title: Giles f. Filley lecture. Complex systems.
abstract: Physiologic systems in health and disease display an extraordinary range of temporal behaviors and structural patterns that defy understanding based on linear constructs, reductionist strategies, and classical homeostasis. Application of concepts and computational tools derived from the contemporary study of complex systems, including nonlinear dynamics, fractals and "chaos theory," is having an increasing impact on biology and medicine. This presentation provides a brief overview of an emerging area of biomedical research, including recent applications to cardiopulmonary medicine and chronic obstructive lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, GZ-435, Boston, MA 02215, USA. agoldber@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Ary L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Goldberger
mesh_terms: D001695:Biology / Q000379:methods*; D035843:Biomedical Research; D017709:Fractals; D006801:Humans; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D011379:Prognosis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology