We present a simple mean field model to analyze the dynamics of competition between two populations of replicators in terms of the degree of intraspecific cooperation (i.e., autocatalysis) in one of these populations. The first population can only replicate with Malthusian kinetics while the second one can reproduce with Malthusian or autocatalytic replication or with a combination of both repr...

The nitrite anion (NO(-)(2)) has recently received much attention as an endogenous nitric oxide source that has the potential to be supplemented for therapeutic benefit. One major mechanism of nitrite reduction is the direct reaction between this anion and the ferrous heme group of deoxygenated hemoglobin. However, the reaction of nitrite with oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) is well established and gener...

The growth of an actin network against an obstacle that stimulates branching locally is studied using several variants of a kinetic rate model based on the orientation-dependent number density of filaments. The model emphasizes the effects of branching and capping on the density of free filament ends. The variants differ in their treatment of side versus end branching and dimensionality, and as...

The three-variable autocatalator exhibits chaotic dynamics in an open system configuration. When the model is modified to include a dissociation reaction of the autocatalytic species, B!X+Y, followed by a recombination reaction, X+Y!C, an unusual sensitivity to initial conditions is displayed. The modified system exhibits an effectively infinite number of asymptotic attractors, some chaotic, so...

The temperature compensated in vitro oscillation of cyanobacterial KaiC phosphorylation, the first example of a thermodynamically closed system showing circadian rhythmicity, only involves the three Kai proteins (KaiA, KaiB, and KaiC) and ATP. In this paper, we describe a model in which the KaiA- and KaiB-assisted autocatalytic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of KaiC are the source for ci...

We develop a general model and the associated numerical algorithm to compute the swelling dynamics of chemo-responsive polyelectrolyte gels immersed in a reactive ionic solution kept at a non equilibrium stationary state by a permanent feed of fresh reactants. Using an autocatalytic bistable but nonoscillatory reaction, namely, the bromate-sulfite reaction, we predict that a piece of hydrogel t...

This paper describes a tentative model for how discrete memories transform into an interconnected conceptual network, or worldview, wherein relationships between memories are forged by way of abstractions. The model draws on Kauffman's theory of how an information-evolving system can emerge through the formation and closure of an autocatalytic network. Here, the information units are not cataly...

We argue that the phenomenon of autocatalytic decision overload (ADO) may be a key mechanism contributing to catastrophic collapse of command and control (C2) systems. We introduce the concept of ADO and describe typical scenarios for such a collapse. We then provide a simple nonlinear difference equation model for the dynamics of error propagation in C2 systems which exhibits the ADO phenomena...

Soliton rate equations are based on non-Kolmogorovian models of probability and naturally include autocatalytic processes. The formalism is not widely known but has great unexplored potential for applications to systems interacting with environments. Beginning with links of contextuality to nonKolmogorovity we introduce the general formalism of soliton rate equations and work out explicit examp...

Autocatalytic reaction fronts between two reacting species in the absence of fluid flow, propagate as solitary waves. The coupling between autocatalytic reaction front and forced simple hydrodynamic flows leads to stationary fronts whose velocity and shape depend on the underlying flow field. We address the issue of the chemico-hydrodynamic coupling between forced advection in porous media and ...