Countless ants transport and deposit seeds and thereby influence the survival, death, and evolution of many plant species. In higher plants, seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) has appeared many times independently in different lineages. More than 3000 plant species are known to utilize ant assistance to be planted. Myrmecochory is a very interesting and rather enigmatic form of mutualistic ant-plant associations. This phenomenon is extremely complex, because there are hundreds of ant species connected with hundreds of plant species. This book effectively combines a thorough approach to investigating morphological and physiological adaptations of plants with elegant field experiments on the behaviour of ants. This monograph is a first attempt at collecting information about morphology, ecology and phenology of ants and plants from one ecosystem. The book gives readers a panoramic view of the hidden, poorly-known interrelations not only between pairs of ants and plant species, but also between species communities in the ecosystem. The authors have considered not just one aspect of animal-plant relationships, but have tried to show them in all their complexity. Some aspects of the ant-plant interactions described in the book may be of interest to botanists, others to zoologists or ecologists, but the entire work is an excellent example of the marriage of these biological disciplines.

Saponins are glycosides of triterpenes, steroids or steroidal alkaloids. They can be found in plants and marine organisms. Very diverse biological activities are ascribed to saponins and they play important roles in food, animal feedstuffs, and pharmaceutical properties. This volume provides a selection of recent work on saponins presented at a symposium in Pulawy, Poland, in 1999. Many different aspects are treated: analysis, separation, biological activities, relevant use in human and animal nutrition, and ecological significance. This book will be of use to researchers both in universities and industry.

In order to communicate, animals send and receive signals that are subject to their particular anatomical, psychological, and environmental constraints. This SHAR volume discusses both the production and perception of acoustic signals. Chapters address the information that animals communicate, how the communication is developed and learned, and how communication systems have adapted and evolved within species. The book will give examples from a variety of species.

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."

Current Ornithology publishes authoritative, up-to-date, scholarly reviews of topics selected from the full range of current research in avian biology. Topics cover the spectrum from the molecular level of organization to population biology and community ecology. The series seeks especially to review (1) fields in which an abundant recent literature will benefit from synthesis and organization, or (2) newly emerging fields that are gaining recognition as the result of recent discoveries or shifts in perspective, or (3) fields in which students of vertebrates may benefit from comparisons of birds with other classes. All chapters are invited, and authors are chosen for their leadership in the subjects under review.

This volume includes contributions presented at the Second International Sym posium on Nutrition and Cancer, held in Naples, Italy, in October 1998 at the National Tumor Institute "Fondazione Pascale." During the Conference, experts from different disciplines discussed pivotal and timely subjects on the interactions between human nutrition and the development of malignancies. Comparing the themes of this Meeting with those discussed at the First Sympo sium in 1992, the major scientific advancements certainly derive from the extensive use of molecular approaches to perform research in nutrition. Moreover, the fundamental observation of R. Doll and R. Peto (1981), which suggested that at least 35% of all cancers (with large differences among different tumors) might be prevented by dietary regimens, has been definitively confirmed by epidemiological studies. On the other hand, the relationships between diet and cancer are quite intricate and complex; it is difficult, and at the same time not methodologically correct, to reduce them to simple terms. Metabolic and hormonal factors, contaminants and biological agents, and deficiency of specific protective nutrients are all pieces of the same puzzle."

Sense organs serve as a kind of biological interface between the environment and the organism. Therefore, the relationship between sensory systems and ecology is very close and its knowledge of fundamental importance for an understanding of animal behavior. The sixteen chapters of this book exemplify the diversity of the constraints and opportunities associated with the sensation of stimuli representing different forms of energy. The book stresses the events taking place in the sensory periphery where the animal is exposed to and gets in touch with its natural habitat and acquires the information needed to organize its interaction with its environment.
"Ecology of Sensing " brings together the leading experts in the field.

Genetics is fundamental to hearing function, and an understanding of genetics enhances both auditory research and the clinical treatment of the hearing impaired. Approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of hearing impairment have developed from technological advances in genetic research. This volume covers gene expression, mutations, mapping and cloning, as well as mitochondrial and cellular genetics. Chapters are also included on the uses of mouse models, genetic epidemiology and genetic counseling specifically for hearing impairment. As a comprehensive review of the genetics of hearing, this book will interest hearing researchers, clinicians and genetic counselors.

''Excellent and very timely....It will undoubtedly become a standard reference for the application of circular dichroism (CD) to biomolecules.'' "--- Quarterly Review of Biology," March 1997 '' T]estament to the book's utility is the fact that during the course of my review I had to 'rescue' it from the desks of graduate students on an almost daily basis. In summary, this is a great book.'' "--- American Scientist" ''Well documented chapters provide a very good insight into the problems surrounding the conformation of biomacromolecules...An indispensible source of information.'' "--- Nahrung," 42(2), 1998 Renowned experts present the first state-of-the-art description of circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD). Chapters present in-depth discussions of the history of the field, the theory of CD for application to globular proteins, membrane proteins, peptides, nucleic acids and their interactions, carbohydrates, and instrumentation. Discussions also feature new techniques using synchrotron radiation, vibrational Raman optical activity, and vibrational CD. More than 250 illustrations supplement the text.

Since the early times of the Greek philosophers Leucippus and Democritus, and later of the Roman philosopher Lucretius, a simple, fundamental idea emerged that brought the life sciences into the realm of the physical sciences. Atoms, after various interactions, were assumed to acquire stable configurations that corresponded either to the living or to the inanimate world. This simple and unitary theory, which has evolved in successive steps to our present time, remarkably maintained its validity despite several centuries of alternative vicissitudes, and is the foundation of modern biophysics. Some of the recent developments of this ancient idea are the discovery of the direct relationship between spatial structures and chemical activity of such molecules as methane and benzene, and the later discovery of the three-dimensional structure of double-helical DNA, and of its relationship with biological activity. The relationship between the structure of various macromolecules and the function of living cells was one of the most striking advancements of modern science, obtained by the cooperation of physicists, chemists, mathematicians, engineers, biologists, and physicians. This crossing of the life and physical sciences has given rise to new and exciting frontiers, and to a new synthesis where there is a frequent interconnection of expertise, and where there is an exchange of roles among traditionally separated soft and hard sciences. Even if knowledge is still transmitted to new generations within univer sities as separate disciplines, new knowledge is acquired today in the laboratory by truly interdisciplinary teams."

Experimentalists tend to revel in the complexity and multidimensionality of biological processes. Modelers, on the other hand, generally look towards parsimony as a guiding prin ciple in their approach to understanding physiological systems. It is therefore not surprising that a substantial degree of miscommunication and misunderstanding still exists between the two groups of truth-seekers. However, there have been numerous instances in physiology where the marriage of mathematical modeling and experimentation has led to powerful in sights into the mechanisms being studied. Respiratory control represents one area in which this kind of cross-pollination has proven particularly fruitful. While earlier modeling ef forts were directed primarily at the chemical control of ventilation, more recent studies have extended the scope of modeling to include the neural and mechanical aspects pertinent to respiratory control. As well, there has been a greater awareness of the need to incorpo rate interactions with other organ systems. Nevertheless, it is necessary from time to time to remind experimentalists of the existence of modelers, and vice versa. The 4th Annual Biomedical Simulations Resource (BMSR) Short Course was held in Marina Del Rey on May 21-22,1989, to acquaint respiratory physiologists and clinical researchers with state-of-the art methodologies in mathematical modeling, experiment design and data analysis, as well as to provide an opportunity for experimentalists to challenge modelers with their more recent findings."

With the growing global fear of a major pandemic, avian influenza (AI) virus research has greatly increased in importance. In Avian Influenza Virus, an expert team of researchers and diagnosticians examine the fundamental, yet essential, virological methods for AI virus research and diagnostics as well as some of the newest molecular procedures currently used for basic and applied research. They present exciting, cutting-edge new methods that focus both on studying the virus itself and on work with avian hosts, an area greatly lacking in research.

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.

For this Workshop, the organizers have attempted to invite experts from all known centers which are engaged in neutron beam development for neutron capture therapy. The Workshop was designed around a series of nineteen invited papers which dealt with neutron source design and development and beam characterization and performance. Emphasis was placed on epithermal beams because they offer clinical advantages and are more challenging to implement than thermal beams. Fission reactor sources were the basis for the majority of the papers; however three papers dealt with accelerator neutron sources. An additional three invited papers provided a summary of clinical results of Ncr therapy in Japan between 1968 and 1989 and overviews of clinical considerations for neutron capture therapy and of the status of tumor targeting chemical agents for Ncr. Five contributed poster papers dealing with NCT beam design and performance were also presented. A rapporteurs' paper was prepared after the Workshop to attempt to summarize the major aspects, issues, and conclusions which resulted from this Workshop. Many people contributed to both the smooth functioning of the Workshop and to the preparation of these proceedings. Special thanks are reserved for Ms. Dorothy K.

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.

These Proceedings are a product of the International Workshop on Seeds held in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA, at the College of William and Mary, during the week of August 6-11, 1989. Sixty-eight participants attended. The location provided a scenic and historical setting for the excellent work presented. Good facilities and amenities also contributed to the success of the meeting. The Proceedings present the substance of the main lectures given at this meeting. In addition, there were 29 brief paper presentations and 30 poster presentations which have been summarized in abstract form in a separate publication. This meeting represents the third such meeting of a diverse group of scientists interested in the behavior of seeds, both in an agricultural sense and as tools for the advancement of more particular s~bject matter. The first meeting was held in Jerusalem, Israel in 1980 and the second in Wageningen, The Netherlands in 1985. A fourth meeting is being planned. The Editor and Organizer wishes to thank not only the contributors to this volume for their efforts but also all the other participants whose combined efforts made this meeting a great success.

It has been acknowledged that the physiological effects of dietary fiber are an exceedingly complex matter which requires a multidisciplinary research effort. The increased scientific involvement of the medical community, nutritionists, chemists and physicists is not only warranted but it has become mandatory. This is because we are entering a more advanced research phase in which the observed . in vivo effects should not be only recorded, but they should be systematically correlated with the physicochemical and analytical properties of the individual dietary fibers. The Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry of the American Chemical Society has recognized this for some time, and has asked us to organize another International Symposium, similar to one in 1982, which would address the latest developments in this field. We decided to ask a cross section of leading experts from industrial and academic research institutions to assess the state of the art in dietary fiber, namely in the areas of the physiological effects, physicochemical attributes, and in existing and proposed analytical methods. We also felt that chemistry and physical chemistry should playa greater role in fiber research to complement and better explain the existing . in vivo data. There is a large volume of animal and human physiological and nutritional data available. Unfortunately, the generated information is frequently confusing. One reason is that this research is not conducted with well characterized compounds, but rather with loosely defined complex mixtures or entities.

In this volume of Methods in Pharmacology we have brought together experts in the field of ion channels to provide the reader with an in-depth view of current biochemical and electrophysiological methods. The focus is on cation-selective ion channels (voltage controlled Of ligand controlled) that are of special pharmacological interest. The con- tents are divided into three sections that exemplify {I) molecular and biochemical characterization of ion channels, (II) functional analysis of ion channels (after recon- stitution or expression, or in cells), and (III) specific methods and tools. The editors thank the contributors for their cooperation in assembling this volume. We are convinced that the reader will enjoy the chapters, written by leading scientists in their respective disciplines, as much as we did. Hartmut Glossmann Jarg Striessnig Innsbruck, Austria vii Contents I MOLECULAR AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZA nON OF ION CHANNELS 1 Purification and Pharmacological Analysis of the Omega-Conotoxin 3 GVIA Receptor from Rat Brain Maureen W McEnery 2 Molecular Characterization of the Charybdotoxin-Sensitive, 41 High-Conductance, Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel Margarita Garda-Calvo, Gregory J. Kaczorowski, and Maria L. Garda 3 Characterization of the Sulfonylurea-Sensitive ATP-Modulated 61 Potassium Channel Henri Bernardi and Michel Lazdunski II FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF ION CHANNELS 4 Xenopus Oocytes as an Expression System for Ion Channels 79 Alan L. Goldin ix x Contents 5 Reconstitution of Muscle Calcium Channel Function in Bilayer 99 Membranes: From the First Steps to Results Dieter J. Pelzer, Terence F.

Sixth Annual Graduate Hospital Research Symposium REGULATION OF SMOOTH MUSCLE PROGRESS IN SOLVING THE PUZZLE Every so often a scientific conference comes at a time when everyone has new and exciting information, when old "dogmas" do not seem to be as well established, and when speakers and participants alike are ready to challenge interpretations of old and new experimental data. This was such a conference. What turns on a smooth muscle cell? The precise answer to this question has eluded scientists for much longer than I have been involved in the field. We know that an increase in cytosolic calcium is necessary and we know that phosphorylation of the 20 kDa myosin light chain is an important step in the process. We do not know if other processes are necessary for the initiation and lor maintenance of a smooth muscle contraction nor do we know if other processes modulate the regulation of contraction. The goal of the symposium on which this volume is based was to explore the most current hypotheses for the answers to these questions. I believe that after reading the chapters included in this volume, you will agree that this goal was achieved. The importance of calcium and calmodulin dependent myosin light chain phosphoryla tion in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction was reinforced by many presentations. However, the status of myosin light chain phosphorylation as a simple calcium dependent switch came under serious suspicion."

The 34th European Marine Biology Symposium was held in Ponta Delgada, The Azores, between 13th and 17th September 1999. It was organised by the University of the Azores in association with the Municipal Museum of Funchal (Madeira), and the Plymouth Environment Research Centre (University of Plymouth, UK). The selected topics, dictated by the position of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, were: `Ecology and Evolution on Island Shores', `The Open Ocean', and `The Deep Ocean'. Each topic was introduced by a recognised expert of international reputation and these keynote reviews provide authoritative summaries of the current status of these very important topics in marine biology. The 35 papers which make up this volume bring new ideas and concepts relating to the functioning of marine systems extending from the intertidal, through the pelagic realm down to the deep sea. The book covers many aspects of the biology of marine organisms and will have wide interest to all those interested in the life of the world's oceans.

Af ter a kind mo ti va tion by Judit Si mon (Ed i tor-in-Chief of the Jour nal of Ther mal Anal y s is and Cal o ri m e t r y , Kluwe r Ac a dem ic Pub lis her) and ne go ti a tions with po- si ble con tri bu tors - lasting for m ore than one year - it was de cided to write a book about the ap pli ca tion of ther mal meth ods in bi ol ogy. Its aim was to be a guide how to per form ex per i ments and what kind of in for mation m ight be gained by them. We tried to col lect in for mation tha t could be achieved only dur ing a long per sonal pra- tice. In this way sci en tists from bi ol ogy and med i cine , e. g. , who are not so skilled in phys ics and math e mat ics may re al ize very soon the beauty and power of this tool at one hand. On the other hand, those sci en tists with better back ground in nat u ral sc- ences can be more sensitive to find out exciting biological problems.

This book is formulated from a number of presentations made at a one-day workshop on the subject of Photon Migration in Tissues. The meeting was held in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania, April, 1988. The workshop was an impromptu effort to bring together scientists to discuss photon migration in animal tissues and appropriate models. The rapid emergence of the ideas of Townes and Schalow in their invention of the then called maser, now laser opened up completely unexpected possibilities for biomedical research. Timing of rapid biochemical reaction, identification of unstable intermediates, spectroscopy of short lived fluorescent states were all goals to be expected and achieved. At the same time continuous light spectroscopy of tissue slices and of the myocardium, and eventually of the brain have the to the the neonate emerged over years. Shifting red end of spectrum, Butler and Norris clearly showed how transparent plant materials and the human hand could be illuminated in this region and Jobsis applied their idea to the neonate brain using a multiwavelength technique.

The aim of this book is to help create new feedstuffs for poultry and farm animals from the agro-industry and to mobilize the neglected waste as a feedstuff to lower the price of animal products such as eggs, white and red meat, milk, etc. Furthermore, this book aims to contribute to the campaign against hunger in the developing world and to reduce the competition between animals and human beings for cereals and pulses. Accordingly the global pollution problem will be reduced. This book will be of great interest to all those involved in the animal feed and poultry industries, in agricultural universities, and in research establishments where animal nutrition is studied and taught.

Oxidation-reduction (i.e. redox) processes at the plasma membrane of any cell have been attracting more and more attention, both in basic and in applied research, since the first workshop dealing with the plasma membrane oxidoreductases was organized in Cordoba, Spain, in 1988. This evolution is evident considering the numerous cell functions performed by plasma membrane redox systems not only in healthy cells but also in cells that escaped from the normal metabolic control (e.g. cancer cells) and cells under attack by pathogens. Plasma membrane redox processes have now been demonstrated to play an essential role in growth control and defense mechanisms of these cells. The great importance of the plasma membrane redox systems originates in the fact that they are located in the membrane which is essentially the site of communication between the living cell and its environment. We may say that the plasma membrane can be considered as the "sensory part" of the cell. No chemical substance can enter the cell interior without interaction with the plasma membrane.

Malignant neoplasms occurring in the biliary tract and pancreas remain a therap- tic challenge. The mechanism of carcinogenesis as well as the growth and spread of these tumors is still poorly understood, making the development of rational tre- ment strategies difficult. In order to improve the clinical results achieved by sur- cal or other medical treatment of such malignant tumors, the establishment of an experimental animal model is critical. For this purpose, attempts were made to induce carcinoma experimentally in the biliary tree and finally an animal model using the hamster was established in 1994 at our laboratory. Because the tumor in this model mimicked the characteristics of human tumors, a series of experimental investigations were conducted to clarify the pathological characteristics of biliary carcinoma, the genetic alterations during biliary carcinogenesis, and the relationship between biliary inflammation and c- cinogenesis. The chemopreventive effects on the occurrence of biliary carcinoma were also successfully examined. In addition, in vitro studies led to the establi- ment of transplantable biliary cancer cell lines and biliary epithelial cell lines by utilizing the hamster model. This monograph represents the collective efforts in hepato-biliary and pancreatic disease research over the past 20 years. I hope that this monograph will be a source of useful knowledge for basic researchers as well as for clinicians involved in the care of patients with hepato-biliary and pancreatic neoplasms. Takashi Kanematsu, M.D., Ph.D.