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Advances in biological and medical physics
rnterndosd seriesof Monographs on phdear Energy, Division Iv, Isotopes and B8didossr The Use of Radimctive Isotojes for Checking Production Processes, B. I. VERKHO~~K~(Translated by H. S. H. MASSEY), Pergamon Press, 1963. 76 pp., 21s.
of the review by Wallace on the physics of space radiation. The paper by Marinelli and his colleagues on low-level y-ray scintillation spectrometry is concerned primarily with the application of this technique to the problem of whole-body counting. There is a comprehensive review by Kwan Hsu on neutron activation analysis. It would have been interesting to compare the results reported in this paper with those in a preceding paper by Cofinan on the chemical elements of blood in man, as determined by X-ray spectrochemical studies. There is, however, surprisingly little overlap in the data presented, and where activation analysis figures are presented for human blood the results are usually reported in terms of the dry weight, thus making comparison with other data extremely diflicult. This does suggest that although activation analysis must usually be carried out on dry samples, it would be of some value if those workers engaged in studies of this type could report their results in terms of wet tissue weight. The present volume maintains the high standard, both as regards content and production, which characterizes this publication. N. VEALL
IN CONTIWJT to the grandiose claims made in the introduction on behalf of Russian scientists and engineers, the contents of this book describe no novel techniques. From this point of view, with the possible exception of measurement of gas flow by ionization, the book was obsolescent at the time it was published (1959) and, after the four years required to publish the English translation, it is now obsolete. One reason for this is the inadequate coverage of various analytical techniques which were in the process of being developed at the time of writing and could have been included. The main use of the book is, therefore, as a general introduction to radioisotopes in industry for the use of students and industrialists unfamiliar with radioisotope applications. It is a handy volume suitable for reading on the train or plane. In tribute to the author (and the translator, I suspect) the text is lucid and the techniques wellexplained, if retaining some of the indigenous verbosity of Russian. J. R. RHODES
Casbon: Procmdhp of the Fifth cmference, Vol. I, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1962. 639 pp., E7. Advances in Biological and Medical Physics, Vol. 8, Edited by C. A. TOB~ASand J. H. LAWRENCE, Academic Press, New York and London, 1962. 457 pp., 107s. THISbook follows the pattern which has already been well established by previous volumes in this series, and consists of thirteen review papers. The main emphasis throughout is on ionizing radiation and some of its effects. The two exceptions are a paper by Calvin on the origin of life, which can be regarded of general interest; and a paper by Blanquet on the hypothalamus and the thyroid, which, though dealing with a somewhat specialized biological system, is also of general interest as it is concerned mainly with the principles of feed-back and biological control. The review by Arley and Eker on the mechanism of carcinogenesis deals with radiation as one of several carcinogenetic agents. There is also a paper by Brustad on the radiobiology of heavy ions, a subject which is also discussed in one of the sections 629
SOMETHINO of the importance of the element carbon in its various forms can be.judged from the 127 papers contributed to the conference held at the Pennsylvania State University. This was the fifth of a series of biannual international conferences, and on this occasion the papers, without discussions, are being published in two volumes. Volume 1 contains the first 70 papers to be submitted. These are grouped into five sections, (i) electronic properties, (ii) surface properties, adsorption and reactivity, (iii) irradiation, nuclear graphite and diffusion, (iv) carbonization, graphitization and structure and (v) mechanical and thermal properties, friction and wear, carbon technology. There is a wealth of up-to-date information on many aspects of chemistry and physics. The subjects treated are so diverse that most workers in these fields should find items of particular as well as general interest. This reviewer certainly did, in both volumes. Many papers relate to investigations undertaken
of the review by Wallace on the physics of space radiation. The paper by Marinelli and his colleagues on low-level y-ray scintillation spectrometry is concerned primarily with the application of this technique to the problem of whole-body counting. There is a comprehensive review by Kwan Hsu on neutron activation analysis. It would have been interesting to compare the results reported in this paper with those in a preceding paper by Cofinan on the chemical elements of blood in man, as determined by X-ray spectrochemical studies. There is, however, surprisingly little overlap in the data presented, and where activation analysis figures are presented for human blood the results are usually reported in terms of the dry weight, thus making comparison with other data extremely diflicult. This does suggest that although activation analysis must usually be carried out on dry samples, it would be of some value if those workers engaged in studies of this type could report their results in terms of wet tissue weight. The present volume maintains the high standard, both as regards content and production, which characterizes this publication. N. VEALL
IN CONTIWJT to the grandiose claims made in the introduction on behalf of Russian scientists and engineers, the contents of this book describe no novel techniques. From this point of view, with the possible exception of measurement of gas flow by ionization, the book was obsolescent at the time it was published (1959) and, after the four years required to publish the English translation, it is now obsolete. One reason for this is the inadequate coverage of various analytical techniques which were in the process of being developed at the time of writing and could have been included. The main use of the book is, therefore, as a general introduction to radioisotopes in industry for the use of students and industrialists unfamiliar with radioisotope applications. It is a handy volume suitable for reading on the train or plane. In tribute to the author (and the translator, I suspect) the text is lucid and the techniques wellexplained, if retaining some of the indigenous verbosity of Russian. J. R. RHODES
Casbon: Procmdhp of the Fifth cmference, Vol. I, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1962. 639 pp., E7. Advances in Biological and Medical Physics, Vol. 8, Edited by C. A. TOB~ASand J. H. LAWRENCE, Academic Press, New York and London, 1962. 457 pp., 107s. THISbook follows the pattern which has already been well established by previous volumes in this series, and consists of thirteen review papers. The main emphasis throughout is on ionizing radiation and some of its effects. The two exceptions are a paper by Calvin on the origin of life, which can be regarded of general interest; and a paper by Blanquet on the hypothalamus and the thyroid, which, though dealing with a somewhat specialized biological system, is also of general interest as it is concerned mainly with the principles of feed-back and biological control. The review by Arley and Eker on the mechanism of carcinogenesis deals with radiation as one of several carcinogenetic agents. There is also a paper by Brustad on the radiobiology of heavy ions, a subject which is also discussed in one of the sections 629
SOMETHINO of the importance of the element carbon in its various forms can be.judged from the 127 papers contributed to the conference held at the Pennsylvania State University. This was the fifth of a series of biannual international conferences, and on this occasion the papers, without discussions, are being published in two volumes. Volume 1 contains the first 70 papers to be submitted. These are grouped into five sections, (i) electronic properties, (ii) surface properties, adsorption and reactivity, (iii) irradiation, nuclear graphite and diffusion, (iv) carbonization, graphitization and structure and (v) mechanical and thermal properties, friction and wear, carbon technology. There is a wealth of up-to-date information on many aspects of chemistry and physics. The subjects treated are so diverse that most workers in these fields should find items of particular as well as general interest. This reviewer certainly did, in both volumes. Many papers relate to investigations undertaken