Methodological Surveys in Biochemistry and Analysis – serie

vi as did non-appreciation that % values for bought-in solutions (notably ammonia) may be on a weight basis, not made evident by the manufacturer. Notwithstanding the shortcomings or lateness of some texts, authors are thanked for compiling them amidst other pressures. Elsevier and the American Chemical Society are also thanked, for Figures now reproduced with source acknowledgement. This Editor has generally respected authors' phrasing, whilst shuddering when the term 'incubate' is encountered in a 0° context. He remains a 'diehard' in certain respects, notably in favouring 'M' rather than 'mol/I', and a wt./ml basis for drug concentrations in test samples; he regards 'mmol/l' as a fatuous fashion. Concerning infelicitous abbreviations, a distinction is made between electron­ capture (detector context; 'ECD') and electrochemical ('EC', never 'ECD'); the hallowed GC term 'FID' means free induction decay to NMR practi tione:ts, who may pardon the term 'Fid' as introduced editorially. The convention for ,0C' throughout the book is '0'. Undefined but well-known abbreviations include GC, HPLC and TLC. MS (mass spectrometry), NPD (nitrogen-phosphorus detector), tr (retention time) and RIA (radioimmunoassay) are usually defined in the article concerned, as are the HPLC modes NP (normal-/straight­ phase) and RP (reversed-phase; C-lS and ODS are synonymous), and i.s.

Acknowledgements. - Valuable support for the Forum came from the Cancer Research Campaign, from Johnson Matthey & Co., and from U. K. pharmaceutical companies - Beechams, Glaxo, ICI and Smith, Kline & French. Moreover, some speakers came without full financial coverage. The choice of presentations was guided by Honorary Advisers including Drs. S.H. Curry (Chairman), J.A.F. de Silva, L.E. Martin, J. Chamberlain and G.G. Skellern. Drs. Jim Leppard and Joan Reid are thanked for Index drafting. As mentioned in the text, some Figs. have already appeared in journals, whose publishers (e.g. Elsevier, Dekker, Preston) are thanked: sources include Journal of Chroma- tography, Journal of Liquid Chromatography and Journal of Chromatographic Science, also (art. #E-S) a Wiley book edited by M. Trimble. Abbreviations.- In connection with HPLC ('LC' is a pet aver- sion) this Editor has often deplored the upstart use of 'ECD'-a term hallowed by its GC usage as in art. #F -2 later in the book. To connote 'electrochemical' the term 'EC' is now used, but 'ECD' is reserved for the electron-capture detector.Other abbreviations which, although well known, are generally defined in each article concerned include NP, normal-phase [HPLC); RP, reverse(d)-phase; i.s., internal standard; MS, mass spectrometry (EI, electron-impact; CI, chemic,al-ionization); RIA, radioimmunoassay; UV, ultraviolet (usually absorbance).

Scope of the book, and acknowledgements.- The articles are focused on 'real problems' in body-fluid analysis, typically with a final chromatographic separation of ~g or often ng amounts if the aim is quantitation. The pitfalls may not be realized by a typical chemist (cf. remarks in #A-3), but he may excel in metabolite iden­ tification - which this book covers to a fair extent. Where identity is known, and the metabolite could interfere in therapeutic drug monitoring or in diagnosis or itself have clinical relevance, useful guidance will come from articles that follow. Authors have gone to much trouble, and are not to be blamed by any reader who would have liked an introduction to chromatography or to metabolic pathways (cf. list of conjugation reactions at end of concluding article). Appre­ ciation is also expressed for permission to reproduce published mat­ erial; the acknowledged sources include 1. Chroma tog. (Elsevier; e. g. in #A-l) , Anal. Chem. (American Chemical Society; #A-2) and Wiley.

Prefaces tend to be platitudinous and unconducive to perusal. To this hardened Editor, the appearance of the book represents the end of a stamina-testing saga surpassing any past experience. Amongst the numerous authors - a notably eminent bevy - some were angelic and others suffered harassment to produce, amidst day-to-day pressures, an eventual article in the cause of receptor investigation; few took exception to the strong editing that their material underwent. The reader of this book will be interested rather in its aims and ba- ground.- Does it merit a n his bookshelf? The book is not a 'Proceedings', but has sponsored-meeting parentage. Wi th company support, notably from BetaHED Pharmaceuti­ cals of Indianapolis, the 8th International Subcellular Hethodology Forum was held in July 1982 at the University of Surrey in Guildford. The vigorous debates, partly on aspects such as hormonal receptors and drug targeting, then narrowed to Neuroreceptor Hethodology at a NATO Advanced Research Workshop, perforce set up at short notice. But 'Proceedings' are proverbially ephemeral material reflecting an array of solo performances, whereas this book is hopefully more like an orchestra's performance, of classical together with new material. Retrievability of receptor 'know-how' has been a key aim. Locations in the text, including comments and supplementary material (designated 'NC'), are thoroughly indexed, whilst for some aspects a 'Retrieval Key' (p. 545) should be used. Related to receptor methodo­ logy, receptor features and phenomena get due attention in the text.