As an industry, biotechnology may be likened to the Hymn Book, being both ancient and modern. Whereas activities such as baking, brewing, the fermenting of foods date from our earliest attempts to control and utilise the environment, the application of recombinant DNA technology is recognised as being at the forefront of novel industrial development. Perhaps because of its association with processing foodstuffs together with the benefits derived from applications in the early organic chemistry and pharmaceutical industries, biotechnology has been regarded as being inherently safe. Yet unlike other modern industries, such as chemical and nuclear, where regulation has followed from incidents or accidents, modern biotechnology has been subject to close scrutiny and regulation almost from its inception. The process of regulation itself is somewhat unusual in that it was initially self-imposed by the very scientists who developed the fundamental techniques of recombinant DNA technology. They recognised the signific ance of their development but were concerned of the effects on humans and the environment of uncontrolled application of the new, powerful technology. Concern about the possible consequences of genetic manipula tion has undoubtedly been the driving force behind the regulations that are now in place in many parts of the world and which are the subject of this book. Safety issues in the biotechnology industry can be categorised under three headings: worker, environmental and consumer (product) safety."

The localized attachment of circulating leukocytes to endothelium has been recognized as the cellular hallmark of the inflammatory response. This adhesive interaction, a necessary antecedent to the emigration of leukocytes from the blood into the tissues, is mediated by vascular adhesion molecules. Leukocyte Recruitment, Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecules and Transcriptional Control: Insights for Drug Discovery outlines some of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of inflammation with contributions from top researchers. This volume provides an overview of three of these endothelial adhesion molecules, as examples of key mediators of leukocyte recruitment. It reviews the structure and regulation of these cell surface proteins and focus on the rapidly expanding field of transcriptional regulation of these inducible proteins, and closes with a discussion of drug discovery possibilities that target the regulation of leukocyte recruitment. This book will be of interest for any researchers, in academia or industry, looking for an overview of leukocyte recruitment or novel approaches to drug discovery.

Historically we have separated the disciplines of Chemistry and Biochemistry by recognizing that the distinguishing characteristic of Biochemistry is the catalysis of reactions by enzymes. Enzymes permit metabolic reactions which would otherwise require extremes of temperature, pressure or pH, often associated with Chemistry, to proceed under ambient conditions of the body. Under some conditions chemical reactions occur in vivo in which products of enzymatic reactions proceed to undergo further reactions non- enzymatically with cellular macromolecules. The results can often be seen as toxic or carcinogenic responses. The chemicals that initiate these reactions are termed "biological reactive intermediates. " The International Symposia on Biological Reactive Intermediates (BRI) began in 1975 at the University of Turku, Finland and have since convened at the University of Surrey, Guildford, The United Kingdom (1980), the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland (1985), the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1990), the GSF Forschungszentrum and Technical University of Munich (1995) and, most recently, at the Universite Rene Descartes, Paris, France (2000). The Symposium was organized by an International Planning Committee co-chaired by P. Dansette (Paris, France) and TJ. Monks (Austin, Texas). The committee included: P. H. Beaune (Paris, France), M. De\aforge (Saclay, France), G. P. Gervasi (Pisa, Italy), G. G. Gibson (Guildford, UK), H. Greim (Munich, Germany), DJ. Jollow (Charleston, South Carolina), P. Moldeus (Sodertalje, Sweden), I. G. Sipes (Tucson, Arizona), R. Snyder PJ. van Bladderen (Zeist, The Netherlands). They were (Piscataway, New Jersey), and assisted by an International Scientific Program Advisory Committee which included: TJ.

It is well known that estrogen is "somehow a protective hormone for various age-related disorders. This book provides a solid knowledge of estrogen s neuroprotective activities in the brain with a special emphasis on neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer s Disease. The focus is (1) to describe the biochemical, molecular, and cellular basis of the protective activity of estrogen and (2) to transfer this knowledge into the hospitals by discussing preventive and therapeutic approaches such as estrogen replacement therapy for post-menopausal women. Besides up-to-date information on estrogen and the brain, this book explains in a highly understandable manner molecular and cellular techniques by which basic data have been collected. The reader, which may include the professional specialist as well as the interested non-specialist, will also gain insight into the scientific transfer process of knowledge from basic science to the clinical situation and therefore "from bench to bed ."

The role of carcinogenic agents in the deveolopment of human cancers is now being defined using a variety of human cells as experi mental model systems. A workshop on "neoplastic transformation in human cell systems in vitro: mechanisms of carcinogenesis" was held at the Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, on April 25-26, 1991. The aims of the workshop were to present the state-of-the art in the transformation of human cells in culture, as well as to provide insight into the molecular and cellular changes involved in the conver sion of normal cells to a neoplastic state of growth. The following topics were closely related to the theme of the workshops: 1. Derivation of in vitro model systems (epithelial, fibroblastic, and hematopoietic). 2. Factors modulating cellular transformation. 3. Usefulness of defined in vitro model systems for viral, chemical, and radiation carcinogenesis. 4. Multistep nature of human cell carcinogenesis. 5. Role of activated and suppressor oncogenes in neoplastic trans formation. The workshop was organized by J. S. Rhim and A. Dritschilo (cochairmen), G. Jay, J. little, M. McCormick, R Tennant, and R R Weischelbaum. There were 32 speakers, 30 poster presentations, and about 190 participants."

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ranges amongst the commonest diseases in the world. The relentless progression of the disease causes a pressing need for a better understanding of and therapies for COPD. This volume provides state-of-the-art information on the pathophysiology of COPD including an outlook on new therapies. It is of interest to researchers and clinicians in academia as well as in the pharmaceutical industry.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the International Symposium on Medical Virology. In the Foreword to the book of the 1980 Symposium, we stated, "However, the challenges still lying ahead are more numerous than our past accomplishments". Little did we know at the time, that within a few years the spread of human immunodeficiency virus type I was going to occur. This worldwide epidemic has, like no other disease in recent history, awakened the scientific community and the public at large. It is a reminder to all of us that regardless of our vast technical advances, Nature provides such great opportunity for biological diversity, that it will always be one step ahead of our scientific knowledge. Although our understanding of virology, molecular biology and immunology have increased by leaps and bounds over the last decade, we are still at the point of being unable to effectively control the spread of this viral infection. We hope that our Symposium this year has helped researchers to come together and exchange' ideas, so that our growing knowledge of viral infections will help produce better approaches to control them. Luis M. de la Maza Irvine, California Ellena M. Peterson March, 1991 v ACKNO~EDGEMENTS It would be impossible to single out all those individuals who helped us make this Symposium a reality, however, we would like to take this oppor tunity to express our appreciation for their efforts.

The study of atherosclerosis centered since the first decade of the present century on etiology and pathogenesis. In fact, the studies of the military academy of medicine in St. Petersburg have opened the way of inducing atherosclerosis in animals. Pathogenesis of atheroma has been studied since then in humans and animals naturally prone to the development of the disease and by a variety of dietary and other procedures. The various experimental studies allowed science to evaluate the relative importance of different factors (genetic, dietary, hormonal, pharmacological. mechanical, circulatory, etc.) in atherogenesis. Epidemiological studies as well as biochemical plasma lipid and lipoprotein estimations coupled with light microscopic, histo chemical and electron microscopic investigations decreased the gap between observations on the human and experimental animal research. The enormous literature covering this field allows the intelligent reader to formulate a comprehensive concept regarding etiological factors and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Its impact on pre ventive and curative medicine was however limited in scope."

For more than 35 years the Swiss Society of Neuropathology has organiseditstraditionalInternationalWinterMeeting.Themainaimofthis venue is to bring together neuropathologists and clinicians as well as neuroscientistsinterestedindiseasemechanisms.TheXVIIIthInternational WinterMeeting washeld inMarch 2000 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The topicofthe2000Meetingwas"NeuropathologyandGeneticsofDementia." Aprogrammeofinvitedplenarylecturesofhigheducationalvalueaswellas platform andposterpresentations given by manyparticipantscoveredthe broadspectrumofdementingdisorders.Encouragedbythehighstandardof the meeting, and probably also influenced by the advent of a new Millenniumwedecided, togetherwithKluwerAcademiclPlenumPublishers, topublishtheProceedingsofthe2000Meetinginthepresentbook. The increaseofthe agedpopulation challenges social and health care systemsinindustrializedsocieties.Maintenanceofhealthandautonomyinto oldage isakeyfactor, andtheautonomyandindependenceofoldpersons crucially depend on mental health. However, neurodegenerative disorders accompanied bydementiaaffect 5-10%ofindividualsoverthe ageof65, and for the age group between 65 and 95 the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction doubles every 5 years. With this challenge in mind, Rossor discusses the clinical syndrome of dementia which encompasses an enormousvarietyofunderlyingdisorders. Over the last few years it has become apparent that many neurodegenerative disorders are characterised by protein misfolding and aberrant polymerization and may therefore be viewed as "aggregation proteopathies." Among them a substantial subsetofdementing disorders, either with or without motor dysfunction, are characterised by abundant v VI Preface neuronaland/orglialaccumulationofhyperphosphorylatedtauprotein.The molecular parametersofthese "tauopathies" are reviewed by Delacourte. Therecentdiscoverythatmutationsofthetaugenearecausativeforfamilial formsoffrontotemporaldementiaandParkinsonism(FTDP-17)broughtthe "taupathway"and the"tauopathies"tothecentrestage.Thisextraordinary breakthroughwillbecoveredbySpillantiniandGoedert.Thereisincreasing evidence that argyrophilic grain disease is much more frequent in older patients than previously thought. Tolnay et al. are reviewing recent contributionstothepathologyofthislate-onsetdementingdisorderinwhich ofamyloidbetadeposits, isalmost taupathology, inthealmosttotalabsence exclusivelyrestricted to the limbic lobe and the amygdala. Schultzet al. report an intriguing age-related progression of neuronal and glial tau pathologyinbaboonsthusrenderingthe baboonapotentialprimatemodel forage-relatedhuman"tauopathies." Gotzetal. introducetransgenicmice expressingmutated human tau as valuable animal models for reproducing formationofneuro-andglialfibrillarylesions.

This volume represents a series of papers presented at the Second International Workshop on HPV Immunology held at the University of Cambridge July 5-7 1993. This Workshop and its predecessor held in Amsterdam in May 1992 were two of the major activities of the European Concerted Action "Immunology of Human Papillomavirus and Vaccine Development." The Concerted Action (CA) was supported by grants from the Commission of the European Communities (EC), the French Association for Cancer Research (ARC) and the European Association for Medical Research (EAMR). Twenty two laboratories throughout Europe and Scandinavia were members of the CA, the objectives of which were to develop collaborations, implement scientific exchanges and co-operate in a collective effort to develop vaccination strategies for HPV. HPV's are ubiquitous pathogens and evidence which has been accumulated over the past decade leaves little doubt that infection with certain HPV types (the so called "oncogenic HPV's" 16, 18 and their relatives) is the major risk factor in the development of cancer of the uterine cervix in women. Since an infectious agent, a virus, is implicated as the main aetiologic factor in this disease, the possibility is raised that if one could prevent HPV infection or treat established infections this would be an effective anti-cancer strategy against what is the commonest cancer in women worldwide."

The title of this monograph, Brain Tumor Research and Therapy, is the name of the Conference itself, which had its inaugural meeting in the United States in 1975 andhas since progressed to the international scale. In Japan, the first conference ofits kind was organized by Dr. Takao Hoshino and me and was held at Nikko in 1980, hence its name, the Nikko Conference on Brain Tumor Research and Therapy. Though it started as a small, closed meeting, the conference has grown considerably, and in 1992 it was reorganized as the Japanese Conference on Brain Tumor Research and Therapy and was opened to all neurosurgeons and neuropathologists interested in the study of brain tumor problems and who are participating in this field. The main purpose of the Conference on Brain Tumor Research and Therapy is the candid and informed discussion of the most up-to-date developments in basic re search and clinical treatment of brain tumors. The 3rd Japanese Conference on Brain Tumor Research and Therapy was held at Nasu (Tochigi Prefecture), Japan, in No vember 1994. It was a great honor to welcome many distinguished guests from over seas who kindly attended each session and made valuable contributions.

The past 20 years have seen a surge of research into colorectal cancer, which is a reflection of the need to improve our methods of treating patients suffering from this increasingly common form of cancer. Greater knowledge of the basic mechanisms involved in colorectal carcinogenesis is an essential prerequisite to improvements in cancer prevention. In this volume the editors have brought together an impressive list of experts to cover the epidemiology, pathophysiology, morphology and basis for new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to early detection and prevention. This broad scientific approach provides the reader with up-to-date review of our current state of knowl edge of colorectal carcinogenesis and indicates how this information can be used to generate more research and create new opportunities for diagnosis and treatment. This is a book of knowledge and ideas, some of them still at the stage of theoretical interest, but others with practical potential for the care of patients. I recommend it to those who have a research interest in colorectal carcinogenesis, as well as to readers who wish to know just how far medical scientists have progressed in their efforts to achieve the ideal of cancer prevention."

Autopsy derives from the greek word autopsia, which means act of seeing with one's own eyes. It remains the most objective and accurate method to understand human. disease. Unfortunately, the volume of autopsies in teaching hospitals has decreased dramatically over the past years. The crucial factors that account for this are the recent progress and development of new technologies, especially in diagnostic imaging, immunology, cell biology and genetics. Additionally, the perpetual fear of legal liability by physicians accounts for its further decline. Consequently, physicians and medical students are engaged in fewer autopsies and are not reaping the rich educational rewards that accompany these examinations. The purpose of the autopsy is not only to establish the cause of death, but also to determine the nature and course of the disease process. Our goal with this book is to emphasize the importance of the post-mortem exam and the correlation between pathologic material and clinical data by analyzing actual cases with problem-based methodology. The focus of this handbook is on cardiovascular disease, and when appropriate, other disease categories are included if they have an impact on cardiovascular function. The approach is more than the usual clinico-pathological correlation. Rather, we attempt to present the material from the perspective of the autopsy table. We use the clinical data as the initial framework and the autopsy findings to develop a true understanding of the disease and the associated pathophysiology of the condition.

This two-volume work contains the full text of the oral and poster presentations and the general discussion at the round table discussion of the Second International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases: Basic and Therapeutic Strategies, held at the Kyoto Park Hotel in Kyoto, Japan, on November 6-10, 1989. The First Conference was held at the Aviya Sonesta Hotel in Eilat, Israel, on March 24-27, 1985. , The record of this First Conference was published by Plenum Press in 1986 as Volume 29 in Advances in Behavioral Biology, under the title "Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases: Strategies for Research and Development." We are happy that the comprehensive texts of the oral and poster presentations of the Second Conference could again be published within the framework of this series. Since the First Conference in 1985, rapid progress has been made in both basic and therapeutic aspects of these diseases. About 700 scientists from allover the world participated in the Second Conference, and 300 papers were presented in oral and poster sessions. Many people and organizations have helped to organize this multi disciplinary international conference and hence have contributed to the scientific quality of these two volumes. We thank the members of the organizing committee, the organizations that provided financial support, and the contributing scientists for their enthusiastic participation.

****VERKAUFSKATEGORIE*** 0 e

Ataxia-telangiectasia or A-T is a fatal progressive neurological disease of children. The symptoms indicate disruptions in the development of such diverse body parts as cerebellum, thymus and chromosomes. The patients are unduly sensitive to ionizing radiation, immunodeficient, and a third of them develops cancer. All of this stems from defects of a single gene. Provided here is an up-to-date review of all important work in thefield. A wide spectrum of topics is covered, namely genetics, chromosome 11 mapping, radiobiology, complementation, heterozygote identification, clinical variants, biochemistry, and treatment of A-T.

Atlas of Selective Lymphadenectomy for Melanoma, Breast Cancer and Colon Cancer emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach combining the experiences of a nuclear medicine physician, surgeon, and pathologist. This is an important reference also for researchers and clinicians who want to become familiar with sentinel lymph node mapping. The underlying thesis in solid tumor biology is that metastasis in general starts in an orderly progression with lymphatic spread first to the sentinel lymph node (SLN) in the nearest lymph node basin. Therefore, the logical approach is to harvest that specific SLN for thorough analysis.

As an addition to the European postgraduate training system for young neurosurgeons, we began to publish in 1974 this series of Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery which was later sponsored by the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies. This series was first discussed in 1972 at a combined meeting of the Italian and German Neurosurgical Societies in Taormina, the founding fathers of the series being Jean Brihaye, Bernard Pertuiset, Fritz Loew and Hugo Krayenbuhl. Thus were established the principles of European co operation which have been born from the European spirit, flourished in the European Association, and have been associated throughout with this senes. The fact that the English language is now the international medium for communication at European scientific conferences is a great asset in terms of mutual understanding. Therefore we have decided to publish all contri butions in English, regardless of the native language of the authors. All contributions are submitted to the entire editorial board before publication of any volume for scrutiny and suggestions for revision. Our series is not intended to compete with the publications of original scientific papers in other neurosurgical journals. Our intention is, rather, to present fields of neurosurgery and related areas in which important recent advances have been made. The contributions are written by specialists in the given fields and constitute the first part of each volume.

Traditional textbooks in molecular biology deal with basic science and are not readily applicable to the medical setting. Most medical textbooks that include a mention of molecular pathology in the clinical setting are limited in scope and assume that the reader already has a working knowledge of the basic science of molecular biology. Other texts emphasize technology and testing procedures without integrating the clinical perspective. There is an urgent need for a text that fills the gap between basic science books and clinical practice. In the Molecular Pathology Library series the basic science and the technology is integrated with the medical perspective and clinical application. Each book in the series is divided according to neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases for each of the organ systems traditionally associated with medical subspecialties.

Each book in the series is organized to provide (1) a succinct background of the essential terminology, concepts and technology of molecular biology, (2) an overview of the broad application of molecular biology principles to disease and (3) specific application of molecular pathology to the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases specific to each organ system. These broad section topics will be broken down into succinct chapters, averaging about 15 to 20 pages each, to cover a very specific disease entity. The chapters will be written by established authorities on the specific topic from academic centers around the world. In one book, diverse subjects are included that the reader would have to pursue from multiple sources in order to have a clear understanding of the molecular pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases. Attempting to hunt for the full information from basic concept to specific applications for a disease from the varied sources is time-consuming and frustrating. By providing this quick and user-friendly reference, understanding and application of this rapidly growing field is made more accessible to both expert and generalist alike.

As books that bridge the gap between basic science and clinical understanding and practice, the Molecular Pathology Series serves the basic scientist, the clinical researcher and the practicing physician or other health care provider who require more understanding of the application of basic research to patient care, from "bench to bedside." This series is unique and an invaluable resource. These books will be indispensable to physicians and health care providers in multiple disciplines as noted above, to residents and fellows in these multiple disciplines as well as their teaching institutions and to researchers who increasingly must justify the clinical implications of their research.

This two-volume work contains the full text of the oral and poster presentations and the general discussion at the round table discussion of the Second International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases: Basic and Therapeutic Strategies, held at the Kyoto Park Hotel in Kyoto, Japan, on November 6-10, 1989. The First Conference was held at the Aviya Sonesta Hotel in Eilat, Israel, on March 24-27, 1985. The record of this First Conference was published by Plenum Press in 1986 as Volume 29 in Advances in Behavioral Biology, under the title "Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases: Strategies for Research and Development." We are happy that the comprehensive texts of the oral and poster presentations of the Second Conference could again be published within the framework of this series. Since the First Conference in 1985, rapid progress has been made in both basic and 'therapeutic aspects of these diseases. About 700 scientists from allover the world participated in the Second Conference, and 300 papers were presented in oral and poster sessions. Many people and organizations have helped to organize this multi disciplinary international conference and hence have contributed to the scientific quality of these two volumes. We thank the members of the organizing committee, the organizations that provided financial support, and the contributing scientists for their enthusiastic participation. These two volumes follow the same publishing philosophy as the volume derived from the First Conference. They span a broad spectrum of topics and bridge preclinical and clinical concepts related to these diseases.

The philosophy of this NATO Advanced Research Workshop and the monograph it has yielded is that if you put a small number of very talented and creative scientists of different backgrounds and documented accomplishments together in a cloistered place for a few days to consider a very important and timely topic, many new ideas will be generated. The keynote of this conference was the Future. By this we mean the expected future developments of highly reliable sequential quantitative measurements of atherosclerotic plaque size and components in living human subjects. Some of the best minds and the most experienced and talented individuals at the leading edges of imaging of arteries were involved; some of the best scientists and students of the atherosclerotic plaque and its components participated; and some of the leading investigators of the cell biology or, as we call it in the USA, the pathobiology of atherosclerosis, contributed important new information. All of these individuals were actively involved in the conference and each obviously had carefully prepared and was able to communicate effectively.

Experts from Europe, Japan and the United States have contributed to this in-depth volume on digestive disease pathology. Each chapter contains numerous electron micrographs, often supplemented byline drawings, and extensive references to the literature.The clear illustrations and text are an excellent aid for the diagnosis of pathological entities in the gastrointestinal tract.

The Intemational Meeting on Vitamin B6 and Carbonyl Catalysis took place on Capri, Italy from 22nd to 27th May 1994 and was organized in conjunction with the 3rd Symposium on PQQ and Quinoproteins. It was an extraordinary occasion for scientists from all over the world to meet and discuss new developments in these overlapping fields. Several sessions were dedicated to the molecular aspects of Vitamin B6 and Quinone dependent enzymes, as well as to the cellular, biomedical and nutritional aspects. The congress was inaugurated by Paolo Fasella in his capacity as General Director of Science, Research and Development of the Commission of the European Communities, with an overview on Intemational Scientific Collaboration. The scientific sessions started with a talk on the History of Vitamin B6 given by David Metzler who at the very last minute presented Esmond Snell's paper adding some personal remarks. Unfortunately, both Esmond Snell and Alton Meister had to unexpectedly cancel the trip to Capri. These proceedings contain the papers presented as oral contributions and a few selected poster presentations. The limited number of pages meant we could not publish many interesting poster presentations, including those selected for the three lively and exciting evening poster discussion sessions called by the organizers "Vino, taralli and ... discussion".

Systematic screening for congenital hypothyroidism in the newborn was introduced some 15 years ago. The main objective was the prevention of mental retardation due to thyroid hormone deficiency during the early months of life. During the past decade screening programs have become routine throughout most of the industrialized world and many questions relating to implementation, organization and quality control of such programs have been largely resolved. Preliminary IQ and neurological data have indicated that screening and early treatment do, in fact, prevent mental retardation. However, a number of scientific questions related to congenital hypothyroidism remain unanswered and extensive research activities are ongoing in the field. The objective of the organizers of the Brussels workshop was to focus almost exclusively on these current research aspects of the screening programs. This workshop is the third international conference specifically devoted to neonatal thyroid screening. The first was held in La Malbaie in Quebec in the fall of 1979. That meeting was well organized and highly productive. Its proceedings constitute a bible in the field. After the Quebec meeting, we witnessed major and rapid advances in our understanding of neonatal thyroid physiology as well as screening methodology, organiza tion, data management, the significance of an approach to false negative and false positive results,patient follow-up, and assessment of follow-up and treatment, and the psychoneurological evaluation of affected infants. Some of these aspects were further developed during a second highly pro ductive international conference organized in Tokyo in 1982.

As an addition to the European postgraduate training system for young neurosurgeons we began to publish in 1974 this series of Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery which was later sponsored by the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies. This series was first discussed in 1972 at a combined meeting of the Italian and German Neurosurgical Societies in Taormina, the founding fathers of the series being Jean Brihaye, Bernard Pertuiset, Fritz Loew and Hugo Krayenbiihl. Thus were established the principles of European co operation which have been born from the European spirit, flourished in the European Association, and have throughout been associated with this series. The fact that the English language is well on the way to becoming the international medium at European scientific conferences is a great asset in terms of mutual understanding. Therefore we have decided to publish all contributions in English, regardless of the native language of the authors. All contributions are submitted to the entire editorial board before publi cation of any volume. Our series is not intended to compete with the publications of original scientific papers in other neurosurgical journals. Our intention is, rather, to present fields of neurosurgery and related areas in which important recent advances have been made. The contributions are written by specialists in the given fields and constitute the first part of each volume.