512 Book Reviews

involved can be the superoxide anion, or the perhydroxy, hydroxyl, alkoxy, peroxy, radicals. Antioxidants defence systems can involve alpha tocopherol, ascorbate, flavonoids, beta carotene, urate, plasma proteins, SOD, QSH peroxi- dases, catalase, GSSH reductase, and many other chemicals. This multiauthor volume discusses radiolysis of DNA, organic peroxy free radicals, hydroperoxides and thiol oxidants, quinone induced oxidative injuries, nitrosoureas, antimalarials, hypoxic and hyperoxic stress, the role of diet, calcium movement, mixed disulphides, lipid peroxidation, red cell oxidative damage, neutrophil granulocytes, CNS damage, inflammation and tumor promotion in the skin.

This book links together many instances of cell and tissues damage with the underlying biochemical lesion of oxidative stress and so gives greater understanding of many clinical signs and symptoms.

Phosphate and Mineral Metabolism--Edited by S. G. Massry, G. Maschio and E. Ritz. Advances in Experimental Medicine & Biology, Vol. 178. 485 pp. 1984. Plenum Press, New York. US$69.50.

The roles of phosphate, calcium and magnesium are dis- cussed in this Sympsium held in Verona. The main sections are: renal handling of phosphate; calcium and magnesium transport; intestinal absorption of phosphate and calcium; topics on bone; minerals, parathyroid hormone and blood pressure; minerals and myopathies; clinical topics; NMR study of phosphorus metabolism; NMR in nephrology.

Psychiatry; The State of the Art--Edited by P. Pichot, P. Berner, R. Wolf and K. Thau. Plenum Press. New York. Vol. 2: Biological Psychiatry; Higher Nervous Activity. 951 pp. 1985. US$95. Vol. 3: Pharmacopsychiatry. 849 pp. 1985. US$87.50. Vol. 4: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine. 524 pp. 1985. US$65.

These volumes are the published proceedings of the pleniary sessions and symposia of the VII World Congress of Psychiatry held in Vienna in 1983. Eight volumes are pub- lished, the other ones being: 1. Clinical Psychopathology; nomenclature and classification. 5. Child and adolescent psychiatry; mental retardation, geriatric psychiatry. 6. Drug depedence and alcoholism: forensic psychiatry; militiary psychiatry. 7. Epidemiology and community psychiatry. 8. History of psychiatry, national schools, education, trans- cultural psychiatry.

Volume 2 contains papers on peptides, MAO inhibitors, serotonin, serine-glycine metabolism, dopamine, steroids, neuroendocrine disturbances, positron emission tomog- raphy, sleep, mania, lithium, extrapyramidal disturbance, movement disorders, tardive dyskinesia, ECT, cerebro- vascular disease, anorexia nervosa, stress, biofeedback and conditioning, and psychosurgery.

Volume 3 discusses the cholinergic basis of memory, behavioural effects of vasopressin treatment, tyramine pres- sor test, effects of carbamazepine, Bupropion a new anti- depressant, and sections on the use of trazadone, pirlindole, lithium, valproate, GABA, benzodiazepines, benzamides.

Volume 4 deals with new paradigms in psychotherapy, mood and emotion, biofeedback, anorexia nervosa, pain, and cultural effects.

Many other topics are discussed in these volumes and the reader will find much of interest concerning the role of metabolic disorders, drugs, neurological damage, and social interaction in the analysis and treatment of psychological malfunctions.

Membrane Fluidity--Edited by M. Kates and L. A. Manson. Biomembranes, Vol. 12. 693 pp. 1984. Plenum Press, New York. US$85.

The aim of the present volume is to bring together current research and opinions on membrane fluidity. The chapters deal with the following topics. Physical studies of membrane fluidity. Thermal analysis of membranes. Fluorescence polarization studies of membranes. Where do we go from here? Conformation and motional properties of lipids in membranes as determined by deuterium magnetic reson- ance. Fluidity of membranes in the presence of drugs and inhibitors. Lipid bilayer stability. Membrane lipid fluidity and phase state in relation to bacterial and mycoplasma growth at various temperatures. Thermal control of fatty acid synthetases in bacteria. Regulation of membrane fluidity in bacteria by acyl chain length changes. Control of membrane fluidity in plasmalogen-containing anaerobic bacteria. Regulation of membrane fluidity by lipid de- saturases. Regulation of membrane fluidity in Tetrahymena. Control of membrane fluidity in Fusarium. Regulation of hepatic phospholipid n-methylation. Fluidity of membrane lipids. Membrane lipid adaptation in yeasts. Dynamic state of membrane lipids. Role of phospholipid head group structure and polarity in control of membrane fusion. Membrane fluidity and receptor function. Glycosphingo- lipid domain formation and lymphocyte activation. Dynam- ics of membrane lipids during lymphocyte stimulation by mitogens. Membrane permeability in malignant porcine hyperthermia.

The volume provides a very good summary that will help biochemists, physiologists and pharmacologists understand the role of lipid fluidity in membrane function and cell activity.

Models for Biomedical Research. A New Perspective. 180 pp. 1985. National Academy Press, Washington. US$22.25 paperback.

This is the report of the committee requested by NIH to review invertebrate, non mammalian, in vitro mathematical and chemical model systems of use in biomedical research. In some ways it is the fight-back of workers interested in the scientific basis of biology and medicine against the research snobs and scientific politicians (big wheels) who tend to dominate the research committees and granting authorities. The latter have established a hierarchical pecking order so that research is "better" carried out on humans > monkeys > dogs > cats > rats > anything else. An indication of this attitude is that the "squid" is sometimes given the status of an "honorary mammal"!

This book shows that much of the praised and publicised present work on say, embryo splitting was carried out initially 50 years ago on sea urchin and frog eggs, and that the embryo implant experiments were carried out on rabbits three decades before they were carried out on women.

It is probable that the biochemical and physiological systems used by all present day animal cells were established at least a billion years ago and it should be no suprise that the existence of similar enzymes and proteins in man, fishes, Drosophila, worms and protozoa, will be mirrored by the existence of similar DNA and genes in all these animal cells. As hospital patients learn to object to experiments being carried out on them; as Insurance companies refuse to pro- tect clinicians from malpractice suites; as anti-vivisectionists war against experiments on mammals and vertebrates; so the fundamental research on living systems in invertebrates and tissue culture described in this book, will be financially supported.