Book Description

"Stem cells hold particular promise for unlocking life-saving secrets of the cell..." -- National Academy of Sciences

Cutting edge stem cell research could pave the way to a bold new era in medicine, providing cell-based treatments -- perhaps even cures -- for scores of diseases and illnesses.But what exactly are these biological wonders -- these things called stem cells?And what promise do they really hold for medicine?As acclaimed author Ann Parson suggests, one way to measure the future is to first search back through the past to take stock of how humans have gradually awakened to these distinctive, often camouflaged, cells in our midst and slowly come to recognize their worth.

The story of stem cell technologies is at once compelling, controversial, and remarkable.Part detective story, part medical history, The Proteus Effect describes early scientific discoveries that date back as far as 1740 before proceeding into the present to recount the incredible events leading to the discovery of stem cells in animal tumors, in the blood of mice, in the brains of canaries, in human embryos, and then in the skin, liver, and other organs of grown humans. It looks at the explosive potential of these special cells for the future of medicine.

Stem cells are the clay of life waiting for the cellular signal that will coax them into taking on the shape of the beating muscle cells of the heart, insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, or message-carrying cells of the central nervous system.Manipulate them the right way, turn them into the right type of cell, and it’s possible that stem cells could be used to counter (or cure) diseases such as Parkinson's, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders -- even infertility or baldness!

But should scientists be allowed to pick apart five-day-old embryos in order to retrieve stem cells?And when stem cells whisper to us of immortality -- they can divide and perpetuate new cells indefinitely -- how do we respond?Stem cells are forcing us not only to reexamine how we define the beginning of life but how we come to terms with the end of life as well.But these cells are such stunning creations that anyone stopping to peer at them cannot help but admire them for the qualities that go far beyond their uses as simple tools for human medicine.In the end, stem cells open our eyes to the presence of forces in Nature that are far greater than anything humans could imagine or invent.

Meticulously researched, artfully balanced, and engagingly told, Ann B. Parson chronicles a scientific discovery in progress, exploring the ethical debates, describing the current research, and hinting of a spectacular new era in medicine.The Proteus Effect is as timely as it is riveting. ... Read more

Book Description

Polyurethanes in Biomedical Applications studies the use of polyurethanes in implanted medical devices. This analysis describes the concepts of polymer science, the manufacture of polyurethanes, and the biological responses to implant polyurethanes, reflecting the developments in biomaterials science and the interdisciplinary nature of bioengineering. ... Read more

Book Description

THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF HUMAN NUTRITION: A DESK REFERENCE, SECOND EDITION, presents definitions and descriptions of all of the nutrition-related biochemical terms and concepts necessary to understand nutrition science. Each topic is written so that readers can gradually become familiar with or reacquaint themselves with the terminology. ... Read more

Book Description

This introduction to the history of medicine begins with the evolution of infectious diseases at the end of the last ice age. It describes the origin of science and medicine in ancient civilizations, including China and India. The first third of the book covers the early period that is considered the "classical" history of medicine. The remainder describes the evolution of modern medicine and surgery up to the present. The final chapter is a history of medical economics and explains the origin of health insurance, HMOs and medical malpractice lawsuits, subjects explained nowhere else in the medical school curriculum.

There is a 40 page index and over 550 footnotes, most of them references to the original articles described in the text. A bibliography of essential sources is also included. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The product of a three year research project
A Brief History Of Disease, Science & Medicine is the product of Dr. Michael Kennedy's three year research project to write a book that would fill the unfortunate gaps in most medical student's educational curriculums, and also be of considerable value for the non-specialist general reader seeking a clearer understanding of the long history behind what we commonly recognize as the history of medical development from superstition to science. The first eight chapters aptly cover the history of early medicine and science described in more detail than typical medical history. Then Dr. Kennedy goes on to cover the discovery of anesthesia and antisepsis, the development of modern medicine and surgery, and concludes with a history of medical economics (including the origin of medical malpractice litigation). A Brief History Of Disease, Science & Medicine is enthusiastically recommended any and all for personal, professional, academic, and community library History of Medicine reference collections.

Fascinating and highly informative
This fascinating book is an up-to-date history of medicine and medical science. The book begins with a fascinating look at medicine and diseases from prehistoric times to the early nineteenth century, when so little of such things were truly understood. Then, the pace of the book picks up, when the speed of breakthroughs in medical understanding and technology began to simply explode. And then, the final, more modern, chapters spread out, covering everything from DNA and anesthesia to the economics of medicine.

This book was originally designed with medical students and young physicians in mind, but it is no dry textbook. Instead, this book is a fascinating read, covering a whole lot of subjects, without becoming boring. What I especially liked was that the author obviously deeply understands non-Western medicine, and he made sure to include in it in the book. This book is a great read with lots of fascinating information (for example: did you know that King Henry VIII of England probably suffered from syphilis, and that the disease probably had a major role in history?). Overall, I found this to be a fascinating and highly informative book, and I highly recommend it to you!

Interesting look into the history of medicine - good and bad
Personally I always enjoy a historical book that actually discusses history and not some surgically altered history that only reports the things that went right. That is what you get with "A Brief History of Disease, Science & Medicine". Not only do you read about the great advances in medicine but also about the mistakes that were made along the way. Although the book was written with the first year medical student in mind it is easy enough to read and understand by those with only a passing knowledge of basic first aid. Perhaps one sentence from the Forward best describes the writing style - "...it has been written to be read, rather than studied."

Dr. Kennedy states that this book was not widely accepted by the academic presses and so was published independently. It is fairly obvious that one of the reasons this might be the case is his candid examination of the history of medicine. In an age when most practitioners of the medical profession seem to feel that they have perfect knowledge, Dr. Kennedy's book shows that they have often been wrong with tragic results. Take for instance the case of Ignaz Semmelweiss who worked in a hospital where there was a twenty-nine percent mortality rate for women giving birth. Through experimentation and deduction he came to believe that washing your hands between patients and after autopsies would cause this rate to drop. He ordered that hand washing would be done between patients and the rate of death dropped drastically. However, since he had not reason why it worked it was resisted, he eventually resigned (other historians have noted that he was forced to resign) and the doctors returned to their old habits and the old mortality rate. After all it made no sense to them that something they could not see could make any difference. Many people will immediately see the similarities between things like this and modern attitude of medical science as related to alternative therapies - if we don't yet understand how it works then it must not work. Most medical history texts are severely sanitized to keep such historical errors out. So, it is really no surprise that this book, which portrays history as it was, from many primary sources, is not the most popular one among the medical establishment.

Personally, I enjoyed the book but I am one of those who enjoys history from a viewpoint of accuracy - warts and all. Still you should be prepared to have some of your history that you learned in high school discredited. I remember learning that Louis Pasteur invented innoculations to prevent disease in the later 1800's, but the fact is that Charles Maitland and others were doing it in the 1700's. "A Brief History of Disease, Science and Medicine" is a recommended read for anyone interested in the history and progression of medicine.

master storyteller tells, with love, how medicine grew up
I couldn't put it down, because it hit so many of my buttons: history, medical sciences, and just plain storytelling. While I'm most known in network engineering, clinical medicine has always been an intellectual love. While I often tell people "I'm not a doctor but I simulate them on computers," I learned a great deal from this book -- above all, the connections and less-than-obvious relationships between concepts. Kennedy chronicles both the major insights and the terribly wrong blind alleys that characterize what many call the "youngest science".
It's too easy to forget, looking at modern medicine, how recent most developments are -- and yet how many ancient insights were correct. Kennedy literally goes back to the dawn of history, explaining original ideas, how they were expanded upon, how they were confused, and how they finally converged into a scientific discipline -- that remains an art.
While the author occasionally does drop to the molecular level, it isn't necessary to have a detailed background to understand the map he reveals. There are enough very specific insights to give a medical expert a few pleasant doubletakes, as well as to introduce the layman to how we reached our current views.
There were times that I wanted more detail on a technical topic, but isn't it traditional for the great storytellers to leave you hanging, wanting more?
The author doesn't ignore that medicine always exists in a social and technical context. Religion has both suppressed and enhanced medical knowledge, and he presents both ends of the spectrum. Anyone who gets into the real world of hospitals, to say nothing of academic research, learns very quickly of the profusion of enormous egos -- and the politics resulting from them. While people may be pictured smiling as they receive Nobel Prizes, quite a number were suppressing rage at their co-awardees, or feeling terrible because their collaborator wasn't up there as well.
In modern times, more general financial and political interests have a great deal to do with the practice of medicine. Kennedy has definite opinions on where managed care and outcomes research improved care, and also where they've gone horribly wrong.

Splendid piece of work, authoritative and readable
Brief this is not, but compared to some dry academic tomes it seems brief. University of Southern California professor Dr. Michael T. Kennedy has the all too rare gift of writing well which he combines with a passion for detail so that this history is packed with the bizarre, the fascinating, the arcane, and the all too often revolting facts of medical delusion, malpractice, and triumph that have characterized the long and tortured history of the healing arts.

Note well that this is a history not only of medicine and disease, but of science as well. The emphasis is on twentieth century developments, which is as it should be since so much has happened in recent times. This is not to say that the more distant past is neglected. Kennedy starts with the pre-history and follows the quest for health through Greek and Roman times to "The Rise of Islam and Arabic Medicine" (Chapter 5) with excursions into ayurvedic medicine (from India) and the traditional Chinese practices from antiquity. He even looks at European health, or the lack thereof, during the Dark and Middle Ages before the rise of science. When he gets to the modern or nearly modern era, Kennedy organizes less by chronology and more by subject matter. Some of the later chapters are about "Cardiac Surgery," "Transplantation," "Psychiatry," etc. I particularly liked the crisp way he dealt with psychoanalytic theory and the inefficacy of psychoanalysis.

Frankly, I don't know if there is anything else quite like this available. The recognized authority on the subject of the history of medicine in English, University College London's late Roy Porter wrote both a popular account, Blood and Guts: A Short History of Medicine (2002), and a full blown treatment, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind (1997) which Kennedy cites. I have read the former and it is to Kennedy's book as Mary Poppins is to Hamlet. There are other histories, but most are either not current or too voluminous or too restricted in content.

Dr. Kennedy shows how various ideas and methods were developed, how they stemmed from, or were in contrast to, earlier methods; and he highlights the personalities of the practitioners as he describes what they did or discovered. He also focuses on patients and their stories. His style is sharp and uncluttered. Sometimes he employs a dry, cynical wit. At other times his report takes on extra-medical aspects that lend depth and familiarity to his portraits, as when, for example, he reports on the tragic death of transplant pioneer, Dr. David Hume. (p. 388)

Here are some examples of the kind of detail that I found fascinating:

"The early Middle Ages saw little consumption of animal protein by the peasants, but legume production, which increased with the agricultural revolution, reduced the dependence on carbohydrates and led to rapid population growth again." (p. 69)

And on the following page: "Women lived shorter lives than men in the Middle Ages...This is attributed to the hazards of childbirth, but also to an iron deficient diet...[because] animal protein was not available."

"...[A]lthough opium offered some relief of pain...until the anesthesia era, speed was the sign of the good surgeon." (p. 85)

"Infectious diseases were uncommon in primitive societies because the available pool of susceptible individuals was too small and the contact with other groups was not common." (p. 87) Indeed, infectious disease is part of the price we pay for agriculture and civilization.

Quoting Freud: "I often console myself with the idea that, even though we achieve so little therapeutically, at least we understand why more cannot be achieved." (p. 401) This is doubly ironic since Freud was even deceived in what he thought he understood. A few pages later Kennedy drily remarks that psychotherapy "is useful in helping adults to deal with life stress. It has little or no role in treating psychosis. The serious mental illnesses are increasingly seen as biological disorders." (p. 424)

The only weakness of this book is that it could have used a more meticulous editor. (The proofreading is excellent.) Kennedy's writing style is fast-forward, actually suggesting to me how medical history might be written had somebody like, say, novelist James M. Cain taken his hand to it. The words just rush down the page. Kennedy has so much to say and he wants to get it all said. Sometimes one has to read a sentence twice since sometimes his tenses are a little eccentric, and parallel construction is not always strictly observed.

There are two indices, one for names, but I notice that the aforementioned Roy Porter, for example, does not appear in either of them. Probably the names in the footnotes were left out. Also the references (545 of them) are collected at the end of each chapter, which is fine, but there is no overall alphabetized bibliography. This is a pet peeve of mine since one has to chase through chapter after chapter to see if a particular work is cited.

However Kennedy more than makes up for this deficiency with what he calls a "Postscript" which is a lightly annotated bibliography organized into the categories, "Recommended Reading," "General Sources," and sources by individual chapters.

Bottom line: the best history of medicine that I have found and a delight to read. ... Read more

Book Description

Here, the modeling of dynamic biological engineering processes is presented in a highly understandable way using a unique combination of simplified fundamental theory and direct hands-on computer simulation. Throughout, the mathematics is kept to a minimum, yet the 60 simulation examples supplied on a CD-ROM with this second edition illustrate almost every aspect of biological engineering science. Many of the examples are taken from the authors' own research, and each is described in detail, including the model equations. The programs are written in the modern user-friendly simulation language Berkeley Madonna, which runs on both Windows PC and Power-Macintosh computers.
Madonna solves models comprising many ordinary differential equations using very simple programming, yet is so powerful that the model parameters may be defined as "sliders", which allow the effect of their change on the model behavior to be seen almost immediately. Users may include data for curve fitting, and perform sensitivity or multiple runs. The results can be seen simultaneously on multiple-graph windows or by using overlays – resulting in a tremendous learning effect.
The authors' extensive experience, both in university teaching and international courses, is reflected in this well-balanced presentation, which is suitable for teachers, students, biochemists and engineers. The result is a greater understanding of the formulation and use of mass balances and kinetics for biological reaction engineering, written in a most stimulating manner.
... Read more

Book Description

Tuberculosis -- once the cause of as many as one in five deaths in the U.S. -- crossed all boundaries of class and gender, but the methods of treatment for men and women differed radically. While men were encouraged to go out to sea or to the open country, women were expected to stay at home, surrounded by family, to anticipate a lingering death. Several women, however, chose rather to head for the drier climates of the West and build new lives on their own. But with the discovery of the tubercle bacillus in 1882 and the establishment of sanatoriums, both men and women were relegated to lives of seclusion, sacrificing autonomy for the prospect of a cure.

InLiving in the Shadow of Death Sheila Rothman presents the story of tuberculosis from the perspective of those who suffered, and in doing so helps us to understand the human side of the disease -- and to cope with its resurgence. The letters, diaries, and journals piece together what it was like to experience tuberculosis, and eloquently reveal the tenacity and resolve with which people faced it.

"A fascinating and powerful book... compelling reading. Tuberculosis was a disease, now reemerging, that killed more Americans, young or old, rich or poor, than any other disease, until well into the twentieth century. It shaped our culture, determined careers, blighted lives. Rothman writes beautifully and with great sensitivity about the human condition. The book will, I believe, become a classic in the field." -- David E. Rodgers, Cornell Medical College

Reviews (1)

Fascinating, informative...and overwhelmingly sad
"[T]uberculosis was the leading cause of death in the United States throughout the nineteenth century and well into the twentieth.From 1800 to 1870 tuberculosis was responsible for one out of every five deaths.Paying little attention to geography, social class, or age, it struck rich and poor, young and old, and urban and rural residents."These statistics in Rothman's introduction are tragic enough.The narratives that follow are even sadder.

Consumption -- as it was known at the time -- was thought to be either inherited or the result of a sedentary life.(The communicable tubercle bacillus wasn't discovered until 1882.) Doctors focused on a three-pronged cure for their male patients of means:daily exercise, a good diet, and travel to a better climate.On the other hand, female patients were told to handle their domestic duties as best as possible and to get assistance from single female family members who could move in temporarily.Invalids and their families eventually dealt with the inevitable outcome and prepared for death.In the twentieth century, patients were sent off to sanatoriums.Chances are good that someone in your ancestry was affected. At the very least, they knew people who were.

This book is revealing because it is written from the patient's viewpoint and with the individuals in mind. Letters and diaries of consumptives show that people commiserated with fellow sufferers and exchanged news of symptoms and possible curative measures.The focus of the story-telling is thus very personal rather than medical.It makes for compelling reading.

"Living in the Shadow of Death" is mandatory reading for anyone interested in life in the United States in the 1800s and early 1900s.Genealogists and academic researchers in the humanities (especially literature and history) should put this title on their to-read list."The good old days" really weren't. ... Read more

Amazon.com

No small themes for historian William McNeill: he is a writer of big, sweeping books, from The Rise of the West to The History of the World. Plagues and Peoples considers the influence of infectious diseases on the course of history, and McNeill pays special attention to the Black Death of the 13th and 14th centuries, which killed millions across Europe and Asia. (At one point, writes McNeill, 10,000 people in Constantinople alone were dying each day from the plague.) With the new crop of plagues and epidemics in our own time, McNeill's quiet assertion that "in any effort to understand what lies ahead the role of infectious disease cannot properly be left out of consideration" takes on new significance. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

GREAT BOOK
I read this book for a history class and loved it. The thesis was interesting, the ideas well-supported, and the examples fascinating. McNeill writes clearly, includes the perfect amount of detail and factual support, and avoids esotericism. His claims, like components of a mathematic or scientific theory, complement one another in a convincing and cohesive fashion such that by the end of the book, one cannot help but be at least partially convinced of the important relationship between paracitism and human civilization throughout history. Plagues and Peoples is truly legitimate, fascinating and innovative. For those who have any interest in history, anthropology, sociology, biology, or a plethora of other fields, as well as for any who merely appreciate interesting analytical thought and are looking for a good read, this book is really one you won't want to miss.

pretty good of disease in society
Diseases has been a big factor in human development. Disease has helped dictate where people have been able to live and create civilizations, helped in the conquest of countries and created a whole series of social ills in congested urban areas. McNeill takes a look at the effects of disease through human society.

The first chapter Man The Hunter focuses on disease in early human history. The following chapter Breakthrough to History focuses on the development of agriculture and permanent human settlements. The next chapter, Confluence of Civilized Disease Pools focuses on the role disease had on early civilizations in places such as China and India. The next chapter is Impact of the Mogul Empire and how this early large empire had an effect on disease. The next chapter is Transoceanic Exchanges focusing on the spearding of disease between the Eastern and Western Hempshires and its implications. The last chapter is Ecological Impact of Medical Science Focusing on how humans have been able to control diseas through means such as vacinations.

Good book to get a better understanding of history.

A very detailed explanation of disease's role in history
Every high school history student knows that the Black Death swept through Europe, and that diseases like smallbox, measles and so on were decisive in allowing the colonization of the Americas. But these two statements while universally accepted, are generally left at that and the causes go unexplored.

This book is a very concise history of plagues and what built up to these two grim realities. McNeill goes much beyond these basics and provides in intricate details the events that allowed that to happen. What allowed these disease pools to eventually come into being? This book provides the details to the answer to that question from the early days of civilization in Mesopotamia to the effect that plague had on the periphery of the Roman and Chinese empires to the effect that the Mongols had in fully unifying this disease pool, and once a reality, the devasating effect that they had on the world.

In short, if you want to understand in fine detail the causes and events that built up the "eastern hemisphere disease pool", read this book.

One of the best
This is one of a very tiny number of books which I have bought in bulk and distributed to friends and colleagues. Although the prose style can be unnecessarily turgid and academic and will win no prizes, the ideas are so stimulating intellectually that one gradually ceases to notice the style. McNeill's central thesis, both original and plausible, allows one to review the entire history of civilization in a new light and to make testable and almost always correct predictions. Few books have the ability to so change one's view of history. I first read this book many years ago and it has held up well. Read and ponder. It may change your world view.

Will change the way you look at the world
This is one of those handful of books that will change the way you look at our world. History will never seem quite the same when you finish.
Several earlier reviewers have done a great job of summarizing and analyzing the book. It is unfortunate that this book was given as a high school assignment, and then the students were asked to review it on Amazon. Is it any wonder they gave it 2 or 3 stars, and said it was difficult to understand? Most 15-year-olds do not have the background to fully appreciate this type of work, and unfortunately their reviews skew the book's rating. ... Read more

Book Description

This standard reference covers the sources, manufacture, specifications, chemistry, physical properties, and current and potential uses of gums. It provides an outline of gums and their uses as well as an understanding of why gums behave in different ways, giving the reader an ability to select the best gum for a particular purpose. Chapters have been constructed to provide balanced information and chapter authors have been selected because of outstanding competence in their specialized areas. Industrial Gums is a useful reference for students and industrial researchers and engineers in chemical, industrial, and applied engineering, biochemistry, food technology, materials chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and biopolymers. ... Read more

Book Description

An Introduction to Tissue-Biomaterial Interactions acquaints an undergraduate audience with the fundamental biological processes that influence these sophisticated, cutting-edge procedures.  Chapters one through three provide more detail about the molecular-level events that happen at the tissue-implant interface, while chapters four through ten explore selected material, biological, and physiological consequences of these events. The importance of the body’s wound-healing response is emphasized throughout. Specific topics covered include:    Structure and properties of biomaterials  Proteins  Protein-surface interactions  Blood-biomaterial interactions  Inflammation and infection  The immune system  Biomaterial responses to implantation  Biomaterial surface engineering  Intimal hyperplasia and osseointegration as examples of tissue-biomaterial interactions  The text also provides extensive coverage of the three pertinent interfaces between the body and the biomaterial, between the body and the living cells, and between the cells and the biomaterial that are critical in the development of tissue-engineered products that incorporate living cells within a biomaterial matrix.  Ideal for a one-semester, biomedical engineering course, An Introduction to Tissue-Biomaterial Interactions provides a solid framework for understanding today’s and tomorrow’s implantable biomedical devices.

  ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent Book
"...excellent attention to detail...recommended for graduate students, faculty and researchers, and bioengineers and physicians." (Choice, Vol. 40, No. 6, February 2003) ... Read more

Book Description

Fluid disorders play a role in nearly every patient's presentation and can sometimes be the key to understanding an uncertain or difficult case. This unique resource clearly and comprehensively describes the Traditional Chinese Medicine view of the physiology and pathology of fluids within the body. Covers disorders of sweating and urination, edema, abnormal lacrimation, thin mucus syndrome, and conditions of excessive phlegm and dampness in the body, such as asthma, digestive problems, arthritis, epilepsy, and convulsions. Features over 20 new case histories and essays that illustrate the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to the treatment of fluid disorders using Chinese herbs, acupuncture, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

One of the best books available on TCM
This book is excellent. For the advanced student or practitioner, this book enlightens the reader on all aspects of Fluid, Jin-ye, Phlegm, Dampness, and their origins. It also discusses herbs in a very interesting and useful way, comparing and contrasting phlegm and damp herbs and their specifics. This is my favorite theory book on my shelf.

A must-have book for any practitioner of Chinese medicine
This is simply the best book in the English language on Chinese herbal medicine. The depth of information goes far beyond anything else available and it is all backed up by the experience of one of the West's premiere practitioners ... Read more

Book Description

This is a comprehensive survey of the multi-disciplinary field of biomedical engineering. The book is intended to be the introductory textbook for the first course at the undergraduate junior level and as the introductory textbook in graduate programs in biomedical engineering programs. The book is also intended to be utilized as a professional reference book for engineers and biomedical researchers requiring a knowledge of the basic fundamentals and the latest advances in biomedical engineering. This text/reference will have worked examples throughout the text as well as end-of-chapter homework and self-study problems. In addition to the pedagogy within the book, the authors will maintain a website of relevant laboratory simulations and links to other biomedical engineering web sites.

* Well illustrated throughout text
* Appropriate for course use by engineering students as well as biological science students
* An outstanding introductory reference work for engineers and scientists in the industry
* An essential tool on practicing biomedical engineers' bookshelves
* Professional, public, and research libraries will find this book a welcome addition to their libraries
* MATLAB and SIMULINK software is used throughout the book to model and simulate dynamic systems
* Frequent use of example problems within each chapter including thorough explanation of the techniques used to solve them
* Numerous self-study/homework problems at the end of each chapter, ranging from simple to difficult ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Errors make it hard to learn
I've used this book now in 2 classes (including one taught by an author of one of the chapters) and have both times found the book hard to use. It is full of so many small errors you can never be sure whether the problems you are having are because you don't understand the material, or if there is another mistake in that section. Very frustrating. The problems are not limited to explicit errors either, there are issues with the presentation that makes me think it was poorly edited as well. Style, order, and omission of important points are among the sins. Some sections are pretty good, though.

The book is a good value for a textbook, however (it's huge!), and provides lots of useful information on a wide variety of BME-related topics. Just make sure you have someone to help you spot the mistakes.

review of biomedical engineering handbook
subjects are old and out of date. For example, modeling of the eye, (...). This books seems like an attempt to introduce you to the research of a few professors who are trying to recruit graduate students. I found little educational value in it.

Very good introductory book!
This text offers a lot of good information. This book provides an excellent overview to the field and is easy to read. I am a junior and an engineering student at Iowa State. This book has helped me understand how many different aspects there are within BME to specialize with in my degree and also elaborate on engineering fundamentals. I highly recommend it!

A good handbook for Biomedical engineers
This is truly a good book, for Biomedical engineers as well as graduate students. It covers much of the biomed's field with practical examples. This is a very good handbook to keep at hand...

Introduction to Biomedical Engineering book SLU review
I'm currently a student at St. Louis University, Parks College of Engineering and Aviation. I am a sophomore in Biomedical Engineering, and although I have not done extensive study with the book, our dean of Biomedical Engineering at Parks and other Professors at SLU rate this book as one that we should not have only for class, but to keep for our whole lives as a Biomedical Engineer. This book is great because it can be used at any sequence of a undergraduate degree program in Biomedical Engineering with easier topics such as Ethics to very challenging topics. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent Source of Information
Every nurse working in Interventional Radiology should have this book. Bravo to Kandarpa and Aruny for bringing us this USEFUL, easy to use, information packed book. I cannot say enough good things about it, a must have book.... it's become my survival guide!

Every IR Nurse should have this book
As a nurse working in Interventional Radiology, this book has become my Bible. Factual, easy to use and extremely helpful. I cannot say enough good things about this little book. Bravo to Kandarpa and Aruny, I learn something new every time I open the book.

An excellent, concise manual of common procedures
This well organized little handbook is packed with useful information regarding common procedures in Interventional Radiology. It is a convenient source of quick information for Residents, Fellows or practicing Radiologists. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

For" Physio-Techno Junkies"
This is a well-researched book written by two exercise physiologists with contributions from scientists and University Professors-and it SOUNDS it! Not to discredit the authors but it's NOT what i would call "user-friendly".Its presentation is too technical and phrasiology too scientific.You have to read mainy lines several times over just to understand what the heck they're saying.It's MORE OFA DISSERTATION FROM PhD'S FOR OTHER PhD'S at a BIO-CHEMISTRY SYMPOSIUM. It's not meant for the average person or novice who simply wants to enhance their knowledge of sports supplements.This book, as good as it may sound, will NOT be a welcome addition to your library-you'll end up wanting to give it away or sell it to re-coup your cost.You're FAR BETTER OFF purchasing "THE ERGOGENICS EDGE" by DR. MELVIN WILLIAMS (ALL his books are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)-comprehensive, detailed and easy to understand."SPORTS SUPPLEMENTS" will NOT give you the edge you're looking for. Stick with (Melvin)WILLIAMS,(Edmund)BURKE and (Daniel)GASTELU. TRUST ME!!!

Excellent textbook for undergraduate students
Sports Supplements is excellent textbook for undergraduate students (exercise science/exercise physiology/nutrition).

A MUST BUY
If you need to know accurate information on suppliments this book is a MUST. It is so wonderful to read something that I can turn into immediate physical improvements. No false promises, product loyalties..JUST THE FACTS! Thank You Dr.s Antonio and Stout!

A Must Have if your into Athletics and Sports Nutrition
Finally, a book that is up-to-date with respect to providing information and explanations behind the science of supplementation as well as diet. This book, put together by Drs Antonio and Stout should be on your bookshelf if you workout, run, want to learn more about enhancing athletic performance or your health in general.

No hyperbole, no ties to products, a great book for higher level undergrads and grad students alike. Go get it! ... Read more

Book Description

Sir William Osler (1849-1919), one of the world's most influential physicians at the turn of the twentieth century, remained popular long after his death largely due to his inspirational texts. Regretfully, changing times and literary tastes have lessened the impact of Osler's addresses despite the timelessness of his ideals and practical advice. Charles Bryan has successfully mended the disfavor in the present volume. Framing the great physician's message in contemporary, easily accessible terms, he allows modern readers to rediscover the immense appeal and pragmatism of Osler's invigorating writings.

Osler emerges as a real-life human being, not a paper saint, but a person who sought the best from his culture and knowledge, and managed to give his best in return. Readers will find this book useful not only as an index to Oslerian thought but also as a guide to principle-based yet pragmatic everyday living. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not really a translation, but still interesting
Translation purists will not have much use for this book. Those new to the subject of Chinese medicine or to Chinese literary classics probably won't get much out of it, either. Ni's translation of the Inner Classic is not especially scholarly, though it is not without scholarship, nor is it really a translation if you want to use that term strictly, any more than Fitzgerald's Rubaiyat is the same work as Khayyam's. Ni himself is very clear in the foreword that his intent was not to produce a scholarly edition. Rather, he hoped his rendition of the Inner Classic would be accessible to a wider audience.

Still, it is an interesting presentation of most of the themes present in the Inner Classic, and it reads more easily than a scholarly treatise. You may call it Inner Classic "lite," but it's at least an earnest attempt. When you consider the age of the Inner Classic and the fact that contemporary Chinese doctors take a semester or a year or more of ancient medical Chinese, reading modern Chinese translations of the ancient text of the Inner Classic, with commentary... this book doesn't seem too bad. This is not damning by faint praise. The Inner Classic is counted as one of the most difficult to approach of the Chinese literary classics. Ni's effort, however flawed, is still impressive.

Ni is a teacher of Chinese medicine and a Chinese doctor from a medical lineage, and his book, on the balance, does a respectable job of conveying the spirit of the Inner Classic to the reader of English - no easy task. As an introduction, and to the extent that this book sparks an interest in further study of the ancient medical literature, it should not be considered a failure.

Be very careful using this translation
This translation is a paraphrase at best, and contains some disturbing contradictions to other translations of the same text, including my own spot translations to check on these. While I'm not a classical scholar, some of these are fairly obvious. Also, a lot of interpolated material is not set off in any way. It is interesting to read this translation in the context of the two other main translations now available, Lianshang Wu's (which has the Chinese text, but has a poor English text which is closer to the original) and Veith's (which is more arbitrary, possibly because she had no background in TCM), but don't rely on this for clinical advice, it is spoon feeding you one man's opinion, and in this persons opinion, it isn't very good.

a solid paraphrase for the practitioner
While this book is sometimes criticised for its lack of scholarly style, it is important to realize that the writer is approaching a 2,500 year old work, the seminal theoretical treatise of Chinese medicine, from the point of view of a clinician. It is frankly not much easier for native speakers of Chinese to approach the Neijing in its original form than it is for Westerners. Moreover, Mr Ni comes from a medical family spanning several generations of physicians. Being a practitioner myself, I can attest to the correctness of the decisions made in preparing this book. He has done a commendable job in making this ancient classic accessible to modern readers. Chinese physicians make use of this material during nearly every moment spent in the clinic. It is practical in a way that sinologists locked in their ivory towers can scarcely imagine.

Those who would prefer a dry, smugly academic translation with separate footnotes, devoid of historical context or cultural annotation, would do well to investigate Ilza Veith's translation of the Neijing; a valiant effort which inevitably fails as a result of its refusal to acknowledge the living traditions surrounding the text itself.

expected a more scholarly treatment
I expected a more, I don't know, historical? scholarly? treatment of the subject of the Suwen. I claim no skill at translation of ancient Chinese characters, nor interpretation of Chinese philosophical writings (ancient or otherwise) but I had hoped for at least some original text or side-by-side comparison of the text and the translation. Maoshing Ni provides neither of these things.

Some people may appreciate the lack of academic interruptions commonly affecting a work of this kind in the form of copious footnotes. Maoshing Ni goes to great pains to incorporate these footnotes directly into the text, but I find this practice more frustrating than the footnotes themselves. There's no indication what is actually translated text and what is explanation inserted by the translator. And while I agree that translations of ancient Chinese are difficult to bring to English, especially those by authors who prided themselves on brevity and multi-layered meanings, the readers' clues typical of most translations (e.g. footnotes, original text, clearly indicated guesswork) were not present in this book and made it a most disappointing read for me. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews from the first edition:

"...well written, with many excellent clinical photographs."-The American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery

"...many excellent clinical 'pearls'...Any dermatologist...will find this book a worthwhile investment."-Archives of Dermatology ... Read more