Book Description

Macromolecules are the proteins and nucleic acids upon which life depends. Understanding the action of biological macromolecules (giant molecules) requires detailed knowledge of their structures. Most of the more than ten thousand known structures of protein and nucleic acids were obtained by x-ray crystallography, the standard mechanism for determining protein structure. Essentially, proteins are frozen into rigid crystals, which can be stacked up in a repeating pattern--like supermarket displays. The structure of each individual crystal can be determined by the way x-rays are bent when they pass through the composite crystal. Protein structure is essential when investigating protein interactions and planning drug development.
Crystallography Made Crystal Clear, Second Edition explains how scientists discover the structures of the macromolecules. Scientists do not see these molecules directly. Instead, they build models as a means of interpreting data from x-ray diffraction by crystals, or by irradiation by other forms of energy. Users of these models need to know how they are obtained in order to know what they are seeing when they study a model of a macromolecule. They also need to know how to judge whether conclusions they draw from the molecular models are really supported by the models. This book uses visual and geometric models to help readers understand the mathematics that forms the basis of x-ray crystallography.
The field of protein crystallography is growing every day and has been instrumental in discovering the molecular principles of biology and in discovering new drugs, such as the recent protease inhibitors for AIDS. The field includes the largest percentage of Nobel prizes than any other scientific discipline. Every major university and drug company has a protein crystallography laboratory and this book is an invaluable aid to those wishing to practice protein crystallography
or just learn more about how it is actually done.

Key Features
* Provides clear, understandable descriptions of principles of X-ray crystallography
* Leads reader through unintimidating and thorough explanations of the underlying mathematics
* Provides abundant illustrations, including diagrams, charts, photographs, and color stereo
* images
* Explains how to read crystallography papers in research journals
* Includes brief descriptions of other diffraction methods (neutron, electron, Laue) and the kinds
* of structural information they can provide
* Introduces other methods of macromolecular structure determination (NMR spectroscopy and
* homology modeling), and provides guidance in judging the quality of these models ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The best introduction to the subject
This is the best introduction to crystallography I have ever come across. Which is quite an achievement, because its a difficult subject to understand. In crystallography, its very rare to find a book which does not deal with either a totally descriptive approach or a totally mathematical approach. Rhodes' book bridges the gap between the two and gives the reader the right dose of jargon and explanation. He illustrates every point with plenty of figures as well as real life computer models of proteins. Before I came across this book, I was struggling and failing to understand Isomorphous Replacement, MAD, Solvent Flattening, Maps and Models, as well as the iterative refining of models. I think no other book comes even close to this book in explaining all these concepts in simple format. This, I think is as clear as it can get without becoming oversimplified. A must have for all researchers and students whose work is even remotely connected to crystallography.

"The" clearest one out there....
When it comes to this field of research, you get two types of references: (1) the 2-5 page quick intro that leaves you with the most basic overview of crystallography and (2) the 'hard core' books that go into such detail as to leave you breathless. This book is, in my opinion, the best transition book.

For non-crystallographers, this book will teach enough about crystallography to allow you to read crystal structure articles and understand what is meant by all of the used statistics and such.

For apprentice crystallographers, this is a wonderful intro into the field. Master the book, then move on to harder books to master it.

Highly recommended. I still go back to it, when I teach people, to help me explain in the way that Gale Rhodes does!

Updated for the e-century
The second edition of Crystallography Made Crystal Clear contains many improvements over the first edition, especially regarding the introduction of new graphics technology available to everyone that can view this webpage on the internet. Rhodes especially explains how the PDB file works and how to view it to best suit the individual scientist's purpose.

It is important to note that the book is still far from "crystal clear"! The portion of the book dealing with the physics of x-ray diffraction is very mysterious--definately dig out the old college physics textbook and read about diffraction when you find yourself confused. Also, the mathematics presented in the middle chapters of the book are way beyond the level that biochemists must deal with on a regular basis. An understanding of multi-variable calculus is important for these chapters.

Overall, the book is a must-read for anyone interested in structural biology, with the exception of several chapters regarding the mathematics that can be skimmed over. And the webpage associated with the book is an excellent resource.

A must for anyone interested in protein structure.
A readable overview, superb for getting a feel for how crystallography works and what the results mean. There is also an excellent section on judging the quality of an atomic coordinate file, such as a PDB file you may download. Prof. Rhodes is now completing a second edition.

Excellent.
The perfect bridge between simple introductions and more complete books, both difficult to understand for the non-crystallographer. Very clear explanations -crystal clear- and real examples from real papers. Just what I wanted to know. No more no less. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive introduction to Material Science is presented as a book/CD product that covers all core topics in print and includes five bonus chapters on CD.  The CD provides a link to a companion website that includes interactive simulations and animations that related to key concepts and a materials selection database. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed as the core textbook for the required physical pharmacy or pharmaceutics course within the pharmacy school curriculum. With a focus on examples from pharmacy practice, this book presents the chemical and physical chemical principles fundamental to the development of medication dosage forms. Numerous case studies present relevant examples of physical chemical principles in current pharmacy practice. ... Read more

Book Description

A standard reference for chemists for 70 years, this new Sixteenth Edition features an enormous compilation of facts, data, tabular material, and experimental findings in every area of chemistry.Included in this massive compendium are listings of the properties of approximately 4,400 organic and 1,400 inorganic compounds. This Sixteenth Edition offers 40% new or extensively revised content and starting with this edition, the author includes equations that allow users to calculate important values such as temperature and pressure.

Contents: Organic Compounds * General Information, Conversion Tables, and Mathematics * Inorganic Compounds * Properties of Atom, Radicals, and Bonds * Physical Properties * Thermodynamic Properties * Spectroscopy * Electrolytes, Electromotive Force and Chemicals * Physicochemical Relationships * Polymers, Rubbers,Fats, Oils, and Waxes * Practical Laboratory Information ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Essential Tool for Any Working Chemist
Very few refrences works these days seem indispensable or can be easily found on-line. However Lange's Handbook is the essential tool for any working chemist.
Excerpt: This new edition, the fifth under the aegis of the present editor, remains the one-volume source of factual information for chemists, both professionals and students-the first place in which to "look it up" on the spot. The aim is to provide sufficient data to satisfy all one's general needs without recourse to other reference sources. A user will find this volume of value as a time-saver because of the many tables of numerical data that have been especially compiled.
Descriptive properties for a basic group of approximately 4300 organic compounds are compiled in Section 1, an increase of 300 entries. All entries are listed alphabetically according to the senior prefix of the name. The data for each organic compound include (where available) name, structural formula, formula weight, Beilstein reference (or if un- available, the entry to the Merck Index, 12th ed.), density, refractive index, melting point, boiling point, flash point, and solubility (citing numerical values if known) in water and various common organic solvents. Structural formulas either too com¬plex or too ambiguous to be rendered as line formulas are grouped at the bottom of each facing dou¬ble page on which the entries appear. Alternative names, as well as trivial names of long-standing usage, are listed in their respective alphabetical order at the bottom of each double page in the regular alphabetical sequence. Another feature that assists the user in locating a desired entry is the empirical formula index.
Section 2 on General Information, Conversion Tables, and Mathematics has had the table on general conversion factors thoroughly reworked. Similarly the material on Statistics in Chemical Analysis has had its contents more than doubled.
Descriptive properties for a basic group of inorganic compounds are compiled in Section 3, which has undergone a small increase in the number of entries. Many entries under the column "Solubility" supply the reader with precise quantities dissolved in a stated solvent and at a given temperature. Several portions of Section 4, Properties of Atoms, Radicals, and Bonds, have been significantly enlarged. For example, the entries under "Ionization Energy of Molecular and Radical Species" now number 740 and have an additional column with the enthalpy of formation of the ions. Likewise, the table on "Electron Affinities of the Elements, Molecules, and Radicals" now contains about 225 entries. The Table of Nuclides has material on additional radionuclides, their radiations, and the neu¬tron capture cross sections.
Revised material for Section 5 includes the material on surface tension, viscosity, dielectric con¬stant, and dipole moment for organic compounds. In order to include more data at several tempera¬tures, the material has been divided into two separate tables. Material on surface tension and viscosity constitute the first table with 715 entries; included is the temperature range of the liquid phase. Material on dielectric constant and dipole moment constitute another table of 1220 entries. The additional data at two or more temperatures permit interpolation for intermediate temperatures and also permit limited extrapolation of the data. The Properties of Combustible Mixtures in Air has been revised and expanded to include over 450 compounds. Flash points are to be found in Section 1. Completely revised are the tables on Thermal Conductivity for gases, liquids, and solids. Van der Waals' constants for gases have been brought up to date and expanded to over 500 substances.
Section 6, which includes Enthalpies and Gibbs Energies of Formation, Entropies, and Heat Capacities of Organic and Inorganic Compounds, and Heats of Melting, Vaporization, and Sublimation and Specific Heat at Various Temperatures for organic and inorganic compounds, has expanded by
11 pages, but the major additions have involved data in columns where it previously was absent. More material has also been included for critical temperature, critical pressure, and critical volume.
The section on Spectroscopy has been retained but with some revisions and expansion. The section includes ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray spectrometry. Detection limits are listed for the elements when using flame emission, flame atomic absorption, electrothermal atomic absorption, argon induction coupled plasma, and flame atomic fluorescence. Nuclear magnetic resonance embraces tables for the nuclear properties of the elements, proton chemical shifts and coupling constants, and similar material for carbon-13, boron-11, nitrogen-15, fluorine-19, silicon-29, and phosphorus-31.
In Section 8, the material on solubility constants has been doubled to 550 entries. Sections on proton transfer reactions, including some at various temperatures, formation constants of metal com¬plexes with organic and inorganic ligands, buffer solutions of all types, reference electrodes, indicators, and electrode potentials are retained with some revisions. The material on conductance has been revised and expanded, particularly in the table on limiting equivalent ionic conductance.
Everything in Sections 9 and 10 on physiochemical relationships, and on polymers, rubbers, fats, oils, and waxes, respectively, has been retained.
Section 11, Practical Laboratory Information, has undergone significant changes and expansion. Entries in the table on "Molecular Elevation of the Boiling Point" have been increased. McReynolds' constants for stationary phases in gas chromatography have been reorganized and expanded. The guide to ion-exchange resins and discussion is new and embraces all types of column packing and membrane materials. Gravimetric factors have been altered to reflect the changes in atomic weights for several elements. Newly added are tables listing elements precipitated by general analytical reagents, and giving equations for the redox determination of the elements with their equivalent weights. Discussion on the topics of precipitation and complexometric titration include primary standards and indicators for each analytical technique. A new topic of masking and demasking agents includes discussion and tables of masking agents for various elements, for anions and neutral molecules, and common demasking agents. A table has been added listing the common amino acids with their pI and pKa values and their 3-letter and I-letter abbreviations. Lastly a 9-page table lists the threshold limit value (TL V) for gases and vapors.
... Read more

Book Description

The second edition includes: 16 additional name reactions; the references are updated and expanded; a better index; short descriptions for most of the name reactions are added; typographical and structural errors are corrected.

Different from other books on name reactions in organic chemistry, Name Reactions, A Collection of Detailed Reaction Mechanisms focuses on their mechanisms. It covers over 300 classical as well as contemporary name reactions. Each reaction is delineated by its detailed step-by-step, electron-pushing mechanism, supplemented with the original and the latest references, especially review articles. Thus, it is not only an indispensable resource for senior undergraduate and graduate students for their learning and exams, but also a good reference book for all chemists interested in name reactions.

SOME PRAISE FOR THE PREVIOUS EDITION:

JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION "This is an excellent book for arrow pushing and learning organic name reactions as encountered in graduate school . . . Li's book contains reactions of all mechanistic classes . . . The book is nicely balanced, containing modern-day reactions for assembly of stereocomplex molecules. Reactions such as the Corey-Bakshi-Shibata reduction are analyzed. This book is a good reference text that fills a void that has existed for some time. It is both an excellent tool for learning and a good reference source." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A excellent collection of important Name Reactions
This book is a must for any undergrad, graduate student or for that matter, CHEMIST, at any level who is interested in Name Reactions. It contains 331 name reactions that range from classic organic chemistry to modern day organic chemistry. An excellent collection of important name reactions that is in an easy to read format. Each reaction contains a brief summary, a general reaction scheme and a detailed arrow pushing mechanism.

I really like this book because of its contents and simplicity. Its very easy to find the reaction you are looking for and the information is complete. It would be very helpful in studying for advance organic chemistry exams or as a quick reference when you do not know a particular named reaction. The index is about average for this type of book; however, this book is based on the fact that you are looking up named reactions and not using it as a functional group conversion reference.

After all is said and done, I can truly say that I am glad I purchased this book. It is a complete summary of named reactions and I look forward to using it in the years to come.

Thanks ... Read more

Book Description

The book covers current knowledge on all aspects of polyester synthesis, structure, properties (chemical, physical and application relevant) and recycling. The most important technical polyesters are presented in detailed chapters, homogeneous polymers as well as copolymers, blends and high-performance reinforced polyester materials are discussed.
This book is directed to chemists, physicists and engineers working in research, development and application of polymers. ... Read more

Book Description

This book evolved from an interdisciplinary graduate course entitled Molecular Modeling developed at New York University. Its primary goal is to stimulate excitement for molecular modeling research while introducing readers to the wide range of biomolecular problems being solved by computational techniques and to those computational tools. The book is intended for beginning graduate students in medical schools and scientific fields such as biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science. Other scientists who wish to enter, or become familiar, with the field of biomolecular modeling and simulation may also benefit from the broad coverage of problems and approaches.

The book surveys three broad areas: biomolecular structure and modeling: current problems and state of computations; molecular mechanics: force field origin, composition, and evaluation techniques; and simulation methods: geometry optimization, Monte Carlo, and molecular dynamics approaches. Appendices featuring homework assignments, reading lists, and other information useful for teaching molecular modeling complement the material in the main text. Extensive use of world wide web resources is encouraged, and additional course and text information may be found on a supplementary website.

Some praise for Tamar Schlick's "Molecular Modeling and Simulation: An Interdisciplinary Guide":||"The interdisciplinary structural biology community has waited long for a book of this kind which provides an excellent introduction to molecular modeling."|-Harold A. Scheraga, Cornell University||"A uniquely valuable introduction to the modeling of biomolecular structure and dynamics. A rigorous and up-to-date treatment of the foundations, enlivened by engaging anecdotes and historical notes."|-J. Andrew McCammon, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California at San Diego||"I am often asked by physicists, mathematicians and engineers to recommend a book that would be useful to get them started in computational molecular biology. I am also often approached by my colleagues in computational biology to recommend a solid textbook for a graduate course in the area. Tamar Schlick has written the book that I will be recommending to both groups. Tamar has done an amazing job in writing a book that is both suitably accessible for beginners, and suitably rigorous for experts."|-J.J. Collins, Boston University

FROM THE REVIEWS:

BIOTECH INTERNATIONAL [BTI]: " . . . The text emphasises that the field is changing very rapidly and that it is full of exciting discoveries. Many of these findings have lead to medical and technological breakthroughs. This book stimulates this excitement, while still providing students many computational details . . . It should appeal to beginning graduate students in medical schools, and in many scientific departments such as biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Excellent book for both students and researchers
This book covers state-of-arts technologies used in today's hot field: molecular modeling. The book is easy to understand and it is suitable for graduate students in both theoretic majors and experimental majors. The homeworks in the book are practical for students to learn basic molecular modeling computer skills very fast.

Dr. Schlick is an expert in this field and her group has published tons of molecular modeling research papers. Her expertise also makes this book valuable for computational scientific researchers. I highly recommend it.

A long expected book in molecular modeling is finally here
I highly recommend Professor T. Schlick's book. It is beautifully written with many examples and great illustrations. The book is truly interdisciplinary; it covers, in good depth, both the biological and mathematical aspects of computational structural biology. Most chapters start with an amenable introduction and finish with "hands-on" recommendations and future challenges. I was particularly pleased with the level of detail in each chapter (in particular those that show the reader the advantages and pitfalls of the different methods presented). My colleague Mariel Vazquez and I used this book in the design and preparation of our "Special topics in Mathematics" course at the UC Berkeley Mathematics Department during the Spring of 2003.

This upper-level undergraduate/lower-level graduate course was centered on mathematical and computational models of the three dimensional structure of DNA, and DNA topology. We found Professor T. Schlick's book very useful in our class preparation. In particular we covered chapter 5 (DNA structure) completely, sections 3 and 4 from chapter 7 (basic principles and formulation of atomic interactions in molecular mechanics), and several sections or subsections from chapters 8 and 9 (force terms used in molecular dynamics simulations). We also covered most of the material in chapter 10 (Multivariate Minimization), and gave a brief introduction to chapter 11 (Monte-Carlo techniques) and chapter 12 (Molecular Dynamics algorithms).

Chapter 5 starts with a very amenable and brief introduction that relates DNA with other biological processes and describes some of the challenges in studying DNA structure. It continues describing the basic building blocks of DNA. The author wisely spends some time defining the nomenclature for each of the atoms, angles and bonds that form these basic blocks. The following sections teach the reader what parameters are relevant for describing a DNA double helix and how they characterize the A, B and Z- forms of DNA. Illustrations in this chapter are particularly helpful.

Although our course's approach to DNA supercoiling was different that the one in the book I found particularly useful some illustrations in chapter 6 and movies (to be found in her webpage) that Prof. Schlick's group has developed over the years. In brief, chapter 6 is a study of more complex structures and behavior of DNA (such as structural role of the DNA sequence, DNA-protein interactions, and higher order organization of DNA -i.e. DNA supercoiling and histone-DNA interactions). This chapter can be a good source for short research projects (e.g. final projects).

Chapters 7, 8 and 9 describe the basic concepts in molecular mechanics. From sections 7.3 and 7.4 I found of interest how the author addresses the problem of the system size (i.e. number of interacting molecules) and some of the details that the author gives for modeling the geometry of atomic interactions. At the end of the chapter (section 7.4.3) interested readers can find some of the limitations of current approaches. Chapters 8 and 9 describe in depth the force fields and how to implement them. Chapter 9 also illustrates with clarity how to implement periodic boundary conditions and the advantages of using different lattice models.

Chapter 10 describes a number of familiar methods for energy minimization (i.e. steepest descent, conjugate gradient, etc....). We used sections 10.1 to 10.4 and section 10.5.2 (conjugate gradient). I found the Hessian patterns shown in figures 10.4 and 10.5 and the minimization trajectories shown in 10.10 very pedagogical. As in previous chapters the author finishes with practical recommendations and future challenges.

We left chapter 11 (Monte Carlo methods) for last in the course and discussed chapter 12 (molecular dynamics) first. As in previous chapters the author gives a very nice introduction (section 12.1 and 12.2) and covers the basics on simulation protocols in sections 12.3 and 12.4. Section 12.4 describes the basic integration algorithms such as leap-frog, verlet, etc... Figure 12.3 was revealing for the students as it compares the time scales in biological systems.

Chapter 11 (Monte-Carlo methods) provides a very comprehensive introduction to Monte-Carlo methods. We found particularly useful some of the subsections of random number generation and the treatment of Importance sampling and Markov chains in section 11.5.

As mentioned earlier we were particularly delighted with the amount of details given in each topic. For example chapters 7 and 8 provide all the formalism needed for the problems of molecular mechanics. In section 8.4 (bond angle potential) the author highlights the differences (both formally and by figures-see figure 8.4) between different formulations of the problem (see also figure 8.6). In Chapter 10 the author describes minimization algorithms in detail and shows some of the patterns that one observes in the Hessian associated to minimization functions of biological structures (see figs. 10.4, 10.5 and 10.11). She also makes very detailed comparisons between the different minimization methods (see figs 10. 2, 10.10). In chapter 12 she compares the different methods and initial conditions for the algorithms discussed (figs 12.3, 12.4, 12.6).

Overall we found that Prof. T. Schlick's book is very adequate for a broad spectrum of levels and very accessible to both graduate and undergraduate students interested in mathematical modeling and computational biology. It is also very well organized facilitating the option of selecting parts of the material for the classroom or for use in one's research.

Outstanding introduction
... not only to molecular modeling, but to some of the subtleties of DNA and protein behavior and geometry, too.

This book's focus is generally on interactions with large molecules, DNA and proteins, although it does discuss small molecules (drugs, a few dozen to a few hundred atoms) too. That means that it skips most of the quantum mechanical modeling of more advanced computational chemistry texts.

Nothing is lost, because Schlick covers her chosen topic (molecular modeling and dynamics) in such detail. She starts with a very clear discussion of the structure of large biomolecules, with emphasis on the features that need quantitative description for modeling. That covers protein structure at ever level. It also covers DNA/RNA structure in the best detail I've ever seen. The double-helix is the just the starting point. There are alternative helix forms, non-standard binding between nucleotides, and asymmetries caused by nucleotide composition. The next chapters describe the geometric model and, briefly, the forces acting between atoms.

The second half of the book gets down to the nuts and bolts of modeling. This includes numerical techniques, minimization, sampling and Monte Carlo techniques, and the start of dynamics. Schlick attacks some of the nasty points of the calculations, such as modeling of forces that act on very different time scales. As with the simpler material, the development is clear, descriptive, and free of pointless theorems. The meticulous reader should come away able to implement most or all of the techniques described. The level of presentation is consistent and approachable. I think freshman physics should be enough preparation for most students to get most of the value out of the discussion.

The book is written with clarity as a top priority. The glossary is in the front, making sure that the reader knows it's a first-class part of the text. After that, every chapter starts with a list of the mathematical symbols and variables used and a one-line description of each. These are small things, but they increase the book's readability immensely. The illustrations are generally informative enough. On the whole, though, they don't seem quite up to the level of the textual and mathematical presentations.

I needed a crash course in the mathematical techniques used for describing molecular structure and behavior. I should have read this book first - its clarity and thoroughness would have saved me a lot of time. After this one, I can now go back and reread the more complex texts with more hops of understanding. Do yourself a favor and read this one first.

Beautifully written!
As a person with no expertise in molecular modeling who wanted to learn about this field, this book is right on! I find the author's lively text to be as well-written and clear as any science textbook I have ever read. I especially enjoyed the first two chapters for their historical perspective and their practical illustrations of applications of genetics in the world today. These chapters can be understood by non-scientists, whereas the rest of the book is clearly designed for graduate students in any one of the science disciplines.

The interesting information sprinkled throughout the book, including the boxes and figures, help keep the reader stimulated and yearning for greater knowledge of this exciting field. The color graphics also complement the book nicely. Although the subject covered in the book is extremely broad, the author managed to convey the perspectives of multiple scientific disciplines (e.g., biology, chemistry, computer science, math) very well. The combination of breadth and depth in a readable style is remarkable.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers interested in the area.

Never short of something exciting
It contains many many exiting problems and stimulate to go through the world of art of biology and mathematics. This book can guide the way where to go when you lost in the world of biomathematics, specifically molecular modeling. It looks like a well-organized dictionary with analysis. So it is good for a beginner and also deep-thinker in computational biology field. ... Read more

Book Description

In light of recent alarming environmental trends combined with increasing commercial viability of fuel cells, the time is propitious for a book focusing on the systematic aspects of cell plant technology. This multidisciplinary text covers the main types of fuel cells, R&D issues, plant design and construction, and economic factors to provide industrial and academic researchers working in electrical systems design, electrochemistry, and engineering with a unique and comprehensive resource. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Review of Fuel Cell Systems edited by Blomen and Mugerwa
Fuel Cell Systems is an exellent compilation by sixteen authors who are experts in their fields. It covers not only the details of the electrochemistry and thermodynamics of fuel cells but also the economics and limitations of fuel cell sytems. It also has excellent chapters on fuel processing and details on each different type of fuel cell. There is a history of fuel cells at the beginning of the book and a section of marketing at the back so it covers all areas that one could be interested in. The editors made one chapter logically lead to the next and included a good index at the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to understand the technical aspects of fuel cells and their applications. Since fuel cell technology is advancing very quickly and the book was printed in 1993 it does not include the very latest developments but the principles it explains are applicable to almost any system. ... Read more

Book Description

When this innovative textbook first appeared in 1984 it rapidly became a great success throughout the world and has already been translated into several European and Asian languages. Now the authors have completely revised and updated the text, including more than 2000 new literature references to work published since the first edition. No page has been left unaltered but the novel features which proved so attractive have been retained. The book presents a balanced, coherent and comprehensive account of the chemistry of the elements for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. This crucial central area of chemistry is full of ingenious experiments, intriguing compounds and exciting new discoveries. The authors specifically avoid the term `inorganic chemistry' since this evokes an outmoded view of chemistry which is no longer appropriate in the final decade of the 20th century.

Accordingly, the book covers not only the 'inorganic' chemistry of the elements, but also analytical, theoretical, industrial, organometallic, bio-inorganic and other cognate areas of chemistry.The authors have broken with recent tradition in the teaching of their subject and adopted a new and highly successful approach based on descriptive chemistry. The chemistry of the elements is still discussed within the context of an underlying theoretical framework, giving cohesion and structure to the text, but at all times the chemical facts are emphasized. Students are invited to enter the exciting world of chemical phenomena with a sound knowledge and understanding of the subject, to approach experimentation with an open mind, and to assess observations reliably. This is a book that students will not only value during their formal education, but will keep and refer to throughout their careers as chemists.

Completely revised and updated
Unique approach to the subject
More comprehensive than competing titles ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great reference, but it is not popular science!
For anyone in need of a general reference on the chemical elements and their compounds (anyone majoring or working in chemistry), this book is indeed the bible. It has the advantage of being a well-written reference, but make no mistake, it is a reference - in the same way that a book on grammar, even if it is well-written, is still a book on grammar. Which means that if you are looking for an interesting and pleasantly readable popular science book about the chemical elements, and unless you have a serious technical interest in chemistry, this is probably not the best choice. The author doesn't make any claims that it was written for a popular audience, but some of the reviews seem to hint that it might be.

Chemistry Bible
Did you know that the ending ON in silicon was chosen (by Thomas Thomson) to stress the analogy of this element with both carbon and boron? I didn't. Along with such kind of historical details, Greenwood and Earnshaw's book contains a great deal of information (data, tables, graphs, etc.) about the elements of the Periodic Table and their corresponding compounds. The material is logically organized in 31 chapters, which are followed by 7 appendices (1341 pages!). This chemistry bible should stay on the desk of every chemist and scientist alike.

An essential for a Chemistry library
I bought this book as a recommended text to accompany a senior/graduate two semester inorganic chemistry of the elements course. One of the few "texts" I would have had no problems buying outside of school. The information is extensive, but well organized and useful.

Professor of Chemistry
This book is an essential component of the practicicing inorganic chemist's library. The fundamental information contained within are the seeds for the further study of chemistry.

Fascination with elements
Although I have some formal chemistry training, I am not a professional chemist, nor teacher. However, since childhood I have been fascinated by the chemical elements. I suppose this is similar to the fascination for prime numbers, Platonic solids, or elementary particles.

I suspect there are many others "out there" sharing this fascination. If so, and you are interested in any of the following, this book might be for you:

1) why are most elements metals? 2) why are there so few liquid elements? 3) why are there no gaseous metals? (Well actually there is: hydrogen) 4) why is there an island of super-dense elements centered about osmium? 5) why is carbon unique in that it is the progenitor of a vast family of compounds (the subject of organic chemistry)? 6) why do carbon's two nearest neighbors, silicon and boron, not have similar empires? (Silicon does have an empire -- rocks! -- but it is obviously quite different)7) what makes "heavy metals" heavy, and why are they so toxic? 8) why is there virtually no technetium in the Earth, though it is a relatively light metal, and not a member of the "heavy" radio-active series? 9) why is deuterium virtually a distinct elements (rather than just a form {isotope} of hydrogen)?

The book is "friendly" enough so as not to intimidate non-specialist, but at the same time it contains sufficient details and technical information to interest the expert. A special asset is the grouping of elements according to the periodic table. The mysteries of the transitions elements are especially well covered.

The book is enhaced by excellent graphics.

The price, while high for say a novel, it quite reasonable for a technical book.

Happy browsing! ... Read more

Book Description

With this handbook the distinguished team of editors has combined the expertise of leading nanomaterials scientists to provide the latest overview of this field.

The authors cover the whole spectrum of nanomaterials, ranging from theory, synthesis, properties, characterization to application, including such new developments as:

• quantum dots, nanoparticles, nanoporous materials, as well as nanowires, nanotubes and nanostructural polymers
• nanocatalysis, nanolithography, nanomanipulation
• methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles.

The book can thus be recommended for everybody working in nanoscience: Beginners can acquaint themselves with the exciting subject, while specialists will find answers to all their questions plus helpful suggestions for further research. ... Read more

Book Description

Theories of Chemistry reviews the theories that underpin chemistry, but yet are not traditionally recognized as such, being normally considered as part of physics. Based on the argument that the needs of chemistry are distinctive, a mathematical structure of topics such as quantum mechanics, relativity theory, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, suiting the needs of chemistry, is outlined. The subject matter is arranged in a sequence that reveals the foundations of chemistry. Starting from the mathematical basis, the sequence runs through the general concepts (mechanics and wave formalism) and the elementary building blocks, to molecules and macrosystems.

The book is the product of the author's reading of original literature rather than of standard texts. It differs from what is conventionally emphasized because of the different approach that it argues for the recognition of chemistry as an emergent discipline, ultimately based on the properties and structure of space and time. Hence the emphasis on otherwise unexpected topics such as quaternions, lie groups, polarized light, compressed atoms, rydberg atoms, solitons, molecular hydrogen, and phase transitions, amongst others. The topic is the understanding of chemistry from first principles.

The book is self-contained and can be used without reference to other sources.

- All chemisty theories are covered in this one volume.
- The book is self-contained and can be used without reference to other sources.
- Many topics, routinely referred to in advanced chemistry texts, without making them accessible to the non-specialist, are brought together. ... Read more

Book Description

Are you ready for the SAT II: U.S. History exam? You will be.

Kaplan's SAT II: Chemistry 2004-2005 Edition comes complete with a targeted review of all the material on the exam, plus Kaplan's proven test-taking strategies. This powerful combination will help you go into the test with confidence -- and come out with a higher score.

• 3 Full-Length Practice Tests with Detailed Answer Explanations
• The Most Up-to-Date Information on the Test
• Review of All Tested Subjects, Including:
  • Acids and Bases
  • Atomic Structure
  • Chemical Equilibrium
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Thermochemistry
• Powerful Strategies to Help You Take Control and Succeed on the Exam

World Leader in Test Prep and Admissions

Kaplan has helped more than 3 million students achieve their educational and career goals. With 185 centers and over 1,200 classroom locations throughout the U.S. and abroad, Kaplan provides a full range of services, including test prep courses, admissions consulting, programs for international students, professional licensing preparation, and more.

For more information, contact us at 1-800-KAP-TEST or visit kaptest.com. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Convinced Me To Never Buy Another Kaplan Book
I was skeptical about ditching the traditional Barron's and Princeton Review study guides and switching over to this book. But, since this seemed to be the latest edition out there, I thought that I'd give it a shot. Basically, after working through the whole thing, taking the test, and receiving my score, I knew that I would never buy another Kaplan book. I expected to get a much higher score after coming out of a very rigorous AP Chemistry class and as, I would later find out, getting a five on the extremely hard AP test. Obviously, I was dissapointed. But I don't know, maybe this just wasn't the right book for me. I knew my chemistry, I just didn't know the SAT II test, and basically, Kaplan did a pretty lousy job of explaining it. It could have given a lot more practice for the totally bizzare 'Relationship Analysis Questions' just because they're so out of the ordinary. Also, the diagnostic tests are pretty bad in that they include quite a bit of problems that you absolutely cannot do without a calculator, even though the SAT II does not allow the use of a calculator. The review section, though, wasn't that bad. Not to say that it couldn't have been better, but I think that it gives a pretty good review of chemistry. If all you need is more chemistry review, then maybe this is a good book for you. But as for me, I'm sticking to Barron's and Princeton Review from now on.

Ok but unorganized
The Kaplan book is quite comprehensive but the lack of diagrams and the disorganized state of the book can make this a boring read. It goes over a lot of useless info that may be confusing and the text may lose you in some parts. If you have a lot of self motivation and patience, this book may work out for you. Be sure to read up on Barrons because it is quite a bit more user friendly and is organized more like a high school chemistry book which is much more familiar to most students.

Excellent Preparation
The Kaplan SAT II Chemistry book provides excellent preparation for the exam. The extensive information covered details almost everthing that you could possibly want to know for this exam. However, there are several useless pieces of information in this book. The equilibrium equations with natural logs, etc. are all extra useless stuff. Also the extra material for atomic orbitals is not on the SAT II. No one will ask you about the specific name of quantum numbers. This extra stuff means that they didn't put in enough descriptive chemistry review and experimentation, hence only 4 stars. Not perfect, but if you buy either Chemistry the Easy way or the other Barrons SAT II book and read up on the two great chapters on experiments and descriptive chemistry you're all set. I recommend buying the REA book as well for the practice. Nothing improves your score as much as practice.

Got me a 800!!
I used this book in conjunction w/ Barron's and Princeton Review and I got an 800, mostly thanx to this book. Barron's was too detailed, but good for reference and practice tests. Princeton review was 2 broad.

Tests Are Too Easy
This book covers just about all the major topics on the test, but I found that even after going through all the chapters and doing all the quizzes and practice tests, the book did not include some key terms in chemistry. There were also a lot of questions on the test that were not in this book. So use this book for reviewing for the chemistry test, but do not totally depend on it. ... Read more

Book Description

When it comes to pinpointing the stuff you really need to know, nobody does it better than CliffsNotes. This fast, effective tutorial helps you master the core concepts of advanced organic chemistry -- and get the best possible grade. From biosynthesis and integrated metabolism to the molecular cloning of DNA, you get clear, jargon-free explanations of all the fundamentals, illustrated throughout with a wealth of figures and formulas. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

a must for orgo students!
This book simplifies the many aspects covered in "Fessenden & Fessenden" book, and the rxn's at the end are extremely helpful to study for exams. Unfortunately, this book doesn't really get into nucleic acids, but it does a great job covering all functional groups synthesis & rxns! A key book for reference as well as explanations regarding intermediates for rxns. A+

Great Review
This was a great help to me as I prepared for my finals. The last few pages are especially helpful in summerizing the numerous reactions in organic chemistry. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a concise review before a test. ... Read more

Book Description

If you’ve been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or suspect you have it, and you’re looking for a way to manage your condition, you’ve come to the right place. In The New Glucose Revolution Guide to Living Well with PCOS, Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller--author of the New York Times bestseller The New Glucose Revolution, the authoritative guide to the glycemic index--along with Dr. Nadir Farid and Kate Marsh, address the root cause of PCOS--insulin resistance--and show you how eating a low-GI diet can help alleviate even your most troublesome symptoms, including:

Weight gain
Unsightly hair growth
Irregular cycles
Fatigue
Infertility
Hypoglycemia
Acne
Mood swings

Filled with indispensable advice on switching to the low-GI diet, incorporating exercise into your lifestyle, and preserving your overall health and well-being, as well as thirty delicious recipes, The New Glucose Revolution Guide to Living Well with PCOS will help you beat your PCOS symptoms and take back control over your life. ... Read more

Book Description

The application of computational methods to DNA and protein science is a new and exciting development in biology. Bioinformatics: Sequence and Genome Analysis is a comprehensive introduction to this emerging field of study. The book has many unique and valuable features:

It is written for any biologist who wants to understand methods of sequence and structure analysis and how the necessary computer programs work

Sequence alignment, structure prediction, phylogenetic and gene prediction, database searching, and genome analysis are clearly explained and amply illustrated

Underlying algorithms and assumptions are clearly explained for the non-specialist

Examples are presented in simple numerical terms rather than complex formulas and notation

Theoretical underpinnings are linked to biological problems and their solutions

Extensive tables provide descriptions and Web sources for a broad range of publicly available software

Based on the author's extensive experience as a molecular geneticist and bioinformaticist at the University of Arizona, this is a uniquely educational book, ideal as a laboratory reference for investigators and also as teaching reference for graduate and undergraduate students studying this fast-changing discipline. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

good for computational biologist
If you are a biologist and just want to know some background information of how to apply bioinformatics to your research, do not read this book. My recommendation for you is "developing bioinformatics computer skills" and some other books like that.
If you are a student or scientist who study bioinformatics, this book is an excellent book and really worthy to read. This books gives very detailed information on algorithm to help us understand how the software such as BLAST and FASTA are designed. The illustrations are easy to understand compared with other books I have read, especially for the statistics part of any algorithm.
One weak point is that the book focus on nucleic acid sequence analysis while talk little about protein.

Horrible. A lot better books should be available nowadays
In short, the author does not have enough writing skill to write this text book.

I purchased this book a while ago. At that time, the book was really difficult to read. I thought that it is because I do not have enough knowledge to understand the material. So I stopped reading this book and studied bioinformatics by other means.

After gaining enough knowledge in bioinformatics, I re-opened this book, and it is funny to find that I still have the same amount of difficulty in understanding what the author wrote about topics that I have already built good understanding. Reading this book will only deteriorate one's understanding.

Several years ago, only just a few books were available on the market, so one needed to purchase this book. These days, there are lots of varieties to choose, and any choice is likely to be better than this book.

Horrible
While this book may, and I stress the word may, contain useful information, it is so badly written that it is incomprehensible. Dr. Mount seems to believe that ten words are better than one, making "Bioinformatics" very tedious to read. After awhile I felt like I was reading a Victorian novel.
Despite being wordy, the explanations are too brief and not clear. If you don't know what he is talking about before hand, you will never understand what he is explaining. He uses an excess of words, and rarely provides a clear, concise example of what he is referring to (or if he does it is in another chapter in the book).
It also appears that the book was never edited. For example, when trying to define "ortholog" and "homolog," he writes two opposing definitions for ortholog and none for homolog. Clearly this is a mistake and Dr. Mount accidentally used the word ortholog twice while meaning to use ortholog once and homolog the other time (pg 56). While it can be argued that this mistake is unimportant and the reader can look up the definitions, it makes me wonder what else in the book is wrong that I have no way of detecting (until I waste a bunch of time doing something incorrectly).

Strong foundation builder
This book will give you very strong foundations in
the basics of computation in the bio world. Though
this book does not give details of the computation
methods, it does give a very clear picture of math-
ematics and the science involved.

This book has a good coverage of FASTA and
BLAST. (Though a little bit short)

The programming techniques coverd are bare. Though
concepts like searching sequences using dynamic p-
rogramming are covered, you are better off reading
something like Proteome Research by wilkins et al.

I am yet to find a good book that deals only with
the technical and programming aspects of bio informatics
if you do find some thing interesting lemme know.

On the whole this book helped me understand a lot
about sequencing, alignment and prediction. The illustrations
and pictures provided are good and the text to the point.

If you are reading this review pls understand that I am
primarily a programmer trying to get into the
bio informatics business. I do not have any schooling
or degree or even experience in the bio informatics world.

Hope this helps

Santy

whatever
Decent qualitative overview. Some discussions of algorithms are so superficial that they are misleading. Slick presentation. Used at Stanford's intro to methods course - a good recommendation.

So far, the best there is for a survey course - but for depth and accuracy in sequence analysis algorithms, go to Durbin et al or Gussfield. ... Read more

Book Description

The critically acclaimed guide to the principles, techniques, and instruments of electroanalytical chemistry-now expanded and revised
Joseph Wang, internationally renowned authority on electroanalytical techniques, thoroughly revises his acclaimed book to reflect the rapid growth the field has experienced in recent years. He substantially expands the theoretical discussion while providing comprehensive coverage of the latest advances through late 1999, introducing such exciting new topics as self-assembled monolayers, DNA biosensors, lab-on-a-chip, detection for capillary electrophoresis, single molecule detection, and sol-gel surface modification. Along with numerous references from the current literature and new worked-out examples, Analytical Electrochemistry, Second Edition offers clear, reader-friendly explanations of the fundamental principles of electrochemical processes as well as important insight into the potential of electroanalysis for problem solving in a wide range of fields, from clinical diagnostics to environmental science. Key topics include:
* The basics of electrode reactions and the structure of the interfacial region
* Tools for elucidating electrode reactions and high-resolution surface characterization
* An overview of finite-current controlled potential techniques
* Electrochemical instrumentation and electrode materials
* Principles of potentiometric measurements and ion-selective electrodes
* Chemical sensors, including biosensors, gas sensors, solid-state devices, and sensor arrays ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wang is so beautiful
Wang did such a nice job on this one. He is an artist, Wang, such an artist. I love Wang. I love Wang until the day I die! ... Read more

Book Description

This new edition of the best-selling standard is the complete source for a simplified and consolidated explanation of the injection molding operation and each of its aspects. Taking a practical approach, Injection Molding Handbook provides essential information in chapters that are organized to best present a methodology for injection molding. It examines considerable technological advancements, especially those in computer methods, that have been made since the classic second edition was published.Anyone involved in injection molding -- whether directly or indirectly, technical or non-technical -- will find the Injection Molding Handbook an indispensable resource. It is essential for mold engineers and designers, product and parts designers (including industrial designers), process engineers and designers, technicians, technical managers, equipment operators, vendors, and materials engineers in plastics and plastic composites. This handbook will also be valuable to students of manufacturing, plastics engineering, or polymer processing. ... Read more

Book Description

A new collection of authoritative contributions on the state of the art of electrochemical deposition
Since the last edition of Modern Electroplating was published over a quarter century ago, electrochemical deposition has evolved into a mature science, with many new and potential applications. To address these developments, Modern Electroplating, Fourth Edition presents an entirely new collection of contributions on a wide range of cutting-edge topics, from electrodeposition of semiconductors to environmental considerations.
Geared to experienced deposition practitioners and novices alike, the new edition provides clear, thorough, up-to-date explanations of the principles and applications of highly relevant deposition techniques. It not only replaces the Third Edition, a very useful resource on electroplating processes, but, in addition, highlights the transition in the electronics industry from physical to electrochemical methods, especially with regard to next-generation technologies such as copper interconnect. Coverage includes:
* Electrodeposition of various metals and metal alloys
* Electrodeposition of semiconductors and electrodeposition on nonconductors
* Electrodeposition of conductive polymers
* Electroless deposition of various metals and alloys
* Preparation procedures for deposition
* Manufacturing technologies, monitoring, testing, and control
* Deposition and the environment ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Plating
This a good book because I can get so much technology of elektroplating in this book, especially the solution of plating that this book give. ... Read more

Book Description

Inclusively examining the science and technology behind pressure-sensitive products, this Second Edition hails recent discoveries in contact physics and mechanics and newly debuted raw materials and coating technologies to remain the preferred information source of engineers, chemists, academics, and students. Further, Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives and Applications is skillfully rendered by a single expert athor—lending its contents a unity and applicability lacking in other reference compilations on the subject. ... Read more