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Reviews on immunoassay technology. Vol. 1
Gen. Pharmac. Vol. 2!, No. 3, pp. 365-366, 1990
Pergamon Press plc. Printed in Great Britain
B O O K REVIEWS
Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2nd Edn--B. Alberts, D. Bray, J. Lewis, M. Raft, K. Roberts and J. D. Watson. 1216 pp. 1989. Garland Publishing, New York. £24.95. When the first edition of this book appeared six years ago it was welcomed with great enthusiasm and interest. The present new edition will prove to be equally valuable. The information has been brought up to date and the emphasis in many chapters has changed with the new information. Most chapters have been completely rewritten and two new chapters on "control of gene expression" and "cancer" have been included. The presentation, style and illustrations are excellent and the reader will get an exciting picture of how the different functional systems of the cell work together to form the tissues of the body. A set of slides and transparencies based on this second edition are also available. Molecular Biology of the Cell; The Problems Book-J. Wilson and T. Hunt. 354 pp. 1989. Garland Publishing, New York. This is the companion volume of Alberts et al.'s "MBOC". It consists of a series of textual statements each followed by multi-choice questions designed to test the reader's knowledge of the experimental foundation of cell and molecular biology. It is very easy to read through the textbook and think one understands what is written but later find that essential information is missing from one's memory or understanding. The questions in this book provide a good test of the reader's understanding of the subject. The answers are given at the back of the book. Smith and Williams' Introduction to the principles of Drug Design. 2nd Edn--Edited by H. J. Smith. 333 pp. 1988. John Wright/Butterworth, London. $79.95. This multi-author book has chapters on; drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion; formulation and drug availability: stereospecificity in drug action; design of enzyme inhibitors; metal complexes; chemotherapy of cancer; drug metabolism and drug design; QSAR; antimicrobial chemotherapeutic agents; recombinant DNA; monoclonal antibodies: All the chapters have been brought up to date and the book provides a concise and readable account of an interesting and important subject. Orphan Diseases and Orphan Drugs--Edited by I. H. Scheinberg and J. M. Walshe. 228 pp. 1989. Manchester University Press, Manchester. $19.95 (Paperback). Orphan diseases are those for which a cure could probably be found but there is no financial support for the research. Examples of such diseases, with an estimate of the number of people in the world suffering from each disease, are diarrhoea (3 billion), malaria (300 million), schistosomiasis (200 million), filariasis (300 million), ascariasis (1 billion), amebiasis (400 million). This volume based on a Fullbright Colloquium, discusses "orphan disease" in the U.S.A and the use of trientine and/or penicillamine as treatment for Wilson's disease, and the use of DMPS in childhood lead poisoning. There is a description of the U.S.A. Orphan
Drug Act (1983, 1984) for diseases where there is less than one case per 1200 people in the U.S.A. Due to foreign travel by U.S.A. citizens there has been a demand for drugs to treat diarrhoea and these are now available. The problem in the third world is for the inhabitants to obtain clean unpolluted drinking water.
A Guide to General Toxicology. 2nd FAn---Edited by J. K. Marquis. 293 pp. 1989. S. Karger, Basel. $45.50. The first edition of this book appeared in 1983. This new edition has been revised and condensed so that it is more useful as a textbook on toxicology (T). The chapters are: chemical basis of T; systemic responses to toxic agents; carcinogenesis; mutagenesis and carcinogenesis in mammalian cells; teratoiogy; immunotoxicology; inhalation T; T of ionizing radiation; T of pesticides; metal T; in vivo testing for T; clinical T; clinical chemistry and T. The book will be useful for graduate courses and for those wishing to obtain a scientific basis for the study of T.
Reviews on lmmunoassay Technology. Vol. l - - E d i t e d by S. B. Pal. 238 pp. 1988. Chapman & Hall, London. $89.95 (U.S.A.); $108 (Canada). This is the first volume of a biannual series. The articles in volume one are on the quantitation of apolipoprotein by ELISA; quantitation of phagocytes; preparation of monoclonals against human immunoglobulins; assay of phycobiloprotein; nicotine enzyme; complement components; cytoskeleton antibodies; western blot in Herpes simplex assay; TSH receptors.
Tissue Specific Gene Expression--Edited by R. Renkawitz. 221 pp. 1989. VCH, Weinheim, F.R.G. £71: DMI98. Every somatic cell of a given eucaryote contains almost the same amount of DNA. A regulatory role was postulated for the middle DNA sequences. In addition to a few tissue specific regulatory proteins, the combinatorial activity of many transcription factors within complex modular regulation units allows fine and specific tuning of gene activity. The chapters in this book are: tissue specific gene expression; chromatin remodeling during immunoglobulin gene activation; octamer transcription factors; positive and negative factors; immunoglobulin K gene promotor; regulation of MHC; cis and trans determinants of chicken B globulin transcription; regulation of human B globulin domain; growth hormone gene; alpha t anti-trypsin gene; albumin gene; lysozyme gene; alternative splicing of Troponin T multigene family. An excellent survey of a rapidly developing subject.
Human Metabolism of Alcohol. Vol. IlL Metabolic and Physiological Effects of Alcohol--Edited by K. E. Crow and R. D. Batt. 266 pp. 1989. CRC Press, Florida. The two previous volumes dealt with (I) Pharmacokinetics, medicolegal aspects and general subjects. 365
Pergamon Press plc. Printed in Great Britain
B O O K REVIEWS
Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2nd Edn--B. Alberts, D. Bray, J. Lewis, M. Raft, K. Roberts and J. D. Watson. 1216 pp. 1989. Garland Publishing, New York. £24.95. When the first edition of this book appeared six years ago it was welcomed with great enthusiasm and interest. The present new edition will prove to be equally valuable. The information has been brought up to date and the emphasis in many chapters has changed with the new information. Most chapters have been completely rewritten and two new chapters on "control of gene expression" and "cancer" have been included. The presentation, style and illustrations are excellent and the reader will get an exciting picture of how the different functional systems of the cell work together to form the tissues of the body. A set of slides and transparencies based on this second edition are also available. Molecular Biology of the Cell; The Problems Book-J. Wilson and T. Hunt. 354 pp. 1989. Garland Publishing, New York. This is the companion volume of Alberts et al.'s "MBOC". It consists of a series of textual statements each followed by multi-choice questions designed to test the reader's knowledge of the experimental foundation of cell and molecular biology. It is very easy to read through the textbook and think one understands what is written but later find that essential information is missing from one's memory or understanding. The questions in this book provide a good test of the reader's understanding of the subject. The answers are given at the back of the book. Smith and Williams' Introduction to the principles of Drug Design. 2nd Edn--Edited by H. J. Smith. 333 pp. 1988. John Wright/Butterworth, London. $79.95. This multi-author book has chapters on; drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion; formulation and drug availability: stereospecificity in drug action; design of enzyme inhibitors; metal complexes; chemotherapy of cancer; drug metabolism and drug design; QSAR; antimicrobial chemotherapeutic agents; recombinant DNA; monoclonal antibodies: All the chapters have been brought up to date and the book provides a concise and readable account of an interesting and important subject. Orphan Diseases and Orphan Drugs--Edited by I. H. Scheinberg and J. M. Walshe. 228 pp. 1989. Manchester University Press, Manchester. $19.95 (Paperback). Orphan diseases are those for which a cure could probably be found but there is no financial support for the research. Examples of such diseases, with an estimate of the number of people in the world suffering from each disease, are diarrhoea (3 billion), malaria (300 million), schistosomiasis (200 million), filariasis (300 million), ascariasis (1 billion), amebiasis (400 million). This volume based on a Fullbright Colloquium, discusses "orphan disease" in the U.S.A and the use of trientine and/or penicillamine as treatment for Wilson's disease, and the use of DMPS in childhood lead poisoning. There is a description of the U.S.A. Orphan
Drug Act (1983, 1984) for diseases where there is less than one case per 1200 people in the U.S.A. Due to foreign travel by U.S.A. citizens there has been a demand for drugs to treat diarrhoea and these are now available. The problem in the third world is for the inhabitants to obtain clean unpolluted drinking water.
A Guide to General Toxicology. 2nd FAn---Edited by J. K. Marquis. 293 pp. 1989. S. Karger, Basel. $45.50. The first edition of this book appeared in 1983. This new edition has been revised and condensed so that it is more useful as a textbook on toxicology (T). The chapters are: chemical basis of T; systemic responses to toxic agents; carcinogenesis; mutagenesis and carcinogenesis in mammalian cells; teratoiogy; immunotoxicology; inhalation T; T of ionizing radiation; T of pesticides; metal T; in vivo testing for T; clinical T; clinical chemistry and T. The book will be useful for graduate courses and for those wishing to obtain a scientific basis for the study of T.
Reviews on lmmunoassay Technology. Vol. l - - E d i t e d by S. B. Pal. 238 pp. 1988. Chapman & Hall, London. $89.95 (U.S.A.); $108 (Canada). This is the first volume of a biannual series. The articles in volume one are on the quantitation of apolipoprotein by ELISA; quantitation of phagocytes; preparation of monoclonals against human immunoglobulins; assay of phycobiloprotein; nicotine enzyme; complement components; cytoskeleton antibodies; western blot in Herpes simplex assay; TSH receptors.
Tissue Specific Gene Expression--Edited by R. Renkawitz. 221 pp. 1989. VCH, Weinheim, F.R.G. £71: DMI98. Every somatic cell of a given eucaryote contains almost the same amount of DNA. A regulatory role was postulated for the middle DNA sequences. In addition to a few tissue specific regulatory proteins, the combinatorial activity of many transcription factors within complex modular regulation units allows fine and specific tuning of gene activity. The chapters in this book are: tissue specific gene expression; chromatin remodeling during immunoglobulin gene activation; octamer transcription factors; positive and negative factors; immunoglobulin K gene promotor; regulation of MHC; cis and trans determinants of chicken B globulin transcription; regulation of human B globulin domain; growth hormone gene; alpha t anti-trypsin gene; albumin gene; lysozyme gene; alternative splicing of Troponin T multigene family. An excellent survey of a rapidly developing subject.
Human Metabolism of Alcohol. Vol. IlL Metabolic and Physiological Effects of Alcohol--Edited by K. E. Crow and R. D. Batt. 266 pp. 1989. CRC Press, Florida. The two previous volumes dealt with (I) Pharmacokinetics, medicolegal aspects and general subjects. 365