This volume features recent advances in the field including: the role of sleep on immune response, the D hormone endocrine system the effects of estrogens on immune rheumatic diseases the role of neurotransmitters in arthritis the circadian rhythms of glucocorticoids the release of endorphins in arthritis adipocytokines and their roles in bridging the gap between immunity and atherosclerosis the role of the nociceptive system in acute and chronic inflammation the cytokine connection in atherosclerosis hormonal effects in thrombosis in autoimmune rheumatic disease activation of the cholinergic pathway as a novel treatment for rheumatoid arthritis neuroendocrine immunology of fibromyalgiaNOTE: 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.