Main description:

This special issue of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry our their mentor. The ex-students and trainees came from contains original research articles and review papers which all over Canada, the United States, Japan, Slovakia, Ger- were invitedfrom the participants ofa recent meeting organ- many, the Czech Republic, Estoniaand the Netherlands. The izedto honourthe 60th birthdayofNaranjan S. Dhalla, Ph.D., meeting wasjudged to be an overwhelming success in terms M.D. (Hon.). The meeting, organized by Drs. Morris Karma- ofthe scientific content as well as collaborative interactions zyn (London), Grant Pierce (Winnipeg) and Balwant Tuana initiated. (Ottawa), was held at the Best Western Lakeside Inn in We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Kenora, Ontario, Canada from August 23-25th, 1996. The Pfizer, MerckFrosst, Astra, Ciba-Geigy, the Heart and Stroke meeting was entitled 'The Cellular Basis of Cardiovascular Foundation of Manitoba, the Medical Research Council of Function in Health and Disease'. There were over40 invited Canada, St.
Boniface Research Foundation, the NRC Insti- speakers from 15 different countries present at the meet- tute for Biodiagnostics, the ManitobaHealth Research Coun- ing and it was attended by over 280 people. Keynote lectures cil and various sources within the University of Manitoba.

Contents:

Part I: Vascular Changes in Health and Disease. 1. Analysis of Responses to Human Synthetic Adrenomedullin and Calcitonin Gene-related Peptides in the Hindlimb Vascular Bed of the Cat; H.C. Champion, et al. 2. Effect of Short-Term Treatment with a Monoclonal Antibody to P-Selectin on Balloon Catheter-Induced: Intimal Hyperplasia, Re-Endothelialization, and Attenuation of Endothelial-Dependent Relaxation; D.L. Akers, et al. 3. Differential Regulation of G-Protein Expression by Vasoactive Peptides; M.B. Anand-Srivastava, et al. 4. Endothelin Contraction in Pig Coronary Artery: Receptor Types and Ca2+-Mobilization; A.B. Elmoselhi, A.K. Grover. 5. Activation of the Neutrophil and Loss of Plasma Glutathione During Mg-Deficiency - Modulation by Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition; I.T. Mak, et al. 6. Velocity of Translation of Single Actin Filaments (AF) by Myosin Heads from Antigen-Sensitized Airway Smooth Muscle; N.L. Stephens, H. Jiang. 7. Smooth Muscle Contractility and Protein Tyrosine Phosphorylation; A.K. Srivastava, J. St-Louis. 8.Coronary Artery Smooth Muscle in Culture: Migration of Heterogeneous Cell Populations from Vessel Wall; L. Saward, P. Zahradka. 9. An Overview of the Influence of ACE Inhibitors on Fetal-Placental Circulation and Perinatal Development; H.S. Buttar. Part II: Cardiac Mechanisms in Health. 10. Differential Nature of Cross-Talk Among Three G-Coupled Receptors Regulating Adenylyl Cyclase in Rat Cardiomyocytes Chronically Exposed to Receptor Agonists; P.V. Sulakhe, et al. 11. Reversal of Phosphate Induced Decreases in Force by the Benzimadazole Pyridazinone, UD-CG 212CL, in Myofilaments from Human Ventricle; L.D. Fraker, et al. 12. Expression of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 in Rat Heart H9c2 Mycoblasts Increases Cell Proliferation; F. Sheikh, et al. 13. Identification of an HMG-Like Protein Involved in Regulation of Na+/H+ Exchanger Expression; H. Wang, et al. 14. Cytochemical nd Immunocytochemical Localization of Na,K-ATPase Subunit Isoenzymes in the Rat Heart; J. Slezak, et al. 15. Estradiol Modulates the Sodium Pump in the Heart Sarcolemma; A. D urba, et al. 16. Thyroid Hormones Differentially Affect Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Function in Rat Atria and Ventricles; A. Kaasik, et al. 17. Dietary and Physiological Studies to Investigate the Relationship Between Calcium and Magnesium Signalling in the Mammalian Myocardium; J. Singh, et al. 18. Biological Significance of Phosphorylation and Myristoylation in the Regulation of Cardiac Muscle Proteins; R.V.S. Raju, et al. 19. Contributions of Increased Efficiency and Capacity of Protein Synthesis to Rapid Cardiac Growth; H.E. Morgan, C.J. Beinlich. 20. Cell-Cycle Dependent Anti-FGF-2 Staining of Chicken Cardiac Myocytes: Movement from Chromosomal to Cleavage Furrow- and Midbody-Associated Sites; L. Liu, et al. 21. An Endogenous Positive Inotropic Factor (EPIF) From Porcine Heart: Its Effects on Sarcoplasmic Reticular (SR) Ca2+ Metabolism; J.C. Khatter, et al. Part III: Subcellular Changes in Cardiomyopathies and Heart Failure. 22. Prostaglandins Attenuate Cardiac Contractile Dysfunction Produced by Free Radical Generation but not by Hydrogen Peroxide; M. Karm