Book Reviews 825

vitamin E); enzymatic defence; pharmacology and toxicol- ogy; neutrophils and phagocytosis; ischaemia-reperfusion; cardiovascular system; general medicine and ageing. The volume provides a useful survey of the ubiquitous presence and roles of oxygen free radicals.

Biotechnological Applications of Lipid Microstructures- Edited by B. P. GABER, J. M. SCHNUR and D. CHAPMAN. 397 pp. 1988. Plenum Press, New York. $79.50.

There have been many developments over the 20 years since Bangham developed the liposomes (L). This volume de- scribes the physical properties of phospholipid bilayers; membrane fusion and inclusion; L in drug delivery systems; L encapsulated Hb; synthetic erythrocytes; L based immunoassays: artificial cells; immobilized photosynthetic membranes and cells for production of fuels and chemicals; energy transfer in bilayers; novel biomaterials (magneto- somes, hemodialysis, blood clotting, prostaglandins).

Hazards of Biotechnology: Real or Imaginary? Edited by A. D. DAYAN, P. N. CAMPBELL and T. H. JUKES. 138 pp. 1988. Elsevier Applied Science, London. $45. (Also published in J. them. rech. Biotechnol. 43, No. 4, 1988.)

Biotechnology has been used in the food industry to make beer, cheese and bread for thousands of years. New foods are being developed from fungi, from fish and from bean proteins. This book surveys the subject and includes chap- ters on gene transfer; DNA probes for prenatal diagnosis; vaccines against hepatitis B; the development of new drugs (interferons, interleukin 2, tumor necrosis factor; Factor VIII, erythropoietin, monoclonal antibodies, insulin,

growth hormone, plasminogen activator); UK and EEC regulations; and the legal and ethical problems. It provides common sense and valid information where the media (tabloids, TV, newspapers, and even some scientific jour- nals) prefer to scare.

Milk Proteins: Nutritional, Clinical, Functional and Techno- logical Aspects-Edited by C. A. BARTH and E. SCHLIMME. 308 pp. 1989. Springer, Berlin. $44.50.

The topics discussed in this book include: milk proteins and nitrogen equilibrium; homoarginine method for evaluation of protein digestibility; lactoferrin content; lactoferrin recep- tors in the intestine; role of ligands (manganese and iron); structural and genetic aspects; protein modification in milk due to processing; milk protein allergy; enteral vs parenteral feeding; and clinical nutrition. This is very useful survey of a major food.

Quality of Life: Assessment and Application-Edited by S. R. WALKER and R. M. ROSSER. 225 pp. 1988. MTP Press. Lancaster. $88; 05.

In some cases the treatment of a disease can be worse than the disease itself; i.e. the quality of the life of the patient is lowered by the treatment. This book gives details of tests for assessment of the quality of life such as quality of well being scale (OWB). the sickness imnact factor, health nrofiles and health ;ndexes. The quality-of life is then mkasured for different clinical cases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Parkin- son’s disease, respiratory disease, hypertension and angina. This leads to the concept of quality adjusted life year (QALY). Is an extra year of good quality of life better than two years of poor quality life? It is all discussed in this book.