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Large‐scale quantum effects in biological systems
Author(s) -
Mesquita Marcus V.,
Vasconcellos Áurea R.,
Luzzi Roberto,
Mascarenhas Sergio
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
international journal of quantum chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.484
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-461X
pISSN - 0020-7608
DOI - 10.1002/qua.20424
Subject(s) - quantum , physics , bose–einstein condensate , scale (ratio) , macroscopic quantum phenomena , microscopic scale , statistical physics , quantum mechanics
Particular aspects of large‐scale quantum effects in biological systems, such as biopolymers and also microtubules in the cytoskeleton of neurons which can have relevance in brain functioning, are discussed. The microscopic (quantum mechanical) and macroscopic (quantum statistical mechanical) aspects, and the emergence of complex behavior, are described. This phenomena consists of the large‐scale coherent process of Fröhlich–Bose–Einstein condensation in open and sufficiently far‐from‐equilibrium biopolymers. Associated with this phenomenon is the presence of Schrödinger–Davydov solitons, which propagate, undistorted and undamped, when embedded in the Fröhlich–Bose–Einstein condensate, thus allowing for the transmission of signals at long distances, involving a question relevant to bioenergetics. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005