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Perspectives on Complexity, Chaos and Thermodynamics in Environmental Pathology

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  • Maurizio Manera

    (Faculty of Biosciences, Food and Environmental Technologies, University of Teramo, St. R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy)

Abstract

Though complexity science and chaos theory have become a common scientific divulgation theme, medical disciplines, and pathology in particular, still rely on a deterministic, reductionistic approach and still hesitate to fully appreciate the intrinsic complexity of living beings. Herein, complexity, chaos and thermodynamics are introduced with specific regard to biomedical sciences, then their interconnections and implications in environmental pathology are discussed, with particular regard to a morphopathological, image analysis-based approach to biological interfaces. Biomedical disciplines traditionally approach living organisms by dissecting them ideally down to the molecular level in order to gain information about possible molecule to molecule interactions, to derive their macroscopic behaviour. Given the complex and chaotic behaviour of living systems, this approach is extremely limited in terms of obtainable information and may lead to misinterpretation. Environmental pathology, as a multidisciplinary discipline, should grant privilege to an integrated, possibly systemic approach, prone to manage the complex and chaotic aspects characterizing living organisms. Ultimately, environmental pathology should be interested in improving the well-being of individuals and the population, and ideally the health of the entire ecosystem/biosphere and should not focus merely on single diseases, diseased organs/tissues, cells and/or molecules.

Suggested Citation

  • Maurizio Manera, 2021. "Perspectives on Complexity, Chaos and Thermodynamics in Environmental Pathology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:5766-:d:563543
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maurizio Manera & Bahram Sayyaf Dezfuli & Giuseppe Castaldelli & Joseph A. DePasquale & Elisa Anna Fano & Camillo Martino & Luisa Giari, 2019. "Perfluorooctanoic Acid Exposure Assessment on Common Carp Liver through Image and Ultrastructural Investigation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Chi-Sang Poon & Christopher K. Merrill, 1997. "Decrease of cardiac chaos in congestive heart failure," Nature, Nature, vol. 389(6650), pages 492-495, October.
    3. Tong, Howell & Yao, Qiwei, 1994. "On prediction and chaos in stochastic systems," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 6410, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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