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Vitamins and hormones. Advances in research and applications. Vol. XVI
BOOK
REVIEWS
303
has been made to other recent reviews for certain aspects of the topics assigned. The results in most cases are justified by readable essays, to a great extend directed toward answering specific biochemical questions. The question might be asked, however, whether this is a satisfactory response to the derision often affected with referIt appears to this reviewer that the basic function ence to “animated bibliographies.” of the Annual Review is to serve as a source of information that escapes most of us in our routine contacts with the original literature. While critical evaluation is very desirable, it seems also desirable that the criticism should be objective, not an invisible censorship. These comments are not intended for the authors of the 21 wellpresented summaries that comprise the volume; they are mentioned only as an attempt to maintain the Annual Review of Biochemistry in its traditional role, in face of the apparent tendency to become another collection of reviews on specialized topics. The article by Popjak on “Biosynthesis of Cholesterol and Related Substances” is an outstanding example of the narrative approach. However, a comparison is unfair to the other authors, for the comprehensive review of this limited topic required only 88 references, of which 36 predated 1956, whereas the topic of “Amino Acid Metabolism” reviewed by Coon and Robinson included 516 references, almost 90% published in 1956-7. A special problem was faced by Tarr, reviewing the “Biochemistry of Fishes” for the first time in 21 years, and a still different one was handled by Stekol, who selected what he considered the “most significant” of the Russian publications. An article on a restricted group of animals may be just,ified by t.he inclusion of information not reported in chemical or metabolic topics, and the correlations may be of use in comparative studies. The only excuse for a catch-all article on Russian biochemistry is that the original papers are not read by most English-speaking scientists. But the biochemical interest in these papers is dependent on the contents, not the language or country of origin. Could not a system of abstracting the Russian literature be followed by sending the summaries to the authors of various sections for inclusion in reviews of scientific subjects? ALAN H. MEHLER,
Bethesda,
Maryland
Vitamins and Hormones. Advances in Research and Applications. Vol. XVI. Edited by ROBERT S. HARRIS, Professor of Biochemistry of Nutrition, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts; G. E. MARRIAN, Professor of Medical Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland; and KENNETH V. THIMANX, Professor of Plant Physiology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Academic Press Inc., New York, N. Y., 1958. xi + 437 pp. Price $11.60. This is the latest volume of the series which was started in 1943 and is published annually. The editors in their preface again set forth their goal of high standards of scope and critical judgment, and once more they have succeeded admirably. The breadth of coverage attained in this volume can be seen from a perusal of the contents. The contributions are about equally divided between the two fields of vitamins and hormones, there being four articles on the former and five on the latter. The articles concerned with vitamins deal with such topics as “Nutritional Effects of Parasitic Infections and Disease” (Q. M. Geiman), “The Dependence of Gonadal Functions upon Vitamins and Other Nutritional Factors” (C. Lutwak-Mann), and Chemical Structure in Relation to Biological Activities of Vitamin B6)’ (E. E. Snell).
304
BOOK
REVIEWS
There are two articles on the relationship of vitamins or hormones to cardiovascular disease: “Vitamins and Other Nutrients in Cardiovascular Disease” (W. C. Felch, L. Sinisterra, T. B. Van Itallie, and F. J. Stare) and “Hormonal Aspects of Coronary Artery Disease” (M. F. Oliver and G. S. Boyd); and there are two articles relating to hormones of digestion and metabolism: “The Physiology of Secretin” (M. I. Grossman) and “Glucagon” (0. K. Behrens and W. W. Bromer). Also in the field of hormones, there are two topics which greatly needed summation, one because of the timeliness of recent advances in a rapidly developing field, “Synthetic Derivatives of Cortical Hormones” (J. Fried and A. Borman), and the other because of the importance of a long-established pituitary hormone which, despite its clinical familiarity, nonetheless still holds many special problems for the investigator, “The Chemistry and Physiology of the Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone” (M. Sonenberg). Snell, in his article on vitamin B, or pyridoxal phosphate, has pointed out that the “relationship between structure and function of physiologically important comHis discussion should not be overpounds poses a major problem in biochemistry.” looked, for it opens the way for future developments in the field of vitamin studies. In many respects, this volume excels in the timeliness of its topics. The review of the physiology of secretin appears at a time when the purification and characterieation of the hormone have become the focus of active interest and investigation; for example, see Biochem. J. 71, 6P (1959); Federation Proc. 18, 226 (1959). The editors have pointed out the timeliness of the articles on cardiovascular disease. The chapter on thyroid-stimulating hormone represents a much-needed summary of the current status of this hormone which still needs so much investigation; however, the chapter is concerned chiefly with physiological properties, and this reviewer misses a critical evaluation with respect to the chemical aspects of this hormone; in a 42-page article, only four pages were devoted to chemistry. To this reviewer, however, the outstanding feature of the present volume of Vitumins and, Hormones is the article by Fried and Borman on synthetic derivatives of cortical hormones. In recent years, one of the most spectacular developments in chemical endocrinology is the modification of the molecular structure of steroid hormones to enhance their biological activity. Through the tremendous efforts of the pharmaceutical laboratories devoted to the furtherance of this development, we now have commercially available modified steroid compounds (for example, &methylprednisolone) which possess six times or more the anti-inflammatory activity of the native hormone, cortisol, and yet which possess a minimal sodium-retention activity, one of the undesirable side effects. This, the longest article in the volume (67 pages with 169 references), represents a thorough and valuable treatment of the subject. CHOH HAO LI, Berkeley,
California
Immunity and Virus Infection. Symposium held at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, May 1-2, 1958. Edited by VICTOR A. NAJJAR, Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. John Wiley & Sons, New York, N. Y., 1959. 262 pp. Price $10.50. The editor states in his preface that this collection of papers represents an effort to bring together “two interdependent but widely separated disciplines.” The title, furthermore, suggests that the important interrelationships between the two disciplines may have been the guiding principle in selecting and arranging the material
REVIEWS
303
has been made to other recent reviews for certain aspects of the topics assigned. The results in most cases are justified by readable essays, to a great extend directed toward answering specific biochemical questions. The question might be asked, however, whether this is a satisfactory response to the derision often affected with referIt appears to this reviewer that the basic function ence to “animated bibliographies.” of the Annual Review is to serve as a source of information that escapes most of us in our routine contacts with the original literature. While critical evaluation is very desirable, it seems also desirable that the criticism should be objective, not an invisible censorship. These comments are not intended for the authors of the 21 wellpresented summaries that comprise the volume; they are mentioned only as an attempt to maintain the Annual Review of Biochemistry in its traditional role, in face of the apparent tendency to become another collection of reviews on specialized topics. The article by Popjak on “Biosynthesis of Cholesterol and Related Substances” is an outstanding example of the narrative approach. However, a comparison is unfair to the other authors, for the comprehensive review of this limited topic required only 88 references, of which 36 predated 1956, whereas the topic of “Amino Acid Metabolism” reviewed by Coon and Robinson included 516 references, almost 90% published in 1956-7. A special problem was faced by Tarr, reviewing the “Biochemistry of Fishes” for the first time in 21 years, and a still different one was handled by Stekol, who selected what he considered the “most significant” of the Russian publications. An article on a restricted group of animals may be just,ified by t.he inclusion of information not reported in chemical or metabolic topics, and the correlations may be of use in comparative studies. The only excuse for a catch-all article on Russian biochemistry is that the original papers are not read by most English-speaking scientists. But the biochemical interest in these papers is dependent on the contents, not the language or country of origin. Could not a system of abstracting the Russian literature be followed by sending the summaries to the authors of various sections for inclusion in reviews of scientific subjects? ALAN H. MEHLER,
Bethesda,
Maryland
Vitamins and Hormones. Advances in Research and Applications. Vol. XVI. Edited by ROBERT S. HARRIS, Professor of Biochemistry of Nutrition, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts; G. E. MARRIAN, Professor of Medical Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland; and KENNETH V. THIMANX, Professor of Plant Physiology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Academic Press Inc., New York, N. Y., 1958. xi + 437 pp. Price $11.60. This is the latest volume of the series which was started in 1943 and is published annually. The editors in their preface again set forth their goal of high standards of scope and critical judgment, and once more they have succeeded admirably. The breadth of coverage attained in this volume can be seen from a perusal of the contents. The contributions are about equally divided between the two fields of vitamins and hormones, there being four articles on the former and five on the latter. The articles concerned with vitamins deal with such topics as “Nutritional Effects of Parasitic Infections and Disease” (Q. M. Geiman), “The Dependence of Gonadal Functions upon Vitamins and Other Nutritional Factors” (C. Lutwak-Mann), and Chemical Structure in Relation to Biological Activities of Vitamin B6)’ (E. E. Snell).
304
BOOK
REVIEWS
There are two articles on the relationship of vitamins or hormones to cardiovascular disease: “Vitamins and Other Nutrients in Cardiovascular Disease” (W. C. Felch, L. Sinisterra, T. B. Van Itallie, and F. J. Stare) and “Hormonal Aspects of Coronary Artery Disease” (M. F. Oliver and G. S. Boyd); and there are two articles relating to hormones of digestion and metabolism: “The Physiology of Secretin” (M. I. Grossman) and “Glucagon” (0. K. Behrens and W. W. Bromer). Also in the field of hormones, there are two topics which greatly needed summation, one because of the timeliness of recent advances in a rapidly developing field, “Synthetic Derivatives of Cortical Hormones” (J. Fried and A. Borman), and the other because of the importance of a long-established pituitary hormone which, despite its clinical familiarity, nonetheless still holds many special problems for the investigator, “The Chemistry and Physiology of the Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone” (M. Sonenberg). Snell, in his article on vitamin B, or pyridoxal phosphate, has pointed out that the “relationship between structure and function of physiologically important comHis discussion should not be overpounds poses a major problem in biochemistry.” looked, for it opens the way for future developments in the field of vitamin studies. In many respects, this volume excels in the timeliness of its topics. The review of the physiology of secretin appears at a time when the purification and characterieation of the hormone have become the focus of active interest and investigation; for example, see Biochem. J. 71, 6P (1959); Federation Proc. 18, 226 (1959). The editors have pointed out the timeliness of the articles on cardiovascular disease. The chapter on thyroid-stimulating hormone represents a much-needed summary of the current status of this hormone which still needs so much investigation; however, the chapter is concerned chiefly with physiological properties, and this reviewer misses a critical evaluation with respect to the chemical aspects of this hormone; in a 42-page article, only four pages were devoted to chemistry. To this reviewer, however, the outstanding feature of the present volume of Vitumins and, Hormones is the article by Fried and Borman on synthetic derivatives of cortical hormones. In recent years, one of the most spectacular developments in chemical endocrinology is the modification of the molecular structure of steroid hormones to enhance their biological activity. Through the tremendous efforts of the pharmaceutical laboratories devoted to the furtherance of this development, we now have commercially available modified steroid compounds (for example, &methylprednisolone) which possess six times or more the anti-inflammatory activity of the native hormone, cortisol, and yet which possess a minimal sodium-retention activity, one of the undesirable side effects. This, the longest article in the volume (67 pages with 169 references), represents a thorough and valuable treatment of the subject. CHOH HAO LI, Berkeley,
California
Immunity and Virus Infection. Symposium held at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, May 1-2, 1958. Edited by VICTOR A. NAJJAR, Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. John Wiley & Sons, New York, N. Y., 1959. 262 pp. Price $10.50. The editor states in his preface that this collection of papers represents an effort to bring together “two interdependent but widely separated disciplines.” The title, furthermore, suggests that the important interrelationships between the two disciplines may have been the guiding principle in selecting and arranging the material