Metabolic Aspects of Renal Function. - Journal of the American

Metabolic Aspects of Renal Function. Robert F. Pitts. J. Am. Chem. Soc. , 1960, 82 (15), pp 4120–4121. DOI: 10.1021/ja01500a087. Publication Date: A...
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Some readers doubtless will question whether 0: not the occurrence, properties and the importance of the hydrogen material should really be called “physical” organic. This bond. statement is t o be construed as a characterization rather The next three chapters deal with methods of detection than as a criticism. Students, and others, who wish t o of hydrogen bond. Dielectric, pressure-volume-temperahave a quick look at what is thought about the mechanisms ture, association, conductance, melting point, vapor presof randomly chosen reactions will find Gould’s book to be a sure, solubility, etc., measurements are discussed among more useful source than any other text as a primary referthe non-spectroscopic techniques. T h e spectroscopic techence work. Furthermore, the discussions will often be niques t h a t are discussed include infrared, Rarnan, nuclear found t o be remarkably sensitive reflections, considering their magnetic resonance, ultraviolet and visible, and nuclear brevity, of current thiiiking on the subjects. On the other quadrupole spectroscopy. hand, the expert in any given field will be likely t o find that Chapter 5 deals with intramolecular hydrogen bonds and important refinements have not been developed very chapter 6 consists of a stimulating discussion of what groups thoroughly. Furthermore, some readers will be bothered by form hydrogen bonds. The seventh and eighth chapters the dearth of numbers in the book. For example, although deal with the thermodynamic properties and the theory of Chapter 9, “Reactions of Carboxylic Acids a n d Esters,” the hydrogen bond, respectively. contains a modest number of quantitative statements conChapters 9, 10 and 11 treat hydrogen bonding in crystals, cerning relative reactivity, I have been unable t o find a proteins and nucleic acids, and practical systems such as single rate constant. Such a state of affairs is not uncomfibers, cloth, leather, etc., respectively. mon even in more sophisticated texts but it leaves me with Chapter 12 represents the authors’ look into the future the fear t h a t readers may spend all of their time Ivorrying and consists of a brief discussion of promising experimeiital about the relative rates of reactions A and B with little techniques, applications and theoretical developinelits. regard t o absolute facts such as the actual velocities under The book also has three appendices which coiitain symbols experimental conditions and notations, thermodynamic properties of hydrogeu As has been indicated: the scope of the book is wide. bonds and equilibrium constants for hydrogen-bond forniaThe first three chapters deal with various aspects of struc- tions. .ln important part of the book is the bibliography of tual theory. The fourth discusses acids and bases, includ- 2242 references. .inother attractive feature is the ining the Hammett acidity functions and the significance of clusion in each chapter of a summary or conclusions. CritiGrunwald’s activity postulate. Chapters 5 and 6, a very cal discussions supplement the factual records. These disinteresting pair, treat non-kinetic and kinetic methods for cussions should be very helpful t o the begiiining workers in the study of reaction mechanisms. Chapter 7 treats the the field as well as the seasoned investigator. In this general problem of substituent effects on reactivity, includ- reviewer’s opinion, a shortcoming of the book is the omission ing t h e Hammett and Taft equations. The last two-thirds of mathematical detail; however, if such detail wcrc inof t h e book is devoted t o chapters in which various types of cluded, the size of the volume would increase. In additio:n, reactions are discussed. The chapter titles are as follows: it may be argued t h a t the interested reader can with profit “Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions in Aliphatic SJ-S- refer to the references included in the bibliography. terns,” “Reactions of Carboxylic Acids and Esters,” This book will certainly be a welcome addition t o t h e “Carbanions and Enolization,” “Electrophilic and Nucleo- libraries of all scientists interested in hydrogen bonding. philic Substitutions in Aromatic Systems,” “Beta-EliminaD E P A R T M E S T O F CHEMISTRY tion Reactions,” “bddition Reactions,” “Participation of THEJOHSS HOPKINSUNIVERSITY WALTERS.KOSKI IGeighboring Groups in Nucleophilic Substitution ReacBALTIMORE 18, MARYLAND tions and in Rearrangements,” “Further Molecular Rearrangements,” and “Free-radical Reactions.” The author has included a large number of exercises a t the ends of the chapters which should be an asset in thepresentaAspects of Renal Function. BY N‘ILLIAM 1). tion of courses based upon the text. Some of these problems Metabolic LOTSPEICH, AT. D., Professor and C h a i r n ~ a n ,Department are subtle and rather interesting. of Physiology, University of Cincinnati, College of MediI foresee substantial use of this book as either a primary cine. Charles C Thomas, Publishers, 301-327 East Lawor secondary reference in second courses in organic. I t also rence Avenue, Springfield, Illinois. xiv 214 pp. 16 X deserves popularity as a quick access source among chemists 23.5 cm. Price, $7.50. in fields other than physical organic. I hope t h a t use of t h e T h e functions of the kidney can be analyzed more precisely latter sort will often be followed by consultation of the priand in more penetrating fashion in the intact animal and mary literature t o which Gould has supplied references in man than can those of any other organ. This derives from generous numbers (50-200 per chapter). the versatility of clearance methods which permit quantifiCONrRIBUTION S O . 2588 of the rates of glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorpGATESA K D CRELLINL A ~ O R A T O R I E GEORGE S S.HAMVOXDcation tion, and tubular secretion of a variety of normal constitCALIFORSIAISSTITCTE OF TECHXOLOGY uents of blood plasma and of foreign test substances as PASADESA, CALIF. well. Micromethods for the sampling of glomerular filtrate and tubular fluid, for the perfusion of single renal tubules and for the measurement of electrical potential diffcre~~ccs, The Hydrogen Bond. By GEORGEC . PIMESTAL,Univer- have contributed toward a n even more fundatnental undcrsity of California, Berkeley, and AUBREYL. MCCLELLAS, standing of tubular functions. Finally, studies of uptakc California Research Corporation, Richmond. LV. H. and discharge of materials in kidney slices, of erizylllc acFreeman and Conipanl-, 660 Market Street, San Frantivities of slices and homogenates, of rates of turnover of cisco 3 , California. 1960. xi 375 pp. 16 X 2-1 cm. intermediates, and of actions of inhibitors give promise of Price, $9.50 (Text edition); $11.40 (Trade edition). ultimately defining metabolic pathways and mciiibranc. carrier mechanisms. The hydrogen bond is of great interest t o chemists and “Metabolic Aspects of Renal Function” is a synthesis of biologists, and it has been subject t o a considerable amount of investigation. The volume of literature on this subject is evidence derived from these several lines of approach. Few considerable and is steadily increasing. This book repre- could have written such a book, for few have had the training and experience in renal physiology and biochemistry sents a comprehensive and critical review of this mass of which Dr. Lotspeich has had. The book is logically orliterature. It is written with emphasis upon the physical and chemical facts with a threefold objective in mind: ganized aud lucidly mritten in a pleasiug style. The scope of the book has been defined b y the author’s research interests. t o compile and summarize the experimental facts, thereby I t is, howcver, more than an account of his personal refurnishing a basis for interpretation of hydrogen-bond search ~iccr~inplisliineiit Rlttlicr it is :til analytic a t l t l S ~ I I behavior in siihst:tiic s not yet studied; to ljrcserit a critical tlisctissiori o f the i r e , l i t stxte of tlic t>ieorJr; arid t o jreserit tlictic review of the pr iit st:itus nf t.licise fielils to vvliicli Iic l i w contributed r r i o i t sigiiificanitly. Where cl;i!:i ipccili;L hihlicigrapliy (through 1933) wliich will aid workers in tile cally rcl%ted to Ihc kidney arc lackiiig, the author di-:~ws0 1 1 field. In reading the book it appears t h a t the authors have iiiforniatioti derived from other organs a n d tissues, makes reasonable predictions as t o their possible application t o the succeeded in reaching their goals. kidney, and frequently outlines profitable avenues of in“The Hydrogen Bond” consists of twclve chapters. vestigatiori. The graduate student and the mature investiThe first is an introductory chaptei dealiug with definitions,

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less than perfect, that word has no other precise scientific meaning and hence has advantage as a name for this essentially unique situation. An example of the difficulties with the valence theory use of the word resonance occurs on page 26 where the usual rule is stated, “resonance can occur only among structures with the same number of unpaired electrons.’’ This unqualified statement is not true because spin-orbit coupling yields small but non-zero exchange integrals between states of different spin orientation and the general meaning of the word resonance applies to just such weakly coupled phenomena as these. Substitution of mesomerism for resonance, however, makes the statement true without qualification. I n the preface to the third edition Professor Pauling indicates t h a t certain changes were made t o increase the-value of the book t o students a t relatively early stages in their careers. A word of caution seems required a t this point. The two general quantum theories of chemical bonding, based upon molecular orbitals or valence bond orbitals as The Nature of the Chemical Bond and the Structure of initial approximations, have comparable merit. The valence Molecules and Crystals : An Introduction to Modern bond theory is more readily coupled t o classical chemical Structural Chemistry. Third Edition. BY LINUSPAUL- valence theory as Pauling has most ably demonstrated. ING, Professor of Chemistry in the California Institute of But the molecular orbital theory has equally definite advanTechnology. Cornel1 University Press, 124 Roberts tages in the treatment of the ground state of some systems, Place, Ithaca, New York. 1960. xx 644 pp. 16 X 24 the 02 molecule for example, and is clearly superior for the cm. Price, $8.85. discussion of excited electronic states. Thus the student’s first general study of valence and structural chemistry Immediately after the quantum theory discoveries by should include a balanced presentation of both theories. Schrodinger and Heisenberg, a number of investigators Since the “Nature of the Chemical Bond” contains nothing fruitfully applied the new equations to problems of chemical bonding. But it was the brilliant series of papers on the about the molecular orbital method, except for a few words about Hz, it is more appropriate as a supplementary refer“Nature of the Chemical Bond” by Linus Pauling that ence source than as a text for such a study. first yielded a synthesis of the new quantum theory with the This is a book t h a t all chemists interested in the fundavalence theory built by generations of chemists. The pubmental theory of their subject will wish t o have a t hand. lication of this work in book form in 1939 was a major conThe book contains a treasure of well selected experimental tribution to the chemical literature. Your reviewer recalls structural data and would be valuable on t h a t basis alone. t h a t his first experience in chairing a seminar came imThe interpretations of these structures, however, are equally mediately therafter; the subject was Professor Pauling’s important and are always well presented. The only danger new book. is the one mentioned above, t h a t the uninitiated reader may I n the subsequent two decades much has been added to not even become aware of the existence of alternative interour knowledge of chemical bonding, and it is most appropriate that Professor Pauling has prepared a new edition. pretations. This new edition is the third; a second edition was pubDEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY lished only one year after the first. The point of view is the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA K. S. PITZER same as before; it is a clear and complete presentation of BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA Pauling’s own theory. All due credit is given to others who have made contributions which Pauling incorporates into his theory, but there is practically no discussion of alternate Nouveau Trait6 de Chimie Min6rale. Tome X I . Artheories for the same phenomena. The new text is apsenic-Antimoine-Bismuth. Edited by PAUL PASCAL, proximately 150 pages longer and 50 pages of appendices Membre de l’Institut, Professeur honoraire d la Sorbonne. have also been added. Much of the additional space is Masson et Cie., 120, Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 6, devoted t o discussion of the bonding in substances whose France. 1958. xxxix 850 pp. 18 X 25.5 cm. Price: structures have been determined since the earlier editions. brochi., 7.750 fr.; cartonne toile, 8.950 fr. Hydrogen bonding in proteins and nucleic acids is such a Nouveau Trait6 de Chimie Min6rale. Tome XIV. Chrometopic. The discussion of borane structures is completely Complexed due Chrome-Molybd6ne-Tungst€ne-Hiiti?rorevised to accord with the new structures. The greatly expolyacides. Edited by PAULPASCAL, Membre de 1’Instipanded exposition of Pauling’s theory of metallic binding t u t , Professeur honoraire d la Sorbonne. Masson et Cie., is a particularly valuable addition. 120, Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 6, France. 1959. This edition includes a six-page section devoted to rexxxix 1014 pp. 18 X 25.5 cm. Price: broch6, 9.500 buttal of the criticism of resonance theory which arose prifr.; cartonne toile, 10.700 fr. marily in Russia about a decade ago. While the reply to this largely ill-founded criticism is certainly appropriate, T h e eleventh volume of this classical reference work on most readers would be more interested in a t least an equal Inorganic Chemistry contains chapters on Arsenic by Roger space devoted to the comparative merits of well-founded Dolique (403 pages), on Antimony by Pierre Bothorel (162 alternate theories which Pauling ignores. For example, pages) and on Bismuth by Louis Domange (160 pages). overlap integrals provide a semi-quantitative criterion of The editor contributes a section on the organic compounds bond strength which might have been compared with the of arsenic (53 pages), b u t his customary correlating chapter criterion based upon the maximum angular magnitudes of is omitted from this volume. Presumably the correlation will be given in the volume devoted to Nitrogen and Phosthe orbitals. Recent theories of the orientation of aromatic substituents consider the structure of the transition state phorus. in a more definite manner than Pauling does, and a comVolume XIV, on the other hand, follows the more usual parison of results of these theories would be of interest. pattern beginning with an introductory chapter by Paul Pascal entitled “Group VI sub group chromium, molybPauling states (on page 12) that he prefers t o avoid the use of the word mesomerism (introduced by Ingold) be- denum, tungsten, uranium, etc.” The inclusion of uranium cause the true structure of a mesomeric or resonating moleis a sort of vestigial relic of the old Periodic Table b u t i t is cule is not just an intermediate between classical bond struc- retained mainly t o emphasize the ways in which i t differs tures but is a structure further changed in a manner to lower from the members of sub-group VI which arc the only ones tlie energj‘. This reviewer agrees most heartily with tlie dealt with in the main text. The geiieral chemistry of conclusion about structures but has come to the opposite chromium is described by J. Xniiel (389 pages). The conicoiiclu4oii with respect to terminology. The word, resoplexes of chromium are given a scparate treatment by Raynance, has a precise meaning in oscillating mechanical and mond and Clement Duval (137 pages). A chapter on electrical systems which is readily carried into quantum molybdenum by J. Aubrey (125 pages) and one on tungsten theory but is substantially different from its use in valence by -4. Chretien and W . Freudlich (156 pages) are interlarded theory. Although the etymology of mesomerism may be with passages on molybdenum oxides and the isopoly and

gator will find in this book a wealth of interesting investigative leads. The book consists of chapters on the transport and metabolism of phospate, on amino acids and glucose, on the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the kidney, on the synthesis and secretion of ammonia, on organic acids and bases, and on phlorizin. All who are interested in normal renal physiology or in such functional alterations induced by disease as renal tubular acidosis, the amino acidurias and the benign glycosurias will find the book rewarding reading. Those interested broadly in bodily function will find i t a fascinating and stimulating account of modern trends in renal physiology. CORSELLUNIVERSITY MEDICALCOLLEGE ROBERTF. PITTS 1300 YORKAVENUE NEW YORK21, NEW YORK

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