During the summer of 1974 we discussed the state of molecular biology and biochemical developmental biology in plants on a few occasions in Paris and in Strasbourg. The number of laboratories engaged in such research is minute compared with those studying comparable problems in animal and bacterial systems, but by then much interesting work had been done and a great momentum was building. It seemed to us that the summer of 1976 would be a good time to review these areas of plant biology for students as well as advanced workers. We outlined a program for a course to colleagues both in Europe...

Structural biology is undergoing a revolution in both the sophistication of new biophysical methods and the complexity of problems in biomolecular structure and organization opened up for study. These changes are directly attributable to major advances in computer technology, computational methods, development of high intensity synchrotron radiation sources, new magnetic resonance methods, laser optical techniques, etc. Structure-function problems previously considered intractable may now be solved. As this area of specialisation continues to expand, there is a need to review the various...

Successful drug use in biology and medicine is often prejudiced by the failure of drugs that are otherwise active in vitro to act as efficiently in vivo. This is because in the living animal drugs must, as a rule, bypass or traverse organs, membranes, cells and molecules that stand between the site of administration and the site of action. In practice, however, drugs can be toxic to normal tissues, have limited or no access to the target and be prematurely excreted or inactivated. There is now growing optimism that such problems may be resolved by the use of carrier systems that will not only...

During the last 35 years, there has been considerable develop ment and increase in the number of devices that emit nonionizing radiant energies. These energies such as radiofrequency including microwaves are used in all sectors of our society for military, industrial. telecommunications, medical, and consumer applications. This increase in sources of nonionizing radiant energies has resulted in growing interest on the part of government regulatory agencies, industrial and military physicians, research workers, clinicians, and environmentalists. Although there is information on biologic...

This book represents a selected group of manuscripts from lecturers participating in the NATO/Gulbenkian Foundation sponsored course on Somatic Cell Genetics held May 31 to June 12, 1981 in the Hotel Montechoro in the Algarve of Portugal. The text will provide those students who could not attend the meeting with a current survey of important advances in the field of Somatic Cell Genet- ics. It is not possible to recapture here all the lectures, semi- nar discussions, student and faculty interactions, the ambience of the Algarve and the time devoted exclusively to scientific discus- sion. In...

Interest in the field of atherosclerosis research has broadened in recent years. However the main focus remains on the physiopathology of the arterial wall and on its interaction with blood constituents. The purpose of this NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Factors in Formation and Regression of the Atherosclerotic Plaque" was to discuss the following points: a) The physiopathology of the arterial wall; b) Animal models; c) Methods of studying the progression and regression of atherosclerotic lesions quantitatively; d) The role of lipoproteins, platelets, smoke, alcohol, etc. in the formation...

This book includes the proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute held at Washington State University, Pullman, Washington from July 26 until August 6, 1982. Although genetic engineering in eukaryotes is best developed in yeast and mammalian cells, the reader will find that some emphasis has been put on plant systems. Indeed, it was our position that the development of plant cell genetic transformation would benefit from the interactions between a comparatively smaller number of fungal and animal cell experts and a larger number of plant cell specialists representing various aspects of...

A NATO Advanced Study Institute held in Portugal in 1968 on cellular biology directed our attention to the important role that biological membranes played in the fundamental life processes, e.g. the transportation of cellular nutrients into cells and into subcellular par ticles coupled with energy use/or generation. A consi deration of biomembranes and their structure led us to organize a self-supporting course in 1972 under the gen eral sponsorship of the American Oil Chemists' Society on "Fundamentals of Lipid Chemistry." This course con cluded with important papers on lipoproteins,...

A NATO Advanced Study Institute on "New Developments and Methods in Membrane Research and Biological Energy Transduction" was held in order to consider some of the most recent developments in membrane research methodologies and results, with particular emphasis on studies of biological energy transduction. The partic ipants in the Institute dealt with three general areas of membrane study: membrane structure (with emphasis on lipid and protein components), membrane component assembly (with particular emphasis on mitochondria and chloroplasts), and the specialized functions of certain membrane...

This volume is based on the proceedings of a NATOjFEBSjGulbenkian Foundation sponsored Summer School held in September 1984 in Sintra Estoril, Portugal. Given the accelerated growth of knowledge in the field of cell transformation, it seemed timely to hold a summer school to discuss current developments in this area of biology as well as to evaluate emerging technology. The first article in this volume gives an evaluation of the various cellular systems to study neoplasia. Their properties as well as advantages and disadvantages are dis cussed. The second section deals with the role of...