March 2000
DEXTER M. EASTON
I. Address
Department of Biological Science, Unit I
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4370
Phone: (850) 644-3207
II. Education and Degrees
A.B., Clark University, 1943, Zoology
M.A., Harvard University, 1944, Biology
Ph.D., Harvard University, 1947, Biology
III. Fellowships
1950-51 Fulbright Research Scholar (Otago University - for research with J. C.
Eccles, in neurophysiology)
1946 Porter Fund Fellowship (Harvard University - for study at Bermuda
Biological Station, in comparative neurophysiology)
VI. Academic and Research Positions
1942-43 Lab Assistant, Clark University
1943-47 Teaching Fellow, Harvard University
1945 Research Assistant, Biology, Harvard University
1947-50 Instructor, Zoology, University of Washington
1950-51 Fulbright Research Scholar, Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand
1952-54 Research Physiologist, University of Washington, Schoolof Medicine
1954-55 Instructor, Research Assistant Professor of Physiology, University of
Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
1955-57 Assistant Professor of Physiology, Florida State University, Tallahassee
1958-77 Associate Professor of Physiology, Division of Physiology, Department of
Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee
1978-82 Professor, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University
1982-present Service Professor, Department of Biological Science, Florida State
University
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V. Professional Honors and Biographical Listings
A.A.A.S. (Fellow)
American Physiological Society
Society of General Physiologists
American Men of Science
Sigma Xi
Phi Sigma
American Society of Zoologists
VI. Professional Societies
A.A.A.S.
Society of General Physiologists
American Society of Zoologists
Society for Neuroscience
American Physiological Society
Biophysical Society
VII. Scientific Meetings Commonly Attending
American Physiological Society
Federation of Societies for Experimental Biology and Medicine
International Physiological Congress
Society for Neuroscience
Biophysical Society
(See abstracts of papers presented in publication list)
South-East Nerve Net (first Annual Meeting), St. Augustine (Whitney Marine Lab),
FL, March 23-25, 1984; oral presentation, "Theory of Voltage Clamp Currents"
8th International Biophysics Congress, Bristol, England, July 29-August 4, 1984;
poster, "Mathematical Theory of Macroscopic Voltage Clamp Currents"
10th International Biophysics Congress, Vancouver, Canada, July 29-August 8,
1990; poster, "Gating Charge Voltage Dependence on Holding Potential
Predicted by Expo-exponential Model"
APS Conference: "From channels to cross-bridges," Bar Harbor, ME, July 13-16,
1991; poster.
29th Annual Meeting, Society for Neuroscience, Miami Beach, Florida. October 2328, 1999.
VIII. Referee Activities (Papers and grant proposals)
Papers for Science
Proposals for N.S.F.
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XI. Summer and Sabbatical Activities
Direct graduate students in biology
Direct high school students in the FSU Science Participation Program
Summers spent mainly in research at FSU
1973, summer Excitable Membrane Program participant, Woods Hole, Mass.
1979, Gordon Conference, Ionic Channels in Excitable Membranes
X. Editorial Boards
XI. Research Interests
My research interests in neurophysiology encompass the development of a
mathematical theory of rate processes as applied to the membrane currents of
excitable cells. I have designed equations from the assumption that the
proportionality coefficient of an elemental process is not a rate constant but changes
exponentially with the independent variable. The equations predict relationships not
easily handled by conventional expressions.
XII. Sources of Funds for Research (Past)
N.I.H.
N.S.F.
At FSU: Institute of Molecular Biophysics
Psychobiology Program
Research Council
FSU Foundation
XIII. Graduate Students (past graduates, present position and research interest)
Chang Yon-Chiang, M.S. 1959, FSU. Faculty, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Comparative neurophysiology.
Philip Kopriva, M.S. 1961, FSU. Faculty, University of North Dakota. Comparative
neurophysiology.
Moon Hi Han, Ph.D. 1964 (jointly with S. M. Reichard). Research in biochemistry,
University of Minnesota. Steroids and electron transport.
Barbara Leaf Stewart, M.S. 1968, FSU.
Barry Masters, M.S. 1967 (jointly with M. Kasha). Weizman Institute, Israel, Ph.D.
1971. Biomembrane thermodynamics.
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XIII. Graduate Students (past, continued)
Glenn M. Cohen, Ph.D. 1970, FSU. Assistant Professor, Department of Biology,
Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL. Botulinum toxin and
neuromuscular transmission.
John F. Hines, Ph.D. 1970, FSU. Assistant Professor, Biology, Texas Women's
University, Denton, Texas 76204. Neurochemistry-labile substances associated
with impulse propagation.
Edward M. Barr, Ph.D. 1970, FSU. Research Assistant Professor, University of
Alabama. NMR and water structure in nerve.
David Bashor, Ph.D. 1971, FSU. Assistant Professor, Biology, University of North
Carolina, Charlotte 28213. Evoked potentials associated with olfaction in fish.
Cecil M. Bateman, M.S. 1973. U.S. Air Force. Electrophysiological studies of
garfish olfactory nerve.
Tim Moore, M.S. 1974. Teaching, junior college. Research on interpretation of
action potential of garfish olfactory nerve.
Jeff Kugel, M.D., U. of W. Virginia. 1980. Ph.D. 1976. Garfish olfactory system as
model for synaptic events.
Eugene L. Roberts, Jr., Ph.D. 1985. Research interest: "Li+, cation transport
blockers and nerve excitability" (finished March 1985). New position: NIH
Training Fellowship, University of Miami Medical School, Department of
Neurology.
XIV. Honors and Undergraduate Research Students
NSF Research Participation students. Summers 1963, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972,
1974-1978.
Eugene Roberts -- Biology Honors. 1976.
DIS students
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XV. Courses previously taught at FSU (and elsewhere)
BIO 201 Biology for Majors
BIO 301 Vertebrate Physiology (several forms of this course, including those
formerly required to be taken by nursing and physical education majors)
BIO 608 Neurology (several forms of this for advanced undergraduate and for
graduate students). Major emphasis on comparative vertebrate and human
neurology--particular emphasis on functional anatomy of neural pathway
and centers.
BIO 501 Comparative Physiology--several times in prior years. Emphasis on
invertebrates.
BIO 509, 609 Neurophysiology at general and advanced levels--concerned
especially with peripheral and central synaptic mechanisms basic to
behavior
BSC 4731L Experimental Physiology Laboratory--used computer collection and
analysis in a "pilot" experiment, collecting data from nerve and muscle
exercises.
Courses at University of Washington, Seattle--As above plus: General Physiology,
Elementary Biology, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Eugenicsgenetics, Human Physiology (Medical School)
XVI. Service
Departmental (Committees, counseling, etc.)
Chairman, Departmental Roles and Goals Self-Study Program, 1961
Past Chairman, Library Committee
Member Committees on Safety, Graduate Students Evaluation, etc.
Counselor for undergraduate lower and upper division, and graduate students
Psychobiology Trainee Committee
Computer Center Liaison
Courtesy Faculty Appointment Committee (chair)
Assembled information on and reviewed examples of software for computer-aided
instruction in physiology
Suggested and superintended design of a TV computer counting and measuring
system for plated cell colonies
University
Committee on Establishment of Department or Institute of Oceanography
Committee on Bicycle Paths
Ad hoc committee on PLATO an CMI
Explored the mathematics of analysis of particle size distribution in sediments, a
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problem of special interest to some geologists
XVI. Service (continued)
State
National and International
Public Relations (lectures, community services, TV or radio, etc.)
Program on Sociobiology at Unitarian Church, Tallahassee, 1976
XVII. Popular Recognition
See: Florida Wildlife, Article by Hutt on "A Lot of Nerve."
There have been a couple of TV clips and radio comments concerning our use of the
garfish for research.
XVIII. References
Teaching:
Dr. David Bashor, Department of Biology, University of North
Carolina, Charlotte, NC.
Dr. J. Walter Woodbury, Professor of Physiology, Department of
Physiology and Biophysics, University of Utah.
Dr. Harry Lipner, Professor of Biological Science, FSU.
Research:
Dr. Anthony Silvidi, Professor of Physics, Kent State University.
Dr. David Goldman, Pennsylvania Medical College, Philadelphia.
Dr. J. Walter Woodbury, Professor of Physiology, Department of
Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle.
XIX. Miscellaneous Information
NSF grant (PLATO) for improvement of teaching instruction 1976-77
NSF equipment grant -- microcomputer systems 1979-80
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XX. Publications
1. 1945. Easton, D. M. Acetylcholine in light and dark adapted frog retina. Proc. Soc.
Exp. Biol., N.Y., 59:31-33.
2. 1946. Easton, D. M. Effects of DDT on respiration of crayfish nervous tissue (with J.
H. Welsh). O.S.R.D. (mimeographed).
3. 1946. Easton, D. M. Simple reflexes in decerebrate crustacea. Anat. Rec. 96:61.
4. 1947. Easton, D. M. Aspects of neurophysiology of Crustacea. Ph.D. Thesis, Harvard
University.
5. 1950. Easton, D. M. Synthesis of acetylcholine in crustacean nerve and nerve extract.
J. Biol. Chem. 185:813-816.
6. 1951. Easton, D. M. Bermudian biology. Science Record (Otago Univ.) 1:57-62.
7. 1952. Easton, D. M. Facilitation in crustacean neuromuscular system. Fed. Proc. 11:39
8. 1952. Easton, D. M. Discussion of papers by Wiersma and by Lloyd in Cold Spr. Harb.
Symp. Quant. Biol. 17:162, 218.
9. 1952. Bradley, K., Easton, M. D., and Eccles, J. C. The temporal course of direct
inhibition evoked by single and repetitive volleys. J. Physiol. 117:64B.
10. 1952. Easton, D. M. Excitability related to spike size in crab nerve fibers. J. Cell
Comp. Physiol. 40:303-316.
11. 1953. Easton, D. M. Neuromuscular transmission in frog muscle. Fed. Proc. 12:36-37.
12. 1953. Easton, D. M., and Woodbury, J. W. Relation of threshold to membrane potential
in frog striated muscle. XIX Int. Physiol. Congr., Montreal, p. 327.
13. 1953. Bradley,m K., Easton, D. M., and Eccles, J. C. An investigation of primary or
direct inhibition. J. Physiol. 122:474-488.
14. 1954. Easton, D. M. Excitability of frog striated muscle fibers. Fed. Proc. 13:39.
15. 1954. Easton, D. M. Influence of adjacent fiber activity on intracellular muscle action
potential form. Amer. J. Physiol. 179 (3).
16. 1955. Easton, D. M. Spike form recorded with ultramicroelectrodes in the single
neuromuscular junction. Fed. Proc. 13:39.
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XX. Publications (continued)
17. 1955. Easton, D. M. Intracellular action potentials modified at muscle end-plate by
adjacent fiber activity. J. Neurophysiol. 18:375-387.
18. 1955. Easton, D. M. Distortion of intracellular action potentials by asynchronous
impulses in adjacent fibers. Amer. J. Physiol. (Abstract) 183:611.
19. 1956. Easton, D. M. Some tensile properties of nerve. J. Cell Comp. Physiol. 48(1):8794.
20. 1956. Easton, D. M. Dependence of intracellular end-plate action potential on adjacent
fiber activity. Amer. J. Physiol. 187(1):199-202.
21. 1957. Slow and fast components of the crayfish abdominal flexion. Physiol. Comp. et
Oecol. 4(4):403-414.
22. 1957. Easton, D. M. Facilitation and inhibition in crustacean neuromuscular system.
Physiol. Comp. et Oecol. 4(4):415-428.
23. 1957. Easton, D. M. Intracellular potential versus transmembrane potential of muscle
cells. Fed. Proc. 16(1):142.
24. 1959. Easton, D. M. Voltage field effects on muscle fiber intracellular potential form.
Amer. J. Physiol. 197:163-168.
25. 1960. Easton, D. M. The impulse at the end of a nerve. Fed. Proc. I 19:299.
26. 1960. Easton, D. M. Nerve-end recording in conducting volume. Science
132:1312-1313.
27. 1961. Easton, D. M. Electrical recording of reflexes of fish spinal cord. Fed. Proc. I
20:347.
28. 1962. Easton, D. M. Interpretation of potentials at the cut end of nerve. Int. Physiol.
Congr. Proc. 11:777.
29. 1963. Easton, D. M. Mechanisms of Body Functions. Prentice Hall, Inc. 371 pp.
30. 1965. Easton, D. M. Action currents of perfused olfactory nerve of garfish. Fed. Proc.
24(2):584.
31. 1965. Easton, D. M. External Action Currents at Cut Nerve End. in Sir John Eccles
Festschrift: Studies in Physiology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 52-58.
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XX. Publications (continued)
32. 1965. Easton, D. M. Impulses at the Artifactual Nerve End, in Sensory Receptors, Cold
Spring Harbor Symposium on Quantitative Biology 30:15-20.
33. 1967. Light, R., and Easton, D. M. Saponifiable fatty acids of myelinated and
unmyelinated nerve fibers of the garfish. J. Neurochemistry 14:141-142.
34. 1967. Easton, D. M. Action potentials of a homogeneous population of olfactory nerve
C fibers of garfish (Lepisosteus). Fed. Proc. 26(2):713.
35. 1968. Hines, J. F., and Easton, D. M. Protein efflux from isolated olfactory nerve of
garfish (Lepisosteus osseus). Am. Zool. 8(4):774.
36. 1969. Easton, D. M. Spectroscopy and impulse conduction in olfactory nerve fibers.
Fed. Proc. 28(2):459.
37. 1969. Cohen, G. M., Pates, A. L., Easton, D. M., and Peterson, M. G. Vulture and
rooster resistance to botulinum toxin. Am. Zool. 9(3):584.
38. 1969. Hines, J. F., and Easton, D. M. changes in protein efflux from unmyelinated
nerve in vitro. 2nd Intern. Meeting. Intern. Soc. Neurochem. (ed. R. Paoletti, R.
Funagalli, and C. Guili) Milan. Abstr.
39. 1970. Barr, E. M., and Easton, D. M. High resolution nuclear magnetic resonance
(NMR) signals from water protons of nerve. Biophys. Soc. Abstr. 46A.
40. 1970. Easton, D. M., Hines, J. F. Composition of native protein effluxed from
superfused olfactory nerve, and factors governing its release. Trans. Amer. Soc.
Neurochem. 1(1):47. Abstr.
41. 1970. Easton, D. M. The garfish olfactory nerve--an ideal subject for molecular
axonology. Fed. Proc. 29:834. Abstr.
42. 1971. Bashor, D. P., and Easton, D. M. Olfactory bulb activity in a primitive bony fish,
Lepisosteus osseus. Fed. Proc. 30:606.
43. 1971. Easton, D. M., Lipner, H., Hines, J., and Leif, R. Fluorescence monitoring of
unstained protein bands in acrylamide gel. Analyt. Biochem. 39:478-486.
44. 1971. Easton, D. M. The olfactory nerve of garfish, Lepisosteus osseus--an easily
accessible source of numerous, long, homogeneous, non-myelinated axons. Science
172:952-955.
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XX. Publications (continued)
45. 1971. Holton, J., and Easton, D. M. Major lipids of non-myelinated (1) and myelinated
(V) nerve of garfish, Lepisosteus osseus. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 239(1):61-71.
46. 1971. Hines, J. F., and Easton, D. M. Efflux of endogenous protein from nonmyelinated olfactory nerve as monitored by tryptophan fluorescence. J. Neurochem.
18(11):2155-2170.
47. 1971. Easton, D. M. Reflex control of first dorsal ray in filefish, Stephanolepus
hispidus (L.). Amer. J. Physiol. 221(5):1436-1441.
48. 1971. Silvidi, A. A., and Easton, D. M. NMR study of water metabolism in olfactory
nerve of garfish. J. Appl. Physics 42:5168-5170.
49. 1972. Bashor, D. P., and Easton, D. M. On-off flow effects on unit activity in olfactory
bulb of garfish, Lepisosteus osseus during odorant stimulation of the olfactory capsule.
Fed. Proc. 31:369. Abstr.
50. 1972. Easton, D. M. Autotomy of walking legs in the Pacific shore crab, Hemigrapsus
oregonensis. Mar. Behav. Physiol. 1:209-217.
51. 1972. Masters, B. R., and Easton, D. M. Fluorescence changes of garfish olfactory
nerve in relation to single electrical stimulation. IV Intern. Biophys. Congr. Sections IXXV, p. 251. Abstr.
51A. 1974. Bashor, D. P., Beuerman, R. W., and Easton, D. M. Ciliary action and normal
movement of odorant wavefronts in garfish nasal capsule of Lepisosteus osseus.
Experientia 30:777-778.
52. 1974. Easton, D. M. Mechanisms of Body Functions. 2nd edition. Prentice-Hall,
Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 500 pages.
53. 1974. Easton, D. M. C fiber action potential time course inferred from external records.
Fed. Proc. 33(3):319. Abstr.
54. 1975. Easton, D. M., and Swenberg, C. E. Temperature and impulse velocity in giant
axon of squid., Loligo pealli. Amer. J. Physiol. 229:1249-1253.
55. 1975. Easton, D. M. Gompertzian (actuarial) description of nerve action potential.
Neurosci. Abstr. 1:599.
56. 1975. Kugel, J. A., and Easton, D. M. Persistence of axonal and synaptic function after
axotomy in the garfish olfactory system. Neurosci. Abstr. 1:16.
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XX. Publications (continued)
57. 1976. Easton, D. M., Kugel, J. A., and Roberts, E. L. The exponentiated exponential--a
versatile description of asymmetric sigmoid processes. The Physiologist 19(3):176.
58. 1976. Easton, D. M. Predictions of giant axon voltage clamp results according to
Gompertz kinetics. Neurosci. Abstr. 2:693.
59. 1976. Easton, D. M., and Kugel, J. A. Recovery of olfactory bulb response to electrical
excitation of olfactory nerve in long-nosed garfish. Neurosci. Abstr. 2:225.
60. 1977. Easton, D. M. Exponentiated exponential model for oxyhemoglobin dissociation
curve. Fed. Proc.
60A. 1977. Easton, D. M. Expo-exponential kinetics of nerve excitation. Biophys. Soc.
March 1978 (TUAMCII), Washington, D.C.
61. 1978. Easton, D. M. Exponentiated exponential model (Gompertz kinetics) of Na+ and
K+ conductance changes in squid giant axon. Biophys. J. 22:15-28.
62. 1978. Masters, B. R., and Easton, D. M. A search for intrinsic fluorescence changes of
garfish olfactory nerve during electrical stimulation. Bioelectrochem. and Bioenergetics
5:142-151.
63. 1978. Easton, D. M. Excitable membrane I(V) relations modelled expo-exponentially,
directly without conductance. Amer. Physiol. Soc. October 1978 (446), St. Louis, Mo.
63A.1978. Masters, B. R., and Easton, D. M. Fluorescence changes of garfish olfactory
nerve in relation to single electrical stimulation. Intern. Biophys. Congr. Section IXXV, pp. 251-252.
64. 1979. Easton, D. M. Oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve as expo-exponential paradigm
of asymmetric sigmoid function. J. Theoret. Biol. 76:335-349.
65. 1979. Easton, D. M. Excitable membrane currents proceeds at exponentially changing
rates. Biophys. Soc. February 1979 (WAM PO64), Atlanta, Ga.
66. 1979. Easton, D. M. New theory of kinetics describes excitable membrane behavior.
Soc. for Neuroscience, November 1979.
67. 1982. Easton, D. M. Excitable membrane voltage clamp currents predicted by expoexponential kinetics. Fed. Proc. 41:1612.
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XX. Publications (continued)
68. 1982. Roberts, E. L., Jr. and Easton, D. M. Reduction of C-fiber excitability by lithium
chloride. Fed. Proc. 41:1757.
69. 1983. Easton, D. M. Na+ conductance inactivation is model dependent. Soc. Neurosci.
(Nov. 6-11, Boston).
69A.1983. Roberts, E. L., and Easton, D. M. Cation distribution in non-myelinated nerve
affected by LiCl and phloretin. Soc. Neurosci. (Nov. 6-11, Boston).
70. 1984. Easton, D. M. Mathematical theory of macroscopic voltage clamp currents. 8th
International Biophysics Congress, p. 274.
70A. 1984. Roberts, E. L., and Easton, D. M. Prediction of Li+ effects on nerve impulse
velocity and excitability. Fed. Proc. (abstr.).
70B. 1985. Friedman, K. J., Marsh, M., and Easton, D. M. Temperature-induced changes in
fatty acid composition of myelinated and nonmyelinated axon phospholipids. Comp.
Biochem. Physiol. 83B:313-319.
70C. 1985. Roberts, E. L., and Easton, D. M. Effects of phloretin on nerve impulse velocity
and magnitude and on the strength-duration relationship in non-myelinated nerve. Soc.
Neurosci. (abstr.).
71. 1987. Easton, D. M., and M. H. Schneiderman. Prediction of X-ray induced mitotic
delay and recovery of G2 cells. Cell and Tissue Kinetics 20:379-386.
72. 1988. Easton, D. M. Mathematical model of cardiac rhythmicity. Comp. Biochem.
Physiol. 91C:91-98.
73. 1988. Easton, D. M., Hofer, K. G., and Schneiderman, M. H. Radiation survival and
repair modeled by classical hit and Gompertz kinetics. 3rd International Conference on
Dose, Time and Fractionation in Radiation Oncology. (Abstr.)
74. 1989. Easton, D. M., Hofer, K. G., and Schneiderman, M. H. Radiation survival and
repair modeled by classical hit and Gompertz kinetics. In Proceedings of 3rd
International Conference on Dose, Time and Fractionation in Radiation Oncology.
American Institute of Physics, pp. 631-651.
75. 1989. Easton, D. M. Gating current predicted from conductance change during voltage
clamp of squid giant axon. XXXX International Physiological Congress (Helsinki), p.
366 (abstr.).
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XX. Publications (continued)
76. 1990. Easton, D. M. Gating charge voltage dependence on holding potential, predicted
by expo-exponential model. 10th International Biophysics congress (Vancouver,
Canada), p. 371 (abstr.).
77. 1991. Easton, D. M. Na+ permeability change predicted proportional to gating current.
The Physiologist 34(3):101 (abstr.).
78. 1992. Easton, D. M. Contraction, relaxation and membrane potential in mussel muscle.
South-East Nerve Net, Wakulla Springs, Florida, March 7 (abstract, poster
presentation).
79. 1993. Easton, D. M. Macroscopic INa changes in proportion to fast and slow
components of gating current in squid axon. Intl. Congr. Physiol. Glasgow, Scotland,
August 1-6 (abstract, poster).
80. 1993. Easton, D. M. Simple, inexpensive suction electrode system for the student
neurophysiology laboratory. Adv. Physiol. Educ. 10(1):535-545.
81. 1995. Easton, D. M. Gompertz survival kinetics: fall in number alive or growth in
number dead? Theor. Popul. Biol. 48:1-6.
82. 1996. Easton, D. M. Muscle chamber with strain gauge adapted for isotonic/isometric
recording. Adv. Physiol. Educ. 15(1):529-539.
83. 1997. Easton, D. M. Gompertz growth in number dead confirms medflies and
nematodes show excess oldster survival. Exp. Gerontol. 32(6):719-726.
84. 1999. Easton, D. M. X-ray survival as Gompertz growth in number killed. J. Theor.
Biol. 196:1-8.
85. 1999. Easton, D. M. Quick-fit accurate prediction of synaptic current from putative fast
transmitter release. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 25(1):517.
86. 2002. Easton, D. M. Gompertz pharmacokinetic model for drug disposition.
Pharmaceut. Res. 19:463-469.
87. Easton, D. M. Gompertz kinetic models of fast chemical neurotransmission currents. In
preparation.