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Cellulose represents the most widely spread organic polymer found in nature and it was used for a long time as a raw material for paper, textiles, film and flexible packing material. Due to its accessibility in huge amounts by photosynthesis process as a renewable material, cellulose is considered at present the answer to many problems connected with sustainable development. This explains the great scientific interest for this compound along with a lot of preoccupations to systematize the accumulated information in reviews and books. This book will present the aspects of cellulose obtaining in the correleation with its integration in a new concept of biorefining. Thus usual technological steps of pulp manufacture (pulping, bleaching) will be continued with chemistry charactersitics of by-products and their utilization, fiber characterization for paper obtaining, cellulose derivatives and special products resulted in cellulose processing (beads and microspheres, micro-and nano-structures, fibers production, their antibacterial properties, optical functional film, and hydrogen). This extensive book should prove to be a very useful tool for scientists, students and postgraduates working in the field of pulp, paper and cellulose derivatives aiming at opening a new era for renewable resources processed by biorefining.

This book is a centennial volume celebrating the enormous progress made in hematology in the 20th century. It is edited by Marshall Lichtman, a distinguished senior hematologist, past president of the American Society of Hematology, and co-editor of the leading text in the field. Hematology is a compendium, with commentaries, of the most important papers published in the field from 1900-1999. The book will be useful for reference--many of the older papers can no longer be found in most libraries, yet are still referred to in current publications, especially review articles--as well as teaching.The Editor and a team of associate editors have included the most important papers covering eight categories: anemia; phagocytic cells; platelets; coagulation and thrombosis; lymphocytes and immune disorders; transfusion medicine; hematologic malignancies and therapeutics; and laboratory developments. Each paper is accompanied by a 1-2 page commentary explaining its impact, and references to the developments that resulted.Key Features• Contains 86 landmark articles from the last 100 years of research in clinical hematology• Includes expert commentaries discussing the impact of each article• Cites approximately 1000 preceding or subsequent articles of consequence in the commentaries• Includes the English translations of nine articles originally published in other languages• Provides easy access to several papers that may no longer be found in libraries

People of Anatolia: Past, Current and Future Research in the Biological Anthropology of Türkiye brings together, in one complete volume, some of the current research foci and trends of biological anthropology in Türkiye. The papers within this edited volume cover a multitude of topics, many of which complement and enhance each other, helping to demonstrate the strength and variety of research currently being performed in Türkiye by both domestic and foreign researchers. Furthermore, several of these papers examine large scale diachronic changes and highlight the importance of such holistic approaches and methodological considerations, and new trends in modern research by considering large scale patterns through time and space and the ‘bigger'picture. For example, the application of multiple, more traditional macroscopic, biological anthropological analyses in conjunction with more modern techniques, such as biomolecular analyses.Biological anthropology in Türkiye has developed markedly since the days of primarily analyzing skeletal and dental morphometrics of the skeleton and investigating race. This is particularly true since the 1990s when studies have examined skeletal remains from Anatolia within wider bioarchaeological contexts and research questions. Research agendas have accelerated particularly in the last decade with the introduction and application of new methodologies, including quantifiable scientific techniques which has increased the ability to not only tackle existing and earlier research questions with more specificity and in more depth, but also enables us to tackle a greater variety of research questions, as well as stimulating new ones.This volume demonstrates how complementary, as well as large-scale diachronic studies enhance our knowledge not only of changes in human behavior and human-environment interactions through time, but also how these changes affected people at the individual, population, regional and pan-regional levels. One of the key messages from this edited volume, as a whole, is that multi-faceted and holistic approaches to exploring particular research agendas are both important and essential. While the individual papers in this volume may not necessarily always employ a multi-faceted or holistic approach, the combined reading of them does so. The types of data and information contained in the papers of this edited volume, therefore, will be of great interest and importance to the wider archaeological community in general. But particularly to Turkish students of archaeology, as well as Turkish/Türkiye-based and research focused archaeologists and specialists of biological anthropology and bioarchaeology and its sub-disciplines.

This volume presents selected papers presented during the 16th International Conference on Humanizing Work and Work Environment (HWWE 2018). The book presents a confluence of ideas on ergonomics and technology implementation to improve workplace environments and work systems to maximize effectiveness and performance. The volume is thematically arranged, with papers covering different aspects of ergonomics and design. The volume will be of use to researchers, practitioners and students working in different fields of ergonomics.

Scientific progress with respect to the important role of various lipids in myocardial function and the dearrangements of lipid metabolism underlying ischaemic heart disease(s) has been con­ siderable in recent years. In 1986 alone, an overall number ofl 044 full papers covering the topics'Lipids-Heart-Heart Disease', have been published in a variety of biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology and cardiology journals (source: Index Medicus). They have broadened our in­ sight into the molecular basis of myocardial lipidology and the lipido-chemical basis of car­ diology in health and disease, and have narrowed the gap between promising pharmacological intervention in experimental animals and clinical treatment of patients suffering from an ischaemic heart. Furthermore, they illustrate the fundamental significance of the product of the union between basic and clinical science. The rapid development of knowledge in the'Lipids-Heart-Heart Disease'triad prompted us to organize the International Symposium on Lipid Metabolism in the Normoxic and lschaemic Heart, held in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) on September 22 and 23, 1986. This meeting was a coproject of the Department of Biochemistry I (Medical Faculty, Erasmus University Rotter­ dam) and the Department of Physiology (Medical Faculty, University of Limburg) and was held under the auspices of the GerritJan Mulder Foundation (named after a famous Rotterdam physi­ cian and chemist who lived from 1802-1880) whom we thank for their co-operation. The present volume is a compendium of invited papers and contributions selected from the posters presented during the symposium.

Lung Development: Biological and Clinical Perspectives, Volume II: Neonatal Respiratory Distress is a collection of papers that addresses the needs of small infants who have respiratory diseases. This volume deals with fetal lung development with emphasis on hyaline membrane disease. This book also presents basic information on pulmonary surfactant in the clinical area, particularly in 1) diagnosis and movement of neonatal respiratory distress; 2) prenatal assessment of fetal lung maturity; and 3) prevention of hyaline membrane disease with corticosteroid therapy. One paper reviews the essential clinical aspects of hyaline membrane disease, while another paper discusses data of the physiology of surfactant from a patient with hyaline membrane disease. Another paper examines the radiology of hyaline membrane disease, transient tachypnea of the newborn, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia; this paper also describes the radiographic techniques to be applied on infants. Other papers cite a treatment using antepartum glucocorticoid, as well as other clinical trials involving antenatal corticosteroid. One paper proposes a design and organization of a multicenter clinical trial that will study the effects of corticosteroid in the development of the human lung. This book can prove useful for pediatricians, specialists in respiratory diseases, and researchers whose work involves cardiovascular medicine and radiology.

The 8th International Congress of Biorheology was held at the Pacifico Yokohama, Japan, a brand new, versatile convention center for international meetings, from August 3 through 8, 1992. There were many plenary lectures and symposia, one of which was entitled'Mechanics of the Venous System.'It was at this symposium that we, the editors of this monograph, each presented papers. We then moved to Gifu, Japan, for the Gifu Workshop on Veins and Vascular Capacitance. This was held on August 9, 1992, with the Second Department of Medicine, Gifu University School of Medicine, serving as the host. Nine papers were presented in the oral sessions and there were five poster presentations. This monograph, which is intended to provide a bird's­ eye view of recent trends in studies of the venous system, is an outgrowth of the Gifu Workshop. While it is not exactly the Proceedings ofthat workshop, materials in the monograph were developed from ideas presented there.

This book summarizes the papers presented at the International Symposium on vascular smooth muscle, organized in combination with the XXV Interna­ tional Congress of Physiological Sciences by the German Society of Angiology e. V. Honorary Presidents were Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. K. Wezler and Profes­ sor Dr. Dr. h. c. H. E. Bock. The annual meeting of the SOCiety of Angiology was combined with the Symposium. It was held at the Physiological Institute of the University of TUBINGEN, an appropriate setting, since in the last century numerous scientists from this institute were engaged in special problems con­ nected with the vascular system and muscles. The topics of this meeting covered a wide field of vascular research; it was the aim of the organizers to the discuss the physiological, biochemical and morphological basis of the vascular muscles with clinicians and to stress some important aspects in the form of round table discussions. On the following pages the reader will therefore find numerous papers on spe­ cial basic problems of the physiology, biochemistry and morphology of vascu­ lar smooth muscle as well as on pathophysiological and pathological changes and papers about the clinical treatment of vascular disorders. The more ex­ perimental and theoretical papers and discussions are concerned with the sin­ gle smooth muscle cell and the different types of vessels in various organs whereas the discussion of the clinical sections concentrate on the coronary system.

In this book we attempt a synthesis of knowledge from two investigative extremes. On the one hand, neurophysiology and neuropharmacology are progressing via the single neuron to a subcellular level; on the other, clinicians are studying the function ofthe human urinary system in vivo as a whole. A special effort must be made over the next decade to bridge this gap. We hope that the information summarized here will catalyse the process. In 1968, de Groat and Ryall published a group of papers in the Journal of Physiology in which modern quantitative electrophysiological techniques were applied to the study ofthe reflexes that regulate bladder Junction. These papers represent alandmark in the history of bladder neurophysiology, forming a dividing li ne between old and new. The earlier techniques of lesioning and stimulation of nervous structures yielded mainly qualitative information which was open to criticism because of lack of precise control over what was actually being destroyed or stimulated. Much of this earlier work was reviewed in an authoritative volume by Bors and Comarr in 1971, entitled Neurolqgical Urology. The 16 years have seen great advances in our understanding ofthe control oflower subsequent urinary tract function.

This book is the compilation of papers presented at the International Symposium on in vivo Body Composition Studies, held at the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 20 - 23, 1989. The purpose of this conference was to report on advances in techniques for the in vivo measurement of body composition and to present recent data on normal body composition and changes during disease. This conference was the most recent of several meetings on body composition studies, and follows two successful such meetings, one at Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1986, and at Edinburgh in 1988. The large number of excellent research papers and posters presented at these conferences demonstrates the rapid growth of the field and the broad interest in the subject of in vivo body composition studies. The proceedings of the Brookhaven meeting'In Vivo Body Composition Studies', is published by The Institute of Physical Sciences in Medicine, London. Both the Brookhaven and the current Toronto meeting emphasized the clinical applications, together with the techniques employed. The Edinburgh meeting placed more emphasis on the methodological problems and design of instrumentation. Because of the number of papers presented at the meeting it was necessary to ask the authors from the same institution to combine their presentations into a single paper where appropriate. The editors wish to thank the authors for their cooperation and for graciously accepting the minor revisions made to each manuscript.

Though it is a pleasure to write a short foreword to this collection of excellent scientific papers covering a range of biological topics, the rather depressing feature is the small number of papers. All-electronic publishing is developing and your Editors do have great faith in it. One problem for potential authors has been the reluctance of the abstracting journals to pay any attention to electronic journals - perhaps Springer should make a rapid move in this area and start the first all-electronic journal abstracting this type of literature. However, even the paper citation journals are starting to pay attention to the medium. The particular advantages of all-electronic publishing are beginning to emerge more clearly and it is clear that publishing video material is a unique advantage of our format. Several papers took advantage of this - for example those by Riehle and others on cell behaviour in tunnels, by Bereiter-Hahn and Voss on zonation in the plasmalemma and by Pavlikova, Zicha, Chaloupkova and Vesely on cell motility of tumour cells. These papers made essential and extensive use of video material, publishing some material of great originality. The work on cell pola­ rity and calcium ions in Fucus embryos by Brownlee, Manison and Anning used animation to present their results in an especially clear way. The facility of use of animation is another special advantage of our type of publication that should be more widely used.

This book summarizes the principles, protocols, and applications of enzyme-based biosensors in healthcare. After providing a brief history and discussing the development of various biosensors used for medical applications, it explores the principles of enzyme-based biosensors and reviews a number of enzyme immobilization techniques. It then addresses the potential of enzyme-based biosensors in the diagnosis of infectious and non-infectious diseases; illustrates the potential of enzyme-based biosensors for non-invasive monitoring of biochemical biomarkers; and assesses the application of paper-based and microfluidic-based nanobiosensors in medical diagnostics. A one-stop resource on recent advances in enzyme-based biosensors in healthcare, this book will appeal to students, researchers and scientists in a range of disciplines, as well as entrepreneurs, and medical/healthcare professionals.

Finalist for the 2022 NASW Science in Society Journalism Award Longlisted for the 2022 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books From an award-winning science journalist, a “deeply researched, entertaining, and impassioned exploration of sanitation” (Nature) and the future of the toilet—for fans of popular science bestsellers by Mary Roach.Most of us do not give much thought to the centerpiece of our bathrooms, but the toilet is an unexpected paradox. On the one hand, it is a modern miracle: a ubiquitous fixture in a vast sanitation system that has helped add decades to the human life span by reducing disease. On the other hand, the toilet is also a tragic failure: less than half of the world's population can access a toilet that safely manages body waste, including many right here in the United States. And it is inefficient, squandering clean water as well as the nutrients, energy, and information contained in the stuff we flush away. While we see radical technological change in almost every other aspect of our lives, we remain stuck in a sanitation status quo—in part because the topic of toilets is taboo. Fortunately, there's hope—and Pipe Dreams daringly profiles the growing army of sewage-savvy scientists, engineers, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and activists worldwide who are overcoming their aversions and focusing their formidable skills on making toilets accessible and healthier for all. This potential revolution in sanitation has many benefits, including reducing inequalities, mitigating climate change and water scarcity, improving agriculture, and optimizing health. Author Chelsea Wald takes us on a wild world tour from a compost toilet project in Haiti, to a plant in the Netherlands that salvages used toilet paper from sewage, and shows us a toilet seat that can watch users'poop for signs of illness, among many other fascinating developments. “Toilet humor is one thing, but toilet fact, as digested by skilled science writer Wald, is quite another…[Pipe Dreams is] a highly informative, well-reasoned call to rethink the throne” (Kirkus Reviews).

This contributed volume emphasizes the potential of stem cells to be pertained in the urology field and attempts to disclose the history of the field up to the latest advances to date. It gathers the majority of papers that advocate utilizing stem cells as the best option for treating, diagnosing, and managing diseases related to urological system. This book covers a broad spectrum of issues, including mesenchymal stem cells, cancer stem cells, organoids, regenerative medicine, erectile dysfunction, bladder dysfunction, and kidney transplant. From several decades ago, as characteristic features of stem cells have been explored, it has attracted a great amount of interests. In view of their multiple capacity of differentiating into various lineages, many studies were conducted to assess their beneficial potential. Despite considerable progress into applying stem cells in animal models, for translating into clinical practices there are several obstacles to be resolved. However, few clinical studies have been performed in each field and outcomes were delightful. There is an ongoing hope for stem cells to someday, be the mainstream treatments of urological diseases, although stem cells treatments already exist they are not well-known. Indeed, this book is essential for anyone who is working with the purpose of employing stem cells to treat the urological diseases and discusses at length the latest advances as well as their limitations.

This “seriously entertaining book” explores the skin in its multifaceted physical, psychological, and social aspects (Times, UK).Providing a cover for our delicate bodies, the skin is our largest and fastest-growing organ. We see it, touch it, and live in it every day. It is a habitat for a mesmerizingly complex world of micro-organisms and physical functions that are vital to our health and survival. One of the first things people see about us, skin is also crucial to our sense of identity. And yet much about it is largely unknown to us.With rigorous research and lucid prose, Monty Lyman explores our outer surface through the lenses of science, sociology, and history. He covers topics as diverse as the mechanics and magic of touch (how much goes on in the simple act of taking keys out of a pocket and unlocking a door is astounding), the close connection between the skin and the gut, what happens instantly when one gets a paper cut, and how a midnight snack can lead to sunburn. The Remarkable Life of the Skin takes readers on a journey across our most underrated and unexplored organ. It reveals how our skin is far stranger, more wondrous, and more complex than we have ever imagined.

Saliva as a unique sample for health assessment is gaining attention among researchers of different fields in the last 20 years; being reflected in an impressive increase in the number of papers published studying saliva from different biological aspects in human and veterinary species. Once deemed merely a digestive juice is now considered a biological fluid capable of communicating information about physiopathological processes occurring in organisms, since saliva has been shown to contain molecular and bacterial compounds that can change in response to local and systemic pathologies. Furthermore, the interest of saliva as a diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring biofluid is forced by its non-invasive nature being of easy and inexpensive sampling, involving only minimal discomfort and allowing the collection of multiple/repeated specimens at anytime, anywhere and without need for specialized staff. In this contributed volume, the authors bring together, summarize and reflect the generated knowledge about saliva as a source of biomarkers for health and welfare evaluation in humans and animal models. This volume also highlights the importance of confounding factors, such as sampling methods, flow, total protein content, contamination, or storage. This book will serve as a manual for graduates, practitioners and researchers by providing general ideas about the possibilities and utilities of saliva in clinical practice or investigation, and indicating the main cautions each should have in mind before saliva usage.

This book presents selected papers introducing readers to the key research topics and latest development trends in the theory and application of MMESE. The advanced integrated research topic man-machine-environment system engineering (MMESE) was first established in China by Professor Shengzhao Long in 1981, with direct support from one of the greatest modern Chinese scientists, Xuesen Qian. In a letter to Shengzhao Long from October 22nd, 1993, Xuesen Qian wrote: “You have created a very important modern science and technology in China!”MMESE primarily focuses on the relationship between man, machine and environment, studying the optimum combination of man-machine-environment systems, where “man” refers to people in the workplace (e.g., operators, decision-makers), “machine” is the general name for any object controlled by man (including tools, machinery, computers, systems and technologies), and “environment” describes the specific working conditions under which man and machine interact (e.g., temperature, noise, vibration and hazardous gases). The three goals of optimizing such systems are ensuring safety, efficiency and economy.Presenting interdisciplinary studies on the concepts and methods in physiology, psychology, system engineering, computer science, environmental science, management, education and other related disciplines, this book is a valuable resource for all researchers and professionals whose work involves MMESE subjects.

These proceedings showcase the best papers selected from more than 500 submissions, and introduce readers to the hottest research topics and the latest developmental trends in the theory and application of MMESE. The integrated and advanced science research topic Man-Machine-Environment System Engineering (MMESE) was first established in China by Professor Shengzhao Long in 1981, with direct support from one of the greatest modern Chinese scientists, Xuesen Qian. In a letter to Long from October 22nd, 1993, Qian wrote: “You have created a very important modern science and technology in China!” MMESE primarily focuses on the relationship between Man, Machine and Environment, studying the optimum combination of man-machine-environment systems. In this system, “Man” refers to working people as the subject in the workplace (e.g. operators, decision-makers); “Machine” is the general name for any object controlled by Man (including tools, machinery, computers, systems and technologies), and “Environment” describes the specific working conditions under which Man and Machine interact (e.g. temperature, noise, vibration, hazardous gases etc.). The three main goals of optimizing man-machine-environment systems are to ensure safety, efficiency and economy. These proceedings present interdisciplinary studies on essential concepts and methods from physiology, psychology, system engineering, computer science, environmental science, management, education, and other related disciplines. As such, they offer a valuable resource for all researchers and professionals whose work involves interdisciplinary areas touching on MMESE subjects.

These proceedings showcase the best papers selected from more than 500 submissions, and introduce readers to the latest research topics and developmental trends in the theory and application of MMESE. The integrated research topic Man–Machine–Environment System Engineering (MMESE) was first established in China by Professor Shengzhao Long in 1981, with direct support from one of the greatest modern Chinese scientists, Xuesen Qian. In a letter to Long from October 22nd, 1993, Qian wrote: “You have created a very important modern science and technology in China!”MMESE studies the optimum combination of man–machine–environment systems. In this system, “man” refers to the people in the workplace (e.g. operators, decision-makers); “machine” is the general name for any object controlled by man (including tools, machinery, computers, systems and technologies), and “environment” describes the specific working conditions under which man and machine interact (e.g. temperature, noise, vibration, hazardous gases, etc.). The three main goals of optimizing man–machine–environment systems are to ensure safety, efficiency and economy.These proceedings present interdisciplinary studies on concepts and methods from physiology, psychology, system engineering, computer science, environmental science, management, education, and other related disciplines. They offer a valuable resource for all researchers and professionals whose work involves interdisciplinary areas touching on MMESE subjects.

These proceedings showcase the best papers selected from more than 500 submissions, introducing readers to the top research topics and the latest developmental trends in the theory and application of Man-Machine-Environment System Engineering (MMESE). This research topic was first established in China by Professor Shengzhao Long in 1981, with direct support from one of the greatest modern Chinese scientists, Xuesen Qian. In a letter to Shengzhao Long from October 22nd, 1993, Xuesen Qian wrote: “You have created a very important modern science and technology in China!” MMESE primarily focuses on the relationship between Man, Machine and Environment, studying the optimum combination of related Man-Machine-Environment systems. In this paradigm, “Man” refers to working people as the subject at the workplace (e.g. operators, decision-makers); “Machine” is the general name for any object controlled by Man (including tools, machinery, computers, systems and technologies), and “Environment” describes the specific working conditions under which Man and Machine interact (e.g. temperature, noise, vibration, hazardous gases etc.). In turn, the three goals of optimization are to ensure safety, efficiency and economy in this context. These proceedings present interdisciplinary studies on the concepts and methods of physiology, psychology, system engineering, computer science, environmental science, management, education, and other related disciplines. They offer a valuable resource for all researchers and professionals whose work involves interdisciplinary areas touching on MMESE subjects.

Vision Facts is a question and answer guide to the wonders of the human eye, its complex structures and the process of visual perception. It traces the journey of vision from a ray of light entering the eye to the processing done by the brain, to the development and aging of the human visual system and common disorders associated with both processes. Organized in an intuitive question-and-answer format and accompanied by clear diagrams, Vision Facts provides answers regarding your vision in a manner accessible to all who are interested. Each topic includes references to external resources such as lecture notes and research papers for those who wish to delve deeper. It is a perfect handbook for anyone who is interested in visual science, sensory processing, neuroscience, or physiology; and is an excellent reference for anyone considering a career in ophthalmology or optometry.°Some examples of the questions include the following. What is the resolution of the eye? Why do astronomers often cover flashlights with a red filter while stargazing? What is color-blindness and how does it occur? What role does vision play in the circadian rhythm? What chemical signals cause the eye to develop into its mature form? How does alcohol during pregnancy affect eye development? How well can a newborn baby see? How does being born prematurely affect vision? What is 20/20 vision? How does aging affect vision? These are all questions that are addressed in Vision Facts, along with countless more.

The Multiple Inert Gas Elimination Technique (MIGET) is a complex methodology involving specialized gas chromatography and sophisticated mathematics developed in the early 1970's. Essentially, nobody possesses knowledge of all its elements except for its original developers, and while some practical and theoretical aspects have been published over the years, none have included the level of detail that would be necessary for a potential user to adopt and understand the technique easily. This book is unique in providing a highly detailed, comprehensive technical description of the theory and practice underlying the MIGET to help potential users set up the method and solve problems they may encounter. But it is much more than a reference manual – it is a substantial physiological and mathematical treatise in its own right. It also has a wide applicability – there is extensive discussion of the common biological problem of quantitative inference. The authors took measured whole-lung gas exchange variables, and used mathematical procedures to infer the distribution of ventilation and blood flow from this data. In so doing, they developed novel approaches to answer the question: What are the limits to what can be concluded when inferring the inner workings from the “black box” behavior of a system? The book details the approaches developed, which can be generalized to other similar distributed functions within tissues and organs. They involve engineering approaches such as linear and quadratic programming, and uniquely use mathematical tools with biological constraints to obtain as much information as possible about a “black box” system. Lastly, the book summarizes the hundreds of research papers published by a number of groups over the decades in a way never before attempted in order to marshal the world's literature on the topic and to provide in one place the wealth of important discoveries, both physiological andclinical, enabled by the technique.

This proceedings volume highlights a selection of papers presented at the Sixth International Conference on High Performance Scientific Computing, which took place in Hanoi, Vietnam on March 16-20, 2015. The conference was jointly organized by the Heidelberg Institute of Theoretical Studies (HITS), the Institute of Mathematics of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR) at Heidelberg University, and the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics, Ministry of Education The contributions cover a broad, interdisciplinary spectrum of scientific computing and showcase recent advances in theory, methods, and practical applications. Subjects covered numerical simulation, methods for optimization and control, parallel computing, and software development, as well as the applications of scientific computing in physics, mechanics, biomechanics and robotics, material science, hydrology, biotechnology, medicine, transport, scheduling, and industry.

Last century's research on sleep may be divided into two different time periods. The first half of the century was dominated by the work of Henri Piéron and Nathaniel Kleitman, and was devoted to sleep experiments of a classical nature that were performed on animals and humans (Gottesmann, Nova 2013). At the beginning of the second half of the century, a major discovery identified a sleep phase during which eye movements can be recorded and dreaming occurs. William C. Dement and Michel Jouvet, dominated the next fifty years independently with their discovery of nearly all the properties concerning “rapid eye movement (REM) sleep”, also called “paradoxical sleep”. This book analyses the first major findings that were made possible by all the available methods (behavioral observations, electrophysiology, surgical interventions, pharmacology) used by both authors to characterize this sleep stage. All the successive papers by Dement and Jouvet are analyzed in turn for the period from 1955 to 1970. The results that came of the authors'research environment are taken into account, and all the data available in the past and present are discussed and integrated into those findings.

This book contains the refereed contributions from the 42nd annual meeting of ISOTT. The annual meetings of ISOTT bring together scientists from various fields (medicine, physiology, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, etc.) in a unique international forum. ISOTT conferences are a place where an atmosphere of interaction is created, where many questions are asked after each presentation and lively discussions occur at a high scientific level. This vivid interaction is the main motivation for members to participate and gain new ideas and knowledge in the broad field of oxygen transport to tissue. The papers in this volume summarize some of the outstanding contributions from the 42nd annual meeting, which included sessions on: cellular hypoxia and mitochondria; blood substitutes and oxygen therapeutics; oxygen transport in critical care medicine and disease; muscle oxygenation; multi modal imaging techniques; brain oxygenation and imaging; optical techniques for oxygen measurement; microcirculation; mathematical modelling of oxygen transport; and cancer metabolism.

This research topic was first established in China by Professor Shengzhao Long in 1981, with direct support from one of the greatest modern Chinese scientists, Xuesen Qian. In a letter to Shengzhao Long from October 22nd, 1993, Xuesen Qian wrote: “You have created a very important modern science subject and technology in China!”MMESE primarily focuses on the relationship between Man, Machine and Environment, studying the optimum combination of man-machine-environment systems. In this system, “Man” refers to working people as the subject in the workplace (e.g. operators, decision-makers); “Machine” is the general name for any object controlled by Man (including tools, machinery, computers, systems and technologies), and “Environment” describes the specific working conditions under which Man and Machine interact (e.g. temperature, noise, vibration, hazardous gases etc.). The three goals of optimization are to ensure'Safety, High efficiency and Economy'of man-machine-environment systems.These proceedings are an academic showcase of the best papers selected from more than 400 submissions, introducing readers to the top research topics and the latest developmental trends in the theory and application of MMESE.These proceedings are interdisciplinary studies on the concepts and methods of physiology, psychology, system engineering, computer science, environment science, management, education, and other related disciplines. Researchers and professionals who study an interdisciplinary subject crossing above disciplines or researchers on MMESE subject will be mainly benefited from these proceedings.

The integrated and advanced science research topic man-machine-environment system engineering (MMESE) was first established in China by Professor Shengzhao Long in 1981, with direct support from one of the greatest modern Chinese scientists, Xuesen Qian. In a letter to Shengzhao Long from October 22nd, 1993, Xuesen Qian wrote: “You have created a very important modern science and technology in China!” MMESE primarily focuses on the relationship between man, machines and the environment, studying the optimum combination of man-machine-environment systems. In this system, “man” refers to people in the workplace (e.g. operators, decision-makers); “ machine” is the general name for any object controlled by man (including tools, machinery, computers, systems and technologies), and “environment” describes the specific working conditions under which man and machine interact (e.g. temperature, noise, vibration, hazardous gases etc.). The three goals of optimization of man-machine-environment systems are to ensure safety, efficiency and economy. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Man-Machine-Environment System Engineering are an academic showcase of the best papers selected from more than 400 submissions, introducing readers to the top research topics and the latest developmental trends in the theory and application of MMESE.These proceedings are interdisciplinary studies on the concepts and methods of physiology, psychology, system engineering, computer science, environment science, management, education, and other related disciplines. Researchers and professionals working in these interdisciplinary fields and researchers on MMESE related topics will benefit from these proceedings.

This book provides a clearly structured introduction to hydrogen biology and medicine. Hydrogen is the one of the most abundant elements in the universe and has the simplest structure. In 2007, Japanese researchers found that the selective oxidation of hydrogen has a therapeutic effect on various diseases and injuries, sparking widespread interest in the biomedical field. In recent years, hundreds of peer-reviewed papers have been published internationally reporting the positive effects of hydrogen on many human diseases, including strokes, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and sepsis. The authors provide readers with a comprehensive overview of this subject, from its physical and chemical properties to its biological effects, as well as the problems and obstacles that exist.

This research topic was first established in China by Professor ShengZhao Long in 1981, with direct support from one of the greatest modern Chinese scientists, XueSen Qian. In a letter to ShengZhao Long from October 22nd, 1993, XueSen Qian wrote: “You have created a very important modern science subject and technology in China!” MMESE primarily focuses on the relationship between Man, Machine and Environment, studying the optimum combination of man-machine-environment systems. In this system, “Man” refers to working people as the subject in the workplace (e.g. operators, decision-makers); “Machine” is the general name for any object controlled by Man (including tools, machinery, computers, systems and technologies), and “Environment” describes the specific working conditions under which Man and Machine interact (e.g. temperature, noise, vibration, hazardous gases etc.). The three goals of optimization are to ensure safety, efficiency and economy. These proceedings are an academic showcase of the best papers selected from more than 400 submissions, introducing readers to the top research topics and the latest developmental trends in the theory and application of MMESE. These proceedings are interdisciplinary studies on the concepts and methods of physiology, psychology, system engineering, computer science, environment science, management, education, and other related disciplines. Researchers and professionals who study an interdisciplinary subject crossing above disciplines or researchers on MMESE subject will be mainly benefited from these proceedings.

This book contains the refereed contributions from the 41st annual meeting of ISOTT. The annual meetings of ISOTT bring together scientists from various fields (medicine, physiology, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, etc.) in a unique international forum. Traditionally, ISOTT conferences are a place, where an atmosphere of interaction is created, where many questions are asked after each presentation and lively discussions occur at a high scientific level. This vivid interaction is the main motivation for members to participate and gain new ideas and knowledge in the broad field of oxygen transport to tissue. The papers in this volume summarize some of the outstanding contributions from the 41st annual meeting. Special features in this volume include invited presentations from senior members of ISOTT for the theme “the wisdom of ISOTT” in which founders, past presidents and prize winners from previous meetings provided both cutting edge new knowledge and integratedoverviews of critical aspects of the field. The presentations and manuscripts also include those provided by the special opportunity provided by having part of the ISOTT meeting overlap with the EPR-2013 meeting where both focused on preclinical and clinical measurements of oxygen, with a particular emphasis on cancer.Chapters 22, 24, 25 and 26 are open access under a CC BY 4.0 license via link.springer.com.

This book describes the evolution of ideas relating to the mechanism of muscular contraction since the discovery of sliding filaments in 1954. An amazing variety of experimental techniques have been employed to investigate the mechanism of muscular contraction and relaxation. Some background of these various techniques is presented in order to gain a fuller appreciation of their strengths and weaknesses. Controversies in the muscle field are discussed along with some missed opportunities and false trails.The pathway to ATP and the high energy phosphate bond will be discussed, as well as the discovery of myosin, contraction coupling and the emergence of cell and molecular biology in the muscle field. Numerous figures from original papers are also included for readers to see the data that led to important conclusions.This book is published on behalf of the American Physiological Society by Springer. Access to APS books published with Springer is free to APS members.

At a time when the US government is spending enormous amounts of money on a project called BRAIN and the European Union has committed itself to the multi-million Human Brain Project, the chances of revealing the workings of the neuronal components of the brain are as good as they have ever been. Nevertheless, even if brain functions – or the entire brain – could be simulated on a computer one day, as the EU project aims for, the question of the relation between the experiencing subject and the brain is still an open one. The tension between experienced subjectivity and its biological basis is at the core of recent philosophical, psychological, sociological, biological and interdisciplinary debates. The traditional Cartesian inner theatre and the resulting substance dualism cannot be made to fit scientific requirements. Reductive accounts, claiming some identity between mental and physical occurrences, display difficulties when it comes to accounting for the experiential dimension of human life. The central question is: What is a subject and how does a subject interact with others? This book is a collection of papers that provides innovative and insightful answers to this question. It is, therefore, as its name suggests, a discussion of subjectivity and the social world.

Having accepted the task to organize, in Amsterdam, an international Congress in behalf of the International Sodety for Neurovegetati'V'e Research such as is held every second year, it occurred to me that it might be worth­ while to change its usual pattern somewhat. Instead of giving merely the opportunity for l'eading a nurnber of rather short free papers, more or less grouped in many categories, we decided to start with a symposium on a special topic'to be dealt with from several aspects by a numbe·r of invited speakers, the last day of the congress being only available for short free communications. The central topic for the symposium finally chosen was'Neurohormones and N eurohumors'as this subject is of interest :to many morphologists, physiologists, pharmacologists, neuro-endocrinologists, biochemists and clini­ cians, and belongs to a rapidly expanding Held of research. Moreover, it appeared to us that there is some confusion about the defini­ tion of these terms which are not seLdom used indifferently. I hoped that such a symposium would contribute 1to a clearer apprehension of the terms based on morphological, physiological and biochemical criteria as well as to a clearer understanding of some problems involved which will have to be subjects of future investigations.

This publication contains the papers presented at a special Symposium on Atrial Fibrillation during the European Society of Cardiology 1991 meeting in Amsterdam, Holland. The contributors offer the current state of the art of the management of the most difficult cardiac arrhythmias atrial fibrillation.

During the twentieth century, only two researchers published world famous, encyclopedic monographs related to sleep. The first of these works appeared in 1913, when Henri Piéron published “Le problème physiologique du sommeil”, which is still a standard reference today. Although multiple researchers and clinicians, such as Economo (1917, 1928), Berger (1929), Hess (1931), Bremer (1935, 1936), Loomis et al. (1937) and Ranson (1939), subsequently published highly important findings on sleep-waking processes, the next fundamental phase was marked by the publication of the first edition of Sleep and Wakefulness, by Nathaniel Kleitman in 1939. Later, following his discovery of rapid eye movement (REM) dreaming sleep stage in 1953, Kleitman published the masterful second edition of this work in 1963. Later on, several researchers published highly important reviews (Jouvet 1962, 1972, Moruzzi 1963, 1972, Hobson 1988, Steriade and McCarley 1990), although they were directed to more limited topics. The book provides an overview of Piéron's and Kleitman's sleep-related papers, placed in their proper historical context.

Molecular Methods of Plant Analysis Concept of the Series The powerful recombinant DNA technology and related developments have had an enormous impact on molecular biology. Any treatment of plant analysis must make use of these new methods. Developments have been so fast and the methods so powerful that the editors of Modern Methods of Plant Analysis have now decided to rename the series Molecular Methods ofPlant Analysis. This will not change the general aims of the series, but best describes the thrust and content of the series as we go forward into the new millennium. This does not mean that all chapters a priori deal only with the methods of molecular biology,but rather that these methods are to be found in many chapters together with the more traditional methods of analysis which have seen recent advances. The numbering of the volumes of the series therefore continues on from 20, which is the most recently published volume under the title Modern Methods ofPlant Analysis. As indicated for previous volumes, the methods to be found in Molecular Methods ofPlantAnalysis are described critically,with hints as to their limitations, references to original papers and authors being given, and the chapters written so that there is little need to consult other texts to carry out the methods of analysis described. All authors have been chosen because of their special experience in handling plant material and/or their expertise with the methods described.

In recent years, several symposia have been held on subjects relating to the general theme of information processing in the nervous system. It is now widely recognized that this whole field is rapidly developing and changing in a manner beyond our imaginings of a few years ago. When confronted with conceptual revolutions of this kind, it is justifiable to have a continued on-going discourse and disputation so that there is maximum opportunity for interaction between the leaders of thought in all the re­ lated disciplines. The conference organized by K. N. Leibovic, and held at the State University of New York at Buffalo from October 21st to 24th, 1968, made a notable contribution to this interaction. It is fortunate that there is here being published, not only the papers contributed to the sym­ posium, but also much of the stimulating discussion. The term'neuronal machinery'can be validly used because there is now good understanding of the operational mechanisms of at least some of the neuronal centers in the brain, and our knowledge of these mechanisms is progressing in a most encouraging manner. The stated objective by Prof. Leibovic, the organizer of the symposium, was that it was designed to cor­ relate neuronal machinery with psychophysiological phenomena. He calls attention to the urgency of achieving a common conceptual basis for neuro­ anatomy, neurophysiology, and psychology.

The integrated and advanced science research topic Man-Machine-Environment system engineering (MMESE) was first established in China by Professor Shengzhao Long in 1981, with direct support from one of the greatest modern Chinese scientists, Xuesen Qian. In a letter to Shengzhao Long from October 22nd, 1993, Xuesen Qian wrote: “You have created a very important modern science and technology in China!” MMESE primarily focuses on the relationship between man, machines and the environment, studying the optimum combination of man-machine-environment systems. In this system, “man” refers to people in the workplace (e.g. operators, decision-makers); “ machine” is the general name for any object controlled by man (including tools, machinery, computers, systems and technologies), and “environment” describes the specific working conditions under which man and machine interact (e.g. temperature, noise, vibration, hazardous gases etc.). The three goals of optimization of Man-Machine-Environment systems are to ensure safety, efficiency and economy. Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Man-Machine-Environment System Engineering are an academic showcase of the best papers selected from more than 400 submissions, introducing readers to the top research topics and the latest developmental trends in the theory and application of MMESE.These proceedings are interdisciplinary studies on the concepts and methods of physiology, psychology, system engineering, computer science, environment science, management, education, and other related disciplines. Researchers and professionals working in these interdisciplinary fields and researchers on MMESE related topics will benefit from these proceedings.

August Krogh, the son of a brewer, studied zoology in Copenhagen and earned his doctoral degree under the physiologist Christian Bohr, the father of the world-renowned nuclear physicist Niels Bohr. Krogh's unusual ability to construct instruments and complex apparatuses and his intuitive understanding of physical principles made it possible for him to improve on Bohr's methods. His findings led him to challenge Christian Bohr's ideas about oxygen secretion, and when Bohr refused to accept his findings, Krogh unwillingly came into a painful conflict with his own mentor. Krogh's continued studies of how oxygen is supplied to the tissues led to his realization that the blood flow in the finest blood vessels, the capillaries, has to be regulated through a mechanism that opens and closes the capillaries according to the tissue's need for oxygen. This idea and his scientific proof were at the time so new and revolutionary that he was promptly (in 1920) awarded the Nobel Prize. His fame in Denmark and all over the world continued to grow until his death in 1949. His scientific discoveries extended from respiration, exercise physiology and capillary physiology into comparative osmoregulation, isotope studies, active transport of ions in plants and animals, and finally insect flight.Another dramatic story of Krogh's life began when he introduced insulin production in Denmark in 1922. This move saved his own wife's life as well as numerous other lives and helped make Denmark's Novo-Nordisk the largest producer of insulin in the world today. Krogh's wife, Marie, became a physician and a renowned scientist in her own right. Throughout their harmonious marriage and partnership, Marie played an important role in her husband's life both scientifically and personally.Written by the proud daughter of August and Marie Krogh, this biography is based on numerous letters, scientific papers, interviews, symposia, and other sources as well as the author's own knowledge of her parents. The intertwining of the scientific work and personal lives of these two remarkable people is beautifully illustrated in a well-rounded picture of their struggles and triumphs. It is a unique book, full of human warmth and scientific understanding.

In the first section of this volume, we have attempted to bring together some of the papers that reflect exciting new areas of development in relation to neuroendocrine investigation. Very recently, specific nucleotide recognition sequences for thyroid hormones, steroid hormones and the fundamental intracellular regulator, cyclic AMP, have been determined. In this section, the preliminary characterization and investigation of the nuclear binding proteins that mediate the actions of cAMP are described. Not only does this represent an important advance in cell biology, but it may represent a further level of alteration in control in normal and disease states. Intercellular pituitary'cross talk'is well described in the in vitro setting. The active molecules are clearly It is now important able to exert significant actions at the subnanomolar level. to design experiments in order to define the precise physiological relevance of these novel and potentially important observations. Paracrine and autocrine cellular interactions are of established importance in growth control in a variety of body tissues. But it is only very recently that the investigation of normal and abnormal anterior pituitary growth has reached the forefront of neuroendocrine research. This is perhaps surprising, beause the inhibitory effects of doapmine agonism on lactotroph growth and differentiation have been appreciated for some time. The anterior pituitary gland produces numerous growth factors that exert a variety of functional effects on pituitary hormone synthesis and release.

First FRCR Anatomy: Practice Cases offers up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of practice cases for trainees preparing for the First FRCR Anatomy exam. Chapters are mapped to the syllabus to deliver structured revision in all the key topics, allowing trainees to focus on areas of weakness. Featuring a wealth of practice cases and two mock papers, this book is an essential revision tool to maximise chances of exam success. It includes over 230 high-quality images, reflecting the breadth of topics encountered in the actual exam. It gives practical advice on how to approach revision and useful tips to improve exam technique. This book features concise, case-based descriptions in the answers, to consolidate knowledge. It uses illustrations in the answers to improve understanding of key concepts. This book covers all imaging modalities, including plain radiographs, CT, MRI and ultrasound.

This first volume in a projected series contains the proceedings of the first of the Keio University International Symposia for Life Sciences and Medicine under the sponsorship of the Keio University Medical Science Fund. As stated in the address by the President of Keio University at the opening of the 1996 symposium, the fund of Dr. Mitsunada Sakaguchi. The Keio was established by the generous donation University International Symposia for Life Sciences and Medicine constitute one of the core activities of the fund. The objective is to contribute to the international community by developing human resources, promoting scientific knowledge, and encouraging mutual exchange. Every year, the Executive Committee of the Interna­ tional Symposia for Life Sciences and Medicine selects the most interesting topics for the symposium from applications received in response to a call for papers to the Keio medical community. The publication of these proceedings is intended to publicize and distribute information arising from the lively discussions of the most exciting and current issues during the symposium. Weare grateful to Dr. Mitsunada Sakaguchi, who made the symposium possible, the members of the program committee, and the office staff whose support guaran­ teed the success of the symposium. Finally, we thank Springer-Verlag, Tokyo, for their assistance in publishing this work. Akimichi Kaneko, M. D., Ph. D.

Schizophrenia has been the subject of intense research interest in recent years, as investigators have explored the biological bases for the disorder and for various approaches to its diagnosis and treatment. This volume focuses on three aspects of such recent research connecting basic neuroscience to schizophrenia. In one, Professors Budinger, Gur, and Pettegrew provide critical reviews of brain imaging studies as they relate to cognitive behaviour functions in schizophrenia. In the second, Professors Goldmann-Rakic, Lewis, and Tassin discuss monoamine systems and their varied role in prefontal cortical circuitry and function. In the third, Professors Deutsch, Gerfen, and Grace discuss the structure, organization, and function of the basal ganglia, as they relate to schizophrenia and the mechanisms of neuroleptic action. These papers were presented at an interdisciplinary workshop on the subject at the University of Pittsburgh, in May 1991, and the discussion between the authors and other panelists in basic and clinical sciences are included in this volume as well. The presentation of these diverse approaches in an integrated fashion provides the reader with a unique perspective and a wealth of new questions for future collaborative research.

Monoamine oxidase plays a major role in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders including depressive illness, Parkinson´s disease and Alzheimer´s disease. The new generation of selective monoamine oxidase inhibitors, devoid of major side effects, has found a prominent place in the treatment of these diseases. Some of these drugs may have neuroprotective activity with prospects for treating progressive neurodegenerative diseases. The volume presents a collection of research papers on monoamine oxidase and its inhibitors. The topic is treated from the point of view of chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology, neurology and psychiatry. The book serves as a quick and comprehensive reference source for obtaining the most up to date information.

This book dealing with stance and motion was planned in June 1986 at a meeting held in Moscow and Leningrad between a group of Soviet and French scientists interested in motor control. This meeting took place in the framework of an exchange program between the USSR Academy of Seiences and the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. It was very successful event and was greatly appreciated by all those who attended it. Several participants put forward the proposal that the possibility of publishing a book was worth exploring. What were the reasons for publishing a book on stance and motion? The interest aroused in the participants by each others contributions was not a sufficiently decisive argument. It was feit, however, that a large proportion of the orginal material presented at the meeting, especially in the field of posture and locomotion but also on other aspects covered by the book could be presented in a summarized form which should appeal to a larger audience because the facts and hypotheses they contained especially those from the Soviet participants, were not very familiar among international circles, and that many scientists would appreciate having a single volume containing a survey ofthe current state of research in this field. This was also the opinion of Plenum Press, who agreed to publish the book. Each participant at the meeting submitted a paper which was examined by two referees before being accepted.

Biochemical Aspects of Renal Function is a collection of papers from the Fifth International Symposium on the Biochemical Aspects of Renal Function. The materials presented details the advancement in the understanding of various areas in the biochemistry of renal function. The title first covers the metabolic studies in kidney, and then proceeds to tackling intermediary metabolism and its regulation. Next, the selection discusses the biochemistry of filtration and reabsorption. The last chapter covers renal work and ATP. The book will be of great interest to students, researchers, and practitioners of medicine, biochemistry, and physiological sciences.

This book is a survey of some aspects of current knowledge on regional Cerebral Blood Flow (rCBF), mainly as studied by the isotope clearance method. Although both theoretical and methodological problems are discussed, attention is mainly dedicated to data obtained from clinical studies. The papers which make up this book were presented at the International Symposium on the Clinical Applications of Isotope Clearance Measurement of Cerebral Blood Flow, held in Mainz, Western Germany, on April 10-12, 1969. The previous meetings on Cerebral Blood Flow, held in Lund in 1964• and in Lund and Copenhagen 1968••, had shown that the moment had come to concentrate on the possibilities of introducing rCBF measurements into clinical routine. This is why in the Mainz Symposium attention was initially focused on methodological aspects. This is also why theoretical problems of physiology of CBF were not emphasized. Finally, this explains why such topics as cerebrovascular disease, head trauma, coma, carotid surgery, brain tumors and intracranial pressure were given pride of place. However a survey of the clinical aspects of rCBF measurements would not be complete without an account of the application of such measurements to monitor cerebral circulatory changes during anesthesia and therapeutic procedures like, for instance, hyperventilation and hyperbaric treatment. Furthermore, it is now possible to obtain data from correlative rCBF studies per­ formed before, during and after surgical operations on the human brain.

and made insignificant in practice, by selecting for study simple kinds of ex­ periences which are devoid of emotional content and which can be tested for reliability. A simple somatosensory''raw feel'fulfills these characteristics (see papers nos. 2,5). In any case, if we fail to find ways to use introspective reports in convincingly acceptable studies we would give up the ability to investigate the relation between conscious experience and neural activity, something warned against by William James (Krech, 1969). Another factor in the dearth of direct experimental studies is, of course, the comparative inaccessibility of the human brain for such purposes. Meaningful investigations of the issue in question requires simultaneous study of brain events and introspective reports of experiences in an awake, cooperative human subject. Analysis by neuropsychologists of pathological lesions in the brain and the related disturbances of conscious functions have contributed much to mapping the pos­ sible representations of these functions. The non-invasive recording of electrical activity with electrodes on the scalp, starting from Berger's initial EEG record­ ings in 1929, has contributed much to the problems of states of consciousness and to various cognitive features associated with sensory inputs, but not as much to the specific issue of conscious experience.

The 8th International Symposium on Microbial Growth on C1 Compounds was held at the Bahia Resort Hotel, San Diego, CA, 27 August-1 September, 1995. A total of 160 participants from 18 countries were registered. Eight Scientific Sessions were held in which 45 papers were presented, and 114 posters were displayed and discussed in 3 separate poster sessions. The Symposium covered a broad range of topics, including acetogenesis, methanogenesis, CO2 fixation, lithoautotrophy, carboxidotrophy, methylotrophy and methanotrophy. The theme of the Symposium was mechanistic, and under this rubric the physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and both applied and environmental aspects of microbial growth on C1 compounds were addressed. This Symposium Volume contains 46 chapters, including the text of an Opening Address delivered at the Symposium by J.R. Quayle. This chapter elegantly presents an historical perspective on the past 7 Symposia, in the context of major breakthroughs in the field and of what is termed `giant'topics. The reader will be pleased to see that the tradition of the past Symposia Volumes is upheld, and that both familiar and new `giant'topics are covered. This Volume presents a cutting edge view of the broad field of microbial one-carbon metabolism, and provides a valuable resource for researcher and student alike.

The Taurine Symposium-'Taurine: Beginning the 21''Century'- was held September 20-23, 2002, on the beautiful island of Kauai in Hawaii. The headquarters of the meeting was the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort. This international meeting was attending by approximately 80 individuals from 23 nations and 4 continents. Seventy-five papers were presented either as platform presentations or poster presentations. Taurine, first isolated from ox bile in 1827 by Tiedemann and Gmelin and named in 1838 by Demarcay, became of significant scientific interest in 1968 when the first extensive review article was published by Jacobsen and Smith. Interest in taurine grew exponentially after 1975 when the first taurine symposium was organized by Ryan Huxtable in Tucson, Arizona. Since that date, taurine symposia have been held approximately every two years held in various cities and resort areas around the world. Taurine investigators have had the privilege of attending these scientific meetings on three continents - Asia, Europe, and North America. Since the initial meeting in 1975, a central question addressed during many of the symposia has been:'What is physiological, pharmacological, nutritional, and pathological role of taurine?'. Although taurine has been established as an important osmolyte, it appears to affect many other biological processes. However, the exact mechanism(s) by'which taurine acts'has not yet been definitively answered. In Kauai, the patticipants discussed many topics and asked many questions regarding the role and actions of taurine.