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  • Book
  • © 2013

Infobiotics

Information in Biotic Systems

Authors:

  • Introduction to and recent research in discrete biomathematics
  • Presents new approaches in discrete biomathematics at borders between biology, discrete mathematics, and computer science
  • Presents an integrated way to make the subject accessible to a number of audiences

Part of the book series: Emergence, Complexity and Computation (ECC, volume 3)

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages 1-15
  2. Topics in Discrete Biomathematics

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Discrete Information and Life

      • Vincenzo Manca
      Pages 3-26
    3. Strings and Genomes

      • Vincenzo Manca
      Pages 27-105
    4. Algorithms and Biorhythms

      • Vincenzo Manca
      Pages 107-168
    5. Life Strategies

      • Vincenzo Manca
      Pages 169-211
  3. Discrete Mathematical Backgrounds

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 213-213
    2. Numbers and Measures

      • Vincenzo Manca
      Pages 215-271
    3. Languages and Grammars

      • Vincenzo Manca
      Pages 273-307
    4. Combinations and Chances

      • Vincenzo Manca
      Pages 309-368
  4. Back Matter

    Pages 369-384

About this book

The book presents topics in discrete biomathematics. Mathematics has been widely used in modeling biological phenomena. However, the molecular and discrete nature of basic life processes suggests that their logic follow principles that are intrinsically based on discrete and informational mechanisms. The ultimate reason of  polymers, as key element of life, is directly based on the computational power of strings, and the intrinsic necessity of metabolism is related to the mathematical notion of multiset.

 

The switch of the two roots of bioinformatics suggests a change of perspective. In bioinformatics, the biologists ask computer scientists to assist them in processing biological data. Conversely, in infobiotics mathematicians and computer scientists investigate principles and theories yielding new interpretation keys of biological phenomena. Life is too important to be investigated by biologists alone, and though computers are essential to process data from biological laboratories, many fundamental questions about life can be appropriately answered by a perspicacious intervention of mathematicians, computer scientists, and physicists, who will complement the work of chemists, biochemists, biologists, and medical investigators.

 

The volume is organized in seven chapters. The first part is devoted to research topics (Discrete information and life, Strings and genomes, Algorithms and Biorhythms, Life Strategies), the second one to mathematical backgrounds (Numbers and Measures, Languages and Grammars, Combinations and Chances).

Reviews

From the reviews:

Selected by Computing Reviews as one of the Best Reviews & Notable Books of 2013

“The book takes an informational perspective toward understanding biological systems. … the book is very well written and provides a good introduction to models of cellular behavior using P and MP systems. It also provides a useful background in mathematical topics such as number theory and formal grammars … .” (Sara Kalvala, Computing Reviews, October, 2013)

Authors and Affiliations

  • , Dipartimento di Informatica, Universita' degli Studi di Verona, Verona, Italy

    Vincenzo Manca

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access