416 Book Reviews

biology of G; receptor stimulated GTPase activity of G; specificity of interactions between receptors; signal trans- ducing G of photoreceptors; G mediated signalling in olfaction; G and regulation of ion channels; IP3 and G; Ras and Ras related G; G in growth, differentiation and disease. Increased knowledge of the 3D structure of G and the changes in G function in transformed states had lead to understanding of the domains in G that are functional.

Pathogenesis of Functional Bowel Disease---Edited by W. J. Snape. 368 pp. 1989. Plenum Medical Books, New York. $65.

Abdominal pain, constipation, intestinal irritability, and gut trouble are very common complaints. This book provides a scientific analysis of some of the causes. The topics discussed are; neuronal control of GI motility and visceral pain; psychological factors in GI function; central control of GI transit and motility by brain-gut peptides; effect of diet; disorders of GI resulting from drug treatment; functional disease of the oesophagus; causes of distributed gastric function; small intestine; chronic constipation; irritable colon syndrome; functional bowel disease; abdominal pain and biliary tract dysmotility; anal sphincters; bowel disturb- ance in childhood; surgical treatment. In our life time we put several tons of food, drink and various insults, through our G1 system and it is amazing that it functions as well as it does 24 hr every day.

Aviation Medicine. 2nd edn--R. B. Rayman. 202 pp. 1990. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia. $32.50.

Pilots and those who fly a lot are often subject to physiologi- cal conditions that may lead to illness. This book surveys the different body systems (internal medicine, orthopedics, neu- rology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, cardiology, genito- urinary, dermatology, psychiatry, oncology) with special reference to the incidence of illness in both military and civilian aviators.

Oncogenes--Edited by D. M. Glover and B. D. Hames, 218 pp. 1990. IRL/Oxford University Press, Oxford. $54 paper; $36.

Oncogenes (O) are genes whose abnormal expression or altered gene product directly determines the production of a malignant phenotype. Cellular O are derived from normal cellular genes, the proto-O. Viral O carried by acutely transforming retroviruses are derived from cellular proto-O. The O of DNA tumor viruses have no obvious cellular progenitor. At least 40 proto-O have been identified in the human genome, and only eight have been identified with the occurrence of a disease. The best known are c-abl in chronic myeloid leukemia and c-m.vc in Burkitt's lymphoma. The chapters in this book are on; O and cellular proliferation-- an overview. O at viral integration sites; molecular pathol- ogy of chromosomal abnormalities and cancer genes in human tumors; biochemical functions of O; O of the DNA tumor viruses--their interaction with host proteins. A very useful survey of a rapidly developing subject.

Advances in Mutagenesis Research--Edited by G. Obe. 217 pp. 1990. Springer Verlag, Berlin. DM 148.

This is the first volume in a series on mutagenesis research. The chapters are on; blue cotton assessment of environmen- tal mutagens ]cotton stained with copper phthalocyanine trisulphonate strongly absorbs aromatic compounds having three or a greater number of fused rings]; meiosis; mutagen- mutation in equilibria in the environment; human lympho- cyte micronucleus assay; detection of nuclear acids by ELISA; organization of DNA repair systems; use of short

term genotoxicity tests in risk assessment. An interesting volume on an important subject.

Specialized Drug Delivery Systems; Manufacture and Pro- duction Technology--Edited by P. Tyle. 475pp. 1990. Marcel Dekker, New York. $99.75 (U.S.A. and Canada); $I 19.50 (elsewhere).

A specialized delivery system can provide a drug at lower total dosage; have controlled release; get the drug to the required site; can be patented. This volume describes the techniques used in the manufacture of some specialized delivery systems. The chapters deal with: the gap between research and production; FDA regulations; microencapsula- tion; production of nanoparticles; liposomes: disperse drug delivery systems; hydrogels; multilayer matrix for transder- mal drug delivery; softgels; large scale production of aerosol products. Many of the snags in developing production systems are described.

Topical Drug Delivery Formulations--Edited by D. W. Osborne and A, H. Amann. 420 pp. 1990. Marcel Dekker, New York. $125 (U.S.A. and Canada); $150 (elsewhere).

Nitroglycerin and scopolamine patch systems are widely used for the topical delivery of the drugs via the skin. This volume discusses the problems in transdermal delivery. The chapters are on: vehicle design; epidermal lipids and the stratum corneum barrier; penetration enhancers; immu- nology of the skin; drug formulation; kinetic considerations; phase behavior; drug stability; in vitro testing; solubility parameters; microsponge; liposomes; surfactant colloids; gel dosage forms; use of silicones.

Drug Stability--J. T. Carstensen. 520pp. 1990. Marcel Dekker, New York. $99.75 (U.S.A. and Canada); $I 19.50 (elsewhere); $59.95 on orders of 5 or more copies for classroom use.

Once a drug is formulated it reacts with the excipients (carriers or bulkers) in an individual manner that can affect the drug stability and effectiveness. This volume describes the background to the subject; chemical stability; kinetics of substances in solution; disperse and aggregated systems; solid state stability; effects of moisture; statistical aspects; preformulation; pharmaceutical packaging; physical testing; modus operandi for a stability program. This book should help provide and extend the valid shelf life for most drugs.

Platelet-activating Factor in Endotoxin and Immune Dis- ease--Edited by D. A. Handley, g. N. Saunders, W. J. Houlihan and J. C. Tomesch. 692 pp. 1990. Marcel Dekker, New York. $165 (U.S.A. and Canada); $198 (elsewhere).

Platelet activating factor (PAF) is a labile factor that aggregates blood platelets. Analysis showed that it is a mixture of hexadecyl (PAF-16) and octadecyl (PAF-18) acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholines. PAF is a powerful autocoid mediator of inflammation and plays a role in asthma, pulmonary dysfunction, transplant rejection, sepsis, endotoxin and IgG induced shock, thrombosis, skin aller- gies, retinal and corneal disease, ovimplantation in preg- nancy, and liver cirrhosis. These topics are all fully discussed in the present volume.

Microbial Products; New Approaches--Edited by S. Baum- berg, I. S. Hunter and P. M. Rhodes. 383 pp. 1990. Cam- bridge University Press. Symposium 44, Society for General Microbiology.

The topics included in this volume are: amino acid production; control analysis of growth and productivity;