Books

Dynamic Theory of X-Ray Diffraction [André Authier, 2001, Hardbound, 640 pp, £85.00, Oxford Univ. Press]. Dynamical theory has seen exciting developments since the advent of synchrotron radiation. This book, an up-to-date account of the theory of diffraction and its applications, includes an introduction to the subject, an account of early developments and basic results, detailed development of the diffraction and propagation properties of x-rays on perfect crystals and extension of the theory to deformed crystals. Three applications of the theory are discussed in detail: x-ray optics for synchrotron radiation, locations of atoms at surfaces, and x-ray diffraction topography. The book includes more than 1,200 references to the literature, and will be a useful reference work for lecturers, graduate students, and researchers. (www.oup.co.uk)

ECM 18 proceedings

Materials Structure in Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Technology [vol. 6, no. 2, 1999, 87 pps] includes 22 reviewed papers on special topics presented at ECM-18.

Advances in Structure Analysis [Editors: R. Kuzel, J. Hasek, 2000, 510 pages, Kluwer Academic Publishers] Reviewed papers on special topics presented at the 18th European Crystallographic Meeting (ECM-18) including papers on materials structure and physics (9 papers), chemical crystallography (9 papers), structure determination (6 papers), biology (3 papers), and symmetry (2 papers). Authors include: J.W. White, P. Klmanek, H.J. Bunge, P. Barnes, C. Landron, Gu Nanju, R.I. Barabash, S.V. Starenchenko, I.V. Alexandrov, M. Steinhart, V. Kaucic, A. Le Bail, K.D.M. Harris, F.H. Herbstein, S.V. Krivovichev, G.A. Geguzina, P. Capkova, K. Yoshimura, K.S. Byram, D. Wigel, V. Kopsky, M.G. Mirceanu, A. Deriu, K. Vlahovicek, C.M. Weeks, A. Podjarny, C. Gilmore, V. Lamzin, C. Giacovazzo, V.Y. Lunin, and co-authors. (http://krystal.karlov.mff.cuni.cz/xray)

The Structures of Life. This free booklet is geared toward an advanced high school or early college-level audience and explains how structural biology provides insight into health and disease and contains a general introduction to proteins, a chapter each on X-ray crystallography and NMR, and a chapter on structure-based drug design. It also features “Student Snapshots” designed to inspire young people to consider careers in biomedical research. The Structures of Life and other science education booklets are published by the Nat’l Inst. of General Medical Sciences, a component of the NIH (USA). (www.nigms.nih.gov/news/publist.html)

Supramolecular conference

Current Challenges on Large Supramolecular Assemblies [proceedings of an Advanced Research Workshop (NATO), edited by G. Tsoucaris, Hardbound, 1998, 438 pp, EUR 179.50/USD 237.50/GBP 154.50] An interdisciplinary study of supramolecular assemblies in which several methodologies for structural characterization are combined. The chapters of this book aim at bridging areas of research of methods of investigation of supramolecular assembly. Crystal structures are studied within the framework of creating and characterizing organized entries in one, two and three dimensions. (www.wkap.nl/kaphtml.htm/ELECCAT) G. Tsoucaris (France)

Physics Today. Physics Today magazine has expanded its web site to include full editorial content from the magazine. The new redesign includes repackaging the articles into a more readable format for the web. 'We hope to expand the amount of materials on physicstoday.org to include papers from the magazine's archive,' says Paul Guinnessy, Physics Today's Online Editor. 'The December online edition of the magazine includes a collection of arms control articles from the past few decades'. The site is currently developing new services and restricted access controls. Access will remain free to subscribers and members of ACA and societies connected to the American Inst. of Physics (USA) (http://physicstoday.org)