sabato 25 settembre 2010
Biovitalismo
Grazie,
Edoardo
domenica 7 giugno 2009
SONNET - “TO SCIENCE” by Edgar Allan Poe

sabato 6 giugno 2009
THE IBIOCAT’S BOOK CORNER- “BIOCATALYSIS RESEARCH PROGRESS”

Publisher: Nova Science Pub Inc (30 November 2008)
Imprint: Nova Science Pub Inc
Format: Hardback, 365pp
ISBN-13: 9781604566192
Edition: 1
Book Description:
(Laura Pastorino, Department of Communication, Computer and System Sciences, University of Genova, Svetlana Erokhina, Department of Physics, University of Parma, Italy)
For more information please visit:
mercoledì 3 giugno 2009
JACOB BRONOWSKI, A QUOTE FROM "SCIENCE AND HUMAN VALUES"

Paul Klee - Landscape with Yellow Birds, 1923
"I set out to show that there exists single creative activity,which is displayed alike in the arts and in the sciences.It is wrong to think of science as a mechanical record of facts, and it is wrong to think of the arts as remote and private fancies. What makes each human, what makes them universal, is the stamp of the creative mind."
Jacob Bronowski, Science and Human Values (1956) - New York: Julian Messner, Inc. (Ch.2 - The Habit of Truth)
About Jacob Bronowski:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Bronowski
sabato 16 maggio 2009
LEV NIKOLAEVIČ TOLSTOJ ON ART AND SCIENCE

Umberto Boccioni- Visioni simultaneee (Nedersachsisches Landesmuseum Hannover)
“…Astronomical, physical, chemical, and biological science, as also technical and medical science, will be studied only in so far as they can help to free mankind form religious, juridical, or social deceptions, or can serve to promote the well-being of all men and not of any single class.
Only then will science cease to be what is now- on the one hand a system of sophistries needed for the maintenance of the existing worn-out order of society, and on the other hand a shapeless mass of miscellaneous knowledge for the most part good for little or nothing – and become a shapely and organic whole having a definite and reasonable purpose comprehensible to all men, namely, that of bringing to the consciousness of men the truths that flow from the religious perception of our times.
And only then will art, which is always dependent on science, be what it might and should be, an organ co-equally important with science for the life and progress of mankind.
Art is not a pleasure, a solace, an amusement; art is a great matter. Art is an organ of human life transmitting man’s reasonable perception into feeling. In our age the common religious perception of men is the consciousness of the brotherhood of man - we know that the well-being of man lies in union with his fellow-men. True science should indicate the various methods of applying this consciousness of life. Art should transform this perception into feeling.
The task of art is enormous. Through the influence of real art, aided by science, guided by religion, that peaceful co-operation of man which is now maintained by external means, - by our law-courts, police, charitable institutions, factory inspection, and so forth, - should be obtained by man’s free and joyous activity.
Art should cause violence to be set aside.
And it is only art that can accomplish this”.
From: Leo Tolstoy, What Is Art And Essays on Art, READ BOOKS, 2006 (Originally published in 1930) ISBN 1846644674, 9781846644672- pp. 286-287.
domenica 10 maggio 2009
GREEN QUOTE FOR TODAY- MAY 10, 2009

(Fractal image by Philippe de Courcy, no copyrights)
martedì 5 maggio 2009
THE IBIOCAT’S BOOK CORNER-“PRACTICAL BIOTRANSFORMATIONS- A BEGINNER'S GUIDE"
Title: Practical Biotransformations - A Beginner′s Guide Author: Gideon Grogan
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Year: 2009
Series: Postgraduate Chemistry Series
Format: Paperback, 344pp
ISBN-13: 9781405171250
ISBN-10: 1405171251
Book description
Biotransformations are reactions catalysed by either enzymes or microbes which are of potential use to preparative synthetic chemistry. Biotransformation science can include microbiological and biochemical techniques with which the organic chemist is unfamiliar, and can result in significant research and economic benefits.
The book is aimed at organic chemistry postgraduates and researchers in both academia and industry who are aware of the existence of biotransformation methodology, and of its potential value, but do not know how to begin to implement the relevant experimental techniques in the laboratory. It is written in an accessible and user–friendly way that should facilitate the introduction of biocatalysis in to some new labs.
For more information please visit the Publisher's Website: Wiley-Blackwell
venerdì 1 maggio 2009
GREEN QUOTE FOR TODAY- May 1st, 2009

domenica 26 aprile 2009
LIFE MUSIC: THE SONIFICATION OF PROTEINS



(From left to right: 3D molecular structure of enzymes Alcohol-Dehydrogenase, Trioso-Phosphate Isomerase, Lysozyme C )
A few years ago, artist John Dunn and biologist Mary Anne Clark collaborated on the sonification of protein data to produce the audio CD "Life Music." “When we began the protein music project, we wanted to convey both something about primary aminoacid sequence and something about the folding patterns of proteins. Our goal was to create an audio CD album that would stand on its own as art music, and at the same time offer empirical proof of the esthetic patterning of nature’s deep structure”.
In the following article, authors describe the process by which this collaboration merges scientific knowledge and artistic expression to produce soundscapes from these basic building blocks of life, that may be encountered as esthetic experiences, as scientific inquiry, or both. The rationale for both artistic use of the science and scientific use of the art is described from the separate viewpoints of artist and scientist.
Life Music: The Sonification of Proteins by John Dunn and Mary Anne Clark
http://lea.mit.edu/isast/articles/lifemusic.html
Protein Music Samples (Pieces from the Life Music CD).
In each piece below, pitch is determined by aminoacid identity. The structural features of the protein are emphasized by choosing instrumentation according to protein folding pattern, with different instruments representing regions of alpha-helix, beta-strands and turns. In some pieces, different instruments may identify functional domains of the protein.
Enjoy!
- Alcohol Dehydrogenase Listen! http://whozoo.org/mac/Music/adh.ra
- Triose Phosphate Isomerase Listen! http://whozoo.org/mac/Music/tpi2x.ra
Learn more about protein music by reading Protein Primer: A Musical Introduction to Protein Structure and visiting the Website http://whozoo.org/mac/Music/index.htm
giovedì 23 aprile 2009
THE IBIOCAT’S BOOK CORNER: “ENZYME BIOCATALYSIS: PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS”
Enzyme BiocatalysisPrinciples and Applications
Edited by: Andrés Illanes
Publisher: SPNL (8 July 2008 - Dordrecht, Netherlands)
Imprint: Springer
Format: Hardback, 408 pp
Audience
Researchers and students in biochemistry, biotechnology, genetic engineering; an excellent book for those working in the field of enzyme technology
Professional and scholarly
Book Description
The book is intended to provide a sound basis for enzyme reactor design based on kinetic principles, and give an updated vision of the potentials and limitations of enzyme biocatalysis, especially with respect to recent applications in processes of organic synthesis. The book is structured in the form of a textbook that goes from basic principles of enzyme structure and function to reactor design for homogeneous systems with soluble enzymes, and heterogeneous systems with insolubilized enzymes. It contains an introductory chapter that gives an updated overview of enzyme technology, a chapter on enzyme production focused on large-scale operations, two chapters devoted to homogeneous and heterogeneous enzyme kinetics and a chapter on enzyme reactor design and operation based on enzyme kinetics principles, mass transfer limitations and enzyme inactivation. The book is complemented with case studies of biocatalytic processes of industrial relevance or potential, written by experts in those fields. Applications of proteases, acylases, lipases, aldolases and dehydrogenases in reactions of organic synthesis, and peroxidases in the degradation of recalcitrant organic compounds, are used as selected examples to illustrate the realities and potentials of enzymes as process catalysts.
Introduction (Andrés Illanes)2. Enzyme Production (Andrés Illanes) 3. Homogeneous Enzyme Kinetics (Andres Illanes, Claudia Altamirano, Lorena Wilson) 4. Heterogeneous Enzyme Kinetics (Andres Illanes, Roberto Fernández-Lafuente, José Manuel Guisán, Lorena Wilson) 5. Enzyme Reactors (Andrés Illanes, Claudia Altamirano) 6. Study Cases of Enzymatic Processes6.1. Proteases as catalysts for peptide synthesis (Sonia Barberis, Fanny Guzmán, Josep López-Santín) 6.2. Synthesis of ß-lactam antibiotics with penicillin acylases (Andrés Illanes, Lorena Wilson) 6.3. Chimioselective esterification of wood sterols with lipases (Gregorio Alvaro, Andrés Illanes) 6.4. Oxidoreductases as powerful biocatalysts for green chemistry José Manuel Guisán, Roberto Fernández-Lafuente, Lorena Wilson, César Mateo) 6.5. Use of aldolases for asymmetric synthesis (Josep López-Santín, Gregorio Alvaro, Pere Clapés) 6.6. Application of enzymatic reactors for the degradation of highly and poorly soluble recalcitrant compounds (Juan M. Lema et al.)
http://www.books-express.co.uk/book/9781402083600/Enzyme-Biocatalysis.html
mercoledì 22 aprile 2009
22 APRILE 2009 - AUGURI A RITA LEVI MONTALCINI, CENTO ANNI DI SCIENZA E COSCIENZA
«Il fattore più importante dell' esistenza umana, diceva Einstein, è la creazione di un fine. E' necessario un grande sforzo interiore, da parte delle comunità di persone libere, per liberarsi dell'eredità di istinti antisociali e distruttivi. L'uso delle capacità intellettuali, basate su principi morali, dà contenuto e significato alla vita».martedì 21 aprile 2009
IBIOCAT SCIENCE&ART- INTRODUCING PHILIP SCHOFIELD, ART-SCIENTIST

Dr. Philip Schofield is a Conjoint Professor in the School of Fine Art at the University of Newcastle. Prior to that he was an Associate Professor in Biochemistry at the University of N.S.W. domenica 19 aprile 2009
GREEN QUOTE FOR TODAY April 19, 2009

Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977), from Speak, Memory
(Please note that this image of the brainstem of a Brainbow mouse, by Jean Livet of Harvard University, awarded 1st prize in the 2007 Olympus Bioscapes International Digital Imaging Competition).
sabato 18 aprile 2009
ECOSEARCH.COM: IL MOTORE DI RICERCA ECOLOGICO

giovedì 16 aprile 2009
THE BOOK CORNER - “MULTI-SCALE QUANTUM MODELS FOR BIOCATALYSIS: MODERN TECHNIQUES AND APPLICATIONS"

Multi-scale Quantum Models for Biocatalysis: Modern Techniques and Applications
Series: Challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry and Physics , Vol. 7
York, Darrin M.; Lee, Tai-Sung (Eds.)
Publisher: Springer
2009, Approx. 600 p., Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-4020-9955-7
About this book
Multi-scale Quantum Models for Biocatalysis: Modern Techniques and Applications explores various molecular modelling techniques and their applications in providing an understanding of the detailed mechanisms at play during biocatalysis in enzyme and ribozyme systems. These areas are reviewed by an international team of experts in theoretical, computational chemistry, and biophysics.
This book has three sections that group together different aspects of multi-scale quantum simulations. The first section consists of four chapters that describe strategies for multi-scale quantum models and present an overview of the current state-of-the-art molecular modelling methodologies most relevant to handling these complex systems with quantum mechanics and molecular simulation. With five chapters, the second section mainly focuses on the current efforts to improve the accuracy of quantum calculations using simplified empirical model forms. The last section consists of five chapters focused on the applications of important biological systems using multi-scale quantum models. This book presents detailed reviews concerning the development of various techniques, including ab initio molecular dynamics, density functional theory, combined QM/MM methods, solvation models, force field methods, and free-energy estimation techniques, as well as successful applications of multi-scale methods in the biocatalysis systems including several protein enzymes and ribozymes.
Multi-scale Quantum Models for Biocatalysis: Modern Techniques and Applications is an excellent source of information for research professionals involved in computational chemistry and physics, material science, nanotechnology, rational drug design and molecular biology. It is also likely to be of interest to graduate and undergraduate students exposed to these research areas.
Written for:
Researchers and students in computational chemistry and physics, materials science, nanotechnology, rational drug design and molecular biology.
Keywords: Biocatalysis; Free Energy Methods; Linear Scaling Techniques; Path Integrals; Polarizable Force Fields; QM/MM methods; Solvent Boundries ; abinitio MD
For more information please visit: http://www.springer.com/chemistry/book/978-1-4020-9955-7
mercoledì 15 aprile 2009
Art and Science Converge: The Periodic Table Printmaking Project

Ninety-seven printmakers of all experience levels, have joined together to produce 118 prints in any medium: woodcut, linocut, monotype, etching, lithograph, silkscreen, or any combination. The end result is a periodic table of elements intended to promote both science and the arts.
You can view the full table in its glory here: Web Table of Elements
The Periodic Table Printmaking Project at a glance:
- 97 printmakers
- 7 countries - Australia, Canada, England, Italy, Japan, Scotland, United States
- 29 states & Puerto Rico from the US are represented - Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
For more information please visit the Periodic Table Printmaking Project website.
venerdì 10 aprile 2009
DEDICATO ALLE VITTIME DEL TERREMOTO IN ABRUZZO

[ J943 (1864) / F890 (1864)]
A Coffin - is a small Domain,
A Grave - is a restricted Breadth -
To Him who on it's small Repose
Emily Dickinson
Una Bara - è un esiguo Dominio,
[ J943 (1864) / F890 (1864)]
Una Bara - è un esiguo Dominio,
Una Tomba - è una ristretta Estensione -
A Colui che in quell'esiguo Riposo
Emily Dickinson
(Traduzione italiana di Giuseppe Ierolli)
