Complexity Digest 2007.22 Archive: http://comdig.unam.mx "I think the next century will be the century of complexity." Stephen Hawking, 2000 _________________________________________________________________ 01. Dangerous History - The Genetic Secrets Of A Savvy Killer, Science News 01.01. China Sentences Former Drug Regulator to Death, NY Times 02. Mathematics: Cognitive Supports for Analogies in the Mathematics Classroom, Science 02.01. The Educated Giant, NY Times 03. Visual Language Discrimination in Infancy, Science 04. Einstein Researchers' Discover 'Radiation-Eating' Fungi, Innovations-report 04.01. Dark Power: Pigment Seems To Put Radiation To Good Use, Science News 05. A New Wrinkle In Evolution -- Man-Made Proteins, Innovations-report 06. DNA Sequencing: A New Window On How Genomes Work, Science 06.01. Gene Quest - Clues To Disease Culled From 3 Billion Bits Of DNA, Boston Globe 06.02. Gene Tweak Makes Mice Smarter, Reuters 07. Cell Signaling: A Touching Response to Damage, Science 08. Myosin V Walks by Lever Action and Brownian Motion, Science 08.01. Biophysics: Bending Over To Attract, Nature 09. Brainstorming About The Brain, SFGate.com 09.01. Book Report: The Brain: Malleable, Capable, Vulnerable, NY Times 10. Plans Forge Ahead For Better Weather Monitoring, Nature 10.01. Concept Oceanography: Power Of Pull, Nature 11. Applied Physics: One Electron Makes Current Flow, Science 11.01. An On-Demand Coherent Single-Electron Source, Science 12. Single-Molecule Biophysics: At The Interface Of Biology, Physics And Chemistry, Interface 12.01. Single-Molecule Experiments in Vitro and in Silico, Science 13. The Complex Language Of Chromatin Regulation During Transcription, Nature 14. How Synaptotagmin Promotes Membrane Fusion, Science 15. Evolutionary Self-Organization In Complex Fluids, Phil. Tran. Biol. Sc. 15.01. Condensed-Matter Physics: A Superfluid Is Born, Nature 16. A More Robust Grid for Manhattan, MIT Technology Review 17. Astronomy: Dark Matter in Galactic Collisional Debris, Science 18. Linux Foundation Fires Back at Microsoft, Business Week 19. Complex Challenges: Global Terrorist Networks 19.01. Militants Widen Reach as Terror Seeps Out of Iraq, NY Times 20. Links & Snippets 20.01. Other Publications 20.02. Webcast Announcements 20.03. Conference Announcements 20.04. Other Announcements _________________________________________________________________ 01. Dangerous History - The Genetic Secrets Of A Savvy Killer , Science News Excerpts: FLOATING TB WARD. During a 1924 tuberculosis outbreak in New York City, infected children were kept in isolation on ferries in hopes of limiting the spread of disease. For the children themselves, there was no medical treatment besides rest, fresh air, and wholesome food. Bettmann/CORBIS Throughout recorded time, tuberculosis has wrought death among the people infected and frustration among those trying to tame it. As recently as the 1950s, prescribed treatment included little more than rest, sunlight, and fresh air. Today, patients take powerful drug cocktails for months. Even so, tuberculosis kills more people each year than any infectious disease other than AIDS. (...) In recent years, DNA analyses and fossil finds have revealed a surprising diversity in the genetic makeup of M. tuberculosis. * [1] Dangerous History - The Genetic Secrets Of A Savvy Killer, Emily Sohn, 07/05/26, Science News [1] http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070526/bob9.asp _________________________________________________________________ 01.01. China Sentences Former Drug Regulator to Death , NY Times Excerpts: The unusually harsh sentence for the former director comes at a time of heightened concerns about the quality and safety of China's food and drug system after a series of scandals involving tainted food and phony drugs. China is also under mounting pressure to overhaul its food export controls after two Chinese companies were accused this year of shipping contaminated pet food ingredients to the United States, triggering one of the largest pet food recalls in United States history. * [2] China Sentences Former Drug Regulator to Death, David Barboza, 07/05/29, NYTimes [2] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/29/world/asia/29cnd-drug.html _________________________________________________________________ 02. Mathematics: Cognitive Supports for Analogies in the Mathematics Classroom , Science Excerpts: (...) American teachers introduced conceptually connected, rich problems at rates similar to teachers from higher-achieving countries. However, they engaged students in complex connected reasoning and problem-solving substantially less often. One sophisticated reasoning practice available to children is the use of analogy and similar relational comparisons, (...). Analogy allows students to use commonalities between mathematical representations to help understand new problems or concepts, thereby contributing to integral components of mathematical proficiency. (...) Mathematics teachers in the United States commonly introduce analogy-based instruction in their lessons, but not always in ways that encourage active reasoning by the students. * [3] Mathematics: Cognitive Supports for Analogies in the Mathematics Classroom, Lindsey E. Richland, Osnat Zur, Keith J. Holyoak, 07/05/252, Science : 1128-1129. [3] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1128 _________________________________________________________________ 02.01. The Educated Giant , NY Times Excerpts: With China's trade surplus with the United States soaring, the tendency in the U.S. will be to react with tariffs and other barriers. But instead we should take a page from the Chinese book and respond by boosting education. One reason China is likely to overtake the U.S. as the world's most important country in this century is that China puts more effort into building human capital than we do. * [4] The Educated Giant, Nicholas D. Kristof, 07/05/28, NYTimes [4] http://select.nytimes.com/2007/05/28/opinion/28kristof.html _________________________________________________________________ 03. Visual Language Discrimination in Infancy , Science Excerpts: Before they are 8 months old, infants can tell whether someone is speaking French or English just by watching the speaker's face, but afterward they lose this ability. * [5] Visual Language Discrimination in Infancy, Whitney M. Weikum, Athena Vouloumanos, Jordi Navarra, Salvador Soto-Faraco, N?ria Sebasti?n-Gall?s, Janet F. Werker, 07/05/25, Science : 1159. [5] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1159 _________________________________________________________________ 04. Einstein Researchers' Discover 'Radiation-Eating' Fungi , Innovations-report Excerpts: Scientists have long assumed that fungi exist mainly to decompose matter into chemicals that other organisms can then use. But researchers (...) have found evidence that fungi possess a previously undiscovered talent with profound implications: the ability to use radioactivity as an energy source for making food and spurring their growth. "The fungal kingdom comprises more species than any other plant or animal kingdom, so finding that they're making food in addition to breaking it down means that Earth's energetics-in particular, the amount of radiation energy being converted to biological energy-may need to be recalculated," says (...). * [6] Einstein Researchers' Discover 'Radiation-Eating' Fungi: Finding Could Trigger Recalculation Of Earth's Energy Balance And Help Feed Astronauts, 2007/05/23, Innovations-report * Contributed by [7] Atin Das [6] http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/studies/report-84775.html [7] mailto:dasatin@yahoo.co.in _________________________________________________________________ 04.01. Dark Power: Pigment Seems To Put Radiation To Good Use , Science News Excerpts: TAN CELL. A dark melanin layer surrounds a Cryptococcus neoformans cell. Under intense radiation, the fungus grows faster than normal. J. Nosanchuk/PLoS ONE * [8] Dark Power: Pigment Seems To Put Radiation To Good Use, Davide Castelvecchi, 07/05/26, Science News [8] http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070526/fob5.asp _________________________________________________________________ 05. A New Wrinkle In Evolution -- Man-Made Proteins , Innovations-report Excerpts: Nature, through the trial and error of evolution, has discovered a vast diversity of life from what can only presumed to have been a primordial pool of building blocks. Inspired by this success, (...) is now trying to mimic the process of Darwinian evolution in the laboratory by evolving new proteins from scratch. Using new tricks of molecular biology, (...) have evolved several new proteins in a fraction of the 3 billion years it took nature. Their most recent results, (...) have led to some surprisingly new lessons on how to optimize proteins which have never existed in nature before, (...). * [9] A New Wrinkle In Evolution -- Man-Made Proteins, 2007/05/23, Innovations-report * Contributed by [10] Atin Das [9] http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-84779.html [10] mailto:dasatin@yahoo.co.in _________________________________________________________________ 06. DNA Sequencing: A New Window On How Genomes Work , Science Excerpts: New high-throughput sequencing machines are giving researchers unprecedented views of where and how proteins interact with DNA. Like viewing the planet through Google Earth, researchers are using these machines to swoop down on genomic neighborhoods to reveal details of the complex landscape of gene regulation: the places where proteins turn genes on or prevent them from being expressed. (...) Transcription factors turn the appropriate genes on and off. Some proteins, (...), grabbing onto and holding DNA in its characteristic spiral, closing genes down, or unwinding it to allow genes to function. * [11] DNA Sequencing: A New Window On How Genomes Work, Elizabeth Pennisi, 07/05/25, Science: 1120-1121. [11] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1120 _________________________________________________________________ 06.01. Gene Quest - Clues To Disease Culled From 3 Billion Bits Of DNA , Boston Globe Excerpts: Medical research is undergoing a sea change in its approach to linking genes to disease. Instead of hunting individual mutant genes -- a painstaking, expensive process -- researchers are more often turning to a bold, computer-driven technique that allows for fast, cheap scanning of vast regions of DNA for anomalies that can make people more susceptible to a disease or even directly trigger illness. It's not a diagnostic tool yet, but so-called "genome-wide association" research has over the past months produced dramatic results linking hitherto unexplored patches of genetic terrain with such common killers as heart disease and diabetes. * [12] Gene Quest - Clues To Disease Culled From 3 Billion Bits Of DNA, 07/05/21, Boston Globe [12] http://www.boston.com/news/globe/health_science/articles/2007/05/21/gene_quest/ _________________________________________________________________ 06.02. Gene Tweak Makes Mice Smarter , Reuters Excerpts: Turning off a gene that has been associated with Alzheimer's disease made mice smarter in the lab, researchers said on Sunday in a finding that lends new insight on learning and may lead to new drugs for memory problems. They said these mice were far more adept at sensing changes in their environment than their mouse brethren. * [13] Gene Tweak Makes Mice Smarter, Julie Steenhuysen, 07/05/27, Reuters [13] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070527.wbrainmice0527/BNStory/Science/home _________________________________________________________________ 07. Cell Signaling: A Touching Response to Damage , Science Excerpts: There are many things in day-to-day life that have the potential to cause mutations. (...). Despite this, the genetic information stored in DNA is remarkably stable. This is largely attributable to the existence of a complex cellular signaling network called the DNA damage response. Its role in maintaining genome integrity requires the integration of three general processes: sensing the damage, regulating the cell division cycle, and repairing DNA. The effectiveness of each, and their integration, relies heavily on the proper spatiotemporal dynamics of the components of this signaling network. * [14] Cell Signaling: A Touching Response to Damage, John H. J. Petrini, 07/05/25, Science: 1138-1139. [14] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1138 _________________________________________________________________ 08. Myosin V Walks by Lever Action and Brownian Motion , Science Abstract: Myosin V is a molecular motor that moves cargo along actin filaments. Its two heads, each attached to a long and relatively stiff neck, move alternately forward in a "hand-over-hand" fashion. To observe under a microscope how the necks move, we attached a micrometer-sized rod to one of the necks. The leading neck swings unidirectionally forward, whereas the trailing neck, once lifted, undergoes extensive Brownian rotation in all directions before landing on a site ahead of the leading head. The neck-neck joint is essentially free, and the neck motion supports a mechanism where the active swing of the leading neck biases the random motion of the lifted head to let it eventually land on a forward site. * [15] Myosin V Walks by Lever Action and Brownian Motion, Katsuyuki Shiroguchi , Kazuhiko Kinosita, Jr., 07/05/25, Science : 1208-1212. [15] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1208 _________________________________________________________________ 08.01. Biophysics: Bending Over To Attract , Nature Excerpts: What forces shape the membranes of the biological cell? A computer simulation indicates that it is the concerted effort of many proteins, mediated by the lipid bilayer that forms the membrane matrix. * [16] Biophysics: Bending Over To Attract, Michael M. Kozlov, 07/05/24, DOI: 10.1038/447387a, Nature 447, 387-389 [16] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7143/full/447387a.html _________________________________________________________________ 09. Brainstorming About The Brain , SFGate.com Excerpts: Entrepreneur pioneers systems to allow neuroscientists to share their discoveries Lynch envisions a neurotech drug arsenal that could not only conquer pain and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, but could also enhance empathy for others or speed thought to give some people a "neurocompetitive advantage." Many of those advances will come slowly, Lynch said. But others could arrive suddenly, he predicts -- creating new opportunities, new ethical conundrums and deep cultural changes. "We've learned more about the brain in the last five years than we did in the last 50 years," he said. * [17] Brainstorming About The Brain, Bernadette Tansey, 07/05/29, SFGate.com [17] http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/29/BUGUEQ1V0V1.DTL _________________________________________________________________ 09.01. Book Report: The Brain: Malleable, Capable, Vulnerable , NY Times Excerpts: Jacob Magraw Now sophisticated experimental techniques suggest the brain is more like a Disney-esque animated sea creature. Constantly oozing in various directions, it is apparently able to respond to injury with striking functional reorganization, and can at times actually think itself into a new anatomic configuration, in a kind of word-made-flesh outcome far more characteristic of Lourdes than the National Institutes of Health. * [18] Book Report: The Brain: Malleable, Capable, Vulnerable, Abigail Zuger, 07/05/29, NYTimes [18] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/29/health/29book.html _________________________________________________________________ 10. Plans Forge Ahead For Better Weather Monitoring , Nature Excerpts: Meteorologists are planning a coordinated global drive to recalibrate space-based measurements of the weather. (...) Even small temperature discrepancies, if undiscovered, can seriously disrupt the study of climate trends. "Inter-calibration has to be almost perfect if we want to look at climate trends ¡X otherwise the bias will be stronger than the signal you want to address," (...). "Cross-calibration is very much in our own interest," (...). "Ideally, what we would like to have is an operational system that could precisely define, and correct for, any orbital and instrumental biases in real time." * [19] Plans Forge Ahead For Better Weather Monitoring, Quirin Schiermeier, 07/05/24, DOI: 10.1038/447358b, Nature 447, 358-359 [19] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7143/full/447358b.html _________________________________________________________________ 10.01. Concept Oceanography: Power Of Pull , Nature Excerpts: As the complex interplay of forces in the ocean responds to climate change, the dynamics of global ocean circulation are shifting. (...) Push plays an obvious part in deep ocean circulation: if a deep, dense water reservoir grows in volume, its spread into all deep ocean basins will accelerate. But how does the water get from the surface to the depths? We began to see intriguing new direct measurements of vertical flows, capable of mixing fluid 'parcels' down to depths of 1 to 2 kilometres within a few hours, along with the first high-resolution computer models (basically upside-down cloud convection models) that could simulate this process in vivid detail. * [20] Concept Oceanography: Power Of Pull, Martin Visbeck, 07/05/24, DOI: 10.1038/447383a, Nature 447, 383 [20] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7143/full/447383a.html _________________________________________________________________ 11. Applied Physics: One Electron Makes Current Flow , Science Excerpts: Even the smallest components in a modern desktop computer use tens of thousands of electrons at a time to implement classical logic (the conventional 1s and 0s of binary computation). A computer that operated on single electrons, however, could in principle implement quantum logic functions (quantum bits or "qubits" that could perform computational tasks that are beyond the ability of classical computers). One proposed architecture for a single-electron computer could be realized in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), a special kind of reservoir in which electrons can travel without dissipation. * [21] Applied Physics: One Electron Makes Current Flow, Stephen Giblin, 07/05/25, Science : 1130-1131. [21] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1130 _________________________________________________________________ 11.01. An On-Demand Coherent Single-Electron Source , Science Abstract: We report on the electron analog of the single-photon gun. On-demand single-electron injection in a quantum conductor was obtained using a quantum dot connected to the conductor via a tunnel barrier. Electron emission was triggered by the application of a potential step that compensated for the dot-charging energy. Depending on the barrier transparency, the quantum emission time ranged from 0.1 to 10 nanoseconds. The single-electron source should prove useful for the use of quantum bits in ballistic conductors. Additionally, periodic sequences of single-electron emission and absorption generate a quantized alternating current. * [22] An On-Demand Coherent Single-Electron Source, G. Feve, A. Mahe, J.-M. Berroir, T. Kontos, B. Placais, D. C. Glattli, A. Cavanna, B. Etienne, Y. Jin, 07/05/25, Science : 1169-1172. [22] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1169 _________________________________________________________________ 12. Single-Molecule Biophysics: At The Interface Of Biology, Physics And Chemistry , Interface Excerpt: Single-molecule methods have matured into powerful and popular tools to probe the complex behaviour of biological molecules, due to their unique abilities to probe molecular structure, dynamics and function, unhindered by the averaging inherent in ensemble experiments. This review presents an overview of the burgeoning field of single-molecule biophysics, discussing key highlights and selected examples from its genesis to our projections for its future. Following brief introductions to a few popular single-molecule fluorescence and manipulation methods, we discuss novel insights gained from single-molecule studies in key biological areas ranging from biological folding to experiments performed in vivo. * [23] Single-Molecule Biophysics: At The Interface Of Biology, Physics And Chemistry, A. A. Deniz , S. Mukhopadhyay , E. A. Lemke, 2007/05/22, DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2007.1021, Interface * Contributed by [24] Atin Das [23] http://www.journals.royalsoc.ac.uk/content/0x116338np247206/?p=9af9ed70b4f44902bcfadd51bb1e0525&pi=0 [24] mailto:dasatin@yahoo.co.in _________________________________________________________________ 12.01. Single-Molecule Experiments in Vitro and in Silico , Science Abstract: Single-molecule force experiments in vitro enable the characterization of the mechanical response of biological matter at the nanometer scale. However, they do not reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying mechanical function. These can only be readily studied through molecular dynamics simulations of atomic structural models: "in silico" (by computer analysis) single-molecule experiments. Steered molecular dynamics simulations, in which external forces are used to explore the response and function of macromolecules, have become a powerful tool complementing and guiding in vitro single-molecule experiments. The insights provided by in silico experiments are illustrated here through a review of recent research in three areas of protein mechanics: elasticity of the muscle protein titin and the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin; linker-mediated elasticity of the cytoskeleton protein spectrin; and elasticity of ankyrin repeats, a protein module found ubiquitously in cells but with an as-yet unclear function. * [25] Single-Molecule Experiments in Vitro and in Silico, Marcos Sotomayor, Klaus Schulten , 07/05/25, Science : 1144-1148. [25] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1144 _________________________________________________________________ 13. The Complex Language Of Chromatin Regulation During Transcription , Nature Excerpts: An important development in understanding the influence of chromatin on gene regulation has been the finding that DNA methylation and histone post-translational modifications lead to the recruitment of protein complexes that regulate transcription. Early interpretations of this phenomenon involved gene regulation reflecting predictive activating or repressing types of modification. However, further exploration reveals that transcription occurs against a backdrop of mixtures of complex modifications, which probably have several roles. * [26] The Complex Language Of Chromatin Regulation During Transcription, Shelley L. Berger, 07/05/24, DOI: 10.1038/nature05915, Nature 447, 407-412 [26] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7143/abs/nature05915.html _________________________________________________________________ 14. How Synaptotagmin Promotes Membrane Fusion , Science Excerpts: A synaptic vesicle protein completes the final steps of membrane fusion by causing membrane curvature when triggered by a pulse of calcium. (...) We have shown that, (...) MC2D module promotes membrane fusion by (...) induction of membrane curvature, (...). MC2D-containing proteins are found throughout the eukaryotic kingdom and constitute a large protein superfamily (...). The promotion of membrane fusion by local induction of membrane curvature stress by MC2D-containing proteins may thus be a widespread phenomenon. * [27] How Synaptotagmin Promotes Membrane Fusion, Sascha Martens, Michael M. Kozlov, and Harvey T. McMahon, 07/05/25, DOI: 10.1126/science.1142614, Science: 1205-1208. [27] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1205 _________________________________________________________________ 15. Evolutionary Self-Organization In Complex Fluids , Phil. Tran. Biol. Sc. Excerpt: This paper explores the ability of molecular evolution to take control of collective physical phases, making the first decisive step from independent replicators towards cell-like collective structures. We develop a physical model of replicating combinatorial molecules in a ternary fluid of hydrocarbons, amphiphiles and water. Such systems are being studied experimentally in various laboratories to approach the synthesis of artificial cells, and are also relevant to the origin of cellular life. (...) We achieve a unified combinatorial framework for the description of isotropic families of spin-lattice models of complex phases, opening up the physical study of their evolution. * [28] Evolutionary Self-Organization In Complex Fluids, J. S. McCaskill , N. H. Packard , S. Rasmussen , M. A. Bedau, 2007/05/22, DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2007.2069, Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences * Contributed by [29] Atin Das [28] http://www.journals.royalsoc.ac.uk/content/y2k482233q3x8218/?p=63ab02241b8146838c5ad6a2eaf7702d&pi=1 [29] mailto:dasatin@yahoo.co.in _________________________________________________________________ 15.01. Condensed-Matter Physics: A Superfluid Is Born , Nature Excerpts: For most of its existence, a superfluid droplet leads an essentially innocuous, classical life. But intense scrutiny reveals that the birth of such droplets is a turbulent and unpredictable quantum affair. * [30] Condensed-Matter Physics: A Superfluid Is Born, Henk T. C. Stoof, 07/05/24, DOI: 10.1038/447390a, Nature 447, 390-391 [30] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7143/full/447390a.html _________________________________________________________________ 16. A More Robust Grid for Manhattan , MIT Technology Review Excerpts: Credit: American Superconductor Superconducting cables could make power-grid infrastructure more secure. Part of the power grid's shortcoming in New York City--as in many other parts of the country--is the lack of Internet-like cross connections, which would add reliability. The grid's endpoints are substations that typically serve tens of thousands of customers apiece. A single lightning strike or errant squirrel can burn out a substation, leaving tens of thousands of people in darkness until the utility can get the substation back online. * [31] A More Robust Grid for Manhattan, David Talbot, 07/05/29, MIT Technology Review [31] http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/18790/ _________________________________________________________________ 17. Astronomy: Dark Matter in Galactic Collisional Debris , Science Excerpts: The formation of dwarf galaxies has been difficult to understand because essentially all small galaxies have relatively large amounts of dark matter, usually 10 times the visible matter evident with optical and radio telescopes. However, collisional debris is not supposed to have dark matter. Galaxies should be born with their dark matter in equilibrium, having an orbital energy comparable to the gravitational potential energy. Giant spirals should therefore have dark-matter particles moving at high speeds. This means that small, weakly bound collisional debris cannot hold onto the dark matter from their former galaxies * [32] Astronomy: Dark Matter in Galactic Collisional Debris, Bruce G. Elmegreen, 07/05/25, Science : 1132-1133. [32] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5828/1132 _________________________________________________________________ 18. Linux Foundation Fires Back at Microsoft , Business Week Excerpts: If you earned $34 million a day from Windows and Office, you too would try to spook the market with patent threats (...) The Linux Foundation's membership comprises hundreds of companies, organizations, and individuals heavily invested in the continued success of a vibrant Linux ecosystem. Microsoft, our membership, and software users in general all know that a patent war guarantees only one sure outcome: The customer loses. Customers want choice and innovation. That's why open-source is winning. That's why Microsoft should embrace open-source to bolster competition in the marketplace. Competition will make us all better. Even Microsoft. * [33] Linux Foundation Fires Back at Microsoft, Jim Zemlin, 07/05/25, BusinessWeek [33] http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2007/tc20070525_325967.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_technology _________________________________________________________________ 19. Complex Challenges: Global Terrorist Networks _________________________________________________________________ 19.01. Militants Widen Reach as Terror Seeps Out of Iraq , NY Times Excerpts: The Iraq war, which for years has drawn militants from around the world, is beginning to export fighters and the tactics they have honed in the insurgency to neighboring countries and beyond, according to American, European and Middle Eastern government officials and interviews with militant leaders in Lebanon, Jordan and London. Some of the fighters appear to be leaving as part of the waves of Iraqi refugees crossing borders that government officials acknowledge they struggle to control. But others are dispatched from Iraq for specific missions. * [34] Militants Widen Reach as Terror Seeps Out of Iraq, Michael Moss, Souad Mekhennet, 07/05/28, NYTimes [34] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/28/world/middleeast/28exodus.html _________________________________________________________________ 20. Links & Snippets _________________________________________________________________ 20.01. Other Publications - Antigua Could Flout Copyright Laws: US Action Over Gambling Could Spark Copyright Fightback, 2007/05/25, vnunet.com - Flexible Genes Allow Ants To Change Destiny, 2007/05/24, Innovations-report - The Biodiversity And Ecology Of Antarctic Lakes: Models For Evolution, 2007/05/21, Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences, DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2006.1945 - Evolution And Biodiversity Of Antarctic Organisms: A Molecular Perspective, 2007/05/21, Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences, DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2006.1948 - New Adult Brain Cells May Be Central To Lifelong Learning, 2007/05/25, ScienceDaily & Cell Press - New Mouse Model Closely Mimics Human Cancers, 2007/05/25, ScienceDaily & Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - Mother Birds 'Engineer' Their Offspring, 2007/05/25, ScienceDaily & University of Chicago Press Journals - Essential Tones Of Music Rooted In Human Speech, 2007/05/25, ScienceDaily & Duke University - The Functional Role Of Biodiversity In Ecosystems: Incorporating Trophic Complexity, Jun. 2007, online 2007/04/23, Ecology Letters, DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01037.x - Scales Of Association: Hierarchical Linear Models And The Measurement Of Ecological Systems, Jun. 2007, online 2007/04/23, Ecology Letters, DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01036.x - A Weighted Voting Model Of Associative Memory, May 2007, online 2007/05/07, Neural Networks, IEEE Transactions, DOI: 10.1109/TNN.2007.891196 - A New Ecology: Systems Perspective, 2007/06/27, Elsevier Science Book Announcement _________________________________________________________________ 20.02. Webcast Announcements [35] Reseau Nationale des Systemes Complexes , (in French), 2007 [36] World Economic Forum , Davos, Switzerland, 07/01/24-28 TED Talks, TED Conferences LLC , since 2006 Talking Robots: The PodCast on Robotics and AI, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland, 06/11/03 Potentials of Complexity Science for Business, Governments, and the Media 2006, Budapest, Hungary, 06/08/03-05 6th Intl Conf on Complex Systems (ICCS), Boston, MA, 06/06/25-30 Artificial Life X, 10th Intl Conf on the Simulation and Synthesis of Living Systems, Bloomington, IN, USA. 2006/06/03-07 6th Understanding Complex Systems Symposium, Urbana-Champaign, Il, 06/05/15-18 Ralph Abraham on Complexity Digest, , Calcutta, India, 05/12/27 [37] An Afternoon with Michael Crichton, Washington, 05/11/06 [38] Illuminating the Shadow of the Future, Ann Arbor, Mi 05/09/23-25 [39] Open Network of Centres of Excellence in Complex Systems - Brainstorming Meeting, Paris, France 05/09/19-23 [40] Complexity, Science & Society Conference 2005, U. Liverpool, UK 2005/09/11-14 [41] ECAL 2005 - VIIIth European Conference on Artificial Life, Canterbury, Kent, UK 2005/09/5-9 [42] T. Irene Sanders, Executive Director and Founder, [43] The Washington Center for Complexity & Public Policy, 05/08/27, QuickTime video (10:38 min), [44] Podcast [45] North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity 2005 Conference, Virtual Conference Network, St. Pete's Beach, Florida, 05/06/09-11 [46] Understanding Complex Systems - Computational Complexity and Bioinformatics, Virtual Conference Network, Urbana-Champaign, Il, UIUC, 05/05/16-19 [47] Nonlinearity, Fluctuations, and Complexity, with a celebration of the 65th birthday of Gregoire Nicolis. , Complexity Session, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium, 05/03/16 [48] 1st European Conference on Complex Systems, Torino, Italy, 04/12/5-7 From Autopoiesis to Neurophenomenology: A Tribute to Francisco Varela (1946-2001), Paris, France, 2004/06/18-20 Evolutionary Epistemology, Language, and Culture, Brussels, Belgium, 04/05/26-28 International Conference on Complex Systems 2004, Boston, 04/05/16-21 Nonlinear Dynamics And Chaos: Lab Demonstrations, Strogatz, Steven H., Internet-First University Press, 1994 CERN Webcast Service, Streamed videos of Archived Lectures and Live Events Dean LeBaron's Archive of Daily Video Commentary, Ongoing Since February 1998 Edge Videos [35] http://webcast.in2p3.fr/RNSC/ target=new [36] http://gaia.world-television.com/wef/worldeconomicforum_annualmeeting2007/Target=new [37] http://www.complexsys.org/news.htm target=new [38] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/05ISF/index.html target=new [39] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/ONCECS05/ target=new [40] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/CSS05/ target=new [41] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/ECAL2005/ target=new [42] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/Sanders0508/Sanders0508.mov target=new [43] http://www.complexsys.org/ target=new [44] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/Sanders0508/Sanders.mp3 [45] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/05NASPSA/ target=new [46] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/05UCS/ target=new [47] http://www.comdig2.de/Conf/Nicolis05/Target=new [48] http://www.comdig2.de/Conf/ECCS04/Target=new _________________________________________________________________ 20.03. Conference Announcements European Workshop on Movement Science (EWOMS 2007), Amsterdam, 07/05/31-06/02 2nd Intl Wkshp on Engineering Emergence in Decentralised Autonomic Systems EEDAS 2007, Jacksonville, Fl, 07/06/11-15 Beyond Genome 2007 , San Francisco, Ca, 07/06/20-22 7th conf SYMMETRY IN NONLINEAR MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS, Kiev, Ukraine, 07/06/24-30 Symposium on Knowledge Domain Visualizations @ IV 2007, ETH Zürich, Switzerland, 07/07/04-06 Summer School In Complexity Science, London, UK, 07/07/08-17 2007 Genetic And Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO-2007), London, UK, 07/07/07-11 Evolutionary Computation and Multi-Agent Systems and Simulation Workshop (ECoMASS-2007), London, England, 07/07/07 22nd European Conference on Operational Research EURO XXII, Prague, Czech Republic, 07/07/08-11 11th World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, Orlando, Florida, USA, 07/07/08-11 Enhancing Learning Through Technology-- Emerging Technologies And Pedagogies , Hong Kong SAR, 07/07/09-10 SASO 2007 - First IEEE Intl Conf Self-Adaptive and Self-Organizing Systems , Boston, Mass., USA, 07/07/09-11 STATPHYS 23, the 23rd Intl Conf on Statistical Physics of the Intl Union for Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), Genova, Italy, 07/07/09-13 IEEE Intl Conf on Development and Learning 2007, Imperial College London, 07/07/11-13 2007 Unconventional Computing, Bristol, United Kingdom, 07/07/12-14 UK Social Network Conference, London, UK, 07/07/13-14 NKS 2007 Wolfram Science Conference, Burlington, VT, 07/07/13-15 SMBI-07 - Statistical Mechanics and Biological Information - Satellite Conference of STATPHYS 2007, Torino, Italy, 07/07/16-18 Complex Change Webinar: Planning in the Midst of Chaos, 07/07/17 22nd Conf on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-07) and 19th Conf on Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence (IAAI-07), Vancouver, British Columbia, 07/07/22–26 Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology & Life Sciences 17th Annual Intl Conf, Orange, Ca, USA, 07/07/27-29 ICCM 2007 - 8th Intl Conf on Cognitive Modeling, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 07/07/27-29 ICS PIF Summer School 2007 - First French Complex Systems Summer School, Paris, 07/07/30-08/26 Natural Complexity: Data and Theory in Dialogue, Cambridge, UK, 07/08/13-17 Stochastic Resonance 2008, Perugia, Italy, 07/08/17-21 2nd Intl Summer School on Collective Intelligence and Evolution, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 07/08/20-24 ECAL 2oo7 - 9th European Conference on Artificial Life , Lisbon, Portugal, 07/09/10-14 ECAL 2007 Workshop on Machine Epigenesis , Lisbon, Portugal, 07/09/10 Itl. Conf. on Applications in Nonlinear Dynamics, Poipu Beach, Koloa (Kauai), Hawaii, 07/09/24-27 3rd Edition of the Econophysics Colloquium, Ancona, 07/09/27-29 European Conference on Complex Systems 2007 (ECCS'07) , Dresden, Germany, 07/10/01-05 Processes Of Emergence Of Systems And Systemic Properties. Towards A General Theory Of Emergence. , Castel Ivano (Trento), 07/10/18-20 2007 IEEE/WIC/ACM Intl Joint Conf on Web Intelligence and Intelligent Agent Technology (WI-IAT'07), Silicon Valley, USA, 07/11/02-05 Theory In Cognitive Neuroscience, Wildbad Kreuth (Bavaria), Germany, 07/11/04-07 7th Intl Conf on Epigenetic Robotics: Modeling Cognitive Development in Robotic Systems , Piscataway, NJ, 07/11/05-07 KSS 2007 - 8th Intl Symposium on Knowledge and Systems Sciences, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, 07/11/05-07 Australia New Zealand Systems Conference 2007 “Systemic development: Local solutions in a global environment”, Auckland, New Zealand, 07/12/02-05 The 3rd Indian Intl Conf on Artificial Intelligence (IICAI-07), Pune, INDIA, 07/12/17-19 _________________________________________________________________ 20.04. Other Announcements Postdoc position in computational vision available immediately in London UK, 07/05/18 National Humanities Center Launches Humanities/Sciences Website, 07/04, As part of its ongoing “Autonomy, Singularity, Creativity: The Human & The Humanities” project (ASC), the National Humanities Center makes public a new website for the initiative which significantly expands the potential pool of humanists and scientists engaged in the exploration and examination of topics surrounding the question of human being. _________________________________________________________________ [49]Complexity Digest is an independent publication available to organizations that may wish to repost ComDig to their own mailing lists. ComDig is published by the [50]Computer Sciences Department, [51]IIMAS and the [52]C3 at the [53]Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and edited by [54]Carlos Gershenson. To unsubscribe from this list, please go to http://comdig.unam.mx/subscriptions.php [49] http://comdig.unam.mx/ [50] http://turing.iimas.unam.mx/En/index.html [51] http://www.iimas.unam.mx/ [52] http://c3.fisica.unam.mx/ [53] http://www.unam.mx [54] http://turing.iimas.unam.mx/~cgg/