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Vitamins and hormones, advances in research and applications
454
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA
VOL. 11
(~953)
BOOK REVIEWS
Vitamins and Hormones, Advances in Research and Applications. Volume X. Edited by R. S. HARRIS, K. V. THIMANNAND G. F. MARRIAN, Academic Press Inc., New York 1952. Pp. 421. Price 8.00 dollars. W h a t have h o r m o n e s to do w i t h v i t a m i n s a p a r t from the fact t h a t b o t h classes comprise biologically active chemicals essential for cell metabolism and active in the b o d y in small concentrations6 T w e n t y years ago GOWLAND HOPKINS told us t h a t we m u s t "learn to describe in objective chemical t e r m s precisely h o w and where such molecules as those of h o r m o n e s and v i t a m i n s intrude into the chemical events of m e t a b o l i s m " . N o w a d a y s we k n o w more t h a n w h e n those words were w r i t t e n a b o u t h o w some v i t a m i n s influence cell metabolism, b u t so far the m e c h a n i s m of h o r m o n e action r e m a i n s largely a m y s t e r y . P e r h a p s it will transpire t h a t h o r m o n e s and v i t a m i n s will find a meeting place in enzyme systems. Until some such synthesis as this has been achieved the reader (and reviewer) of the a n n u a l issue of "Vitamins and Hormones" m u s t be conscious of something of a d i c h o t o m y a m o n g its contents. T h e m a j o r i t y of the articles in the present volume are concerned with hormones, a situation which, the editors feel, reflects the p r e s e n t state of research activity and progress in the two fields. N o d o u b t it is because this state of affairs is likely to continue for some time t h a t G. F. MARRIAN, a distinguished steroid biochemist, has been asked to become one of the editors. This is welcome step which will guarantee the continuing high q u a l i t y and a u t h o r i t a t i v e character of the articles on the hormones. The q u a l i t y of the c o n t r i b u t i o n s to the p r e s e n t volume is s o m e w h a t variable. The article b y K. L. BLAXTER on effects of thyroid-active materials in dairy cattle is an o u t s t a n d i n g l y good one. I t is a model of w h a t a review should be: a u t h o r i t a t i v e l y critical, concentrating on essentials, and w r i t t e n so as to sustain the interest of the reader while giving him the firm yet u n o b t r u s i v e guidance which all b u t the specialist needs in the complexities of almost a n y field of c o n t e m p o r a r y science. The article b y R. I. DORFMAN on steroids and tissue oxidations is a trifle disappointing coming from so fine a steroid biochemist. T h o u g h it contains m u c h interesting and recent material on the influence of steroids on tissue enzyme systems, there are too m a n y errors, evidence p e r h a p s of h a s t y revision and m o r e o v e r it ignores recent British work on arginase and p h o s p h a t a s e and on the effects of adrenal corticoids on tissue slices in vitro. F. VERZ/~R writes on the effects of corticoids on the enzymes of c a r b o h y d r a t e m e t a b o l i s m a n d a l t h o u g h some of his interpretations m a y n o t find universal acceptance his article is welcome in t h a t it gives a good account of his conception of the subject. R. BORTH AND H. DE WATTEVILLtg c o n t r i b u t e a useful and refreshingly critical review of the clinical use of h o r m o n e assays in obstetrics and gynaecology which embodies some valuable methodological considerations. The opening of R. F. OGILVlE'S account of experimental glycouria promises an article of more t h a n usual interest b u t the reader soon becomes u n c o m f o r t a b l y aware of the complexities of the subject. A s o m e w h a t more critical and discriminating a p p r o a c h would have p e r h a p s helped here. The necessarily r a t h e r esoteric article by L. T. SAMUELS and C. D. WEST on the intermediary m e t a b o l i s m of the non-benzenoid steroids serves to illustrate the growing complexity of a field in which the r a p i d i t y of progress bewilders all b u t the specialist. The fact t h a t B. H. ERSHOFF'S article on nutrition and the anterior pituitary, which forms some sort of a bridge between the two topics covered b y this annual, is specially orientated t o w a r d s the general a d a p t a t i o n s y n d r o m e is a sign t h a t integration between nutrition and endocrinology m a y be expected t h r o u g h neurophysiology. E. K. CRUIKSHANK contributes a useful s u r v e y of those n e u r o p a t h i e s which are believed to be of dietary origin. E. BEERSTECKER writes a short article on a r a t h e r u n u s u a l subject, the nutrition of crustacea, a speciality on which information appears to be r a t h e r limited. The p u r e l y nutritional articles are completed by a review b y A. E. SOBEL on tile a b s o r p t i o n and t r a n s p o r t of fat-soluble vitamins, which emphasises h o w a b r e a k d o w n in either of these functions can result in v i t a m i n deficiences. The volume as a whole can be c o m m e n d e d t h o u g h t h e reviewer would plead with the editors to do all t h e y can to ensure that, in the future, as m a n y c o n t r i b u t i o n s as possible are w r i t t e n so as to appeal to as wide a circle of readers as possible. S. J. FOLLEY (Shinfield, Reading)
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA
VOL. 11
(~953)
BOOK REVIEWS
Vitamins and Hormones, Advances in Research and Applications. Volume X. Edited by R. S. HARRIS, K. V. THIMANNAND G. F. MARRIAN, Academic Press Inc., New York 1952. Pp. 421. Price 8.00 dollars. W h a t have h o r m o n e s to do w i t h v i t a m i n s a p a r t from the fact t h a t b o t h classes comprise biologically active chemicals essential for cell metabolism and active in the b o d y in small concentrations6 T w e n t y years ago GOWLAND HOPKINS told us t h a t we m u s t "learn to describe in objective chemical t e r m s precisely h o w and where such molecules as those of h o r m o n e s and v i t a m i n s intrude into the chemical events of m e t a b o l i s m " . N o w a d a y s we k n o w more t h a n w h e n those words were w r i t t e n a b o u t h o w some v i t a m i n s influence cell metabolism, b u t so far the m e c h a n i s m of h o r m o n e action r e m a i n s largely a m y s t e r y . P e r h a p s it will transpire t h a t h o r m o n e s and v i t a m i n s will find a meeting place in enzyme systems. Until some such synthesis as this has been achieved the reader (and reviewer) of the a n n u a l issue of "Vitamins and Hormones" m u s t be conscious of something of a d i c h o t o m y a m o n g its contents. T h e m a j o r i t y of the articles in the present volume are concerned with hormones, a situation which, the editors feel, reflects the p r e s e n t state of research activity and progress in the two fields. N o d o u b t it is because this state of affairs is likely to continue for some time t h a t G. F. MARRIAN, a distinguished steroid biochemist, has been asked to become one of the editors. This is welcome step which will guarantee the continuing high q u a l i t y and a u t h o r i t a t i v e character of the articles on the hormones. The q u a l i t y of the c o n t r i b u t i o n s to the p r e s e n t volume is s o m e w h a t variable. The article b y K. L. BLAXTER on effects of thyroid-active materials in dairy cattle is an o u t s t a n d i n g l y good one. I t is a model of w h a t a review should be: a u t h o r i t a t i v e l y critical, concentrating on essentials, and w r i t t e n so as to sustain the interest of the reader while giving him the firm yet u n o b t r u s i v e guidance which all b u t the specialist needs in the complexities of almost a n y field of c o n t e m p o r a r y science. The article b y R. I. DORFMAN on steroids and tissue oxidations is a trifle disappointing coming from so fine a steroid biochemist. T h o u g h it contains m u c h interesting and recent material on the influence of steroids on tissue enzyme systems, there are too m a n y errors, evidence p e r h a p s of h a s t y revision and m o r e o v e r it ignores recent British work on arginase and p h o s p h a t a s e and on the effects of adrenal corticoids on tissue slices in vitro. F. VERZ/~R writes on the effects of corticoids on the enzymes of c a r b o h y d r a t e m e t a b o l i s m a n d a l t h o u g h some of his interpretations m a y n o t find universal acceptance his article is welcome in t h a t it gives a good account of his conception of the subject. R. BORTH AND H. DE WATTEVILLtg c o n t r i b u t e a useful and refreshingly critical review of the clinical use of h o r m o n e assays in obstetrics and gynaecology which embodies some valuable methodological considerations. The opening of R. F. OGILVlE'S account of experimental glycouria promises an article of more t h a n usual interest b u t the reader soon becomes u n c o m f o r t a b l y aware of the complexities of the subject. A s o m e w h a t more critical and discriminating a p p r o a c h would have p e r h a p s helped here. The necessarily r a t h e r esoteric article by L. T. SAMUELS and C. D. WEST on the intermediary m e t a b o l i s m of the non-benzenoid steroids serves to illustrate the growing complexity of a field in which the r a p i d i t y of progress bewilders all b u t the specialist. The fact t h a t B. H. ERSHOFF'S article on nutrition and the anterior pituitary, which forms some sort of a bridge between the two topics covered b y this annual, is specially orientated t o w a r d s the general a d a p t a t i o n s y n d r o m e is a sign t h a t integration between nutrition and endocrinology m a y be expected t h r o u g h neurophysiology. E. K. CRUIKSHANK contributes a useful s u r v e y of those n e u r o p a t h i e s which are believed to be of dietary origin. E. BEERSTECKER writes a short article on a r a t h e r u n u s u a l subject, the nutrition of crustacea, a speciality on which information appears to be r a t h e r limited. The p u r e l y nutritional articles are completed by a review b y A. E. SOBEL on tile a b s o r p t i o n and t r a n s p o r t of fat-soluble vitamins, which emphasises h o w a b r e a k d o w n in either of these functions can result in v i t a m i n deficiences. The volume as a whole can be c o m m e n d e d t h o u g h t h e reviewer would plead with the editors to do all t h e y can to ensure that, in the future, as m a n y c o n t r i b u t i o n s as possible are w r i t t e n so as to appeal to as wide a circle of readers as possible. S. J. FOLLEY (Shinfield, Reading)