This volume explores the stress concept as Hans Selye originally described it. A variety of approaches to stress research are represented, including molecular stress (stress proteins), stress and cellular functions, stress in plants, stress at the level of the organism, stress in medicine, and psychosocial stress. Specifically, this volume comprises contributions on heat-shock proteins and their expression, the stress and cellular functions such as stress kinases and genomic stability, plant stress, heavy metal, inflammation, and oxidative stress at the level of the organism, the stress of infections and the immune response, stress and longevity, and psychosocial stress. The purpose of this approach is to stress the need for understanding the molecular data at the systems level. The variety of research that now exists in this scientific area is truly a legacy of Hans Selye's vision which represented the multidisciplinary view at its best. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member