- Email: [email protected]
Colour Atlas of Anatomical Pathology
232 BOOK REVIEWS includes in addition to common conditions, other lesions which fall “in the realm of necessary vocabulary” for physicians dealing with this area of medicine. The work is intended to aid diagnosis and is clinically oriented. The frequent illustrations of CAT scans are to be applauded. The book is not intended to be encyclopedic. In summary, this atlas provides a correlative review of macroscopic appearances, microscopy and CAT scan appearances of common central nervous system lesions and some uncommon ones. It can be recommended for purchase by Departments and pathologists whose practice encompasses considerable neopathological material. B. A . Warren
Colour Atlas o ] Anatomical Pathology. ROBINA. COOKE and BRIAN STEWART Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0-443-03596-2, pp. 262, illustrated. $60.00.
Colour atlases of gross anatomical pathology are of value to undergraduate students as well as to pathological and surgical trainees, especially if they have no easy access to an established Pathology Museum. The main problem of the illustrations in many atlases (and indeed of many Museum specimens) is that they are of fixed specimens, and thus the colours of the tissues are not accurate. Furthermore, atlases rend to be expensive, because of the cost of colour printing in most countries. The present atlas seems to have overcome these difficulties, and to have some bonus features as well. The specimens, except many of the sections of brain, have been photographed fresh, so that the colours are true to those which are encountered at surgery and autopsy. Furthermore, the range and quality of material is excellent, with more than 600 illustrations covering the various systems except skin. There is also a judicious selection of good quality clinical photographs, which are especially relevant in the chapter on the Endocrine System. The quality of photography is extremely high throughout, and the price ($60) is excellent value, achieved no doubt by printing in Hong Kong. There is no text apart from the legends, which are generally brief but to the point, and have a valuable clinico-pathological orientation. In many of the cases, the use of arrows and letters might have assisted these explanations of the specimens (as was done in ChurchillLivingstone’s companion volume “Basic Histopathology”). Some of the illustrations also might be more easily appreciated if linear scales had been included, so that the sizes of the specimens and lesions could be readily established. Nevertheless, this atlas is an excellent collection of photographs of pathological material, and is definitely recommended to students, teachers and practitioners of Pathology. Leon Bignold Guida to Clinical Aspiration Biopsy - Lung, Pleura and Mediastinurn. LIANC-CHE TOA.Igaku-Shoin. ISBN 0-89640-136-7, pp. 497. $120.00. This single-author book is one of a series of Guides to Clinical Aspiration Biopsy. There are few volumes published to date on fine-needle aspiration cytology devoted solely to the area of lung, pleura and mediastinum. The book has been organized into 11 chapters followed by a succinct but pertinent fist of references and has been set out in atlas form. A large number of well-illustrated black and white photomicrographs are accompanied by detailed cytomorphologic features covering the range of tumours and tumour-like conditions. They reflect the extensive experience of 8000 transthoracic aspiration biopsies at the Toronto General Hospital spanning 20 years. All micrographs depicting the cytologic features are of Papanicolaou-stained cell preparations. Air-dried smears stained with Romanovsky-type preparations would have been appropriate to include, as most cytopathologists nowadays are familiar with both preparations. The Romanovsky preparation provides useful additional information for cytologic specimens in which hematolymphoid malignancies are suspected.
Pathology (1989), 2lJuly The advantages and limitations of the technique as well as procedures and techniques are discussed in the first two chapters. The author repeatedly emphasizes the importance of the quality of the specimen and experience of the cytopathologist in correct interpretation of the aspiration biopsies. The difficulties of cytologic assessment are highlighted. Textbook cytologic criteria of malignancy may fall short in many instances, as malignant cells from some tumours appear benign in aspiration preparations and vice versa. A practical approach to the interpretation of transthoracic aspiration biopsies is given. Every tumour is assessed as to the degree of intercellular cohesion, alleged to remain fairly constant and consistent for any tumour-type and subtype. The “cohesion factor” graded 0 to 5 is applied to all tumours as an aid to differential diagnosis. Specific diagnostic problems and the questions of false positive and negative results are addressed. The application of immunoperoxidase staining in transthoracic aspiration biopsy is discussed and a comprehensive list of useful tumour markers given. lmmunocytochemical studies appear to be used almost exclusivelyin the differentiation of tumour types at the Toronto General Hospital. The role of electron microscopy is not even addressed. From personal experience, we have found electron microscopy to be of greater value than immunocytochemistry, especially in the area of small cell tumours where cytomorphologic features and staining patterns may overlap. Apart from the above relatively minor criticisms, I would highly recommend this monograph as a valuable reference benchbook for intraining pathologists, as well as cytopathologists and cytotechnologists involved in the interpretation of transthoracic aspiration biopsies. Merle Greenberg
Affinity Labelling and Cloning of Steroid and Thyroid Hormone Receptors. Edited by H. GRONEMEYER. VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. ISBN 3-527-26557-0, pp. 322. DM.180. In this book Gronemeyer brings together a wealth of information on the affinity labelling and cloning of steroid and thyroid receptors transcriptional regulatory proteins which belong to subgroups of a superfamily of nuclear receptor genes. Specific affinity-labelling reagents for steroid receptors have become valuable tools for the detection, isolation and characterization of these important proteins. The presence of a permanently identifiable tag at the hormone-binding site facilitates an assessment of various receptor properties under denaturing conditions. The results have provided accurate receptor molecular weights and revealed in the proteins a charge heterogeneity attributed to posttranslational modifications. Affinity labelling has proved ideal for distinguishing receptors from nonhormone-binding, copurified proteins-especiallythose associated noncovalently with steroid receptor. Sequence analysis of labelled peptide fragments derived from the steroid binding domain of affinity-labelled glucocorticoid receptor has for the first time identified an amino acid (cysteine)involved directly in receptorsteroid interaction. The biological activity of affinity-alkylated receptors has allowed investigations into receptor subunit structure, receptor dynamics and the interaction of receptor-hormone and antihormone complexes with the promoter regions of target genes. A neatly compiled review of the general cloning strategies used for individual receptors and a most informative contribution by Gronemeyer detailing the structure/function relationships of steroid receptors are most important since the summarized studies form the basis of future research in this area. Thomas Ratajczak A Colour Atlas of Bacillus Species. J . M. PARRY, P. C. B. TURNBULL,
J.R. GIBSON. Wolfe Medical Publications Ltd. ISBN 0-72341557-9, pp. 212. $39.00. This book is an excellent addition to the well known atlases produced by Wolfe Medical Publications. It has been produced with the busy bench bacteriologist in mind and should be of interest to those concerned with this organism in the medical, food, dairy, pharmaceutical and agricultural fields.
Colour Atlas o ] Anatomical Pathology. ROBINA. COOKE and BRIAN STEWART Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0-443-03596-2, pp. 262, illustrated. $60.00.
Colour atlases of gross anatomical pathology are of value to undergraduate students as well as to pathological and surgical trainees, especially if they have no easy access to an established Pathology Museum. The main problem of the illustrations in many atlases (and indeed of many Museum specimens) is that they are of fixed specimens, and thus the colours of the tissues are not accurate. Furthermore, atlases rend to be expensive, because of the cost of colour printing in most countries. The present atlas seems to have overcome these difficulties, and to have some bonus features as well. The specimens, except many of the sections of brain, have been photographed fresh, so that the colours are true to those which are encountered at surgery and autopsy. Furthermore, the range and quality of material is excellent, with more than 600 illustrations covering the various systems except skin. There is also a judicious selection of good quality clinical photographs, which are especially relevant in the chapter on the Endocrine System. The quality of photography is extremely high throughout, and the price ($60) is excellent value, achieved no doubt by printing in Hong Kong. There is no text apart from the legends, which are generally brief but to the point, and have a valuable clinico-pathological orientation. In many of the cases, the use of arrows and letters might have assisted these explanations of the specimens (as was done in ChurchillLivingstone’s companion volume “Basic Histopathology”). Some of the illustrations also might be more easily appreciated if linear scales had been included, so that the sizes of the specimens and lesions could be readily established. Nevertheless, this atlas is an excellent collection of photographs of pathological material, and is definitely recommended to students, teachers and practitioners of Pathology. Leon Bignold Guida to Clinical Aspiration Biopsy - Lung, Pleura and Mediastinurn. LIANC-CHE TOA.Igaku-Shoin. ISBN 0-89640-136-7, pp. 497. $120.00. This single-author book is one of a series of Guides to Clinical Aspiration Biopsy. There are few volumes published to date on fine-needle aspiration cytology devoted solely to the area of lung, pleura and mediastinum. The book has been organized into 11 chapters followed by a succinct but pertinent fist of references and has been set out in atlas form. A large number of well-illustrated black and white photomicrographs are accompanied by detailed cytomorphologic features covering the range of tumours and tumour-like conditions. They reflect the extensive experience of 8000 transthoracic aspiration biopsies at the Toronto General Hospital spanning 20 years. All micrographs depicting the cytologic features are of Papanicolaou-stained cell preparations. Air-dried smears stained with Romanovsky-type preparations would have been appropriate to include, as most cytopathologists nowadays are familiar with both preparations. The Romanovsky preparation provides useful additional information for cytologic specimens in which hematolymphoid malignancies are suspected.
Pathology (1989), 2lJuly The advantages and limitations of the technique as well as procedures and techniques are discussed in the first two chapters. The author repeatedly emphasizes the importance of the quality of the specimen and experience of the cytopathologist in correct interpretation of the aspiration biopsies. The difficulties of cytologic assessment are highlighted. Textbook cytologic criteria of malignancy may fall short in many instances, as malignant cells from some tumours appear benign in aspiration preparations and vice versa. A practical approach to the interpretation of transthoracic aspiration biopsies is given. Every tumour is assessed as to the degree of intercellular cohesion, alleged to remain fairly constant and consistent for any tumour-type and subtype. The “cohesion factor” graded 0 to 5 is applied to all tumours as an aid to differential diagnosis. Specific diagnostic problems and the questions of false positive and negative results are addressed. The application of immunoperoxidase staining in transthoracic aspiration biopsy is discussed and a comprehensive list of useful tumour markers given. lmmunocytochemical studies appear to be used almost exclusivelyin the differentiation of tumour types at the Toronto General Hospital. The role of electron microscopy is not even addressed. From personal experience, we have found electron microscopy to be of greater value than immunocytochemistry, especially in the area of small cell tumours where cytomorphologic features and staining patterns may overlap. Apart from the above relatively minor criticisms, I would highly recommend this monograph as a valuable reference benchbook for intraining pathologists, as well as cytopathologists and cytotechnologists involved in the interpretation of transthoracic aspiration biopsies. Merle Greenberg
Affinity Labelling and Cloning of Steroid and Thyroid Hormone Receptors. Edited by H. GRONEMEYER. VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. ISBN 3-527-26557-0, pp. 322. DM.180. In this book Gronemeyer brings together a wealth of information on the affinity labelling and cloning of steroid and thyroid receptors transcriptional regulatory proteins which belong to subgroups of a superfamily of nuclear receptor genes. Specific affinity-labelling reagents for steroid receptors have become valuable tools for the detection, isolation and characterization of these important proteins. The presence of a permanently identifiable tag at the hormone-binding site facilitates an assessment of various receptor properties under denaturing conditions. The results have provided accurate receptor molecular weights and revealed in the proteins a charge heterogeneity attributed to posttranslational modifications. Affinity labelling has proved ideal for distinguishing receptors from nonhormone-binding, copurified proteins-especiallythose associated noncovalently with steroid receptor. Sequence analysis of labelled peptide fragments derived from the steroid binding domain of affinity-labelled glucocorticoid receptor has for the first time identified an amino acid (cysteine)involved directly in receptorsteroid interaction. The biological activity of affinity-alkylated receptors has allowed investigations into receptor subunit structure, receptor dynamics and the interaction of receptor-hormone and antihormone complexes with the promoter regions of target genes. A neatly compiled review of the general cloning strategies used for individual receptors and a most informative contribution by Gronemeyer detailing the structure/function relationships of steroid receptors are most important since the summarized studies form the basis of future research in this area. Thomas Ratajczak A Colour Atlas of Bacillus Species. J . M. PARRY, P. C. B. TURNBULL,
J.R. GIBSON. Wolfe Medical Publications Ltd. ISBN 0-72341557-9, pp. 212. $39.00. This book is an excellent addition to the well known atlases produced by Wolfe Medical Publications. It has been produced with the busy bench bacteriologist in mind and should be of interest to those concerned with this organism in the medical, food, dairy, pharmaceutical and agricultural fields.