5 comments about Fluids and Electrolytes Made Incredibly Easy! (Incredibly Easy! Series).

1. This is the text that I used to learn fluid and electrolytes when I was in nursing school. By far the this is the best place to start. I haven't seen another text that makes this subject as accessible as this one does. For example, the authors used a picture of a magnet to illustrate how albumin pulls water from our peripheral spaces into the vascular space. There are many examples of pictures and simple acronyms that the authors use to cement different concepts in learners mind. It will make learning Fluid and Electrolytes understandable for you. Plus I can assure you that you will use this book again and again on your journey towards learning your profession. It ended up being one of my best resources.
   
   One example where I really benefited from this book was when I was studying diabetes. Understanding that increased glucose content in the blood causes osmolar shifts and that the body seeks homeostasis (water travels down it's concentration gradient). Hence diabetes that is out of control can easily cause the patient to become dehydrated via osmotic diaresis. A concept that was much easier for me to understand with the help of this text. Once you read this book you will be able to move on to more advanced F&E texts with no problem. This is a no brainer purchase if your trying to understand F&E.
   
   P.S. I'm rooting for you!!!



2. I'm a first semester RN student, and I wanted this book to use along with my required text, as I've heard that this topic can be exceptionally hard. I believe that it paid off, my score was a 92% when it came down to taking the test. I was hoping for more illustrations and perhaps more learning aids, such as pneumonic devices, but overall not a bad book!



3. This book saved me and helped me to understand fluid and electrolytes could not have passed my class without it.



4. I am currently in my first semester of Nursing School and found the book extremely helpful. Seeing that I had an upcoming test that was focused on electrolytes and acid base balances, I, along with the rest of the class, freaked. We all ran to the book stores and purchased books. This was the only book I purchased and, along with Saunders NClex Review Book, I scored a 96 on the exam- the highest in the class and the highest grade for me ever while in Nursing School. I didn't read the whole thing, maybe to page 190 or so. It sounds like alot, but there are many charts and graphs and helpful tips (with big print) to help you along the way. Plus, I have a feeling this won't be the last time reading it. I highly recommend this book as it tells you exactly what to look for (abnormal assessments) of patients with hypokalcemia, etc. I plan to get the other "...Made Easy" books as I need them. Thumbs up!!



5. This book is really helping me understand what should have been learned in basic nursing classes. It is easy to read and comprehend, and it's not too wordy like some textbooks. I've just graduated, and I felt like I didn't really understand fluids and electrolytes. I want to be an outstanding nurse, and I also want to pass the NCLEX on the first time around. This book has already helped me with both!

5 comments about Textbook of Biochemistry With Clinical Correlations (Textbook of Biochemistry w/ Clinical Correlations).

1. We used this book teaching first year medical school biochemistry. The clinical correlations are well done, but the real strengh of the book lies in the sections on metabolic interrelationships. It is often confusing to the medical student to learn a pathway, and the the metabolic controls of the pathway, and then the added complexity that this system works differently in different tissues. This physiological complexity (which is the layer of integration where diagnosis really happens) is tackled head on in the first few chapters. This helps keep the student oriented to the system (the patient) and not get totally lost in the trees of enzyme names and co-factors.
   
   I wish this book had been around when I went through medical school.
   
   duke out



2. I expected better from a 6th edition medical textbook. There are still grammatical and sentence errors that need to be corrected, and we have found multiple diagram problems throughout the book. The sentences can be poorly worded at times, and the book occassionally makes leaps in thought that are difficult to follow. It does contain a large amount of information, which is good, but the presentation of that information definitely needs to be further refined.



3. Senior in college,
   double major Biology and Chemistry.
   This is the worst book I have ever used.
   Two brief examples..
   looking for a figure? On the previous (or next) page or 100pages further down the book.
   Thought Marcel Proust could write endless sentences? Hold on! devlin can spend four to five lines, with "bold term" to explain something you won't understand the 10th time around.
   Don't waste your time, don't waste your money....stay away from this mess of a book.



4. I had to use this book for my Biochemistry class. My major is Nutrition & Dietetics, and I already graduated. This book is just awful. Like someone else wrote, if you need to find a term or a figure, you have to look in almost the whole book, and you may still won't understand what you were looking for, or even worse, you'll get more confused. Devlin finds the hardest way to explain an easy term or fact you can explain a lot easier. This is just not worth it. Do not buy this book, there are other books a lot better.



5. I wanted to get a textbook that allows me to get up to speed again with mammalian biochemistry and I bought this book in preference to more general textbooks. And on the whole I am impressed - the writing and the diagrams are clear and accurate. There is one issue however that has made a serious black mark: units. I would expect a modern textbook to use SI units throughout. The problem here is that the book skips between Calories and Joules almost at random depending upon the particular author involved. The chapter on Bioenergetics gloriously uses both - but in different parts of the chapter (for example Free-Energy Change for hexokinase is in kcals whereas the section on Free-Energy Changes in redox reactions is in joules! - without the other unit in both cases). I have an elderly copy of Lehninger from the 1970's that exclusively uses SI units and so to see a modern (2005) book still using Calories is deeply disappointing. Yes it's an irritant (even I can convert between joules and calories - 4.18) and shouldn't detract from the book but thats not the point. It just shouldn't happen and it reflects badly on the general editor

5 comments about ADA Complete Guide to Carb Counting.

1. I found this book very helpful finding the foods I eat regularly and how many carbs each food has. Thank you



2. Great book if you already eat healthy. However, not practical in todays fast paced world. Needs more food groups to help count carbs. Takes for granted you already know how to count carbs and you have visited a RD.



3. Very important information to help anyone with carb counts. Highly recommend.



4. THIS BOOK IS VERY USEFUL. I RECOMMEND IT TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HAVE A GUIDE LIKE THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH



5. This is a very handy and excellent source for people with Diabetes, or
   for anyone else who most restrict their carbs on a daily basis. It is
   very easy to use.

5 comments about New Glucose Revolution Guide to Living Well with PCOS.

1. I found this book had a lot of great information about PCOS. I thought I knew a lot about PCOS, but never really understood insulin resistance. The book does a great job explaining in terms that anyone can understand. I am enjoying the recipes and finding that following the meal plan is fairly simple.



2. This book has given my daughter and me more info on this disease than any doctor has been able to do. The book has given my daughter encouragement that she can live with this syndrome and that she can make her life better if she takes the metformin and gets her body moving. The info on food has helped sooooooo much. Thank you for this book!!!!!!



3. This book is really a good tool for women with PCOS. I keep this on hand in case I need to go back for a referance.



4. I was hoping that this book would be very helpful, since it got such great reviews; however, I was disappointed by it. I recently discovered I had PCOS. I was prescribed metformin and told to follow a low GI diet. The book does a great job of explaining how and why a low GI diet should work for women with PCOS, but it does a poor job of explaining the actual diet. It makes it very confusing to follow, and although it gives a table of foods along with their GI, it is very vague about telling you what you should be eating. I followed the diet in the book the best that I could, and gained 5 pounds before the first week was over. Also, the recipes in the book were no help to me... each one of them had an ingredient that was either very exotic (lamb meat was one of them) or something that I had never heard of. They cannot realistically expect people to make these recipes on a regular basis. I recommend PCOS and your Fertility by Collette Harris. This was a much better and more helpful book.



5. This book is Excellent! It's written well and very readable. It answers all those questions the doctors can't answer for you. PCOS being a new study is still not fully understood by our Physicians and GYN's and this book helps with that on a great level. I am not new to PCOS at all as I have been dealing with it since I was 19 years old BUT I am new to truly understanding it and this book has helped with that. I refer to this book almost daily/weekly when making food choices and vitamin choices.

5 comments about Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution.

1. The book is not without merit, especially as a historical record of a stage in the retreat of religion from the field of scientific investigation. It has to be said that it is not science, in the respect that it serves to promote a pre-existing agenda rather than representing a search for some truth. It also has to be said that it has been superseded, since it presents an argument that a series of structures cannot be reduced to simpler precursors and in many cases the precursors have now been described as they exist in nature. It has further to be said that it presents interesting descriptions of the allegedly irreducible structures and that one ought to read it to understand the place and failure of "intelligent design" in the alleged controversy over evolution in the USA.
   
   To be read critically, in other words, and not as if it were real science. It argues from an assertion of irreducibility which is not true to a conclusion of design which the author started with, and which does not actually qualify as an explanation, so it qualifies neither as science, nor as properly-conducted philosophy, nor even as particularly inspiring theology. It could convince the unwary non-technical reader, however, so have a care.
   
   As you will note by a glance at the distribution of stars, one tends to fall on one side or the other based on one's agreement with the book's premise.



2. Michael Beehee's work has been discredited too many times to count ranging from a lack of participating in the scientific peer review process or in court cases (see Dover, PA.). This book has more bogus science for those who prefer faith over evidence.
   
   Thanks Mike, we all love being mislead...



3. Excellent book. Not for the faint of heart and has some very technical reading. As I continue my research of creationism vs. evolution it's incredible how our schools continue to teach the wrong history with the mountains of obvious evidence against evolution and the non-existent evidence supporting evolution. A great read!



4. In the Kitzmiller v. Dover decision the Court noted that "Professor Behe admitted in "Reply to My Critics" that there was a defect in his view of irreducible complexity because, while it purports to be a challenge to natural selection, it does not actually address "the task facing natural selection."" [and] "Professor Behe specifically explained that "[t]he current definition [of irreducible complexity] puts the focus on removing a part from an already functioning system," but "[t]he difficult task facing Darwinian evolution, however, would not be to remove parts from sophisticated pre-existing systems; it would be to bring together components to make a new system in the first place." Id. In that article, Professor Behe wrote that he hoped to "repair this defect in future work;" however, he has failed to do so even four years after elucidating his defect."
   
   In other words, the only thing that Irreducible Complexity proved was to be wrong.



5. Very well written book. Despite the impression that some reviews give, the book is quite logical in its approach. There are some very in depth descriptions of cellular mechanics and certain biological functions (such as blood clotting). But the author sets these difficult passages apart from the main text, providing a simpler overview, and a more in-depth analysis for science-minded folks who like to know the finer details. Not for causal reading, but certainly an excellent read to stimulate those synapses.

1 comments about The Carbon Age: How Life's Core Element Has Become Civilization's Greatest Threat.

1. Carbon is everywhere. While many people have gone through life without realizing this basic fact, this captivating new book shows us why it is time to reconsider this position. Roston opens the door to the world of carbon - an element that impacts everything from global warming to your new bike. A former Time magazine reporter, Roston writes in an engaging, clear and accessible style carrying us from the beginning of the universe to today's debates around carbon emissions. This is a must-read for anyone looking to learn more about the universe and where it is going. Carbon ... who knew!?!

5 comments about Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry.

1. This book is one of the best biochemistry available. It presents an extensive amount of valuable concepts and information a highly readable manner. I used this text as an undergraduate and even as a gradduate student I find it impossible to part with it. The understanding biochemistry CD that is included with the book is also an excellent tool for revision. I found that the retention of information and ease of understanding is higher when the book is used in conjunction with the CD. It comes highly recommended for any serious students of biochemistry and as an invaluable reference.



2. If you are a undergraduate or a graduate student who needs to learn some biochemistry from the ground up (without an instructor), this is the text for you. Lehninger really outdoes himself by creating a Biochemistry textbook that's not only colorful and pretty to look at but also wonderfully written. Of all of the science textbooks I've had to read to date, this was the best! Lehninger really does write the text so that it's like reading a novel, which allows for maximum absorption of the material he covers. Occasionally, I hit spots in my reading which were harder to understand, but that was because my own ignorance and not his. He begins the text with a review of the basics of general chemistry and organic chemistry which come into play with the biochemistry subject matter. Then he continues on, developing the student's foundations with describing protein structure and protein function, working his way up with enzymatic properties and activities. Carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids come next. The last section of the book is devoted to biochemical mechanisms, which is alot, but it is covered adequately for a beginner's textbook. The only major drawback: many of the answers to the chapter questions are wrong, hopefully, this will be addressed in the 4th Ed. If your school doesn't use Lehninger, protest, write treatises, do anything to convince your Biochemistry professor to use this text to teach you biochemisty! It's expensive, but once you have this textbook, don't ever sell it because if you're going into chemistry or biochemistry, it will be a priceless resource for your future studies!



3. This book is complete and thorough in explaing every energy pathway (Kreb's cycle, electron transport system, glycolysis, etc.) The diagrams are helpful and explain the material with visual detail especially in this type of book. The only thing, the book is somewhat hard to understand for reading it the first time. I know biochemistry is a hard subject, but I thought it could be explained in a little easier fashion. However, other than that, the book is quite organized and a must buy for every chiropractic student taking biochemistry. I also highly recommend:
   National Board of Chiropractic Part I Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers
   Both these books I found very helpful for studying for the National boards. The text is a must for studying for the biochemistry part of the chiro boards.



4. The Lehninger Princicples of Biochemistry is the best book in biochemistry that has been written. I have use it in my biochemistry course in my first year in school medicine and thanks to this book I pass my class with one of the best notes in the group. Any other book exposes the biochemistry principles with clarity and coherence like the Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. I can't wait for the 4th edition.



5. As a physics graduate student interested in biophysics research, I found this text an invaluable resource. I had intro chemistry as an undergrad and AP bio in high school, but no organic chemistry or any other background. This text contained a clear introduction to biochemistry and described a lot of the techniques I was reading about in scientific papers in language that a non-chemist could understand. I still refer back to it frequently.

5 comments about Biochemistry (Biochemistry (Berg)).

1. I am basing my review primarily on two things in this textbook: the organisation and the definitions.
   
   A textbook MUST be approachable. Students will be covering intricate topics in a book of this sort, and in order to help them, the writer(s) must present the material logically, thematically and beautifully organised.
   
   I'm afraid the writers did not do that here. Systems that should be covered before one proceeds further - information for which knowledge of other systems is presupposed - appear much earlier than they should, leaving the unfortunate student staring wild-eyed at the text, muttering, "What?" This is particularly noticable when explicating chemical pathways.
   
   Definitions are ludicrously lacking. What indexing there is is incomplete and insufficient.
   
   The book fails in its intended purpose, and that is why I simply cannot recommend it. May I suggest using Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews as a better organised textbook? It is quite a good coverage, although it does assume some biochemistry knowledge. I've heard that the Garrett Biochemistry textbook (just released in December 2006) is good for beginner students, so that may well be worth checking.
   
   There are certainly alternatives to this poorly written textbook.



2. What is the difference between this edition and the 6th revised edition, and why is the latter so much cheaper?



3. Most people are probably buying this book because they are a college student and they have to, but compared to some other books, this one is clear and easy to read, so don't be too afraid of Biochemistry if you have this in you bag.



4. Well it's a boring book but biochemistry isn't the most interesting thing to read on your free time. The book is in good condition and came quickly.



5. This book gives the reader an indepth view of Biochemistry. The pictures are helpful and the text is typical of a Biochem book.

5 comments about Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, Fourth Edition.

1. When I took this book for the first time I thought - wow they probably made the well-known Leninger book more illustrated, maybe added something new - let's read it. But from the first chapters I realized - there is nothing left from the original book. There is too much water in this book. You can for example read like 30 pages and then stop and ask yourself - Ok what have I've learned. And the answer is "not too much", because what was written in 30 pages in fact can be written in 5. I recommend the editors to change the name "Leninger - Principles of biochemistry" for something like - "Very general principles of biochemistry". Though I can not tell that the entire book is bad - starting with metabolic pathways I found some new details and information I didn't know about, but in general it was a waste of time and money to buy and read this book.



2. Usually required reading for college students, this book was used for undergrad biochem and my pharmacy biochem. Pretty good tome.



3. Excellent book! I would recommend this book for any person taking a beginners biochemistry class or just wanting to know more about the subject.



4. What I like the most about this book is that it contains almost all the information that you need to understand biochemistry, information that is not traditionally covered in biochemistry books, but that is needed as background to a complete understanding of the subject. For instance, the first chapter of this book gives background information on the biological, chemical, genetics, evolution basis of biochemistry. It explains the cell in enough detail to understand references made to the cell components later on in the textbook. Another thing I found is a detailed explanation of D and L configuration, as opposed as just saying all amino acids found in proteins are L isomers. No other book I've read explains where the L, D configuration convention came from and students usually confuse it with levorotatory and dextrorotatory, when they are different things altogether. It also has an entire chapter dedicated to water chemistry, which serves as both a review and a basis for understanding the importance of hydrogen bonding in biochemistry in later chapters.
   
   In essence, this is a very COMPLETE book, in the sense that it covers material not found in traditional biochemistry books (ex. Berg, Stryer), but that is necessary to understand other aspects of biochemistry. If you are planning to specialize in the study of biochemistry, you definitely want this book as part of your reference collection.



5. The book itself was very interesting and a great introduction to biochemistry, however, the shippers are losers. They sent a hardcover, ~20 pound book in a simple envelope even though I spent the extra money for fast, safe delivery. Not only was the book not even sent until 5-6 days after the expected delivery date, the outside of the book was severely damaged when I finally got it. I am wholly dissatisfied with the way they treated me.

5 comments about Molecular Biology of the Cell.

1. The book was exactely what I was supposed to be, including original CD-ROM.
   It arrived in perfect conditions and perfectly on time.
   Perfect purchase!



2. The publishers have made the 5th edition more "portable" by not printing the final 5 chapters of the book, but including them as electronic files on the DVD.
   
   The unprinted chapters are:
   21-Sexual Reproduction: Meiosis, Germ Cells, and Fertilization
   22-Development of Multicellular Organisms
   23-Specialized Tissues, Stem Cells, and Tissue Renewal
   24-Pathogens, Infection, and Innate Immunity
   25-The Adaptive Immune System
   
   With the 4th edition there were 25 printed chapters and 1616 pages: $5.68/printed chapter, or ~8.8 cents/page based on my calculations using list price info. With the regular 5th edition, 20 printed chapters, 1268 pages: $7.10/printed chapter, or ~11.2 cents/page. So the cost per page for this edition has increased by over 1/4 as compared to the last edition. Admittedly, I am a geek for actually doing these calculations.
   
   The chapters listed above are printed in the 5th reference edition (just not in this regular 5th edition), but as you might expect, the reference edition is a good bit pricier. I am giving the book 2 stars for content, because it really is a solid resource for learning molecular biology. However, with so many students carrying a heavy burden of debt by the time they graduate, it's a shame to see the continuing trend of rising prices for the best texts, making them just another contributor to the problems with education today. In this case the list price did not change between 4th and regular 5th editions, however I would argue that the "addition of portability" has decreased the value of this text.



3. In my opinion, this book is the "bible" of molecular and cell biology. The two main advantages I found were the easy way of reading and a good design and pictures.



4. The book is great, the media DVD not so much. appartently quicktime does not support flash anymore so some of the videos can't be seen. Garland science offers a web page where these videos can be found. nevertheless such things should be forseen when one is selling a $140 item.



5. I have bought all previous editions and I have to recognize that each edition is better than the old one. This is a fascinating textbook that is clearly written and the authors do an excellent job explaining things, including superb illustrations. The DVD media is not so good. Highly recommended, especially for undergraduate students. However, at later stages of your career, these textbooks are largely irrelevant, as you will search for up-to-date articles and reviews.