Pharmaceutical manufacture is very exacting - for example, drugs must be uniform in size, shape, efficacy, bioavailability, and safety. The presence of different polymorphs in drug production is a serious problem, since different polymorphs differ in bioavailability, solubility, dissolution rate, chemical and physical stability, melting point, color, filterability, density, and flow properties. Fine Particles in Medicine and Pharmacy discusses particle size, shape, and composition and how they determine the choice of polymorph of a drug.

The important role of ?nely dispersed matter and surfaces in medicine is not always fully understood and appreciated. Speci?cally, ?ne particles (solid or liquid) in the size range of several nanometers to several micrometers have a tremendous effect on our lives, because they can be bene?cial or detrimental to our well-being. Such particles are present in living bodies as red blood cells or cholesterol crystals in the gall bladder. They are ubiquitous in the environment, where they can cause many diseases, such as asbestosis, silicosis, and black lung disease, but they are also used in diagnostic tests, drug delivery, and numerous other applications. More recently, evidence has become available that drug formulations with active components in a ?nely dispersed state may signi?cantly affect their functionality. Furthermore, with miniaturization of medical instrumentation, the size of the components is necess- ily reduced to colloid or even smaller range. This volume is a collection of several chapters dealing with diverse topics of colloids and surfaces relevant to medical applications. Thus, Siiman describes the use of optical properties of uniform colloidal particles as probes in ?ow cytometry. Giesche focuses on the preparations and properties of exceedingly uniform silica spheres for different uses, such as in chromatography. In modi?ed forms, silica p- ticles with incorporated dyes are employed in diagnostics and those combined with tiny magnetic entities in drug delivery.

The three sections of this volume deal with topics of broad interest. The first deals with cetyl alcohol and is a most comprehensive study of this essential ingredient in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, with an explanation of its functionality. The second is a most comprehensive, up-to-date review of acid/base interactions of a variety of materials, including small molecules, proteins and polyelectrolytes. The third section describes the combined radiochemical and electrochemical methods in the evaluation of the properties of solids in contact with solutions.

Ever since the first volume appeared in 1969, this series has received good reviews in a variety of periodicals published in different corners of 'the world. It would seem that the work has fulfilled its purpose as outlined in the Preface to Volume 1. The rapidly increasing interest in surface and colloid science by people engaged in industrial research and development, and in environmental, ecological, medical, pharmaceutical, and other areas, justifies the continuation of such an effort. After nine volumes with John Wiley and Sons, this and subsequent volumes will-by mutual consent-be published by Plenum Press. The editor will do his best to maintain and, if possible, improve the quality of the contributions. While the fundamental philosophy will be preserved, some moderate graphical changes have taken place. These changes were done to enhance the readability and uniformity of the volumes. Occasionally, volumes may appear under the editorship of other scientists in the field. These volumes will be mainly devoted to techniques in surface and colloid science. For reasons of continuity a sequential numbering system will be used.

Taking a critical approach toward novel colloid systems and phenomena, this series provides both the historical development and a digest of recent advances. The current volume focuses on solutions containing surfactants and polymers, with special emphasis on micelle formation and microemulsions.

Ever since the first volume appeared in 1969, this series has received good reviews in a variety of periodicals published in different corners of the world. It would seem that the work has fulfilled its purpose as outlined in the Preface to Volume 1. The rapidly increasing interest in surface and colloid science by people engaged in industrial research and development, and in environmental, ecological, medical, pharmaceutical, and other areas, justifies the continuation of such an effort. The Surface and Colloid Science series originated with John Wiley and Sons and has been continued with Plenum Press. This volume is the third with the present publisher, and is the best assurance of our mutual interest to proceed with this work. Some books in the series, as was the case with Volume 11, may appear under the editorship of other workers in the field. For reasons of continuity, a sequential numbering system will be maintained. This editor hopes to provide the scientific and technical community with high-quality contributions in surface and colloid science in the future. He invites specialists to submit definitive chapters on any topic within the broad area of our discipline for inclusion in this series.

Fisheries genetics researchers will find invaluable the thirty-eight peer-reviewed contributions in this book, presented at the 20th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium "Genetics of Subpolar Fish and Invertebrates," held in May 2002 in Juneau, Alaska. Looming over concerns of lost fisheries stocks and persistent erosion of genetic variability are predictions of global warming, which may further tax genetic resources. One consequence is an increased reliance on genetic applications to many aspects of fisheries management, aquaculture, and conservation. The contributions in this book are important to modern fisheries science and genetics, and illustrate the evolution of the field over the past decade. The improved technology provides tools to address increasingly complicated problems in traditional applications and ecological and behavioral studies. The union between molecular and quantitative genetics, where many of the major questions about population structure and evolution remain unanswered, will also benefit from the new technologies.

The three sections of this volume deal with topics of broad interest. The first deals with cetyl alcohol and is a most comprehensive study of this essential ingredient in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, with an explanation of its functionality. The second is a most comprehensive, up-to-date review of acid/base interactions of a variety of materials, including small molecules, proteins and polyelectrolytes. The third section describes the combined radiochemical and electrochemical methods in the evaluation of the properties of solids in contact with solutions.

Unlike previous volumes in the series for colloid and surface scientists, revolves generally around two topics: surfactants and polymers. The six papers discuss micelles of block and graft copolymers in solutions, surfactant association in nonaqueous media, a study of the boundary viscosity of organ

Pharmaceutical manufacture is very exacting - for example, drugs must be uniform in size, shape, efficacy, bioavailability, and safety. The presence of different polymorphs in drug production is a serious problem, since different polymorphs differ in bioavailability, solubility, dissolution rate, chemical and physical stability, melting point, color, filterability, density, and flow properties. Fine Particles in Medicine and Pharmacy discusses particle size, shape, and composition and how they determine the choice of polymorph of a drug.