William R. Best

Metabolism of Human Leukocytes in vitro V. Inhibition by Human Serum of Formate and Glycine Incorporation.

Summary The presence of one or more chemical substances in normal and pathological human sera capable of decreasing the rate of incorporation of formate and glycine into human leukemic leukocytes in vitro has been shown. Human leukemia sera as a group demonstrated a slightly subnormal inhibitor activity.

Controversies in Clinical Care

I believe the editors were trying to achieve the following objectives in soliciting the papers of this volume: (1) to focus on a number of important areas in medicine in which controversy over treatment still exists despite many published studies; (2) to distill key unanswered, specific questions out of these broader areas of therapeutic controversy; (3) to review salient features of design as well as published results relative to the better of relevant studies; (4) to critique these studies in terms of the suitability of experimental design and the consequent clinical believability of results; (5) to arrive at tentative recommendations relative to clinical practice; and (6) to make specific suggestions for experimental clinical studies to resolve lingering controversies. The component papers are all interesting and well written, but not uniform in their emphasis. The broad clinical areas covered and the scope of individual reviews (identified by the aforementioned numbers) are

Current Therapy 1980: Latest Approved Methods of Treatment for the Practicing Physician

This is the latest edition of a compendium that has followed the same format for the past 32 years. Each year, the editor and consulting editors assign more than 280 diseases to a new panel of experts, none of whom covers more than one condition. Thus, each topic is new each year, giving the personal practices and preferences of the current authority. Emphasis may differ from the previous year, but a strong thread of recommendations is carried throughout. The average length of articles is 3 1/2 pages. Emphasis in each is primarily on treatment, including the general approach to management, drug therapy, surgery, and radiology. The old and the new are considered thoughtfully, and specific recommendations are usually given. Prevention is often emphasized. No references are cited. The breadth and depth of coverage are appropriate to the problems of the generalist or the specialist outside of his usual realm. It

Fundamentals of Clinical Hematology

There are now available a number of good texts in hematology. In reviewing this new edition of one such, I ask myself, For whom is it particularly suited? What is unique about this? It is quite satisfactory—readable, balanced, soundly based, and well documented. It covers the field from the clinical standpoint, is well organized and indexed. Selected case histories give the flavor of clinical practice and insights into decisions of workup and treatment. Morphologic illustrations are minimal but good. There are selected references to slides in commercially available filmstrips on morphologic hematology. This volume can be recommended for student, resident, or practitioner. There is little on laboratory methodology, however, so it is of less appeal to the technician. Hematology has shown continued strides, and it is a real chore for an author to update from edition to edition—there is usually a five- or six-year gap between. Perhaps the thing which

Regulation of Hematopoiesis, vol 1, Red Cell Production; vol 2, White Cell and Platelet Production

ABSTRACT From time to time a book will be published which is widely accepted as the bible in a particular field of endeavor. Wintrobes Clinical Hematology has enjoyed such status among clinical hematologists for some years. I believe the present set deserves a parallel position with the research hematologist.This is a scholarly review and discussion of modern research techniques that have helped elucidate the development, fine structure, biochemistry, function, kinetics, and control of erythrocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, and platelets. There are still many unanswered questions. The inquisitive mind can find in these volumes numerous ideas to pursue and the tools for such pursuit. Sixtythree leading investigators contribute 58 chapters under ten general subject headings. There is some redundancy, as one might expect with multiple contributors. A number of pertinent charts, tables, and photomicrographs illustrate these topics. Each chapter has an extensive, pertinent, and contemporary bibliography. In a final chapter

The Thymus. Its Role in Immune Responses, Leukaemia Development and Carcinogenesis, vol 5.

The thymus, long considered a useless vestige, has in recent years become significant. It is an exciting renaissance involving cytokinetics, humoral control, immune response, autoimmunity, leukemia, and carcinogenesis. Metcalf, a solid contributor to this knowledge, assembles critical observations from his and other laboratories and constructs a concise account of present knowledge and thinking about this organ. In this account, the unfolding of perceptive hypotheses and ingenious experiments is as fascinating as are the individual items of knowledge, per se. The thymus consists of a loose framework of epithelial and reticulum cells (arising from local anlage) in which dense aggregates of lymphoid cells (arising largely from other body sites) are found. Intense mitotic activity occurs in lymphocytes adjacent to some framework cells. About 99% of lymphocytes die in situ after an intrathymic lifespan of three or four days. Despite this graveyard function, the thymus appears important in regulation of lymphocyte levels

Pathology of Leukemia.

Pathologists and clinicians who must deal with leukemia will find this volume of interest. It is profusely illustrated, and most photographs and photomicrographs are of excellent quality. Based on a good deal of personal experience and an extensive literature review, the author presents the postmortem findings in various types of leukemia as they occurred in the past and as they now are modified by treatment regimens. In addition, much attention is given to common complications of the disease and the powerful drugs employed. Cooperating authors have contributed special chapters on electron microscopy, histochemical enzymology, cytogenetics, and hemorrhagic tendencies. Large, clear, well-labeled electron photomicrographs are shown and described. The chapter on histochemical enzymology can serve as a manual for those who would dabble in this area. It is interesting that despite investigation of more than 30 types of enzymes in leukemia, the author finds no others which seem as strikingly related

Bone Marrow Reactions

The author, professor of anatomy at the University of Bristol, has been engaged for many years in the quantitative study of hematopoiesis, generally employing as a model the healthy 400-gm male guinea pig. His ultimate goal is to describe hematopoiesis through a number of suitable equations. This monograph reviews his progress to date. He evolved a basic quantitative technique for estimating in an animal the total number of marrow cells of various types. Marrow reactions to certain stresses have been investigated. During the first 48 hours after hypoxia, there is an accelerated release of reticulocytes, followed by erythroid hyperplasia. Typhoid vaccine was administered intravenously to study neutrophilic reactions. There is normally a large granulocytic reserve which can be rapidly replenished. The neutrophil has a short life in the circulation. Chapters are devoted to eosinophil, basophil, and lymphocyte under various stresses. While the volume indicates awareness of work done by others,

Blood and Body Functions

The physician concerned with hematologic disorders is strongly oriented towards those functions of the blood which may be grossly altered in these diseases, but he gives little thought to many other functions. This little volume is of interest, since it concisely reviews a good part of existing knowledge regarding all blood functions, including fluid balance, oxygen, transport, cellular defense against infection, humoral defense, hemostasis, temperature regulation, and the transport of foodstuffs, metabolites, vitamins, enzymes, and waste products. Topics of greatest emphasis are fluid balance and blood coagulation. The style is expository, with quantitation where appropriate. There are 44 chapters, most of them four to eight pages in length. General organization is adequate but could be better. References are at the bottoms of pages and include particularly initial articles, selected references of interest to the author, and some current items. He has relied heavily on the Biological Handbook (1961) and Wintrobes

Abnormal Haemoglobins in Africa: A Symposium Organized by the Council for International Organization of Medical Sciences Established Under the Joint Auspices of UNESCO & WHO

In this symposium, the subjects discussed included hemoglobinopathies, thalassemia, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiencies as they occur throughout the world, with particular emphasis on Africa. About 75% of the 38 participants are based in Africa, and their investigations represent a high level of sophistication. There is less redundancy than is found in many symposia; but, as is often the case, the individual papers do not readily combine into a comprehensive and cohesive whole. Nonetheless, this will be a valuable reference in this field, for it contains thoughtful, well-documented reviews as well as primary reports of interest. Biochemistry, pathology, clinical features, laboratory methods, and genetics are considered. The evidence that protection against falciparum malaria in younger age groups tends to maintain the gene for S hemoglobin in African populations is strong indeed; and there is suggestive but less convincing evidence that this same disease is responsible for the persistence of genes for