14 Oscillations, Rhythms and Synchronized Time Bases …
227
at a maintained low entropy condition; it also questions the proposal that metabolic
reactions are essentially dissipative.
14.1.2 Metabolic Fluxes, Flows and Turnover of Constituents
and Component Organelles
Claude Bernard’s classic monograph ([9], translated in 1927) of the control mechanisms dictating the constancy of the milieu intérieur, set a standard for physiologists considering the persistent and robust maintenance of a mean composition of
body fluids. This philosophy was perpetuated and developed by Cannon [14] as ‘the
wisdom of the body’ and he introduced the useful concept of ‘homeostasis’ as an
overarching natural balanced consequence. However, Yates [162] has emphasised
the essentially dynamic condition of enzyme-catalysed reactions in networks and
cycles, and advocated the term, homeodynamic to more precisely describe living
systems [100].
14.1.3 Time Domains of Living Systems
A dynamic concept at the whole cell level was analysed by Gilbert [33], and hypothetical relationships between differentiation, the cell division cycle, and oncogenesis
were modeled with a mathematical rigour. At this date it was also proposed that in
early sea urchin embryos, the observed hourly rhythms of amino acid incorporation
into proteins could be ascribed to mechanisms involving cytoplasmic regulators, e.g.,
non-protein thiols [116, 117].
The postulate of ‘homeostasis’ has overshadowed the recognition of the fundamental and basic importance of the ‘harmonious organization’ of life, [61, 62],
whereby the simplistic static condition concept is refined to indicate the ceaseless
dynamism of the ‘milieu intérieur’ as oscillatory states on many temporal scales.
Thus it must be realised that ‘constancy’ is a relative term [100], and that time-scales
must be considered; oscillatory performance is common.
Figure 14.1 indicates much of what is known of the frequency ranges (about their
mean values) of the human rhythmical functions in repose, as well as under functional
effort (horizontally hatched).
Sel’kov [148] revived and applied mathematical modeling to the important
concept of the of redox cycling involving thiol-disulphide compounds as proposed
by Rapkine [140], and extended the model to the pathophysiology of the aberrant
growth of tumours. In a series of sole-authored papers, Gilbert [33–38], further developed his own highly original ideas on the living state and modeled inter-dependence
of normal and cancerous states of this transition, cellular differentiation and senescence as series of dynamic bifurcations: this was a seminal series of publications.
227
at a maintained low entropy condition; it also questions the proposal that metabolic
reactions are essentially dissipative.
14.1.2 Metabolic Fluxes, Flows and Turnover of Constituents
and Component Organelles
Claude Bernard’s classic monograph ([9], translated in 1927) of the control mechanisms dictating the constancy of the milieu intérieur, set a standard for physiologists considering the persistent and robust maintenance of a mean composition of
body fluids. This philosophy was perpetuated and developed by Cannon [14] as ‘the
wisdom of the body’ and he introduced the useful concept of ‘homeostasis’ as an
overarching natural balanced consequence. However, Yates [162] has emphasised
the essentially dynamic condition of enzyme-catalysed reactions in networks and
cycles, and advocated the term, homeodynamic to more precisely describe living
systems [100].
14.1.3 Time Domains of Living Systems
A dynamic concept at the whole cell level was analysed by Gilbert [33], and hypothetical relationships between differentiation, the cell division cycle, and oncogenesis
were modeled with a mathematical rigour. At this date it was also proposed that in
early sea urchin embryos, the observed hourly rhythms of amino acid incorporation
into proteins could be ascribed to mechanisms involving cytoplasmic regulators, e.g.,
non-protein thiols [116, 117].
The postulate of ‘homeostasis’ has overshadowed the recognition of the fundamental and basic importance of the ‘harmonious organization’ of life, [61, 62],
whereby the simplistic static condition concept is refined to indicate the ceaseless
dynamism of the ‘milieu intérieur’ as oscillatory states on many temporal scales.
Thus it must be realised that ‘constancy’ is a relative term [100], and that time-scales
must be considered; oscillatory performance is common.
Figure 14.1 indicates much of what is known of the frequency ranges (about their
mean values) of the human rhythmical functions in repose, as well as under functional
effort (horizontally hatched).
Sel’kov [148] revived and applied mathematical modeling to the important
concept of the of redox cycling involving thiol-disulphide compounds as proposed
by Rapkine [140], and extended the model to the pathophysiology of the aberrant
growth of tumours. In a series of sole-authored papers, Gilbert [33–38], further developed his own highly original ideas on the living state and modeled inter-dependence
of normal and cancerous states of this transition, cellular differentiation and senescence as series of dynamic bifurcations: this was a seminal series of publications.