Confrontation of the Cybernetic Definition of a Living Individual with the Real World

The cybernetic definition of a living individual proposed previously (Korzeniewski, 2001) is very abstract and therefore describes the essence of life in a very formal and general way. In the present article this definition is reformulated in order to determine clearly the relation between life in general and a living individual in particular, and it is further explained and defended. Next, the cybernetic definition of a living individual is confronted with the real world. It is demonstrated that numerous restrictions imposed on the cybernetic definition of life by physical reality imply a number of particular properties of life that characterize present life on Earth, namely: (1) a living individual must be a dissipative structure (and therefore a low-entropy thermodynamic system out of the state of equilibrium); (2) spontaneously-originated life must be based on organic compounds; (3) evolutionarily stable self-dependent, free-living individuals must have some minimal level of complexity of structure and function; (4) a living individual must have a record of identity separated from an executive machinery; (5) the identity of living individuals must mutate and may evolve; (6) living individuals may collect and accumulate information in subsequent generations over very long periods of time; (7) the degree of complexity of a living individual reflects the degree of complexity of its environment (ecological niche) and (8) living individuals are capable of supple adaptation to varying environmental conditions. Thus, the cybernetic definition of a living individual, when confronted with the real physical world, generates most of the general properties of the present life on Earth.     

不同低氧训练模式对大鼠力竭运动后骨骼肌线粒体抗氧化能力及呼吸链酶复合体活性的影响

本研究旨在观察4种低氧训练模式对大鼠骨骼肌线粒体抗氧化能力及呼吸链酶复合体活性的影响。将雄性Wistar大鼠40只随机均分为5组(n=8):常氧训练组(LoLo)、高住高练组(HiHi)、高住低训组(HiLo)、低住高练组(LoHi)和高住高练低训组(HiHiLo)。各组大鼠分别在常氧(海拔1500m,大气压632mmHg)或/和低氧(模拟海拔3500m,大气压493mmHg)环境中居住及递增负荷训练5周,每周训练6天。各组大鼠在最后一次训练后,在常氧环境恢复3天,然后进行力竭运动,之后即刻取骨骼肌样本,用差速离心法提取骨骼肌线粒体,分光光度法测定丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)含量及超氧化物歧化酶(su-peroxide dismutase,SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(glutathione peroxidase,GSH-Px)和过氧化氢酶(catalase,CAT)活性及呼吸链酶复合体Ⅰ～Ⅲ(CⅠ～Ⅲ)活性。结果显示,与LoLo组相比,HiHi和HiHiLo组骨骼肌组织MDA含量均显著升高(P<0.01),SOD、GSH-Px和CAT活性均显著升高(P<0.05或P<0.01)。与LoL...     

关于生命系统熵势函数的建立及应用

依据非平衡非线性系统理论的广义势函数,建立了可描述生命系统的熵势及其表达式．作为应用,分析了生命系统的相变和生命机体内部的熵力．     

Development of energetics in evolution of the living world (Stages,Digits, Postulates)

This work deals with the current stage of study of energy exchange between living organ-isms and the environment. In the epoch of molecular biology, study of energy exchange might have seemed a study of old, well known concepts. However, the retrospective insight into the energy exchange of quite a few organisms allows obtaining new data about development of energetics of the living world, approaches to interesting comparisons, opens the earlier unknown quantitative relations in energetics of living organisms, provides a possibility of analyzing causes of very high values of energy consumption by living organisms, causes of different sensitivity of living organisms to deficit of energy, etc. Based on all these data, there have been noted 12 principal moments or postulates in development of energetics of the living world from the most ancient to the present time.     

Assessment of available anatomical characters for linking living mammals to fossil taxa in phylogenetic analyses

Analyses of living and fossil taxa are crucial for understanding biodiversity through time. The total evidence method allows living and fossil taxa to be combined in phylogenies, using molecular data for living taxa and morphological data for living and fossil taxa. With this method, substantial overlap of coded anatomical characters among living and fossil taxa is vital for accurately inferring topology. However, although molecular data for living species are widely available, scientists generating morphological data mainly focus on fossils. Therefore, there are fewer coded anatomical characters in living taxa, even in well-studied groups such as mammals. We investigated the number of coded anatomical characters available in phylogenetic matrices for living mammals and how these were phylogenetically distributed across orders. Eleven of 28 mammalian orders have less than 25% species with available characters; this has implications for the accurate placement of fossils, although the issue is less pronounced at higher taxonomic levels. In most orders, species with available characters are randomly distributed across the phylogeny, which may reduce the impact of the problem. We suggest that increased morphological data collection efforts for living taxa are needed to produce accurate total evidence phylogenies.     

mRNA analysis of single living cells

Analysis of specific gene expression in single living cells may become an important technique for cell biology. So far, no method has been available to detect mRNA in living cells without killing or destroying them. We have developed here a novel method to examine gene expression of living cells using an atomic force microscope (AFM). AFM tip was inserted into living cells to extract mRNAs. The obtained mRNAs were analyzed with RT-PCR, nested PCR, and quantitative PCR. This method enabled us to examine time-dependent gene expression of single living cells without serious damage to the cells.     

Effects of high-rise living on physical and mental development of children

Effects of high-rise living on infants' development were investigated in 1987-1988 in a high-rise residential area in Tokyo, using questionnaires on the daily behaviors of a total of 1,045 infants, completed by mothers and kindergarten teachers. Infants of high-rise living showed a delayed independence in fundamental daily customs compared with those of low-rise living. This could be ascribed to an over-attachment of mothers of high-rise living with their infants resulting from a reduced number of outings.     

Outcomes of written living wills in Japan--a survey of the deceased ones' families

A study was recently done to investigate the outcomes of written living wills in Japan, which, unlike the United States, does not legally recognize advance directives. This study collected demographic information and predictors of living will use among families and guardians who used the living will form provided by the Japan Society for Dying with Dignity. According to the results of the study, affliction with cancer and death in a hospital was the best predictor of written living will use. Research on physicians' treatment limitation and withdrawal behaviors in the clinical setting is needed to better understand the actual impact of living wills. Such research can provide better understanding of where boundaries of self-determination are drawn and how to respect autonomy in Japan.     

Kinetics of the light flash of the living firefly: a supramolecular process.

The light intensity vs. time curve of the light flash of the living firefly has been measured. Unlike the purified firefly enzyme system in aqueous solution, the living system does not show light decay conforming to a double exponential time curve, to simple first or second order decay, or to solid-state Elovich kinetics. Light decay of the living flash does show linearity in a probit vs. square root of time plot, which may indicate a reaction rate-limited by cooperative interactions of a biological phase transition. The observation that the kinetics of the firefly light system differ in the living cell from those in the purified system suggests that in the living system supramolecular factors control the rate of the reaction.     

Relative abundances of living and dead molluscs in two Californian lagoons

Assemblages of living benthic invertebrates (predominantly bivalve molluscs) from the sand-channel habitat of two Southern California (U.S.A.) lagoons were sampled on ten occasions over a 37-month period. A one-time sampling of the corresponding assemblages of accumulating dead remains made possible a contrast of living and dead assemblages designed to assess the biasing effects of post-mortem transportation, shell dissolution, and time-averaging. Species-by-species comparisons of the living and dead molluscs found together in the same samples strongly suggested that post-mortem transportation is insignificant within this high-energy habitat. A similar conclusion arose from contrasting the pattern of spatial heterogeneity of the living community with that of the dead assemblage. Species presence-and-absence comparisons were generally more reliable than comparisons of relative abundances. Adjustments for experimentally determined rates of post-mortem shell dissolution proved significant and further decreased the correspondence in relative abundances between living and dead assemblages. Greater temporal variability of living populations at Mugu Lagoon, probably caused by a more harsh physical environment, increased the differences in composition between living and dead assemblages, which suggests that correspondence in relative abundances between living and dead assemblages generally should be expected to decrease as the life environment becomes more harsh.     

海洋生态资本理论框架下海洋生物资源的存量评估

海洋生态资本是能够直接或间接作用于人类社会经济生产、提供有用的产品流或服务流的海洋生态资源。海洋生态资源包括海洋生物资源及其生境资源。海洋生态资源的存量价值由海洋生物资源存量价值和海洋生境资源存量价值构成。针对我国海洋生物资源的特征,在海洋生态资本理论框架下,提出了鱼类、贝类、甲壳类、头足类、大型海藻等主要海洋生物资源的存量价值评估技术方法,包括物质量评估和价值量评估。探讨了海洋生物资源单位价格确定、评估价值修正、评估方法的适用性、成本扣除等问题。     

The complex influence of environmental factors on the state of microcirculation

The state of microcirculation system and its regulation in peace and after growing physical activity is analyzed on people living in different ecological regions. There are three main types of microcirculation. The level of regulation mechanisms activity depends on the type of microcirculation, region of residence and the value of physical activity. People living in a relatively clean regions have stable mechanisms of regulation despite of the level of activity. Mesoemic type living in toxic radiation regions have reduced contribution of VLF and LF-fluctuation (p < 0.05); hypoemic type living in toxic regions have VLF and LF-fluctuation (p < 0.05); hyperemic type living in toxic regions have LF-fluctuation (p < 0.05). We can conclude the tension of regulatory machanisms in microcirculation system increases under ecological pressure and borders on failure of adaptation process.     

毛竹林植硅体碳封存速率估算的最佳鲜叶采样时间

本研究测定了毛竹林1年中不同月份现存鲜叶和凋落物的植硅体碳含量,通过比较不同月份鲜叶植硅体碳封存速率与全年凋落物植硅体碳封存速率,估算毛竹林植硅体碳封存速率的最佳鲜叶采样时间.结果表明: 毛竹鲜叶中植硅体和植硅体碳含量分别为23.45～101.07 g·kg^-1和0.73～1.98 g·kg^-1,且不同月份间差异显著;不同月份毛竹鲜叶植硅体碳封存速率为0.75～7.68 kg·hm^-2·a^-1,最大值和最小值分别出现在12月和4月,且差异显著;2月和12月毛竹鲜叶植硅体碳封存速率与全年凋落物植硅体碳封存速率之间无显著差异,可将2月和12月作为估算毛竹林植硅体碳封存速率的最佳采样月份.     

Effects of BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) Vaccines on Immune Responses in Mice

The effects of killed and living BCG on antibody production against hamster erythrocytes (HRBC) and the 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenyl (TNP) group were studied in SL mice. Killed and living BCG, each in doses of 0.008 mg, 0.08 mg, 0.8 mg and 8 mg per mouse, were intravenously inoculated 7 days prior to primary immunization with HRBC. Secondary immunization was carried out 28 days later with TNP-HRBC. Anti-HRBC and anti-TNP antibodies were estimated by a hemagglutination test. The results showed that pretreatment with killed or living BCG enhanced the antibody production against both HRBC and TNP. Comparing the effects of these two BCG preparations, it was noted that killed BCG augmented the anti-HRBC antibody production more effectively than living BCG. In regard to the anti-TNP antibody production, living BCG exhibited a greater augmenting effect than killed BCG. This difference in the modes of action of killed and living BCG was remarkable when two groups given 8 mg of killed and living BCG were compared. In addition, it was shown that living BCG at a dose as high as 8 mg was able to augment the anti-TNP antibody production, even in the absence of preceding immunization with HRBC.     

How many species of algae are there? A reprise. Four kingdoms, 14 phyla, 63 classes and still growing

To date (1 November 2023), the online database AlgaeBase has documented 50,589 species of living algae and 10,556 fossil species here referred to four kingdoms (Eubacteria, Chromista, Plantae, and Protozoa), 14 phyla, and 63 classes. The algae are the third most speciose grouping of plant-like organisms after the flowering plants (≈382,000 species) and fungi (≈170,000 species, including lichens) but are the least well defined of all the botanical groupings. Priority is given to phyla and class names that are familiar to phycologists and that are nomenclaturally valid. The most species-rich phylum is the Heterokontophyta to which 18 classes are referred with 21,052 living species and which is dominated by the diatoms in three classes with 18,673 species (16,427 living; 2239 fossil). The next most species-rich phyla are the red algae (7276 living), the green algae (6851 living), the blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria, 5723 living), the charophytes (4950 living, including the Charophyceae, 511 species living, and the Zygnematophyceae, 4335 living species), Dinoflagellata (2956 living, including the Dinophyceae, 2828 extant), and haptophytes (Haptophyta 1722 species, 517 living).     

Characteristics of the immune response of children in the Arctic to live measles vaccine

The intensity of immune response to live measles vaccine varies in children living in different climatic and geographical regions. The least intensive immunogenesis is registered in children living in the Arctic regions. The level of seroconversion in children living in these regions rises in response to measles vaccine containing a 10-fold amount of the virus per immunization dose.     

青藏高原高寒草甸群落特征和代表性植物生存状态对草地退化的响应

植物群落和代表性植物的生存状态是反映草地退化程度的重要标志之一。以青海省果洛州玛沁县的未退化、轻度退化、中度退化、重度退化和极度退化的高寒草甸为研究对象,分析了植物群落特征、代表性植物地上性状及生存状态对退化程度的响应。结果表明:群落物种组成由禾本科、莎草科过渡到杂类草,Shannon多样性指数、Simpson优势度指数、Pielou均匀度指数先平稳变化后降低,群落平均高度、Patrick丰富度均先增加后降低,群落盖度依次降低,群落特征指标均在极度退化时最低(P<0.05);总体来看,与轻度退化样地相比,中度退化、重度退化和极度退化样地的植物株高均显著降低,分别降低了6.8%、36.8%和31.6%(P<0.05);生存状态指数表现为小嵩草(Kobresia pygmaea)逐渐降低,山地早熟禾(Poa orinosa)和垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans)的生存状态指数分别在轻度退化和中度退化时最高,肉果草(Lancea tibetica)和黄帚橐吾(Ligularia virgaurea)的生存状态指数分别在重度退化和极度退化样地中最大。说明高寒草甸退化导致群落特征...     

Fundamental taboos of biology

This paper formulates some taboos relating to living systems and cognition of these systems: in nature, there exist no two identical living complex multicellular organisms; there is no way to create an exact copy of a multicellular organism; there is no way to obtain two identical clones of a unicellular organism if they contain a sufficiently large number of cells; based on comparing present-day organisms, it is impossible to restore the structure of the first living cell and the processes that have led to its emergence; it is impossible to create a living cell from its separate simple constituents; the mechanisms determining cell vitality are essentially incognizable.     

Cadmium Profiles in Dental Calculus: a Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study in Hunan Province of China

We aimed to investigate whether the cadmium concentrations differ in human dental calculus obtained from the residents with no smoking living in the contaminated area and those with no smoking living in noncontaminated area. In total, there were 260 samples of dental calculus from the adults (n?=?50) with no smoking living in contaminated area, the adults (n?=?60) with no smoking living in mountainous area, and the adults (n?=?150) with no smoking living in low altitude area in Hunan province of China. All samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for cadmium levels. The cadmium levels in dental calculus were significantly higher in the adults with no smoking living in contaminated area than those living in mountainous area and in low altitude area (p?<?0.01). The cadmium levels in dental calculus were also higher in the adults with no smoking living in low altitude area than those living in mountainous region (p?<?0.01). The results suggested that measuring cadmium levels in dental calculus may be a useful noninvasive method for analysis of environmental exposure to cadmium in the human oral cavity. The low altitude region may have an area contaminated with cadmium in Hunan province of China.     

Words of intimacy: re-membering the dead in Buntao'

Based on fieldwork among the Sa'dan Toraja of Indonesia, this article examines a specific relationship between the living and the dead. It is a relationship which is usually described in terms of intimacy. Within this intimacy, the living and the dead are described as sharing the same desires. Furthermore, as far as the living are concerned, these desires have to be expressed in words and acted out in the form of mortuary sacrifices. In this way, the living are said to remember the dead. My discussion focuses on the implications of this memory.