Immune Modulating Agents

From The Critics

Reviewer: John A. Robinson, MD(Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine)
Description: This is a new multiauthored monograph on the very important and timely subject of immunomodulation. Unfortunately, the book varies in quality much more than the usual multiauthored text. Evidence of inadequate editorial control includes legends for many figures that are equal to microtexts, and lack of consistency in reference format, with many chapters containing no titles. There is a very unfortunate typographic error in figure 1 of the first chapter where the major effects of the TH1-TH2 paradigm are reversed. Many chapters are excellent overviews and in several there is emphasis on the newly discovered overriding importance of neuroendocrine communications with the immune system and how they influence disease.
Purpose: The purpose is to present up-to-date information on a hot topic.
Audience: The book is directed at immunologists, oncologists, infectious disease physicians, and transplant specialists.
Features: The chapter on rheumatoid arthritis is extremely well balanced in contrast to the one on the alleged importance of microchimerism in maintenance of transplantation tolerance. Amazingly, there is no substantive discussion of the immunomodulatory mechanisms of IVIg and only scant attention paid to the fundamental building stones of immunosuppression, cyclosporine, and tacrolimus. The index is grossly inadequate.
Assessment: Overall, I have modest enthusiasm for this book. There are nuggets of interesting, helpful, and stimulating information buried in many of the chapters and it is recommended to be used as a reference text for maintaining currency in this burgeoning area of immunologic interest.

John A. Robinson

This is a new multiauthored monograph on the very important and timely subject of immunomodulation. Unfortunately, the book varies in quality much more than the usual multiauthored text. Evidence of inadequate editorial control includes legends for many figures that are equal to microtexts, and lack of consistency in reference format, with many chapters containing no titles. There is a very unfortunate typographic error in figure 1 of the first chapter where the major effects of the TH1-TH2 paradigm are reversed. Many chapters are excellent overviews and in several there is emphasis on the newly discovered overriding importance of neuroendocrine communications with the immune system and how they influence disease. The purpose is to present up-to-date information on a hot topic. The book is directed at immunologists, oncologists, infectious disease physicians, and transplant specialists. The chapter on rheumatoid arthritis is extremely well balanced in contrast to the one on the alleged importance of microchimerism in maintenance of transplantation tolerance. Amazingly, there is no substantive discussion of the immunomodulatory mechanisms of IVIg and only scant attention paid to the fundamental building stones of immunosuppression, cyclosporine, and tacrolimus. The index is grossly inadequate. Overall, I have modest enthusiasm for this book. There are nuggets of interesting, helpful, and stimulating information buried in many of the chapters and it is recommended to be used as a reference text for maintaining currency in this burgeoning area of immunologic interest.

Booknews

Addresses the complexity of the systemic immune response and provides a comprehensive description of immune modulating agents in the context of disease and therapy. Topics include basic immunoregulatory mechanisms; cytokines, cellular and humoral responses, and hematopoiesis; neuroendocrine- immune system interactions and the role of psychological stress on immune competence; factors that influence disease susceptibility, including nutrition; drug delivery systems, gene therapy, organ transplantation, arthritis treatment, and vaccination strategies; and how to design clinical trials using immune modulating agents. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

3 Stars from Doody