-Gibbs statistics. A tentative to partially overcome such difficulties consists in resorting to non-conventional approaches. Here we briefly describe the construction of a Non-Equilibrium Statistical Ensemble Formalism (NESEF) that can deal, within a certain degree of success, with the situations above described. Several particular instances involving experimental observations and measurements in the area of semiconductor physics and in physics of fluids, which were analyzed in the context of the theory, are summarized. They comprise the cases of ultrafast optical spectroscopy; optical and transport processes in low-dimensional complex semiconductors; nonlinear transport in doped highly-polar semiconductors (of use in "blue diodes") under moderate to high electric fields; nonlinear higher-order thermo-hydrodynamics in fluids under driven flow, in normal solutions and in complex situations as in solutions of polymers, micelles, DNA, and in microbatteries.

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“…The concept that many body systems far from equilibrium and governed by nonlinear kinetic laws may display macroscopic self-organized order is consistent with approaches such as Prigogine's dissipative structures and Haken's synergetics. 30 In Fröhlich's model several modes of dipole vibrations are excited by a continuous supply of metabolic energy. The electric vibrations couple to acoustic vibrations inherent in the structure through non-linear dynamics; Fröhlich specified dipoles in hydrophobic regions of proteins as the relevant dipoles.…”

Section: Fröhlich Coherence Quantum Field Theory and Microtubulesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum states in proteins and protein assemblies: The essence of life?

Hameroff¹,

Tuszyński²

2004

SPIE Proceedings

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Activities in living cells are performed by protein conformational dynamics which in turn are governed by quantum mechanical van der Waals London forces in intra-protein "hydrophobic" pockets. In assemblies of proteins with periodic lattice geometry such as cytoskeletal actin and microtubules (as well as ordered water on their surfaces), Bose-Einstein condensation, quantum coherent superposition and quantum computation with entanglement may occur as a collective effect of these forces due to metabolic coherent phonon pumping. Decoherence can be avoided through isolation/shielding by actin gelation, Debye layer screening and water/ion ordering and topological quantum error correction. As an example, quantum spin transfer through organic molecules is more efficient at higher temperatures than at absolute zero. The unitary oneness and ineffability of living systems may depend on mesoscopic/macroscopic quantum states in protoplasm.Keywords: Bose Einstein condensation, cytoskeleton, decoherence, evolution, life, London forces, microtubules, protein conformation, quantum coherence, quantum superposition OIL VERSUS WATER: HYDROPHOBIC POCKETS IN PROTEINSAll chemistry including biochemistry is based on quantum interactions, so living systems-like non-living systemsdepend on quantum states at the level of chemical bonds. However the unitary oneness and ineffability of living systems have suggested that higher level quantum properties such as Bose-Einstein condensation, quantum coherent superposition and entanglement may operate in biology.1-3 But quantum effects are apparently washed out at scales larger than individual atoms or sub-atomic particles, at warm temperatures, and in aqueous media. Thus the possibility of quantum states playing functional roles at mesoscopic or macroscopic scales in "warm, wet and noisy" biological systems seems unlikely due to environmental decoherence. On the other hand evolution may have solved the decoherence problem so that mesoscopic/macroscopic quantum states are essential features of biological systems. 4 Living cells are 80% water, and many polar, water soluble biomolecules play key roles in cell function. However there are also extensive non-polar "oily" regions in living cells which exclude water. These are called hydrophobic regions, and they occur within proteins 5 , lipid membranes and nucleic acids (e.g. the "pi stack" of DNA). If organized quantum states exist in cells they are presumably integrated among hydrophobic regions of various cellular components and organelles. However here we consider only proteins and geometric arrays of proteins (i.e. protein assemblies) in cytoplasm, the bulk protoplasm between cell membrane and nucleus.Proteins are folded chains of amino acids strung together by peptide bonds (Figure 1, top). Each of the twenty different amino acids which comprise proteins have distinct side groups with varying degrees of polarity and water solubility. Amino acids with side groups (or "residues") which are non-polar and insoluble in water ("hydrophobic...

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On Fröhlich's coherent effects in biological systems: Influence of carriers and high order dissipative effects

Cited by 13 publications

References 21 publications

Elements of a unifying theory of biology

Elements of a unifying theory of biology

The role of nonequilibrium thermo-mechanical statistics in modern technologies and industrial processes: an overview

Quantum states in proteins and protein assemblies: The essence of life?

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