Book Reviews 765

stimulation including magnetic stimulation and transynaptic collision. There are two appendices: (1) paired pulse stimu- lation of axon bundles; fields of excitation; (2) practical notes for brain stimulators. The book has interesting prac- tical advice especially in relation to stimulating selected axon bundles in the whole in situ brain.

oral morphine; sublingual O; transdermal O; transnasal O; rectal O; controlled release O tablets in chronic pain; patient controlled analgesia; prevention of postreanimation encephalopathy; acute pain; systemic O in cancer pain. The book is a good summary of the current clinical use of O.

A Researcher's Guide to Scientific and Medical Illustrations ~ M . H. Briscoe. 209 pp. 1990. Springer, New York. Paper DM 38.

All of us have been at lectures where we could not read the slides because too much information was crammed in the tables or the graphs were badly drawn and presented. This book tells you how to prepare the graphs, diagrams, illus- trations and tables for slides, research papers and theses. It also tells how to draw the figures, how to use computer print outs, and what not to do. It should be compulsory reading (and learning) for everyone; failure to do so should be attending terrible presentation lectures for eternity.

Molecular Mechanisms of Hormone Action. Vol. 40--Edited by U. Gehring, E. Helmreich and G. Schultz. Mosbach Colloquim. 204 pp. 1989. Springer, Berlin. DMI12.

The topics reviewed in this volume are: mode of action of steroid hormones; [action on DNA; receptors; transactiva- tion of MMTV; thyroid hormone; glucocorticoid receptor; oncogenes and peptide hormones; tyrosine kinase activation and casein kinase II]; gene coding for G proteins; ras oncogene; G protein activation; transducin; PI3 and the retina; hormonal regulation of phospholipases; regulation of ionic channels; muscle calcium channel; G proteins and calcium channels; multiple roles of G proteins; hormonal regulation of isoforms of guanylate cyclase; catecholamine receptors. The reviews are concise and informative.

The Epilepsies; Diagnosis and Management--E. Niedermeyer. 419 pp. 1990. Urban & Schwartzenberg, Baltimore. $65.

Epilepsy (E) is not a disease but an abnormal reaction of the brain. There are many causes and the occurence is one case per 200 of the population. This book provides a thorough and readable survey of the subject. It deals with basic mechanisms; EEG; types of E seizures; a etiology; neonatal seizures; E syndromes; focal E; triggering mechanisms; status epilepticus; E and migraine; psychiatric aspects; clinical evaluations; differential diagnosis; faked E; pharma- cotherapy; barbiturates; phenytoin; carbamazepine; val- proate; benzodiazepines; general treatment of E; surgical treatment; therapy, management and prognosis.

Arterial Chemoreceptors--Edited by C. Eyzaguirre, S. J. Fidone, R. S. Fitzgerald, S. Lahiri and D. M. McDonald. 475 pp. 1990. Springer, New York, DMI38.

The 63 edited papers presented here are based on the symposium held in Utah in September 1988. The carotid and aortic bodies respond to decreases in oxygen, increases in carbon dioxide and hydrogen ions, changes in tonicity of the blood either after dehydration or water loading. The glomus cells contain and release multiple transmitters (ACh, DA, NA, 5HT, Substance P, tachykinins, enkephalins, adenosine) and also have autoreceptors for these same transmitters. There are several receptor subtypes so that one subtype can be insensitive to exogenously applied trans- mitters or blockers but the other subtypes will respond to endogenous transmitters. The reflexes originating from the peripheral chemoreceptors have been traced through the brain stem. These and topics are discussed in the present volume and provide a good account of the research front.

The Lung in Rheumatic Diseases--Edited by G. W. Cannon and G. A. Zimmerman. 545 pp. 1990. Marcel Dekker, New York. $125 (U.S.A. & Canada), $150 (elsewhere).

Although the lung's main function is gas exchange, it is an easily accessible tissue through lavage and biopsy and so the changes in the lung connective tissue can be fairly easily investigated. Alveolar macrophages, platelets, lymphocytes and epithelial cells are activated by infection and can give off fibronectins, leukotriene B4, growth factors PDGF and TGF, collagen fragments and complement components. The fibronectins attract fibroblasts which migrate to the source, attach, orientate, recruit and proliferate, forming a connec- tive tissue disorder. This volume discusses the interactions between lung and connective tissue disorders. The chapters deal with: pathogenesis of airways, alveolar and interstitial lesions; pleural effusions and lesions; functional evaluation of airways, lung, vessel and ventilating muscles; chest radiography and other imaging techniques; lung biopsy, lavage and gallium scanning; lung pathology; plumonary infections; rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary disease; systemic lupus erythematosus; systemic sclerosis; inflamma- tory muscle disease; systemic vasculitis; pulmonary manifes- tations of other rheumatic diseases; pulmonary reactions induced by antirheumatic drugs; cystic fibrosis; hyper- trophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy complex; sarcoidosis. It illustrates the way in which the different systems of the body are interlinked and interactive.

Research in Medicine; a Guide to Writing a Thesis in the Medical Sciences--G, Murrell, C. Huang and H. Ellis. 105 pp. 1990. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. $39.50, paper $13.95.

Opioid Analgesia. Recent Advances in Systemic Adminis- tration-Edited by C. Benedetti, C. R. Chapman and G. Giron. Advances in Pain Research and Therapy. Vol. 14. 466 pp. 1990. Raven Press, New York. $98.

This volume was organized to celebrate the 70th birthday of John J. Bonica. The chapters are on; a history of opium (O) and its derivatives; O receptors and mechanism of action; multiple O receptors; functional plasticity of O peptides; O-monoamine interactions; drug disposition; pharmaco- kinetics and pharmacodynamics; tailored infusion of O;

Many medical graduates are unsure whether to do research or not. This book will help answer some of their questions as well as providing help in how to set about writing a thesis. The main chapters are on; why do research?; reading for a research degree; applying for research positions; research supervisors and projects; the first phase, getting started; the second phase, frustration; the third phase, as results arrive; the fourth phase, writing the thesis; scientific writing; assembling the thesis; submitting the thesis. The book will be useful and interesting to most science graduates thinking about research, the results of which will involve writing a thesis.