This book examines the most recent advances in the toxicology of pesticides. An initial series of chapters deals with various aspects of experimental toxicology. Assessment of human exposure, clinical management of pesticide poisoning, individual susceptibility to pesticide toxicity and extrapolation of animal data to human are also discussed. Furthermore, the problems of the environmental distribution, fate, ecotoxicology, as well as risk management of pesticides are discussed. This book should prove useful in improving the relationship between experimental toxicologists and clinicians, and...

The most critical event in chemical cell to cell communications is the conversion of the chemical signal into the primary response of the receiving cell. In the case of cholinergic cell to cell communication, i. e. in cholinergic nerve-nerve and nerve- muscle systems, a single molecule, namely the nicotinic acetyl- choline receptor is responsible for both signal reception and primary response: Through binding of the neurotransmitter acetyl- choline released from the associated nerve ending, the receptor receives the chemical message. Short-lived openings of the recep- tor-integral ion channel...

This volume comprises the lectures of the speakers at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop held at the Congress Centre The Flevohof at Biddinghuizen, The Netherlands, May 11-16, 1986. The purpose of the workshop was to bring together experts in symbiosis, plant pathology and plant molecular biology in order to discuss recent progress in the field of microbe -plant re cognition at the molecular level, to promote integration of various disciplines, and to define recommendations for future research and applications. Plants have developed a variety of sophisticated defence mechanisms to cope with...

All organisms adapt, or at least try to adapt, to informa- tion or signals arising from their surrounding environment. This can affect the behaviour of the entire organism or the functioning of discrete organs or areas within an organism, depending upon its degree of complexity. This workshop was set up with the aim of encouraging discussions and collaboration between investiga- tors studying a wide spectrum of signal transduction/sensing events occurring at the cell surface in systems where the sig- nalling mechanisms became attenuated or desensitized after their initial...

This book is based on the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Mesenchymal-Epithelial Interactions in Neural Development" which was held in Berlin during March 1986. The idea that it may be the time for this workshop arose from a discussion among the organizers who met at a conference in Innsbruck. During the twenties, Spemann demonstrated that, in vertebrates, the formation of neuroepithelium depends on the induction by specific mesodermal derivatives. This was about the first time that mesenchymal-epithelial interactions had been recognized as an important mechanism in the development of an...

The NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Gangliosides and Modu lation of Neuronal Functions" was held at the University of Stutt gart-Hohenheim, Federal Republic of Germany, on October 20 - 24, 1986. About 70 participants from 10 countries presented papers on a wide range of topics all concerning the ganglioside theme. The content of the workshop consisted of the following chap ters: (1) Fundamentals for research on function of gangliosides; (2) Brain ganglioside metabolism; (3) Cell specific distribution and differentiation-related ex pression of brain gangliosides; (4) Gangliosides and...

Molecular microbiology is a rapidly expanding area of contemporary science: the application of molecular biology has opened up the microbial world in many remarkable ways. The attraction of microbes is that they are self-contained and that they offer complete solutions to understanding the phenomenon of life.
This book provides a concise introduction to current research in the field. Four major areas are introduced and explained:
- Bacterial Biochemistry
- Bacterial Genomes
- Gene Expression
- Microbial Cell Biology

In the last few years there have been tremendous advances in the understanding of signals and signalling pathways that operate at the cellular level and lead to developmental processes. In 27 chapters, this volume investigates the cellular and molecular basis of plant development. It highlights the most recent progress on signals, machinery, and pathways in the plant cell. Emphasis is placed on integrating these studies with those on cell division, cell plate formation, and other aspects of plant development, in order to elucidate the intricate relationships between them.

Gene therapy has generated enormous expectations as it holds a great promise, namely to revolutionize clinical and molecular medicine. This is because the successful introduction of a gene sequence in somatic sells followed by long-term expression at therapeutic levels can fundamentally correct a variety of human disease such as inherited and acquired disorders, cancer and AIDS. The proceedings of the first ASI on Gene Therapy that took place from August 17-28, 1997 on the island of Spetsai, Greece, summarizes recent advances in the field as presented elegantly by the intemationally...

Molecular biology has provided a tool with which problems in cellular differentiation can be answered. Recombinant DNA technology has been used to obtain quantities of the erythropoietic hormone, erythropoietin. The availability of the hormone has provided a much-needed impetus in learning how erythropoiesis is controlled. Knowledge of the genetic components, transcription and translation of the erythropoietin gene and finally the release of the mature hormone under various physiological conditions should be forthcoming in the near future. This volume will give the reader some indication as...