5 comments about Enzymes: The Key to Health.

1. The authors of this book knew quite well that 192 pages are not that many. So, they went into the fundamental analysis of enzymes without wasting time.
   This handbook will suit anybody whose preoccupations include offering or receiving nutritional advice. It clearly outlined and defined the basic principles of enzymology: focussing on both their nature and their clinical applications. Without delving into the complex kinetics aasociated with catalytic reactions, "Enzymes: The Key to Health" did shed light on the biochemical and physiological pathways connected with each enzyme it discussed.
   It also did a good job in describing the multicomponent forms of these globular proteins. The same could be said concerning the way it classified each enzyme group.
   This is an interesting book to read, if you want to get a good understanding of enzymology with little or no biochemistry hassles. It was written in such a way that non-scientists could understand. It provides a steady flow of simplified enzymology gists.



2. The book shares on the importance of enzymes in the body and the important role it plays in the digestion of the food we eat.



3. This is an excelent book for people with little or no chemistry for understanding the basic enzyme functions and how they relate to our health. I was really impressed with the amount of information and easy to understand diagrams in this book



4. Received this book in a very timely manner. Book was in excellent condition. Thanks! Lynda



5. Most people don't understand just how important enzymes are... in fact most people don't even know what enzymes are! They are protein molecules that break down our foods. Without them, we don't digest what we eat.
   
   Loomis goes through a lot of detail to explain just how important enzymes are to our body's functioning. I will admit he seemed to go off topic or maybe he broadened his range a little too far, but never the less the book is very informative! Plus, enzymes do have a lot of effect on our body, so it is understandable to have a book very broadened.

5 comments about Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (3-Volume Set).

1. So few and so much to say about this bible of Biology at the bench...
   You'll really find everything you want in it, including the composition of all the buffers and solutions, the new protocols for high-tech biology (FLIM-FRET), some paragraphs about bioinformatics and more.Incredibly precise, this book is consequently a big book (3 huge volumes), so better know exactly wath you're looking for before opening it!
   The must have of every lab!



2. For many years the previous edition of this set was an essential reference in molecular biology labs. At present however, there are too many good protocol books out there to really make this argument. The book is pretty strong in explaining theory, and answering the question of why certain procedures are either necessary, useful, or worthless, however it is not as practical as many other books, such as Short Protocols. Still a good reference overall, but no longer stands alone, and I recommend checking out as much of the competition as possible before deciding whether to make the investment in it.



3. This revised version of the Standard Lab Handbook has been improved, completed with new techniques and search is facilitated by the indices added at the end of each volume.



4. This manual is high quality for the study of biotechnology. The authors collected lot of protocols and provided more detail of principle than previous two editions. The third edition involved three volumes. The manual is very useful for lab researcher.



5. The books arrived in good condition, but it took a long time to arrive here.

5 comments about The Reef Aquarium: Science, Art, and Technology, Vol. 3.

1. very informative and comprehensive, would strongly recomend it for beginner and experienced reefer. Well worth the money



2. Great read with all the information you would need to create, maintain, and sustain a reef tank. However, the book can be overwhelming with information about every theroy out there about filtration, etc., with out really recommending the best approach/technology to maintaining reef systems. For a beginner, it was a lot of reading to get what I needed. Overall, I would buy it again.



3. This book is very good for the saltwater hobby. I know English language not so well, but I read this book with pleasure and to me almost all was clear without the dictionary.



4. Excellent book. You do not need any other for set up design or reference.



5. This book is incredible. If you plan to start a tank, or have one and have questions about husbandry, upkeep, or chemistry, this book is exceptional.
   
   All the information and depth of a textbook with easy straightforward text, I think there's more concrete, easily accessible information between these two covers than in every forum, internet article, and other aquarium book I've purchased.
   
   This is the one book I will always recommend new reefkeepers to pick up while they're planning their reef, and it was worth so much more than I paid for it.

5 comments about Biological Sequence Analysis: Probabilistic Models of Proteins and Nucleic Acids.

1. I will agree and submit: this is an invaluable introduction to the field of bioinformatics. With introductions to everything from sequence analysis to hidden markov models and even a primer on grammars, this is a useful introduction both to biological applications for computer scientists *as well as* computational methods for biologists.
   
   I am in a joint graduate-level biology/computer science class and we are using this book as a foundation to bring both groups up to speed and it seems to be working out nicely.
   
   However, one criticism is that sometimes Durbin et al jump into subjects without an adequate introduction or with one that is overcomplexified. In other words, they sometimes break Einstein's the rule of "make everything as simple as possible but not simpler". Durbin et al do not always make things as simple as possible. And it is annoying when they do not. Especially when I see them confusing the bejebus out of the biology people over computer science concepts that are really not that complicated through overly technical jargon.
   
   But this is rare and they provide many insightful diagrams to clear up their algorithms as well as lucid ways to introduce biological concepts. Sometimes the introduction of an algorithm/theory *and* a biological concept molds together beautifully such that the reader is simultaneously being infused with both. An example of this phenomenon is their dual introduction to CpG islands and markov models.



2. Although this book is based primarily on work that was completed in 1998, and therefore somewhat out of date, it is the best book I have found for teaching bioinformatics. I selected this as the best of the available books on the subject for use in my bioinformatics and numerical methods course which is to be taught in the fall of 2007 at Univ. of Conn. This course is an upper division undergraduate and first year graduate course. That is roughly the level of this text and the comparative advantage of this book is the excellent presentation and thorough discussion of the algorithms. A student armed with Matlab or MathScriptor can take this book and start writing algorithms for sequence alignment and Hidden Markov Method (HMM) analysis after only the first three or four chapters. This book is in its 11th printing and is nearly error free (I found only a few in the figures). This book is strongly recommended for both students and researchers, particularly those interested in protein alignment, phylogenic analysis or an introduction to Hidden Markov Methods.



3. A great reference and a good introduction to many important concepts in sequence analysis. However, if you don't have a reasonable grounding in math you may struggle with the terse notation.
   
   Borodovsky's companion book is an excellent partner for this book. Get both.



4. This book gives an excellent introduction into sequence analysis for a person who is already somewhat familiar with the basics of Bayesian techniques. The authors illustrate concepts, as and when they are introduced, via carefully selected examples; comprehension is made much easier because of this.



5. While this is perhaps the best book on Hidden Markov Models in Bioinformatics available, you would do well to read Rabiner's review paper. For me this is the type of book that would put potential students off bioinformatics for life. It is too technical and uses inappropriate notation. It has too many "It is easily shown" phrases which means that actually the real proof would be rather involved. Dynamic programming is not explained very well.
   
   If you have a maths or computer background then go for it but if you prefer your Bio in Bioinformatics then stay well clear and go for Mount.

5 comments about Biochemistry, Update (with CengageNOW 2-Semester, InfoTrac 2-Semester Printed Access Card).

1. This book is very detailed and covers a wide range of bio-chemistry information.



2. This book has been very helpful in understanding the complex topics in biochemistry such as protein folding. Very well written for the beginning biochemistry student who only has a general background in chemistry and biology



3. This is very well rounded book. Do not pay any heed to the reviwers who gave it a lower rating. The truth is biochemistry is not an easy subject and you have to work hard at it. If you are willing to work hard and are willing to take the time to read the book and do the end of chapter problems you will succeed. Some reviewers suggested that they struggled through two semesters of biochem with this book, that is not the books fault. In order to study a book of this magnitude one requires a very strong background in molecular biology, organic chemistry and some physics. Otherwise don't bother with this book or taking up biochem as your field of study!



4. Good organization, but the authors try to make the text beautiful to read. They are very vague with important details, using terms like 'mileu' to describe components, when you really need to know what the components actually are!!



5. The "Updated" parts of this 3rd Edition do not significantly enhance the quality of presentation for biochemical concepts. The "Essential Questions"
   are not essential and can be found in the Study Guide to the 2nd Edition.
   It is a whole lot cheaper to purchase a 2nd Edition + Study Guide than to waste money on the 3rd Edition textbook just because it is "NEW" and shiny.
   
   
   Take my advice -- Save a ton of money; Buy the 2nd Edition + Study Guide!

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

1. First of all, the first review by Michael is obviously written by the author or friend. Right away that is a sign the book probably sucks. The book skips around and never gets into detail about any certain subject.



2. To solve 80% of global warming, the world would have to go veg!
   For more info, check out youtube. com/user/StopClimateCrisis



3. This is an insanely smart book. The author has done his homework - there is more research in each sentence than I've ever seen in any other book that I would actually read. One Amazon.com reviewer complained that the book was not deep enough. That person missed the point. The Carbon Age is about the breadth of carbon's influence in our world. The author dances from theoretical stovepipe to theoretical stovepipe - from the history of the Earth to the human genome to economics in the post-industrial age, drawing parallels on every level and uniting them all. The overarching themes that he pulls out are not just about carbon. Roston's ability to make sense out of a world of information, with sharp insight and subtle humor, is what sets this book apart.
   
   More than the famed C element, this book is about the evolution of systems. That's why it's so useful. In each chapter, he broaches a new topic (first the creation of the Earth from galactic matter, then the origins of life on Earth, etc.) and provides an interesting history of how it all happened, how it all works. In every case, the system starts with a little thing - some space dust, a carbon molecule, a mutation in human physiognomy, an economic truism - and that little thing guides the development of something much bigger. The composition of somebody's DNA physically determines the shape and characteristics of the animal built around it. Teeny microorganism bodies build up on the ocean floor, gradually becoming a huge layer of carbon which we can tap for fuel zillions of years later. The variety, and yet the consistency, of all these factors sets the stage for us to finally understand our own human context.
   
   And what a doozie. When Roston gets to the part about modern humans, about the industrial revolution, about cars (how Daimler and Ford and Toyota have literally changed the world), it's mind-boggling. He shows how evolutionary principles merge with economic ones, with computer systems, with scientific research. He paints a big picture of how radically Earth's systems have changed in the last 150 years, something our limited lifespans have kept secret from us all this time. It's at once fascinating and terrifying. In a measured, apolitical way, Roston makes me fear for the future of my unborn children's planet. It's humbling to realize the unprecedented power that the human race exerts on our surroundings. And it's shameful how we have let our basest human nature have its way with them.
   
   It makes me want to plant a tree. I'll talk to it, get rid of my own carbon dioxide, it'll photosynthesize it, and pure oxygen will come out. Hey, it's not much, but I've heard that big changes are built from little changes. It's worth a shot.
   
   You should get this book.



4. This book is a natural & "unnatural" history of carbon and humans. If you wonder about scientific debate this book is a good place to start.
   
   Chapter 1 describes carbon's origin and role before RNA/DNA appear.
   
   Chapter 2 concerns the origin of "life",while admitting that there is no good definition. The book is weak on scientific [evecological] philosophy. Yes,we can name peculiarities of RNA/DNA states of being,but likewise waves,clouds,crystals,etc. have their equally unique properties, even having features akin to reproduction; and everything in the universe is certainly sensitive and evolves in concert with everything else [evolutionary ecology or evecology].
   
   Chapter 3,I believe,does a nice job on the "darker" ages of microbial life on Earth, emphasizing carbon, and oxygen's rise in the shallows.
   
   Chapter 4's title["Inherent Brutality"]is a little much, subscribing rather fanatically to the more sensationalistic than scientific view of the "arms race" school. In ecological studies of relatively healthy nature "competition" is a jargon word to most since natural shortages do not seem to exist[e.g. deserts are not lacking in water,they're naturally dry;similarly forest floors are dark,but not "short" on light; and Galapagos finches don't want to breed if there is less feed]. Also,humans seem to be the only predators,ever[Yes,including that big vulture T.rex]. Everybody else eats ripe,about-to-die,or dead animals or plants.However,even fallen humans don't eat green oranges-Think about it.
   
   Chapter 5 is a fascinating essay on the 1/4 billion years of nearly unchanging Ginkgo trees; though,of course there are other "living fossils",just as old ,such as tadpole shrimp.
   
   Chapter 6 is mainly supportive of a very plausible theory: That humans have evolved ecologically as a "runner" version of ape. Since I have myself have run a distance equivalent to circling the Earth,mostly accompanied by a dog or two,this chapter is personally interesting. I will add here my own view that running,at least in the desert or mountains where I run,is,in my opinion,quite meditative/thoughtful.
   
   Chapters 6-12 are the "unnatural" chapters as the author calls them,in comparison with the "natural" chapters 1-6. Here we soon come upon Richard Dawkins' memes,and what I would call the mother of all memes: "Let's run amuck for the hell of it,because we can [at least for awhile!]; let's be "extra-special",not just special like everything else in the universe." This,of course,is my version,but Hey! Just where does Dawkins get his philosophy,so well summed up on page 119,that memes[roughly "traditions"] can "in one way or another...[to quote Roston]--temper or conquer the more base,stupid,and brutal elements of our nature." If memes are founded on thoughtless/careless/grasping genes then,pray tell,how could there be any nice memes?
   In any case,I,for one, am not proud of the last 50-100,000 years of human thoughtlessness,but I don't believe that humans-or the universe-are naturally/healthily insensitive,careless,or indifferent.
   
   Basically the "unnatural" last six chapters are about how high-tech humans are becoming;and all kinds of high-tech ways that humans can keep on being "extra-special"-and-somehow pull out of the titanic nosedive falling-humans are steering/dis-leading the Earth into.
   I have to say,however,whatever its shortcomings,that this book is a wondrous window into sometimes very technical scientific journals from nearly the whole spectrum of science.
   Too bad the book concludes so sadly. I myself am more hopeful that philosophy,in all its rainbow of colors,scientific,religious/spiritual, etc.,can, through or with repentance, give us hope that we and our little children, and all the Universal Parent's children, will have a healthier future than the one falling-humans have been working on. The really real future is the truth of love.



5. This book crams more information than a year of high school chemistry -- I hope that doesn't sound dull.
   Roston does brings a chemistry perspective on things from the big bang to evolution to the auto.
   When it comes to implications for our future due to greenhouse gases, it can be daunting and despairing; but that's the price for being informed.
   thanks Eric.

5 comments about Molecular Genetics of Bacteria (Snyder, Molecular Genetics of Bacteria).

1. 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.




2. This book is great in developing the concepts and explaining in an easy but at the same time techinical way just what is involved in bacterial genetics. Teaching from the historical perspective you really get a sense of what these researchers were faced with and just how valuable their breakthoughs were. It doesn't try to be "hip" like so many other undergraduate textbooks out there, and for that they get full credit. The figures are a little simplistic though.



3. This is one of few college textbooks I've used that has actually HELPED me learn the course material. The book takes you from the basics (DNA structure and replication, etc.) all the way through some very complex concepts while never missing a beat. It's surprisingly readable and student-user-friendly whether you're a beginner or a certifiable gene jockey. My only complaint is the quality of the figures; some of them are very small and thus hard to read, and as one reviewer commented, they are sort of simplistic to the point of not being very thorough. Having full-color illustrations would be a big plus.
   
   Overall, this book definitely surpasses other bacterial genetics books I've seen as far as readability and organization goes. It delivers what it promises!



4. If you are a "visual learner," then this is NOT, I repeat, NOT, the book for you- I cannot emphasise this enough!
   
   The text is very well written, however, the font used is rather small, and there are only FOUR colors used throughout the entire book.
   
   The text is done entirely in light brown, black, grey and white.
   
   Students like me -strongly visual learners- will be miserable; everyone else will like the book.



5. This is a great current reference book! The information is presented in a logical easy to read style. Good for beginning and advanced students.

1 comments about Student Companion to Accompany Biochemistry, 6th Ed..

1. Not what I expected. Though well outlined it could have given more details.

3 comments about Modern Genetic Analysis: Integrating Genes and Genomes.

1. In the last few years several very good textbooks and monographs in genetics have appeared, due mainly to the success of various genome projects and also to the rise of bioinformatics as a new discipline in biology, computer science, and mathematics. Most of these textbooks have appeared in many prior editions, and comparing these older editions with the newest ones, one can indeed see a remarkable difference in enthusiasm in the authors. They are clearly very excited about the developments in molecular biology and genetics that have taken place and the confidence among biologists that the fundamental understanding of life is finally within reach. Readers can share their excitement by the study of these books, and doing so one cannot help but be marveled by the incredible ingenuity of the scientific methods used to unravel the processes of life.

   Of all these excellent books, I find this one to be the best, and my judgment of the book's quality is from the standpoint of someone who is very involved in the algorithms behind bioinformatics and mathematical biology and is attempting to gain, as quickly as possible, the necessary background in genetics. My review therefore will be primarily addressed to those mathematicians or even physicists who plan on moving into bioinformatics.

   To relative newcomers to genetics such as myself, the learning of molecular biology and genetics can involve a huge amount of memory work. To the more mathematically-inclined reader, the memorization of facts can be most unpalatable. The learning of the material in this book will also involve such extreme exercises in memory, but there are a few strategies that the authors employ that, even though they were directed at a general readership, actually serve to make the learning much easier for the mathematician or mathematical biologist. These are the use of concept maps and the assigning of "challenging problems" at the end of most chapters in the book. These serve effectively to make the reader think through and interconnect the many concepts, which for the mathematician who is used to the economy of thought that mathematics brings, is an absolute necessity for the learning experience. Also, the authors are well aware of the need for students to learn how to analyze data and interact with online databases, so a lot of the material in the book is written to address this need.

   Even from merely an aesthetic point of view the book is exceptional, as the soft colors used in the illustrations are very beautiful, and actually serve to make the learning of the material very pleasureful. And in addition, the reader can access the book's Website and follow the many animations that were put together for the book. And here again, the playing of these animations increase the speed in which one can learn the subject.

   The authors also ask the readers to consider the impact that biotechnology and genetic engineering will have in the upcoming decades. One of the most dramatic, and I think the most important paragraphs in the book is the one in which the authors state that "the public cannot relay on reports published in the general media for the kind of critical evaluation needed to make informed personal and political decisions. Nor can it be left to experts, who have their own biases and agendas. There is no substitute for acquiring the kind of basic knowledge of genetics that is essential to all informed decisions." Their goal is provide the background that will allow the reader to differentiate between bad and good claims about genetics, and to think critically about both the negative and positive aspects of genetic research and genetic engineering.

   I believe the use of genetic engineering and biotechnology in all biological systems, both human and non-human, holds the best hope for the future of life on earth. This book has given an excellent introduction to the biology and genetics behind these technologies. The excitement and optimism expressed in the book will no doubt encourage many individuals to further their studies in genetics and enter the new biological professions of the 21st century.




2. Anthony Griffiths is the principle author of both 'An Introduction to Genetic Analysis' and 'Modern Genetic Analysis.' The former book is in its sixth edition, while the later is in it's second. I highly recommend both textbooks as the best teaching texts I have ever come across. Personally however, I prefer using 'Modern Genetic Analysis' because it is easier to understand, and less frustrating and confusing for students. The 'Introduction to Genetic Analysis' textbook is larger, more annotated, and has more difficult problems. The 'Modern Genetic Analysis' textbook provides a better basic framework on which to build an understanding of genetics, without going into too many unnecessary details that (in my opinion) only confuse students new to the subject.

   The second edition of 'Modern Genetic Analysis' is very similar to the first edition, and only about ten percent of the material (at most) has been changed. Most of the problem sets are the same, but have been renumbered. This is actually a teaching advantage because it gives students the option of buying used copies of the first edition rather than new copies of the second.

   One major improvement in the second edition, however, is the addition of internet-based genetics tutorials. Students are directed to the various public genome databases on the internet, used by real researchers, and are given practice assignments to do. They are shown how to conduct gene and protein homology searches, how to find open reading frames, and how to access other forms of information from the various public domain databases on the internet. Since internet databases have now become one of the most important tools available to geneticists these tutorials are a welcome addition to this textbook. I highly recommend it.

   Greg Doheny (Vancouver, Canada)




3. This book is extremely difficult for people who are first being introduced to genetics to understand. Since it is being used in beginning genetics courses, this is disturbing. Perhaps if you already have an understanding of the basic concepts of genetics this would be a more useful book.
   New terms are not always adequately defined. Often is seems as if the authors prefer to use confusing English games to explain concepts rather than explain information in a straightforward manner. An example would be page 7 when they are trying to explain the difference between "discontinuous" and "continuous" phenotypic variations. Rather that introduce one concept and explain it and then introduce the second concept, they introduce both concepts and then name both of them in a manner such that it is not clear which concept is which without rereading the paragraph several times.
   Also, one wonders how current the information provided in this book is. The introduction to chapter 9 refers to an ongoing betting pool concerning the total number of protein-coding genes in the human genome. It tells that the prize for guessing correctly will be awarded in 2003 and talks about the contest in the present and future tense as if it is ongoing and the winner has yet to be announced. It even refers readers to a website to see the contest rules. This is 2007!!! The contest is OVER! The website it refers to is no longer a valid URL! If this little piece of information is so out of date, what else in the book is out of date (and possibly incorrect).
   I wish I could say the website associated with the book is useful. Sadly, it does nothing to redeem the book. The animations are somewhat useful. It offers some additional problems, but not near enough. The tutorials it offers for using the NCBI database are often out of date.
   The only redeeming factors this book has is that the introductions often talk about interesting problems in genetics. These are followed up with more information about the problem at the end of the chapter. Also, the problem sets with each chapter are good. However, there is not always enough information in the reading to be able to figure out the problem. Fortunately, there is a solutions manual available for this book that is very useful.
   Since this book is most likely a required textbook, most people who are buying it do not have a choice. However, it would be nice to see schools pick a book that better explained genetic concepts than this one does. Genetics is a fascinating subject, but the difficulty of reading this book does nothing to encourage the student to pursue further studies in genetics.

1 comments about Drug-like Properties: Concepts, Structure Design and Methods: from ADME to Toxicity Optimization.

1. I have spent some of the last two days reading this book and I am very impressed with it. It is destined to become an authoritative text on the whole topic area of drug-like molecules and ADME screening. The chapters are well written and include sufficient detail and references so that the reader can make use of the information effectively. The book could be used in a graduate-level course for medicinal chemists or DMPK scientists.
   The book would also be very helpful for scientists working in one area of DMPK who wish to become DMPK project managers and need to increase their understanding of other areas of DMPK that are outside of their own specific expetise function. The chapter on pharmacokinetics was well written and provides a very good overview of the topic. Overall, I can state that this book is well worth the purchase price.