- Email: [email protected]
A practical approach to toxicological investigations
Book Reviews molecular genetics of antibiotic production; secondary metabolite production; beta lactam biosynthesis; recombinant proteins as pharmaceutical products; foreign oligomeric rubisco enzyme; haemolysin secretion; protein secretion; protein engineering; pharmacology and molecular biology; search for industrially significant actinomycetes. Molecular and Cell Biology of Membrane Proteins; Glycolipid anchors and Cell Surface Proteins---Edited by A. J. Turner. 220 pp. 1990. Ellis Horwood/Prentice Hall, London. £45. More than 50 glycolipid-anchored proteins have been identified. In some cases there is a covalent association of the lipid or glycolipid with the protein. In the latter case no parts of the polypeptide backbone is associated with the plasma membrane. The proteins range from cell coat proteins, self adhesion molecules, cell signalling molecules, enzymes, blood complement proteins, etc. The chapters deal with: organization of membrane proteins; degradation of glyosyl-phosphatidyl inositol by specific phospholipases; glycolipid structures; placental alkaline phosphatase; biosynthesis and transport of lipid anchored membrane proteins; microvillar hydrolases; erythrocyte ACHE; signal transduction; anchors of cellular and scruple priori proteins. Colon Cancer Cells---Edited by M. P. Moyer and G. H. Poste. 554 pp. 1990. Academic Press, San Diego. $175. Most models of cancers are based on leukemias or lymphomas. Colon cancer provides a model system based on a solid tumor that is differentiated from normal colon cells. It is an organ tumor and so can form the model system for other solid tumors. The chapters in this book are on: normal colon cells; kinetics of normal, preneoplastic and neoplastic colonic epithelium; carcinogenesis; colon organ culture; human cell lines; chemotherapeutic drugs; characteristics of colon cancer cells; growth factors; polyamines; cytogenetics; metastasis; immunological aspects; carbohydrate tumor markers; antigens; monoclonal antibodies; future prospects. In 1985, 65,000 patients in the U.S.A. died from colorectal carcinoma. Early detection in asymptomatic patients improves the 5 yr survival rate by up to 75°/,. As yet there is no effective agent or agents for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Alcohol Metabolism, Alcohol Intolerance and Akoholism: Biochemical and Pharmacological Approaches--Edited by D. P. Agarwal and H. W. Goedde. 184pp. 1990. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. DM 164. In many Oriental populations there is a form of aldehyde dehydrogenase that inadequately metabolises acetaldehyde arising from ingested alcohol. This leads to facial flushing and can cause physiological discomfort. When 1646 Japanese middle-aged males who drank alcohol were questioned 51% reported flushing after drinking whilst 48% experienced no flushing. There was a difference in the drinking behaviour of the two groups: the flushers drank less than the nonrushers. This book describes the metabolism of alcohol: the genetic variations in the enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), there are five different gone loci for ADH producing eight different subunits; and aldehyde debydrogenase (ALDH I and 1I); the acute reactions to alcohol; biochemical aspects of alcoholism; neuropharmacology; genetic factors in alcoholism; experimental methods in studying alcoholism. This book will interest the casual imbiber as well as those researching on alcohol.
417
Thermoreception and Temperature Regulation--Edited by J. Bligh and K: Voigt. 306 pp. 1990. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. DM 118. This volume commemorates the important contributions that Herbert Hensel made to the study of theoregulation. The chapters are grouped into sections on: transduction of temperature into cellular responses (sensory transduction, thermoreception, cold receptors, hypothalamus); central processing of temperature information (central projections, information from the face and teeth, cold sensation, cerebral potentials in man); epistemology-physiology and language: functional interpretation (feed-back systems, input/output relationships, thermal and non-thermal regulation, shivering); adaptive modifications (long and short term, cold and warm adaptation, seasonal adaptation of heat production, hibernators); fever (neurobiology of endogenous pyrogens, septal peptides, phylogeny of fever). These are very useful summaries on an important biological system. Drugs and the Kidney--Edited by G. R. D. Cato. 158 pp. 1990. Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, Holland. $54. This is a volume in a series on new clinical applications in nephrology. The topics discussed are; analgesic nephropathy and the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the kidney; drug associated tubulo-interstitial nephritis; methods of increasing poison elimination (forced alkaline/ acid diuresis; repeated dose activated charcoal; dialysis; haemoperfusion); and drug monitoring of plasma concentration or pharmacodynamic end point in patients with renal disease. A Practical Approach to Toxicological Investigations--Edited by A. Poole and G. B. Leslie. 188 pp. 1989. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. $29.95. This book is directed to the toxicological evaluation of new drugs. The main topics are; toxicological testing;, prediction; regulatory requirements; animal sources; standard studies in animals; measurements made on living animals; terminal studies; specialised routes of exposure; reproductive toxicology; genotoxicity, Although there are much bigger and longer textbooks of toxicology, this shorter one has a greater chance of being read through and so give the reader a good overall picture of the subject. Methods in Neurotransmitter Receptor Analysis--Edited by H. I. Yamamura, S. J. Enna and M. J. Kuhar. 267 pp. 1990. Raven Press, New York. $55. In 1978 the authors published a volume on Neurotransmitter Receptor Binding (2nd edn, 1985). The present new volume highlights the laboratory procedures used and supplements the previous volume. The chapters deal with; methods for receptor binding; computer assisted analysis of binding data; analysis of coupled cAMP and AC systems; receptor solubilization, characterization and isolation; receptors on cultured neural cells; receptor autoradiography; messenger RNA localization with the microscope; in situ hybridization; receptor binding as a method for drug discovery. Good practical details are provided and the book will be very useful and helpful to anyone working on receptor binding. Introduction to Neuropharmacology--Edited by Philip P. Bradley. 351 pp. 1989. Butterworth/Wright, London. £14.95 (paperback). This is a student/post-graduate textbook that .will also be useful to those doing research on neuropharmacology or CNS physiology and behaviour. Each of the major parts of the nervous system is considered together with the drugs
417
Thermoreception and Temperature Regulation--Edited by J. Bligh and K: Voigt. 306 pp. 1990. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. DM 118. This volume commemorates the important contributions that Herbert Hensel made to the study of theoregulation. The chapters are grouped into sections on: transduction of temperature into cellular responses (sensory transduction, thermoreception, cold receptors, hypothalamus); central processing of temperature information (central projections, information from the face and teeth, cold sensation, cerebral potentials in man); epistemology-physiology and language: functional interpretation (feed-back systems, input/output relationships, thermal and non-thermal regulation, shivering); adaptive modifications (long and short term, cold and warm adaptation, seasonal adaptation of heat production, hibernators); fever (neurobiology of endogenous pyrogens, septal peptides, phylogeny of fever). These are very useful summaries on an important biological system. Drugs and the Kidney--Edited by G. R. D. Cato. 158 pp. 1990. Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, Holland. $54. This is a volume in a series on new clinical applications in nephrology. The topics discussed are; analgesic nephropathy and the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the kidney; drug associated tubulo-interstitial nephritis; methods of increasing poison elimination (forced alkaline/ acid diuresis; repeated dose activated charcoal; dialysis; haemoperfusion); and drug monitoring of plasma concentration or pharmacodynamic end point in patients with renal disease. A Practical Approach to Toxicological Investigations--Edited by A. Poole and G. B. Leslie. 188 pp. 1989. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. $29.95. This book is directed to the toxicological evaluation of new drugs. The main topics are; toxicological testing;, prediction; regulatory requirements; animal sources; standard studies in animals; measurements made on living animals; terminal studies; specialised routes of exposure; reproductive toxicology; genotoxicity, Although there are much bigger and longer textbooks of toxicology, this shorter one has a greater chance of being read through and so give the reader a good overall picture of the subject. Methods in Neurotransmitter Receptor Analysis--Edited by H. I. Yamamura, S. J. Enna and M. J. Kuhar. 267 pp. 1990. Raven Press, New York. $55. In 1978 the authors published a volume on Neurotransmitter Receptor Binding (2nd edn, 1985). The present new volume highlights the laboratory procedures used and supplements the previous volume. The chapters deal with; methods for receptor binding; computer assisted analysis of binding data; analysis of coupled cAMP and AC systems; receptor solubilization, characterization and isolation; receptors on cultured neural cells; receptor autoradiography; messenger RNA localization with the microscope; in situ hybridization; receptor binding as a method for drug discovery. Good practical details are provided and the book will be very useful and helpful to anyone working on receptor binding. Introduction to Neuropharmacology--Edited by Philip P. Bradley. 351 pp. 1989. Butterworth/Wright, London. £14.95 (paperback). This is a student/post-graduate textbook that .will also be useful to those doing research on neuropharmacology or CNS physiology and behaviour. Each of the major parts of the nervous system is considered together with the drugs