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A textbook of modern toxicology
TlPS - October 2987 [Vol. 81
408 dated by reducing the digitization rate so that they fit into the far window, but this results in loss of some short events. The cume fitting prugram (see below) daes have a routine to allow a correction for loss of either of these events but only if they are a small fraction of the total number of events. A number of types of channels are chvacterized by extremely long life-times (e.g. Ca*+-NS+ [nonselective]; Ca2+-K+; drug modified agonist-activated channels) and may also contain many short lifetime events andso the loss of events from these would be significant. In addition, by analysing the data in
_..._.?
.
’
..--
Poisons in print A Textbook of Modem Toxicology edited by Ernest Hodgson and Patricia E. Levi, Elsevier, 1987. $39.50 (xx + 386 pages) ISBN 0 444 011315
This book is designed for ase by the student and teacher in the classroom setting. It has twelve chapters. The first of these, written by Dr Hodgson, presents a broad introduction to the subject and deals with the sources of toxic compounds both synthetic and naturally produced. One page is given to the history of the subject. In the second chapter Dr F. E. Guthrie joins Dr Hodgson in writing an account of the absorption and distribution of toxicants. A brief presentation is made of the mechanisms of entry and the rate of penetration. The routes of penetration of toxicants into mammals and their distribution are dealt with, as are the toxicodynamics. Chapter three and four, again the work of Dr Hodgson, cover the handling of toxicants by the metabolic processes of the mammal and the modification of these processes. Dr Guthrie again joins Dr Hodgson in chapter five to explain the excretion and elimination of toxicants. Perhaps the formation of reactive metabolites would have been better placed in chapter three. However, it appears as the first part of chapter six on ‘Toxin
segments (i.e. non-contiguously) it is not possible to obtain a value for the open state probability of the channel (and indeed there is no option for this). This is an important parameter, especially if comparing the actions of various modifiers (e.g. other ions, voltage or drugs) on a single channel type. At the time of writing, I believe that these Faints are being dealt with and that a suitably modified version of SATORI will be available. Once collected, the channel lifetimes are displayed, fitted and plotted by a separate program, called Efit. The probability density functions are fitted to the data by
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:_ :
:.
.._I
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i.
i
,
1.
Action’ by Dr Patricia Levi. Acute toxicity is treated as the induced acute response to such agents as nerve gases, neurotoxins or chemicals acting on oxidative phosphorylation. One may argue with the positioning of the concepts in chronic toxicity. Should carcinogenicity, mutagenesis and teratogenesis precede organ toxicity? Perhaps these topics are more likely to attract the attention of the student. In dealing with the toxicity of chemicals in chapter seven, Dr Lein provides information on pollution of the air, soil, water and food, before going on to the workplace, drugs both therapeutic and addictive, and finally to solvents. Again there may be reasons for this sequence of topics but it is not immediately apparent to the reader. Measurement of toxicity is compacted by Dr Hodgson into fifty pages of worthwhile information for the neophyte, in chapter eight. It covers the broad base of current developing methodology from acute to chronic mammalian toxicity and includes information on mutagenicity testing. Ecotoxicological testing and risk assessment are mentioned briefly. Dr Ross 8. Leidy joins Dr Hodgson in the authorship of the next chapter on the measurement of toxicants. Much of this deals with chemical and physical methods in sampling, extraction, separation and identification.
the method of maximum likelihood. Fitting the data by this method can take an inordinate amount of time if the microcomputer is fitted with just the 8088 processor. I found that it was really essential to have the 8087version of SATORI to be able to analyse a substantial amount of data in a day. It should however, be pointed out that programs (which the author presently uses) similar to this are availabie to academic researchers free of charge. M. L. J. ASHFORD
Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QD, UK.
Data handling and bioassay are not extensively discussed. The three final chapters are by Dr Hodgson. Prevention of toxicity takes the reader into the realms of legislation and regulation mainly for the USA. A short introduction to the problems of the diagnosis and treatment of poisoning is presented in chapter eleven, with a few specific examples. The final chapter gives a survey of the literature of toxicology. For this reason alone, the book should be recommended to all students starting a career in toxicology, as a guide to planned study. Additional to this, each chapter has a list for suggested further reading. One of the decisions of the editors was to delete references from the text. Thus, it was a little irritating to occasionally find references in the text to names which were not referred to in any of the reading lists. I found the numbering of the sections within the chapters intrusive (i.e. 3.3.1.2. Glucosides, etc.) Particularly when this is attached to no more than two and a half lines of text. Perhaps too, I would argue with the title of the book. It is a good short manual on toxicology which will help any beginner and tempt others to read further. P. L. CHAMBERS Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland.
408 dated by reducing the digitization rate so that they fit into the far window, but this results in loss of some short events. The cume fitting prugram (see below) daes have a routine to allow a correction for loss of either of these events but only if they are a small fraction of the total number of events. A number of types of channels are chvacterized by extremely long life-times (e.g. Ca*+-NS+ [nonselective]; Ca2+-K+; drug modified agonist-activated channels) and may also contain many short lifetime events andso the loss of events from these would be significant. In addition, by analysing the data in
_..._.?
.
’
..--
Poisons in print A Textbook of Modem Toxicology edited by Ernest Hodgson and Patricia E. Levi, Elsevier, 1987. $39.50 (xx + 386 pages) ISBN 0 444 011315
This book is designed for ase by the student and teacher in the classroom setting. It has twelve chapters. The first of these, written by Dr Hodgson, presents a broad introduction to the subject and deals with the sources of toxic compounds both synthetic and naturally produced. One page is given to the history of the subject. In the second chapter Dr F. E. Guthrie joins Dr Hodgson in writing an account of the absorption and distribution of toxicants. A brief presentation is made of the mechanisms of entry and the rate of penetration. The routes of penetration of toxicants into mammals and their distribution are dealt with, as are the toxicodynamics. Chapter three and four, again the work of Dr Hodgson, cover the handling of toxicants by the metabolic processes of the mammal and the modification of these processes. Dr Guthrie again joins Dr Hodgson in chapter five to explain the excretion and elimination of toxicants. Perhaps the formation of reactive metabolites would have been better placed in chapter three. However, it appears as the first part of chapter six on ‘Toxin
segments (i.e. non-contiguously) it is not possible to obtain a value for the open state probability of the channel (and indeed there is no option for this). This is an important parameter, especially if comparing the actions of various modifiers (e.g. other ions, voltage or drugs) on a single channel type. At the time of writing, I believe that these Faints are being dealt with and that a suitably modified version of SATORI will be available. Once collected, the channel lifetimes are displayed, fitted and plotted by a separate program, called Efit. The probability density functions are fitted to the data by
t
:_ :
:.
.._I
,i
i.
i
,
1.
Action’ by Dr Patricia Levi. Acute toxicity is treated as the induced acute response to such agents as nerve gases, neurotoxins or chemicals acting on oxidative phosphorylation. One may argue with the positioning of the concepts in chronic toxicity. Should carcinogenicity, mutagenesis and teratogenesis precede organ toxicity? Perhaps these topics are more likely to attract the attention of the student. In dealing with the toxicity of chemicals in chapter seven, Dr Lein provides information on pollution of the air, soil, water and food, before going on to the workplace, drugs both therapeutic and addictive, and finally to solvents. Again there may be reasons for this sequence of topics but it is not immediately apparent to the reader. Measurement of toxicity is compacted by Dr Hodgson into fifty pages of worthwhile information for the neophyte, in chapter eight. It covers the broad base of current developing methodology from acute to chronic mammalian toxicity and includes information on mutagenicity testing. Ecotoxicological testing and risk assessment are mentioned briefly. Dr Ross 8. Leidy joins Dr Hodgson in the authorship of the next chapter on the measurement of toxicants. Much of this deals with chemical and physical methods in sampling, extraction, separation and identification.
the method of maximum likelihood. Fitting the data by this method can take an inordinate amount of time if the microcomputer is fitted with just the 8088 processor. I found that it was really essential to have the 8087version of SATORI to be able to analyse a substantial amount of data in a day. It should however, be pointed out that programs (which the author presently uses) similar to this are availabie to academic researchers free of charge. M. L. J. ASHFORD
Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QD, UK.
Data handling and bioassay are not extensively discussed. The three final chapters are by Dr Hodgson. Prevention of toxicity takes the reader into the realms of legislation and regulation mainly for the USA. A short introduction to the problems of the diagnosis and treatment of poisoning is presented in chapter eleven, with a few specific examples. The final chapter gives a survey of the literature of toxicology. For this reason alone, the book should be recommended to all students starting a career in toxicology, as a guide to planned study. Additional to this, each chapter has a list for suggested further reading. One of the decisions of the editors was to delete references from the text. Thus, it was a little irritating to occasionally find references in the text to names which were not referred to in any of the reading lists. I found the numbering of the sections within the chapters intrusive (i.e. 3.3.1.2. Glucosides, etc.) Particularly when this is attached to no more than two and a half lines of text. Perhaps too, I would argue with the title of the book. It is a good short manual on toxicology which will help any beginner and tempt others to read further. P. L. CHAMBERS Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland.