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Bioluminescence and chemiluminescence. Current status
Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence. Current Status. Edited by Philip E. Stanley and Larry J. Kricka. Pp. 570. Wiley, Chichester. 1991. f80.00. The phenomenon of cold light has been observed throughout the ages and has intrigued man since records began. Since the preparation of lophine (the first synthetic organic compound to exhibit chemiiuminescence) in 1877, extensive research has been carried out in an attempt to understand more thoroughly the phenomenon of chemiluminescence (CL) and bioluminescence (BL). Recently, the potentially high sensitivities and wide dynamic range of CL and BL techniques have been utilised in the areas of analytical and biochemistry. This book contains 12.5papers from the six sessions of the VIth International Symposium on Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence. Papers presented in each session are given in six main sections: Genetic Engineering; Immunoassay and DNA Probes; Cellular Luminescence; Bioluminescence Imaging; Analytical Applications; and, finally, Firefly Luciferase - ATP: Applications and Assays. In addition, papers from industrial seminars given by two leading companies in the field of luminescence techniques (ELA Technologies Inc. and Berthold Instruments) are presented. The quality and presentation of the papers is generally very good, with the emphasis being on the use of CL and BL in clinical and biochemical applications. With the exception of one paper, luminescence detection in chromatography and flow injection analysis is not described. As this is currently a major area of research this omission detracts from the overall completeness of the book. Notwithstanding this, the book will be a useful addition to the libraries of scientists working in the area of luminescence techniques. J. S. Lancaster Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems. Perturbation and Recovery. Edited by Oscar Ravera. Pp. 613. Ellis Horwood, London. 1991. f80.00. This volume reports the fifth European Ecological Symposium meeting in Sienna. It is concerned with a problem of great present importance, that is the perturbation of the environment, largely by human pressures, and its recovery, natural or assisted. It documents many observations of damage to the environment, of alteration of the ecological balance, and of the results of environmental management and strategies. However, its main declared aim is the transfer of ecological principles to practice, and here the reader may be less satisfied. We are told of the existence of major concepts, which by definition must surely have wide generality. Yet these concepts do not seem to be explicitly stated here. Indeed there is almost no theoretical discussion, and scarcely an equation appears in the pages of this lengthy volume. With the enormous complexity of the ecosystems and their inter-
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dependence, some theoretical investigation seems essential if there is to be advance in their understanding. Of course there does exist a great deal of work in theoretical ecology, but we would not be aware of it from reading this book. In this sense the reviewer found it disappointing. Nonetheless, we must be grateful for the book’s many good points and its careful and broad coverage of the area. One can only hope that much more work in this field, both practical and theoretical, will be supported to prevent irreversible man-made disasters overwhelming our society. V. C. L. H&son Physics of the Outer Heliosphere. Edited by S. Grzedzielski and D. E. Page. Pp. 409. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1990. f50.00, US $80.00. This volume is the first in a series called COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Colloquia, and is the proceedings of the first COSPAR colloqium held in Warsaw, Poland, in September 1989, as a part of the International Heliospheric Study. This volume comprises 60 papers presented in five main sessions covering characteristics of the local interstellar medium; solar UV backscatter on neutral galactic gases; entry and dynamics of galactic and anomolous cosmic rays in the heliosphere; distant solar wind plasma, magnetic field, and solar energetic particles; and interaction of the solar wind with the interstellar medium. A further two papers from a special session on Deep Space missions, and six poster papers also appear. Included in the volume are several interesting tutorial papers on such topics as the heliosphere; the local interstellar medium; cosmic rays in the local interstellar medium; modulation of cosmic rays; acceleration of cosmic rays; and Voyager and Pioneer observations. These make this a valuable source of knowledge of our current understanding of the heliosphere. Trevor Sanderson Journeys to the Ends of the Universe. A Guided Tour of the Beginnings and Endings of Planets, Stars, Galaxies and the Universe. By Chris Kitchin. Pp. 198. Adam Hilger, Bristol. 1990. f 14.95. When I received this book my first thought was confusion as to what market it was aimed at. It is not mathematical or comprehensive enough to be useful as a textbook, and at this non-mathematical level there already exist many more glossily-packaged popular books on astronomy (this book contains no pretty colour pictures, for instance). Having read it, however, I stopped worrying about this. It is simply a very readable, accurate, up-to-date, enjoyable, and compact description of several important areas in modern astronomy/ astrophysics. One of the things I most liked about the book was its natural and personal feel. Chris Kitchin has clearly had no qualms skipping over some topics entirely in order to afford himself more room to enthuse about others.
The result is some pleasant surprises, like a series of very detailed (and very useful) diagrams describing supernova evolution, at a level quite unexpected in a book of this type. Other pleasant idiosyncracies include discussing stellar evolution from the standpoint of the current concern over the greenhouse effect, and a fair attempt at introducing the difficult ideas of inflation and cosmic strings very early in the book. While not wanting to suggest that this could (or should) have been a ‘coffee-table’ book, I do feel that such an interesting and well-written book could have been better packaged and presented. Some of the diagrams and photographic reproductions are really rarher poor, particularly in the opening chapter. However, for the reader who is not put off by such initial appearances, I can guarantee a very accessible, enjoyable, and excellently narrated tour to the end of the Universe. James S. Dunlop Partial Differential Equations of Evolution. By J. Bartak, L. Hermann, V. Lovicar and 0. Vejvoda. Pp. 261. Ellis Horwood, London. 1997. f47.00. This is a textbook devoted to an elementary, but very thorough, treatment of partial differential equations of evolution. The aim of the authors is to present a three-stage approach to solving problems: mathematical modelling, mathematical treatment, and interpretation. After a first chapter on classification and a review of auxiliary notions, the authors treat first-order equations in a very thorough way, then second-order hyperbolic equations, second-order parabolic equations, and fourth-order equations - mainly those of elasticity - in successive chapters. There are many topics whose treatment caught the eye of this reviewer: firstorder quasilinear equations and traffic flow in Chapter 2; the use of the Riemann function in Chapter 3; integral transforms in Chapter 4; and many others. A selective, but very complete, bibliography ends the book. Each chapter has many non-trivial examples and exercises, so that it would be very easy to teach a course using this book as a set text. Indeed, this text shows every sign of having been extensively classroom-tested, and this reviewer strongly recommends it. One last point: the price makes this book much too expensive for undergraduates to purchase, so that a paperback edition would appear to be appropriate. J. E. Rubio Membrane Science and Technology Series, 1. Pervaporation Membrane Separation Processes. Edited by R. Y. M. Huang. Pp. 549. Elsevier, Amsterdam. 1991. US $168.50, DflZ95.00. A book on pervaporation membrane separation processes should ideally cater for both the expert in the field and the non-expert. In addition, the book should appeal to readers with different specialities, including industrial chemistry, chemical engineering, and
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dependence, some theoretical investigation seems essential if there is to be advance in their understanding. Of course there does exist a great deal of work in theoretical ecology, but we would not be aware of it from reading this book. In this sense the reviewer found it disappointing. Nonetheless, we must be grateful for the book’s many good points and its careful and broad coverage of the area. One can only hope that much more work in this field, both practical and theoretical, will be supported to prevent irreversible man-made disasters overwhelming our society. V. C. L. H&son Physics of the Outer Heliosphere. Edited by S. Grzedzielski and D. E. Page. Pp. 409. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1990. f50.00, US $80.00. This volume is the first in a series called COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Colloquia, and is the proceedings of the first COSPAR colloqium held in Warsaw, Poland, in September 1989, as a part of the International Heliospheric Study. This volume comprises 60 papers presented in five main sessions covering characteristics of the local interstellar medium; solar UV backscatter on neutral galactic gases; entry and dynamics of galactic and anomolous cosmic rays in the heliosphere; distant solar wind plasma, magnetic field, and solar energetic particles; and interaction of the solar wind with the interstellar medium. A further two papers from a special session on Deep Space missions, and six poster papers also appear. Included in the volume are several interesting tutorial papers on such topics as the heliosphere; the local interstellar medium; cosmic rays in the local interstellar medium; modulation of cosmic rays; acceleration of cosmic rays; and Voyager and Pioneer observations. These make this a valuable source of knowledge of our current understanding of the heliosphere. Trevor Sanderson Journeys to the Ends of the Universe. A Guided Tour of the Beginnings and Endings of Planets, Stars, Galaxies and the Universe. By Chris Kitchin. Pp. 198. Adam Hilger, Bristol. 1990. f 14.95. When I received this book my first thought was confusion as to what market it was aimed at. It is not mathematical or comprehensive enough to be useful as a textbook, and at this non-mathematical level there already exist many more glossily-packaged popular books on astronomy (this book contains no pretty colour pictures, for instance). Having read it, however, I stopped worrying about this. It is simply a very readable, accurate, up-to-date, enjoyable, and compact description of several important areas in modern astronomy/ astrophysics. One of the things I most liked about the book was its natural and personal feel. Chris Kitchin has clearly had no qualms skipping over some topics entirely in order to afford himself more room to enthuse about others.
The result is some pleasant surprises, like a series of very detailed (and very useful) diagrams describing supernova evolution, at a level quite unexpected in a book of this type. Other pleasant idiosyncracies include discussing stellar evolution from the standpoint of the current concern over the greenhouse effect, and a fair attempt at introducing the difficult ideas of inflation and cosmic strings very early in the book. While not wanting to suggest that this could (or should) have been a ‘coffee-table’ book, I do feel that such an interesting and well-written book could have been better packaged and presented. Some of the diagrams and photographic reproductions are really rarher poor, particularly in the opening chapter. However, for the reader who is not put off by such initial appearances, I can guarantee a very accessible, enjoyable, and excellently narrated tour to the end of the Universe. James S. Dunlop Partial Differential Equations of Evolution. By J. Bartak, L. Hermann, V. Lovicar and 0. Vejvoda. Pp. 261. Ellis Horwood, London. 1997. f47.00. This is a textbook devoted to an elementary, but very thorough, treatment of partial differential equations of evolution. The aim of the authors is to present a three-stage approach to solving problems: mathematical modelling, mathematical treatment, and interpretation. After a first chapter on classification and a review of auxiliary notions, the authors treat first-order equations in a very thorough way, then second-order hyperbolic equations, second-order parabolic equations, and fourth-order equations - mainly those of elasticity - in successive chapters. There are many topics whose treatment caught the eye of this reviewer: firstorder quasilinear equations and traffic flow in Chapter 2; the use of the Riemann function in Chapter 3; integral transforms in Chapter 4; and many others. A selective, but very complete, bibliography ends the book. Each chapter has many non-trivial examples and exercises, so that it would be very easy to teach a course using this book as a set text. Indeed, this text shows every sign of having been extensively classroom-tested, and this reviewer strongly recommends it. One last point: the price makes this book much too expensive for undergraduates to purchase, so that a paperback edition would appear to be appropriate. J. E. Rubio Membrane Science and Technology Series, 1. Pervaporation Membrane Separation Processes. Edited by R. Y. M. Huang. Pp. 549. Elsevier, Amsterdam. 1991. US $168.50, DflZ95.00. A book on pervaporation membrane separation processes should ideally cater for both the expert in the field and the non-expert. In addition, the book should appeal to readers with different specialities, including industrial chemistry, chemical engineering, and