<div dir="ltr">Dear Pedro and Colleagues,<div><br></div><div>I think what we should keep in mind is that cancer cure is just one of the possible incarnations of the recently popular topic of self-organised criticality addressed in Alex’ earlier session. It is not incidental that I came back to put attention on it, even if the “prophetic path to curing cancer” appears doubtful in its full length. There is something fundamental in Per Bak’s idea that has reached neuroscientists already:</div><div class="gmail_extra"><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/20140403-a-fundamental-theory-to-model-the-mind/">https://www.quantamagazine.org/20140403-a-fundamental-theory-to-model-the-mind/</a><br></div><div><a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnsys.2014.00166/full">http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnsys.2014.00166/full</a><br></div><div><br></div><div>If we add to this Brian J. Ford’s exciting idea about the single cell intelligence </div><div><a href="http://www.brianjford.com/a-10-mensamag-cells.pdf">http://www.brianjford.com/a-10-mensamag-cells.pdf</a> </div><div><a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnsys.2014.00166/full">http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnsys.2014.00166/full</a><br></div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ChNHd-pQtI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ChNHd-pQtI</a><br></div><div>we come to the conclusion that every single element of the human body (from the single cell to the whole system) can act as causality agent in a particular set of interactions. </div><div><br></div><div>Pedro is right in being sceptic that there would be one miracle solution to all diseases, incl. cancer as stated in the article. This has never been the case so far. Therefore I am inclined to think that the solution to such tough problems will emerge there where diverse ideas such as those exchanged in this forum <i>resonate</i> at its base to create plausible recombinations (Pedro’s term) of their own. And this is again a very interesting analogy with the example I gave above and the way of how a single person and a community like FIS can ignite such a creative process. There is indeed no a priori defined cause when a new idea emerges as a result of the resonance of other (even wrong) ideas. We should not be wondering that neuroscientists are excited about SOC as systemic phenomenon. And on the other hand the same principle works at the cellular level. </div><div><br></div><div>And yet, SOC is only one of the theoretical options that can resonate together. What I am interested to know is: do yo think that SOC is a good point to start from when moving from physics to biology?</div><div><br></div><div>All the best,</div><div><br></div><div>Plamen</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, May 26, 2016 at 1:30 PM, Pedro C. Marijuan <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:pcmarijuan.iacs@aragon.es" target="_blank">pcmarijuan.iacs@aragon.es</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<p>Dear Plamen and FIS Colleagues,</p>
<p>Finally I could find some spare time for the paper you mentioned.
It is very interesting. The analysis of hydrophobic profiles for
proteins shows rather unexpectedly a power law (self similar) scaling--self
organized criticality (SOC). How much hydrophobic the protein
becomes seems to be subject to Darwinian evolution in the
relationship with its target in the host. For instance, in the
virulence of Influenza and other types. Yes, it looks as if a new
analytical tool can be incorporated to the existing plethora of
biomolecular/biophysical/bioinformatic medical resources. <br>
</p>
<p>I have serious doubts, however, that the formidable claim in the
title "SOC: A Prophetic Path to Curing Cancer" has any chance to
be realized. Although not being a biomedical expert in cancer at
all, I think that the NDV oncolytic virus --the proposed magic
tool-- has not proved its general efficacy for all tumors and
metastasis. I mean just in vitro. The complexity of cancer types,
of cancer ecologies, and of the interactions with the immune
system, suggest that "massive doses by arterial injection" as the
author proposes might never be dreamed of for any clinical trial.
Given the complete lack of evidence, no ethical committee would
devote more than 5 seconds to consider the issue.<br>
</p>
<p>Let me reiterate that the the analysis of hydrophobic profiles
looks very interesting, but directly jumping to prophetic cures of
cancer... Some years ago, a mathematician also claimed that
incorporating non-linearity analysis in the timing of anti-cancer
combined therapies, tremendous advancements could be achieved.
After the media immediate uproar, the final conclusion was that
only in a few cases there could be an improvement of the
treatment.</p>
<p>So, as you Plamen were pointing some days ago, medicine is very
important for us, a matter of life or death, of deep knowledge and
high anxiety. That means that withing the messiness of the whole
disciplines and informal practices involved, there always be
quacks and prophets playing with wild cards, trumping the
credulity of people for self-promotion or for marketing reasons.
It is chilling that entire practices in industrialized medicine
may be regularly caught into those blind games. But it is not only
medicine, our scientific technological civilizations are blind in
so many regards!</p>
<p>All the best-- Pedro <font size="+2"><font size="+2"> </font><br><span class=""><font color="#888888">
</font></span></font></p><span class=""><font color="#888888">
<pre cols="72">--
-------------------------------------------------
Pedro C. Marijuán
Grupo de Bioinformación / Bioinformation Group
Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud
Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Aragón (CIBA)
Avda. San Juan Bosco, 13, planta X
50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Tfno. <a href="tel:%2B34%20976%2071%203526" value="+34976713526" target="_blank">+34 976 71 3526</a> (& 6818)
<a href="mailto:pcmarijuan.iacs@aragon.es" target="_blank">pcmarijuan.iacs@aragon.es</a>
<a href="http://sites.google.com/site/pedrocmarijuan/" target="_blank">http://sites.google.com/site/pedrocmarijuan/</a>
-------------------------------------------------
</pre>
</font></span></div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
Fis mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Fis@listas.unizar.es">Fis@listas.unizar.es</a><br>
<a href="http://listas.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://listas.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis</a><br>
<br></blockquote></div><br></div></div>