Symposium reports 



54. 



K. S. MOGHISSI and E. S. E. HAFEZ, eds. 1974. THE PLACENTA, biological and clinic- 

 al aspects 

 Thomas, Springfield. XV1,406 pp., 162 figs., 30 tabs., author and subject indexes. 



$ 29.50 



This book contains the papers read at a symposium held in Detroit some time during 

 1972, and is therefore no longer entirely up to date. Most of the contributors were 

 Americans, but some other countries were also represented. Most papers range in length 

 from about 15 to 30 pages and consist of a mixture of review material and summaries of 

 original research that was recent to very recent at the time of writing. 



The 16 contributions are arranged in four sections as follows: 1. Placental structure 

 (2 papers on transmission and scanning electron microscopy); 2. Transport and exchange 

 mechanisms (7 papers); 3. Metabolic and endocrine aspects (5); 4. Clinical aspects (2, of 

 which one on the fetus as a homograft). 



The electron micrographs in section 1 are well reproduced. The book is luxuriously 

 produced and therefore rather expensive. 



55. 



S. NATELSON, A. SCOMMEGNA, and M. B. EPSTEIN, eds. 1974. AMNIOTIC FLUID, 



physiology, biochemistry, and clinical chemistry 



Wiley, New York, etc. Current Topics in Clinical Chemistry, vol. 1. XV1I1,386 pp., 



169 figs., 52 tabs., subject index. £ 10.80, $ 19.95 



This book contains the proceedings of a conference held in Chicago in May, 1973. All 

 participants were Americans. The book has a strongly clinical slant, yet about ten 

 contributions are of potential interest to mammalian and human embryologists. 



The 29 contributions vary widely in length and are arranged in four sections. In 

 section I (Formation and composition) we mention reviews on development and func- 

 tional morphology of the amnion; on dynamics of amniotic fluid; on interrelations 

 between AF and urine; on urea and glucose concentrations; on osmolahty, non-protein 

 nitrogen, and bilirubin; and on uric acid, creatinine, and total protein. A research report 

 deals with epinephrine and norepinephrine. Section II (Immunoglobulins and other 

 proteins) contains two reports of potential general interest, as well as two contributions 

 dealing with the Rhesus problem. The remaining sections are entitled Composition 

 changes with fetal maturity and Diagnosis of genetic disorders, and are of mainly clinical 

 interest. 



The book is well produced and well illustrated. 



56. 



J. S. PERRY, ed. 1974. IMPLANTATION 



Blackwell Scient. Publ., Oxford, etc. J. Reprod. Fertil. 39 (1). 77 pp.. 18 figs.. 18 pis., 

 6 tabs. £ 2.50 (paper) 



This symposium was held in Bangor, Wales in July 1973. The proceedings consist of 

 eight papers, five of which are reviews or mixtures of review and research material. The 

 authors came from the U.K., Sweden, Belgium, the U.S.A., and Australia. 



Morphological, physiological, and experimental aspects of normal and delayed implan- 

 tation are considered. A special feature is the inclusion of two papers on marsupials and 

 one on the roe deer. Several papers contain beautiful photographic plates. 



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