ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PART 1 FISH CONSUMPTION AND METHYLMERCURY EXPOSURE IN THE AMAZON A. C. BARBOSA, A. M. GARCIA, J. R. DESOUZAI Mercurycontamination inhairofriverine 1-8 populations of Apiacas Reserve in the Brazilian Amazon E. D. BIDONE, Z. C. CASTILHOS, T. J. S. SANTOS, T. M. C. SOUZA and L. D. LACERDA I Fish contamination and human exposure to mercury in Tartarugalzinho River, Amapa State, Northern Amazon, Brazil. A screening approach 9-15 H. A. KEHRIG, O. MALM and H. AKAGI I Methylmercury in hair samples from different riverine groups, Amazon, Brazil 17-29 J. LEBEL, M. ROULET, D. MERGLER, M. LUCOTTE and F. LARRIBE I Fish diet and 31-44 mercury exposure in a riparian Amazonian population O. MALM. , J. R. D. GUIMARAES, M. B. CASTRO, W. R. BASTOS, J. P. VIANA, F. J. P. BRANCHES, E. G. SILVEIRA and W. C. PFEIFFER I Follow-up of mercury levels in fish, human hairand urine in the Madeira and Tapaj6s basins, Amazon, Brazil 45-51 PART 2 CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LONG TERM EXPOSURE G. J. MYERS, P. W. DAVIDSON, C. COX, C. F. SHAMLAYE, O. CHOISY, E. CERNICHIARI, A. CHOI, J. SLOANE-REEVES, C. AXTELL, P. GAO and T. W. CLARKSON I The Seychelles child development study: Results and new directions through twenty-nine months 53-61 B. WHEATLEY, S. PARADIS, M. LASSONDE, M. -F. GIGUERE and S.

Like the first edition, the second edition of the Encyclopedia of Stress covers nearly every conceivable aspect and ramification of stress including a wide range of related topics such as neuroimmune interactions, cytokines, enzymatic disorders, effects on the cardiovascular system, immunity and inflammation, and physical illnesses. Over the last decade, scientists have presented convincing research showing that psychological stress increases vulnerability to disease. They now understand more clearly that stress may be the thread tying together illnesses that were previously believed to be unrelated. Bone loss, increased abdominal fat, and damaged memory cells in the hippocampus have been linked to elevated cortisol levels.
Building on the success of the first edition, this completely revised work surveys the vast amount of research generated in the past five years, resulting in a substantial revision with over 30% new material and over 100 new entries. Expanded sections include Animal Studies, Anxiety and Depression, Drugs, Depression, Disasters, and Psychological and Other Therapies.
Also available online via ScienceDirect (2007) - featuring extensive browsing, searching, and internal cross-referencing between articles in the work, plus dynamic linking to journal articles and abstract databases, making navigation flexible and easy. For more information, pricing options and availability visit www.info.sciencedirect.com.
* Timely update on the topic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder taking into account events such as terrorism and middle east wars
* Includes expanded coverage on anxiety and depression
* Incorporates entries on the advances in our knowledge ofimmunology, cytokines and cell mediated immunity involved in stress responses and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Type I diabetes

Christiaan Eijkman received the Nobel prize for Medicine in 1929 for his discovery that beri-beri is a vitamin-deficiency disease. He had conducted his seminal research on the disease in the fonner Dutch East Indies between 1886 and 1898 at the location of. the present Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology in Jakarta. In 1998, the first International Eijkman Symposium was held in The Hague, The Netherlands, to celebrate the fact that exactly 100 years earlier Christiaan Eijkman was inaugurated as full professor in Hygiene and Bacteriology at Utrecht University, The Netherlands. The Eijkman-Winkler Centre for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Inflammation is the direct descendant of Eijkman's department in Utrecht. vii Contributing Authors Bacbti Alisjabbana Department of Internal Medicine Padjadjaran University (UNP AD) Dr Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung Indonesia Kevin Baird US Navy Medical Research Unit-2 J1. Percetakan Negara 29 Jakarta 15650 Indonesia Phone: +62-21-421-4457 Fax: +62-214244507 Jan P . B. van den Berg Nederland-Batam Foundation Stationsweg 56 6711 PT Ede The Netherlands Phone: +31-318610368 Fax: +31-318612476 Greet J. Boland Eijkman-Winkler Centre University Medical Centre Utrecht ix x Contributing Authors P. O. Box 85500 3584 CX Utrecht The Netherlands Phone: +31-302506536 Fax: +31-302541770 G J . Boland@azu. n1 Graham V. Brown Department of Medicine University of Melbourne Royal Melbourne Hospital Victoria Australia gvb@unimelb. edu. au Frank E. J. Coenjaerts Eijkman-Winkler Centre University Medical Centre Utrecht P. O. Box 85500 3584 CX Utrecht The Netherlands Phone: +31-302507637 Fax: +31-302541770 . EJ . Coenjaerts@lab. azu.

Carpal-tunnel and other entrapment syndromes are perhaps the most common work-related injuries currently reported. With this book, Vladimir Golovchinsky presents the first evidence of double-crush syndrome as a subgroup of these. To date the existence of double-crush syndrome has been a matter of debate. Dr. Golovchinsky presents a statistical analysis of substantial clinical material, which finds a cause-and-effect relationship between cervical or lumbar radiculopathy and peripheral entrapment in corresponding nerves, thus proving the existence of double-crush syndrome. This book will be invaluable to physicians performing EMG-NCV testing and to other healthcare professionals who encounter peripheral entrapment syndromes in their practices.

Japanese encephalitis and West Nile viruses are members of the Japanese encephalitis serological group of the genus Flavivirus and therefore closely related genetically and antigenically. They share a number of properties, including the use of birds as their major wildlife maintenance host and Culicine mosquitoes for transmission, and they are both associated with severe human disease, as well as fatal infections in horses.
The emergence of these two viruses, and their well-established propensity to colonise new areas, make it timely to re-examine their ecology, biology, molecular structure, replication and epidemiology, and these therefore provide the focus of this volume.

Environmental Chemistry is a relatively young science. Interest in this subject, however, is growing very rapidly and, although no agreement has been reached as yet about the exact content and limits of this interdisciplinary subject, there appears to be increasing interest in seeing environmental topics which are based on chemistry embodied in this subject. One of the first objectives of Environ mental Chemistry must be the study of the environment and of natural chemical processes which occur in the environment. A major purpose of this series on Environmental Chemistry, therefore, is to present a reasonably uniform view of various aspects of the chemistry of the environment and chemical reactions occurring in the environment. The industrial activities of man have given a new dimension to Environ mental Chemistry. We have now synthesized and described over five million chemical compounds and chemical industry produces about one hundred and fifty million tons of synthetic chemicals annually. We ship billions of tons of oil per year and through mining operations and other geophysical modifications, large quantities of inorganic and organic materials are released from their natural deposits. Cities and metropolitan areas of up to 15 million inhabitants produce large quantities of waste in relatively small and confined areas. Much of the chemical products and waste products of modern society are released into the environment either during production, storage, transport, use or ultimate disposal. These released materials participate in natural cycles and reactions and frequently lead to interference and disturbance of natural systems."

Seasonal patterns have been found in a remarkable range of health conditions, including birth defects, respiratory infections and cardiovascular disease. Accurately estimating the size and timing of seasonal peaks in disease incidence is an aid to understanding the causes and possibly to developing interventions. With global warming increasing the intensity of seasonal weather patterns around the world, a review of the methods for estimating seasonal effects on health is timely.

This is the first book on statistical methods for seasonal data written for a health audience. It describes methods for a range of outcomes (including continuous, count and binomial data) and demonstrates appropriate techniques for summarising and modelling these data. It has a practical focus and uses interesting examples to motivate and illustrate the methods. The statistical procedures and example data sets are available in an R package called season ."

The probability for exposure to damaging radiation, toxic chemicals in the environment and adverse biological agents has increased exponentially today. The more frequent and faster travel that we experience today also escalates the risk of contraction and transmission of potentially deadly infections. This has created a very real and escalating risk for injuries and deaths. This is accentuated in the military and medical staff that is more frequently exposed to radiological, chemical, and biological agents in their normal working environment. Understanding the mechanisms whereby these toxic agents inflict damage to our bodies is essential to prepare us for these challenges. Much of the damage is inflicted through the generation of free radicals and non-radical oxidants which then act through oxidative mechanisms to injury the body. This volume will discuss the damage caused by these radiological, chemical, and biological environmental stressors, the mechanisms through which the damage can occur and the novel strategies that can be used to reduce the injury inflicted by these toxic compounds. Using basic and clinical research approaches, the contents of this book discuss new ideas for the development of bioactive products and environmental approaches to lessen or negate the biological damage inflicted by these noxious compounds.

Since questions about wireless phones andbrain cancer were first raised in early 1993, numerous scientificstudies and reviews have been conducted and published throughout the world with support from industry and government. The most comprehensive colloquium to date covering this science was co sponsored byt he International Committee on WirelessCommunication Health Research and Wireless Technology Research, LLC,a t the University "La Sapienza" ofR omein November 1995. Papers fromt hat colloquium with appropriate updates formt he foundation for the current volume. A follow up tothat colloquium isbeing planned fort he spring of 1999 byt he same group and thereport of that colloquium will bet he basis for Volume II ofthis series. As thescientific story about wireless phones and health effects continues to unfold over the next several years, it is important to evaluate thework ina context t hat isb eneficialt ot he enhancement ofpublic health. Two themesa re critical to an appropriate contextual understanding ofthis science.

In a new era of global health diplomacy, the most important tool for decision-making is negotiation. Globalization is binding countries, issues and people together as never before. In the domain of public health, traditional international concerns like the spread of infectious diseases have been joined by new concerns and challenges in managing the health impacts of trade and intellectual property rights, and by new opportunities to create effective global public health agreements and programs. To address the major health crises of today and to prevent or mitigate them in the future, countries must seek collective agreement and action within and across their borders. However, the world of international negotiation is not the world in which health decision-makers reside or are most comfortable. The goal of this guide is to provide health policy-makers with practical information and negotiation tools, to help them create better international health agreements and programs. "This is the best book I know to help health professionals develop the negotiation skills necessary to meet the challenges of global health diplomacy. It is filled with wise advice and invaluable tools for success." Professor Jeswald W. Salacuse, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University

As part of its "Programme for the prevention of health hazards caused by industrial substances", the Berufsge- nossenschaft der chemischen Industrie (BG Chemie, Em- ployment Accident Insurance Fund of the Chemical Indus- try) began in 1977 to investigate the toxicity of those chemicals which are widely used, have many different ap- plications and are suspected of being dangerous to health, in particular of having long-term effects. The in- vestigations consist of a literature search and - depending on the results - commissions of experimental studies. It is hoped by means of this testing to close gaps in our know- ledge and to increase the scientific validity of the required risk assessments. The results of the toxicological in- vestigations carried out by BG Chemie, and the resulting substance assessments have been published in German since 1987 in the form of 113 "Toxikologische Bewer- tungen" ("Toxicological Evaluations") up to now. In order to make this useful information internation- ally available, BG Chemie began in October 1990 to pub- lish them as a book series in English, of which the fifth vol- ume (containing 12 individual evaluations) is presented here. Therefore for 72 existing chemicals "Toxicological Evaluations" are available in English at the moment, a fur- ther 38 are in preparation and will be published soon.

"Toxicological Evaluations" are critically assessed data and recommendationsfor occupational safety officers, industrial hygienists, and human and animal toxicologists. They are compiled and constantly reviewed under internationally coordinated programms for establishing the risk potential of existing chemicals to prevent health hazards at the working place. Data for the following 61 chemicals have been published in the series: Acrylic acid, Benzalchloride, Benzotrichloride, Benzoylchloride, Benzylchloride, Bromoform, Butynediol, gamma-Butyrolactone, 4-Chloro-2-nitroaniline, Chloro acetic acid methyl ester, Chloroacetamide, o-Chlorobenzotrichloride, p-Chlorobenzotrichloride, o-Chlorobenzotrifluoride, m-Chlorobenzotrifluoride, Chloroformic acid ethyl ester, 4-Chlorophenyl isocyanate, m-Cresidine, N, N'-Di-sec.-butyl-p-phenylenediamine, 1,4-Diaminoanthraquinone, 1,4-Dicyanobutane, Dicyclopentadiene, Diethanolamine, Diethylcarbamoyl chloride, Diethyliene glycol, Diglycidyl ether, Diisopropanolamine, Dimethyl therephthalate, 2,4-Dinitromethylaniline, Ethylene thiourea, 2-Ethylhexanal, 2-Ethylhexanol, Hydrazobenzene, Isopropyl ethylene glycol ether, Maleic acid dimethyl ester, Manganese dioxide, 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole, Methoxyacetic acid, Methylbutadiene -1,3, 3-Methylbutanol-1, 2-Methylpropanol-1, 2-Methylpropene, Monochloroacetic acid, 1,5-Naphthalene diamine, 5-Nitro-2-aminotoluene, m-Nitroaniline, 5-Nitroanisidine, p-Nitrosophenol, Phenyl isocyanate, Phenylglycidyl ether, o-Phthalodinitrile, Propargyl alcohol Sodium hypochlorite, Therephthalic acid, Thiram, Tributyl phosphate, Triethanolamine, Triethylene tetramine, Trimethylphenyl-ammonium chloride, Trimethylquinone, Vinyl fluoride.

This series is dedicated to serving the growing community of scholars and practitioners concerned with the principles and applications of environmental management. Each volume is a thorough treatment of a specific topic of importance for proper management practices. A fundamental objective of these books is to help the reader discern and implement man's stewardship of our environment and the world's renewable resources. For we must strive to understand the relation ship between man and nature, act to bring harmony to it, and nurture an environment that is both stable and productive. These objectives have often eluded us because the pursuit of other individual and societal goals has diverted us from a course of living in balance with the environment. At times, therefore, the environmental manager may have to exert restrictive control, which is usually best applied to man, not nature. Attempts to alter or harness nature have often failed or backfired, as exemplified by the results of imprudent use of herbicides, fertilizers, water, and other agents. Each book in this series will shed light on the fundamental and applied aspects of environmental management. It is hoped that each will help solve a practical and serious environmental problem."

As part of its programme for the prevention of health hazards caused by industrial work substances, the Berufsgenossenschaft der chemischen Industrie (BG Chemie) began in 1977 to investigate the toxicity of those substances which are widely used, have many different applications and are suspected of being dangerous to health, in particular of having long-term effects on health. It is hoped by means of this testing to close gaps in our knowledge and to increase the scientific validity of the required risk assessments. The results of the toxicological investigations carried out by BG Chemie, and the resulting substance assessments have been published in West Ger many since 1987 in the form of "Toxicological Evaluations". In order to make this useful information internationally available, the second volume (containing individual evalua tions of 15 substances) is now being published in English. The first volume containing individual evaluations of 19 substances was published in October 1990. Because of the short time between publishing volumes 1 and 2, printing of the "Introduction" (consisting of a general overview of the programme, lists with names of people involved as well as substances under investigation was abandoned in volume 2. If there more detailed information is required, see volume 1 or contact BG Chemie at first hand. The publication of further individual evaluations and, if necessary, reassess ments of previously published evaluations is planned.

More than 10 years ago, I had the chance to visit the university hospital in Munster, Germany. At the outpatient clinic there, I accidently met a young dermatologist who was devoted to the study of the quantification of irritated skin during his busy daily clinical work. I sensed immediately that this Dr. P. Frosch was conducting his research with the ideals and enthusiasm which were so familiar to me. Soon we found that we shared a similar past experience; we both had begun our careers in dermatological investigation with the same mentor. For me it was more than 25 years ago that I first met Dr. Kligman, Professor at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA. I reminisced that I had been greatly shocked by his initial question ''As a dermatologist, do you want to study living or dead skin?" because, at that time and even today, whenever we cannot collect enough information about the skin with the naked eye, it is invasively removed is common practice to histologically examine a skin sample that from living tissue. Many dermatologists still would never think of studying the living intact skin itself noninvasively with the aid of existing advanced technologies to assess its structural and functional properties. At that time Dr. Kligman intended to build up a system of evaluating the skin from various aspects, using methods that had been unduly neglected in the past and introducing various technological instruments.

ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE III deals with the detection and evaluation of environmental pollutants as well as with their relevance to human health. Environmental components are important determinants of the health status of groups at risk and of the general population. The main objective is the early detection and identification of hazardous substances by physical, chemical and biological methods, risk assessment andprotection of human health. Faced with these problems the volume gives an overview on the mulifaceted aspects of environmental hygiene and medicine. Contributions include basic and innovative approaches in the fields of - Experimental cell biology - Cytotoxicity testing - Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity studies - Inhalation toxicity - Human exposure monitoring - Epidemiology - Important harzardous agents - Environmental control, prevention and legislation.

The identification of occupational cancer risk factors and of carcinogens in the workplace is assuming increasing import ance in cancer epidemiology. This book, which contains the proceedings of a symposium held in Vancouver in June 1988, combines overviews by experts on substantive topics and methodologic issues of broad interest in occupational cancer epidemiology. Among the former are state of the art reviews emphasizing recent data and new and innovative analytic approaches. The substantive topics include discussion of cancer risks from exposure to complex organic mixtures, asbestos and man-made fibers, herbicides, radon, and electromagnetic fields. Risk assessment, exposure assessment, and analysis of occupa tional cohort studies are examples of the methodologic issues addressed. This book provides basic information and opens perspectives on new areas of research. In organizing our symposium we were greatly assisted by Betty Fata and Kim Rust of Venue West Conference Ltd. We appreciate the financial support received from the following: Cancer Control Agency of British Columbia Alcan Aluminium Ltd. National Health Research & Development Program Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbia Purdue Frederick Inc. Rhone-Poulenc Pharma Inc. London Drugs Ltd. Ciba-Geigy Canada Ltd. Bristol-Myers Pharmaceutical Group Schering Canada Inc. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Sterling Drug Ltd. Parke-Davis Canada Inc. Beecham Laboratories Pfizer Canada Inc. Roussel Canada Inc."

The protection of human health and food and fiber resources against the ravages of pests of many sorts is a continuous struggle by all people in the world. The use of chemical pesticides as an aid in this struggle is now also global. These chemicals are deliberately added to the environment for the purpose of killing or injuring some form of life. Because pesticides are generally less selectively toxic than would be desired, non-target species, including humans, must be protected from injury by these chemicals. This can only be achieved by thorough understanding of the comparative toxicology of these compounds, and by minimizing human (and other desirable species) exposure. The latter can only be achieved by sound regulatory policies that utilize scientific principles and data, properly tempered by both gaps in that data and sociologic and economic considerations. This book contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Toxicology of Pesticides: Experimental, Clinical and Regulatory Perspectives" held in Riva del Garda on October 6-15, 1986. This NATO-ASI has been promoted by the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington at Seattle, by the Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milano and by the Giovanni Lorenzini Foundation, and has been sponsored by both the Society of Toxicology (USA) and the Italian Society of Toxicology.

Considerable progress in understanding how inhaled minerals cause disease in man has been made in the past two decades. This is mostly due to the great amount of human, animal and cell multidisciplinary studies carried out on silica, asbestos and asbestiforms all around the world. Two previous NATO Workshops on "In Vitro Effects of Mineral Dusts on Cells", have been published in the NATO ASI Series (1985 and 1989). The present NATO-INSERM workshop has focused specifically on a group of silicates, named phyllosilicates because of their sheet structure, of which health related effects have been poorly and sporadically investigated. These silicates are presently largely used as filling materials (kaolin, talc, chlorite), insulating materials (vermiculite, micas), adsorbants (sepiolite, attapulgite) and in many other industrial applications. The estimated annual world production is presently 5.5 million tons of talc (1.8 million for Europe) and only in the United Kingdom about 3.5 million tons of kaolin.

A. AULICIEMS Living organisms respond to atmospheric variability and variation, and over time morphological and process differentiations occur both within individuals and the species, as well as in the environment itself. In systems language, the concern is with the atmospheric process-response system of energy and matter flows within the biosphere. The study of such interactions between living organ isms and the atmospheric environment falls within the field of bioclimatology, alternatively referred to as biometeorology. Amongst the more readily recognizable study areas under the bioclimatolog that investigate the effects of atmospheric variation and ical umbrella are those variability upon 1. Terrestrial and aquatic ecology (zoological, botanical and ethological), natural resource production and management (including silviculture, agri culture, horticulture, and grassland, wetland, and marine systems). 2. Stress, morbidity and mortality in animals and humans (including physiolog ical and psychological adaptations). 3. The built environment (all aspects of planning, urban design, and architec ture). 4. Economic systems and social activities (including organizational, individual, and group behavior and management). In addition, bioclimatology is very much concerned with the feedback loop, that is both 5. The inadvertent modification of the atmosphere by living systems, especially human, i.e., studies of pollution, changes to atmospheric amenity, and the processes of deterioration of landscape (deforestation and desertification), and 6. The advertent modifications of natural energy and matter flows within urban areas and indoor climate constructions."

International cooperation on the health of seafarers began many years ago. As early as 1921, an international convention regarding this matter was presented to govern ments of maritime countries for ratification. The First World Health Assembly, in 1948, recommended that WHO should establish, with the International Labour Of fice, a Joint Committee on the hygiene of seafarers. The first session of this Com mittee, held in 1949, defined the problems affecting the health of seamen and made a number of recommendations. In the opinion of this Joint Committee, the health of seamen called for interna tional attention for a nu mb er of reasons. By the nature of his work, the seafarer is obliged to travel from country to country and is exposed to great variations of cli mate and also to any disease that may be prevalent in the port of call. He may there fore become a carrier of disease, so that the protection of his health is of importance not only to himself and the other members of the crew but also to the populations of other countries he visits. Yet, on account ofthe nature ofhis employment, it is diffi cult to provide the seafarer with the same standard of health care that is gene rally available to other sections of the population."

Environmental Chemistry is a relatively young science. Interest in this subject, however, is growing very rapidly and, although no agreement has been reached as yet about the exact content and limits of this interdisciplinary discipline, there appears to be increasing interest in seeing environmental topics which are based on chemistry embodied in this subject. One of the first objectives of Environ mental Chemistry must be the study of the environment and of natural chemical processes which occur in the environment. A major purpose of this series on Environmental Chemistry, therefore, is to present a reasonably uniform view of various aspects of the chemistry of the environment and chemical reactions occurring in the environment. The industrial activities of man have given a new dimension to Environ mental Chemistry. We have now synthesized and described over five million chemical compounds and chemical industry produces about hundred and fifty million tons of synthetic chemicals annually. We ship billions of tons of oil per year and through mining operations and other geophysical modifications, large quantities of inorganic and organic materials are released from their natural deposits. Cities and metropolitan areas of up to 15 million inhabitants produce large quantities of waste in relatively small and confined areas. Much of the chemical products and waste products of modern society are released into the environment either during production, storage, transport, use or ultimate disposal. These released materials participate in natural cycles and reactions and frequently lead to interference and disturbance of natural systems.

Infant Feeding is about a controversy which fascinated the medical and scientific world, as well as national and international health authorities, politicians, religious groups and consumer organisations, for more than 11 years. It often disturbed public opinion, being concerned, as it is, with nothing less than the life and death of babies. The infant food industry was directly accused of having caused a decline in breast-feeding through the inappropriate marketing of breast milk substitutes. The problem was said to be particularly acute in poor under-developed communities, because illiterate mothers were unable to understand instructions for its use, water was often contaminated and, in order to "stretch" an admittedly expensive product, it was over-diluted. The inevitable result, said the critics of industry, was malnutrition, gastroenteritis and increased infant mortality. These were very serious charges against companies which had until then been generally considered to provide an important contribution to medical progress and child health. One company was to be particularly singled out: Nestle SA, the Swiss multinational. Perhaps it became the target because it was the longest establishment, and served well as a symbol of the whole industry. It is a story which is full of confrontations, intrigue and passionately-held opinions, based, nevertheless, on a sizeable body of medical science. After countless twists and turns, it has some sort of "happy ending". Yet a great deal remains to be said, as will be seen throughout the book.

A good number of misconceptions are currently circulating on the effects of non-ionizing radiations on our health, which can lead to an oversimplification of the issue, to potentially dangerous assumptions or to misleading data analysis. Health effects may be exaggerated, or on the contrary underplayed. The authors of this work (doctors, engineers and researchers) have endeavored to supply validated and easily understandable scientific information on the electromagnetic fields and their biological and health effects. After a general review of the physics of the waves and a presentation of non-ionizing radiations, the authors review the main emission sources encountered in our daily environment. They summarize simply but as accurately as possible the current knowledge on their biological effects.
The safety limits recommended by international organizations are presented for the different frequency ranges. This book is intended for doctors, teachers, scientists, students, policy makers and anyone else interested in a deeper understanding of the health effects of electromagnetic fields. Intended to serve a broad readership, everyone will approach it according to their respective level of curiosity and knowledge. It is neither an exhaustive inventory of all the studies made to date, nor a survey text focusing only on some chosen studies. Nor is the objective to present all the sources of non-ionizing radiations. Interested readers will be given the opportunity to broaden their knowledge, also by consulting the selected bibliography presented by the authors at the end of each chapter.

My introduction to the fascinating phenomena associated with detonation waves came through appointments as an external fellow at the Department of Physics, University College of Wales, and at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds. Very special thanks for his accurate guidance through the large body of information on gaseous detonations are due to Professor D. H. Edwards of University College of Wales. Indeed, the onerous task of concisely enumerating the key features of unidimensional theories of detonations was undertaken by him, and Chapter 2 is based on his initial draft. When the text strays to the use of we, it is a deserved acknow ledgement of his contribution. Again, I should like to thank Professor D. Bradley of Leeds University for his enthusiastic encouragement of my efforts at developing a model of the composition limits of detonability through a relationship between run-up distance and composition of the mixture. The text has been prepared in the context of these fellowships, and I am grateful to the Central Electricity Generating Board for its permission to accept these appointments."