This volume contains the proceedings of the NATO ARW on 'Biological Pattern Formation' held at Merton College, University of Oxford, on 27-31 August, 1992. The objective of the workshop was to bring together a select group of theoreticians and experimental biologists to present the latest results in the area of biological pattern formation and to foster interactiqn across dis- plines. The workshop was divided into 5 main areas: (i) limb development, (ii) Dictyostelium discoideum, (iii) Drosophila, (iv) cell movement, (v) g- eral pattern formation. We thank all the participants for their contributions, enthusiasm, and willingness to collaborate. There was a genuine, open, and extremely fru- ful interaction between the experimentalists and theoreticians which made the workshop a success. We also thank The Welcome Trust for providing additional funding. The local organization fell mainly on Denise McKittrick and Beverley Bhaskhare at the Mathematical Institute, Oxford, and Jeanette Hudson and the staff of Merton College. We greatly appreciate their help and patience. We also thank Jonathan Sherratt, Wendy Brandts and Debbie Benson for helping out in the conference and for providing a happy welcome to parti- pants on a typically cold, wet and windy English summer day.

After learning about slime molds during the Saturday Science Club, Stink finds the organism growing in his room and starting to take over the world.

Developments in Cell Biology, Volume 1: Development and Differentiation in the Cellular Slime Moulds is a collection of papers from the proceedings of the International Workshop held at Porto Conte, Sardinia on April 12-16, 1977. This collection of papers deals with a single group of organisms, the cellular slime molds, particularly with Dictyostelium discoideum. Dictyostelium is dealt, firstly, according to cell differentiation and pattern formation common in this type of organism. These examples are further explored in the Dictyostelium discoideum slug, through the control of morphogenesis. Further research shows that two compounds, 3'5' cyclic AMP and NH3, can affect the course of morphogenesis in D. discoideum. Techniques for cell fusion and mutation induction in D. discoideum, especially as a result of DNA damage following radiation and chemicals, are analyzed. Other studies show that formation and maintenance of stable contacts between cells appear to be necessary for the normal cell cycle involved in the growth of D. discoideum. The changes in plasma membrane protein analyzed using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis are examined. Results show that detection and quantitation of tubulin in Dictyostelium discoideum is important when studying the differentiation processes of a wide range of cellular activities. Because many D. discoideum mutants fail to reach proper development, the method for selecting the aggregation of defective mutants of D. discoideum is emphasized. This book is of interest to those whose work involves these organisms and to researchers, professors, and students whose disciplines are in Developmental Biology or Mycology.

This book identifies all the species one is likely to encounter, with extensive information on their structural features, distribution, and ecological associations. Superbly illustrated, including keys, it is an introduction to their biology as well as a field guide. This book is only available through print on demand. All interior art is black and white.

This volume covers many diverse topics related in varying degrees to mathematics in mind including the mathematical and topological structures of thought and communication. It examines mathematics in mind from the perspective of the spiral, cyclic and hyperlinked structures of the human mind in terms of its language, its thoughts and its various modes of communication in science, philosophy, literature and the arts including a chapter devoted to the spiral structure of the thought of Marshall McLuhan. In it, the authors examine the topological structures of hypertext, hyperlinking, and hypermedia made possible by the Internet and the hyperlinked structures that existed before its emergence. It also explores the cognitive origins of mathematical thinking of the human mind and its relation to the emergence of spoken language, and studies the emergence of mathematical notation and its impact on education. Topics addressed include: • The historical context of any topic that involves how mathematical thinking emerged, focusing on archaeological and philological evidence. • Connection between math cognition and symbolism, annotation and other semiotic processes. • Interrelationships between mathematical discovery and cultural processes, including technological systems that guide the thrust of cognitive and social evolution. • Whether mathematics is an innate faculty or forged in cultural-historical context • What, if any, structures are shared between mathematics and language

The first book-length exploration of behavioral mechanisms in evolutionary ecology, this ambitious volume illuminates long-standing questions about cause-and-effect relations between an animal's behavior and its environment. By focusing on biological mechanisms—the sum of an animal's cognitive, neural, developmental, and hormonal processes—leading researchers demonstrate how the integrated study of animal physiology, cognitive processes, and social interaction can yield an enriched understanding of behavior. With studies of species ranging from insects to primates, the contributors examine how various animals identify and use environmental resources and deal with ecological constraints, as well as the roles of learning, communication, and cognitive aspects of social interaction in behavioral evolution. Taken together, the chapters demonstrate how the study of internal mechanistic foundations of behavior in relation to their ecological and evolutionary contexts and outcomes provides valuable insight into such behaviors as predation, mating, and dispersal. Behavioral Mechanisms in Evolutionary Ecology shows how a mechanistic approach unites various levels of biological organization to provide a broader understanding of the biological bases of behavioral evolution.