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The symposium, "Symmetries in Science IV: Biological and Biophysical Systems," was held at Schloss Hofen, Vorarlberg, during the period July 24-27, 1989. Its purpose was to promote interaction between scientists working in the area of biological-biophysical research with scientists working in physics, mathematical physics, and mathematics. Reviews in the field of biological-biophysical research were presented by the participants, and subsequently these presentations were analyzed by the interdisciplinary group in a workshop and by means of round table dis cussions. This volume contains the review presentations as a means of making this subject available to the general scientific community. The symposium was co-sponsored by: Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Land Vorarlberg U.S. Office of Naval Research, London We wish to thank these institutions for their support. Moreover, we wish to thank the following individuals: Dr. John C. Guyon, President Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Dr. Benjamin A. Shepherd Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Dr. Martin Purtscher Landeshauptmann des Landes Vorarlberg Dr. Guntram Lins Landesrat des Landes Vorarlberg Dr. Hubert Regner Vorstand der Abt. Volksausbildung und Wissenschaft Their generous support and steady encouragement has made Symposium IV possible.
List of contents
Symmetry in Synthetic and Natural Peptides.- Local and Global Model of Fibonacci Plant Symmetries.- Structures, Forms, Patterns, and Perception: A Brain-Theoretic Point of View.- The Emergence of Living Functions from Molecules.- Biomolecular Handedness and the Weak Interaction.- Nonlocality and Symmetry in Quantum Mechanics versus Localizability and Symmetry-Breaking in Protobiology.- Evolutionary Meanings of the Primary and Secondary Structures of the "UR-RNA," a Primitive Possibly Self-Replicating Ribo-Organism Commonly Ancestral to tRNAs, 5S-rRNA, and Virusoids.- Influence of Nucleic Acid on Racemisation of Peptide Synthesis by Water Soluble Carbodiimide and its Relevance to the Origin of Genetic Code.- Asymmetry and the Origin of Life.- Some Ideas on Evolution and Symmetry Breaking of Biosphere on Earth.- Origin of Trace Element Requirements by Living Matter.
