Book Description

This book is an essential anatomical resource for developmental biologists who need to know about any aspect of mouse developmental anatomy, as well as for geneticists using the mouse embryo as a model. The book is a companion to Kaufman's The Atlas of Mouse Development, and details the developmental anatomy of the early embryo, the transitional tissues, and all the major organ systems. It also provides extensive comparisons with human developmental anatomy, both normal and abnormal. The book has extensive reference indexes detailing developmental stage criteria.
The Anatomical Basis of Mouse Development will be a key reference work for anyone who needs to understand developmental anatomy in normal and mutant mice.

Key Features
* Complements Kaufman's The Atlas of Mouse Development
* Gives anatomical descriptions from oogenesis to birth, at a level of detail that goes beyond that found in most literature
* Provides detailed explanations for geneticists and molecular biologists with limited anatomical background to help them understand the emergence of all the major structures in the mouse embryo
* Contains comprehensive indexes detailing the appearance of over 1000 organs, tissues, and their components at different stages of mouse embryogenesis
* Includes comparisons with normal and abnormal human development
* Contains over 100 clear line diagrams showing mouse developmental anatomy as well as lineage relationships for the major organ systems ... Read more

Reviews (1)

weighty but informative
This book is an sourcebook for the embryological orign of tissues in mammals. Its information is too detailed and dense for use as a textbook but is a neccessary addition to your library as an excellent reference book if you are studying vertebrate development (or have knocked out a gene and can't figure out what is wrong with the resulting animals). I also use it as a backup reference for preparing lectures for the developmental biology course I teach since it often has information that can not be found elsewhere. ... Read more

Book Description

The nature/nurture debate is not dead. Dichotomous views of development still underlie many fundamental debates in the biological and social sciences. Developmental systems theory (DST) offers a new conceptual framework with which to resolve such debates. DST views ontogeny as contingent cycles of interaction among a varied set of developmental resources, no one of which controls the process. These factors include DNA, cellular and organismic structure, and social and ecological interactions. DST has excited interest from a wide range of researchers, from molecular biologists to anthropologists, because of its ability to integrate evolutionary theory and other disciplines without falling into traditional oppositions.

The book provides historical background to DST, recent theoretical findings on the mechanisms of heredity, applications of the DST framework to behavioral development, implications of DST for the philosophy of biology, and critical reactions to DST. ... Read more

Book Description

Yeast is an ideal eukaryotic microorganism for biochemical and genetic studies, particularly since its complete genome sequence became available.The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Yeast Genetics Course has kept pace with the field over the last 30 years, combining essential standard methods with the latest technologies, and its course manual has followed suit.In the new 2000 edition, most of the experiments have been revised and several new experiments and techniques have been added, including the 2-hybrid system, PCR-based methods, and isolation of chromatin. This manual remains a primary source for newcomers to the field as well as the established investigator, providing complete, detailed protocols and techniques of proven robustness. ... Read more

Book Description

Phenotypic plasticity is the range and process of variation in body plan and physiology.This book pulls together recent theoretical advances in phenotypic plasticity, as influenced by evolution and development.The editors and the chapter authors are among the leaders of this exciting and active subfield. The volume begins with a primer on the basic principles of the subject, and companion chapters on phenotypic plasticity in plants and animals. Of interest to a wide range of researchers on evolution, development, and their interface. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a revised edition with a new afterword by Daniel Dennett. The Extended Phenotype carries on from where The Selfish Gene takes off. It is a fascinating look at the evolution of life and natural selection. Dawkins's theory is that individual organisms are replicators that have extended phenotypic effects on society and the world at large, thus our genes have the ability to manipulate other individuals. A worldwide bestseller, this book has become a classic in popular science writing. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Essentials of life's story
Biodiversity is more than a buzzword for ecologists. Variation gives life its grandeur, and Richard Dawkins gives us a description of the workings of variation. Fortunately, with a sharp mind and sharper wit, he has the ability to deliver this portrayal so that nearly everyone can understand it. That's not to say this book is an easy read. Although he delivers his narration as if sitting with you in a quiet study, you may still need to review his words more than once. That's not a challenge or a chore, it's a pleasure.

Dawkins, unlike other science writers, is forthright in declaring his advocacy in writing this book. It's a refreshing start to his most serious effort. After publication of The Selfish Gene led to a storm of fatuous criticism, Extended Phenotype comes in response with more detail of how the gene manifests itself in the organism and its environment. It's clear that Dawkins' critics, who label him an "Ultra-Darwinist" [whatever that is] haven't read this book. His critics frequently argue that The Selfish Gene doesn't operate in a vacuum, but must deal within some kind of environment, from an individual cell to global scenarios. Dawkins deftly responds to critics in describing how genes rely on their environment for successful replication. If the replication doesn't survive in the environment it finds itself, then it, and perhaps its species, will die out.

The child's favourite question, "why" is difficult enough for parents and teachers to answer. Yet, as thinking humans we've become trained to deal with that question nearly every context. So well drilled that we consider something for which that question has no answer to be suspicious if not insidious. Part of Dawkins presentation here reiterates that there is no "why" to either the process of evolution nor its results. It isn't predictable, inevitable or reasonable. It's a tough situation to cope with, but Dawkins describes the mechanism with such precision and clarity, we readily understand "how" if not "why" evolution works. We comprehend because Dawkins does such an outstanding job in presenting its mechanics.

This edition carries three fine finales: Dawkins well thought out bibliography, a glossary, and most prized, indeed, an Afterword by Daniel C. Dennett. If any defense of this book is needed, Dennett is a peerless champion for the task. Dennett's capabilities in logical argument are superbly expressed here. As he's done elsewhere {Darwin's Dangerous Idea], Dennett mourns the lack of orginality and logic among Dawkins' critics. Excepting the more obstinate ones, these seem to be falling by the wayside. It's almost worthwhile reading Dennett's brief essay before starting Dawkins. It would be a gift to readers beyond measure if these two ever collaborated on a book.

Absolutely Fascinating
This book, while more technical than Dawkins' other works, is still easily accessible to any layperson willing to think long and hard about the concepts (and to use the glossary!). The book's basic premise - essentially, that a beaver's dam should be considered as much a product of beaver genes as a beaver's body - is right on target. Not to mention that seeing this type of old problem in a new light is becoming Dawkins' specialty - in "The Selfish Gene", he popularized and expanded the theory of gene-based natural selection and also developed the concept of memes as the basis of cultural evolution; now he shows that phenotypic effects extend far beyond the boundaries of the body.

Dawkins also takes this opportunity to expand on his theory of the replicator, or replicating entity, and develop its classification further. I'd recommend reading the book after The Selfish Gene just to get the concepts down (unless you're familiar with evolution - and NOT of the punctuationist variety!).

Why Will Dawkins not admit he's wrong
Dawkins refuses to let it go. Astrobiology and microbiology is pushing the final nail in the coffin of this ultra-Darwinist garbage. BUT, Dawkins refuses to let it go, using same flawed reasoninng to back his claims. It is time to abandon the current evolutionary paradigm, and ebrace the more than plausible models that have been pushed away by dogma of ultra-Darwinists.

Pretty good, but a bit too technical for my taste.
I once bought this book at a university bookstore, but I later returned it. It was ok I guess, but a bit too technical for my tastes -- it's more something I'd rather check out from the library than something I'd want to own.

Dawkins does get it.
One of the reviewers here claims that Dawkins doesn't get that evolution doesn't see individual genes, but only individual organisms. This person isn't getting Dawkins!! Dawkins is saying individuals are a products of complex genetic interplay and that the influence of genes (singly or in groups) can extend outside the individual. The individual-centric viewpoint is only a viewpoint.

In fact individuals are NOT selected by natural selection (all humans that have ever lived so far have eventually died!) GENES are selected -- albeit in groups since they reside together in an individual (this is their mini-environment)--though not permanently since recombination ensures genes will be shuffled regularly into new, though similar, micro-environments. My grandfathers genes live on -- though my grandfather is dead. Dawkins is repsenting a different viewpoint on GENETIC selection as he explains in the preface of the book. And it is a brilliant viewpoint. Genes have an influence on the world, that includes both the characterisitics and behaviors of individual organisms in which they reside as well as the behavior of organisms and artiftacts outside that individual. Really one of the great books in evolution.

Let me put it another way--Is a physicits wrong when he claims the desk I sit at is mostly empty space? Sure looks solid to me, I say. But at the micro-level the desk is indeed mostly empty space and if neurtrinos could talk they would surely attest to this fact. One has to open one's mind to see that Dawkin's gene-centric perspective is as valid as the old-fasioned model and indeed leads to new insights and illuminations. That's thw whole point of him presenting this view after all!!! Isn't that waht good theory is supposed to do? ... Read more

Book Description

This volume begins with a historical context of the development of mycobacterial genetics, illuminating how crucial problems have been understood and overcome.The molecular genetics of the mycobacteria are then presented in four major sections.Descriptions of the tools for performing genetic analyses are integrated with discussions on the biology that they have been employed to discover.

Appendixes at the end of the volume provide a short compilation of methods commonly used in mycobacterial genetics, a list of currently available Internet websites ofuse to researchers in the field, and the complete map of the M. tuberculosis genome, which server as a reference to most of the chapters.

This volume provides valuable resource materials and detailed reviews of major topics and suggests special as well as fundamental guestions that need to be answered. ... Read more

Book Description

With the advent of the Human Genome Project there have been many claims for the genetic origins of complex human behavior including insanity, criminality, and intelligence. But what does it really mean to call something "genetic"? This is the fundamental question that Sahotra Sarkar's book addresses. This important book clarifies the meaning of the term "genetic," shows how molecular studies have affected genetics, and provides the philosophical background necessary to understand the debates over the Human Genome Project. It will be of particular interest to professionals and students in the philosophy of science, the history of science, and the social studies of science, medicine, and technology. ... Read more

Book Description

Large surveys are becoming increasingly available for public use, and researchers are often faced with the need to analyse complex survey data to address key scientific issues. For proper analysis it is also important to be aware of the different aspects of the design of complex surveys. Practical Methods for Design and Analysis of Complex Surveys features intermediate and advanced statistical techniques for use in designing and analysing complex surveys. This extensively updated edition features much new material, and detailed practical exercises with links to a Web site, helping instructors and enabling use for distance learning.

• Provides a comprehensive introduction to sampling and estimation in descriptive surveys, including design effect statistic and use of auxiliary data.
• Includes detailed coverage of complex survey analysis, including design-based ANOVA and logistic regression with GEE estimation.
• Contains much new material, including handling of non-sampling errors, and model-assisted estimation for domains.
• Features detailed real-li fe case studies, such as multilevel modeling in a multinational educational survey.
• Supported by a Web site containing software codes, real data sets, computerized exercises with solutions, and online training materials.

Practical Methods for Design and Analysis of Complex Surveys provides a useful practical resource for researchers and practitioners working in the planning, implementation or analysis of complex surveys and opinion polls, including business, educational, health, social, and socio-economic surveys and official statistics. In addition, the book is well suited for use on intermediate and advanced courses in survey sampling. ... Read more

Book Description

Common to all DNA and protein array-based technologies is the necessity to analyze digital images of the scanned DNA array. The focus of Kamberova and Shah book is microarray image analysis-from theoretical and application perspective. The topic of microarray image processing is usually neglected due to the availability of various software tools for image processing. The focus of today microarray bioinformatics is data analysis. However, how can one be certain that the data obtained from a microarray experiment through the image analysis is of high quality? How can one perform data mining on data derived from different microarray technologies, where microarray images were analyzed with different image analysis softwares? This book addresses various questions related to microarray image processing. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good book, great value.
To my knowledge this is the first book to appear focusing on analysis of microarray images, though the topic is commonly addressed to some extent in general books on microarray technology. Because microarray technology evolves so quickly, books such as this one are almost of necessity put together in a hurry. Unfortunately, the hurry really shows in this case. In addition to the grammatical problems all too common in scientific texts, there are technical inconsistencies. For example, the term "signal to noise ratio" is defined at three places in the book, with three different definitions. First, we are told (chapter two, page 38) that the signal to noise ratio is defined as the ratio of mean signal to mean error. Later (chapter five, page 86), the signal to noise ratio is defined as signal (minus background), divided by the standard deviation of background. Finally (chapter six, page 101) tells us that the signal to noise ratio "can be estimated by computing the peak signal divided by the variation in the signal." Only that part of the discussion starting on page 86 is included in the index.

Chapter one provides an introduction to microarrays. Chapter two introduces image analysis with a focus on issues pertinent to micro array analysis, though it is not perfectly customized as background for the other chapters. For example, though Chapter two's appendixes include Fourier analysis, this is not really used explicitly further in the book. The next three chapters concern microarray scanning. They are each written by groups at different commercial firms, and they provide vendor oriented views. These chapters are redundant in the sense that they all cover the same topic, but taken as a whole, they provide some balance. It might be preferable to have an academic team write a single, more objective chapter, but it's understandable to take this approach in the interest of timeliness. Chapters six and seven are the ones that directly address image processing. Though Chapter seven is entitled "microarray data normalization", it really provides the most detailed information about image processing and analysis. Two short chapters cover a comparison of commercially available software and a brief overview of information workflow. The final chapter on bacterial artificial chromosomes is a general (and worthwhile) overview of that application, but it is not particularly focused on image analysis.

The book is concise (it took me about eight hours to read it cover to cover) and the price is right (under $30 at amazon.com). The editors and author are to be congratulated on producing a timely book, and I'm delighted that the publisher has made it so affordable. Keep up the good work.

CURRENT DRUG DISCOVERY , DECEMBER 2002 - Book Review
DNA microarrays form an indispensable tool in molecular biology, allowing researchers to gain insight into the intricate mechanisms of gene expression. Microarray technology also aids the researcher in transforming and supplementing data available on genes and cells into useful information about gene expression, and ultimately, cellular biology.
cDNA arrays experiments use many gene-specific polynucleotides derived from the ends of RNA transcripts. These are arrayed on a single matrix and simultaneously probed with a fluorescently tagged cDNA representation of total RNA pools from test and reference cells. This allows one to determine the relative amount of transcript present in the pool by the type of fluorescent signal generated. Thus, the relative message abundance is based on a comparison of the test cell state to a reference cell state. Common to all array-based technologies is the need to analyze digital images of the scanned DNA array.
Shishir Shah is an Associate Professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, and is the author of numerous publications on image analysis and data mining, while Gerda Kamberova is an Assistant Professor in Computer Science at Hofstra University, New York, where she teaches computer vision, computer graphics, and artificial intelligence. With this book, the authors address the fact that the topic of microarray image processing is usually neglected due to the availability of various software tools for image processing. The focus of microarray bioinformatics today is data analysis, but how can one be certain that the data obtained through image analysis of a microarray experiment through is of high quality? How can one perform data mining on data derived from different microarray technologies, where microarray images were analyzed with different image analysis softwares?
In Kamberova's introductory chapter, she describes the basics of image analysis for molecular biology researchers. Although some of the formulas in her chapter may seem intimidating to many biologists, they are necessary to fully understand the subject. However, the mathematical load in this book is concentrated in this chapter, and the text thereafter becomes very friendly, with more advanced discussions saved for an appendix.
Chapters on the design and performance of CCD and laser microarray scanners serve as a forum for three companies representing a good cross-section of the technology in the microarray arena. The book then moves on to spot finding and segmentation issues with tips for practical image analysis. Quality control of image analysis is discussed at the application level.
Elsewhere, Kamberova and Shah have invited a team from Fox Chase Cancer Center to discuss aspects of image background corrections and data normalization. Another interesting aspect of this publication is the inclusion of statistical comparison of data generated by various softwares. Finally, Shah's chapter on BAC arrays and image analysis is of particular interest because it is a new application gaining momentum in the microarray field.
This book emphasizes aspects of both theory and application and therefore, can be used for teaching as well as self-study. It will be a useful reference not only for computer and biology scientists, but also for anyone using or interested in microarray technology.

Nuts, Bults and More for your microarrays
DNA Array Image Analysis is the most comprehensive book that I have read, dealing with Microarray analysis topic. My background is in genomics, which is too far away from statistics. Nevertheless, this book gave me a very nice perspective on statistical approaches for microarrays. Recommend it to all, especially for those who are running microarray facilities.

A great reference for the microarray lab
The topic of microarray image analysis has always been on the backburner. However, it is a very crucial step in the microarray experiment and image analysis is misunderstood by many colleagues. This book covers the basics of microarray image analysis, as well as some advanced topics. It is a really helpful reference. Good to include in class studies. ... Read more

Book Description

From Jonathan Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Beak of the Finch, comes His Brother's Keeper -- the story of a young entrepreneur who gambles on the risky science of gene therapy to try to save his brother's life.

Stephen Heywood was twenty-nine years old when he learned that he was dying of ALS -- Lou Gehrig's disease. Almost overnight his older brother, Jamie, turned himself into a genetic engineer in a quixotic race to cure the incurable. His Brother's Keeper is a powerful account of their story, as they travel together to the edge of medicine.

The book brings home for all of us the hopes and fears of the new biology. In this dramatic and suspenseful narrative, Jonathan Weiner gives us a remarkable portrait of science and medicine today. We learn about gene therapy, stem cells, brain vaccines, and other novel treatments for such nerve-death diseases as ALS, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's -- diseases that afflict millions, and touch the lives of many more.

It turns out that the author has a personal stake in the story as well. When he met the Heywood brothers, his own mother was dying of a rare nerve-death disease. The Heywoods' gene therapist offered to try to save her, too.

"The Heywoods' story taught me many things about the nature of healing in the new millennium," Weiner writes. "They also taught me about what has not changed since the time of the ancients and may never change as long as there are human beings -- about what Lucretius calls ‘the ever-living wound of love.'

"The Heywoods mean the whole story to me now: an allegory from the edge of medicine. A story to make us ask ourselves questions that we have to ask but do not want to ask. How much of life can we engineer? How much is permitted us?

"What would you do to save your brother's life?"

Reviews (6)

I Won't Forget the Heywoods Anytime Soon
I just finished "His Brother's Keeper" and will not forget this family for a long time. This book is incredibly sad but it also shows the hope of a family trying to reverse the course of a terrible illness. It is a story of the turn of a new century, when there was hope in gene therapy, in internet start ups, in Dolly the sheep.

The characterization within this book was excellent. The people who stuck out for me were Jamie, his brother Stephen and Stephen's wife Wendy. Jamie is the epitome of the driven man. His energy pops off the pages. Stephen is the searcher, the world traveler and, as Weiner writes, the Gen-X "slacker." That is, until Stephen finds his calling in carpentry and is just as driven as his mechanical engineer/entrepreneur brother.

Wendy is introduced later in the narrative. She is by her boyfriend's (eventually husband's) side as he goes through the progression of the disease. Whether arguing with a neighbor or keeping a visage of hope for her husband, she is a valuable presence in Stephen's life and in this book.

The author Jonathan Weiner is part of the story as well. He is captivated by the Heywoods and readily acknowledges it. His own mother is ill, and, as a "science writer," he has both knowledge and hope for the promise of new therapies and cures. Weiner writes of medicine, of the Heywood brothers, wives and parents, of September eleventh (briefly), and primarily, of hope. Hope and family are at the heart of this sad story of the new millennium.

Author's "cause" not clear
"His Brother's Keeper" is the author's extremely personal book and each reader's reaction is correspondingly likely to be uniquely (and probably intensely) personal. Thus I doubt if my own opinion expressed here will have any great generality. I'll post it anyway and apologize in advance for its specificity.

This is the third book about science and scientists by Jonathan Weiner that I have read. Based on what I saw as significant evolution in skill in the second ("Time, Love, Memory"), I had high expectations for this third. The book means to tell two interwoven stories. One is the very specific yet compellingly multi-faceted one of a young man, Stephen Haywood, who contracts an incurable disease (ALS, or "Lou Gehrig's disease) and of how his family reacts. The second means to generalize from that by relating it to how genetics, gene therapy, and other radically new treatments are challenging the accepted norms of medical research. This interplay of the particular and the universal is the approach that Weiner seemed to have mastered in his previous work.

It is a third narrative that, in my view and as Weiner almost admits, causes this account to go off course. At about the same time that he embarked on this project, the author learns that his mother is also the victim of an incurable neurological disease. As he struggles to come to terms with this devastating diagnosis, he describes how he is inextricably seduced by the efforts of Stephen Haywood's entrepreneurial brother to accelerate the discovery of a revolutionary cure for ALS and perhaps other related disorders.

The book radiates sadness from the beginning and you might want to steal yourself, as I did, by resolutely distancing yourself from its subjects. (This was a strategy that was unavailable to Weiner once he learned of his mother's illness.) Before their collision with ALS, the Haywoods were a privileged and blessed family, characterized by charm, intelligence, a prosperity that exceeded most, an excess of good taste, and apparently no notable good works. Weiner strives to convinces us that they are not just charming but also sympathetic and admirable people - "grace under pressure" is one of his professed themes -but he achieves that only for Stephen.

Tolstoy taught us that there is uniqueness in every unhappy family. The Haywood story achieves uniqueness in large part because of Stephen's older brother Jamie. At the beginning of the account, just before Stephen's diagnosis, Jamie is distinguished by two characteristics: he is remarkably tied to his brother and he has happened to have just made his way into the Biotechnology field. Trained and successful as a Mechanical Engineer, his talent and drive have propelled him into more entrepreneurial pursuits. This is 1996, and where better to be an ambitious, driven entrepreneur than in Biotech. He joins the Neurosciences Institute, with the charter to "package the think-tank's ideas and turn them into money." The scientists there believe that their research puts them on the verge of being able to "cure the uncurable." It is a time of great hubris, both scientific and economic, and Jamie has found an epicenter.

When he learns that his brother has one of those "uncurable" diseases, Jamie launches his own foundation to find the cure. Weiner traces Jamie's various battles and tries to relate these efforts to the larger story of modern neuroscience. But the author's own reactions increasingly compete for the focus of the story. He too is seeking a cure for an uncurable disease, that of his mother. His objectivity is undermined, and his ability to distinguish hype from reality is incurably compromised.

We do get fascinating and tantalizing glimpses into the science, business, and personalities of genetic therapy, but these serve only to make us wish for a more developed treatment. Weiner is a surreptitiously artful writer whose style is usually characterized by paragraphs that are compact but commanding and authoritative. He crafts many of those here, but not to the same effect as in his earlier work. In fact, this book frequently does not seem crafted at all, just avalanched from an emotional precipice. The aspects of the story beyond that of the Haywoods and Weiners are difficult to follow as scientists, researchers, and theories of neurological behavior flicker in and out of the account, and there's no index to help those of us with less than encyclopedic memories.

In the closing Acknowledgements, the author says this in thanking his father: "[h]e would much rather have kept our own story in the family, and I hope he will feel that the cause was good." This seems to me to be a measure of the both the strength and weakness of "His Brother's Keeper." It is obviously a heartfelt work that attempts great personal honesty. Yet we are left not quite sure what the cause was.

A beautiful book
"His Brother's Keeper: A Story from the Edge of Medicine" is is a beautiful book.

At age 29, just when he is finding himself, Stephen Heywood, a carpenter and house restorer, is diagnosed with ALS -- Lou Gehrig's disease. His brother Jamie, an MIT-trained engineer, turns his life upside, and adapts his engineering know-how as quickly as he can in a quixotic effort to save his brother. Corralling cowboy scientists and traditional experts along the way, he puts together a team to work on a few different ideas, including his, which is the most promising--a kind of gene therapy. This is one of the best books I have ever read.

Weiner', who won the Pulitzer Prize for the equally wonderful but very different "The Beak of the Finch," interweaves analogies and information from classic texts, from his own mother's struggle with a different neurodegenerative disease, and from intimate exposure to the Heywood family, into his narrative of the brothers' lives to create a phenomenally rich mix of philosophy, medical ethics, and up-to the minute science-- and above all, love. Weiner brings all of his incrdible intelligence and talent--along with real emotion--to bear in this unforgettable book.

A Family Up Against a Horrible Disease
Stephen Heywood was a carpenter, and a good one. His father was a director of an engineering lab, his mother a retired psychotherapist, one brother an aspiring Hollywood producer, and another brother an MIT graduate mechanical engineer. Stephen, therefore, was sort of a black sheep in a family of achievers. He had as a suitable project the restoration of a cottage in Palo Alto, where he was working in 1997. It was there that he put the key into a door, and it was stuck. He could not turn it, even though the lock was new, top-of-the-line, and previously working well. This simple problem puts into motion the events described in _His Brother's Keeper: A Story from the Edge of Medicine_ (Ecco) by Jonathan Weiner. Weiner has previously given wonderful accounts of current evaluations of the evolution of Darwin's finches and of the genetics of fruit flies, but here he has given a deeply human portrait of the effect of illness on one family. The problem is not the lock; Stephen dismantled it and it was in full working order. Then he discovered that he could turn the key if he used his other hand. The problem was within his own body.

It was Stephen's first signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often called Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS inactivates neurons which control the muscles. The muscles atrophy and eventually even those involved in breathing cannot function, so that the victim dies of suffocation. Death comes almost always within five years after the condition has been diagnosed, and most patients die within two years. Stephen's engineer brother, Jamie, had tackled many projects, many problems, and had overcome them all. Surely finding a cure for Stephen's condition was just one more problem, essentially an engineering problem. It didn't matter that he was a mechanical, not chemical or biochemical or genetic, engineer. Jamie immersed himself in ALS research, first on the Internet, of course, and then in the medical journals. He found that one factor getting the blame is the overproduction of the neurotransmitter glutamate, which kills off spinal nerves. He set up a foundation to power his efforts, and eventually a biotech company. He got contributions from his family, and his wife belly-danced to make money at benefit performances. The odds against success were overwhelming, while Stephen lost one function after another, providing the tension within the story.

It all should have turned out differently. It would be unfair to give away the specific ending of the book, but suffice it to say that Stephen at the end is heroically, calmly beating the odds in his own way, helped by a wife who is devoted to him and a family that cares for its lovable black sheep. He refuses to see himself as victim or hero, just prey to a "normal accident." He also does not mythologize Jamie's race for a cure, seeing it as a hunt for a "normal miracle." Jamie remains enthusiastic; it is clear that his own hubris in his project is only his individual partaking of the larger over-optimism of molecular medicine. The latter is obvious in the death of an eighteen-year-old in a clinical trial of gene therapy in 1999; as a result, the plans for gene therapy for Stephen had to be abandoned. Weiner himself shows that he has been disillusioned by medical hype. This is an often inspiring story of good intentions and hope, however; it isn't the fault of any of the people described herein, including the author, that hope is sometimes misplaced.

Total empowering
From start to finish it never lets go. You become so involved that to put it down is unjust. You become so involved with each person you feel you know them personelly and by the end you do. Jonathan Weiner takes you from brother's playful childhood to adult world where life is so very on the razers adge of medicine. A most read for those who care and an absolut for those who should. ... Read more

Book Description

Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders & Veterinarians 4th Edition is an essential purchase for all breeders of pedigreed cats, practising small animal veterinarians and veterinary undergraduates. This fully revised edition re-establishes Genetics for Cat Breeders as the text of choice in the field of feline genetics ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good news for all serious fanciers
The authors of Robinsons' Genetics for Cat Breeders and veterinarains are two breeders who have written on breeding and showing (Vella and McGonagle), a geneticist (Shelton) and a practicing veterinarian (Stanglein). This book simply and directly covers the subject of genetics, incorporating the lastest scientific advances, while at the same time reflecting the practical knowledge of experienced breeders.

The whole subject of genetics is covered: principles of heredity; breeding systems and inbreeding; coat and color inheritance; color variations; breeds; and genetic anomolies. The heart of this book is the material on breeding systems and practices, and selective breeding and inbreeding. The evaluation of cats for breeding purposes and comparisons between possible mates are explored in considerable depth. The chapter on genetic anomolies is up-to-date and quite comprehensive.

The new Fourth Edition is good news for all serious fanciers. Not only does it continue Robinson's work, it actually makes the best guide to feline genetics better!

Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Vererinarians
This is a very straightforward book which details every aspect of feline genetics. It is very readable and informative on the facts and also on breeding theories. The writers coming from four different disciplines is helpful, along with a glossary which explains the terminology. It would be a very good investment for an experienced person or novice breeder (me). ... Read more

Book Description

This book is unique in that it takes a molecular first approach. It starts with DNA and moves through the genetic expression at the molecular level before turning to the more traditional Mendelian and Neomendelian transmission genetics. This book emphasizes what the reader should come to understand, not simply memorize.In addition to topics traditionally covered in genetics, this book provides cutting edge information on Bioinformatics and Proteomics, as well as a chapter on advanced topics in Molecular Genetics. ... Read more

Book Description

Probabilistic Modelling in Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics has been written for researchers and students in statistics, machine learning, and the biological sciences. The first part of this book provides a self-contained introduction to the methodology of Bayesian networks. The following parts demonstrate how these methods are applied in bioinformatics and medical informatics. All three fields - the methodology of probabilistic modeling, bioinformatics, and medical informatics - are evolving very quickly. The text should therefore be seen as an introduction, offering both elementary tutorials as well as more advanced applications and case studies. ... Read more

Book Description

A unique exploration of the principles and methods underlying the Human Genome Project and modern molecular genetics and biotechnology-from two top researchers

In Genomics, Charles R. Cantor, former director of the Human Genome Project, and Cassandra L. Smith give the first integral overview of the strategies and technologies behind the Human Genome Project and the field of molecular genetics and biotechnology. Written with a range of readers in mind-from chemists and biologists to computer scientists and engineers-the book begins with a review of the basic properties of DNA and the chromosomes that package it in cells. The authors describe the three main techniques used in DNA analysis-hybridization, polymerase chain reaction, and electrophoresis-and present a complete exploration of DNA mapping in its many different forms. By explaining both the theoretical principles and practical foundations of modern molecular genetics to a wide audience, the book brings the scientific community closer to the ultimate goal of understanding the biological function of DNA. Genomics features:

• Topical organization within chapters for easy reference
• A discussion of the developing methods of sequencing, such as sequencing by hybridization (SBH) in which data is read through words instead of letters
• Detailed explanations and critical evaluations of the many different types of DNA maps that can be generated-including cytogenic and restriction maps as well as interspecies cell hybrids
• Informed predictions for the future of DNA sequencing

Reviews (2)

Genomics
So far I heard that this is the one of the best book containing all informations and instructions about genome project. I love to review this book throgh e-mail.
I can't afford myself to buy this book. but so far i can say if it is really very much helpful to me i recommend evybody of my class (MSC Bioinformatics) to go for buying that book.

with thanks

a 'Gene VI' in Postgenome era
as good as GENE VI by Lewis ... Read more

Book Description

Molecular Genetics of Bacteria fulfills the need for a comprehensive, primary textbook on bacterial and microbial genetics.Ideally suited for advanced undergraduate and graduate level courses, this book presents an interesting, modern perspective of the subject and offers descriptive background information, detailed experimental methods and data interpretation, examples of genetic analysis, and advanced material relevant to current applications of molecular genetics in biotechnology.The theme of genetic analysis is used to integrate all of the concepts presented in the text, with the pathogenesis and recombinant DNA techniques covered in their own chapters.Although the much-studied genetics of

E. coli are discussed throughout the book, many other microbial systems are introduced in order to show the breadth and diversity of the discipline of bacterial genetics.Chapters are pedagogically constructed and end with a review of key concepts, a set of discussion questions, a set of problems for exercise and testing assignments, and answers to the questions.An end of book glossary reviews all of the key terms found in the text.This book, extensively reviewed and class tested by instructors over the past four years, serves as an important text for all courses in bacterial and microbial genetics.TABLE OF CONTENTS: Introduction The Biological Universe What Is Genetics? Bacterial Genetics Phage Genetics A Brief History of Bacterial Molecular Genetics What's Ahead? Genes: Replication and Expression Introduction to Macromolecular Synthesis: Chromosome Structure and Replication Introduction to Macromolecular Synthesis: Gene Expression Genes and Genetic Elements Mutations in Bacteria Plasmids Conjugation Transformation BacteriophagesTransposition and Nonhomologous Recombination Genes in Action Molecular Basis of Recombination DNA Repair and Mutagenesis Regulation of Gene Expression Global Regulatory Mechanisms Genes in Practice Genetic Analysis in Phage Genetic Analysis in Bacteria Recombinant DNA Techniques and Cloning Bacterial Genes Molecular Genetic Analysis and Biotechnology ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Book
This is an excellent and in-depth presentation of the molecular genetics of prokaryotes. Explanations are crystal clear throughout, and the diagrams are very well done. (Typographical errors are everywhere, but fortunately they are easy to spot and none of them are misleading.) The text can seem long at times, but the extra effort spent reading is repaid in terms of clarity. The authors are careful to insure everything is explained well. The book also covers several areas of prokaryotic biology besides molecular genetics, such as cell division, antibiotics, transport of molecules across the cell membrane, two-component signaling pathways, bacteriophages, and many others.

This is undoubtedly the best introduction to prokaryotic biology out there. Highly recommended.

A good book for microbial genetics
While many books in molecular biology explore about the eukaryotic cells, this book is designed for prokaryotic aspects. Most of the topics are about the E.coli the bacteria that we now know much about. However, some of the topics are somewhat complicated and misleading for an undergradaute student who still needs some backgrounds in bacterial genetics (A good example is where the authors draw the picture of the interaction between lac O1, O2 and O3 in the lac operon and that's wrong!)...The questions at the end of each chapters are nice and well prepared but a few of the answers given at the end of the book do not explain the point well enough. Overall, this is a good book for anyone who wants to know specifically in the field. ... Read more

Book Description

As both an informational molecule and a catalyst, RNA may hold clues to the emergence of genetic self-replication and the origins of life. The first, 1993 edition of this important work was acclaimed as unique and authoritative. The new edition has been revised, updated, and extended, and offers a completely current perspective on the modern world of RNA and the light it sheds on a prebiotic era perhaps dominated by this extraordinarily versatile molecule. This book is essential reading for everyone interested in the biology of nucleic acids, and is a valuable resource for teaching as well as investigative science. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent read.
As a second edition, this book is not just an updated version of the original. In fact, it should probably have been called volume 2, instead of second edition. If you have the original, you will want to put this on the shelf next to it. The book covers a great deal in a field that is rapidly moving forward. A must for people interested in what is going on in "the RNA world." ... Read more

Book Description

By identifying the structure of DNA, the molecule of life, Francis Crick and James Watson revolutionized biochemistry and won themselves a Nobel Prize. At the time, Watson was only twenty-four, a young scientist hungry to make his mark. His uncompromisingly honest account of the heady days of their thrilling sprint against other world-class researchers to solve one of science's greatest mysteries gives a dazzlingly clear picture of a world of brilliant scientists with great gifts, very human ambitions, and bitter rivalries. With humility unspoiled by false modesty, Watson relates his and Crick's desperate efforts to beat Linus Pauling to the Holy Grail of life sciences, the identification of the basic building block of life. Never has a scientist been so truthful in capturing in words the flavor of his work. ... Read more

Reviews (65)

BIOLOGY CLASS PROF. STEINER
In the dilapidated and torn down laboratory known as the "Cavendish" of Cambridge University, two scientists James D. Watson and Francis Crick work in unison to discover the structure of DNA. As they work jointly to piece together information about the double helix, they also have competition against the admired and better known Linus Pauling. At the same time, what is enjoyable about this book, is that everybody works in a cooperative manner, as they all have different abilities in the field and knowledge, in order to come to a final conclusion. The success of Watson and Crick came from the many different individuals with different experiences in science. Yet at the same time, the fact that it is a competition to discover the mystery of the structure of DNA titillates the reader. Although from the cover, this book seems very unapproachable, not because of its size, but because of its science nature, one would think that the jargons used in this book would be quite difficult. Rather, this book does not take much technical qualifications to understand, and as a matter of fact, it is quite easy to comprehend. What is positive about this book is the humor, and clever wit that takes place. An example would be on the bottom of page 68, "After Pauling's success, no one could claim that faith in helices implied anything but an uncomplicated brain." The Double Helix is an excellent book to read, with great illustrations of models, pictures of certain individuals, and x-rays of DNA, making the moment of discovery in this book vibrant and dynamic.

Understated Account of a Really Big Event
Clarification is in order. First of all, this is not a substantive science book. For all the significance of the discovery it chronicles, The Double Helix never bothers to explain how, for example, x-ray crystallography actually works, or what the difference between a keto- and an -enol is, or even why Watson's and Crick's discovery brought on a new era in the life sciences. Aspiring students of genetics and molecular biology are urged to inquire elsewhere for answers to these questions.

Second, to label The Double Helix a book on scientific method is almost equally misleading - the reason being that there is no room in the rarefied formalism extolled by the likes of Karl Popper for Watson's subjectivity and sarcasm, not to mention the latter's frequent excursions on nubile au pairs and the deplorable student housing market at Cambridge.

Third (not that it matters for an appreciation of the book, but it's a common misunderstanding), Watson and Crick did not discover DNA itself, or even the function of DNA. Rather, they were awarded the Nobel Prize for solving the molecular structure of DNA.

With those clarifications in mind, The Double Helix is a profitable read. Watson shows us non-scientists that the practice of science is "just" another human endeavor, and not some remote, sterilized activity conducted by emotional eunuchs in white coats. Watson's first-person narrative is downright conversational, as if he's talking shop over a pint of stout in an English pub. He is unabashedly honest about both his ambitions and his naivete (he was only 23 at the time the events in the book took place). And his sometimes scathing portrayals of his colleagues - in all their brilliance and banality - give the impression that working in a world-class research facility is a lot like working anywhere else.

Francis Crick comes across as that certain guy we all knew in college (wherever and whenever that was) - impish and boisterous, egocentric but big-hearted, who might be dapper if he didn't sleep in his clothes, whose eccentricity is the bane of faculty advisors, whose attention is everywhere but on task, whose breath sometimes smells like beer after lunch, and whose serendipitous genius comes through at all the right times. The supporting cast is equally colorful: Maurice Wilkins, the quintessential English academic stuffed corpse; Rosalind Franklin, a Freudian caricature of icy feminine competence in a man's world; the godlike Linus Pauling playing with his tinker toy molecular models in California.

And it wasn't just his colleagues who made Watson's work interesting. There were the aforementioned au pairs, the pubs and the parties and the formal receptions, there was the professional competitiveness between the English and the Americans - with Watson (a Yank in Cambridge) more of an American insurance policy against the Brits getting all the credit for solving DNA if Pauling wasn't fast enough. And there was the Cold War, which had an impact on research priorities and, sometimes, hampered communication in the scientific community.

But most importantly - although Watson never deigns to make this point explicit - The Double Helix is a fascinating chronicle of the scientific method in action, notwithstanding the politics, the distractions, and the idiosyncrasies of the protagonists. The task itself was daunting. Watson and Crick already knew what DNA was composed of, and they knew with some certainty the proportions in which the bases were represented, but there could only be one correct way to put all the pieces together and the haystack was a big one. The researchers were quick to offer and to accept criticism, and false leads were abandoned without regard to ego or sunk time. Even though each wanted to get there first, London shared their findings with Cambridge, Cambridge shared their insights with London, and England and California held nothing from each other for long - admirable examples of the "sociable competition" of science that expedites discovery.

In the end, Watson's and Crick's success relied heavily on Wilkins's and Franklin's crystallography, with important contributions from whomever happened to stop by the lab during the two year period, and insights from conferences and the textbooks and articles Watson happened to read at the time. Creativity, serendipity, and openness to the ideas of others eventually yielded hypotheses, which were tested using Pauling's modeling methods. It could not have been done alone, as Watson makes clear, and the structure of DNA would have been discovered sooner or later. While ultimately it doesn't matter who gets the credit for the discovery, the world seems a better place for James Watson's being involved, if only because The Double Helix is such an entertaining read.

Important Discover...but not the most invigorating book
Ok. I'm giving this book a 4 because of the importance of the discover of the structure of DNA. In terms of actual reading material, however, I'd probably give it a 2 or 3. I do believe that James Watson is a great scientist, but he is not writer. His writing style is only adequete and far from interesting and he really doesn't do a great job of putting interest into the subject matter. Someone who does not have at least a little background in the general concepts or biology/organic chemistry/physics will probably not get much out of this book.

Now on to the science side of the book. Watson describes the various events that took place while he, Franscis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin worked on discovering the structure of DNA. Again, Watson does not really put much vigor into these events but does describe them realistically (science can't always do interesting). He focuses on his relationship with Crick, battles with Franklin, and competetion with Linus Pauling--the Nobel prize winning chemist who ironically get the structure of DNA wrong. Through his writing, Watson at times reveals his pompousness and his ignorance of certain scientific concepts, but overall shows his devout eagerness of discovery.

I would say that this is an important book to read if you are at all interested in science. However, it is probably too boring for just a fun read.

Not a Science Nerd
Science and I have never been on a level playing field. We go together like jalapenos and cheesecake. When the opportunity arose to do extra credit for my biology class, I was ecstatic. That is until I found out exactly what the assignment was. I had to read a book, a scientific one of course, from a list compiled by my instructor, write a review, and post it on here on Amazon. If I wasn't so desperate for the extra points I would have torn that book list into a million pieces, but describing my need for an A as desperate would be an understatement. Naturally, I chose the book with the least amount of pages, James Watson's Double Helix. The title alone made me drowsy. I was in for a big surprise, though. I actually enjoyed the book and even learned a little bit in the process. The story was extremely well told and I found myself eagerly awaiting the answer to Mr. Watson's burning question, "What does DNA look like?"
James Watson was en exceptionally intelligent man, as was clearly demonstrated in his book by his eloquent writing style, extensive vocabulary, and impressive syntax. He was, however, not an intimidating scientist, which allowed me to relate to his story with ease. Watson was full of ideas, a quick study, and very receptive to the work of his superiors, but at the time of his brilliant discovery, he was merely a student, fighting to get funded for his research. He had studied biology, chemistry, and physics, but was not particularly fond of any of them. Unfortunately, Mr. Watson was at a disadvantage because all three disciplines were the building blocks for understanding the composition and structure of DNA.
Although James Watson was funded to research viruses while away in England, his immediate fascination with DNA quickly derailed his educational focus, and with several incorrect theories about DNA already spread, he was unquestionably discouraged from his desired area of study. The entire book boasted his bliss and reverence, having met and worked with some of the worlds most famous and respected scientists. Watson was clever enough to draw knowledge from each of them which assisted him throughout the stages of the project.
The best part about reading the book was that while I was devouring my literature, my Biology professor was covering DNA and genetics in class. I felt like the smartest kid in the world because I truly understood all the material he was discussing, thanks to Mr. Watson. The novel included supportive illustrations which assisted me in following some of the more difficult language, such as nitrogenous bases, and phosphate groups. I was astounded to know that I had a firm grasp of a minute portion of the scientific world.
I thought the book was great primarily because I could understand it. While it may sound facetious, it's absolutely true. Unless you love science, the terminology involved sounds completely foreign. I was utterly terrified just thinking about how I was going to attempt to comprehend my newfound author. My fright was quickly put to ease as I turned each page. Initially I was dreading reading a few pages per night, and soon found myself reading five chapters a night and finished the book, in its entirety, within just a few days. I would undeniably recommend this book to anyone like me who feels inferior when it comes to the sciences. It is a superb account of a scientific breakthrough intertwined with a story of friendship, inspiration, competition, and triumph.

Shame on you, "Doctor" Watson
Shame on Watson for "taking" data from Rosalind Franklin and not even acknowledging it. My wife and I watched the Nova program "Secret of Photo 51" and was outraged. This book is a how Watson would like the world to believe how HE discovers the structure of DNA. Stanford refused to publish this book. Watson's ethics is questionable.

If you read this, make sure you read the books about Rosalind Franklin also in order to get the truth. ... Read more

Book Description

The study of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes continues to be afast-moving area of science. This authoritative text provides a conceptualframework which allows students and professionals to understand this complexfield. It also serves as a comprehensive reference for scientists engaged inoncogene research. The second edition of this text details major advances anddevelopments in the field, such as the identification of many new tumorsuppressor genes and the striking progress in understanding signal transductionpathways leading to cell proliferation. Oncogenes, Second Edition, addresses theneeds of advanced undergraduates, graduate students, medical students,physicians, and scientists by examining the current state of oncogene study andwhere future research may lead. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Well Written and Very Informative book on Oncogenes
This text is fairly comprehensive and gives a very detailed description of the pathogenesis of oncogenes in human disease states. A great book for those in graduate degree programs (PhD, MD, MA). ... Read more