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Modern Radio Science. J. Bach Andersen (Ed.). Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1990, ISBN o-19-856350-7, 210 pp., 223.50.

This book presents ten tutorial lectures of nine commissions of the Interna- tional Union of Radio Sciences (URS), covering topics from electromagnetic field effects on biological systems to the use of microwaves for atmospherics and radio astronomy.

However, of considerable interest for bioelectrochemists are mainly (a) Electromagnetic quantities, units and standards in a changing SI (B. Kibble,

Natl. Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK). Here precise determinations are described for Ohm, Volt, h/e* and compared with one another. Since 1 January 1990 the conventional values are fixed:

Josephson const : K, = 483 597.9 GHz/V,

h/e2 = 25 812.807fl.

(b) Electromagnetic fields and the essence of living systems (Ross Adey, Loma Linda, USA). This comprehensive review covers: responses of organisms to ELF fields (< 100 Hz); sensitivities to ELF modulated radiofrequency fields; role of geomagnetic and static magnetic fields; the effect of calcium and the amplification of initial signals; inward signalling and receptor proteins; the transmembrane voltage; models.

(c) New bio-information from ultraweak photon emission in life and biological activities: biophoton (H. Inaba, Sendai, Japan).

Contrary to weak ELF irradiation (compare with (b)), ultraweak photon emissions from the mitosis of soybean and simultaneous bioelectrical activities are shown reflecting underlying physiological states (28°C). Surprising are short potential spikes recorded in the order of 50 mV! This contribution is an important example for the combination of photobiological and bioelectrochemical measurements, started in 1988. Valuable contributions are collected from quite different disciplines, but it seems that each reader has only a benefit from two or three articles.

H. BERG

Jena

Capillary Electrophoresis. Principles, practice and application. S.F.Y. Li, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, 1992, ISBN O-444-89433-0, xxvi + 586 pp., US$225.50.

The present monograph is devoted to a capillary electrophoresis (CE) - a modern analytical technique which permits one to accomplish rapid and efficient electrophoretic separation of components in small sample volumes. This technique