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This book presents the latest findings in the field of cardiac mechanobiology in health and disease.Cardiac mechanobiology provides knowledge of all aspects of mechanobiology of the heart. Cardiomyogenesis is discussed as well as the mechanobiology of cardiac remodeling and regeneration. The molecular mechanisms of mechanoperception and mechanotransduction in cardiomyocytes are explained, as well as stretch induced differentiation of cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. This volume of the series Cardiac and Vascular Biology complements the volume Vascular Mechanobiology in Physiology and Disease (volume 8) published in this series. The book is aimed at clinicians as well as researchers in cardiovascular biology, bioengineering and biophysics, and also represents an educational resource for young researchers and students in these fields.

Birds have and continue to fascinate scientists and the general public. While the avian respiratory system has unremittingly been investigated for nearly five centuries, important aspects on its biology remain cryptic and controversial. In this book, resolving some of the contentious issues, developmental-, structural- and functional aspects of the avian lung-air sac system are particularized: it endeavors to answer following fundamental questions on the biology of birds: how, when and why did birds become what they are? Flight is a unique form of locomotion. It considerably shaped the form and the essence of birds as animals. An exceptionally efficient respiratory system capacitated birds to procure the exceptionally large quantities of oxygen needed for powered (active) flight. Among the extant air-breathing vertebrates, comprising ~11,000 species, birds are the most species-rich-, numerically abundant- and extensively distributed animal taxon. After realizing volancy,they easily overcame geographical obstacles and extensively dispersed into various ecological niches where they underwent remarkable adaptive radiation. While the external morphology of birds is inconceivably uniform for such a considerably speciose taxon, contingent on among other attributes, lifestyle, habitat and phylogenetic level of development have foremost determined the novelties that are displayed by diverse species of birds.Here, critical synthesizes of the most recent findings with the historical ones, evolution and behavior and development, structure and function of the exceptionally elaborate respiratory system of birds are detailed. The prominence of modern birds as a taxon in the Animal Kingdom is underscored. The book should appeal to researchers who are interested in evolutionary processes and how adaptive specializations correlate with biological physiognomies and exigencies, comparative biologists who focus on how various animals have solved respiratory pressures, people who study respiration in birds and other animals and ornithologists who love and enjoy birds for what they are – profoundly interesting animals.

This is a graduate-level introduction to quantitative concepts and methods in the science of living systems. It relies on a systems approach for understanding the physical principles operating in biology. Physical phenomena are treated at the appropriate spatio-temporal scale and phenomenological equations are used in order to reflect the system of interest. Biological details enter to the degree necessary for understanding specific processes, but in many cases the approach is not reductionist. This is in line with the approach taken by physics to many other complex systems.The book bridges the gap between graduate students'general physics courses and research papers published in professional journals. It gives students the foundations needed for independent research in biological physics and for working in collaborations aimed at quantitative biology and biomedical research. Also included are modern mathematical and theoretical physics methods, giving the student a broad knowledge of tools that can shed light on the sophisticated mechanisms brought forth by evolution in biological systems. The content covers many aspects that have been the focus of active research over the past twenty years, reflecting the authors'experience as leading researchers and teachers in this field.

This contributed volume focuses on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and explores the ways in which signaling mechanisms at the biochemical, molecular, and cellular levels in the blood vessels (vascular) and heart contribute to the underlying causes of development and progression of the CVDs. This volume covers unique topics such as oxidant signaling in vascular and heart diseases and health, cytoskeletal signaling in vascular health and disease, phospholipase signaling in CVDs, lipid signaling in vascular and myocardial health and diseases, and drug discovery in cellular signaling for cardiovascular diseases.This book assembles the most important discoveries made by leaders on the cellular signaling mechanisms operating behind the development and progression of life-threatening CVDs. It is an extremely useful resource for the investigators in the field of CVDs, and opens the discussion for further discovery of efficient management and effective treatment of the CVDs.

This open access book presents the findings from on-site research into radioactive cesium contamination in various agricultural systems affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011. This third volume in the series reports on studies undertaken at contaminated sites such as farmland, forests, and marine and freshwater environments, with a particular focus on livestock, wild plants and mushrooms, crops, and marine products in those environments. It also provides additional data collected in the subsequent years to show how the radioactivity levels in agricultural products and their growing environments have changed with time and the route by which radioactive materials entered agricultural products as well as their movement between different components (e.g., soil, water, and trees) within an environmental system (e.g., forests). The book covers various topics, including radioactivity testing of food products; decontamination trials for rice and livestock production; the state of contamination in, trees, mushrooms, and timber; the dynamics of radioactivity distribution in paddy fields and upland forests; damage incurred by the forestry and fishery industries; and the change in consumers'attitudes. Chapter 19 introduces a real-time radioisotope imaging system, a pioneering technique to visualize the movement of cesium in soil and in plants. This is the only book to provide systematic data on the actual change of radioactivity, and as such is of great value to all researchers who wish to understand the effect of radioactive fallout on agriculture. In addition, it helps the general public to better understand the issues of radio-contamination in the environment. The project is ongoing; the research groups from the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences of The University of Tokyo continue their work in the field to further evaluate the long-term effects of the Fukushima accident.

Berne & Levy Physiology has long been respected for its scientifically rigorous approach – one that leads to an in-depth understanding of the body's dynamic processes. The long-awaited 7th Edition by Drs. Bruce M. Koeppen and Bruce A. Stanton, continues this tradition of excellence. With integrated coverage of biophysics and neurophysiology, key experimental observations and examples, and full-color design and artwork, this mid-size text is'just right'for a strong understanding of this complex field. A logical and intuitive organ-system-based approach clearly describes all of the mechanisms that control and regulate bodily function. Authored by experts with both science and medical backgrounds. More'In the Clinic'and'At the Molecular Level'boxes help readers better understand and apply what they've learned. New coverage includes expanded discussions of gut and lung microbiota,; the limbic system; the hypthalamus and control of food intake; cardiac and vascular function curves during exercise; new aspects of lipid absorption; GI and metabolic consequences of bariatric surgery, the role of innate lymphoid cells in defense of the respiratory system, molecular mechanisms in normal and pathological muscle contraction; arterial pulse changes with age and the ankle-brachial index; regulation of the blood-brain barrier and cerebral blood flow; the regulation of phosphate; and thyroid hormone mechanism of action. Each chapter begins with an all-new bulleted list of questions and ends with key concepts covered in that chapter.

Similarities in structure and function between pigs and human beings include size, feeding patterns, digestive physiology, dietary habits, kidney structure and function, pulmo­ nary vascular bed structure, coronary artery distribution, propensity to obesity, respiratory rates, tidal volumes and social behaviors. Since the pig is an omnivore, it provides an adaptable model to evaluate chronic and acute exposures to xenobiotics such as alcohoL caffeine, tobacco, food additives and environmental pollutants. Swine have been used successfully as models to evaluate alcoholism, diabetes, absorption, digestion, total paren­ teral nutrition, organ transplantation, atherosclerosis, exercise, hypertension. hemorrhagic hypotension, melanoma, gingivitis, obstructive and reflux nephropathy. osteochondrosis. dermal healing and septic shock. A severe and worsening shortage of organs and tissues for transplantation in patients with severe organ failure has encouraged the consideration of inter species or xenotransplan­ tation. In developing programs toward this end, the pig generally is viewed as the preferred donor because of its size, physiology and availability. The pig harbors relatively few diseases which could be transmitted inadvertently to human patients. The ability to genetically modify swine to ameliorate the consequences of the human immune response offers a further significant advantage. Another important consideration for an animal model is that basic biologic back­ ground information be available for investigators to design future prospective studies.

The scientific contribution of Mike Bradbury to the study of the blood-brain barrier is considerable and wide-ranging, starting with his M.D. thesis in 1962 and still continuing today. The varied spectrum of topics relating to the blood-brain barrier presented in this volume and the many geographical locations from which both speakers and participants gathered to attend the symposium are a fitting testament both to Mike's wide-spread influence in the field and to the esteem in which he is held. When we first had the idea of afestschrift to mark Mike's retirement as Professor of Physiology at King's College London and the beginning of a new vie libre as scientist and yachtsman the plan was initially for a gathering of all of the many colleagues, collaborators and students who had worked with him over the years. However what we had not taken into account was the closeness of the international community of workers in the field, the widespread influence that Mike had wielded and the speed with which word would spread. We should have anticipated all three. The final outcome was an excellent symposium with the majority of the world's key workers either contributing or attending. We hope that this volume presents an adequate record of the meeting.

Biomechanics has a distinguished history extending at least to the 16th Century. However the later half oftbis century has seen an explosion ofthe field with it being viewed as affering exciting challenges for physical scientists and engineers interested in the life sciences, and wonderful opportunities for life scientists eager to collaborate with physical scientists and engineers and to render their scientific work more fundamental. That the field is now weil established and expanding is demonstrated by the formation of a World Committee for Biomechanics and the success and large participation in the 1st and 2nd World Congresses of Biomechanics, held respectively in San Diego in 1990 and in Amsterdam in 1994. With more than 1350 scientific papers delivered at the 2nd World Congress, either within symposia or oral or poster sessions, it would have been out of the question to try to produce comprehensive edited proceedings. Moreover, we are confident that most of the papers have been or will be published in one ofthe excellentjoumals covering the field. But of effort contributed by the plenary lecturers and the tutorial we thought that the large amount and keynote speakers of various symposia deserved tobe recognised in the form of a specific publication, thus also allowing those unable to attend the presentatiops.. tC\ sh?r~ in the findings. Furthermore, we feel that there is now a need to review aspects'oftlie freld.

I have been asked to write a brief foreword to this volume honoring Hisako Ikeda, providing a review of the accomplishments in our field over the past four decades, when Hisako was an active participant. This I am delighted to do. It has been a most exciting time in vision research and Hisako has been right in the middle of much of the excitement, publishing on a wide variety of topics and providing much new data and many new insights. Hisako's research career can be divided by decades into four quite distinct areas of inquiry. In the 1950s, as a student in Japan, her research interests were psychophysical in nature, and she was concerned with visual illusions, figural aftereffects, and motion detec­ tion. In the 1960s, after her move to London, she began electrophysiological studies. Much of her work in the 1960s was concerned with the electroretinogram (ERG), its components, and the use of this electrical response for evaluating spectral sensitivities of the eye and retinal degenerations. This work represented the beginning of her electrodiagnostic clinical work, which continued until her retirement.

Functional electrical stimulation is the most important application in the field of clinical treatment with currents or magnetism. This technique artificially generates neural activity in order to overcome lost functions of the paralized, incontinent or sensory handicapped patient. Electricity and magnetism is also used in many cases, e.g., to stimulate bone growth or wound healing. Nevertheless, the basic mechanism of the artificial excitation of nerve and muscle fibers has become known only in the last few years. Although many textbooks are concerned with the natural excitation process there is a lack of information on the influence of an applied electrical or magnetic field. This book, written for students and biomedical engineers, should close the gap and, furthermore, it should stimulate the design of new instrumentation using optimal strategies.

This comprehensive treatise on the reticuloendothelial system is a project jointly shared by individual members of the Reticuloendothelial (RE) Society and bio­ medical scientists in general who are interested in the intricate system of cells and molecular moieties derived from those cells which constitute the RES. It may now be more fashionable in some quarters to consider these cells as part of what is called the mononuclear phagocytic system or the lymphoreticular sys­ tem. Nevertheless, because of historical developments and current interest in the subject by investigators from many diverse areas, it seems advantageous to present in one comprehensive treatise current information and knowledge con­ cerning basic aspects of the RES, such as morphology, biochemistry, phylogeny and ontogeny, physiology, and pharmacology as well as clinical areas including immunopathology, cancer, infectious diseases, allergy, and hypersensitivity. It is anticipated that, by presenting information concerning these apparently het­ erogeneous topics under the unifying umbrella of the RES, attention will be focused on the similarities as well as interactions among the cell types constitut­ ing the RES from the viewpoint of various disciplines. The treatise editors and their editorial board, consisting predominantly of the editors of individual vol­ and enormous task umes, are extremely grateful for the enthusiastic cooperation undertaken by members of the biomedical community in general and especially and Japanese Reticuloen­ by members of the American as well as European dothelial Societies.

During the past decade there has been a dramatic expansion of our knowledge on phospholipases in general, and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in particular. Progress in this field has been evident on many fronts, with novel information rapidly accumulating in the literature regarding the chemistry and molecular biology of this enzyme and its role in many important physiological processes. These include cellular signal transduction via the G-protein cycle, and in the generation of many cellular mediators, such as the platelet activating factor (PAF) and the eicosanoids that participate in the initiation and propagation of inflammation, to mention a few. This symposium was organized to obtain an overview of current investigations on this enzyme from the standpoint of its chemistry, molecular biology and physiology. Another important focus of this symposium concerns the regulation of PLA2, including endogenous and synthetic inhibitors and activators of this enzyme. To review these important areas in PLA2 research we invited scientists who made significant contributions in this field. The papers in this volume are organized to emphasize the recent advances in several areas of investigation, including: (I) the structure and mechanism of action of PLA2, (2) mechanism of activation of PLA2, (3) molecular biology, physiology and endogenous inhibitors of this enzyme and finally, (4) clinical investigations emphasizing the pathophysiological role of this enzyme in human diseases. The first article in this volume is by Dr.

This is the proceedings of the fourth in a series of inter­ national gatherings on kindling held on the University of British Columbia campus, June 15-17, 1989. Since the last gath­ ering in 1985, kindling continues to attract an ever-increasing number of investigators as reflected by the phenomenal increase in the number of kindling-related research reports. No other acute or chronic model has been exploited so extensively using electrophysiological, pharmacological, biochemical and behav­ ioural approaches involving a variety of brain sites and ani­ mal species. The continuing search, during the past few years, for the mechanism underlying the enduring change induced by kindling is beginning to shed some light on aspects of its molecular basis and to suggest the future direction of research. The late Graham Goddard, the original kindler, would have been delighted with this development. We were all shocked and saddened by his tragic death, but his spirit is very much alive among all of us who gathered together to share new information and collectively reassess the present state of knowledge at this symposium. I must say that we miss him very, very much. We know he is happy in his heaven knowing that he accomplished more in a short lifetime than most and that his love for mankind, and life's challenges, remain as a legacy, and goal, for us all.

The subject of this volume is two-fold. First, it gathers typical polarization patterns occurring in nature. Second, it surveys the polarization-sensitive ani­ mals, the physiological mechanisms and biological functions of polarization sensitivity as weIl as the polarization-guided behaviour in animals. The monograph is prepared for biologists, physicists and meteorologists, espe­ cially for experts of atmospheric optics and animal vision, who wish to under­ stand and reveal the message hidden in polarization patterns of the optical environment not directly accessible to the human visual system, but measur­ able by polarimetry and perceived by many animals. Our volume is an attempt to build a bridge between these two physical and biological flelds. In Part I we introduce the reader to the elements of imaging polarimetry. This technique can be efflciently used, e. g. in atmospheric optics, remote sens­ ing and biology. In Part 11 we deal with typical polarization patterns of the natural optical environment. Sunrise/sunset, clear skies, cloudy skies, moonshine and total solar eclipses all mean quite different illumination conditions, wh ich also affect the spatial distribution and strength of celestial polarization. We pre­ sent the polarization patterns of the sky and its unpolarized (neutral) points under sunlit, moonlit, clear, cloudy and eclipsed conditions as a function of solar elevation. The polarization pattern of a rainbow is also shown. That part of the spectrum is derived in which perception of skylight polarization is optimal under partly cloudy skies.

This edited series has three principal goals. The first is to provide information in a relatively concise way for researchers needing an over­ view of specific disciplines. The second is to provide an update on specific schools of thought, bringing together ideas from colleagues whose works often appear in a variety of journals. And the third is to stimulate and suggest directions for new research. Volume 6 continues the tradition established by the previous editor and editorial board in providing new information, updating our understanding of specific dis­ ciplines, and stimulating new research. In the first chapter, Randall Breitwisch examines mortality patterns and sex ratios in monogamous birds. He argues that there are many more components to measuring parental investment than are often re­ alized; our knowledge is weak in several areas. Understanding the evo­ lution of mating systems depends on better distinguishing the different intensities of natural selection that operate on males and females. Greg­ ory Butcher and Sievert Rohwer develop a framework for assessing the role of colorfulness in birds. They propose several hypotheses to test and advocate evaluating more than one hypothesis at a time. Future work on the evolution of distinctive coloration and of sexual and age dimorphism must take these ideas into account.

Our purposes in this preface are, first, to reiterate our view of Current Ornithology's role; second, to describe briefly the contents of this vol­ ume; and third, to acknowledge the generous help of our Editorial Board and of the reviewers we have consulted about the contents of Volumes 13 and 14. As far as we know, Current Ornithology is the only English-lan­ guage publication currently devoted exclusively to extensive reviews and syntheses of topics pertaining to all aspects of the biology of birds. Its chapters deal with subjects falling under such diverse rubrics as ecology, evolution, behavior, phylogeny, behavioral ecology, anatomy and physiology, and conservation biology, but all focus primarily on birds. Its authors, whether members of the National Academy or young investigators just beginning their careers, are leading authorities on their subjects, and its referees are selected for their knowledge and expertise in the topics covered by the chapters they are asked to review.

The annual research conference for 1996 of the American Institute for Cancer Re­ search was again held at the Loews L'Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC, August 29 and 30. The topic for this, the seventh in the series, was'Dietary Fat and Cancer: Genetic and Molecular Mechanisms.'Two separate presentations were given as the conference overview.'Fat and Cancer: The Epidemiologic Evidence in Perspective'noted that die­ tary fat can be saturated, largely from animal or dairy sources, or mono- or polyunsatu­ rated, mostly from plant sources. Unlike animal fats, fish contain relatively high levels of protective omega-3 fatty acids. Although the hypothesis that dietary fat is associated with cancer is plausible, the mechanisms involved are reasonable, and many animal studies support the hypothesis, there are many obstacles in any direct extrapolation to humans, in­ cluding imprecise measures of dietary fat intake, variability in individual diets, and spe­ cies variations. Despite these limitations, there is a weak positive correlation between colon cancer and dietary fat intake, but with substantial differences for various ethnic groups. In the case of breast cancer, there is substantial variation among countries and eth­ nic groups, but the overall evidence indicated an association with fat in the diet. Epidemiologic studies of dietary fat and prostate cancer are more consistent and most show a positive relationship. However, it was not clear which types of dietary fat were im­ plicated in the effect.

This book provides a premier resource on understanding the ribosome's essential nature and how it interacts with other proteins and nucleic acids to control protein synthesis. As one of the central foundations in our understanding of the biology at the molecular level, this topic appeals to a wide audience, from bench researcher to clinician. With the advent of atomic scale structures, methods to visualize and separate individual molecules, and the computational power to model the complex interactions of over a million atoms at once, our understanding of how gene expression is controlled at the level of protein translation is now deeply ensconced in the biophysical realm.

'Further establishes the reputation of the series...an invaluable resource.'-Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, from a review of Volume 3 Volume 4 explores such emergent topics as: three-dimensional conceptions of ion channel proteins based on the available structural and functional data; the structure, pharmacology, and regulation of the GABAA receptors; and the Ca2+-dependent K+ channels in adrenal chromatic cell membranes.

Fluorescence microscopy images can be easily integrated into current video and computer image processing systems. People like visual observation; they like to watch a television or computer screen, and fluorescence techniques are thus becoming more and more popular. Since true in vivo experiments are simple to perform, samples can be directly seen and there is always the possibility of manipulating the samples during the experiments; it is an ideal technique for biology and medicine. Images are obtained by a classical (now called wide-field) fluorescence microscope, a confocal scanning microscope, upright or inverted, with epifluorescence or transmission. Computerized image processing may improve definition, and remove glare and scattered light signal. It also makes it possible to compute ratio images (ratio imaging both in excitation and in emission) or lifetime imaging. Image analysis programs may supply a great deal of additional data of various types, starting with calculations of the number of fluorescent objects, their shapes, brightness, etc. Fluorescence microscopy data may be complemented by classical measurement in the cuvette yr by flow cytometry.

Understanding how the brain works is undoubtedly the greatest challenge for human intelligence and one of the most ambitious goals of contemporary science. We are certainly far from this goal, but significant advancements in several fields of Neuroscience and Neurobiology are being obtained at an increasing pace. The NATO ASI School in Neurobiology, held in Erice May 2-12,1995, as the 23rd Course of the International School of Biophysics, provided an update on three basic topics: Biophysics and Molecular Biology ofIon Channels, Sensory Transduction, and Higher Order Functions. Current knowledge on these subjects was covered by formal lectures and critical discussions between lecturers and participants. This book collects original contributions from those scientists who attended the School. Many students presented their results in poster sessions, steering lively informal discussions. A selection of these contributions is also included. A major portion of the program of the School was devoted to a general overview of current trends of thought and experimental approaches in neurobiology, emphasising the importance of understanding molecular aspects of the elementary events underlying sensory transduction and processing in the nervous system, without indulging however in a pure reductionistic view of such complex phenomena. Recent studies of molecular biology and the electrophysiology of heterologously expressed ionic channels, have shed new light on the molecular mechanisms underlying ionic permeation of excitable membranes and its regulation by physical and chemical parameters.

Classic texts in the field of analysis of flow in blood vessels have been written over the years and what these say is still valid today. However, our knowledge of pathophysiological mechanisms has changed with increasing rapidity over the past 20 years, as has our ability to visualize the three­ dimensional geometry of blood flow and blood flow velocity distribution within the in vivo blood vessels. Consequently, with the increased need to fully exploit the new imaging capabilities and our additional biological knowledge, this book is a welcome addition to our armamentarium used to achieve those new goals. the past pulsatile flow (and consequent wave reflections) was Whereas in often seen as'frosting on the cake'of analysis of blood flow problems or perhaps as an issue that should be understood only in a general sense, our new capabilities and understanding require more accurate analyses of spe­ cific systems, not just of constructs based on statistical data describing a vascular tree. Examples of this new need include the situation where the detailed branching geometry of an arterial tree is known from imaging and it is desired to see to what extent local fluid dynamic characteristics can explain the specific localization of disease such as atherosclerosis, or of the extent to which the heterogeneity of perfusion throughout an organ can be attributed to the vascular tree branching geometry or to the mechani­ cal properties of the vascular walls.

In the past few years, the scientific community has witnessed significant progress in the study of ion channels. Technological advancement in biophysics, molecular biology, and immunology has been greatly ac­ celerated, making it possible to conduct experiments which were deemed very difficult if not impossible in the past. For example, patch-clamp techniques can now be used to measure ionic currents generated by almost every type of cell, thereby allowing us to analyze whole-cell and single­ channel events. It is now possible to incorporate purified ion channel components into lipid bilayers to reconstitute an'excitable membrane.'Gene cloning and monoclonal antibody techniques provide us with new approaches to the study of the molecular structure of ion channels. A variety of chemicals have now been found to interact with ion channels. One of the classical examples is represented by tetrodotoxin, a puffer fish poison, which was shown in the early 1960s to block the voltage-activated sodium channel in a highly specific and potent manner.

This volume assembles reviews on topics in two major related areas. One of these concerns the interactions of cells with substrata and with other cells, which are mediated by the extracellular matrix and soluble molecules. As described in this volume, these interactions are responsible for controlling cell functions ranging from embryogenesis and neural development to blood clotting. More­ over, important properties of the extracellular matrix can be modulated by the interdependent actions of tumor cells and fibroblasts. The other major area of interest concerns the response of cells to extracellular signals. Recent work has begun to reveal how a remarkable diversity of cellular functions, including neuronal, proliferative, membrane--cytoskeletal, and many other kinds of re­ sponses, are elicited through the mediation of a relatively small and interdepen­ dent set of second messenger systems. These include both changes in cytoplasmic ionic balances and activation of various kinds of protein kinases. Both subjects are covered in this volume. The two areas are linked by the common theme of cellular response to an external environment that is sensed through cellular interactions with informational molecules, which are soluble agents, as well as those that are components of insoluble matrices. It is only recently that we have come to appreciate the complex interplay between the matrix surrounding a cell and the cell's response to hormones and growth factors. Thus, we have tried to select examples in which this type of extracellular integration may playa role.

This volume presents the entire proceedings of the symposium organized by one of us (H. S.) on November 11 to 15, 1991 at Hakone, Japan, under the title of'Mechanism of Myofllament Sliding in Muscle Contraction.'Among various kinds of energy transduction mechanisms in biological systems, the mechanism of muscle contraction has been studied most intensively and extensively over many years. Since the monumental discovery by the two Huxleys and coworkers that muscle contraction results from relative sliding between the thick and thin myofilaments, attention of muscle investigators has been focused on the question, what makes the fllaments slide past one another. In response to the above question, A. F. Huxley and Simmons put forward a contraction model in 1971, in which globular heads of myosin (cross-bridges) extending from the thick fllament first attach to actin on the thin fllament, and then change their angle of attachment to actin (power stroke) leading to force generation or myofilament sliding until they detach from the thin fllament. The rocking cross-bridge contraction model seemed to be entirely consistent with the kinetic scheme of actomyosin ATPase published by Lymn and Taylor at the same time, thus giving a strong impression to the people concerned that the muscle contraction mechanism would soon be sorted out. In his review lecture in 1974, however, A. F.

In Volume 12, eminent international ornithologists further elucidate endocrinological correlates of mating strategies and hormones and reproductive behavior; assess the value of the''brood reduction hypothesis''in explaining''the paradox of hatching asynchrony''; and explore the validity and sensitivity of growth bands in feathers as an indication of nutritional condition and the use of feather banding in studying growth. Chapters are well supported with charts, maps, schematic diagrams, and photographs. Current Ornithology is the only English-language publication currently devoted exclusively to extensive reviews and synthesis of topics pertaining to all aspects of the biology of birds. Chapters fall under such diverse rubrics as ecology, evolution, behavior, phylogeny, behavioral ecology, anatomy and physiology, and conservation biology. All authors are leading authorities on their subjects, and each chapter is refereed by experts in the topics covered. Although all chapters focus primarily on birds, some topics, such as the social cognition of birds as compared to primates (Volume 13), have significant application to disciplines outside of ornithology. Current Ornithology aims to provide an accessible, up-to-date, accurate source of data and to contribute to conceptual generalization and unification across the biological sciences.

In the past few years, the scientific community has witnessed rapid and significant progress in the study of ion channels. Technological advance­ ment in biophysics, molecular biology, and immunology has been greatly accelerated, making it possible to conduct experiments that were deemed very difficult if not impossible in the past. For example, patch-clamp tech­ niques can now be used to measure ionic currents generated by almost any type of cell, thereby allowing us to analyze single-channel events. It is now possible to incorporate purified ion channel components into lipid bilayers to reconstitute an'excitable membrane.'Gene cloning and monoclonal antibody techniques provide us with new approaches to the study of the molecular structure of ion channels. A variety of drugs have now been found or are suspected to interact with ion channels to exert therapeutic effects. In addition to the classical exam­ ples, as represented by local anesthetics, many other drugs, including cal­ cium antagonists, psychoactive drugs, cardiac drugs, and anticonvulsants, have been shown to alter the ion channel function. For certain pesticides such as pyrethroids and DDT, sodium channels are clearly the major target site. Many diseases of excitable tissues are known to be associated with, if not caused by, dysfunction of ion channels; these include cardiac ar­ rhythmias, angina pectoris, cystic fibrosis, myotonia, and epilepsies, to men­ tion only a few. Channel dysfunction can now be studied due to theoretical and technological developments in this area.

A wealth of information has been accumulated about the function of ion channels of excitable cells since the extensive and pioneering voltage clamp studies by Hodgkin, Huxley, and Katz 36 years ago. The study of ion chan­ nels has now reached a stage at which a quantum jump in progress is antici­ pated. There are many good reasons for this. Patch clamp techniques origi­ nally developed by Neher and Sakmann 12 years ago have made it possible to study the function of ion channels in a variety of cells. Membrane ionic currents can now be recorded practically from many types of cells using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. The opening and closing of individual ion channels can be analyzed using the single-channel patch clamp method. Techniques have also been developed to incorporate purified ion channels into lipid bilayers to reconstitute an'excitable membrane.'Advanced tech­ niques developed in molecular biology, genetics, and immunology, such as gene cloning and the use of monoclonal antibodies, are now being applied to the study of ion channels. A variety of drugs have now been found or are suspected to interact with ion channels to exert therapeutic effects. In addition to the classical exam­ ples, as represented by local anesthetics, many other drugs, including cal­ cium antagonists, psychoactive drugs, cardiac drugs, and anticonvulsants, shown to alter ion channel function. For certain pesticides such as have been pyrethroids and DDT, sodium channels are clearly the major target site.

Space missions subject human beings or any other target of a spacecraft to a radiation environment of an intensity and composition not available on earth. Whereas for missions in low earth orbit (LEO), such as those using the Space Shuttle or Space Station scenario, radiation exposure guidelines have been developed and have been adopted by spacefaring agencies, for exploratory class missions that will take the space travellers outside the protective confines of the geomagnetic field sufficient guidelines for radiation protection are still outstanding. For a piloted Mars mission, the whole concept of radiation protection needs to be reconsidered. Since there is an increasing interest of many nations and space agencies in establishing a lunar base and lor exploring Mars by manned missions, it is both, timely and important to develop appropriate risk estimates and radiation protection guidelines which will have an influence on the design and structure of space vehicles and habitation areas of the extraterrestrial settlements. This book is the result of a multidisciplinary effort to assess the state of art in our knowledge on the radiation situation during deep space missions and on the impact of this complex radiation environment on the space traveller. It comprises the lectures by the faculty members as well as short contributions by the students given at the NATO Advanced Study Institute'Biological Effects and Physics of Solar and Galactic Cosmic Radiation'held in Armacao de Pera, Portugal, 12-23 October, 1991.

The symposium on Acoustical Signal Processing in the Central Auditory System which was held in Prague on September 4--7, 1996 was the third in a series organized in Prague, after the Neuronal Mechanisms of Hearing symposium in 1980 and Auditory Pathway - Structure and Function symposium in 1987. Approximately 100 scientists regis­ tered for the symposium and presented 82 separate papers and posters. The present vol­ ume contains 53 of these contributions, mostly presented at the symposium as invited review papers. Several essential changes occurred since the previous meeting in 1987. In auditory neuroscience, recently developed methods opened new horizons in the investigation of the structure and function of the central auditory pathway. Methods like c-fos tracing tech­ niques and monoclonal antibodies for neurotransmitters and their receptors, like the intro­ duction of electrophysiological recording from brain slices have made possible new insights into the function of individual neurons and their interconnections, particularly in the cochlear nuclei and in the superior olivary complex. Integrative approaches towards understanding the central auditory function started to dominate in the field. It is not easy at the present time to differentiate between purely morphological and neurochemical ap­ proaches; similarly electrophysiological approaches are accompanied inevitably by behav­ ioral and psychophysical studies. The understanding of human brain function advanced significantly during the last several years. mainly due to the contribution of magneto­ encephalography. positron emission tomography and functional nuclear magnetic reso­ nance imaging.

The alarm calls of birds make them difficult for predators to locate, while the howl of wolves and the croak of bullfrogs are designed to carry across long distances. From an engineer's perspective, how do such specialized adaptations among living things really work? And how does physics constrain evolution, channeling it in particular directions?Writing with wit and a richly informed sense of wonder, Denny and McFadzean offer an expert look at animals as works of engineering, each exquisitely adapted to a specific manner of survival, whether that means spinning webs or flying across continents or hunting in the dark-or writing books. This particular book, containing more than a hundred illustrations, conveys clearly, for engineers and nonengineers alike, the physical principles underlying animal structure and behavior.Pigeons, for instance-when understood as marvels of engineering-are flying remote sensors: they have wideband acoustical receivers, hi-res optics, magnetic sensing, and celestial navigation. Albatrosses expend little energy while traveling across vast southern oceans, by exploiting a technique known to glider pilots as dynamic soaring. Among insects, one species of fly can locate the source of a sound precisely, even though the fly itself is much smaller than the wavelength of the sound it hears. And that big-brained, upright Great Ape? Evolution has equipped us to figure out an important fact about the natural world: that there is more to life than engineering, but no life at all without it.

The goal of this book is to explore the complexity of a microscopic bit of matter that exists in a myriad of copies within our bodies, the voltage-sensitive ion channel. We seek to investigate the way in which these macromolecules make it possible for the long fibers of our nerve and muscle cells to conduct impulses. These integral components of cell membranes are marvels of nature's evolutionary adaptation. To understand them we must probe the boundaries of physics and chemistry. Since function is intimately related to structure, we examine the molecular structure of channels, focusing on physical principles that govern all matter. With the application of genetic methods, our knowledge of ion channels has broadened and deepened. In the hope that research can help ameliorate suffering, we discuss the diseases that arise from channel malfunctions due to genetic mutations. This book is intended for students and scientists who are willing to travel into uncharted waters of an interdisciplinary science. We approach the subject of volta- sensitive ion channels from various points of view. This book seeks to give voice to the viewpoints of the physical and the biological scientist, and to bridge gaps in terminology and background. Readers may find this book to have both elementary and advanced aspects: For the reader trained in the biological sciences, it reviews background in physics and chemistry; for the reader trained in the physical sciences, it reviews background in physiology and biochemistry.

Modelling Methodology for Physiology and Medicine offers a unique approach and an unprecedented range of coverage of the state-of-the-art, advanced modelling methodology that is widely applicable to physiology and medicine. The book opens with a clear and integrated treatment of advanced methodology for developing mathematical models of physiology and medical systems. Readers are then shown how to apply this methodology beneficially to real-world problems in physiology and medicine, such as circulation and respiration. Builds upon and enhances the readers existing knowledge of modelling methodology and practice Editors are internationally renowned leaders in their respective fields

Electric currents and electromagnetic fields have been applied to biological systems, particularly humans, with both therapeutic and pathological results. Applied Bioelectricity discusses biological responses to electric currents and electromagnetic fields, including medical applications and shock hazards. The book covers fundamental physical and engineering principles of responses to short-term electrical exposure and emphasizes human reactions, although animal responses to electricity are considered as well. The treatment covers reactions from the just-detectable to the clearly detrimental. An important new chapter discusses standards for human exposure to electromagnetic fields and electric current and demonstrates how these standards have been developed based on the principles treated in earlier chapters. J. Patrick Reilly is a member of the principal staff of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and is President of Metatec Associates.

The Physiology of Growth focuses on the physiological mechanisms underlying the growth of organs and tissues such as the epidermis, connective tissues, bone and cartilage, blood cells, and the heart. The atrophy and hypertrophy of muscle, adaptive plasticity of the nervous system, and neural regulation of salivary glands are also explored. Comprised of 24 chapters, this book opens with an overview of the nature of growth, ways to measure growth, and theories of growth. The discussion then turns to the renewal of epidermis; the growth of connective tissues such as collagen and keloids; physical regulation of bone growth and cartilage regrowth; and turnover of blood cells. The following chapters focus on the link between hypertension and heart growth; expansion of arteries and veins; muscle atrophy and hypertrophy; and intraocular regulation of lens development. The effect of lactation on the growth of the mammary glands is also considered, along with liver degeneration and experimental regulation of the testis. This monograph is intended for physiologists, developmental biologists, and students of histology.

The Principles and Practice of Human Physiology reflects the progress of human physiology and presents developments through instrumentation and field work. This book is a continuation of previous texts on human physiology and survival, but focuses more on the aspect of human endeavor. The text comprises of 12 chapters with an additional article at the beginning (written by one of the authors) and a postscript regarding human experimentation and the ethics of it. Chapter 1 lays the foundation with a discussion on the history of human physiology. The succeeding chapters tackle and focus on aspects of physiology such as work, thermal, underwater, locomotor and postural, and stress. A chapter on instrumentation and physiological measurements is also featured in the text. The book will be a good source of valuable information to many students and professionals in the field of physiology, biology, medicine, and pharmacology.