Fertile Fields Developments in Physiology

Nature Vol. 293 1 October 1981 345

any clinically orientated department "...,,....,J ..... tlll --....:= Fertile Fields wishing to cover this rapidly developing R.J. Aitken field should certainly take it. However, those predominantly interested in the scientific aspects of male reproductive Gamete Research. Editor R.B. L. Gwatkin. physiology might be better served by the 8/ yr in 2 vols. (Alan R. Liss.) $120 US, competition. $142 Europe. Archives of Andrology. Yet another journal of reproduction to Editor-in-chief E.S.E. Hafez. 8/ yr in 2 appear recently, or rather re-emerge under is reflected in the fact that about 50 per cent vols. (Elsevier / North-H oil and Bio a new imprint, is Reproduccion, the of the articles are written in Spanish or medical.) $208. Reproduccion. Editor-in official organ of the International Portuguese (with English summaries) while chief J. Cortes-Prieto. 4/ yr. (MTP Press, Federation of Fertility Societies and the the remainder are in English. Its real Lancaster, UK.) £20 (personal); £35 International Academy of Reproductive purpose, then, is to act as an important (institutional). Medicine. The journal is aimed at a broad outlet for scientists working in the spectrum of readers covering a wide range reproductive sciences in Spain, Cuba, Gamete Research (GR) was conceived with of clinical topics (andrology, gynaecology, Mexico and other Latin American the aim of creating a channel of com sociology) as well as the science of countries, and it is in such locations that the munication between scientists working in reproduction in animal models, including primary market for the journal must lie. the general areas of gamete biology, sub-mammalian species. As an illustration Reproduccion contains some quality fertilization and embryonic development in of the variety of interests covered, a recent science and, for the sake of those not different phyla, even different kingdoms. issue contained papers on oogenesis in conversant with Spanish and Portuguese, Thus the papers cover such topics as sperm Bufo arenarum, human uterine con is covered by all of the major indexing and ultrastructure, sperm motility, oocyte tractility in the puerperium and endo abstracting journals. D maturation, fertilization and cleavage in a metrial bacterial flora following the diverse range of species including ferns, insertion of an IUD. R. J. Aitken is at the MRC Unit ofReproductive crustaceans, echinoderms, amphibians The geographical bias of Reproduccion Biology, Edinburgh. and mammals, including man. Book reviews and useful review articles also appear, and the journal maintains a good standard of production. Developments in Physiology • • • David Yudilevich

Journal of Developmental Physiology. "workers in an unusually wide field of Editor C.T. Jones. 6/ yr. (Blackwell interest and disciplines", to date this aim For reproductive biologists working Scientific.) £50 UK, $138 US, £60 has not been fully achieved since a large exclusively with mammals this newcomer is elsewhere. Placenta. Editors H. Fox and number of the papers are morphological particularly welcome, since conventional W. Page Faulk. 4/ yr. (W.B. Saunders.) studies of a clinical nature. The quality of outlets for their speciality such as the £32.50. American Journal of Physiology: production of the journal is excellent; the Journal of Reproduction and Fertility and Endocrinology and Metabolism. Editor E. papers are well laid out and many contain a Biology ofReproduction do not encourage Knobil. 12/yr in 2 vols. (American Physio generous number of beautiful micro- · the comparative approach and so rarely logical Society.) $55 US, $70 elsewhere. graphs. The same quality has been publish articles on non-mammalian American Journal of Physiology: Gastro extended to the hardback supplements species. The high quality of research intestinal and Liver Physiology. Editor L.R. (two so far) which are the proceedings of appearing in GR has been particularly Johnson. 12/yr in 2 vols. (American Physio conferences. the quality of some of evident of late, perhaps indicating a logical Society.) $50 US, $65 elsewhere. Disappointingly, progressive increase in the popularity of the the papers in Placenta is below average; a journal. It can certainly be recommended. IT 1s almost a truism to remark that a few are so short as to resemble expanded Also reflecting the growth of distinct certain area of science is expanding. Yet, of abstracts padded out with a few large subdisciplines in reproductive biology is course, the statement applies to many figures and there is sometimes an the appearance of Archives of Andrology aspects of physiology and here, in the unnecessary subdivision of material into (AA), a clinically directed journal Journal of Developmental Physiology several papers. Other editorial weaknesses specializing in male reproductive (JDP) and Placenta, are two new journals are apparent; for example, some papers physiology. The journal publishes a making manifest such growth in the study lack a summary and manuscripts "in balanced mixture of scientific papers of fetal development. preparation" are included in the reference dealing with anatomical, physiological and Publication of research in this field was list, a bad practice in my view. biochemical aspects of male reproduction previously scattered through a large The Guardian (22 January 1980) in a in animal models, and very clinically number of unrelated journals, particularly prominent article emphasized that the orientated articles reporting on such topics in the fields of obstetrics and paediatrics. human placenta is "one of the most as sexually transmissible diseases and the The intention of drawing together this promising experimental animals of the characterization, diagnosis and treatment material in Placenta and JDP (which future". A view from a different of male infertility. In addition to research overlap to a certain extent), with the perspective was given by R. D. H. Boyd in a papers and short communications, AA additional hope of stimulating research in review in Placenta on the topic of transport publishes review articles which I found to these fields, seems to be justified. of substances across the placenta: "there be one of the strongest aspects of the In the opening editorial of Placenta, the must be few fields of classical physiology as journal. In contrast, the research papers new journal is put in context: "the poorly understood as this one". Thus the are of variable quality and in this respect fecundity of medical and scientific journals problems of investigating processes in the the journal does not score as highly as its is quite alarming ... the lack of a forum placenta are great, but so is the potential. I main competitor, the International for placental studies is glaringly hope that Placenta will stimulate sound Journal of Andrology. apparent". However, although the editors scientific research in the entire field. AA is professionally put together, and express a wish to publish material from JDP aims to publish "original research