December 1988

EDITORIAL Organization Committed to Direct Action Supporting Animal Research Formed at Berkeley Reach Out and Touch Someone Charles S. Nicoll Once again, the forthcoming IUPS Con- Department of Physiology-Anatomy, University of California, Berkeley gress in Helsinki provides an opportunity for physiologists to strengthen old ties and build new collaborations with associates The University of California at Berkeley information on the plans of ARA groups for in other countries. Such collaborations are has been under attack by animal rights their “Lab Animal Liberation Week” during an essential element in the continued vi- activists (ARAs) for many years-probably April. They had scheduled activities at var- tality of science in laboratories throughout longer than any other institution in the ious universities and research facilities in the world. country. There are several reasons for this our area; we were targeted for their “direct In October 1986, I urged APS members situation. First, Berkeley has a long stand- action” on April 2 1. to “Lend a Helping Hand” to scientists in ing history as a center of activism, and At our university, Sproul Plaza is desig- developing countries to help strengthen there are numerous ARA groups in the San nated as a “free speech” area that can be their research programs. While many of Francisco area. Second, until recently the reserved by any registered campus orga- you heeded the call, much still remains to animal quarters on our campus were anti- nization for demonstrations of various be done. The XXX1 IUPS Congress is an- quated and not in keeping with modern kinds. This is the plaza from which the other opportunity to provide assistance as standards. In addition, the organization renowned Free Speech Movement of the scientists from both developed and under- and supervision of the animal care person- 1960s generated many of their demonstra- developed countries meet to exchange nel were suboptimal. Because the univer- tions and other activities. We knew that the scientific information. sity planned to construct new animal hold- ARAs planned to reserve the plaza for their Not only have physiologists lent a helping facilities (which the local ARAs op- day of direct action, and one of our col- ing hand since the last Congress, but the posed vehemently), the administration leagues suggested that we form our own Society has done the same. At the direc- was reluctant to spend scarce funds to up- organization and reserve it ahead of them. tion of Council, the APS has donated grade the old quarters in a period of severe We formed a group called the Students and books and journals to our colleagues in budgetary restraint. As a result, the univer- Staff for Biomedical Research (SSBR) and developing countries. sity was cited for numerous deficiencies reserved the plaza. At this time it was un- Excess book stock, arising from the by the USDA. The local ARAs portrayed certain whether we would actually organ- transfer of our book program to Oxford, these deficiencies in the physical plant and (Continued on p. 173) was donated to Project HOPE for distribu- the supervision of animal care personnel tion to developing countries (see letter, as cases of severe animal abuse and ne- page 169). Additional copies were do- glect, We foolishly assumed that if we sim- nated for distribution by the Third World ply ignored these misguided people, they Academy of Sciences located in Trieste. would eventually go away. However, we Similarly 50 subscriptions to each of the finally realized that such a happy event Society’s research journals were donated would not occur. to the Third World Academy of Sciences In the fall of 1987, the ARAs began in- and the American Association for the Ad- creasing their attacks on some of our es- vancement of Science for distribution to teemed colleagues, particularly in the de- libraries in developing countries. These partments of Psychology and Optometry. programs are designed to strengthen the Their campaigns to discredit, malign, and research infrastructure of institutions in vilify world-renowned researchers con- developing countries to assist them in vinced many of us that we could no longer THE AMERICAN PHYSIOLOGICAL (Contmued on p 154) remain silent. Early in 1988 we obtained SOCIETY Vol. 31, No. 6, 1988 153 EDITORIAL Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology in CONTENTS (Continuedfrom p. 153) Moscow. EDITORLAL dealing with health problems endemic to For individual physiologists, the oppor- their region. tunity to work with Soviet scientists began Reach Out and Touch on November 1st as a result of the bilateral Someone. M. Frank 153 Opportunities to develop collaborations with our colleagues in South Amer- exchange agreement between the APS and Organization Committed to Direct ica and the Soviet Union have also in- Pavlov’s All-Union Physiological Society. Action Supporting Animal creased since the last IUPS Congress. As a Members of APS wishing to invite a Soviet Research Formed at result of the participation of the ALACF in physiologist to their institution will now Berkeley. C. S. Nicoll 153 the 1987 Fall Meeting in San Diego, Au- be eligible for assistance from the Society. Recent Changes in NIH Peer brey Taylor and Harvey Sparks were in- Similarly, APS members will be able to Review System. A. Demsey 155 vited to participate in the ALACF meeting visit physiologists in the U.S.S.R. as a re- APS Opposes Legislation Granting in Buenos Aires and to visit other Latin sult of invitations issued by Pavlov’s All- Standing to Animal American countries. As reported by Dr. Union Physiological Society. Activists. A. E. Taylor 157 Sparks in October, investigators in South The opportunities to provide assistance APS NEWS America would like the opportunity to to our colleagues in developing countries APS/FASEB 1989 Spring Meeting visit with colleagues in the United States. are plentiful as a result of recent APS ini- Symposia Preview 159 They urged APS to work to develop sister tiatives. Whether through the donation of APS and Section Awards 166 departmental linkages and to set up a books and journals or through direct inter- Honorary Members 167 clearinghouse that would identify poten- actions between physiologists, it is appar- Comparative Physiologists Honor tial sites for training of Latin American sci- ent that we are moving to reduce the bar- C. Ladd Prosser 167 entists. Past experience indicates that riers to productive interactions. Not only Committee Report 167 Latin American departments can be do we strengthen research institutions in APS Reaching Out to Developing strengthened through such collaborations. developing countries through such efforts, Countries 168 To assist the Society in its effort to but we also enhance our own research News From Senior Physiologists 169 match scientists and departments, I would programs. Second Century Founders 170 like to urge you to turn to page 168 and “Reach out and touch someone” by complete the “Clearinghouse Information completing the form on page 168. Let’s PUBLIC AFFAIRS Form” and return it as soon as possible. make it happen and work to strengthen NAS Lab Animal Study Offers With your assistance, the APS can serve as the institutions in developing countries. Recommendations; APS Member a matchmaker for an extremely important Martin Frank Writes Minority Report 171 venture. APS Testifies Before House Committee in Opposition The visit of Dr. Franklyn Knox and my- to Standing Bill 171 self to the Soviet Union has provided an Comments of Arthur Guyton additional opportunity for the develop- on NAS Animal Study 172 ment of fruitful collaborations. During our Executive Director Writes About visit, numerous investigators expressed a Concerns With Pet Theft Act 173 desire to meet and interact with colleagues in the United States. The desire PEOPLE AND PLACES 175 for interactions has already resulted in the BOOKS RECEIVED 175 preliminary linkage of the UCLA Brain Re- ANNOUNCEMENTS 175 search Institute and the Institute of Higher Publications Committee: Chairman, Paul C. John- The Physiologist son; ‘Vembers, Francois Abboud, John S. Cook, Melvin Published bimonthly and J. Fregly, and Stephen H. White. Publications .Rm- distributed bv a&r, Brenda B. Rauner: Editorial St& Laura North The American Physiological Society and Lorraine Tucker. 9650 Rockville Pike Subscriptions: Distributed to members as part of Bethesda, Maryland 20814 their membership; nonmembers and institutions, ISSN 0031-9376 $25.00 per year in the United States; elsewhere $35.00. Single copies and back issues when available, $5.00 Martin Frank, Editor and Executitle Director each; single copies and back issues of Fall Abstracts issue when available, $20.00. In 1988 subscribers to Aubrey E. Taylor, President The Physiologistwill receive it and the abstracts of the Harvey V. Sparks, Jr., Past President Fall Meeting of the American Physiological Society. Vernon S. Bishop, President-Elect The American Physiological Society assumes no re- sponsibility for the statements and opinions advanced Councillors by contributors to The Physiologist. Beverly Bishop, Shu Chien, Allen W. Cowley, Jr., Deadline for submission of material for publica- Gerhard H. Giebisch, Norman C. Staub, and Peter tion: Dec. 5, February issue; Feb. 5, April issue; 4pril D. Wagner; 5, June issue; June 5, August issue: Aug. 5, October issue; Oct. 5, December issue. If you change your lk O$icio address or telephone number, please notify the central Carl V. Gisolfi, Francis J. Haddy, Paul C. Johnson, offtce as soon as possible. R. Blake Reeves, and W. S. Spielman Headquarters phone: (301) 530.7164. TELEFAX: (301) 571.1844. I I 154 THE PHYSIOLOGIST Recent Changes in NIH Peer Review System Anthony Demsey Division of Extramural Activities and Review Branch, NIDDK, NIH The peer review system of the National differently: an application that receives a section received equal or better scores. Institutes of Health has been considered 140priority score in one study section may (Note that this is a reversal of the usual by many, for better or worse, to be immut- be equivalent to an application that re- percentile interpretation in order to cor- able.

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