204 Book reviews

Hepatic encephalopathy in chronic fiver failure--edited by L. CAPOCACCIA, J. E. FISCHER and F. ROSSI-FANELLI. 398pp. 1984. Plenum Press, New York. $65.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a syndrome of malfunction of the CNS in the presence of liver disease. The patient may show loss of judgement, disturbance of day/night rhythm, an inability to deal with normal social events, and changes in the EEG. At one time HE was considered to be due to the effect of ammonia and glutamine on the CNS.

There is a reasonable correlation between the concen- trations of glutamine in the CSF and the severity of the observed symptoms, but this view is now thought to be too simple and HE is better considered as the reactions of the CNS to the presence of excess metabolites resulting from liver failure. During HE there is an accumulation of mer- captans, fatty acids, amino acids (glutamate), and phenols, and an increased sensitivity of the GABA and dopamine receptors in the CNS Bromocriptine has been used as a treatment for chronic, but not acute HE. Another proposed treatment for the liver damage is the administration of branched chain amino acids (valine, leucine, isoleucine).

This multi-authored volume is the published proceedings of a symposium held in Italy and provides a good account of the interaction between liver damage and neurological and psychological disorders. It also raises the more general problem of the extent to which some psychological dis- turbances are due to malfunction of the liver and gut metabolism, and hypersensitivity of the CNS to the excess metabolites.

Biological responses in cancer, Volume 2--edited by E. MIHICH. 245pp. 1984. Plenum Press, New York. $39.50.

This volume contains reviews on: Transforming growth factors produced by viral-transformed and human tumor cells; Heterogeneities of human interferons; Inhibition of carcinogenic process and of expression of the neoplastic phenotype; Proliferation and differentiation control mech- anisms in myeloid leukemia; Regulation of natural killer cell activity; Lymphocyte transfer for cancer therapy, prerequi- sites for the efficacy and the use of long term cultures T lymphocytes; Application of MAb to autologous bone marrow transplantation; Bone marrow transplantation for neoplasia in man.

Each review is fairly concise and gives a clear picture of the present state of the topic. These annual review volumes are a valuable contribution to the subject.

Blood vessels and lymphatics in organ systems--edited by D. I. ABRAMSON and P. B. DOBRIN. 771pp. 1981. Academic Press, Orlando. $89.

Twenty years have passed since the previous volume edited by Abramson on blood vessels and lymphatics. Since then there have been increased EM studies, better injection techniques and more workers studying these systems so that we know about the vascular network to the pineal, para- thyroids, pancreas, adrenals, adipose tissue and special senses. After an initial description of the general properties of blood vessels, lymphatics, micro-circulation, and the biomechanics of arteries and veins, the systems supplying the body organs are described. The organs are CNS, brain, spinal cord, special senses; endocrine system, pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, parathyroid, pineal; heart, lungs, oesophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, kidney, repro- ductive organs, urinary tract, skin, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, bones, spleen and bone marrow.

There are 87 expert contributors to the 21 chapters and the volume is a well documented and illustrated guide to what is at present known about blood vessels and lymphatic supply to the organs.

Asthma: physiology, immunopharmacology and treatment-- edited by A. B. KAY, K. F. AUSTEN and L. M. LICHTENSTEIN. 442pp. 1984. Academic Press, London. £49.

The Third International Symposium on Asthma was held in Oxford and this volume contains the published papers. Things are getting complicated. There are probably several different types of mast cells and they can release slow reacting substance (SRS), leukotrienes C4 and B4, 5-monohydroxy eicosate tetraenoic acid (5 HETE), PGD2, platelet activating factor (PAF - AGEPC = acetyl glyceryl ether phosphoryl choline), histamine, heparin proteoglycan, and tryptase. Other cells such as the T lymphocytes, baso- phils, neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages all seem to take part in the reactions leading to asthma. The roles of these cells and substances are fully discussed in this volume.

Hypertension; physiological basis and treatment--edited by H. H. ONG and J. C. LEWlS. 327pp. 1984. Academic Press, Orlando. $35.

This volume is a rapid manuscript reproduction of a Hoechst Roussel Research Symposium. The topics reviewed are: Central neural and humoral regulation of arterial pressure in hypertension; Biochemical and physiological aspects of the renin-angiotensin system; Hypertensive mechanisms with special emphasis on NaCl-related essential hypertension; Vasodilators in hypertension; Chemical phar- macology of calcium channel antagonists; Calcium channel blockers as a new therapeutic concept, cardiovascular phys- iology and clinical applications. New findings are: the discovery that the anteroventral third ventricle region (AV3V) plays a major role in interfacing the neurohumoral aspects of cardiovascular control with fluid electrolyte bal- ance. The differences in the renin profile and the response to drugs indicates the heterogeneity of hypertensive diseases. There are advantages in using the vasoconstriction volume model to analyse human hypertensive phenomena. In some cases of essential hypertension NaC1 accumulation in the body is followed by arteriolar narrowing and a resetting of the regulatory system. Potassium salts can have a protective role. Slow-channel calcium blockers dilate the smooth mus- cle vasculature and these compounds (Nifedine, Verapamil and Diltiazem) and newer drugs could be potent agents for the treatment of arrthmias, angina and hypertension.

Aphrodisiacs; the science and the myth--by PETER V. TABER- NER. 276pp. 1985. Croom Helm, Beckenham. £19.95.

Many chemicals have been tried, and the author surveys the field of amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine, opium, nicotine, LSD, khat, testosterone, yohimbine, strychnine, LHRH, dopamine, 5HT, pheromones, rhinoceros horn, spanish fly, mandrake root and alcohol. After a thorough search of the literature, history, pharmacology and mythology, the con- clusion is reached that although a moderate dose of alcohol is possibly the best general aphrodisiac, it is possible that future development of pheromones may produce something more potent. This book is recommended bed-time reading.

Risk Watch; the odds of fife, Facts on File--by JOHN URQUHART and KLAUS HEILMANN. 214pp. 1984. New York. $16.95

In the USA there are 50,000 deaths per year from auto- mobile accidents half of which are attributable to drunk drivers. This means that in 25 years a million people have been killed on the road, but more attention is given on TV and in the Press to the dangers of nuclear power stations. Cigarette smoking is responsible for half a million pre- mature deaths a year from lung cancer and heart disease in the USA. This is equivalent to three fully loaded 747