Medical Textbook Review. Fourth Edition 1981

Medical Textbook Review. Fourth Edition 1981

31 cases a very slim one). and fills a useful gap. Letter to the Editor F r o m T Ramasarma Cooperation in Biochemical Education Dear Sir, In the co...

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31 cases a very slim one). and fills a useful gap.

Letter to the Editor F r o m T Ramasarma

Cooperation in Biochemical Education Dear Sir, In the context of "development", the need for application of experimental biology is increasingly felt. Biochemical education in the developing countries has a role to play in this process. It may be useful to take a survey of the number of departments teaching biochemistry, leading to a degree in biochemistry, in the developing countries, but the number is not likely to exceed 100. In most cases these deparments are small and limited in staff, equipment and resources. The fast expanding subject of biochemistry is best taught by sufficient number of staff with expertise in different branches. Also it is hardly possible to catch up with the rapid developments without timely reviews and monographs to assist the teacher. More critical is the deficiency in the experimental component of the education. The sophistication in biochemical techniques is ever increasing and it is unimaginable that the principles can be demonstrated without the high-speed centrifuges, scintillation counters, spectrophotometers and others. But processes of such improvement are slow and in the meantime other methods need to be considered as supplements of the departmental efforts. In this, an international co-operative programme may give immediate benefits. Two departments can get together as collaborators and exchange lecture/course notes, teaching material and personnel, if necessary, for short periods. They can exchange protocols of experimental work and adapt them to the local conditions. In fact more articles on such experimental protocols demonstrating principles y e t using simple instruments could find a place in Biochemical Education. In short, I commend a "Biochemical Education Co-operation" (BEC) project. T Ramasarma

Department o/Biochemistry Indian Institute o f Science Bangalore-5 60012, India

Medical Textbook Review. Fourth Edition 1981 Edited b y V Daniels. Available from Cambridge Medical Books, 26 Tenison Avenue, Cambridge CB1 2DY, UK; send 30p in stamps plus stamped addressed envelope not smaUer than 2 4 x 1 7 cm in UK; overseas, enquire. Over 155 pages, plus index. Notice of the last edition of this Review was published in A new edition has now appeared, containing, as before, 2-4 line descriptions of around 2000 books. This edition is updated and enlarged, and now includes coverage of textbooks in all the major clinical subjects as weU as pre-clinical (Anatomy, Biochemical, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology). The Review is produced on an annual basis.

Biochemical Education (1979), Volume 7, p 101.

Examples of entries:

Introduction to Biochemistry

(2nd edition) by J W Suttie. Holt Saunders. 1977. 343 pp. £7.50. A clearly organised b o o k with a fairly light approach - good for low flyers and as an alternative for the heavier tomes. This one won't hurt y o u r head.

A Clinical Companion to Biochemical Studies by V Schwartz. W H Freeman. 1978. 114 pp. £3.95. A b o o k for those who seek relevance of pre-clinical subjects with a large number of case histories, showing the relationship between biochemistry and clinical medicine (albeit in some

BIOCHEMICAL

EDUCATION

10(1)

1982

Covers a wide area of biochemistry

Concepts in Biochemistry (2nd edition) by W K Stephenson. John Wiley. 1978. 152 pp. £6.40. A self-instructional text that is fairly elementary but does teach first principles. A confidence giver. Basic Biochemistry (4th edition) by M E Rafelson, Jr., J A Hayashi and A Brezkorovairy. Bailliere Tindall. 1980. 418 pp. £8.75. A clearly written but fairly low profile account. Excellent for starters and those with just a passing affair for biochemistry. If y o u are serious about the subject y o u might need a top-up. Immunology at a Glance by J H L Playfair. Blackwell Scientific Publications. 1979. 73 pp. £2.25. An excellent concept of diagrams and brief notes. This is a super book to start with but probably not enough for heavier courses. Buy it, read it and pass it on to a friend.

Essential Immunology (4th edition) by I M Roitt. Blackwell Scientific Publications. 1980. 368 pp. £6.00. This superb book has rapidly attained 'classic' status and is now recommended reading for MRCP. It is a very clearly written account of basic immunology - including transplantation and autoimmune disease. There are some first-rate summary diagrams and tables - a definite winner and value for money.

B i o c h e m i c a l Reviews

Index of Biochemical Reviews 1980 Compiled b y R E Arnstein, M Harvey and H R V Arnstein The Index o f Biochemical Reviews 1980 was published in August 1981 as a supplement to FEBS Letters. This issue is available separately, however, to non-subscribers from Professor S P Datta, Biochemistry, University College, London WC1E 6BT, UK. The price, including postage by air where applicable, is: in Europe DM 15 per issue, elsewhere $10 per issue, and the remittance, made payable to 'FEBS', must accompany any order. Back numbers are available for 1971/2, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1979, at the same price. The 1980 issue runs to 48 pages and is divided into sections, eg 'Blood and Blood Proteins', 'Calcium', 'Cells and Cell Walls', and so on. No doubt readers of Biochemical Education will find it useful in teaching as a source of reference to reviews for student essays, etc. The various Journals published by the Biochemical Society print reviews from time to time. Some recent examples are given below:

Biochemical Journal Activation and attenuation of adenylate cyclase: the role of GTP-binding proteins as macromolecular messengers in receptor-cyclase coupling by Lee E Limbird: April 1981 (195 no. 1). The separation of cells and organelles by partitioning in two-polymer aqueous phases by Derek Fisher: April 1981 (196 no. 1). The precursor to animal cell messenger RNA by Charles Coutelle: July 1981 (197 no. 1). The red cell membrane and its cytoskeleton by W B Gratzer: July 1981 (198 no. 1). The contribution of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway to intermediary metabolism and cell function by Robin B Fears: October 1981 (199 no. 1).