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The human oncogenic viruses
Immunology Todc; voL 8, No. 3, 1987
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Retrovirusesand Human Pathology edited by R.C. Gallo, D. Stehelin and O.E. Vamier, Humana PressInc., 1985. U55 74.50 (xviii + 557 pages)fSBN0 89603 098 9
The HumanOncogenicViruses edited by A. Luderer and H. Weethall, Humana Press Inc., U5559.50 (xv + 281 pages) ISBN0 89603 088 1 Retroviruses and Human Pathology is based on ~. conference which took place in ~984, was copyrighted in 1985 and is only now being reviewed. Furthermore, the type is irregular and poor in quality, being derived from different word processors, a feature normally used to enable rapid publication. Basically, what all this means is that in such a fast-moving field, this book is already seriously out of date, and, in spite of the delay in publishing, is still not referenced beyond 1984. NevertheCess, there are some fine contributions from the leaders in the field. This type of book would work much better if the authors had to present their chapters in the form of an expanded abstract at the time of the meeting. That way the book r n t iI~l h ~ n., i f ~ ^ l l t h l n ~ m n n + h e
The book commences with two in a very poor chapter on Kaposrs good chapters on the cytogenetics sarcoma and AIDS which should of leukaemias and solid tumours, have been omitted. which have nothing to do with There are chapters on HSV-2 oncogenic viruses! Both chapters are genes in cervical neoplasia, papillocomprehensive and well laid out re- maviruses in anogenital neoplasms, viewing the cyto and not the which are both dated, and a reasonmolecular biology of genetics. able review on hepatocellular carcinAn introduction to the molecular oma is ruined by obvious and inconbiology of human proto-oncogenes sistent spelling and typographical is well written, but even to a non- errors. Was the book proof read (for specialist in this field it is noticeably errors exist throughout) and if so, are out of date, particularly with regard the molecular data therefore to an overview of the function of the meaningful? main oncogenes and the association In summary, this book fails to live with specific receptors and growth up to the promise of its title, fails to factors. live up to its own remit and ce,-tainly Less than two-thirds of the book is fails to warrant recommendation for devoted to oncogenic viruses. One either individual cr library purchase. would expect to see a learned review of the first human oncogenic retroAngus Dalgleish virus in a book on human oncogenic viruses, but unfortunately this is not ClinicalResearchCentre,Northwick Park so. It is dispensed with on one page Hospital, HarrowHA ! 3UJ, UK . . . . .
tlooks received Reviewcopiesof the followingbookshave beenreceived.Bookswhich havebeen reviewedin full in ImmunologyTodayare not included. Theappearanceof a bookin this listdoesnot precludethe possibilityof its beingreviewed in the future.
~..,~1 I~,-,
a valuable reference to those unlucky enough to have been absent. However, some books consisting of conference proceedings go on to become classics, dated or not, for example The Human T-cell Leukaemia Viruses, again including Gallo amongst the editors. These books succeed because of an overall coherence and the coming together or awakening of disciplines; unfortunately I do not think this book will be one of them, in spite of some excellent contributions. In short, this book could be useful for a molecular biologist or similar wanting to learn more about the relevance of retroviruses in human disease, but will probably not satisfy a wider audience. The Human Oncogenic Viruses is a most peculiar book, laying claim to being the first book to offer in depth reviews of today's forefront work on human molecular ontology. I have seen several such books which do not claim the foregoing appellation.
°
Andor Szentivanyiand Herman Friedman (eds) Viruses, Immunity and Immunodeficiency Plenum Publishing Corporation, 1986. US$55.00 (xiii+365 pages) tSBN0 306 42235 2 Ralph L. Brinster, JoanA. Steitz, Henry Metzger, Ray,L. White, Pedro Cuatrecasas, Robert A. Weinberg, Nicole M. Lp Dourain and PurnellW. Choppin The Harvey Lectures Alan R. Liss, 1986. £34,00 (xv+223 pages) ISBN0 845 11300 3 Joseph G. SinkovicsMedical Oncology An Advanced Course: Second Edition (2 Volumes) Marcel Dekker, 1986. US$145.00/ROWS174.00 (2120 pages) ISBN0 824 77121 4 (Vol. 1) 0 824 77304 7 (Vol. 2) Alan M. McGregor (ed.) Immunology of Endocrine Diseases MTP Press, 1986. £32.50 (xi+202 pages) ISBN0 852 00963 1 C!audio Nicolini Biophysics and Cancer Plenum Press, 1986. US$79.50 (xv+463 pages) ISBN0 306 42122 4
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i
Veronica Bri:ten and Huw P.A. Hughes (eds) Clinics in Immunology' and Allergy VoL 6 No. I: immunological Recognition of Altered Cell Surfaces in Infection and Disease W.B. SaundersCo., 1986. £15.00 (ix+254 pages)]SSN0260 4639 Gilbert Smolin and G. RichardO'Connor Ocular Immunology Little, Brown and Company, i986. £47.i5 (x+360 pages) ISBN0 316 80188 7 Jacques DescotesImmunotoxicology of Drugs and. Chemicals ElsevierScience Publishers, 1986. $92.50/Df1250.00 (xvii+400 pages) ISBN0 444 90363 1 T.H. Birkbeck and C.W. Penn (eds) Antigenic Variation in Infectious Diseases IRL Press, 1986. £20.00/US$36.00 (x+ 170 pages) ISBN0 947 4699 3 James Darnell, Harvey Lodish and David Baltimore Molecular Cell Biology W.H. Freeman & Co., 1986. £42.95 (xxxv+ 1187 pages)ISBN0 716 71448 5 Z. Laron and M. Karp (eds) Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology Vol. 15. Future Trends in Juvenile Diabetes: Therapy and Research S. Karger, 1986. SFr350/DM420/$194.50/£137.30 (xiv+409 pages)ISBN3 805 53958 4 International Association of Biological Standardization (eds) Use and Standardization of Chemically Defined Antigens S. Karger, 1986. SFr82.00/ DM98.00/US$45.75/£32.20 (viii+ 161 pages) ISBN0 8055 4280 1
99
/t
Retrovirusesand Human Pathology edited by R.C. Gallo, D. Stehelin and O.E. Vamier, Humana PressInc., 1985. U55 74.50 (xviii + 557 pages)fSBN0 89603 098 9
The HumanOncogenicViruses edited by A. Luderer and H. Weethall, Humana Press Inc., U5559.50 (xv + 281 pages) ISBN0 89603 088 1 Retroviruses and Human Pathology is based on ~. conference which took place in ~984, was copyrighted in 1985 and is only now being reviewed. Furthermore, the type is irregular and poor in quality, being derived from different word processors, a feature normally used to enable rapid publication. Basically, what all this means is that in such a fast-moving field, this book is already seriously out of date, and, in spite of the delay in publishing, is still not referenced beyond 1984. NevertheCess, there are some fine contributions from the leaders in the field. This type of book would work much better if the authors had to present their chapters in the form of an expanded abstract at the time of the meeting. That way the book r n t iI~l h ~ n., i f ~ ^ l l t h l n ~ m n n + h e
The book commences with two in a very poor chapter on Kaposrs good chapters on the cytogenetics sarcoma and AIDS which should of leukaemias and solid tumours, have been omitted. which have nothing to do with There are chapters on HSV-2 oncogenic viruses! Both chapters are genes in cervical neoplasia, papillocomprehensive and well laid out re- maviruses in anogenital neoplasms, viewing the cyto and not the which are both dated, and a reasonmolecular biology of genetics. able review on hepatocellular carcinAn introduction to the molecular oma is ruined by obvious and inconbiology of human proto-oncogenes sistent spelling and typographical is well written, but even to a non- errors. Was the book proof read (for specialist in this field it is noticeably errors exist throughout) and if so, are out of date, particularly with regard the molecular data therefore to an overview of the function of the meaningful? main oncogenes and the association In summary, this book fails to live with specific receptors and growth up to the promise of its title, fails to factors. live up to its own remit and ce,-tainly Less than two-thirds of the book is fails to warrant recommendation for devoted to oncogenic viruses. One either individual cr library purchase. would expect to see a learned review of the first human oncogenic retroAngus Dalgleish virus in a book on human oncogenic viruses, but unfortunately this is not ClinicalResearchCentre,Northwick Park so. It is dispensed with on one page Hospital, HarrowHA ! 3UJ, UK . . . . .
tlooks received Reviewcopiesof the followingbookshave beenreceived.Bookswhich havebeen reviewedin full in ImmunologyTodayare not included. Theappearanceof a bookin this listdoesnot precludethe possibilityof its beingreviewed in the future.
~..,~1 I~,-,
a valuable reference to those unlucky enough to have been absent. However, some books consisting of conference proceedings go on to become classics, dated or not, for example The Human T-cell Leukaemia Viruses, again including Gallo amongst the editors. These books succeed because of an overall coherence and the coming together or awakening of disciplines; unfortunately I do not think this book will be one of them, in spite of some excellent contributions. In short, this book could be useful for a molecular biologist or similar wanting to learn more about the relevance of retroviruses in human disease, but will probably not satisfy a wider audience. The Human Oncogenic Viruses is a most peculiar book, laying claim to being the first book to offer in depth reviews of today's forefront work on human molecular ontology. I have seen several such books which do not claim the foregoing appellation.
°
Andor Szentivanyiand Herman Friedman (eds) Viruses, Immunity and Immunodeficiency Plenum Publishing Corporation, 1986. US$55.00 (xiii+365 pages) tSBN0 306 42235 2 Ralph L. Brinster, JoanA. Steitz, Henry Metzger, Ray,L. White, Pedro Cuatrecasas, Robert A. Weinberg, Nicole M. Lp Dourain and PurnellW. Choppin The Harvey Lectures Alan R. Liss, 1986. £34,00 (xv+223 pages) ISBN0 845 11300 3 Joseph G. SinkovicsMedical Oncology An Advanced Course: Second Edition (2 Volumes) Marcel Dekker, 1986. US$145.00/ROWS174.00 (2120 pages) ISBN0 824 77121 4 (Vol. 1) 0 824 77304 7 (Vol. 2) Alan M. McGregor (ed.) Immunology of Endocrine Diseases MTP Press, 1986. £32.50 (xi+202 pages) ISBN0 852 00963 1 C!audio Nicolini Biophysics and Cancer Plenum Press, 1986. US$79.50 (xv+463 pages) ISBN0 306 42122 4
!
i
Veronica Bri:ten and Huw P.A. Hughes (eds) Clinics in Immunology' and Allergy VoL 6 No. I: immunological Recognition of Altered Cell Surfaces in Infection and Disease W.B. SaundersCo., 1986. £15.00 (ix+254 pages)]SSN0260 4639 Gilbert Smolin and G. RichardO'Connor Ocular Immunology Little, Brown and Company, i986. £47.i5 (x+360 pages) ISBN0 316 80188 7 Jacques DescotesImmunotoxicology of Drugs and. Chemicals ElsevierScience Publishers, 1986. $92.50/Df1250.00 (xvii+400 pages) ISBN0 444 90363 1 T.H. Birkbeck and C.W. Penn (eds) Antigenic Variation in Infectious Diseases IRL Press, 1986. £20.00/US$36.00 (x+ 170 pages) ISBN0 947 4699 3 James Darnell, Harvey Lodish and David Baltimore Molecular Cell Biology W.H. Freeman & Co., 1986. £42.95 (xxxv+ 1187 pages)ISBN0 716 71448 5 Z. Laron and M. Karp (eds) Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology Vol. 15. Future Trends in Juvenile Diabetes: Therapy and Research S. Karger, 1986. SFr350/DM420/$194.50/£137.30 (xiv+409 pages)ISBN3 805 53958 4 International Association of Biological Standardization (eds) Use and Standardization of Chemically Defined Antigens S. Karger, 1986. SFr82.00/ DM98.00/US$45.75/£32.20 (viii+ 161 pages) ISBN0 8055 4280 1
99