Over the years there has been growing interest among the scientific community in investigating sleep and how it affects the memory and other brain functions. It is now well established that sleep helps in memory consolidation and induction of neural plasticity, and that short-term deprivation of either total sleep or rapid eye movement sleep alone can induce memory deficits very quickly. Quantitative and qualitative changes in sleep architecture after different training tasks further suggest that discrete memory types may require specific sleep stage/s for optimal memory consolidation, and studies indicate that sleep deprivation alters synaptic plasticity and membrane excitability in the hippocampal neurons and synaptic up-scaling in the cortical neurons. Further, sleep alteration during pregnancy may increase the risk of depression and adversely affect maternal-child relationships, parenting practices, family functioning, and children's development and general wellbeing. This book coherently discusses all these aspects, with a particular focus on the possible role of sleep in memory consolidation and synaptic plasticity. It also highlights the detrimental effects of sleep loss on mental health, the immune system and cognition. This book is a valuable reference resource for students and researchers working in the area of sleep, memory, or neuronal plasticity.

The Sixth International Meeting on Cholinesterases and Related Proteins, Choli nesterases '98, was organized by Palmer Taylor and his associates at the University of California-San Diego and convened in La Jolla, California, USA, in March of 1998. This was the first conference of the series to be held in the United States, let alone on the Pa cific Rim. Nearly 200 delegates from twenty countries-from Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America-heard 75 oral presentations and viewed 90 posters on current research on cholinesterases and related proteins. The meeting framework was structured to include two days of plenary sessions, followed by two days of concurrent sessions and workshops in specific areas. Communication at the concurrent sessions was facilitated by the conference settings of the Martin Johnson House, on a scenic bluff overlooking the blue Pacific Ocean, and the San Diego Supercomputer Center, which enabled projection and rotation of protein structures in three dimensions for a large audience. This book is the compilation of the presentations at the Sixth International Meeting on Cholinesterases and Related Proteins into a volume that describes recent investigations on the structure, catalytic and non-catalytic functions of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), and related proteins, as well as studies on the molecular and cellular biology of these enzymes and the genes that encode them."

Children and Exercise XXVII presents the latest scientific research into paediatric sport and exercise science and medicine including contributions from a wide range of leading international experts and early career researchers. The book begins with chapters devoted to the 5 invited keynote lectures followed by forty-two of the peer-reviewed presentations which are arranged into five thematic sections addressing:

• Exercise physiology
• Physical activity and health
• Exercise and medicine
• Testing and performance
• Young athlete and sports participation.

The forty-seven chapters offer a review of current topics and ongoing research in paediatric sport and exercise science and medicine. The book is therefore a key text for all researchers, lecturers, paediatricians, health professionals and students with an interest in the exercising child in health and disease.

Information flow as nerve impulses in neuronal circuits is regulated at synapses. The synapse is therefore a key element for information processing in the brain. Much attention has been given to fast synaptic transmission, which predominantly regulates impulse-to-impulse transmission. Slow synaptic transmission and modu lation, however, sometimes have been neglected in considering and attempting to understand brain function. Slow synaptic potentials and modulation occur with a considerable delay in response to the accumulation of synaptic and modulatory inputs. In these contexts, they are plastic in nature and play important roles in information processing in the brain. A symposium titled "Slow Synaptic Responses and Modulation" was held as the satellite symposium to the 75th Annual Meeting of the Physiological Society of Japan on March 30-31, 1998, in Kanazawa. The theme was selected not only for the reason mentioned above, but also because of the considerable involvement of many Japanese scholars in establishing the basic issues. Following the dawn of synaptic physiological research, as Sir John Eccles, Sir Bernard Katz, and Professor Stephen Kuffler carried out pioneer work, Professor Kyozou Koketsu and Professor Benjamin Libet, the students of Sir John Eccles, and their colleagues established the concept of slow synaptic responses and modulation by studying vertebrate sympathetic ganglia. Since then, the concept has been ex panded with detailed investigations of both peripheral and central synapses at the levels of single ion channels, intracellular Ca"+ dynamics, intracellular transduc tion mechanisms, and genes.

Mitochondria from mammalian tissues possess an elaborate system for 2+ 2+ transporting Ca across their inner membrane which consists of Ca import, 2+ via the Ca uniporter, in response to the mitochondrial membrane 2+ + potential ?? and of Ca release by an antiport system in exchange for H + 9,23 or Na (see Fig. l) . Because the uniporter is dependent upon the external 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ Ca concentration ([Ca ]), mitochondria accumulate Ca until the [Ca ] o o 2+ decreases to the level at which the uniporter activity balances the Ca efflux. 2+ The [Ca ] at which the uniporter and efflux activities are equal is defined o the "setpoint" andcorresponds to values between 0.3-3M. 2+ Figure 1. The Ca transport system of the inner membrane of mammalian mitochondria. U, + 2+ + + uniporter. I, Na -independent efflux mechanism or Ca /2H exchanger. D, Na -dependent 2+ + efflux mechanism or Ca /2Na exchanger. PTP, permeability transition pore. FP, 11 flavoprotein. ?? membrane potential. ? pH gradient. Adapted from .

oltage-gated calcium channels are essential mediators of a range of physiological functions, including the communication between nerve Vcells, the regulation of heart beat, muscle contraction, and secretion of hormones such as insulin. Consequently, these channels are critical phar macological targets in the treatment of a variety of disorders, such as epi lepsy, hypertension, and pain. Voltage-gated calcium channels have there fore been subject to intense study by numerous investigators over the past few decades, and an immense body of work has accumulated. In this book, we provide the first comprehensive overview of our current state of knowl edge concerning this exciting field of research. Leading off with a general review of calcium signaling and techniques to measure calcium channel ac tivity, the book delves into a provocative overview of the history of the cal cium channel field, contributed by one of the key pioneers in the field. Dr. Richard Tsien. This is followed by an in depth review of the biochemical and molecular biological characterization of calcium channel genes by Drs. Catterall and Snutch whose research has resulted in major advances in the calcium channel field. A number of chapters are dedicated towards various aspects of calcium channel structure and function, including channel gat ing, permeation, modulation and interactions with members of the exo- totic machinery-contributed by both established leaders and rising stars in the field."

F. Schweda and A. Kurtz: Regulation of Renin Release by Local and Systemic Factors M. Krauss and V. Haucke: Shaping Membranes for Endocytosis B.M. Jockusch and P.L. Graumann: The Long Journey: Actin on the Road to Pro- and Eukaryotic Cells B. Colsoul, R. Vennekens and B. Nilius: Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Cation Channels in Pancreatic ss cells

Never before has such a history of the pancreas been presented. From antiquity until today, "rediscovery," translation and sequential presentation, in step with cultural changes in society, make this a unique contribution. Only from the perspective of the two octogenarian-authors could such a narrative have been produced. Discoveries resulting either from chance observation or careful scientific inquiry "come alive" as the authors present not only the people who made them but the setting in which they occurred.

Key Features:
*From the pre-Christian era of Asia Minor, to Greece, Rome, Europe and America, to the explosive progress in Japan, the dreams, near-misses and great discoveries have been traced to their sources.
*The great discoveries of the anatomists, WirsA1/4ng, Santorini, Oddi, Vater and their colleagues have been recreated from their original reports.
*Physiology is traced through the discovery of the digestive enzymes; the islets, by the Berlin student for whom they were named; the hormones, beginning with the dramatic discoveries of insulin, gastrin and their fascinating tumors.
*Diseases of the pancreas, particularly pancreatitis and cancer, but also congenital anomalies and trauma, are described from the era preceding the microscope to the dawn of the 21st Century.
*The explosive developments of imaging, diagnosis and pancreatic transplantation are presented, leading to the development of the challenging field of Pancreatology - its science and clinical practice.
*Finally the authors, having spent many years distilling the contribution of the giants of the past and present, present a thought provoking Chapter entitled "Lessons from Historyand their Application to the Future."

This monograph provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in the field of vasopressin and oxytocin. In the summer of 1997, scientists from over 20 countries congregated in Montreal for the 1997 World Congress of Neurohypophysial Hormones, a conference that united the fields of vasopressin, neurohypophysis, and oxytocin in a single joint meeting that gave rise to this book. The organization of a joint meeting was prompted by several developments. Specifically the molecular characterization of the vasopressin/oxytocin receptor family made it mandatory to adopt an integrated view and to discuss the vasopressin/oxytocin ligand/receptor family as a whole. To ensure emphasis on novelty, the conference focused on advances made in the late-1990s and also included important contributions by scientist that had not previously been associated with the vasopressin/oxytocin field.

Although cell turnover in normal adult liver is extremely low, hepatic tissue is notorious for its almost infinite capacity to regenerate in cases of viral, toxic or traumatic damage. Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most frequent malignancies worldwide and causes more than a million deaths per year. The mechanisms governing normal proliferation and malignant transformation of liver cells are of utmost interest for the understanding of regeneration and hepatocarcinogenesis and for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Therefore, the International Falk Workshop held in Halle, Germany, on January 29-30 1998, focused on the issues of normal and malignant liver cell growth. Knowledge in this area of research has expanded rapidly during recent years. This book of proceedings summarizes the latest advances both in basic science and clinical research. Stimulating discussion set the basis for the development of new strategies in diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and for the manipulation of regeneration in cases of acute or chronic loss of functional liver tissue.

Written by experts in their respective fields, this book reviews the expanding knowledge concerning the mechanisms regulating male reproduction at the molecular and cellular levels. It covers the development of the testes and regulatory controls for spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis, and it considers aspects of Sertoli cell function. Areas of emphasis include communication between the various cell types involved in reproduction by hormone and growth factors and the mechanisms by which these factors regulate gene expression. A number of mammalian systems, including humans, are covered. The carefully selected authors provide a clear synopsis of the concepts in each area as well as the latest references, enabling the reader to investigate the topic further. This book is of interest to those seeking an understanding of the regulatory mechanisms in male reproduction and is written for the graduate and postgraduate levels.
Key Features
* Provides up-to-date reviews of the molecular and cellular biology of male reproduction
* Includes chapters on the developmental biology of the testes
* Links conventional hormonal control of testicular function with the evolving role of growth factors and proto-oncogenes

Diagnosis and Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury will enhance readers' understanding of the complexities of the diagnosis and management of spinal cord injuries. Featuring chapters on drug delivery, exercise, and rehabilitation, this volume discusses in detail the impact of the clinical features, diagnosis, management, and long-term prognosis of spinal cord injuries on the lives of those affected. The book has applicability for neuroscientists, neurologists, clinicians, and anyone working to better understand spinal cord injuries. Spinal injury affects about 10 million people annually worldwide, impacting on the family unit and causing lifelong disabilities, with varied symptoms including paresthesia, spasticity, loss of motor control, and often severe pain. Cellular, Molecular, Physiological, and Behavioral Aspects of Spinal Cord Injury will enhance readers' understanding of the biological and psychological effects of spinal cord injury. Featuring chapters on gene expression, metabolic effects, and behavior, this volume discusses in detail the impact of spinal cord injury to better understand the underlying pathways and processes. The book has applicability for neuroscientists, neurologists, clinicians, and anyone working to better understand these injuries.

This book focuses on cartilage defects and new mesenchymal stem cell-based treatments for their repair and regeneration. Early chapters provide a review of current etiological findings and repair methods of cartilage defects. The next chapters discuss fundamental concepts and features of MSCs, including their proliferation, differentiation, migration and immunomodulatory effects. The discussion also includes clinical applications of MSCs in cartilage tissues, especially with regards to various animal models, biomaterials and transferring techniques. Cartilage Regeneration focuses on the biology of MSCs and their possible applications in cartilage reconstruction, with the goal of bringing new insights into regenerative medicine. It will be essential reading for researchers and clinicians in stem cells, regenerative medicine, biomedical engineering and orthopedic surgery.

ICD therapy has become the standard form of treatment for ventricular tachyarrhythmias. With clinical data showing its efficacy in both secondary and primary prevention of premature sudden death, its use is likely to increase dramatically in the next decade. Technological advancement has been instrumental in simplifying ICD implantation. However, technical additions to the device have also made its scope of functions more complex. In addition to providing rapid and effective therapy for ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, the ICD is now capable of providing a full spectrum dual-chamber pacing as well as therapies for atrial fibrillation. Soon, it will also be able to provide treatment for congestive heart failure using multi-site ventricular pacing and provide continuous hemodynamic monitoring. This book serves as an introductory text to those who are relatively new to this technology. In its manual form, it outlines the pertinent components of ICD functions and the basic differences among the various models. It provides practical points in ICD implantation, and in its programming and trouble-shooting.

The human immune system is a complex network of tissues and organs dispersed throughout the body. Immunology, as one of the most rapidly evolving fields in bio-medical research, has to date covered the essential cellular and molecular events neces-sary for immune responses to occur. However, it has paid relatively little attention to important developmental processes underlying the formation of the tissues themselves that carry out immune responses in humans and other mammalians. In contrast to the thymus and bone marrow that are the sole tissues for generating mature leukocytes for antigen recognition and han-dling in humans and most mammalian species, the peripheral lymphoid tissues where adaptive immune responses are focused display broad tissue distribution and possess diverse archi-tectural characteristics. These organs develop prior to the individual s exposure to external antigens, and despite their similar functions, their varied appearances indicate a substantial complexity of tissue ontogeny. This volume presents a comprehensive overview of the developmental features of the major peripheral lymphoid organs, thus examining the connection between immunological functionality and structural characteristics utilizing a developmental approach, for an audience ranging from undergraduate students to senior researchers in immunology, histology and clinical medicine."

Cardiorespiratory function is prominently affected by oxidative stress. Cigarette smoking is the archetype of oxidative and nitrative stress and free radical formation. New adverse effects of smoking keep on propping up in research. The chapters provide the comprehensive view of new developments in this area regarding cardiovascular and lung function and muscle catabolism. Alterations in inflammatory cytokines and proteins as well as degradation of muscle proteins due to smoking, by far unrecognized, caused by oxidative stress also are presented. Much less is known about the effect of cognitive stress on vagally-mediated cardiorespiratory function and surprisingly, on vagal immune pathway. The experimental studies also show that clinically important meconium aspiration syndrome contains an oxidative trait which is amenable to antioxidative treatment. This volume creates a source of information on the damaging role of oxidative stress in cardiorespiratory function that has by far not been available.

Etienne-Emile Baulieu, the discoverer of neurosteroids, and a panel of distinguished scientists and clinical researchers exhaustively and critically review all facets of neurosteroids involved in behavior, stress, memory, depression, anxiety, aging of the brain, and neurodegenerative diseases. These contributors illuminate the role of neurosteroids in brain development and plasticity and detail their neuromodulatory influence on GABAA, ionotropic glutamate receptors, acetylcholine receptors, sigma receptors, and calcium channels. Clearly pointing the way toward novel pharmaceutical agents that may be of significant therapeutic value, particularly with regard to aging mental functions, Neurosteroids: A New Regulatory Function in the Nervous System offers neurobiologists, psychiatrists, neurosurgeons, pharmacologists, and geriatricians the first comprehensive, state-of-the-art review of these important bioactive molecules.

Atrial Fibrillation from an Engineering Perspective provides an up-to-date overview of techniques developed for acquisition, modeling, and analysis of noninvasive, bioelectrical signals reflecting this common arrhythmia. Special emphasis is put on emerging technologies for monitoring of atrial fibrillation in connection with ischemic stroke, interventional ablation procedures, and pharmacological treatment, applications which all depend on the availability of techniques for detecting and characterizing episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Detectors exploring both rhythm and morphology are described, as well as detectors confined to rhythm and better suited for low power implementation. A wide variety of approaches to modeling and characterization of atrial activity are described, emanating from a statistical and deterministic starting points. This book is suitable for graduate students, researchers, and engineers who want a comprehensive treatise of atrial fibrillation from an engineering perspective. It may be used for self-study, as a supplement to courses in signal processing, or as a modern monograph by researchers in the field of atrial fibrillation.

At the Mie International Symposium held in Japan in April 1994, leading scientists reviewed recent advances in the understanding of the contractile mechanism in smooth muscle. The present volume collects the papers presented at the symposium, summarizing the latest advances in smooth muscle function and emphasizing important components of the contraction-relaxation cycle. Topics include a discussion of the smooth muscle cell membrane, with emphasis on its ion channels; the regulation of cytosolic Ca2+ levels and the relationship to force in smooth muscle; aspects of the two key regulatory enzymes involved with myosin phosphorylation-dephosphorylation; the molecular basis for pharmacomechanical coupling in smooth muscle; developments in the basic contractile mechanisms involving the crossbridge cycle of tonic and phasic muscle; the role of myosin light chains; and many others. The approach is broad and presents contemporary opinions in pharmacology, physiology, and biochemistry as they relate to smooth muscle function. The book will appeal not only to those working in these disciplines, but to vascular clinicians, obstetric-gynecological physicians, and gastroenterologists as well.

Unraveling the functional properties of structural elements in the brain is one of the fundamental goals of neuroscientific research. In the cerebral cortex this is no mean feat, since cortical areas are defined microstructurally in post-mortem brains but functionally in living brains with electrophysiological or neuroimaging techniques - and cortical areas vary in their topographical properties across individual brains. Being able to map both microstructure and function in the same brains noninvasively in vivo would represent a huge leap forward. In recent years, high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies with spatial resolution below 0.5 mm have set the stage for this by detecting structural differences within the human cerebral cortex, beyond the Stria of Gennari. This provides the basis for an in vivo microanatomical brain map, with the enormous potential to make direct correlations between microstructure and function in living human brains. This book starts with Brodmann's post-mortem map published in the early 20th century, moves on to the almost forgotten microstructural maps of von Economo and Koskinas and the Vogt-Vogt school, sheds some light on more recent approaches that aim at mapping cortical areas noninvasively in living human brains, and culminates with the concept of "in vivo Brodmann mapping" using high-field MRI, which was introduced in the early 21st century.

The highly successful Reviews of Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology continue to offer high-quality, in-depth reviews covering the full range of modern physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. Leading researchers are specially invited to provide a complete understanding of the key topics in these archetypal multidisciplinary fields. In a form immediately useful to scientists, this periodical aims to filter, highlight and review the latest developments in these rapidly advancing fields.

Short chain fatty acids (SFCA) are synthesized by the colonic microflora primarily from non-absorbed carbohydrate; there is also some limited production from non-absorbed protein. In contrast, SFCA are not normally present in the diet. During the past 15 years SFCA have attracted considerable interest in human nutrition, physiology and pathophysiology as a result of the realization that SFCA represent an important mechanism for carbohydrate and calorie conservation and may play a role in various types of colitides and possibly in colonic neoplasia. In addition, SFCA, produced in large amounts by ruminants and other herbivores, have long been the province of veterinary physiologists. This book is based upon the presentations at the 73rd Falk Symposium held in Strasbourg, France, September 8--10, 1993, which brought together researchers and clinicians from five continents. It provides an excellent statement of the present state-of-the-art knowledge of SFCA.

Organized around the central theme of homeostasis-how the body meets changing demands while maintaining the internal constancy necessary for all cells and organs to function-HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY helps you appreciate the integrated functioning of the human body. Author Lauralee Sherwood uses clear, straightforward language, analogies, and frequent references to everyday experiences to help you learn and relate to physiology concepts. The vibrant art program and empowering digital resources-including robust 3D animations and rich homework problems -enable you to visualize important concepts and processes. By focusing on the core principles and sharing enthusiasm for the subject matter, Sherwood helps you develop a solid foundation for future courses and careers in the health profession.