traceable to defects in dehydrogenase and molecular assembly. A brief paper by Clarke 

 Fraser on maternal effects in congenital malformation is also interesting. 



60. 



A. G. MOTULSKY and W. LENZ, eds. 1974. BIRTH DEFECTS 



Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam; American Elsevier, New York. Internat. Congress Series 

 No. 310. XVIII,373 pp., 1 17 figs., 66 tabs., subject index. Dfl. 105.00, about US $ 40.40 



Contents: I. Advances in genetics ^nd cell biology as a background for research in birth 

 defects; II. The biological basis of future therapy (gene therapy, reproductive biology, 

 immunology, enzyme therapy); III. Biology of sex determination and differentiation 

 and its disorders; IV. Causation: epidemiological and laboratory clues (environmental 

 causation, mutagenicity testing); V. Modern approaches to diagnosis and prevention 

 (intrauterine diagnosis, disease prevention, genetic counselling); Workshop sessions 

 (summaries) 



This is the report on the Fourth International Conference on Birth Defects held in 

 Vienna in September, 1973. As the table of contents shows, in the programme much 

 emphasis was placed on basic biological aspects, and this is the reason why the book is of 

 interest to a much broader circle of readers than the title suggests. 



Almost all of the 31 contributions in the five main sections are short to medium-length 

 authoritative reviews written by outstanding experts from many different countries. 

 Section I has five interesting papers on molecular-genetic and chromosome studies and on 

 cell fusion. The papers of most immediate interest to developmental biologists are to be 

 found in sections II and III. We particularly mention the contributions by R. G. Edwards 

 and by Nossal in section II, and those by Cattanach, Jost, Ohno, and Goldstein and 

 Wilson in section III. Section IV has a paper by J. G. Wilson on primate teratogenesis. 

 Further items that are well worth reading are the keynote address by Ebert and the 

 discussion of ethical issues by Motulsky. 



Luxury production, though pleasing, has led to an inordinately high price. 



DEVELOPMENTAL PATHOLOGY, CANCER (see also 46,52,57,60) 



Monographs 



61. 



H. FRITZ-NIGGLI. 1972. STRAHLENBEDINGTE ENTWICKLUNGSSTORUNGEN 



Springer, Berlin, etc. Handbuch Med. Radiol. B.II/3. 61 pp., 42 figs., 5 tabs. 



Well organized and useful summary of developmental radiation effects, with emphasis 

 on insects and mammals (including man); separate sections on minimal doses in man and 

 on mechanisms of radiation effect; ca. 300 references, seldom more recent than 1969/70. 



Dissertations 



62. 



R. BLUZAT. 1973. ETUDE EXPERIMENTALE DE LA RADIOSENSIBILITE EMBRY- 



ONNAIRE DU DORYPHORE, LEPTINOTARSA DECEMLINEATA SAY. (Coleoptere, 



Chrysomelide) 



Ph.D.thesis, Paris (Orsay). 66 pp., 22 figs., 10 pis., 30 tabs. (Mimeographed) 



Partial X-irradiation of eggs (pole cells and blastoderm); total 7-irradiation of embryos 

 at all stages; larval development after irradiation; fertility of imagos after irradiation; 

 parallels with ■^ H-actinomycin binding: illustrated with micrographs. 



214 



