Book Description

The unique feature of this book's first edition was the presentation of a unified approach to the molecular biology of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The success of this approach, and its continuation, is the result of a long string of discoveries showing similarities in solutions to biological problems that often extend across many or even all species.A six-part organization covers genes, proteins, gene expression, DNA, the nucleus, and cells.For individuals in the science community interested in genetics. ... Read more

Book Description

This highly regarded comprehensive guide provides an up-to-date overview of the variety of methods used in field archaeology, from research design to excavation strategies to conservation of artifacts and record-keeping. The contributors to the volume bring a wealth of expertise on diverse subjects and offer practical advice on their areas of special interest. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Good book for a student
This is an excellent book for a student of archaeological methods. If you are looking for light reading, as some of the earlier reviews must have been, then look somewhere else.

Fantastic Book
Fantastic book! Very clear and very comprehensive. If you are serious about archaeology, you'll enjoy this book. If you're a hobbyist or have comprehension issues, you might not enjoy it. Highly recommended.

An archaeological field school in a book.
This is a comprehensive text book, not of the "Archaeology for Dummies" variety. More than a couple universities use this book as their standard text for senior level courses in archaeological field methods. Be prepared to learn rather than entertained...it's a serious work. As for the writing style, most text books could stand to be re-written by some best-selling author, but had to give this one five stars just to bring its score up from the absurd two and a half it is currently rated at.

Great book for people interested in learning on own time.
As a person interested in learning more about archaeology field methods, I found this book had good explanations of some very puzzling processes. It also makes a great textbook and was used to prepare students for a field school by professors at UT Dallas. Good book - but you may have to read it over a couple of times in order to fully grasp all the knowledge presented.

Some comments from the senior author
The three recent comments on FIELD METHODS, 7th ed. need some clarification. Yes, the book is long, very long. I didn't know we had any statistics in it (reviewer #1)! It is not comparable to Joukowsky, as her book, like our 6th ed., Hester, et al. l975, is now badly out of date. The 7th ed., l997, is designed as (l) a text, especially for field schools (2) a reference on contemporary approaches to field archaeology. It is not a trade book, especially since Mayfield does not discount to bookstores. The long-winded aspect comes from an effort to review contemporary archaeology, which is changing rapidly and covers a broad area of inquiry. The academic review cards received by Mayfield after publication were overwhelmingly positive. Thus, the book appeals largely to professionals and active avocational archaeologists. It is not a "light read" on the glorious discoveries of archaeology. ... Read more

Book Description

Monte Carlo simulation has become an essential tool in the pricing of derivative securities and in risk management. These applications have, in turn, stimulated research into new Monte Carlo methods and renewed interest in some older techniques.

This book develops the use of Monte Carlo methods in finance and it also uses simulation as a vehicle for presenting models and ideas from financial engineering.It divides roughly into three parts. The first part develops the fundamentals of Monte Carlo methods, the foundations of derivatives pricing, and the implementation of several of the most important models used in financial engineering.The next part describes techniques for improving simulation accuracy and efficiency.The final third of the book addresses special topics: estimating price sensitivities, valuing American options, and measuring market risk and credit risk in financial portfolios.

The most important prerequisite is familiarity with the mathematical tools used to specify and analyze continuous-time models in finance, in particular the key ideas of stochastic calculus. Prior exposure to the basic principles of option pricing is useful but not essential.

The book is aimed at graduate students in financial engineering, researchers in Monte Carlo simulation, and practitioners implementing models in industry. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Mathematically disappointing book
Don't be fooled by the name of the Springer series where this book appeared: if you are looking for a nice list of examples and applications, then this book may be ok, but otherwise, this is not the place to look for proofs and rigorous results.

Excellent Read
Very well written book , all you need to know about MC Methods.
If you want to buy one book buy this one, if you have deep pockets then may be you should get the Peter Jaeckal book along with this. There is another introductory book on Simulation by Sheldon Ross.

a great buy
This is the best book I've read in the last year on mathematical finance. It is a tightly focussed text on Monte Carlo methods no more no less. So you won't find things like day count fracs because that's not what it's about.

Glasserman is a true expert on the topic. My highlight was the chapter on variance reduction where the vast amount of detailed knowledge taught me a lot, although I implement monte carlo pricing models on a day to day basis.

Compared to the best, this is average.
This book has a good explanation of Monte Carlo methods, but so do many others. Given that the focus of this book is interest rate models, I must compare it with the best in the field, and this book falls short. The definitive encyclopedia is "Interest Rate Modelling: Financial Engineering" by Jessica James and Nick Webber. Ms. James's Ph.D. in physics and on-line experience shows through in the sound explanation and application of theory.

Glasserman falls down in the actual applications, since some of the key real-world ingredients such as day counts and quirks of the market are missing.

"Interest Rate Modelling" covers these features and more. It also reviews hundreds of publications. All the methods for term structure modeling are clearly discussed, and the authors made improvements on some of the original works. "Interest Rate Modelling" still the standard for serious professionals, and while this book is good, compared to a superior work it only merits 2.5 stars.

Monte Carlo applications and much more!
I just got this book and start reading a few topics of interest like Risk Management. The book covers a lot of material in various financial products (heavy on interest rate products) and disciplines and does a fairly detailed job. It would have been great to have expanded the book to cover some areas more in depth (credit and operational risk), but otherwise this book is pretty comprehensive in terms of Monte Carlo applications. The book also has a nice appendix section that covers stochastic calculus and other topics. I took a course by Professor Glasserman at Columbia University ages ago and the book as well as the course delivers. This book is an excellent reference for any practitioner or academic alike (highly recommended). If you had to choose, I also think this book is better than the Peter Jaeckel's book on Monte Carlo. Enjoy... ... Read more

Book Description

In this landmark book, Robert O. Becker, M.D., a pioneer in the field of bioelectric science, presents a fascinating look at the role electricity plays in healing, challenging the traditional mechanistic model of the body. Colorful and controversial, this is a tale of engrossing research, scientific and medical politics, and breakthrough discoveries that offer new possibilities for fighting disease and harnessing the body's healing powers. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Excellent start of the field...
This book finally leads medicine (and biology) from the early 1800's into the 21st century. That is, these areas have been stuck in a mechanistic, chemical-based view of how the body works since they elected to ignore Maxwell's work - work that has lead to all of the electrical gadgets and technology we all love so dearly.

For some reason those in who study life have elected to ignore Maxwell's work and concentrate on chemical reactions. As was pointed out back in the 1920's (and earlier even) this approach precludes life so it is no wonder that medicine has not advanced very far.

Becker lays the groundwork for understanding ancient traditions such as Qigong (the Taoists certainly understood the concept of the energetic body) in addition to exposing the widespread pollution we are now exposed to. One wonders when people will wake up and realize that the electromagnetic pollution is no doubt doing at least as much as the chemical pollution in causing changes to the planet's biosphere.

Excellent book in addition to the newer "Cross Currents".

A Basic in The Field
This book, which I found as the only one which met my criteria in a library search, had a profound affect on my life. I am not a scientist, and was somewhat put off by the long list of tortured & murdered animals which are central to the body of the work. I finished the book easily, though, and the information was instrumental in creating my own work. I came at this from an Eastern point of view and found the basic science very useful. I work now mainly with neurological difficulties, and am grateful to Dr. Becker every day. I downgraded it one star (actually 1/2 star) because he tries to incorporate fields with which he has no familiarity in order to make his work comprehensive. For instance, he suggest that because he could find electrical conduction at only half the points used in acupuncture, he suggests that possibly the other half are spurious. In his own field, however, his research is outstanding.

The rebirth of electrobiology
This is not an extremely technical book. You would have some trouble trying to reproduce the good doctor's experiments with nothing but this. But it is very influential, and very interesting. A collection of the Biological works of Robert Becker would not only get 5 stars from me, but would be the greatest scientific work of the 20th century, with the POSSIBLE exception of Einstein's "Collected Works on Relativity". Yes, Becker is that good.

My first exposure to Becker was a relatively unimpressive interview on 60 minutes when I was a boy. In college I watched this man's work almost singlehandedly bring back electrobiology, which (so said the books printed in the 80's) was dead. There is still much to do in this field. It's rare for an MD (no, he is not a PhD) to be able to figure these things out without having someone else tell it to him. That's a compliment, by the way. Hell, MD's keep saying the Atkins diet won't work, when bodybuilders and wrestlers have been using the same principles very successfully for decades. They just aren't progressive thinkers for the most part, but this guy has more to say (that you need to hear) than any PhD around today.

His early article in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery(an early inspiration for my thesis) is cited here, as are several of his later articles, so it gives you leads to follow. If you are a scientist or are studying to be one, I recomend this as something very important to read between semesters. If you are a laymen that is either interested in science or just worried about the potential hazards of electromagnetic pollution, I recomend it as a starting point.

Must Read For Any MD/Researcher/Engineer Worth Their Salt
"The Body Electric" (1) and "Cross Currents" (2)These books are the basis for electro-medicine good/harmful effects. They (the first one especially) provide cogent explanations on the cancer
mechanisms; bone/tissue/organ regeneration and electromagnetic effects. One can deduce how wrong and primitive mainstream thinking is in these matters.

I think these books should be required reading by any MD/researcher/engineer worth her/his salt.

Incidentally Dr. Becker, far ahead of his time, is the king of stem cell research, however, he was hounded by the mainstream as his research would have put much of the wrong headed & self serving research funding in jeopardy and he hardly ever gets credit for his ground breaking work.

A Killer Cronology of Medicine, Healing and Regeneration
If you have not read Robert O. Becker yet you must, if you have any interest in health processes or the healing process. He was a very thorough medical researcher with a keen interest in regeneration and lays the basis of his work on a rich history of medical evolution from 2,000 BC forward. While he touches only lightly on silver, he was the first to certify that electro generated silver ions not only kill most pathogens but are also the only metallic ions to cause dedifferentiation of cells and thus rapid local regeneration. His primary application was as bimetallic (battery) implants to speed bone and other tissue healing but he opened the world to the electrical nature of cellular life processes.

Another interest I have always had was TENS or zapper units but after reading his works find 99% of applications are very risky due to mans constant desire to "make it stronger" - he found as little as a few billionths of an ampere and less then 1 volt triggered healing or regeneration and more was not only counterproductive but usually dangerous.

He gets bitter in the end, having been forced to close his lab, essentially banned from research by his peers because he moved forward too far too fast plus eventually got involved in attacking the electropollution man has introduced into our environment in the last 60 years. Our universe and thus evolutionary development are based on a low level electromagnetic environment with the dominant 10 hertz frequency of both our brains and gravity waves but man has increased the electropollution by 1,000 times,with the advent of 50/60 Hz electric lines blanketing the earth and pervase pulsed microwaves to the point we are effecting the Van Allen belt and thus weather, if not the general decline of many of mans bio-functions!

His followup book Cross Currents is slightly repetative but adds a great deal more, especially to his electropollution comcerns. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Masterpiece in Biomechanics!
What I would say is not a comprehensive review of what the great book talks, but just telling you a truth: if you have engineering and mathamatics background and wanna combine your background to do research in physiology, Fung's book is absolutely a must-buy. This book is profound, but it is actually rooted in nearly all fields of biomechanics research.
It is a conclusion for biomechanics research till 1980's; also this book is a truly great reference for all current researchers who are interested in biomedical research in point of view of a mathamatician and engineer.

Simply the Best
Fung takes a continuum mechanics approach to the principles that underly the human body. All of the ideas in the text are backed up with solid research and easy to understand equations, as well as text descriptions. Fung is also responsible for researching many of the ideas of biomechanics, and so, the text takes on a personal view not found in other books. All in all, the best book out there for introductory biomechanics, but one that you will use for the rest of your life. ... Read more

Book Description

This indispensable guide gives concise yet comprehensive descriptions of the pulse sequences commonly used on modern MRI scanners.The book consists of a total of 65 self-contained sections, each focused on a single subject.Written primarily for scientists, engineers, radiologists, and graduate students who are interested in an in-depth understanding of various MRI pulse sequences, it serves readers with a diverse set of backgrounds by providing both non-mathematical and mathematical descriptions.

The book is divided into five parts.Part I of the book describes two mathematical tools, Fourier transforms and the rotating reference frame, that are useful for understanding MRI pulse sequences.The second part is devoted to a wide variety of radiofrequency (RF) pulses, and the third part focuses on gradient waveforms.Data acquisition, image reconstruction, and physiological monitoring related to pulse sequence design form the subject of Part IV of the book. Once this foundation is established, Part V of the book describes the underlying principles, implementation, and selected applications of many pulse sequences commonly in use today.

The extensive topic coverage and cross-referencing makes this book ideal for beginners learning the building blocks of MRI pulse sequence design, as well as for experienced professionals who are seeking deeper knowledge of a particular technique.

úExplains pulse sequences, their components, and the associated image reconstruction methods commonly used in MRI
úProvides self-contained sections for individual techniques
úCan be used as a quick reference guide or as a resource for deeper study
úIncludes both non-mathematical and mathematical descriptions
úContains numerous figures, tables, references, and worked example problems ... Read more

Amazon.com

Medical case studies can be fascinating to read, full of drama, heroism,and sometimes tragedy. Most doctors' tales take place in clinics orhospitals, but those pedestrian settings are not for Kenneth Kamler, whopractices medicine outside, patching people up with surprising successunder harrowing conditions. Surviving the Extremes starts withopen-air surgery in the steamy jungles of the Amazon River, moves todisturbingly detailed descriptions of the many ways humans can die atsea, and from there takes white-knuckled readers through the rest ofEarth's extreme environments. Krakauer fans will gasp at the book's bestchapter, covering the high-altitude medical feats Kamler has performedon Mt. Everest and other peaks. "No course in medical school taught methe proper mixture of oxygen, IV fluids, and Tibetan chants to treat asubdural hematoma in below-zero temperatures on a 3-mile-high glacier,"Kamler writes. Instead, he has learned the fine art of adventuredoctoring by doing it, and in the process, he's won fans among theworld's most prominent risk-takers. Through it all, Kamler remainsfascinated by the human body's ability to heal under horrificallydangerous conditions. His medical adventures are inspiring andthrilling, as well as occasionally bloody and disgusting. In short,perfect stories of human survival. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Surviving the Extremes: A Doctor's Journey to the Limits of
Physiological constraints confine our bodies to less than one-fifth of the earth's surface. Beyond that fraction lie the extremes. What happens when we go to them?" "Dr. Kenneth Kamler has spent years observing exactly what happens. A vice president of the legendary Explorers Club, he has climbed, dived, sledded, floated, and trekked through some of the most treacherous and remote regions in the world. A consultant for NASA, Yale University, and the National Geographic Society, he has explored undersea caves, crossed the frozen Antarctic wastelands, and stitched a boy's hand back together while kneeling in knee-deep Amazonian mud." "The words extreme and survival have lost some of their value from overuse and media hype. By showing us what happens when life is at stake and the body's capacities are put to their greatest test, this book reminds us what these words truly mean. Divided into six sections - jungle, high seas, desert, underwater, high altitude, and outer space - Surviving the Extremes uses firsthand testimony and documented accounts to illustrate what goes on in environments where our instinctive survival strategies must become fully engaged. These stories reveal how infinitely complex are the workings of the human body - and also how heartbreakingly fragile. At the core of this book is a request for the source of our will to survive and the haunting question of why some can and others cannot summon its awesome and nearly mystical power at their moment of greatest need

Surprising reality attention grabber
I have to start off by saying I picked this up as a random purchase while at a CD/book sale at my company. pretty much an impulse buy after already getting a DVD that I sort of wanted, and cheap. Well...

I think this is the first book I've picked up in a while, and maybe the first non-fiction one in even longer. It is definitely amazing. The idea that it is all firsthand stories, most from specific life experiences, is great. The detail and accuracy (i'll have to assume being that I'm not a doctor) is killer, and makes you think about what you really are capable of. Also a great reminder that we're living an illusing within the safety of civilization's confines for the most part.

The best thing is how you can learn to cope with extremes that you otherwise might just overreact and die if you don't keep a cool head and have some knowledge such as what is touched on in here.

I just wish it wasn't so short, cause it was great to have something like this to read.

Fascinating book, misleading marketing
This is one of the most interesting books I have read in ages. I'll agree with the other reviewer that the jacket information is misleading. This isn't really a "thriller" as conventionally defined. The author shares some first person as well as historical anecdotes but this really is an incredible biology book, interweaving physiology with some evolutionary biology. A very thoughtful and well-written book! It leaves the reader with jaw-dropping respect for the human body and its ability to adapt to extreme situations. It also touches on the adaptations other animals have to routinely live in environments which are totally inhospitable to humans. It is just too bad that people are disappointed in it because it isn't what the jacket says it is. I have taught basic survival classes for teens and I'm really glad to have this book to recommend because it is a different slant compared to what is out there in survival literature. My teenage daughters read Into Thin Air in high school English and I just wish I had this book before the younger one did her paper last month on dehydration!

Not what I expected.
This is a book mostly on elementary anatomy. If you are looking for exciting and suspenseful stories, buy another book. There are a lot of fabricated scenarios and theories from past events rather than actual live experiences as indicated on the book jacket. This book was written in National Geographic style. The majority of the book describes the environment of each situation. I purchased the book to read about the real life threatening situations, not to read about the landscape or anatomy.

This is what "survival" really means!
I make my home in a place that can challenge the human body. Alaska is a land of extremes-altitude, cold, sheer geological scale. Human survival in the Alaskan outdoors is dependent upon proper clothing and equipment, careful planning, and physical conditioning. But even then, people make mistakes and end up in trouble. Sometimes, they end up dead.

How does the human body cope with the effects of exhaustion, the extremes of hunger or thirst, the crushing pressure of the ocean's depths, and the burning heat of the barren desert? Microsurgeon Kenneth Kamler, MD has forged a career out of understanding the body's reactions to these extremes, and the medical procedures that can help when things go wrong.

Dr. Kamler was on Everest in 1996 during the tragic climb profiled in the books INTO THIN AIR and THE CLIMB, and in his own 1998 book A DOCTOR ON EVEREST. He treated climber Beck Weathers, the climber left for dead near the summit who survived terrible frostbite to his hands and face. He has performed intricate hand surgery in the mud of a rainforest jungle, and has treated a patient in an underwater habitat on the ocean floor. In his new book SURVIVING THE EXTREMES: A DOCTOR'S JOURNEY TO THE LIMITS OF HUMAN ENDURANCE, Dr. Kamler writes compellingly of the mental and physiological elements that combine to determine who lives and who dies when the human body is faced with extremes of altitude, temperature, heat, cold and pressure.

This book is fascinating, compelling, and explains what the concept of "survival" really means within the context of the body's ability (and failure) to cope with extreme environments. Do not miss it! ... Read more

Book Description

The major advantage of in vivo optical techniques is the ability to study many levels of function of the CNS that are inaccessible by other methods. This rapidly expanding field is multidisciplinary in nature and findings have thus far been scattered throughout the literature.In Vivo Optical Imaging of Brain Function brings together, for the first time, a review of the wide variety of optical imaging techniques that have recently emerged for the specific study of activity in the living brain, as well as their application in animal and human brain research. The book describes noninvasive and invasive optical techniques that enable the description of brain function at levels ranging from single neurons to large assemblies comprising of millions of neurons, and thus address issues related to brain activation ranging from neuronal networks to cognition. Each chapter describes the theory, set-up, analytical methods, and examples of experiments that highlight the advantages of a particular imaging method. Moreover, the authors present technical details at a level that will encourage researchers to utilize the imaging methods in your laboratory. As this field continues to advance our understanding of brain function, researchers need In Vivo Optical Imaging of Brain Function to keep abreast of the latest developments in this exciting area of study. ... Read more

Book Description

The messageof this book is that biophysics is the science of physical principles underlaying the "phenomenon life" on all levels of organization. Rather than teaching "physics for biologists" or "physical methods applied to biology", it regards it's subject as a defined discipline with its own network of ideas and approaches.

The book statrs by explaining molecular and supramolecular structures of biological systems, various kinds of atomic, molecularand ionic inter actions movements, energy transfer, slef organization of supramolecular structures and dynamic properties of biological membranes. It then goes onto introduce the biological organism as a non-equilibrium system, before treating thermodynamic concepts of osmotic and electrolyte equilibria , currents and potential profiles as well as mechanical and electrical properties of biological materials. Further treated are topics of environmental biophysics and such medical aspects as the influence of electromagnetic fields or radiation on living systems and the biophysics of hearing and noise protection.

The book concludes with a discussion of system analysis, including models of neural processes as well as of ecological interactions, growth, differentation and evolution. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent starting for Biophysics
This book is written by a biologist. However, the author discussed lots of physics topics closely related to basic biological phenomena. The most important role of this book, I believe, is making the bridge between physics and biology as well as biochemistry. Untill now, most of biophyiscs text books have been a kind of biochemsitry text book like ones. This one is distingusihed from those. This is also good for biochemistry student who wants to study physical aspects of biological system beyond the scope of biochemistry. Some parts of this book might be difficult for biology and biochemistry students but surely deserves to be read.

Influence of the gravedad
I need to buy this book, because I'm Physics Teachear at the Huamanga University- Ayacucho, Perú. Nowadays, I have class with Biology Faculty, and I need to work with this book, so I need to know the differents chapters too. Thanks a lot Your friend Lic. Juan Pesantes Rojas Bye ... Read more

Book Description

The CBS television show, "C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation," has captured audiences - and ratings - with its unflinchingly realistic details of forensic science, tools, and technology. This fascinating new book - written by an acclaimed biographer with a master's degree in forensic psychology - goes behind the crime-solving techniques dramatized on the TV show to examine the reality of these cutting-edge procedures.

From DNA typing and ballistics, to bitemark and blood pattern analysis, here are detailed accounts of the actual techniques used in today's crime investigations. Prominent experts in the field offer rare glimpses into cases ranging from missing persons to murder.

For fans of the television show, as well as true crime buffs and science readers - this is the real thing.

"With the mind of a true investigator, Katherine Ramsland demystifies the world of forensics with authentic and vivid detail." (John Douglas)

"Fascinating...this book is a must for anyone who wonders how the real crime-solvers do it." (Michael Palmer, New York Times bestselling author of The Patient.) ... Read more

Reviews (13)

not bad at all
If you are a serious fan of CSI or if you are fascinated by forensic science then this book might belong in your collection. The author actually has a degree in the subject so she really knows what she's talking about. The good points about the book are: You get a quick overview of how crimes are really solved. It's not by the flashy cop like in the movies it's by the CSI person in the lab. The author liberally sprinkles examples real life crimes and how use or misuse of evidence affected the outcome. For instance she shows how the JonBenet Ramsey crime scene was ruined and why the coroner will never be able to get an approximate time of death. She also mentions the O.J. Simpson case. Poor handling of physical evidence turned the tide there. The only objections I have to the book are the design problems. The brittle paper feels horrible... your visible fingerprints will be left on it... frankly for the cost of this book I think the publisher could've made a better looking product.

interesting, but gruesome, in some places, type of book.
This book, part series guide; part primer on forensic science, gives some of the scientific background to C.S.I.. (Crime Scene Investigation) and now, also, C.S.I. Miami, as well as other movies and shows; where science and criminology meet. Gives fairly good explanations, although some are left out, maybe because anyone who watches these shows has heard terms, for example, "bindle" [a piece of paper or some small envelope, used for evidence collection]. Some of the "real life" cases, as contrasted to some of the episodes, are pretty gruesome and not recommended for everyone. Great for fans of the shows [like me] or anyone moderately curious about how some crimes are solved.

this book is a 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this book tells you everything you need to know about forensics. It is the best science text i have ever read. from the scene to the autopsy table, it has it all. if you like the show CSI and the CSI books by Max Allen Collins, you'll love this! it gives you real life examples, lists , and explanations on every page. it also has an awesome glossary and reference. LOVE IT!!!!!!

Might be good to get your teen into reading science
I found this book to be marginal at best. That may have something to do with my education and the amount of reading I have done in real forensics books. It would be a good read for teens interested in a possible career in this field, or for adults whose primary exposure is through the TV series. I'm sure that the writer knows much more than is in this book, and I would like to see a more in-depth coverage written for those who aren't in medicine or law enforcement but who have a genuine interest in the science. If your teen likes the show, it might be an excellent way to get them interested in reading science outside of that dull text from high school.

forensic science of csi
this book is interestin and educational, especialy to kids who watch the show, csi or want to be a forensic scientist when they get older. ... Read more

Book Description

Biomechanics applies the principles and rigor of engineering to the mechanical properties of living systems. This book integrates the classic fields of mechanics--statics, dynamics, and strength of materials--using examples from biology and medicine. Fundamentals of Biomechanics is excellent forteaching either undergraduates in biomedical engineering programs or health care professionals studying biomechanics at the graduate level. Extensively revised from a successful first edition, the book features a wealth of clear illustrations, numerous worked examples, and many problem sets. The book provides the quantitative perspective missing from more descriptive texts, without requiring an advanced background in mathematics. It will be welcomed for use in courses such as biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation and industrial engineering, and occupational or sports medicine. ... Read more

Book Description

Bioimpedance and Bioelectricity Basics is unique in providing all the information needed to follow the interdisciplinary subjects of bioimpedance and bioelectricity without having to be a graduate student in the relevant fields. For the first time, one book offers the broadest possible introduction to all use and effects of electrical fields in tissue, dealing with the most basic chemical and physical functions of life. Very few books have covered the dielectric and electrochemical side of the subject, despite its importance; Bioimpedance and Bioelectricity Basics does. It also includes the electrical engineering concepts of network theory and the complex math needed. Up to now, there has been work done by physicists and engineers on one side, doctors and biologists on the other, this book fills the gap, providing the knowledge for both groups.

Key Features
* is one complete source and reference guide to a complex and disparate field
* gives the reader the latest research and applications
* is highly illustrated, with an indepth explanation of all mathematics ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An interesting book
I teach a course in thermodynamics for college students in biology, as such, I thought the book could be useful, perhaps the new textbook for my course.
Possitive things:
* you will find real thermodynamics, biology and also historical notes in the book.
* there are not too many books that blend biology and thermodynamics in forms acceptable to biologist and physicists, this one does.
* it has an interesting selection of subjects

Problems:
* most of the time it has TOO many words, for those that like concise presentations, it is a problem. There are no evident forms to distinguish essential from accesory
* there is a bias towards bio-chemistry that introduces some additional difficulties for people with other backgrounds

My recommendation to the students
Main text: Kondepudi and Prigogine. Modern Thermodynamics
(extremely clear, concise and with historical notes but little biology)
Second text: Biological Thermodynamics by Haynie

Exciting!
Although Mrs. Faversham is revealed as the murderer in the first third of the book, the joy is in the chase. Dr. Haynie's Inspector Thorndyke is a valuable addition to mystery fiction. Although the subplot about the stuttering pan flute player seemed a little belaboured.

Good Scientific Text
This book is cleverly written. What comes through on every page is Dr. Haynie's breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject. Dr. Haynie proved that a good scientific text need not be boring. Students who want to learn how thermodynamics relates to everyday life and how their body works will love this book.

This book might become a classic
I'm a Ph.D. student in computational modeling specializing in applications in physics and bioinformatics. My bachelor's degree is in biophysics. I have read numerous biosciences books and texbooks by leading authors. In my opinion this book is one of the best biophysics books I have ever read. I found this book accessible, which is important for students, and yet engaging. The author provides broad coverage of the subject and thoroughly explains basic concepts. For instance, the first law is covered in its own chapter, as is the second law. There are two chapters of Gibbs free energy, with many practical applications, and one on statistical thermodynamics. The chapter on kinetics is an appropriate complement to a book whose main subject is thermodynamics. The final chapter reads like a popular book, introducing students to a number of very interesting and exciting areas for research. This is truly a unique textbook. My guess is that this book might become a classic.

yuk
I thought this book was very confusing and it assumed I knew all about old scientists and so on. The easy bits were labored and the hard bits went too fast. There was a really wierd question about why is it sensible to think stars are gods for instance???!!! ... Read more

Book Description

The first text of its kind, Biological PHysics synthesizes information from the developing field of biological physics.The text focuses on new results in molecular motors, self-assembly and single-molecule manipulation,integrating these topics with classical results.The text also provides foundational material from the emerging field of nanotechnology.Built around a self-contained core, the text is geared toward undergraduate students who have taken one year of calculus-based physics.Additionally, there are "Track-2" sections that contain more advanced material for senior physics majors and graduate students. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An excellent non-equilibrium stat/mech for dummies
This book is not an ideal dictionary of stat/mech as "A modern course in Stat/Phys" by Reichl. Albeit noticeable typos,
as long as the reader does all the hard work and derives eqns step by step, he/she can easily correct the typos without missing any important information.

The reason I liked this book over others is because of its clear
and crisp content to underpin the essential "physics" of each equation by simple words. Moreover, the connections between
each section and chapter are arranged in a logical way as you can see that Bob has indeed distilled a thorough understanding
of nonequilibrium stat/mech into a delicious, thin book for which every student who uses stat/mech for research should read.

Good intro for non eq stat mech, but not stand-alone
I have taken and TA-ed statistical thermodynamics and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and have found Robert Zwanzig's book to be the best introduction to the nonequilibrium side of things. Clarity is the goal here, without the detail of Kubo's Stat. Phys. II, and MUCH clearer than the latter chapters in McQuarrie. However, a student will get much more from this book if he or she has at least some background in quantum mechanics and, needless to say, in statistical thermodynamics.

Without getting into much detail, Zwanzig focuses on the fundamental concepts in a clear exposition. If you are taking yourt first course in nonequilibrium stat mech, this is the book you should buy. If, however, you have some reasonable experience with the subject, this book is not worth as much, since it is designed to be pedagogical. In that case, Van Kampen's Stochastic Processes in Physics and Chemistry is best.

A great start but far too many typos/too little defn's
Zwanzig shows great mastery of the material and his explanations are great. They help explain the material well.

But the big problem here is that there are just so many typos. When you want to follow complicated arguments, it can take forever to figure out what he means precisely/mathematically.

Also, there is not the slightest attempt to keep units correct or fix a representation, so one finds inner products between objects that don't really make sense. They are never formally defined.

It's a great book to get the ideas from and some simple derivations. I'm still working my way through parts of it. But unless you have a complementary book to guide you, especially through Ch. 8, or you are already familiar with the material, you may get lost...I would suggest Berne/Pacora Ch. 11 for help in Ch. 8

the shortest cut, indeed
I really enjoyed this book by Zwanzig. It treats many standard subjects starting from Langevin eq., Fokker Planck eq., to projection operators and mode-coupling theories, etc. Most of the examples demonstrated are elementary, but some of them (heat bath, dipole moments, etc) are treated several times in different chapters with different techniques so that the reader can understand more deeply how these techniques are interconnected. Really enlightening!

Fast way to understand nonequilibrium statistical mechanics
As for me, the most difficulty in understanding nonequilibrium statistical mechanics (NSM) was to face terribly long equations. Although there are several books on NSM, Zwanzig's must be a short cut with the minimum mathematics. It is easily readable by a person who majors or majored in a field related to NSM but not deeply. It is because his explanation on several approaches to NSM is based on not only simple and interesting examples but also his bright intuition. Although this book describes NSM in a simplified way, it requires knowledge of equilibrium statistical mechanics, basic understanding of quantum and classical mechanics, and the minimum mathematics for undergraduate physics course. ... Read more

Book Description

It is now well established that all living systems emit a weakbut permanent photon flux in the visible and ultraviolet range. Thisbiophoton emission is correlated with many, if not all, biological andphysiological functions. There are indications of ahitherto-overlooked information channel within the living system.Biophotons may trigger chemical reactivity in cells, growth control,differentiation and intercellular communication, i.e. biologicalrhythms. The basic experimental and theoretical framework, thetechnical problems and the wide field of applications in the foodindustry, medicine, pharmacology, environmental science and basicsciences are presented in this book, which also includes the rapidlygrowing literature. This book is written by the most outstanding international scientistsfamiliar with this topic who have been working in this field for manyyears. ... Read more

Book Description

Liposomes have become an important model in fundamental biomembrane research, including biophysical, biochemical, and cell biological studies of membranes and cell function. They are thoroughly studied in several applications, such as drug delivery systems in medical applications and as controlled release systems, microencapsulating media, signal carriers, support matrices, and solubilizers in other applications. While medical applications have been extensively reviewed in recent literature, there is a need for easily accessible information on applications for liposomes beyond pharmacology and medicine. The Handbook of Nonmedical Applications of Liposomes fills this void.This unique new handbook series presents recent developments in the use of liposomes in many scientific disciplines, from studies on the origin of life, protein function, and vesicle shapes, to applications in cosmetics, diagnostics, ecology, bioreclamation, and the food industry. In these volumes many of the top experts contribute extensive reviews of their work. ... Read more

Book Description

Taking a system approach to expose modern biology, this book presents the fundamental system principles and parameters common to all living species. The straightforward examination begins with a presentation of molecular cell biology and progresses to the complex interrelationship between genes and proteins as observed in metabolic process, signal transduction, cell division and embryonic development. The book's unique approach provides a depiction of the human genome project, a review of high throughput biology and bioinformatic tools and a presentation of gene circuitry and pathway analysis as applied to cell division, development of embryo and metabolic pathways and expose of emerging proteomic science.The volume presents the chemistry of life, macromolecules of life, cells and their housekeeping functions, gene circuits, genomics, cell adhesion and communication, cell division and its regulation, development of multicellular organisms and large scale biology.For computer scientists, physicists, and engineers. ... Read more

Book Description

Intended for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students in biophysics, biological physics, physiology, medical physics, cell biology, and biomedical engineering who have had prior course in physics and in calculus, this text bridges the gap between introductory physics and its application to the life sciences. This third edition adds much new material, including: the circulatoy system, the logistic question, countercurrent transport, nonlinear systems, image formation, and sensory transducers. Among the many topics treated in this wide-ranging book are: forces in the skeletal system; fluid flow, with examples from the circulatory system; the logistic equation; scaling; transport of neutral particles by diffusion and by solvent drag; membranes and osmosis; equipartition of energy in statistical mechanics; the chemical potential and free energy; biological magnetic fieds; membranes and gated channels in membranes; nonlinear phenomena, including biological clocks and chaotic behavior; signal anaysis; detection of weak signals; radiological physics and the use of x-rays in diagnosis and therapy; magnetic resonance imaging. The text includes many problems to test the student's understanding, and chapters include useful bibliographies for further reading. Its minimal prerequisites and wide coverage make ideal for self-study, as well as a useful reference for workers in medical and biological research. A solutions manual is available. A volume in the AIP International Series in Basic and Applied Biological Physics.

FROM THE REVIEWS:

PHYSICS TODAY "For the professional physicist, the book provides a painless way for gaining a comprehensive view of the successes of biological physics and, for those who teach, adding some enjoyable topics and different problems to their courses at all levels...This book could be used as the basis for an undergraduate course. It is also a comfortable way to put a biological spin on physics applications ordinarily taught in junior- and senior-level courses...The author is very thorough...And he has made a supreme effort to include the most recent research results in a wide variety of naturally occurring physical and physiological phenomena...For the physicist hoping not to be left behind in the current redirection of relevant science, this book is a perfect fit." ... Read more

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Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology (3rd Ed) (Biol
Good ... Read more