950 Book reviews

Purkinje cell, the external potassium concentration The second volume is more biochemical and will contain increased from 6 to 8mM and fell back to 6 mM within one chapters on: Hosttparasite interface: Protein metabolism: second of electrical activity stopping. This technique can be Carbohydrate metabolism: Lipid metabolism: Electron extended to allow studies of changes in external chloride transport systems; Pathology of invertebrate host mctaces- concentration during the action of GABA at specific tode relationship; Pathology of cestode infection in ver- synapses. tebrate host; immunity; Chemotherapy.

There is also a chapter on the optical monitoring ol electrical activity using fluorescent stained hippocampal slices. It was possible to record the potential changes from ten different loci along the long axis of CAI pyramidal cells. This showed the different time course of the changes in the dendrites, radiatum, pyramidale and oriens, during electrical stimulation and following addition of a drug such as picro- toxin. A pictorial display showed the simultaneous changes in optical (electrical) activity at these ten sites with time. It was also possible to measure changes in the light scattering signals from unstained hippocampal slices, following changes in electrical activity. Addition of TX abolished these.

The two volumes bring the reader who has consulted the volume on the Cestodes by Libbie Hyman, and the volumes on the biochemistry of parasites by von Brand and Ernst Bueding up-to-date.

Molluscan neuroendocrinology --edited by J. LEVZK and II. H. BOER. 268 pp. 1983. North-Holland Publishing Co., Amsterdam.

This publication is the proceedings of a symposium h&l in the department of Biology, the Free University. Amsterdam. the Netherlands, 16-20 August 1982.

The final chapter of the book presents a practical guide to the preparation and maintenance of brain slices.

The book is well produced and illustrated and will help research workers know what is going on in the subject, and also to some extent how to start research work on brain slices, a subject that is at present in its infancy and is still capable of very exciting new developments.

Giardia and giardiasis. Biology, pathogenesis and epidemio- logy-edited by S. L. ERLANDSEN and E. A, MEYER. 407 pp. 1984. Plenum Press, New York. $65.

The intestinal protozoan Giardia lumbiin was first described by Leuwenhoek in I68 I. The cysts of Giurdiu may be present in local water supplies and insufficient chlorination may fail to kill the cysts. As a result, people drinking the water (in the piped water supply to the houses and hotels) may catch Giardia. In the USA between 1972 and 1981 there were SO outbreaks of giardiasis in the water supply and 19,863 cases resulted. It is widespread throughout the world and travel- lers are often its victims.

The published proceedings consist of 44 papers and 20 short communications, divided into six sections: Ncurohor- mones, neurotransmitters and neuromodulators: Biosynthe- sis. transport and release of neuropeptides; Control of the activity of neuroendocrine cells: Control of reprodu~ti~~ll: Cardiovascular peptides and hydromineral regulation: Neuropeptides and behaviour. The phylogenetic aspects 01 peptidergic systems are reviewed by Boer and &hot. who also discuss the specificity of the immunochemical tech- nique. One problem is that most antibodies are directed towards only part of the antigen, and antigenic determinent, and so may react with a number of molecules whose structures contain this sequence.

The symptoms are nausea, anorexia and an uneasy feeling in the upper intestine, low grade fever and chills. This is followed by explosive foul smelling diarrhoea, flatulence and abdominal distension. Belching and cramp may also occur. It may take 8-15 days for the symptoms to occur after ingestion of the parasite. The symptoms may disappear after a few weeks but some cases have lasted for years.

Giardiu can also infect cold blooded animals and warm blooded animals such as hirds and mammals.

The usual treatment is quinacrine (Atabrine), metronida- zole (Flagyl) or furazolidone (Furoxone), though none are ideal and all may have side effects.

This volume describes the structure, physiology and bio- chemistry of Giur&, together with its method of laboratory culture. The pathology and immunological reactions are given in detail, together with the incidence and methods of transmission. It is interesting to remember, in spite of our concern with viruses and bacteria, that the Protozoa can strike back.

Biology of the eucestod+-edited by C. AKME and P. W. PAPPAS. Vofume I, 296 pp. $58, f34. 1983. Volume 2,332 pp. $58, f38. Academic Press, London.

The presence of a number of vertebrate peptidc-like hormones including neurotensin, thyrotropin and sotnatos- tatin in molluscs are discussed by a number of author<. There are a series of papers concerning the atrial gland peptides and the egg laying hormone of Aplwiu. The Octors regulating the biosynthesis of the neurosecretory egg laying hormone are described by Berry. The synthesis of this hormone is inftuenced by a number of factors including maturational, environmental and physiological effects. The purification and characterization of the ovulation hormone and the dorsal body hormone and the neurophysiology of the caudo-dorsal cells of Lymnaea are described by Ebbcrink and colleagues and by Kits and ter Maat respectively. Further studies on the el~trophysiological properties of neurosecretory cells in Lvnrnaru are provided by a number of authors. The control of reproduction in a range of gastropods including Limax, Euhadra, L~mnuecr. Hel1.v and Helisoma is reported in a series of papers. Price discusses the problems associated with the identification of FMRFamide in molluscan and vertebrate tissues. He considers that speci- ficity for one terminal is a critical general requirement for a highly selective radioimmunoassay for small peptides. The actions of FMRFamide in molluscan central and peripheral tissues are described by Cottrell and by Greenberg. The hormones and putative transmitters which can modify the circulatory system in Octopus are discussed by Wells and h) Voight and colleagues. In the final section the hormones involved in the behaviour of dp~wiu and in the control of egg disposition are reviewed.

The Eucestoda are the tape worms such as Tueniu. H~meno- lepis and Echinococcus, that parasitize vertebrates and inver- tebrates. The present volume is the first of two that summar- ize the present state of knowledge.

This volume deals with structure and ecology and con- tains ehapters on: EvoIution and systematics: General eco- logy; Population and community ecology; Morphology and development; Fine structure; Morphology, development and evolution of tape worm larvae.

Overall the material presented in this volume provide a very useful summary of the current literature on the role 01 neuropeptides and related compounds in molluscan tissues. with particular reference to the gastropods. The editors of the proceedings and the organizers of the symposium arc to be congratulated. The only criticism would be that the short communications are devoid of references and in many case5 are so brief as to be of only limited value. A slightly longer text would have considerably enhanced their scientific value as publications.