Cell power

ties were available. some serious

There are, however,

limitations

and problems

interactive

learning

technology;

however, a number

using

lems

First,

there

are numerous

grammatical errors the text files in the windows.

In some cases,

the grammatical

are serious enough comprehensible. problem

is

for instructors

to use this module Second,

the advantage

are extremely

of a color screen.

had to use black

lustrations

tool.

problem

for

though

the animations still become

If in-

some

confusion

inade-

quate. There are more sophisticated

an-

version were different and

from those listed on the help screen. The were

would be completely

and/or bored. Fitools on the screen

from those listed in the instructions

tools

the il-

althat

are very slow, they may

nally, the navigation

chemical

the SE30),

because,

may understand

frustrated

of the Macintosh

was frozen

This will be a

instructors

students

ver-

and white

slow. In some

to continue.

had

and, therefore,

(for example,

a

who would like

I reviewed the Macintosh

sion on a PowerMac structors

obviously

as a teaching

the illustrations

simplistic.

errors

to make the text inThis

the A.D.A.M. physiol-

cases, I thought the program and unable

on

technol-

Third, many of the anima-

tions are extraordinarily

of prob-

and

throughout

screens

ogy modules.

computer

currently

that use CD-ROM

ogy, for example,

The goal of this module is to promote

spelling

in other modules

the market

with this module.

exist.

imations

used. Overall,

index is absent, not

and two other

described.

This

when

module

the module

the

adds

has benefits

module preview before making a purchase. This module could be used to supplement coverage of the endocrine system in a basic physiology course, or possibly in an upper-level endocrinology course, but the use at the upper level would be more limited because of the simplistic nature of the illustrations and animations. Given that CD-ROM technology, with more sophisticated animations, is now available, potential users may want to consider all of their options carefully. I recommend that instructors obtain and review the free demonstration disc of this OPAL module in order to compare this module with other interactive technology currently available.

is

Phyllis Callahan

as

Department of Zoology Miami University Oxford, OH 45056, USA

well as limitations, and I would strongly recommend that instructors obtain the

PI1 S1043-2760(96)00112-9

Cell Power Bioenergetics at a Glance: An Illustrated Introduction By David A. Harris. Oxford, Blackwell, 1995, $24.95 (II 6 pages), ISBN 0-63202388-0. A recent review by K.-D. Gerbitz, K. Gempel, and D. Brdiczka (Diabetes 45: 113-l 26) entitled “Mitochondria and Diabetes: Genetic, Biochemical, and Clinical Implications of the Cellular Energy Circuit,” sent me back to my old textbooks of biochemistry to revive dim memories of the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. I realized that the texts were probably out of date and, consequently, welcomed the opportunity to review this little book. Textbooks of biochemistry have gained weight in recent years as knowledge has exploded. As a result, some publishers have divided the material in the obese books into slim volumes with restricted topics. I have already reviewed Metabolism at a Glance, written by J.G. Salway and published by Blackwell. Not only are these books easier to can-y, but they allow the authors more freedom to

TEM Vol. 7, No. 6, 1996

innovate because they do not have to conform to the style of the entire large book. Bioenergetics is not an easy subject. David Harris, who is at the Department of Biochemistry at Oxford University, has designed a visually pleasing short course that doles out the subject in small doses. Although the illustrations lack color, they are numerous, large, and clear. In the text, key words are printed in boldface for emphasis and ease of recognition. The book begins with a short essay on why cells require energy, with a preliminary dip into the formidable subject of thermodynamics. The physical chemistry of energetics is developed in Chapters 2 through 6 with enough mathematics to turn off generations of medical students. With a bit of patience, however, even a practicing endocrinologist out of medical school for 20 years can understand

the concepts.

Chapter 7 returns the reader to the more familiar topic of ATP and ion gradients. Subsequent chapters relate to molecular oxygen and its dangerous radicals. The mitochondrial electron transport

01996,

Elsevier Science Inc., 1043-2760/96/$15.00

chain is carefully explained and related to similar mechanisms that exist in the photosynthetic apparatus in plants and some bacteria. ATP synthesis in mitochondria is examined in detail and is related to events that occur in the cytoplasm of the cell. This section, in particular, is pertinent to an understanding of the review cited earlier on mitochondria and diabetes. The importance of proton (hydrogen ion) gradients is discussed and made clear, as is the topic of other ion pumps. In spite of the clear illustrations and the efforts of the author, this book is not an easy read. The complexity of the sub ject must take the blame for the need to work hard at understanding it. If there is a need to understand the formation and utilization of energy in a cell, however, Harris’s book is a good place to start.

Murray Saffran Department

of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Medical College of Ohio Toledo Ohio 43699-0008, USA PI1 S1043-2760(96)00111-7

221