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Quantitative Problems in the Biochemical Sciences, 2nd Edition
80
BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION
I m m ~ ®
Arbeitsmethedeu
Edited by H e l m u t Friemel. V E B G u s t a v Fischer Verlag, Jena, D D R . 1976. P p . 4 9 6 . 9 5 M . This book gives a very comprehensive coverage of the techniques which the active research worker in the field of immunology is likely to want to use; both in cellular and humoral aspects of the subject. Individual chapters are well set out; a brief outline of the principles underlying the methods to be described and their application; detailed lists of the necessary apparatus and reagents, methodology, and results and pitfalls (very important in a practical textbookl) are given. A fairly extensive and relevant literature list is provided at the end of each chapter. The format of the book is handy for use in the laboratory, being bound in soft covers and of a size which makes it easy to accommodate on the bench. Because of its rational approach and the wide range of topics covered, this book should prove extremely useful to the advanced undergraduate specializing in immunology, to clinicians or indeed as a general handbook of immunological methods for any department engaged in immunological research. The reservations about the book are few, the quality of the photographs is not up to the standard of the text, and the literature references are not in all cases completely up to date and appear to only be as recent as 1974. Also, the limitation of the book to German speaking scientists is a drawback. I feel that an English translation would be merited, as the only equivalent text in English is 'Practical Immunology', Hudson & Hay (published by lllackwells), as 'Methods in Immunology and Immunochemistry' will consist of six volumes and Weir 'Handbook of Experimental Immunology' is a reference text rather than a handbook for everyday use. F. E. Katz Department of Immunology Kennedy lnstitude of Rheumatology Bute Gardens London W6 7DW
Bio~emical Cmleulmtlmm,2nd Edition By Irwin H. Segel. J o h n Wiley & Sons, London, New York, Sydney, T o r o n t o . xvii + 441 pp. £5.35.
Quntitmtlve Problems in the Sciemee8, 2nd FaJltJon
Bieehemleai
By Rex M o n t g o m e r y a n d Charles A. Swenson. W . H. F r e e m a n & Co., San Francisco. xiv + 370 pp. £3.80. In the late sixties the first American books on problem solving in Biochemistry appeared and the pioneer pair now make their second entrance in revised and expanded form. The most significant changes have occurred in Sagel's text for he now eschews his original format, in which the descriptive material was relegated to appendices, for the more orthodox, and in my opinion much better, inclusion in the body of the book. Further, some of the obvious deficiencies of the first edition have been rectified. A chapter on Chemistry of Biological Molecules deals with physico-chemical methods for determining the molecular weights of macromolecules and chromatography, sequencing and conformation are introduced. The treatment of enzymes (perhaps understandably in view of his recent major opus in this field) has been expanded beyond recognition and is now a comprehensive treatment occupying more than a quarter of the whole book; the theoretical graphical representation here is commendable. The curious omission of enthalpy and entropy changes and activation energy has also been remedied and presumably Dr. Segel has returned from the place "ten miles beyond hell, where the Devil himself cannot get for stinging nettles", to which John Bayfles (175&1787) would have had him consigned for publhthing the first edition without an index, for we are now accorded this courtesy. Physically, both page size and number have been increased to give a substantial volume of 441 pages.
October 1976
Vol. 4 No. 4
The text by Montgomery & Swenson has likewise expanded in the intervening seven years, in this case principally to accommodate problems more attuned to the requirements of American graduate students, together with the requisite supporting text, Thus the existence of two-substrate reactions is now acknowledged in the enzyme kinetics chapter, there is an extended treatment of enzyme inh~ition and sigmoidal kinetics are introduced. Another addition is a section on binding equilibria of macromolecules. The net effect has been to increase the book by 62 pages. One looks in vain for any attempt to come to grips with SI units in either book. For the generation of undergraduates now entering university, after being catechized in the SI faith, a schizophrenic condition presumably ensues. However, despite this shortcoming, each book in its own way makes a contribution to the problems approach to biochemistry; of the two, my personal preference is for the Segel volume. The standard of production of both books is commendable. E. A. Dawes Department of Biochemistry University of Hull, U.K.
in D r q Mmalmilsm, Voi. 1 Edited by J. W. Bridges a n d L. F. Chasseaud. Pp. 286. John W'dey a n d Sons, 1976. £9.80. The spate of papers on the metabolism of drugs, food additives, pesticides and environmental chemicals is almost overwhelming so that a review of recent progress is very welcome. This book is the first volume of a series in which it is planned to publish accounts of developments in topics of drug metabolism, selected for their current importance. The seven chapters of the present volume will prove of great value to teachers s t r u g ~ g to keep abreast of recent developments and will be most useful to research workers wishing to maintain a wide general knowledge of the field while advanced students of the metabolism of xenoblotics should read with gratitude these clear, up-to-date reviews; undoubtedly the book should-appear on their reading lists. Appropriately the first chapter is an excellent account of the principles of mass spectrometry and of its use alone or coupled with gas chromatography, in the identification and quantitative determination of xenoblotle metabolitu in blood and other tissues and of those metabolites excreted in urine. It includes descriptions of instruments currently in use and indieates the specificity and high sensitivity of the methods now available which ensure that there will be no shortage of material for future volumes in the series. Topics reviewed in other chapters are the bioactivation and cytotoxicity of drugs and the role of epoxides in bioactivation and carcinogenesis. The formation of epoxides from a variety of compounds, including polycyclic hydrocarbons which are widely distributed in the environment, is described as are the metabolic pathways which these compounds follow in the animal body. An account of the induction of dru$.metabolising enzymes is given with a critical assessment of methods now available for measuring the level of these enzymes in man. The physiological effects of enzyme induction and its clinical importance are described. The final chapter includes in an account of drug-serum protein interactions the theoretical aspects of drug binding, a description of methods employed in studying this problem, the nature of the binding sites and the biological significance of the phenomenon. References given in the text and listed at the end of each chapter are easily used and the conduclons summaris/ng each chapter are helpful. Excellent author and subject indexes are provided. The editors in their preface stated that they intended, in this new work, 'to provide comprehensive authoritative, readable, up-todate and critical accounts by experts in the respective subject areas'. They have succeeded admirably in their first volume. Sybli P. James Department of Biochemistry University of Birmingham Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION
I m m ~ ®
Arbeitsmethedeu
Edited by H e l m u t Friemel. V E B G u s t a v Fischer Verlag, Jena, D D R . 1976. P p . 4 9 6 . 9 5 M . This book gives a very comprehensive coverage of the techniques which the active research worker in the field of immunology is likely to want to use; both in cellular and humoral aspects of the subject. Individual chapters are well set out; a brief outline of the principles underlying the methods to be described and their application; detailed lists of the necessary apparatus and reagents, methodology, and results and pitfalls (very important in a practical textbookl) are given. A fairly extensive and relevant literature list is provided at the end of each chapter. The format of the book is handy for use in the laboratory, being bound in soft covers and of a size which makes it easy to accommodate on the bench. Because of its rational approach and the wide range of topics covered, this book should prove extremely useful to the advanced undergraduate specializing in immunology, to clinicians or indeed as a general handbook of immunological methods for any department engaged in immunological research. The reservations about the book are few, the quality of the photographs is not up to the standard of the text, and the literature references are not in all cases completely up to date and appear to only be as recent as 1974. Also, the limitation of the book to German speaking scientists is a drawback. I feel that an English translation would be merited, as the only equivalent text in English is 'Practical Immunology', Hudson & Hay (published by lllackwells), as 'Methods in Immunology and Immunochemistry' will consist of six volumes and Weir 'Handbook of Experimental Immunology' is a reference text rather than a handbook for everyday use. F. E. Katz Department of Immunology Kennedy lnstitude of Rheumatology Bute Gardens London W6 7DW
Bio~emical Cmleulmtlmm,2nd Edition By Irwin H. Segel. J o h n Wiley & Sons, London, New York, Sydney, T o r o n t o . xvii + 441 pp. £5.35.
Quntitmtlve Problems in the Sciemee8, 2nd FaJltJon
Bieehemleai
By Rex M o n t g o m e r y a n d Charles A. Swenson. W . H. F r e e m a n & Co., San Francisco. xiv + 370 pp. £3.80. In the late sixties the first American books on problem solving in Biochemistry appeared and the pioneer pair now make their second entrance in revised and expanded form. The most significant changes have occurred in Sagel's text for he now eschews his original format, in which the descriptive material was relegated to appendices, for the more orthodox, and in my opinion much better, inclusion in the body of the book. Further, some of the obvious deficiencies of the first edition have been rectified. A chapter on Chemistry of Biological Molecules deals with physico-chemical methods for determining the molecular weights of macromolecules and chromatography, sequencing and conformation are introduced. The treatment of enzymes (perhaps understandably in view of his recent major opus in this field) has been expanded beyond recognition and is now a comprehensive treatment occupying more than a quarter of the whole book; the theoretical graphical representation here is commendable. The curious omission of enthalpy and entropy changes and activation energy has also been remedied and presumably Dr. Segel has returned from the place "ten miles beyond hell, where the Devil himself cannot get for stinging nettles", to which John Bayfles (175&1787) would have had him consigned for publhthing the first edition without an index, for we are now accorded this courtesy. Physically, both page size and number have been increased to give a substantial volume of 441 pages.
October 1976
Vol. 4 No. 4
The text by Montgomery & Swenson has likewise expanded in the intervening seven years, in this case principally to accommodate problems more attuned to the requirements of American graduate students, together with the requisite supporting text, Thus the existence of two-substrate reactions is now acknowledged in the enzyme kinetics chapter, there is an extended treatment of enzyme inh~ition and sigmoidal kinetics are introduced. Another addition is a section on binding equilibria of macromolecules. The net effect has been to increase the book by 62 pages. One looks in vain for any attempt to come to grips with SI units in either book. For the generation of undergraduates now entering university, after being catechized in the SI faith, a schizophrenic condition presumably ensues. However, despite this shortcoming, each book in its own way makes a contribution to the problems approach to biochemistry; of the two, my personal preference is for the Segel volume. The standard of production of both books is commendable. E. A. Dawes Department of Biochemistry University of Hull, U.K.
in D r q Mmalmilsm, Voi. 1 Edited by J. W. Bridges a n d L. F. Chasseaud. Pp. 286. John W'dey a n d Sons, 1976. £9.80. The spate of papers on the metabolism of drugs, food additives, pesticides and environmental chemicals is almost overwhelming so that a review of recent progress is very welcome. This book is the first volume of a series in which it is planned to publish accounts of developments in topics of drug metabolism, selected for their current importance. The seven chapters of the present volume will prove of great value to teachers s t r u g ~ g to keep abreast of recent developments and will be most useful to research workers wishing to maintain a wide general knowledge of the field while advanced students of the metabolism of xenoblotics should read with gratitude these clear, up-to-date reviews; undoubtedly the book should-appear on their reading lists. Appropriately the first chapter is an excellent account of the principles of mass spectrometry and of its use alone or coupled with gas chromatography, in the identification and quantitative determination of xenoblotle metabolitu in blood and other tissues and of those metabolites excreted in urine. It includes descriptions of instruments currently in use and indieates the specificity and high sensitivity of the methods now available which ensure that there will be no shortage of material for future volumes in the series. Topics reviewed in other chapters are the bioactivation and cytotoxicity of drugs and the role of epoxides in bioactivation and carcinogenesis. The formation of epoxides from a variety of compounds, including polycyclic hydrocarbons which are widely distributed in the environment, is described as are the metabolic pathways which these compounds follow in the animal body. An account of the induction of dru$.metabolising enzymes is given with a critical assessment of methods now available for measuring the level of these enzymes in man. The physiological effects of enzyme induction and its clinical importance are described. The final chapter includes in an account of drug-serum protein interactions the theoretical aspects of drug binding, a description of methods employed in studying this problem, the nature of the binding sites and the biological significance of the phenomenon. References given in the text and listed at the end of each chapter are easily used and the conduclons summaris/ng each chapter are helpful. Excellent author and subject indexes are provided. The editors in their preface stated that they intended, in this new work, 'to provide comprehensive authoritative, readable, up-todate and critical accounts by experts in the respective subject areas'. They have succeeded admirably in their first volume. Sybli P. James Department of Biochemistry University of Birmingham Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.