Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences – serie

To help commemorate the 200th anniversary of the New York Academy of Sciences, founded in 1817, this revised edition of Simon Baatz’s book Knowledge, Culture, and Science in the Metropolis: The New York Academy of Sciences, 1817–2017, presents new material on the Academy’s activities from 1970-2016.The revised edition weaves the story of the Academy’s development with the development of science in New York City and America, from the early 19th century when scientific studies were largely focused on cataloging the natural history of the nascent United States.Chapters retained from the first edition include discussions of how Academy members were prominent in the campaigns to establish New York University in 1831 and the American Museum of Natural History in 1869; the Academy’s comprehensive survey of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in 1907 and the resulting published magisterial 19-volumes over the next three decades; and scientific breakthroughs reported at Academy conferences and events, most notably, research in antibiotics in the 1940s and 1950s, which appeared the Academy’s journal Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.In this revised edition, Professor Baatz adds a new chapter that focuses on the significant activities of the Academy’s Committee on Human Rights of Scientists, which worked on behalf of dissident scientists for over twenty years, and the decades of involvement of the Academy in education programs for young people in New York City and beyond. Few cultural institutions in New York have lasted so long and few have had such influence on science in New York City.The Academy has been unique as a nexus for scientists across different disciplines, from universities, research institutes, and government; and its influence, through its conferences and publications, now extends worldwide.

Relaxin is a protein hormone, produced and secreted during pregnancy in mammalian species, having superficial structural features resembling those of insulin. Since its initial isolation from the ovaries of pregnant pigs in 1976, increasing interest in relaxin has led to increased understanding of the chemistry, synthesis, secretion, biological roles, mechanisms of action, and potential clinical applications of relaxin in humans and domestic animals. In pigs, rats, and mice, relaxin promotes growth and softening of the cervix, enabling rapid and safe delivery of the fetuses. In these species relaxin also promotes growth and development of the mammary apparatus. Recently, biological effects of relaxin in the heart, kidney, liver, and brain have been identified, and these discoveries have triggered additional interest in possible clinical applications for relaxin. In 2002, a second form of relaxin, which is found primarily in the brain, was discovered. Relaxin-like factor (also called insulin 3), which was discovered in 1993, is produced in the fetal testis and plays a major role in testicular descent during development. The recent identification of the receptors for both relaxin and relaxin-like factor has enabled more rigorous studies of the target tissues and mechanisms of action of these hormones. This volume contains a description of recent advances and future research and clinical possibilities in the field of relaxin and related peptides. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Stem cells have generated considerable interest recently in the scientific, clinical, and public arenas. It is essential that we gain a broader understanding of the factors that regulate the biology of stem cells: their ability for self-renewal, differentiation, and plasticity, as well as the differences between embryonic and adult stem cells. And to learn whether stem cells can be manipulated to replace cells in diseased tissues depends on better understanding their normal developmental properties. This volume offers contributions from numerous interdisciplinary areas bridging biotechnology and biomedical sciences. The ability to isolate and maintain pluripotent stem cells in culture offers exciting possibilities for replacing damaged or diseased organs and tissues. Moreover, stem cells will provide opportunities for major advances in our understanding of fundamental developmental processes. The study of pluripotent stem cells derived from early embryos or fetal tissues has shown that they are capable of replicating indefinitely in vitro and possess the ability to differentiate into many cell types. Biotechnological advances under which growth conditions and factors can be identified and characterized are needed to guide such cells to form organ-specific tissues. Biomedical researchers are also investigating approaches to isolate and manipulate adult-derived multipotential stem cells that appear to possess considerably broader differentiation capacity than originally imagined. Novel therapeutic strategies are being developed to take advantage of the ability of stem cells to proliferate in culture and to survive after transplantation into various tissues, where they may integrate and stably express foreign genes, or repopulate damaged or diseased organs such as the heart, brain, or pancreas. These presentations foster a broader understanding of the factors that regulate the biology and plasticity of stem cells through the picture they provide of the "state of the science" of stem cell biology and by framing the many questions that remain to be answered. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

The past few years have brought an influx of new information into the field of male reproduction. Several laboratories have been able to apply the genomics approach to gene expression in the male, revealing previously unknown patterns of gene expression and gene products that were localized in male reproductive tract tissues and cells for the first time. These discoveries paved the way for the next wave, an opportunity to analyze male reproductive biology and the processes by which sperm are formed in the seminiferous tubule and androgen is synthesized in the interstitium of the testis. The different levels of organization in the testis, including the stages of spermatogenesis, enzymatic steps of steroidogenesis, and the intracellular signaling pathways of hormones, are now more amenable to study and selection of potential targets for drug development. This volume capitalizes on these developments with a collection of reports that is uniquely suited to stimulate research and development ideas. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Virtually every aspect of mitochondrial research and medicine is addressed in this volume, including mitochondrial function and dysfunction, free radical biology relevant to mitochondrial dysfunction, the role of mitochondria in apoptosis, and abnormal signaling processes and disease mechanisms associated with aging, mtDNA mutations, or mitochondrial damage. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Researchers from diverse research communities in cognitive neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, MR-diffusion tensor imaging, and algorithm development have contributed articles that explore the potential for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to measure and model white matter tracts in the human brain. The most advanced uses of diffusion tensor-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for modeling white matter neural connectivity and tractography are assessed; in addition, the authors discuss (1) methods for integrating DTI of white matter into cognitive and clinical neuroscience data and models, (2) how to promote new advances in DTI techniques for applications relevant to cognitive and clinical neuroscience, and (3) how to implement new advances in DTI in readily accessible software that can be distributed to the cognitive and clinical neuroscience communities. These reports represent the interdisciplinary approach taken at the workshop to the refinement of emerging MR DTI techniques specifically for the purposes of analyzing white matter networks noninvasively. It is hoped that this volume will encourage collaborations that will enhance the capacity for greater applications, developments, and impact of DTI, thus extending the reach of the workshop that preceded it. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

The basic phenomena of intra- and intercellular communication and the transport signals within and between the cells controlling cardiac function are described and discussed in this volume. The amazing synchronization of millions of cells and billions of nanoscale molecular motors, ion gates, and ion pumps assure normal cardiac function; whereas disharmony and local transport and signal disruptions are the forecasters, and eventual causes, of pathologic conditions and heart failure. Although this volume concentrates on basic phenomena, strong emphasis is given to the related clinical and pharmaceutical manifestations, and chapters have been contributed by molecular biologists, pharmaceutical experts, and cardiac scientists. This volume will promote better understanding and, consequently, better clinical and pharmaceutical handling of the various aspects of cardiac pathophysiologies associated with electrical, mechanical, and metabolic and circulatory disorders in the cardiovascular system. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

This volume provides an overview on the biochemistry, physiology, and pharmacology of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), and related peptides. VIP and PACAP are undoubtedly among the most fascinating neuropeptides ever identified. They belong to the largest family of regulatory peptides, which comprises several other prominent neuroendocrine peptides including secretin (the first peptide hormone that has been identified), glucagon, and growth hormone-releasing hormone. The structural and physiological relationships of these peptides as well as their receptors provide a unique model for investigating the processes of molecular evolution leading to the diversification of multigene families. The primary structures of VIP and PACAP have been remarkably well conserved across vertebrates, suggesting that these peptides must be involved in vital functions throughout the animal kingdom. Indeed, VIP and PACAP appear to be implicated in a large array of physiological processes such as development; growth; endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive and digestive functions; immune responses; and circadian rhythms. There is also clear evidence that VIP and PACAP exert both trophic and antiproliferative effects on normal and tumor cells. The beneficial influence of VIP and PACAP agonists and antagonists in various pathological states including heart failure, ischemia, asthma, impotence, and cancer has motivated the development of novel selective VIP or PACAP ligands that could potentially be used as antihypertensive, neuroprotective, bronchodilatory, vasodilatory, and/or antiproliferative drugs. The occurrence of multiple VIP/PACAP receptor subtypes and splice variants that exhibit tissue-specific expression and possess differential affinity for various ligands generates hopes for the development of new therapeutic agents that could act selectively on the desired target cells. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Exciting papers by leading researchers are integrated in this volume with presentations having direct clinical relevance: thus, the latest scientific advances in aging research are coupled with reports on how these advances are being applied to longevity medicine.Topics include oxidative stress, genetic/biochemical mechanisms, hormone therapy, nutrition, fitness, and exercise, all as they pertain to aging. In exploring the links between the latest basic gerontological research and the practice of longevity medicine, the current challenges faced by both scientists and clinicians engaged in combating aging and its consequences are presented here. This volume is readily accessible to the educated reader who is interested in learning more about how to reduce the negative impact of aging on human health and longevity. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

This volume provides a snapshot of the state of the art of oculomotor and vestibular research, focusing on the bridge between laboratory and clinical research and the interdisciplinary relationships among ophthalmology, neurology, and otology. A common theme in contemporary neuroscience is how the brain learns and adapts at the most basic levels and how patients can benefit from this type of research. Recent advances in the physiology and anatomy of the eye muscles and other orbital structures and their relevance to strabismus sets the stage in the first section. Then, attention shifts to the vestibular system, beginning with the peripheral applications to clinical neuro-otology, including adaptive control of vestibular reflexes and the implications for programs of physical rehabilitation of patients. Further chapters are directed toward the mechanisms of eye movement control developed specifically in foveate species -- saccades, pursuit, and vergence -- here with an emphasis on applications to clinical neurology and neuro-ophthalmology. Finally, the role of higher-level cerebral processing in the control of eye movements is presented in the framework of state-of-the-art brain imaging and sophisticated behavioral testing paradigms in both humans and experimental animals. The volume provides a critical update from a number of disciplines -- both clinical and basic -- to bring basic physiology to the bedside and vice versa. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which encompasses both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronically relapsing intestinal disorder that is characterized by diarrhea and abdominal pain. The incidence of IBD is increasing worldwide. Although some major advances have been made in recent years, the pathogenesis of the disease still remains obscure. As currently understood, a combination of genetic alterations and immunological disturbances causing an interaction of the enteric microflora with the underlying mucosa and a disrupted barrier function may be crucial for the development of disease. Despite substantial new data that have been obtained over the last several years, it has become increasingly difficult to accommodate these into a unifying disease model. Identification of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines has introduced "biologic therapies," but treatment of IBD is still based mainly on broad-spectrum immunosuppressive drugs such as steroids and azathioprine. In this volume, the most relevant pathogenetic aspects are stressed: genetic alterations, disrupted epithelial barrier function, immunological disturbances, and the role of the enteric microflora. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

This volume provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in the fields of vertebrate and invertebrate endocrinology and neurobiology. The classical fields of comparative endocrinology and neurobiology are gaining new momentum from the many projects involving the sequencing of animal genomes. The comparative approach has proven to be one of the most rewarding for the study of gene functions and is a key component of functional genomics. The interactions between comparative endocrinology and genome sequencing as well as developmental biology and neurobiology are providing many exciting discoveries. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Radoslav K. Andjus was a founder of the modern field of biophysics, and this volume contains the proceedings of a meeting held in his honor in Belgrade, organized and attended by many of his former students and coworkers, including the Nobel laureate Stanley Prusiner. Andjus's ground-breaking work in tolerance to anoxia and hypothermia ranged from the cellular level to the behavior of freeze-tolerant and freeze-resistant vertebrates. The symposium renews a well-established tradition of annual meetings of the Yugoslav Biophysical Society, which had been suspended for several years as a result of the political situation in the region. These proceedings comprise contributions from the fields of neuro-, membrane, and molecular biophysics; neuroscience; biomedical science; rehabilitation; and emergency medicine, and should be of interest to basic researchers as well as clinical practitioners. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

The analysis of hormones in feces or excrement presented in the first part of this volume is a relatively new noninvasive method for gaining insight into an animal's physiology. Endocrinological cycles of free-living animals can be studied without the stress caused by capture. Hence, this noninvasive technique may be helpful in a wide range of research fields relating to physiology, behavioral ecology, ethnology, and wildlife conservation. The reports presented in the second part of the volume expand the general understanding of migration over long distances. Three key issues in the search for adaptive syndromes are addressed: acquisition and use of endogenous resources, circadian rhythms, and adaptations in metabolism. The papers included in this volume will provide access to techniques and methods that will result in more reliable studies and more useful data. The results of these two meetings are timely and important because environments are rapidly changing and we need the means to study the impact of these changes on the physiology of animals who are responding to these changes. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

As life expectancy has increased, so has the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly those associated with aging. Contributing to increased life expectancy is increased survival following brain injury, stroke, and procedures such as heart surgery, but these events can impair neurological function. The wide range of contributions to this volume, from a detailed paper on the use of gene therapy in combination with hypothermia for the treatment of cerebral ischemia to a comprehensive poster describing the role of anesthetic agents in neurotoxicity during development and senescence, illustrate the scientific scope presented. Contributions from clinical and basic science researchers from many disciplines address various approaches to providing neuroprotection. The clinical focus is on the complexity of neuroprotection, the need for understanding the time-course effects of hypoxia/ischemia, and the need for combinational and time-course applications of multiple therapies. New technologies are introduced for describing both the insult and the treatment necessary for neuroprotection, including gene expression assays (genomics) and gene therapy. Several chapters are devoted to the examination of the predictive value of models for outcome measures in clinical ischemic stroke neuroprotective trials. The need to move from in vitro models to more predictive in vivo approaches with the use of pharmacokinetics is addressed. Other chapters emphasize the role of endogenous agents such as nitric oxide, melatonin, L-carnitine, and estrogens in acute and chronic neural injury and therapy. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Our understanding of how the skeleton is remodeled and repaired has been enormously expanded in the past decade. Using advanced molecular technologies including transgenesis, gene knockout, and gene array, we are gaining a better understanding of both the precise pathways through which osteoblasts lay down new bone and how osteoclasts remove old bone. These studies have not only helped us understand the basic biological properties of the skeleton and how it responds to hormonal, cytokine, and mechanical stimulation, but also, in some instances, clarified the source of pathophysiology. The eventual goal of such discoveries is to lay down a firm scientific foundation for the identification of novel cellular and molecular targets for future drug development. This volume presents the significant headway that scientists have made in this undertaking and the book is organized around four broad themes: skeletal development and repair, molecular endocrinology of bone, bone cell biology, and conservation of skeletal integrity. Also included are papers that focus on current and emerging therapies for osteoporosis. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

This volume brings together contributions from basic scientists, epidemiologists, and practicing clinicians whose expertise or clinical practice involves the study or administration of gonadal hormones. Our current knowledge of the biology of gonadal hormones is assessed, and the question is explored of the gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed through additional research. Other questions explored include the following: What is the appropriate population to study? What is the therapeutic window for hormone therapy and/or estrogen therapy? What are the appropriate formulations of HT and ET? What should be considered the most appropriate design for clinical trials that address the efficacy of HT/ET? What are appropriate surrogate markers of neurological decline/impairment? What are the best in vitro and in vivo models to address the efficacy of postmenopausal HT or ET? NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

This volume concentrates on the most relevant oligonucleotide research and drug development areas and emphasizes the basic mechanisms and biology of oligonucleotide reagents. Chapters are devoted to RNAi, oligonucleotide delivery, and immunomodulation. Because of the advanced stages of oligonucleotide-based drug development, preclinical and clinical data are also presented by leaders in the field. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member

The most recent developments in hematopoietic stem cell research are presented in this volume, along with their clinical implications. The field of hematopoietic stem cell biology is rapidly advancing, and new ideas and concepts supported by fascinating new technologies captivated the interest and excitement of the participants of the meeting. The sharing of new ideas and technologies with other scientists represents an invaluable stimulus, particularly for the young investigators in the field. It is hoped that the spirit of the meeting will be carried forward to the readers of this volume and that its content will stimulate new and fruitful projects in the field of stem cell biology. The major topics covered are genetic and epigenetic regulation of stem cells, stem cell plasticity, stem cell regulation and self-renewal, and embryonic stem cells as well as malignant stem cell biology. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

This volume, the proceedings of the 16th Florida Workshop in Nonlinear Astronomy and Physics, emphasizes the cross-disciplinary nature of much current research in astronomy and physics in the area of dynamics. Developments in one field can advance more quickly when information is available regarding parallel developments in other fields. This occurs not only by the exchange of methods and techniques, but also from conceptual refinements resulting from different perspectives on similar problems. Contributors to this volume include theorists and experimentalists from the fields of nonlinear dynamics, mathematics, galactic dynamics and structure, dark matter, plasma physics, accelerator beams, and statistical mechanics. Dynamical problems on all astrophysical scales are discussed from those of the sun and the solar system to cosmology. This is a particularly appropriate time to look at this subject because observations have provided compelling evidence that many galaxies are genuinely three-dimensional; that is, they are neither spherical nor axisymmetric, they typically have a central density cusp, and the center of the galaxy often contains a super massive black hole. Furthermore, the Hubble Space Telescope has produced exciting data about the spatial and temporal structure of cosmological space-time and especially about the epoch of galaxy formation. The meeting and the volume are dedicated to the memory of Professor Henry E. Kandrup, whose work was centered on stochastic problems in stellar dynamics. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Although the peoples of all continents and cultures have been using different kinds of natural products for centuries, their mechanisms of action are poorly understood. Interestingly, most of these products "work," and paradoxically we are witnessing a great limitation of existing pharmacological targets and agents for various new diseases, such as HIV, as well as those that affect the growing aged population worldwide. This volume presents research focused on the molecular basis of action of different natural products and their applications to various diseases, including cancer, brain disorders, and infectious diseases. Promising natural therapies are scrutinized and evaluated in an effort to advance rigorous scientific analysis of these products and therapies, including achieving neuroprotection through herbal extracts, plant products, and dietary supplements. The role of antioxidants and free radicals from natural products in health and disease is also explored. The research findings presented in this volume focus on botanical, nutritional, and pharmacological strategies for improving general health and slowing normal aging, and the contributors are scientists recognized for their molecular and mechanistic work in this area. African medicine, traditional Chinese and other east Asian medicines, and ayurvedic medicine are addressed, as are a range of other natural treatments/enhancements in current use. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Pheochromocytoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor with a highly variable presentation. There is lack of agreement about the most efficient and cost-effective methods for diagnosis and localization of the tumor, which can be lethal if not identified and treated promptly.Autopsy studies indicate that up to 50% of all cases remain undiagnosed until death. Between 30 and 35% of the tumors have a hereditary basis. Development of malignancy is highly variable -- from less than 5% to more than 50% depending on the mutation; there is currently no effective cure. This volume encompasses a number of themes in several sections: genetics and clinical decision-making; genetics, molecular pathways of tumorigenesis, and divergent phenotypes; kaleidoscopic presentations and a minefield for differential diagnosis of pheochromocytoma; biochemical diagnosis: can we reach consensus?; tumor localization and the evolving importance of functional imaging; and new molecular markers and targets for diagnosis and treatment of malignant pheochromcytoma. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member

For the last 40 years, biogerontology—the study of the biological basis of aging—has progressed tremendously, and it has now become an independent and respected field of study and research. This volume brings together contributions by biogerontologists, bioethicists, biodemographers, researchers, students, clinicians, and dieticians. The main areas of discussion and presentation of new research results include (1) biological and non-biological factors affecting lifespan and the quality of life; (2) ethical and social issues related to lifespan and health-span extension; (3) physiological, cellular, and molecular aspects of aging; (4) new technologies to understand and modulate aging; (5) the latest successful approaches in the prevention and treatment of age-related diseases, and (6) aging intervention, prevention, and modulation by genes, natural and synthetic molecules, and lifestyle modifications. Accordingly, the main sections of the volume focus on the following topics: defining aging, longevity, and the diseases of aging; selected aging organs; cellular aging; molecular aging; ethics of aging intervention; genetics of aging and longevity; and aging interventions.NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Rickettsial diseases have affected humanity since the dawn of civilization. Despite the advent of effective antibiotic therapy, humans continue to be afflicted by rickettsial diseases, which still often go undiagnosed because of their protean clinical manifestations.During the past decade, several major developments have occurred in rickettsiology. With the advent of the newly emerging infections caused by a number of rickettsias, the re-emerging of old pathogenic species of rickettsias that cause both old and new syndromes has helped redefine the level of rickettsial pathogenicity. The intracellular nature of most rickettsias remains a mystery although their genome size is close to that of the free-living neisserias. Advances in molecular techniques have also helped redefine and reclassify rickettsias by maintaining some in the order Rickettsiales and placing others in other bacterial orders. The latter are still included in rickettsial reviews because of historical precedence. These molecular advances also help us to refine our knowledge of rickettsial pathogenesis. This volume is the first of two volumes to result from the 4th International Conference on Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Diseases, in which an effort is made to address and clarify issues from clinical, diagnostic, epidemiologic, and molecular perspectives that have remained unsolved in the past. In this volume, several subdisciplines of rickettsiology are included: genomics and proteomics, a protocol for naming newly isolated rickettsiae; bioterrorism; the pathobiology of reckettsial infections including Q (query) fever, antibiotic resistance, and vaccines; the discovery of new ricketsiae; and the pathobiology of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma infections. This volume. along with Century of Rickettsiology, which will be published in 2006 as an Annals volume, will provide a complete picture of the world-wide range of work that is currently being carried out in the field of rickettsiology. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

The body of research on the process of human aging has grown considerably in recent years, and the reports presented here explore a full range of approaches to this research, from the molecular and genetic to the cellular and organismic levels. The contributing scientists identify the processes of aging and find functional and mechanistic approaches that may delay, prevent, or arrest the progress of aging and those ailments generally linked to senescence, such as metabolic, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases. The investigation of various approaches to the prevention of aging will include efforts to mitigate the deleterious consequences of chemical pollution. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Biomedical research on human subjects is notoriously difficult because of the difficulties in controlling the variables, locating a large enough sample size, and managing the ethical issues that have to be considered for every experiment. This volume contains contributions from scientists who have received grants from the Dana Foundation, and their work in the complex and diverse field of human immunology is notable for both its breadth and its depth. Patient-based research in the areas of cancer, infectious disease, allergy, inflammation, and autoimmunity are summarized. It is through clinical studies that findings in animal models make their way into the arsenal of treatments available for human patients, and this volume demonstrates the progress of translational research in human immunology. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

The potential for the development of therapeutic oligonucleotides into clinical medicines and their use as basic research tools are explored in this volume, which is the proceedings of the 7th NIH Symposium on Therapeutic Oligonucleotides. The focus is on antisense, RNAi, triple-helix, gene repair, DNA chips, and CpG immune modulatory oligonucleotides. Specific chapters address designing better siRNAs, splice switching oligonucleotides, selective delivery of oligonucleotides, and medicinal drugs by receptor-mediated endocytosis, development of a function overriding siRNA silencing in mammalian cells, transcription factor decoys, and modified oligonucleotide hybridization and genetic insertion. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

The intricate relationships between music and human neurological makeup, as well as the ways in which music can influence neurological development, are explored in this volume, which is a continuation and expansion of two symposia that have preceded it, both of which have been published as Annals volumes.Researchers in the fields of neurophysiology, neuroimaging, mind-brain studies, and psychology present findings on the evaluation of neurological disorders and music, the relationship of music to development and language, and musical perception. The use and impact of music therapy is discussed in a roundtable format. Do animals have music? How is music similar to language? How is music represented mentally? This volume addresses these questions and others surrounding this exciting and growing field—a field that generates interest far beyond the boundaries of the neuroscientific world, encompassing education, performance, and the appreciation of music by all peoples. The book also offers articles written from the perspective of the fields of ethology and evolution, as well as papers on vocal learning, auditory perception, performance, and emotional response to music. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.