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One of the grandest and most intriguing self-organizing systems is nature itself. Whether couched in terms of evolutionary theory (Darwin 1859), information theory (Avery 2003), or thermodynamics and maximum physical entropy (Jaynes 1957a,b; Swenson 1989) natural processes have yielded a remarkable diversity of behavioral and organizational levels of complexity ranging from microbes to man.

The introduction of new technologies into vehicles has been imposing new forms of interaction, being a challenge to drivers but also to HMI research. The multiplicity of on-board systems in the market has been changing the driving task, being the consequences of such interaction a concern especially to older drivers. Several studies have been conducted to report the natural functional declines of older drivers and the way they cope with additional sources of information and additional tasks in specific moments. However, the evolution of these equipments, their frequent presence in the automotive market and also the increased acceptability and familiarization of older drivers with such technologies, compel researchers to consider other aspects of these interactions: from adaptation to the long term effects of using any in-vehicle technologies.

On long journeys under monotonous road conditions, fatigue monitoring systems might help to reduce sleep-related crashes by informing or alerting the driver, or even by taking corrective actions in the driving task. The objective of this study was to find out more about the view of experts on future driver fatigue monitoring. A questionnaire was designed to discover the objectives and the predicted effects of these systems. Evaluations of 19 researchers and 52 professional drivers were compared to each other. Researchers predict positive effects of fatigue monitoring, as the reduction of accidents, but do not deny possible hazards due to behavioral adaptation. Professional drivers claim it is particularly important to develop an affirmative attitude towards driving without fatigue and see potential in enhancing the individual responsibility of the drivers.

Many prokaryotes carry out some form of behavior, defined as cellular movement that is responsive to environmental information. The movement may consist of swimming, swarming or gliding; the cells may use external flagella, internal flagella or other as yet unidentified motor organelles; the stimulus may consist of organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, pH, light, temperature, available energy, etc. I will not attempt to cover all known versions of this behavior, but will instead concentrate on the chemotactic response of free-swimming flagellated bacteria. The emphasis will be on Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium, as they have been the most extensively studied. For further information on the subject of bacterial motility and taxis, see review references listed at the end of this paper.

Glucocorticoids and Hippocampus: Receptors in Search of a Function With 8 Figures.- Glucocorticoids and the Developing Nervous System With 9 Figures.- Feedback Actions of Adrenal Steroid Hormones.- Electrophysiologic and Clinical Aspects of Glucocorticoids on Certain Neural Systems With 6 Figures.- Adrenal Steroids and Behavioral Adaptation: Relationship to Brain Corticoid Receptors With 2 Figures.

The words adrenocortical hormones and adaptation have been linked for almost 40 years. The concept as formulated by Selye (1950) related the adrenal Steroids to physiological, primarily peripheral adaptive processes. It has, however, become evident that the brain is an important target organ for corticosteroids. Psychological changes, such as mood alterations and psychotic reactions, have been frequently observed in patients receiving corticosteroid therapy (see von Zerssen 1976). Although the majority of reports hardly exceeded anecdotal level, therapeutic hopes were stirred for the mentally ill. The hopes and wishes of the early 1950s remained unfulfilled. Regular basic research concerning the pituitary-adrenal system and behavior was not started until the 1960s. Concepts which stemmed from this research led to the endocrine view of brain function and dysfunction held today. In this paper we want to review the past (not seeking completeness), to describe the present State of research, and to provide our view of the future of corticosteroid-brain interactions in understanding the endocrine modulation of behavioral adaptation.