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Advances in neuro-oncology
156
Book Reviews
Toxicologic and Pharmacologic Prinelpl~ in Pediatrics-Edited by S. Kacew and S. Lock. 314 pp. 1988. Hemisphere, Washington. US$59.50.
Advances in Neuro-Oncology--Edited by P. L. Kornblith and M. D. Walker. 550pp. 1988. Futura, New York. US$75.
This book deals with the effect of drugs and chemicals on the prenatal and neonatal child. The chapters are; general principles; nutritional factors; drug exposure in utero, reproductive function in offspring; pulmonary surfactant system, pharmacological and hormonal modulation; analgesics; antibiotic treatment; maternal drug dependence; ethanol; halogenated hydrocarbons; chemical induced cataracts in fetus and neonate; effects of lead on opioid peptides in developing brain. It is a very useful survey with good tables of the effects that foods, drugs, environmental hazards can have on the fetus and via lactation on the neonate.
The most common form of primary brain tumor is malignant astrocytoma. It rarely metastasizes, often involves young otherwise healthy people, and can be easily detected by CT scan. It kills patients in about 15 weeks and surgery can extend life to a median survival of about a year. Malignant gliomas occur at a frequency of 3 per hundred thousand people, i.e. 6600 new cases a year in the U.S.A. This book deals with basic brain tumor biology (immunological markers; glial differentiation; tumor antigenicity; brain tumor angiogenesis; fibrinolytic enzyme system; oncogenes and growth factors; role of viruses); Brain tumor diagnosis (imaging; monoclonal antibodies; cerebrospinal fluid); Stereotaxic surgery; Radiation; Chemotherapy; Immunotherapy. The combined use of surgery, radiation treatment and chemotherapy with haloethylating agents, chlorethyl-nitrosourcas, lymphokine activated killer cells, interleukin-2, and immunotoxins gives promise of improved treatment.
The Detection of New Adverse Drug Reactions--M. D. B. Stephens. 2nd edn. 366pp. 1988. Stockton, New York. US$130. Adverse drug reactions need to be detected before a drug is marketed or failing that, quickly during the early marketing stages. This book deals with the methodology of collection of adverse effect data in clinical trials; assessment of adverse effects, laboratory investigations; diagnosis; collection of data; premarketing establishment of side effect profiles of new drugs; collection, storage and retrieval of data; post marketing surveillance; drug rechallenge; ethical problems; regulations concerning adverse reactions. Patients can suffer very badly from the adverse effects of drugs and this book provides the regime, tables, forms and information that will help companies become quickly aware of how to detect adverse effects.
Carotid Artery Plaques; Pathogenesis, Development, Evaluation and Treatment--Edited by M. Hennerici, G. Sitzer and H-D. Weger. 282 pp. 1988. Karger, Basel. SFr 80, DM 96, $53.50, £36.40. The topics dealt with in this symposium volume are; acute and chronic cerebral circulatory and functional disorders; atherosclerosis and strokes; omega fatty acids; lipoproteins and myocardial infarction; eicosanoids and atherosclerosis; role of macrophages; vortex transport phenomena; three dimensional ultrasound imaging; dynamics of plaque development; polyions and calcium antagonists; new concepts in treatment. Low doses of aspirin exert a selective inhibition of thromboxane A2 production but higher doses can affect endothelial healing. On the other hand treatment with urokinase or streptokinase looks promising.
Disorders of the Spleen; Pathophysioiogy and Management-Edited by C. Pochedly, R. H. Sills and A. D. Schwartz. 464 pp. 1989. Dekker, New York. US$125 (USA & Canada), US$150 (elsewhere). This book describes the anatomy of the spleen IS]; S in blood cell regulation and hematopoesis; pathology of S; hyposplenism; physiology of S and consequences of hyposplenism; hypersplenism; S in immune disorders; splenomegaly (overview, infectious etiologies, neoplastic and histiocytic causes, storage disorders); imaging the S; splenectomy, indications in childhood; reticuloendothelial basis of clearance of blood by the S. A very thorough survey of the spleen.
Biochemical and Pharmacological Aspects of Depression--Edited by K. Tipton and M, B. H. Youdim. 149 pp. 1989. Taylor & Francis, London. This is a volume in a series on topics in neurochemistry and neuropharmacology. Other volumes in this series have been on unconjugated pterins; brain iron; and neurochemical effects of ethanol. The present volume deals with MAO as antidepressants; the amine hypothesis of depression (a decrease in the functional concentrations of noradrenaline and/or 5 hydroxytryptamine at receptor sites in the brain); serotonin (5HT) and histamine in depression; adrenergic receptors and mechanism of action of antidepressants; neuroendocrine relationships; possible role of GABA; mechanism of lithium and electroconvulsive shock.
Cocaine; an Annotated Bibliography--C. E. Turner, B. S. Urbanck, G. M. Wall and C. W. Waller. Vol. 1. Citations pp. 1-798; Vol. 2. Authors/Subjects pp. 799-1364. 1988. University Press of Mississippi, Jackson, Miss. US$125 the set. Volume I contains an account of cocaine, its history, chemical structure, isolation, stereochemistry, and metabolism. The main section is a detailed alphabetical bibliography of 4055 papers with a note (50-100 words) on the contents of most of the cited papers. This provides useful background information and enables the reader to assess whether to follow up the specific references. Volume 2 is an author index (66 pp.) and a subject index (498 pp.). The two volumes are a very useful key and guide to the literature on this socially important subject.
Cocaine Addiction; Treatment, Recovery and Relapse Prevention--A. M. Washton. 243 pp. 1989. Norton, New York. US$22.95. The author has run a rehab, clinic for cocaine addicts for many years and in this book presents a guide to clinical assessment (detailed questionnaires) and treatment of addicts to free base and crack. He also deals with achieving abstinence, preventing relapse, group therapy, cocaine and the family, treating special populations. A very useful book for those that have to deal with this widespread problem.
Book Reviews
Toxicologic and Pharmacologic Prinelpl~ in Pediatrics-Edited by S. Kacew and S. Lock. 314 pp. 1988. Hemisphere, Washington. US$59.50.
Advances in Neuro-Oncology--Edited by P. L. Kornblith and M. D. Walker. 550pp. 1988. Futura, New York. US$75.
This book deals with the effect of drugs and chemicals on the prenatal and neonatal child. The chapters are; general principles; nutritional factors; drug exposure in utero, reproductive function in offspring; pulmonary surfactant system, pharmacological and hormonal modulation; analgesics; antibiotic treatment; maternal drug dependence; ethanol; halogenated hydrocarbons; chemical induced cataracts in fetus and neonate; effects of lead on opioid peptides in developing brain. It is a very useful survey with good tables of the effects that foods, drugs, environmental hazards can have on the fetus and via lactation on the neonate.
The most common form of primary brain tumor is malignant astrocytoma. It rarely metastasizes, often involves young otherwise healthy people, and can be easily detected by CT scan. It kills patients in about 15 weeks and surgery can extend life to a median survival of about a year. Malignant gliomas occur at a frequency of 3 per hundred thousand people, i.e. 6600 new cases a year in the U.S.A. This book deals with basic brain tumor biology (immunological markers; glial differentiation; tumor antigenicity; brain tumor angiogenesis; fibrinolytic enzyme system; oncogenes and growth factors; role of viruses); Brain tumor diagnosis (imaging; monoclonal antibodies; cerebrospinal fluid); Stereotaxic surgery; Radiation; Chemotherapy; Immunotherapy. The combined use of surgery, radiation treatment and chemotherapy with haloethylating agents, chlorethyl-nitrosourcas, lymphokine activated killer cells, interleukin-2, and immunotoxins gives promise of improved treatment.
The Detection of New Adverse Drug Reactions--M. D. B. Stephens. 2nd edn. 366pp. 1988. Stockton, New York. US$130. Adverse drug reactions need to be detected before a drug is marketed or failing that, quickly during the early marketing stages. This book deals with the methodology of collection of adverse effect data in clinical trials; assessment of adverse effects, laboratory investigations; diagnosis; collection of data; premarketing establishment of side effect profiles of new drugs; collection, storage and retrieval of data; post marketing surveillance; drug rechallenge; ethical problems; regulations concerning adverse reactions. Patients can suffer very badly from the adverse effects of drugs and this book provides the regime, tables, forms and information that will help companies become quickly aware of how to detect adverse effects.
Carotid Artery Plaques; Pathogenesis, Development, Evaluation and Treatment--Edited by M. Hennerici, G. Sitzer and H-D. Weger. 282 pp. 1988. Karger, Basel. SFr 80, DM 96, $53.50, £36.40. The topics dealt with in this symposium volume are; acute and chronic cerebral circulatory and functional disorders; atherosclerosis and strokes; omega fatty acids; lipoproteins and myocardial infarction; eicosanoids and atherosclerosis; role of macrophages; vortex transport phenomena; three dimensional ultrasound imaging; dynamics of plaque development; polyions and calcium antagonists; new concepts in treatment. Low doses of aspirin exert a selective inhibition of thromboxane A2 production but higher doses can affect endothelial healing. On the other hand treatment with urokinase or streptokinase looks promising.
Disorders of the Spleen; Pathophysioiogy and Management-Edited by C. Pochedly, R. H. Sills and A. D. Schwartz. 464 pp. 1989. Dekker, New York. US$125 (USA & Canada), US$150 (elsewhere). This book describes the anatomy of the spleen IS]; S in blood cell regulation and hematopoesis; pathology of S; hyposplenism; physiology of S and consequences of hyposplenism; hypersplenism; S in immune disorders; splenomegaly (overview, infectious etiologies, neoplastic and histiocytic causes, storage disorders); imaging the S; splenectomy, indications in childhood; reticuloendothelial basis of clearance of blood by the S. A very thorough survey of the spleen.
Biochemical and Pharmacological Aspects of Depression--Edited by K. Tipton and M, B. H. Youdim. 149 pp. 1989. Taylor & Francis, London. This is a volume in a series on topics in neurochemistry and neuropharmacology. Other volumes in this series have been on unconjugated pterins; brain iron; and neurochemical effects of ethanol. The present volume deals with MAO as antidepressants; the amine hypothesis of depression (a decrease in the functional concentrations of noradrenaline and/or 5 hydroxytryptamine at receptor sites in the brain); serotonin (5HT) and histamine in depression; adrenergic receptors and mechanism of action of antidepressants; neuroendocrine relationships; possible role of GABA; mechanism of lithium and electroconvulsive shock.
Cocaine; an Annotated Bibliography--C. E. Turner, B. S. Urbanck, G. M. Wall and C. W. Waller. Vol. 1. Citations pp. 1-798; Vol. 2. Authors/Subjects pp. 799-1364. 1988. University Press of Mississippi, Jackson, Miss. US$125 the set. Volume I contains an account of cocaine, its history, chemical structure, isolation, stereochemistry, and metabolism. The main section is a detailed alphabetical bibliography of 4055 papers with a note (50-100 words) on the contents of most of the cited papers. This provides useful background information and enables the reader to assess whether to follow up the specific references. Volume 2 is an author index (66 pp.) and a subject index (498 pp.). The two volumes are a very useful key and guide to the literature on this socially important subject.
Cocaine Addiction; Treatment, Recovery and Relapse Prevention--A. M. Washton. 243 pp. 1989. Norton, New York. US$22.95. The author has run a rehab, clinic for cocaine addicts for many years and in this book presents a guide to clinical assessment (detailed questionnaires) and treatment of addicts to free base and crack. He also deals with achieving abstinence, preventing relapse, group therapy, cocaine and the family, treating special populations. A very useful book for those that have to deal with this widespread problem.