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This volume contains 56 contributions presented at the 1st International Symposium on Post-Translational Modifications of Proteins and Ageing, held on the Island of Ischia (Naples, Italy) from May 11 to 15, 1987, under the auspices of the University of Naples and the Italian Society of Biochemistry. The primary aim of this interdisciplinary meeting was to promote a productive exchange among scientists from different cultural areas, and to give them the opportunity to discuss problems of common interest approached from different scientific standpoints. Although a large number of studies has led to a definition of the chemical mechanisms and of the main enzymological aspects of the several post-translational modifications of proteins, we are still far away from a complete elucidation of the functional significance of such processes. As a matter of fact, it seems reasonable that the presently available experi­ mental approaches and models employed to investigate the biological roles are still inadequate. The search for suitable model systems was a matter of discussion during the meeting, and will be a major challenge in the future. The most frequently employed approaches to this problem thus far have been in vitro, but several proteins reported to be excellent in vitro substrates failed to show any activity when assayed in in vivo models.

In 1980. a distinguished group of scientists gathered In Washington. D. C. for an International Symposium on Aging and Cancer. Among the recommendations of this Symposium was to convene a future meeting to discuss the molecular basis for Interrelationships between aging and cancer when the appropriate scientific knowledge was available. That same year. the 13th Jerusalem Symposium on Quantum Chemistry and Biochemistry entitled ·Carcl­ nogenesls : Fundamental Mechanisms and Environmental Effects·. was held. attended by some 50 International authorities In this field. At this meeting. It became clear that the fundamental process of carcinogenesis 15 Intimately associated with differentiation. which must also be mechanistically related to aging. It was therefore proposed that the next Jerusalem Symposium on Cancer could provide the appropriate forum for the study on the Interrelationship among cancer. aging and differentiation. The Impressive advances In our knowledge of the nature of the genome through molecular genetic and physical chemical techniques have now provided the opportunity to examine the Interrelationships between these complex biolo­ gical processes. Through the Isolation. cloning and rearranging of genes we are able to dissect and manipulate the genome In a fashion that was unanticipated only a decade ago. At the same time. the Increase In longevity and the Increased numbers of Individuals entering the last decades of life where cancer Incidences are highest raise the profound and practical question of whether aging and cancer are linked through common mechanisms.

bhe aim of the book was not to focus the age-dependent modifications of one specific biological systems or phenomena, but the attempt was pursued to cover several fields in which the biological research on aging is going on. The fundamental purpose of this planning was to offer the PhD students an advanced text that could raise the possibility of an interdisciplinary discussion on a wide and complex field that is very suitable to be utilized as an example of the connection existing between advanced teaching and experimental research.

The VIIIth Annual International Spring Symposium on Health Sciences held at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., attracted over three hun­ dred fifty scientists from twenty-five countries. The leading scientific experts in the field reported on recent biomedical advances in aging. They provided an up-to-date account of the molecular, genetic, nutritional, and immunological mechanisms associated with the aging process and approaches to intervention and treatment of the major disorders associated with the aging process, including Alzheimer's disease. A unique aspect of this meeting was a concurrent one-day hearing of the U.S. Senate Sub-Committee on Aging, organized by the Alliance for Aging Research. The theme for the hearing was'Advances in Aging Research.'Seven scientists attending our aging sym­ posium were asked to testify. They were Drs. Carl Cotman (University of California-Irvine), Trudy Bush (Johns Hopkins University), Takashi Makinodan (University of California-Los Angeles), William Ershler (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Gino Doria (ENEA, Rome), Mr. Dan Perry (Director of the Alliance for Aging Research), and myself.

The fastest growing demographic in both developed and developing societies around the world, the elderly bring unique medical and financial health-care burdens. In response to this phenomenon, a large and growing body of research is directed toward the science of healthy aging. A substantial amount of observational data points to the consumption of a plant-based diet as a factor in lowering the risk of multiple chronic degenerative age-related diseases. The 6th International Phytochemical Conference, Phytochemicals: Aging and Health, focused on the particular concerns of nutrition in the aging population, as well as new aspects of research methodology, real-world applications, and updates or expansions of previously introduced topics. Drawn from the illustrious panel of scientists and researchers who spoke at the conference, Phytochemicals: Aging and Health begins by highlighting the prevailing theories on aging, including dietary manipulation and the role of phytochemical medicinals or supplements in health. Contributions present state-of-the-art methodologies for polyphenolic analysis, bioavailability, and metabolism—crucial tools that answer pressing questions such as “are there age related changes in flavonoid bioavailability?” The following chapters provide research results on botanicals and inflammation, green tea formulations and skin health, and the effects of phytochemicals on vision, brain function, and cardiovascular disease. The book concludes with forward-looking discussions on applying nutrient–gene interaction research findings to individual dietary recommendations, along with the step-by-step process to commercialize botanical products for allergy relief. Continuing to introduce the highest-quality, groundbreaking research, Phytochemicals: Aging and Health provides pragmatic information for food companies, supplement manufacturers, and researchers interested in developing functional foods and nutraceuticals for the aging population.