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Reviews and Resources
HIV and New Viruses (2nd ed.)
Angus Dalgleish and Robin Weiss. Academic Press, New York, 1999, 560 p., $125.
In the last decade we have seen an explosion of research on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), its molecular structure, the mechanism of its interaction with the cell membrane, and its virologic and immunologic factors during pathogenesis. However, there was no good book that reviewed up-to-date information on these fascinating and rapidly expanding fields of HIV research. The second edition of the book HIV and New Viruses, written by two veteran HIV researchers, Angus Dalgleish and Robin Weiss, provides up-to-date reviews on these important issues on HIV research that have emerged during the last 10 years. The first four chapters are devoted to virological aspects of HIV. These include: control of viral gene expression, impact of biologic and molecular variation of HIV on pathogenesis, and viral dynamics. All of these chapters, especially the one on control of viral gene expression, are well written with detailed information up to the point of submission of the manuscript. However, some of the information in these chapters is already outdated. For example, in the viral dynamics chapter, authors mentioned that the half-life of latent virus is 1.2-2.3 years or more. Recent studies have indicated the half-life of latently infected cells is more than 10 years. The next seven chapters deal with the host response to HIV infection. This includes cellular immune responses, the role of apoptosis, cytokines, and chemokines in HIV pathogenesis, and host genetic factors controlling HIV infection. Although these seven chapters are in general well written, chapter 6 on HIV-specific T helper cell response does not have up-to-date information on this subject; it could have been elaborated a little more. The chapters on chemokine receptors and the relationship between HLA and HIV infection are particularly well done. However, inclusion of a chapter on humoral response in this book could have completed the information on host immune response to HIV infection. The next three chapters are devoted to antireretroviral therapy of HIV and diagnosis of HIV-1 and HIV-2. Although exhaustive information is given in these chapters, it is a little disappointing to see no diagram to show the effect of therapy on virus, mortality, or immune parameters. Furthermore, there is very little discussion of how to diagnose HIV-2 infection. In general, the chapters on HIV are highly informative. However, most of the chapters have not provided an overall picture of the respective subject, such as in the form of a schematic diagram, which one would expect from this kind of in-depth review.
The remaining nine chapters in the book are devoted to non-HIV viruses. In some ways it is distracting, but in other ways this book provides information on viruses, such as non-lentiviral primate retrovirus and simian retroviruses, about which we have very little in-depth information. A chapter on the pathogenesis of human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1 would have completed the information on primate retroviruses. These later chapters also include detailed information on human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and HHV-8. It is refreshing to see that authors of the chapter on HHV-8 pathogenesis are able to put together the synergistic effect of HHV-8 and cytokines in the development of Kaposi's sarcoma. The two chapters on hepatitis virus and its pathogenesis are not only written in great detail, but also provided some thought-provoking questions on vaccine development.
The last two chapters, on new viruses and human diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) and diagnosis of emerging viruses, have provided some fascinating, and often overlooked, information on the possible etiology of diseases of CNS and how to diagnose them. I am sure that it will provide the seeds for tantalizing thoughts of many as yet undiscovered viral causes of many CNS diseases.
Phalguni Gupta
Graduate School of Public Health
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pa.
The Baltimore Case: A Trial of Politics, Science and Character
Daniel Kevles. W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., New York, 1998, 448 p., $29.95 (hardcover).
The Baltimore Case, which was published in September 1998, has been extensively and rapidly reviewed by most major media, including the New York Times, the New York Times Book Review, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the New York Review, among others. I decided to wait a while and let the dust settle before reading it and agreeing to review this scholarly and detailed book for ASM News.
From a personal viewpoint, David Baltimore has fascinated many others and myself for over three generations. He has been among the most admired, respected, and truthful individuals in the scientific profession. His astuteness and penetrating insights into scientific research have opened new vistas in the fields of RNA tumor viruses, polioviruses, and molecular immunology.
He earned the Nobel Prize in 1975 at the age of 37, and because of his fame, as well as loyalty to coworker Theresa Imanishi-Kari, became a target for an overzealous government official.
This book is important for several reasons; it is well written by an outstanding historian. Also, it reminds us that when individuals in power take advantage of their power, one can see devastating consequences not only to the accused individuals but also to the community (scientific) as a whole. Finally, there is a positive lesson, albeit painful in this case: ``truth will win out in the end,'' as highlighted in Chapter 10 of Kevles' book, entitled ``The Final Verdict.''
The Baltimore case is must reading for all scientists young and old who aspire to create a better world in science and biotechnology, so that they can learn that even in the pursuit of scientific truth, politics plays a heavy hand.
Currently, Baltimore is President of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., and is doing wonderful things again by bringing new technologies together in different scientific disciplines, e.g., sensor technology at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA) with physics, biology, and chemistry at Cal Tech. Baltimore is also head of the NIH AIDS Vaccine Program. Imanishi-Kari has been completely exonerated by the final NIH Review Committee and has received well-deserved tenure at Tufts University.
Although the events in this book took 10 years to unfold and perhaps were perpetuated by misguided political reasons, they did open up in a positive way, the scrutiny of science, its integrity and its ethics. This has caused enlightenment in the scientific field, which has changed scientific attitudes, into the next generation. All one has to do is visit the NIH Guide Web site on Findings of Scientific Misconduct, to see what the current government oversight has wrought. Unfortunately, a heavy price was paid by all involved.
Ronald B. Luftig
Louisiana State University Medical Center
New Orleans, La.
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
Tuberculosis: Its Origins and Effects
VHS video. Sandy Reid, Andrew Hay, and Andrew Clarke. Films for the Humanities & Sciences, Princeton, N.J., (800) 257-5126, 1998, $89.95.
Target Audience:
Medical microbiology students and clinical paraprofessional health or technical lab students. This may be of interest to certain continuing education programs for public health or hospital professional personnel.
Description:
This 17-minute, black-and-white and color video provides a detailed overview of various types of tuberculosis-primary, secondary, nonpulmonary, miliary, bovine tuberculosis, and Pott's disease. Actual body organs and excellent microscopy are evident. The Mantoux test's tuberculin hypersensitivity reaction is illustrated. The historical bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination and its subsequent lesion is also presented. Respiratory and systemic lesions and other pathology of various complications, such as granulomas, caseous necrosis, tuberculosis meningitis, Ghon focus, tuberculoma, and bronchiectasis, are examined.
Level of Presentation:
College, university, medical school, or Continuing Medical Education. The film was originally produced for the Academic Unit of Pathological Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine by Leeds University Television, England.
Strengths and Weaknesses:
The presenter had a clear, yet monotone voice, with a British pronunciation of the clinical terms. He used a steady pace with pauses after complicated terms. The printed labels of the pathological specimens and the illustration of other new or difficult medical terms were appreciated by my introductory-level and diverse ethnicity microbiology course students. There is a lack of reference to modern biotech tuberculosis diagnostic tools, such as PCR, or to more modern prophylactic measures. Reference is made to individuals in history who suffered from tuberculosis. However, it would have been beneficial to give a face to the contemporary victims and reference to the epidemiology of this disease. A brief segment devoted to a living child or adult exhibiting symptoms of the disease and dealing with the physical and social challenges in the activities of daily living caused by the tuberculosis agent would have been both educational and relevant.
Recommendations:
I recommend purchase for undergraduate or graduate microbiology course clinical presentations or references concerning tuberculosis.
Teresa A. Thomas
Southwestern College
Winfield, Kans.
The World of Living Organisms: the Smallest Organisms
VHS Video. Films for the Humanities & Sciences, Princeton, N.J. [(800) 257-5126; http://www.films.com], 1996, $59.95.
Target Audience:
The material covered in this 15-minute video is suitable for junior high school or middle school biology students. It may also be suitable for non-honors high school biology students.
Description:
The goal of the film is to familiarize students with bacteria and viruses. Further, the video explains how viruses differ from bacteria. Finally, the video demonstrates how bacteria and viruses can be beneficial as well as harmful to animals and humans.
Strengths and Weaknesses:
The narrator of the video was not familiar with the material he presented, and the script was poorly written and not focused. The information pertaining to reproduction in bacteria, bacterial pathogenesis, and vaccination was not clear and would be difficult for introductory students to comprehend. However, the section on gene therapy was somewhat informative. The narrative style of the video was boring and largely ineffective from an educational standpoint. There was far too much ``talking'' and a dearth of diagrams and illustrations in the video.
Recommendations:
This video was poorly produced and the information presented in it was not suitable for students (at any level) who are interested in biology or microbiology. At best, it could be used for introductory purposes in some non-science major courses. In summary, I do not recommend purchasing this video.
Clifford Mintz
BioInsights, Inc.
WEB SITES
Science's Next Wave, an online magazine, is a well-organized resource for developing a traditional or nontraditional science-based career. This site, which can be easily accessed through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Web site ( http://www.aaas.org/ ), contains recent and past articles as well as news items pertaining to a menu of topics: job market news, career transitions, career & job-hunting advice (e.g., the ``Tooling Up'' columns), family-career issues, women in science (e.g., gender disparity issues), and current debates in science. Under each general category is a bibliography that is updated weekly and features both national and international articles. Navigating through the numerous titles is facilitated by a search engine that allows the user to quickly locate articles by subject and/or country of interest. Additional directories guide the reader to information on academic issues, alternative careers, funding news, industry job topics, science career columns, and reviews of books and Web sites relevant to scientific careers. Free access to discussion forums and links to funding databases (GrantsNet), employment listings (JobsNet), and annual salary surveys also are available. Of particular benefit to science students and postdoctoral trainees is the well-written ``Tooling Up'' series of bimonthly columns authored by Dave Jensen or Peter Fiske. Their columns provide helpful advice on the scientific and technical job hunting process in a succinct, often humorous style. Overall, the Next Wave is an informative, carefully compiled resource that would be especially useful to any individual in the early stages of building a career in science.
Dorothea K. Thompson
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The Biology Project: Immunology, Problem Sets and Tutorials
Immunology, Problem Sets and Tutorials is part of The Biology Project, an interactive on-line resource for science education originated in 1996 at the University of Arizona. The Web site averages approximately 80,000 hits a month and offers tutorials in both English and Spanish languages. The Immunology section provides a basic introduction to the immune system, including tutorials and problem sets on the history of vaccinations, discrimination of self from nonself, the major immune cell types, and innate vs. adaptive immunity. Three outstanding case studies for more advanced students are presented; these cover the topics of Legionella infection, Lyme disease, and anthrax with links to related sites. Activities on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting analysis are also featured; both are explained in the context of testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Links are provided to additional AIDS and HIV information resources. At the end of each tutorial, visitors may take an online test with immediate access to the correct answers and brief explanations about each question. Material is organized and communicated very well. This site is updated relatively frequently, is easy to navigate, and has pages that download quickly. Immunology, Problem Sets and Tutorials is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about the fundamentals of the immune system and is suitable for teachers and students at the upper high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Science research professionals wishing to touch base with the major principles of the immune system and infection by microorganisms should also find this site engaging.
Kelly P. Kearse
East Carolina University School of Medicine
Greenville, N.C.
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