The International Symposium on Prostaglandins and Related Compounds, first held in Vienna 1972, revisited the city after 24 years for the 10TH Symposium. For the many re searchers working in this multi-disciplinary field it was an opportunity to exchange their ex periences and share new data with colleagues from all around the world. This scientific exchange was largely encouraged by the unseasonably cold and rainy weather. For the first time, there was quite a large attendance from the former Communist countries. Eugene Garfield prepared a key note address delivered during the meeting (The Sci entist 1996, 12) reviewing the contribution of the Nobel Laureates U.S. von Euler, l.R. Vane, S.K. Bergstrom, and B.I. Samuelsson, discussing the relevance of the more than 40,000 pa pers in this area published since 1991. Overall, there is still a rapidly growing interest, and in particular a great variety of clinical applications of this family of compounds which were dis cussed in detail during the meeting. Beside the lectures there were 19 workshops covering nearly all the topics of key in terest. All the speakers were invited to prepare a manuscript which has resulted in the volume now in your hands. Special thanks to Dr. Patrick Wong and the new publisher of this series who helped to publish the proceedings in the usual quality and reasonable period of time. Looking forward to seeing all of you again in Florence in 1999, hopefully with much more sun."

This volume constitutes, in part, the proceedings of the Hong Kong Conference on "Eicosanoids and Other Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation, and Radiation Injury" held in Hong Kong in October 1995. It contains papers by the symposium speakers, as well as poster contributions from researchers in this field. Since the discovery of "PROSTAGLANDIN-LIKE' substances 60 years ago. much has been learned. EICOSANOID is the new term that is used to include prostaglandins. thromboxanes, leukotrienes, lipoxins, isoprostanes, depoxilins, hydroxy acids, epoxy and hydroperoxy fatty acids. The conference focussed on recent development in underatanding the role of EICOSANOIDS in inflammation, cancer, and radiation damage. At the confer- ence, we also highlighted advances in newly developing areas such as "NO," "A POP- TOSIS and "ANANDAMIDE." The discovery of the structures of genes that encode several key enzymes and receptors of the Eicosanoid cascade, has allowed us to include reports in the "Alteration of the Gene Expression" section that reflects the most recent de- velopments in regulation for PGH-synthase and lipoxygenases. The editors are convinced that this volume will be an up-to-date and useful reference for investigators in both basic and clinical research.

This volume in the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Series is dedicated to developing an overall view of the "state-of the-art" of knowledge in the field of phospholipase A2 and to exploring the role and function of this enzyme in various inflammatory diseases. This book grew out of two major symposia on phospholipase A2 held in 1989: I). "Phospholipase A2: Pathophysiological Role of Soluble and Membrane-Bound Enzymes" organized by Dr. Doug Morgan and Dr. Ann Welton of Hoffmann-La Roche and sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences (January 24, 1989). II). "Release and Function of Phospholipase A2 from Inflammatory Cells" organized by Dr. Patrick Wong and Dr. Edward Dennis at the FASEB meeting in New Orleans (March 22, 1989). Readers will find exciting advances in our understanding of the structure, function and molecular biology of phospholipase A2 research which is presented in this volume. The elucidation of gene structures of phospholipase A2 should lead to new insights and new approches in the control and regulation of the enzyme activity. This is primary to better understanding the function of phospholipase A2 and the determination of its activity in cellular and animal systems. Of great importance is the development of animal models for inflammatory disease in order to evaluate the role of phospholipase A2 and its inhibitors. We are convinced that this volume will be an excellent reference that surveys this field in which numerous investigators are currently actively at work.

This volume constitutes. in part. the proceedings of the symposium on "Cell-Cell Interaction and Release of Inflammatory Mediators" organized by Drs. Patrick Y-K Wong and Charles N. Serhan and presented at the FASEB meeting in Washington. D.C. in April. 1990. It contains chapters by the symposium speakers as well as contributions from investigators in this field. Readers will find exciting advances in this volume. which contains chapters dedicated to state-of-the-art knowledge in the field of Cell-Cell Interaction and the functions of released mediators in inflammatory diseases. This book includes "cutting edge" investigations on transcellular eicosanoid biosynthesis. cytokines. PAF, and adhesion as well as interactions of inflammatory cells with endothe 1 i um. 1 ung * and kidney. A 1 so. the contro 1 and regu 1 at ion of renal function by lipid mediators generated during cell-cell i nteracti ons between rena 1 mesangi a 1 cells and 1 eukocytes has generated insight into the cell biology and regulatory role of these mediators in the kidney. Moreover. the relationship between these areas is discussed in sequelae of both asthmatic and renal diseases. We hope that some of the enthusiasm and excitement present in this research are also evident here and that this volume will serve as a reference for researchers. teachers. and students to survey thi s rapidly growing field.

The International Symposium on Prostaglandins and Related Compounds, first held in Vienna 1972, revisited the city after 24 years for the 10TH Symposium. For the many re searchers working in this multi-disciplinary field it was an opportunity to exchange their ex periences and share new data with colleagues from all around the world. This scientific exchange was largely encouraged by the unseasonably cold and rainy weather. For the first time, there was quite a large attendance from the former Communist countries. Eugene Garfield prepared a key note address delivered during the meeting (The Sci entist 1996, 12) reviewing the contribution of the Nobel Laureates U.S. von Euler, l.R. Vane, S.K. Bergstrom, and B.I. Samuelsson, discussing the relevance of the more than 40,000 pa pers in this area published since 1991. Overall, there is still a rapidly growing interest, and in particular a great variety of clinical applications of this family of compounds which were dis cussed in detail during the meeting. Beside the lectures there were 19 workshops covering nearly all the topics of key in terest. All the speakers were invited to prepare a manuscript which has resulted in the volume now in your hands. Special thanks to Dr. Patrick Wong and the new publisher of this series who helped to publish the proceedings in the usual quality and reasonable period of time. Looking forward to seeing all of you again in Florence in 1999, hopefully with much more sun."

This volume constitutes, in part, the proceedings of the Hong Kong Conference on "Eicosanoids and Other Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation, and Radiation Injury" held in Hong Kong in October 1995. It contains papers by the symposium speakers, as well as poster contributions from researchers in this field. Since the discovery of "PROSTAGLANDIN-LIKE' substances 60 years ago. much has been learned. EICOSANOID is the new term that is used to include prostaglandins. thromboxanes, leukotrienes, lipoxins, isoprostanes, depoxilins, hydroxy acids, epoxy and hydroperoxy fatty acids. The conference focussed on recent development in underatanding the role of EICOSANOIDS in inflammation, cancer, and radiation damage. At the confer- ence, we also highlighted advances in newly developing areas such as "NO," "A POP- TOSIS and "ANANDAMIDE." The discovery of the structures of genes that encode several key enzymes and receptors of the Eicosanoid cascade, has allowed us to include reports in the "Alteration of the Gene Expression" section that reflects the most recent de- velopments in regulation for PGH-synthase and lipoxygenases. The editors are convinced that this volume will be an up-to-date and useful reference for investigators in both basic and clinical research.