Book review

Let Them Eat Precaution. Jon Entine, ed. 2006. American Enterprise Institute Press. 203 pp.

Techno‐Cultural Evolution. Cycles of Creation and Conflict. William McDonald Wallace. Washington DC: Potomac Books, Inc.     

Chairman's opening statement

Evolution. By Theodosius Dobzhansky, Francisco Ayala, James W. Valentine, and G. Ledyard Stebbins. W. H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, 1977. 572 pp. $15.95.

Family Formation Patterns and Health: An International Collaborative Study in India, Iran, Lebanon, Philippines, and Turkey. World Health Organization, Geneva, 1976. ISBN‐92–4‐156053–3. Available from WHO Publications Centre USA, 9 Sheridan Avenue, Albany, New York 12210. $62 pp. $20.00.     

Film Reviews

The Island Hills. 16 mm, sound, colour, all parts 8 min each. Photographed and directed by F. G. Hollands. Produced by Rank Educational Films, 1966

La Vie des Euglenes. 16 mm, sound, colour, 14 min, English commentary. Produced by Laboratoire d'Evolution des Etres Organises (Faculte des Sciences de Paris)

The Fox. 16 mm, sound, colour, 11 min. (£1. 5s. for hire)

The Weasel. 16 mm, sound, colour, 12 min. (£2 for hire)

Plants and Animals. 16 mm, sound, colour, 9 min. (£1. 5s. for hire). All produced by Yugoslavia Films     

Essay review

Crocodilian Biology and Evolution, edited by Gordon C. Grigg, Frank Seebacher, and Craig E. Franklin, 2001. Surrey Beatty and Sons (43 Rickard Road, Chipping Norton 2170 NSW, Australia), x+446p. ISBN 0-949-324 89-2 (hardback), Aust$99     

Equipment News

The Principles of Plant Pathology. S. A. J. TARR. Pp. 632. London: MacMillan, 1972. £1000. Reviewed by A. A. Brunt

Genetic Diversity and Natural Selection. JAMES MURRAY. Pp. vii + 128 + 23figs. Edinburgh: Oliver &; Boyd Ltd. 1972. £2·50. Reviewed by J. A. Beardmore

Advances in Microbial Physiology. Edited by A. H. ROSE and J. F. WILKINSON. Pp. 302+40 figs. London and New York: Academic Press Ltd. £500. Reviewed by Curtis G. Gemmell

Plants in the Service of Man—10,000 Years of Domestication EDWARD HYAMS Pp. xiii+222+33 illustrations London: J. M. Dent &; Sons Ltd. £2·95. Reviewed by Eric Caulton

The Challenge of Genetics. E. H. SIMON &; J. GROSSFIELD. Pp. 281. Reviewed by I. J. Gibson

Methods in Microbiology, Volume 4. Edited by C. BOOTH. (Series editors J. R. NORRIS and D. W. RIBBONS) Pp. xiv+795. Reviewed by G. Ayerst

Explorations in the Life of Fishes. N. B. MARSHALL. Pp. 204, 54 figs. Reviewed by T. Kerr

Feedback Mechanisms in Animal Behaviour. D. J. McFARLAND. Pp. vii+279 + 181 figs. London: Academic Press Inc. £3·80. Reviewed by P. J. B. Slater

Biology and the Human Sciences—The Herbert Spencer Lectures—1970. Edited by J. W. S. PRINGLE. Pp. viii + 140, 6 figs, 2 tables. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1972. £2·50. Reviewed by Paul Rogers

Merrow Monographs. T. H. SAVORY. Latin and Greek for Biologists. Pp. 34. Biology of the Cryptozoa. Pp. 48. The Principles of Mechanistic Biology. Pp. 35. Evolution in the Arachnida. Pp. 42. Reviewed by G. W. Shaw     

Genetics web sites

Human Genome Project Information http://www.ornl.gov/TechResources/Human_Genome/home.html

Access Excellence http://www.accessexcellence.org/

Genetics Science Learning Centre at the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, University of Utah http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/

Blazing a Genetic Trial http://www.hhmi.org/GeneticTrail/

A Hypermedia Glossary of Genetic Terms prepared and presented by Birgid Schlindwein http://www.weihenstephan.de/~schlind/genglos.html

Virtual Flylab http://vcourseware5.calstatela.edu/VirtualFlyLab/IntroVflyLab.html

Web watch topics coming up…     

Web Watch

Plant biology - with an emphasis on photosynthesis

The Great Plant Escape http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/gpe.html

The Power of Green.http://researchmag.asu.edu/stories/power.html

Photosynthesis http://biology.ck.uc.edu/courses/biol04/photosyn.htm

An Introduction to Photosynthesis and its Applicationhttp://photoscience.la.asu.edu/photosyn/education/photointro.html

Aliens Explorers - Photosynthesis http://www.alienexplorer.com/ecology/topic3.html

The Photosynthesis Processhttp://www.ifmt.nf.ca/mi-net/enviro/photo3.htm     

Web watch

Teachers' websites

Webwise Spinneret Biology websitehttp://web.ukonline.co.uk/webwise/spinnere:

Lesson Planet www.lessonplanet.com

Gourmet Curriculum Press www.gourmetcurriculumpress.com

Learn.co.ukwww.learn.co.uk

Just for Teacherswww.justforteachers.co.uk     

Non-linear regression models for time to flowering in wild chickpea combine genetic and climatic factors

Background

Accurate prediction of crop flowering time is required for reaching maximal farm efficiency. Several models developed to accomplish this goal are based on deep knowledge of plant phenology, requiring large investment for every individual crop or new variety. Mathematical modeling can be used to make better use of more shallow data and to extract information from it with higher efficiency. Cultivars of chickpea, Cicer arietanum, are currently being improved by introgressing wild C. reticulatum biodiversity with very different flowering time requirements. More understanding is required for how flowering time will depend on environmental conditions in these cultivars developed by introgression of wild alleles.

Results

We built a novel model for flowering time of wild chickpeas collected at 21 different sites in Turkey and grown in 4 distinct environmental conditions over several different years and seasons. We propose a general approach, in which the analytic forms of dependence of flowering time on climatic parameters, their regression coefficients, and a set of predictors are inferred automatically by stochastic minimization of the deviation of the model output from data. By using a combination of Grammatical Evolution and Differential Evolution Entirely Parallel method, we have identified a model that reflects the influence of effects of day length, temperature, humidity and precipitation and has a coefficient of determination of R²=0.97.

Conclusions

We used our model to test two important hypotheses. We propose that chickpea phenology may be strongly predicted by accession geographic origin, as well as local environmental conditions at the site of growth. Indeed, the site of origin-by-growth environment interaction accounts for about 14.7% of variation in time period from sowing to flowering. Secondly, as the adaptation to specific environments is blueprinted in genomes, the effects of genes on flowering time may be conditioned on environmental factors. Genotype-by-environment interaction accounts for about 17.2% of overall variation in flowering time. We also identified several genomic markers associated with different reactions to climatic factor changes. Our methodology is general and can be further applied to extend existing crop models, especially when phenological information is limited.

     

Comparative Ecology of Protozoa: A Laboratory Exercise for Undergraduates

slides/stips The colonisation of a shingle beach Set of 24, colour, plastic-mounted slides supplied in a wallet with teaching notes, by A. J. Cooper. Available from Audio Visual Productions Ltd, Hocker Hill House, Chepstow, Gwent NP6 5ER. Price £8.40, ref. 35 850; Peter Benson

slides/stips Evolution and behaviour Five sets of 35 mm colour slides with study notes. Three sets are reviewed here:

• Adaptations to predation AV221 (50 slides)

• Adaptive colouration AV222 (50 slides)

• How animals eat AV223 (44 slides)

Soon available in this series will be Animal societies and Insect societies. They are produced by David W. Macdonald in association with Oxford Scientific Films and are available from Oxford Educational Resources Ltd, 197 Botley Road, Oxford 0X2 OHE. Price £15 per set; Katie Bowbrick and Anne Roberts

slides/stips Hedges—past and presentSet of 24 mounted colour slides packaged as a three-page booklet by John Feltwell. Available from Audio Visual Productions Ltd, Hocker Hill House, Chepstow, Gwent NP6 5ER. Price £8.40, ref. 35 832.; Patricia A. Horton

slides/stips Experiments in biology A 50-frame 35 mm colour filmstrip supplied with cardboard slide mounts and teachers' notes, by J. Cremona. Available from Focal Point Audio Visual Ltd, 251 Copnor Road, Portsmouth, Hants, P03 SEE. Price £7.75, ref. 181.; Anita de Brouwer and Dean Madden

Tape/Slide Respiration: energy for life Two sets of 80 mounted slides, two prerecorded cassette tapes (one side with an inaudible signal and the other with an audible signal). Available from Edward Patterson Associates, Treetops, Cannongate Road, Hythe, Kent CT21 5PT, price £68; or from Science and Mankind Inc., Communications Park, Box 2000, Mount Kisco, NY 10549, USA, price $169.50 (with carousels) reference 1-1045-2850, or as a filmstrip $1149.50 reference 2-3045-2850.; Teresa Carberry, Kevin Want and Joy Wilson

Tape/Slide Extinction and endangered species: Natural process or human intervention A tape/slide presentation in four parts. 160 slides in total. Each part has a tape cassette with audible advance cues on one side and a 1000 Hz automatic signal on the other. Available from Edward Patterson Associates, Treelops, Cannongate Road, Hythe, Kent, CT21 5PT, price £68; or from Science and Mankind Inc., Communications Park, Box 2000, Mount Kisco, New York 10549, USA, price $169.50. In the USA the slides are prepacked in two carousels and are also available as a filmstrip $149.50. A comprehensive teacher's guide is provided.; Jill Beagley, Caroline Gould, Jonathan Gravesm and Sally Anne Wedderburn

Films The endocrine system Systems working together Two of a series of 10 16 mm colour sound films also available as videocassettes ranging in length from 11 to 22 minutes. Available from Viewtech Audio Visual Media, 122 Goldcrest Road, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol BS17 SXN. Price: Videocassettes: VHS £40.00, VCR £45.00, Betamax £40.00, V-matic £45.00; film hire: Endocrine System £10.50, Systems working together £9.80

Films The endocrine system

Films Systems working together; Sue Allan

Films Fungi and Man 16 mm colour film with teacher's notes by David Boulton. Running time: 17.5 minutes. UK, 1983. Available from Boulton-Hawker Films Ltd, Hadleigh, Ipswich, Suffolk IP7 5BG. Price: £201. Hire charge £7.50. Also available as videocassette: VHSjBetamax £23, Philips £29, U-Matic £35; S. M. Allan

Films Plants make food (2nd edition) A 16 mm colour film. Running time: 13 minutes. Produced by Churchill Films, Los Angeles, USA, and distributed by Boulton-Hawker Films Ltd, Hadleigh, Ipswich, Suffolk IP7 5BG. Price £146. Hire charge £7.50.; S. M. Allan

Videotapes The masterbuilders Videocassette. Running time 45 minutes. Release date June 1983. Produced by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL. Price £28.18, also for hire as videocassette or film; Sue Allan

Videotapes The Gibbs Kids investigate dentists Videotape available in VHS and Beta formats. Running time 15.5 minutes. Date of production 1982. Available from Gibbs Oral Hygiene Service, Hesketh House, Portman Square, London W1A 1DY. Price £7.00; Jane Seddon, Claire Thomas and Jane Powell

Tapes Science in Society Audio Unit 6: Science, technology and people Two audio cassettes, comprising a total of four, 15-minute programmes, supplied in a box with a set of Teacher's notes. Available from Science in Society Audio Ltd, 218 Sussex Gardens, London W2 3UD. Price £9.90.; Emma Wynne

Charts Fens D2.7 Towns and cities D2.8 Charts, in colour, size 70 cm by 30 cm. Available from Interpretative Branch, Nature Conservancy Council, Attingham Park, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 4TW. Price £0.75 each.; John A. Barker

Charts Countryside charts: Birds By David Elcome. A set of 20 full-colour charts, size 495 mm by 370 mm. Published by Macmillan Children's Books, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hants RG21 2XS. Price £11.95 plus VAT. ISBN 0 333 33121 4.; John A. Barker

Muliti-media Cartoon sheet discussion starters Produced by the Centre for World Development Education. Available from CtVDE, 128 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SH. Price 20p each with discounts for bulk orders plus 20 per cent p and p.; Balwinder Ghatabora

Software Human Blood Groups By D. and V. Garland. Written for BBC Model B, with colour monitor cassette and disc versions produced by Garland Computing, 35 Dean Hill, Plymouth, Devon PL9 9AF. £15.00.; Sophie McCormick

Software Microdiet Produced by the Advisory Unit for Computer Based Education, Hatfield. Program notes written by Dodie Hodgkinson. Available on disk or cassette for RML380Z. £25 + VAT.

Software Diet analysis Jeanette Bowen and Bob Waters for Computers in the Curriculum Project and MEP. Available on disk and cassette for RML380Z, 480Z, BBC B, and PET; on disk only for Apple. £14.50+VAT. Both from Longman Micro Software, Longman Group Ltd, 33-35 Tanner Row, York YOl 1JP.; Tessa Carrick

Software Flowering in soya bean Tom Bridson and Alison Rose for Computers in the Curriculum Project and MEP. Available on disk and cassette for RML380Z, 480Z, BBC B, and PET; on disk only for Apple. £14.50+VAT. From Longman Micro Software, Longman Group Ltd, 33-35 Tanner Row, York YOl UP.; Tessa Carrick     

Elektronenmikroskopischer Nachweis des Virus der Milden Rübenvergilbung (beet mild yellowing virus) in der Wirtspflanze Sinapis alba L

Abstract

Thomasius, H. (Herausg.) Wald, Landeskultur und Gesellschaft 2. überarb. Auflage., 466 S., 122 Abb., Jena: VEB Gustav Fischer Verlag 1978. Reviewed by S. Prien.

W. W. Djoshkin: Leben und Umwelt 1. Auflage, 205 S. 21 Abb. Moskau/Leipzig/Jena/Berlin: Mir/Urania 1978. Reviewed by W. Tarnow.

Ahrens, G. Giftgesetz und Giftverkehr 386 S., Leipzig: Johann Ambrosius Barth 1979. Reviewed by H. Kleinhempel.

Schliephake, G.; Klimt, K.: Die Tierwelt Deutschlands — Thysanoptera, Fransenflügler 1. Aufl., 477 S. 66. Teil, 528 Abb,. Jena: VEB Gustav Fischer Verlag 1979. Reviewed by Th. Wetzel.

Fröhlich, G. (Herausg.): Phytopatologie und Pflanzenschutz 295 S., 62 Abb., Jena: VEB Gustav Fischer Verlag 1979. Reviewed by R. Fritzsche.

Lyr, H.; Polter, C. (Hrsg.): Systemfungizide 371 S., zahlr. Abb., Berlin: Akademie-Verlag 1979. Reviewed by K. Naumann.

Mohamed Ali Mohamed Ali: Ecological and Physiological Studies on the Alfalfa Ladybird 200 S., zahlr. Abb., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiado 1979. Reviewed by R. Fritzsche.

Piffl, E. (Ed.): Proceedings of the 4th International Congress of Acarology 752 S., zahlr. Abb., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiado 1979. Reviewed by R. Fritzsche.

Godan, D.: Schadschnecken und ihre Bekämpfung 467 S., 203 Abb. Stuttgart: Eugen Ulmer Verlag 1979. Reviewed by R. Fritzsche.     

Books and the Child

Abstract

Marion Endicott, Emily Carr: The Story of an Artist, Women's Educational Press: Toronto, Canada, 1981, 64 pages, n.p.i. (paperback)

Jean Lipman with Margaret Aspin-wall, Alexander Calder and his Magic Mobiles, Hudson Hills Press: New York, 1981, 96 pages, $15.00

M. B. Goffstein, Lives of the Artists, Farrar, Straus & Giroux: New York, 1982, unpaged, $8.95

Trina Schart Hyman, Self-Portrait, Addison-Wesley: Reading, Massachusetts, 1981, unpaged, $8.95

Andrew Glass, Jackson Makes his Move, Warne: New York, 1982, unpaged, $9.95

Tom Seidmann-Freud, The Magic Boat, Greenwillow: New York, 1981, unpaged, $5.95

Ernest Nister, Magic Windows, Philomel Books: New York, 1980, unpaged, $6.95

Lothar Meggendorfer, The City Park, Viking: New York, 1981, unpaged, $10.95

J. F. Schreiber (verses by Anthea Bell), The Great Menagerie, Viking: New York, 1980, unpaged, $7.95

Lothar Meggendorfer, International Circus, Viking: New York, 1980, unpaged, $7.95

Eric Hill, Spot's First Walk, G. P. Putnam's Sons: New York, 1981, unpaged, $7.95

Robert Crowther and lames R. Diaz (paper engineer), The Most Amazing Hide-and-Seek Counting Book, Viking: New, York, 1981, 14 pages, $8.95

Demi, Where is Willie Worm? Random House: New York, 1981, unpaged, $3.50

John Goodall and Tor Lokvig (paper engineer), PADDY FINDS A JOB, Atheneum: New York, 1981, unpaged, $6.95

Eric Carle, The Honeybee and the Robber, Philomel: New York, 1981, 15 pages, $10.95     

Book Reviews

Michael Kearney. 1996. Reconceptualizing the Peasantry: Anthropology in Global Per‐spectwe. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. 210 pp.

Don Kulick &; Margaret Wiltson (eds). 1995. Taboo: Sex, Identity and Erotic Subjectivity in Anthropological Fieldwork. London/New York: Routledge. xvi + 283 pp.

Sandra Wallman et al. 1996. Kampala Women GettingBy: Well‐being in the Time of AIDS. London:James Currey Ltd. 246 pp.

Angelique Haugerud. 1995. The Culture of Politics in Modern Kenya. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, xvi + 266 pp.

Mary Kay Vaughan. 1997. Cultural Politics in Revolution: Teachers, Peasants, and Schools in Mexico, 1920–1940. Tuscon: University of Arizona Press, xiii + 262 pp.

Robert J. Foster (ed.). 1995. Nation Making: Emergent Identities in Postcohnial Melanesia. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, vi + 280 pp.

Tom G. Svensson. 1997. The Sámi and Their Land: The Sámi vs the Swedish Crown. Oslo: Novus forlag. 213 pp.

Pamela J. Asquith &; Arne Kalland (eds). 1997. Japanese Images of Nature: Cultural Perspectives. London: Curzon. 220 pp.     

Art in the Making

Abstract

Jan Adkins, Letterbox: The Art and History of Letters, Walker: New York, 1981, 48 pages, $10.95.

Michael Kehoe, The Puzzle of Books, Carolrhoda Books, Minneapolis, 1982, unpaged, $6.95.

Linda Bourke, Handmade Abc: A Manual Alphabet, Addison-Wesley: Reading, Mass., 1981, unpaged, $6.95.

Linda Bourke, Signs of a Friend, Addison-Wesley: Reading, Mass., 1982, unpaged, $2.95 (paper).

Philip Newth, Roly Goes Exploring, Philomel Books: New York, 1981, unpaged, $12.95 (spiral bound).

Tomas Gonzales (text by J. R. Kesselman and F. Peterson), I CAN USE TOOLS, Elsevier/Nelson: New York, 1981, unpaged, $6.25 (boards).

Harvey Weiss, Hammer and Saw, Crowell: New York, 1981, 80 pages, $9.00.

Gail Gibbons, Tool Book, Holiday House: New York, 1982, unpaged, n.p.i.

Harvey Weiss, Model Building: And How to Make Them, Thomas Crowell: New York, 1979, 96 pages, $7.95.

Paul Berman, Make-Believe Empire: A How-to Book, Atheneum: New York, 1982, 88 pages, $8.95.

Evaline Ness, Four Rooms From the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Scribners: New York, 1977, unpaged, $6.95.

Alan Rose, Build Your Own Taj Mahal, Perigee: New York, 1981, unpaged, $7.95.

Les Walker, Housebuilding for Children, The Overlook Press: New York, 1977, 175 pages, $10.00.

Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey (story by Natalie S. Carlson), Marie Louise and Christopher at The Carnival, Scribners: New York, 1981, unpaged, $11.95

Beverley Gooding (Kenneth Grahame), Wayfarers All from The Wind in the Willows, Scribners: New York, 1981, 32 pages, $11.95.

Shawn Rice (text by Paul Rice and Peter Mayle), AS DEAD AS A DODO, Godine: Boston, 1981, unpaged, $10.95.     

Vally Wieselthier

Abstract

John E. Chubb and Terry M. Moe. Politics, Markets, and America's Schools. Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institution, 1990. 318 pages. $10.95 paperback.

Jacques Ellul. The Technological Bluff. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990. 418 pages. $24.95 hardback.

Robert Grudin. The Grace of Great Things. New York: Ticknor &; Fields, 1990. 257 pages. $20.95 hardback.

Alfie Kohn. The Brighter Side of Human Nature: Altruism and Empathy in Everyday Life. New York: Basic Books, 1990. 400 pages. $19.95 hardback.

Samuel Lipman. Arguing for Music/Arguing for Culture. Boston: David R. Godine in association with the American Council for the Arts, 1990. 448 pages. $19.95 paperback.

Colin Martindale. The Clockwork Muse: The Predictability of Artistic Change. New York: Basic Books, 1990. 411 pages. $29.95 hardback.

Seymour D. Sarasan. The Challenge of Art to Psychology. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1990. 188 pages. $25.00 hardback.     

Elementary School Biology Revisited

Nuclear Power, Man and the Environment R. J. Pentrealh. 255 pp. London: Taylor and Francis, 1980. £6.00. ISBN 085109 8401 Reviewed by David Brookes

Animal Suffering: The Science of Animal Welfare M. Stamp Dawkins. 149 pp. London: Chapman and Hall, 1980. £7.50/£3.95. ISBNs 0 412 22580 8/225905 Reviewed by H. V. Wyatt

Isoenzymes Outline Studies in Biology. C. C. Rider and C. B. Taylor. 78 pp. London: Chapman and Hall, 1980. £2.45. ISBNO 412 15640 Reviewed by C. M. Bray

Membrane Physiology and Cell Excitation B. Hendry. 159 pp. London: Croom Helm, 1981. £9.95/£4.50. ISBNs 0 709901488/01496 Reviewed by B. N. Davies

Introduction to Embryonic Development S. B. Oppenheimer. 404 pp. London: Allyn and Bacon, 1980. £13.25. ISBN 0205068995 Reviewed by A. B. G. Lansdown

Genetics of Microbes Tertiary Level Biology B. W. Bainbridge. 193 pp. Bishopbriggs, Glasgow: Blackie, 1980. £16.95/£7.95. ISBNs 0 216 91006 4/910072 Reviewed by R. Waters

Genetic Engineering-Cloning DNA Outline Studies in Biology. D. M. Glover. 64pp. London: Chapman and Hall, 1980. £2.45. ISBN0412 161702 Reviewed by R. Waters

Bioenergetics of Autotrophs and Heterotrophs Studies in Biology, No. 126. J. W. Anderson. 60 pp. London: Edward Arnold, 1980: £2.50 ISBN 0 7131 28070 Reviewed by K. H. Goulding

Grass. Its Production and Utilization Ed. W. Holmes. 295 pp. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific, 1980. £8.50. ISBN 0632006188 Reviewed by David Higgs

Atlas of Flowering Plant Structure Jean-Claude Roland and F. Rowland. 103 pp. London: Longman. 1980. £6.25. ISBN 0582 45589 Reviewed by David Higgs

Biological Functions of Carbohydrates Tertiary Level Biology. D. J. Candy. 197 pp. Glasgow: Blackie. 1980. £16.95/£7.95. ISBNs 0 216 91010 2/910110 Reviewed by Charles F. A. Bryce

Neuroethology: An Introduction D. M. Guthrie. 221 pp. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific. 1980. £8.75. ISBN 0632 003030 Reviewed by S.M. Evans

Biological Chemistry: The Molecular Approach to Biological Systems K. E. and C. J. Suckling. 381 pp. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1980. £25.00/£9.95. ISBNs 0 521228522/296781 Reviewed by K.H. Goulding

Influences on Animal Growth and Development Studies in Biology, No. 116. R. A. L. Ball 60 pp. London: Edward Arnold, 1980. £2.40. ISBNO 7131 2769 4 Reviewed by K.R. Tyler

Insect Physiology W. Mordue, G. J. Goldsworthy, J. Brady and W. M. Blaney. 108 pp. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific, 1980. £5.75. ISBN063200385 Reviewed by Robert Barrass

Statistics for Biology 3rd edn. O. N. Bishop. 213pp. Harlow, Essex: Longman, 1980. £2.50. ISBNO 582353300 Reviewed by Mark Williamson     

Books and the Child

Abstract

Jindra Capek (story by Max Bolliger), The Most Beautiful Song, Little, Brown: Boston, 1980, unpaged, $8.95 (boards)

Maurice Sendak, Outside Over There, Harper &; Row: New York, 1981, unpaged, $12.95

Chris van Allsburg, Jumanji, Houghton Mifflin: Boston, Mass., 1981, unpaged, $9.95

Anita Lobel (words by Arnold Lobel), On Market Street, Greenwillow: New York, 1981, unpaged, $8.95

Stephen Gammell (story by Olaf Baker), Where The Buffaloes Begin, Warne: New York, 1981, unpaged, $8.95

Nicola Bayley and William Mayne, The Patchwork Cat, Knopf: New York, 1981, unpaged, $8.95 (boards)

Jan Brett, Fritz and the Beautiful Horses, Houghton Mifflin: Boston, 1981, 32 pages, $8.95

Guy Billout, Thunderbolt and Rainbow: A Look at Greek Mythology, Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1981, unpaged, $9.95 (boards)

Michael Foreman, Trick a Tracker, Philomel Books: New York, 1981, unpaged, $9.99

Monika Beisner (text by Alison Lurie), Fabulous Beasts, Farrar, Straus &; Giroux: New York, 1981, unpaged, $9.95

Leonard Baskin (words by the Baskin family), Hosie's Zoo, Viking: New York, 1981, unpaged, $10.95     

A specific autoantibody against a novel tumour-association antigen derived from human DNA-topoiomerase I is a potential biomarker for early diagnosis and favourable prognosis in patients with colorectal carcinoma

Abstract

Context: We previously reported a novel tumour associated antigen (TTA) with molecular weight around 48?kDa and identified the novel TTA as a fragment derived from human DNA-topoiomerase I (TOP1). We termed the novel TAA as TOPO48 and termed autoantibody against the TAA as anti-TOPO48 autoantibody.

Objective: To explore the clinical significance of anti-TOPO48 autoantibody in patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC).

Materials and methods: Serum levels of the autoantibody in patients with CRC or benign tumours and healthy volunteers were measured with a specific ELISA.

Results: CRC patients at early stage had higher frequency of positive levels of the autoantibody and CRC patients with positive autoantibody levels had higher overall survival rate than those with negative autoantibody levels.

Conclusion: The autoantibody is a potential biomarker for early diagnosis and favourable prognosis of CRC.     

Mutation in the beta3 subunit of Guanine nucleotide-binding protein (GNB3) gene is not associated with Type II diabetes mellitus risk: a case–control study of a North Indian population

Context: Genetics play a major role in development and pathophysiology of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Objective: To asses the association of Guanine nucleotide-binding protein (GNB3) (C825T) gene's polymorphism with T2DM.

Materials and methods: A case–control study including 400 North Indians was performed using Polymerase Chain Reaction–Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) approach to analyze genetic polymorphism.

Results: No significant difference was observed in genotype and allele frequencies of GNB3 gene on comparing cases with controls.

Discussion: Our study is in agreement with studies on Polish, Japanese, Hispanic-American and Danish populations who observed no significant association between GNB3 (C825T) polymorphism and T2DM.

Conclusion: GNB3 (C825T) polymorphism is not associated with T2DM.     

Sleep-disordered breathing is associated with higher carboxymethyllysine level in elderly women but not elderly men in the cardiovascular health study

Context: Carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) results from oxidative stress and has been linked to cardiovascular disease.

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the association between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) – a source of oxidative stress – and CML.

Materials and methods: About 1002 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) were studied.

Results: Women with SDB had significantly higher CML concentration compared with those without SDB (OR?=?1.63, 95%CI?=?1.03–2.58, p?=?0.04). The association was not significant among men.

Discussion: SDB was associated with CML concentration among elderly women but not men in the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Conclusion: Accumulation of CML may be an adverse health consequence of SDB