Book Description

Following the completion of the Human Genome Project the content and organization of the third edition of Human Molecular Genetics (HMG) has been thoroughly revised.

PART ONE (CHAPTERS 1-7) covers basic material on DNA structure and function, chromosomes, cells and development, pedigree analysis and the basic techniques used in the laboratory.

PART TWO (CHAPTERS 8-12) discusses the various genome sequencing projects and the insights they provide into the organization, expression, variation and evolution of our genome.

PART THREE (CHAPTERS 13-18) focuses on mapping, identifying and diagnosing the genetic causes of mendelian and complex diseases and cancer.

PART FOUR (CHAPTERS (19-21) looks at the wider horizons of functional genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, animal models and therapy.

There are new chapters on cells and development and on functional genomics.The sections on complex diseases have been completely rewritten and reorganized, as has the chapter on Genome Projects. Other changes include a new section on molecular phylogenetics (Chapter 12) and the introduction of ‘Ethics Boxes’ to discuss some of the implications of the new knowledge. Virtually every page has been revised and updated to take account of the stunning developments of the past four years since the publication of the last edition of Human Molecular Genetics. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The book to read for an in-depth background
This book is a very complete overview of molecular biology as applied to human genetics. As someone interested in bioinformatics and computational biology, I read it to get a background in the biology/genetics behind these fields. That being said, I was glad I made the choice of this book as the authors do a fine job of explaining the relevant concepts and biological processes in genetics. In the light of the recent draft of the human genome, this edition of the book is especially timely. That being said, there is a lot of material covered, and to digest all of the terms and processes outlined takes a fair amount of time. The discussion on functional genomics and the post-genome sequencing era was particularly interesting. More could be said on gene sequencing validation as it applies to gene therapies and drug discovery. The most fascinating chapter was the one on genetic manipulation of animals as this is where genetic engineering has had its successful proving ground. Even though this is a science text, a discussion on the ethics of human genetic engineering would be appropriate, given some of the current attitudes about it. My opinion is that these technologies should move ahead with diligence; humankind cannot afford not to do so.

I would highly recommend this book to those who have the time to read through it, as it offers the necessary concepts needed to understand this fascinating area.

This is a good book in studying human genetics
This is a good book in studying genetics referring human molecular genetics. I can examine myself with it.Whwn you finish reading Molecular biology of the CELL, you can understand genetics. So, this book and the book,Human Molecular genetics, are very helpful in studying genetics.

An excellent text! For undergrad and grad students.
Very comprehensive reading. It sure gives the reader a thorough explanation of the concept. Each chapter provides clear, yet detailed illustrations. Further explanations are given on several key concepts by including "highlights" for a particular topic. Although this book tackles more general knowledge on human genetics, it sure is highly recommended to students or professionals starting to learn Human Genetics.

Excellent for the working student!
Being a graduate student in human genetics I was looking long and hard for a comprehensive text on how and why experiment are done in the lab, and the scientific basis for these experiments. This book is the closest one I have seen that accomplishes all these goals. It is a little light on the theoretical side of genetics (e.g. Mendelian etc); however, there are many other texts out there that can substitute for this flaw, but only a few that do what this one does. I recommend this book for students who are familiar with genetics but need to understand the practical side to it.

a good book, but...
This book is enough simple. Chapters regarding the POSITIONAL CLONING, the HYBRIDIZATION, the IMPRINTING and the GENETICAL MAPPAGE are really clear and they represent a big aid for students in the comprehension of these procedures which could be very difficult. But... chapters about GENETICAL DISEAES are too much treated than chapters regarding FORMAL GENETICS, moreover FISICAL MAPPAGE chapter is too detailled in pratical explanation, while the real mappege's concept is not focalized.To conclude a good book, but ... cheers ALESSIO & FEDERICO ... Read more

Amazon.com

For the untrained observer, it can be quite a challenge to sort out the many trees that make up a stand of older forest in, say, New England or the Ozarks. This well-illustrated guidebook, covering 364 species, comes to the rescue with photographs organized in several ways: by, for example, the shape of the leaf or needle, by the fruit, by the flower or cone, and by autumn coloration. Following one visible characteristic or another, the reader can narrow the range of possibilities, then turn to an informative text that describes a tree's physical characteristics, habitat, and range.Many of the species covered are relatively rare, such as the "stinking cedar" of the Georgia-Florida border; others are locally abundant, such as the paper birch of the boreal forest, used to make ice-cream sticks; still others, such as the smooth sumac, are widespread. The guidebook also covers ornamentals introduced from other continents, such as the Chinese privet and Mahaleb cherry. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Trees are for life!
Trees are for life not just firewood or park benches, and been able to identify and expand your knowledge helps in this appreciation. The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees is a well laid out book with good reference material and identification method. I bought this book whilst living in LA and it has travelled with me to all corners and bogs. It is a source which is very much appreciated.

A good secondary reference
This book relies heavily on color photos of bark, leaves, flowers, and fruiting bodies. This method makes winter identification diificult, and even when in leaf subtleties which differentiate species may not be evident. I use the Peterson guide to trees and shrubs (ISBN 039535370X) as my primary resource, and use the Audubon book as a secondary source.

Recommended
This is a beautifully bound, easy to use book that gives all kinds of info on many different trees. The size is perfect for tucking away in your pocket when you're not using it.

beautiful book, but very small
this was a beautiful book, but very small in size, be sure to check the size of the book to make sure thats the size you want.

Great reference!
We just purhased some new land with an abundance of trees. While I don't consider myself to be a tree expert, there where quite a few that stumped my husband and I. This is where this great little book came in handy. It lets you identify trees based on either flower, leaf, bark, etc and has them sorted into appropriate sections with colored photos. Needless to say, we have used this book time and time again. It is a nice size too so that you can take it with you. ... Read more

Book Description

This book gives the reader important accounts of basic statistical procedures used in clinical trials. It covers several areas of study, including biostatics, biomathematics, biometry and epidemiology. There is emphasis for trialists to learn good methodology while giving quality clinical treatment. Discusses and explores controversial issues such as ethics and offers pragmatic information regarding allegations of fraud or misconduct. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

presents clinical trials issues and methodology clearly
This book is very unique. Basic statistical concepts are clearly presented but only those concepts that are important in clinical trials. The author presents all the issues with clinical trials including ethical issues with some historical perspective. Principles of randomization and statistical design are clearly presented. It offers discussion of Bayesian techniques and meta-analyses, cross-over designs and group sequential methods (interim analyses). For statisticians doing clinical research like myself, this is a valuable reference source.

The best start in clinical trial
The amount of knowledge and the scope of this book are the exact need for the first contact with clinical trials. Yet, it is not a simple or superficial text. Instead, it not only will guide the reader through the basics of trials (and there is so much that is not basic in it) but the author points the reader to hundreds of papers and books that are landmarks. I regard this book itself as one of these landmarks!

Most up-to-date and thorough cover of Clinical Trials
Covers many aspects of trials (particularly facets of design and analysis)not yet covered by other books, eg randomisation with minimisation, and meta-analysis of trial results. Readable, applicable, practical, good references, well structured. ... Read more

Book Description

Already the number one text on health policy and rapidly becoming a classic, Understanding Health Policy: A Clinical Approach 3E covers such fundamental topics as cost containment, health insurance, managed care, and physician and hospital payment. Extensive case histories, drawn from the authors' actual practice, bring to life important policy issues by pinpointing individual encounters within the healthcare system.

New to this Edition

* More information on 2-tier model of reimbursement
* Greater emphasis on defined contribution approach to controlling costs
* Includes comparative information on health care policy in Canada, the UK, and Germany
* "Questions & Discussion Topics" provided for each chapter to stimulate classroom discussion

Please consider this important new edition for your course.Your students will gain an engaging text, that according to a review by the Journal of Health, Politics, Policy, and Law of the prior edition, "goes a long way toward helping readers understand how the health care system has worked in the past, how it is changing, and how it might work under different scenarios in the future." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Must Know Knowledge For MD's To Be
This book was a requirment for my medical school curriculum. Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I've never read any other books on health policy, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I thought it was an excellent books. It is very well written, very easy to understand and extremely informative. I believe anyone interested in health care, medicine, etc. should obtain the knowledge in this book and what better source than "Understanding Health Policy".

Get ahead in life
I read this book when I was transitioning from undergrad to PA school. It turned out to be a great move. From what I've seen so far, health policy is a very relevant topic with both the school of medicine and PA school. And why wouldn't it be?!
The only drawback with this book is that it has way too many vignettes. They're very real, but after awhile, I just skimmed over them.
If you're beginning your professional studies, I also recommend picking up a medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology book. Good luck to ya!

Difficult to find a better overview for students
I used this book in undergraduate health policy programs and in one health care administration graduate elective. The majority of students found it to be a useful introduction to the difficult area of health policy. By incorporating pertinent examples and graphs students found the text more understandable and useful than say other required readings like Paul Starr's classic. Whatever their level of understanding coming into class, students were able to glean valuable information and insight.

My reservation is similar to many books, e.g., by the time of publication much has changed. However, there is relevant material and with supplements this will remain a valuable resource.

Good resource book!
This is a very good resource book for understanding the healthcare policy process. I think all undergraduate nursing students could benefit from having this book in their collection. ... Read more

Book Description

This Audio CD is designed for anyone who wants to learn how to recognize bird songs. It features the sounds of 189 different bird species found in the Midwest and Northeast States.

Each bird song recording is followed by a short description of the sound along with a common mnemonic used to remember it. Many well-known song mnemonics such as "Who cooks for you?" for the Barred Owl and "Poor Sam Peabody" for the White-throated Sparrow are included. Following the song and mnemonic, the source of the sound is revealed. By naming the bird at the end of each track, the listener is allowed to wonder and guess at the nature of the sound. Active listening, similar to what one experiences in the field while searching for an unknown bird song, is a key to engaging the memory process.

One way to use this CD is to enable the "Random Play" or "Shuffle" option on a home CD player, portable stereo, or personal computer. Although it may be frustrating at first, repetition of this "quiz" game will quickly improve recognition skills. Gaining familiarity with these songs will greatly increase any bird watcher's enjoyment and awareness of birds in their natural habitat.

Features:

- 189 bird species found in the Midwest and Northeast states
- Digital bird song recordings made in Wisconsin
- Brief narration after each song includes descriptive, memorable and often funny mnemonics
- Can be used as a field guide to learn and identify songs or as a recognition quiz game
- Easy to use alphabetical track listing of all birds and their mnemonics
- It is a great gift for any birdwatcher, beginner or advanced.
- Total running time: 60 minutes ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wish it were more comprehensive
Very good job. Love the mnemonics. I wish it had near the calls that the Stokes and Peterson CD's did. Also, letting us hear the call first, before telling the bird name is great.

excellent learning disk for new birders
Our family has owned a patch of shore/forest land in Wisconsin for 20 years although none have been birders. With this disk we easily learned to identify species and discovered the diversity that we never noticed previously. The call/naming/call format of this disk is excellent for new birders and the numbers of species covered is ideal. I use the Stokes disk set as a reference but the name/call format and large number species covered does not facilitate learning the calls.

A unique and impressive CD audiobook
John Feith's Bird Song Ear Training Guide is a unique and impressive CD audiobook providing instructions on how to recognize songs of birds common to the states of the Midwest and Northeast (including Wisconsin where almost all the bird songs were recorded and the post-production work was done). Each distinctive bird song is followed by a mnemonic or a short description. The bird is identified and a review sound is played again that fixes the song's identity in the mind of the listener. The Bird Song Ear Training Guide is enhanced with a quiz format which will aid the listener to focus on learning how to identify the bird songs. A complete list of bird species and mnemonics is included in an insert. All profits from this enthusiastically recommended CD instructional for birdwatchers will go to the Nature Conservancy and the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology.

Buy it for your cats!
Actually you'll find it useful and accurate too. Fun to use, lots of songs, and my two feline birders went bananas. Who would know better? Good value for the money and the proceeds go to a good cause.

Unbiased Review by the Author
One might call this CD a companion "ear training guide" to the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs. Or maybe a condensed Birding by Ear. It falls between the two in terms of number of birds (189) and amount of narration (about 5 seconds following each bird song). It has the lovely voice of a female narrator (unusual for a bird tape) and the birds have a tinge of a Wisconsin accent.

For some, the main draw of this CD is that one is allowed to guess before being told the name of the bird singing. Others might like the number of memorable mnemonics and brief song descriptions used. For those in the Midwest, the main draw might be that all the birds were recorded in Wisconsin (although most of the birds can be heard over much of the Eastern United States). And finally, the fact that one can review or "take a quiz" on the songs of 189 birds in only 60 minutes is a big advantage over the multi-CD guides.

This is, of course, only the opinion of the unbiased author. ... Read more

Book Description

For top grades and an excellent understanding of biology, this powerful study tool is the best tutor you can have. It's been updated to include the latest advances in the field. Features detailed illustrations of complex biologic systems and processes, and takes students by the hand from the smallest elements of life to the primates. Hundreds of problems with fully-explained solutions cut down on study time and make important points easy to remember. Additional problems with answers let students gauge their progress every step of the way. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Fantastic Biology Reference!
This is a fantastic reference for everyone interested in biology from laymen to graduate students.

Despite being mercifully thin and portable (as compared to those massive textbooks), this book manages to cover all of the key topics in biology ranging from biochemistry and molecular biology to ecology. Moreover, the treatment is sometimes surprisingly sophisticated; this is indeed a real science book, not pop science.

At the same time, the writing style is very simple and clear, and therefore easy to understand, yet also concise, so you don't have to waste your time reading a lot of fluff. The format of the book is also pedagogically very effective because it mixes standard narrative text with solved example problems, questions which are posed and then answered in essay format, and problems for the reader to solve.

Finally, the price of the book is so ridiculously low that you might even feel a little guilty that you are getting so much while paying so little!

IN SHORT, DON'T HESITATE TO BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN BIOLOGY AT ALL.

Great for the student!
I am a biology student that is going to take my master's entrance exam in biology. I am using this book to help me review some of the important topics. This book is great. Not only does it offer good information, but also it has sample problems and answers to help quiz yourself. If you want to know everything about biology, get this book. It is also great as a handy reference guide.

It's like an American Express Card...
I am a chemistry/pre-medical student at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University; therefore, biology is a very integral part of my curriculum. I didn't have a strong biology foundation before my matriculation to college. However, at the suggestion of my academic advisor, I purchased this book. Thus far, it has been on target with my biology textbook. It's almost as if the authors of my text collaborated with the authors of this installment of the Schaum's Outline Series. Without this book, I would be lost. It is a must-buy for any and all college students aspiring to pass biology with a healthy understanding of the course. ... Read more

Book Description

Written with the non-major/allied health student in mind, the authors use common, everyday analogies to explain the many difficult microbiology concepts.Unlike any other allied health microbiology textbook on the market, the art program showcases beautiful illustrations with the use of bold, primary colors.A taxonomic approach is used for the study of pathogens. ... Read more

Book Description

The fourth edition of Culture of Animal Cells: A Manual of Basic Technique offers the most complete training manual of its kind on the fundamental principles and techniques of animal cell culture. Within this volume, indispensable updates reflecting the latest progress in media, specialized techniques, biotechnology, DNA transfer, and tumor culture have been made. This edition has five new chapters expanding on serum-free media, scale-up and biofermentors, molecular techniques, immortalization, and troubleshooting.
The advantages of tissue culture go beyond control of the physiochemical environment and physiological conditions as shown in the comprehensive coverage of tissue culture topics, both organ culture and cell culture, provided in this manual. A wide range of essential information from basic to specialized procedures is presented, highlighting advantages and limitations, and illustrating the properties of different types of culture.
This crucial reference for cell culture techniques includes:
* New Atlas of Cells section in full-color presentation
* Extended coverage of molecular techniques, scale-up, and serum-free medium
* New chapter on problem solving
* Photographs of cell lines, contaminations, and equipment
* Clear and concise tables and charts
* Educated recommendations on safety issues, ethical consent, and ownership
Biomedical researchers in cell biology, cytology, molecular biology, immunology, neuroscience, toxicology, and cancer biology will find Culture of Animal Cells: A Manual of Basic Technique, Fourth Edition to be an invaluable reference. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Still excellent at 3 years old...
Even though this book was published in 2001, it is still an irreplaceable source of info in my lab. The pictures and tables are wonderful. The only drawback is that is lacks info on a few cell lines (THP1, for example).

A SUPERB Manual of Basic Cell CultureTechnique
I purchased this book a year ago to use in a clinical virology laboratory. Although many of the recipes used in my field are essentially set, this book allowed for broad learning in the skill of cell culture. I learned many principles of cell culture that were poorly explained or not mentioned in clinical literature and books.

This book is well laid out, the chapters well written, and the information is comprehensive. Subjects include (besides the usual stuff of cell culture) chapters covering equipment materials, safety, contamination, scale up, a reagent appendix, and supplier's listing.

This book is an excellent choice for the serious beginner. The expert will certainly find this book of value because even experts are only expert at what they do routinely and there is so much to know. This would be a great training source for research or clinical laboratories who perform cell culture.

A must have book for the people doing the cell related work
This book gives us comprehesive review on new techniques in cell cultures. It is a good guidance to the people who is doing the cell-based techniques.

Wonderful reference book
This book is a superb reference book. It is useful for a beginning or an experienced tissue culture practitioner. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a comprehensive manual to allow both the novice researcher and the expert to set up and carry out quantitative PCR assays from scratch. However, this book also sets out to explain as many features of qPCR as possible, provide alternative viewpoints, methods, and aims to simulate the researchers into generating, interpreting, and publishing data that are reproducible, reliable, and biologically meaningful ... Read more

Book Description

Bernard Rosner's FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOSTATISTICS is a practical introduction to the methods, techniques, and computation of statistics with human subjects. It prepares students for their future courses and careers by introducing the statistical methods most often used in medical literature. Rosner minimizes the amount of mathematical formulation (algebra-based) while still giving complete explanations of all the important concepts. As in previous editions, a major strength of this book is that every new concept is developed systematically through completely worked out examples from current medical research problems. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Comprehensive introduction to biostatistics
This book isn't for everyone, but if you want a wide ranging textbook with a little more mathematical detail than the other intro books, this is a great choice. Rosner explains concepts well and with many examples that help the reader to understand them. The flowcharts at the back of the book were written to help readers choose the right test for the right situation, and these are extremely valuable. The only problem with the book is that it is sometimes hard to sit down and read it without any preparation (e.g., lecture or prior knowledge).

well written introductory text
Bernard Rosner is a Harvard Professor of Biostatistics. He has written an introductory text for undergraduate and graduate medical school students. It covers the basics of probability and inference including categorical data. Other topics include regression, correlation and survival analysis. It is written for students with no math beyond high school algebra but common mathematical notation is freely used. It includes a diskette with data for examples. Many examples are given to illustrate the concepts and SAS ouput is used to illustrate the results and familiarize the students so that they can interpret statistical output. Many exercises are given at the end of each chapter. Several require use of the data sets on the diskette. I think the author has been careful to try to make the subject understandable to medical students. He also has used the lectures notes that were the basis of the text in courses he taught in the Harvard Medical School. So he knows his audience. A unique feature is the catergorizing of exercises by medical specialty.

Rosner tries to fill an important need and does a good job. He avoids heavy mathematics without turning the text into a cookbook. This is now the fourth edition. So many improvements have been made. I gave it 4 stars. It probably deserves 4 and 1/2 stars.

....

Check the local library then buy it!
If you want a biostatistics text that is difficult to read, poorly laid out and impossible to understand I suggest you buy this book. I did and returned it quickly. A reference text that is better suited for the beginner and serious student would be the Dawson-Saunder, Trapp text Basic & Clinical Biostatistics, 1st or 2nd edition ... Read more

Book Description

The genome's been mapped. But what does it mean?

Arguably the most significant scientific discoveru of the new century, the mapping of the twenty-three pairs of chromosomes that make up the human genome raises almost as many questions as it answers. Questions that will profoundly impact the way we think about disease, about longevity, and about free will. Questions that will affect the rest of your life.

Genome offers extraordinary insight into the ramifications of this incredible breakthrough. By picking one newly discovered gene from each pair of chromosomes and telling its story, Matt Ridley recounts the history of our species and its ancestors from the dawn of life to the brink of future medicine. From Huntington's disease to cancer, from the applications of gene therapy to the horrors of eugenics, Matt Ridley probes the scientific, philosophical, and moral issues arising as a result of the mapping of the genome. It will help you understand what this scientific milestone means for you, for your children, and for humankind.

Reviews (142)

Irresistible Reading to Understand What Your Genes Mean
The field of genetics is doubling knowledge every few weeks. So Matt
Ridley had set himself an impossible task in writing one of the last
books before the completion of the Human Genome project. Yet, he has
created a book of unique value to all of us as the full impact of
genetic knowledge begins to take over our world.

Forget 99 percent
of what you have ever heard about genes. The school wasted your time
with obsolete knowledge that wasn't in the ball park, in most
cases.

What Ridley has done is given us a roadmap of the kind of
territory and effects that occur within our genes, and among our
minds, bodies, and genes. The interrelationships are extremely
complex and diverse. Beware any simple judgments about what genetics
mean, as a result.

What was most impressive to me was the remarkable
potential to use genetic information to shed light on all kinds of
issues. For example, the genetic record can give insights into the
development of species, past expansion of nomadic peoples, language,
personality, stress, memory, sex, instinct and the effect of the
environment.

To give us each a full panoply of ideas about
genetics, he adopted the interesting structure of having one chapter
about each chromosome. The chapter is not exhaustive, but picks on
one or a few aspects of what is known or is in the process of becoming
known.

Fear not! I never took biology, and know little biological
jargon. Yet the book portrayed the ideas and information simply and
clearly enough that I don't think I got lost anywhere.

The only part
of the book that I did not like was a completely unsatisfactory
discussion of what free will is in the last chapter. Skip that and
you'll enjoy the book a lot more.

How accurate is the book? In five
chapters, I had read source books or articles referred to by Ridley,
and each was well chosen for what he was trying to do and scrupulously
described. Of course, we are still up against the fact that we know
very little on this whole subject.

This is the most stimulating
science book that I have read in a long time. I even liked in better
than The Selfish Gene, which I thought was a terrific book (which is
also referred to and discussed in this book).

I found that the
book stimulated a lot of new thinking on my part. Fifteen minutes
with the book led to four hours of conjecture on several occasions. I
liked that feature of the book.

Have a great time reading this book
and thinking about its implications for your own life!

Clear, clever writing. Very sensible approach.
A review from the author of DREAMING YOUR REAL SELF: A PERSONAL APPROACH TO DREAM INTERPRETATION; and DREAM BACK YOUR LIFE: Transforming Dream Messages into Life Action--A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DREAMS, DAYDREAMS, AND FANTASIES.

When Carl Sagan passed away, I wished other scientists would step in to bring science to the public in an engaging, readable way and with Sagan's enthusiasm and hope. Matt Ridley's GENOME is a great read, taking an optimistic view of genetic research and its benefits to us all. While we worry about cloning and interfering with DNA, Ridley tells us what such research can mean to help us lead healthier lives while working within the limitations of the genes we have. I especially enjoyed his explanation that we have choices and are not determined solely by our genes. By knowing whatever genetic shortcomings we have, we are able to alter our diets, exercise, and education to compensate for them. I've read Ridley's other books as well-THE RED QUEEN and THE ORIGINS OF VIRTUE-and was intrigued by these evolutionary concepts and what they mean in our everyday lives. This is LIFE science indeed! Thank you.

fun to read
this was a great book to read because it is a compilation of vignettes. it's easy to read one or two in a sitting and then let it rest for a day, a week or a month. i wouldn't say that this book was a favorite of mine, but i'm glad i read it.

Very educational
I'm currently a 9th grade student and find the DNA, RNA, etc. reviews extremely fascinating. I picked up this book and found it a wonderful read. You should try it if you would like to learn many news things in the molecular biology world.

Good, but has some non-fact facts. Flawed.
I got this thinking I'd get a nice airplane read out of it, maybe learn something. I've got a bioscience background.

It's quite varied. I wish he had left out his entire discussion of human history for instance. The stuff about meat, metabolism and the brain in evolution, for instance, is rather ridiculous really, because there are so many millions of people who live their entire lives without meat. The factual arguments he gave for it are simply not true.

Made me wonder what else he got wrong, and although parts are quite interesting, I found myself losing interest because I saw stuff that was misleading or untrue. ... Read more

Book Description

Bioinformatics – the process of searching biological databases, comparing sequences, examining protein structures, and researching biological questions with a computer – is one of the marvels of modern technology that can save you months of lab work. And the most amazing part is that, if you know how, you can use highly sophisticated programs over the Internet without paying a dime and sometimes, without installing anything new on your own computer. All you need to know is how to use these technological miracles.

That's where Bioinformatics For Dummies comes in. If you want to know what bioinformatics is all about and how to use it without wading through pages of computer gibberish or taking a course full of theory, this book has the answers in plain English. You'll find out how to

• Use Internet resources
• Understand bioinformatics jargon
• Research biological databases
• Locate the sequences you need
• Perform specific tasks, step by step

Written by two experts who helped develop the science, Bioinformatics For Dummies is all about getting things done. If you're just getting your feet wet, start at the beginning with a quick review of those necessary parts of microbiology and an overview of the tools available. If you already know what you want to do, you can go directly to a chapter that shows you how. Get the lowdown on

• Researching and analyzing DNA and protein sequences
• Gathering information from all published sources
• Searching databases for similar sequences and acquiring information about gene functions through sequence comparisons
• Producing and editing multiple sequence comparisons for presentation
• Predicting protein structures and RNA structures
• Doing phylogenetic analysis

With an Internet connection and Bioinformatics For Dummies, you'll discover how to peruse databases that contain virtually everything known about human biology. It's like having access to the world's largest lab, right from your desk. This book is your lab assistant – one that never takes a day off, never argues when you ask it for help, and won't demand a benefits package. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Bioinformatics for Dummies by J.M. Claverie & C. Notredame
"Bioinformatics for Dummies" is an excellent resource. It is clear, easy to read, well organized and illustrated. I was particularly pleased by the colloquial tone of the writing: in addition to being informative, it was fun to read!

As a scientist who spends at least half of my time BLASTing, I also read it for accuracy and found it to almost error-free (any errors were in the figures). Additionally, most of the web pages were up-to-date, although as time passes the links will decay and web pages will change their look. In addition, the book contained enough in-depth content to teach me several new tricks of the trade.

Further, I believe the book had sufficient background material to educate the novice. To test this, I gave the manual to a material science chemist and he was able to understand the material, at least until he decided it was more than he wanted to know and quit reading.

This is a useful text for those who want to know more than an operational definition of bioinformatics and a must for the library of all bioinformatics users.

Walking amongst Dummys
I'm glad I bought this book and I will continue to refer to it. The remit of the Dummies series is to provide a guide to its subject matter without any great fuss. The text focuses on practical techniques without unnecessary diversion into the detail of molecular biology or computer science. In this respect it would have been a difficult book to author, readers having come from one discipline or the other. I agree with previous reviewers that this is well worth reading before doing a bioinformatics course or degree. Bioinformatics is a new field, and this book has delivered a useful introduction to it without recourse to expensive textbooks full of unreadable filler.

A great resource for teachers too!
I have used databases before (mostly NCBI, TIGR and SWISS PROT) and yet, this book (presumably for dummies) has shown me so much more(which say a lot about me)! It is accurate and gives good step by step guide to how to perform many tasks - from how to find a gene to using the analysis tools and to exploring some of the newer features of these databases - and the areas like you have never looked into before.
It is a well-researched book and the authors are clearly knowledgeable in this area.

Even though I have been for a 4-day bioinformatics course (6 months ago), which I thought was pretty good, this book still had so much to offer. Using this book, I was easily able to substitute the proteins of my interest into their examples and generated meaningful hits.

The book also covers deeper and more advanced features of BLAST, discusses sequence alignments using several types of algorithm and even has a section on 3D structures. Towards the end of book - it features a section on working with mRNA and building phylogenetics trees - which again are excellent resources for teachers involved in teaching beginners molecular biology.

I am a teacher teaching at a Pre-unversity level. The way the book is structured also lends its material to be modified into lesson materials for training students.

It is really a great book! Worth every dollar I spent on it!

Get this book first, before enrolling in an expensive course
This book will get you up and running on Bioinformatics in no time. I wish I got this book before I enrolled in a $$$$$ Bioinformatics course. I got more knowledge and information from this book $$$$$ than the course! And I am just in chapter 5 of the book and I'm more than half way through that $$$$$ course.

Great book-- Technical without the Computer-ese
I got this book a week ago because one of my profs offered to buy it for a volunteer who was willing to check it out and then make a recommendation on it to the rest of the class. I'm glad I volunteered, and I'm encouraging my classmates to get their hands on a copy. This book wasn't boring. It was completely hands on, and it addressed the topic from the perspective of a biologist, not a technophile-- which was exactly what I needed. It helped me reconcile my love for pure science with my increasing anxiety about needing to be so darn computer proficient to have any kind of job I can apply my degree to these days. I'm glad I got a hold of it early in the semester. I think it's going to really impact my grade in the class-- Oh, and my understanding of bioinformatics! ... Read more

Book Description

From the unique organization to the exceptional art, to the complete integration of the text with technology, Saladin has formed a teaching system that will both motivate and enable your students to understand and appreciate the wonders of anatomy and physiology. Saladin's third edition is the most market responsive text ever published for this course.

This distinctive text was developed to stand apart from all other anatomy and physiology texts with a unique approach, unparalleled art, and a writing style that has been acclaimed by both users and reviewers. Designed for a two-semester A&P college course, Saladin requires no prior knowledge of college chemistry or cell biology. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I'll never sell this book back...
Dr. Saladin was my A&P professor at GC&SU. He is a very interesting teacher, and his book is a great resource. This book is coming with me to Physical Therapy school.

the best Anatomy book ever
This is the best book I ever seen for a Anatomy and Physiology class. This book have the best picktures and diagrams, well explained material and websitite to die for. I love this book. I would never sell it back. By the way, noone in my class sold it back ( even non-bio majors kept it).

Excellent text for Anatomy and Physiology Students
This was our assigned text for our college Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 classes. This book is quite descriptive and prepares any pre-med or pre-healthcare student for passing their A and P classes. I like how the muscles and nervous system are presented. Knowing the difference between the masseter and frontalis muslces is an example on how this book makes learning this subject easier. I also highly used the following which is on amazon:Anatomy and Physiology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations Volume 1 and Volume 2 by Patrick Leonardi
Also, Key Facts for Anatomy and Physiology by Patrick Leonardi was another helpful book that made test preparation much easier. These last 3 books made studying easier because it showed me the type of questions that were asked on my A and P college exams. My study group and I used these 4 books and we all got A's in our classes.

Great graphics
Great graphics but the contents are slightly inferior to established Anatomy and Physiology books. Refer to the Interactive CDs and other books. This alone won't ensure you to complete reference but somepart will definitely help.

Professor's perspective
Saladin is a pretty good anatomy and physiology text but it contains a number of errors in fact in some areas (e.g., renal), is not well balanced in some areas (e.g., cardiovascular and gastrointestinal) and the pictures are often incorrect (e.g., illustrating epithelial cells as a cube). As a physiologist it appears to me that the physiology is weaker than the anatomy. Many A&P texts contain the same errors, which suggests that these works are not entirely original. I've concluded that I need separate anatomy and physiology texts for my A&P course so that the students will have the benefit of true expertise in each subject area. ... Read more

Book Description

Chris Spatz's best-selling statistics text relies on examples from the social and behavioral sciences, education, nursing/allied health, and business fields--as well as examples from everyday life--to teach students statistical reasoning and problem solving. Praised for his clear explanations, Spatz shows students how to start with a data set, identify the questions it poses, determine and carry out statistical procedures, and using plain English, tell the story the data reveal. A free CD packaged with the book provides objective questions and answers, additional problems and answers, and portals to websites with additional help. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A student-friendly book to help you succeed in statistics!
Tales of Distribution is fun, well written and easy to read. Tales of Distribution is a college textbook worth reading if you need to put statistics at your command! Spats'z style is helpful to the reader and down to earth. This is a heavy-duty treatment of the topic; however, interesting examples of how to use statistics in day-to-day life makes this topic come alive. If you read this book, you will never be intimidated by statistics in your lifetime.

The author's discussion of "Rationale of ANOVA" and "Hypothesis Testing" is excellent. Frequent use of algebraic explanation is joined with graphic explanations to help the reader visualize the author's points. "Work Problems" at the end of each chapter show imagination and creativity. The author seems to have a sincere desire to help the reader at every turn along their journey of statistical discovery. The author also seems to have privilege insight into the reader's mind. He anticipates what the reader is thinking, and serves up a helping of practical advice at the exact perfect moment.

As a market-research practitioner, I found the book to be very refreshing and enjoyable to read. I read it on my summer vacation! My daughter purchased the book as the required text for her statistics class at UCLA. At the end of her class she had planned to sell the book back to the UCLA bookstore. After looking at the book for 60 seconds, I said to her "No, don't sell this book. This is great book. Keep it." To which she replied; "But Dad, I need the money. You can keep it if you pay me for it." To which I replied; "Haven't I paid for this book once already? If I pay you for it now, that would be the second time I bought the same book." ... Read more

Book Description

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is the inspiring story of how one man found his life’s work—and true love—among a gang of wild parrots roosting in one of America’s most picturesque urban settings.

Mark Bittner was down on his luck. He’d gone to San Francisco at the age of twenty-one to take a stab at a music career, but he hadn’t had much success. After many years as an odd-jobber in the area, he accepted work as a housekeeper for an elderly woman. The gig came with a rent-free studio apartment on the city’s famed Telegraph Hill, which had somehow become home to a flock of brilliantly colored wild parrots.

In this unforgettable story, Bittner recounts how he became fascinated by the birds and made up his mind to get to know them and gain their trust. He succeeds to such a degree that he becomes the local wild parrot expert and a tourist attraction. People can’t help gawking at the man who, during daily feedings, stands with parrots perched along both arms and atop his head.When a documentary filmmaker comes along to capture the phenomenon on film, the story takes a surprising turn, and Bittner’s life truly takes flight. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Inadvertant Memoir
I was attracted to this book because of my long-standing curiosity about the feral parakeets of San Francisco, where I grew up and still live. And it is definitely worth reading on that score -- Mark Bittner has more information to impart on those birds than any other source I've ever found. But the book is fascinating, too, because it is the truthful autobiography of someone who is, frankly, a loser in the lottery of life. Not a big loser -- he manages, barely, to escape from homelessness, and he (pathetically) substitutes relationships with feral parrots for normal human relationships. But he is so clueless in many obvious ways. Too poor to pay for practically anything, but he buys parrot books at the local bookstore, and is amazed at his discovery of the local library, where, gasp, he can read books for FREE. And it is intriguing to read his accounts of his petty descents into the rivalries of these animals, and his adoption of their aims and hostilities, in the absence of a normal human existence. By all means, get this book if you have ever wondered about the weirdo around the corner who can only interact with dogs, cats, birds, or whatever. And get it if you're curious about feral exotic birds -- he documents their lives like nothing I've ever read of before.

Wild magic in the heart of the city
For one or two weeks every two months I live in an apartment at the base of Telegraph Hill, a place of true magic. I could not believe my ears the first time I heard the parrots, or my eyes, the first time I saw them! I soon found Mark Bittner's web site, complete with wonderful photos of the parrots and the story of his connection with them. What a pleasure, then, to find in my local Massachusetts book store, a copy of this wonderful book. Mr. Bittner takes us with him as his relationship with the parrots becomes inextricably woven into his life search for meaning. His study of the parrot's lives, first undertaken by chance, becomes a life's work of real interest to anyone who has an affection for animal life in general, or these amazing birds in particular.

incredible story
I'm only halfway through this book right now, but I can't wait to finish it. It's funny and charming. I only started to read it because someone simply recommended it, I had no idea what to expect, but it really is amusing.

Sounds very much like "Elsewhere in the land of Parrots"
"Elsewhere in the land of Parrots" by Jim Paul, which takes place on telegraph hill also. And is also about the wild parrots of San Fran. And is also an excellent read and a very charming book. I'd be interested to know whose came first.

Have not read this yet, so I can't REALLY rate it, this form insists you put a rating. I will be reading it soon though because it sounds like something I will enjoy.

A WONDERFUL ACCOMPLISHMENT
This is a must read for people who love parrots and freedom and love to study the connundrum of jobs/captive life. The author was ultimately "freed" by enslavement by the flock/project. Anybody can find natural and spiritual lessons in this wonderful book. Wild life isn't a picnic, and the quest for "freedom" can imprison the mind.

Even those who live with companion parrots often fail to establish the rapport Mark Bittner achieved with a group of wild parrots. ... Read more

Book Description

Principles of Human Anatomy, 10e once again sets the standard for a rewarding and successful classroom experience for both instructors and students. The highly praised illustration program is enhanced with numerous newly drawn figures, micrographs, and photographs. All-new system overview inserts, which highlight the multitude of imaging techniques used to view and understand human structure, provide an even stronger visual impact. The succinctly written narrative is perfectly keyed to the many illustrations and continues to be supported by a host of carefully crafted pedagogical aids. Responding to feedback from students and instructors, the author has carefully reorganized the content to provide a better continuity of concepts throughout the text. ... Read more

Book Description

Michael Chorost became a cyborg on October 1, 2001, the day his new ear was booted up. Born hard of hearing in 1964, he went completely deaf in his thirties. Rather than live in silence, he chose to have a computer surgically embedded in his skull to artificially restore his hearing.

This is the story of Chorost's journey -- from deafness to hearing, from human to cyborg -- and how it transformed him. The melding of silicon and flesh has long been the stuff of science fiction. But as Chorost reveals in this witty, poignant, and illuminating memoir, fantasy is now giving way to reality.

Chorost found his new body mystifyingly mechanical: kitchen magnets stuck to his head, and he could plug himself directly into a CD player. His hearing was routinely upgraded with new software. All this forced him to confront complex questions about humans in the machine age: When the senses become programmable, can we trust what they tell us about the world? Will cochlear implants destroy the signing deaf community? And above all, are cyborgs still human?

A brilliant dispatch from the technological frontier, Rebuilt is also an ode to sound. Whether Chorost is adjusting his software in a desperate attempt to make the world sound "right" again, exploring the neurobiology of the ear, or reflecting on the simple pleasure of his mother's voice, he invites us to think about what we hear -- and how we experience the world -- in an altogether new way.

Brimming with insight and written with dry, self-deprecating humor, this quirky coming-of-age story unveils, in a way no other book has, the magnificent possibilities of a new technological era. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

what it means to be human
I got home at 7:30pm frantic because my flight to Singapore was to
depart at 6am, and found my preordered copy of "Rebuilt" from Amazon
on the stoop.I hadn't packed and still had tons of email to go, on
top of a couple of administrative emergencies.I was hoping to get
to bed by 10pm.But instead, I stayed up until 1:30am reading
Rebuilt, left in the morning with god-knows-what-all in my luggage,
and finished it on the plane having not slept in transit at all.
This book is seriously good.It's the first book that's ever made
anything related to postmodern literary theory interesting to me.I
laughed out loud at least a half dozen times.

Yes, the book is by someone who's literally experienced one of the
first mindmelds with a computer. Yes, the book has to do with
deafness. Yes, the book looks at literature, and philosophy. But it's
really one man's story and something that touches every one of us,
which is what it means to be human--alone, together, and with
our technologies. What a masterpiece.

An Amazingly Personal Look At Health and Technology
I was skeptical at first when I was given this book but once I started the book I was amazed. I went in thinking what's the big deal about getting a cochlear implant and left trying to figure out "what is reality". Chorost does a great job infusing the book with his wit. He does seem to be uniquely qualified to write about this topic (with his background in technology). The book shines when he writes about his personal experiences. Two Thumbs Up.

Everybody should read this book
This book isn't perfect.If I was Chorost's editor, I'd have told him to cut a few things & beef up other parts (and particularly told him "Less about the girls, more about the code"!Chorost seems to have underrated the interesting-ness of his insights as a guy who knows about software and overrated the interest of online dating; cf. "Genes, Girls and Gamow," a similar exercise...).But that said, this is one of the most striking and memorable books I've read for ages.Chorost is the perfect person to write this book, and his insights into the wonders & difficulties of the cochlear implant should be required reading for EVERYBODY who has an interest in biotechnology, language, education, neurology, etc.A real must-read. ... Read more

Book Description

Provides immediate help for anyone preparing a biomedical paper by givin specific advice on organizing the components of the paper, effective writing techniques, writing an effective results sections, documentation issues, sentence structure and much more. The new edition includes new examples from the current literature including many involving molecular biology, expanded exercises at the end of the book, revised explanations on linking key terms, transition clauses, uses of subheads, and emphases. If you plan to do any medical writing, read this book first and get an immediate advantage. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Authoritative
Authoritative guide on how to write. I have never seen a more comprehensive book on how to write clearly and write well. I would give it 6 stars if I could. Even non-scientists should read this. (Having said that, though, scientists IN PARTICULAR should read this - hint, hint.)

Great methods for improving your medical writing
Mimi Zeiger has written a truly useful book about medical writing. Many specialized writing books are just collections of general writing rules in disguise.

This books focuses on mechanics and methods of writing specifically for the medical sciences. Full of hands-on techniques, methods, and exercises geared to analyzing and improving your writing.

I'm an experienced technical writer yet still found this book quite useful.
Five stars!

Excellent Book - Best of its kind.
This is an exceptional book. It walks the reader through all stages of writing a biomedical paper, and exemplifies the saying that "clear writing means clear thinking". Even after having written or co-written perhaps 40 biomedical papers and grants, I found this book an eye-opener. I've worked with some excellent writers and re-writers on biomed papers, but Zeiger's book lays out for all of us what some top writers may do by instinct. She starts with word choice, sentence structure, then alternative paragraph structures. She practically shows you the nature of language and thought. She goes through the right way to produce biomed papers - if you ever thought the great, efficient writers had a rule book -you- never got, THIS is the rule book. If you ever had an introduction that sounded like the abstract, or a results sections that was unwieldy, or a discussion section that seemed to repeat the introduction - Zeiger lays out the hidden rules that most people would want to follow. Following her rules, from sentence to paragraph to section, creates a paper that invokes an instinctive sense of clarity in the reader. Many times I had the "Aha!" feeling. The book should be very useful for all kinds of clear writing, including research grants. I never took one of those "scientific writing" classes because I felt smart and fluent and the classes seemed pedestrian. If those classes had used this book, I would have been way ahead to have discovered this information twenty years ago. ... Read more