1 comments about Essential iGenetics (The Genetics Place Series).

1. I received this book quickly and it was in great condition, even better than what I was told!!

4 comments about Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism (California Studies in Food and Culture, 5).

1. I just heard Marion Nestle on the Mike McConnell raido show. All I could ask myself during the interview was, "What are her intentions in writing this book." All I could think of during the interview was she was another Rachel Carson writing her "Silent Spring".
   My general impression was that she wrote this book to create fear in the food consumer, but never really offered any solutions except more government intrusion. She never presented, in the interview, the fault of the consumer in poor preparation practices or lack of control when eating out.
   In Nestle's view its either "big" business' fault by being cheapskates or the government's failure by not legislating.
   Yes I believe that there needs to be safeguards, but I also believe that regulations can become so excessive that it could become not profitable to produce food products. That is why there should be a certain amount of responsibility by the consumer (i.e. don't eat tuna fish that's been sitting out in the sun for a few hours).
   In the interview of besides presenting herself as a prophet of doom, I also found her to be very condescending to people who challenged her opinions.
   If you want to read her work, I can only recommend reading this with a very critical eye.



2. "Safe Food" is a terrific look at the issues involved in keeping our food supply uncontaminated. It is also a look behind the scenes at how our democracy really works, and it's not a pretty sight. Corporations choosing profits over public health, government representatives more often than not siding with industry rather than consumers, corruption, greed, and ineptitude are all part of this fascinating story. Highly recommended!



3. This is a well-written book by an author with experience in both the scientific and public affairs aspects of food quality and safety. Marion Nestle makes an effort to describe the complex scientific procedures associated with foodborne disease investigation, and the creation of bioengineered foodstuffs, reasonably clear to the layman / woman. Her message is simple and direct: as far as US government regulatory agencies, and the food industry itself, are concerned, food safety and wholesomeness is regarded as a secondary consideration to corporate profit. Her thesis is supported by a wide and varied list of references, including the scientific literature, print media, and quotes from participants involved in the struggle to make food safety one of the more urgent issues in contemporary public health. "Safe Food" covers such important topics as the outbreaks of E. coli caused by feces-contaminated ground beef; the ineptly regulated release of genetically engineered crops into farm systems and the spread of transgenes into native species; and the farcical (but ultimately tragic) mishandling of the "mad cow" epidemic by a British government blindly devoted to promotion of the beef industry. In each instance, Nestle documents how the food and agrochemical industries conspired to weaken federal oversight of food safety and quality by manipulating politicians and government officials, all in order to maximize profits.
   The book is not perfect; some of the sections describing various scientific procedures may have benefited from the inclusion of explanatory diagrams, rather than somewhat belabored text descriptions. But overall, "Safe Food" is an important and timely book, and one well worth reading by anyone concerned about the quality of the food we eat.



4. As a food safety trainer I did not realise the rest of what has and is going on to deliberatly sell us food that is not fit for the purpose all in the interest in profit.
   
   One could have doubted what was written but we have just had the blatent disregard for food safety by 'CADBURY' the famous chocolate people claiming that only minute traces of bacteria may be present.
   
   You either have bacteria or no bacteria there is no halfway house, this book will open everyone's eyes.

1 comments about Principles of Gene Manipulation and Genomics.

1. This book is written at an advanced undergraduate level, assuming a basic knowledge of molecular biology and genetics but no knowledge of recombinant DNA technology or genomics. At the same time the book is organized in such amanner that a researcher already working in this general field might be able to quickly find an area where they need refreshing or up to date information.
   
   The book begins with a historical review of research into genes and how the present day technologies came about. This information has been selected so that the student will have an understanding of how today's technology has evolved. It is a short history, and does not go into the many paths that led to procedures that are no longer in use.
   
   This book is now in its seventh edition with a new edition coming out every 4 to 5 years since the original publication in 1980. As such, the book is up to date as of the state of the technology about the end of 2005.

4 comments about Fundamentals of Light Microscopy and Electronic Imaging.

1. "This well written text provides a clear, uncluttered overview of the principles and practice of modern light microscopy. It contains many helpful teaching exercises and diagrams. It should prove useful in a wide range of courses from the undergraduate to the postgraduate level."
   -- Kenneth R. Spring, Ph.D., Author



2. Dr. Murphy constructs a solid foundation on the basic concepts of geometrical optics, light, and color, and then provides excellent introductory reviews of important topics in light microscopy. The book is very well written and complex phenomena are clearly explained without the unnecessary math that often confuses students. Illustrations are numerous and help support the text very nicely, as do the suggested laboratory exercises that accompany each chapter. Discussions of digital cameras and image processing are timely and provide the essential concepts necessary to tackle more advanced treatises. In the opinion of the Molecular Expressions microscopy website team, this book is by far the best entry-level textbook in the field.



3. This is the book that tells you how to actually do effective microscopy. Keep a copy by the microscope.



4. I had to buy this book for a Graduate level course that I took. We covered all of the material in the book in about 4 weeks. I didn't know anything about the class beforehand, but the book did help a lot. It was a little dull, but the content was good albeit a little outdated.

1 comments about Orthopaedic Biomechanics: Mechanics and Design in Musculoskeletal Systems (Bioengineering).

1. This is a good book to introduce you to the world of orthopaedic biomechanics. Although, it's a little light in the amount of example problems.

4 comments about A Field Guide to Bacteria (Comstock Book).

1. This fun and informative book starts with the brilliant idea of identifying bacteria by their MACROscopic field marks (colors, smells, effects) rather than by microscope. You would never believe how many bacteria one can identify by "field marks" alone, and readers will be surprised at how much fun the identification and discussion of bacteria can be. The author's execution of the guide -- her excellent and enthusiastic writing style and her choices of which bacteria to discuss -- makes this the rare field guide that one can read from cover to cover. The book discusses everything from bacteria in hot springs to those that make cheese or pickles, to those in animal intestines. There are beautiful (yes, beautiful) color plates, great suggested experiments, and guides to finding different kinds of bacteria. The author makes the subject interesting, funny and captivating -- and she uses exclamation points without irony! All in all an excellent book -- don't be scared off by the title; any nature- or science-lover you know will thoroughly enjoy it.



2. While this book is intended for the general public, and is certainly accessible to those without microbiological training, don't pass it up even if you have microbiological training -- in many ways it is a condensed version of Balows' _The Prokaryotes_, and likewise quite useful for reminding oneself what obscure groups of bacteria do "for a living".

   Of course, Dyer's book is a lighter, more amusing read than Balows', and chock full of the sort of anecdote that is fun to slip into a lecture -- such as the explanation of Charles Dickens' cryptic reference to a "bad lobster in a dark cellar" in _The Christmas Carol_, and the fact that the oddly named cyanobacterium _Nostoc_ was named by the alchemist Paracelsus!

   In addition, I was pleasantly surprised that despite identifying herself on the very first page as a former student of Lynn Margulis, Dyer doesn't try to defend her mentor's continued rejection of the discoveries of molecular phylogeny, but even goes so far as to praise Woese and Sogin by name! It is refreshing to finally see a work of popular science that acknowledges how the pioneers of molecular phylogeny have changed microbiology over the last couple decades.




3. Betsey Dexter Dyer has written a book in "A Field Guide to Bacteria" that, once it is opened, you wonder why no one has written before. The premise is so obvious that it seems to have been totally overlooked! Location, visual appearance, activity, smell and other characteristics that do not always require a high-powered microscope can be used to identify bacterial colonies! Fortunately the "wait" for such a book (which, until now, we probably did not even know we needed) has been worth it because Dyer has done an excellent job of writing it! In this book she introduces the reader to the teaming microflora of bacteria of earth in a way that cannot help but increase the number of people who appreciate these invisible true owners of the planet.

   The huge bacterial flora is well covered and the author's grasp of the multitudinous habitats where bacteria live and thrive, sometimes under the most extreme conditions, is impressive. Everything from sulfur bacteria, halophytes and causes of desert varnish to internal symbionts and more are covered in fascinating detail. Dyer has opened up a whole new way of looking at the world that give us a more accurate view of the pervasiveness of the tiny. Not all bacteria are out to get us by any means and this book provides a much needed balance to the "killer bacteria" usually featured in popular literature.

   A necessary book for amateur and even professional microbiologists, it will also, I think, provide a good read for anyone interested in the natural world as it really is.




4. Where else can you learn why dead fish glow in the dark! Wonderful. Good attention given to my favorite bacteria and the great-grand parent of us all, cyanobacteria. I've seen some of those huge Canadian stromatolites. I also enjoyed the discussion on how bacteria played an important role in the formation of the great iron ore deposits in Michigan and Canada, and why, now that they are largely gone, they will not be easily replaced. And there is so much more...

No comments about Biotechnology: An Introduction, Updated Edition (with InfoTrac®).

4 comments about High-Yield Cell and Molecular Biology, 2nd Edition (High-Yield Series).

1. My medical school mol and cell bio courses didn't emphasize the same concepts that I think the boards (Step I) cares about. I'm not sure this book is totally worth $30, but the section about mol and cell bio in First Aid was sparse (especially about diseases). A lot of these diseases come up again in organ system pathology. Nevertheless, I thought it was a nice to approach medical conditions from the angle of molecular biology. For example, it's a good review excercise to look at all the different kinds of cellular receptors and get clinical highlights (ie: associated pharmacology or diseases). I basically used it as a quick read, and I will review the sections that I am weaker at in more detail. "Upperclassmen" have stated that the boards tends to emphasize receptors and signalling pathways, and I found this book to be a good resource for those topics.
   
   As far as learning actual mol/cell bio - this is a typical HighYield book - no frills, outline format. I think it'd be really advantageous to have familiarity with all the basic concepts before using this book. For example, it's not a good place to learn how meiosis works.
   
   By the way, the binding is terrible. My book fell apart after I used it for less than a week (granted it was super-intense all day studying, but still!)



2. I only read the first 2 chapters, but it was enough to make me turn to another molecular bio source! This book is EXTREMELY detailed. I mean, really --- do you really need to know difference between all of the different types of spinocerebellar ataxia for the boards? How about 30+ different ion transporters throughout the body? This book might work if you're good at filtering out unnecessary detail --- but doesn't that defeat the purpose of a board review book? For Step 1, I ended up using the previous edition of HY Cell and Molecular Bio, and it was perfect. A quick read, but just enough detail to get me through the molecular questions on Step 1. Good luck!



3. I'm a IMG studying for step 1.So far the best tool for studying the topics for step 1 in genetics and mollecular biology.Having already taken and failed step 1 I recommend this book for everyone specially IMG as a very useful and complete material for the test.It gives you just what you need and is far more complete in this matter than First Aid(althought I love the later for review)



4. This was the perfect supplement to FA. Though it does go into greater detail than necessary sometimes, I felt like I learned every molecular biology concept that could possibly be tested on the USMLE and earned great marks on Qbank. If you have time to read it in early Spring, you should and then not worry about CMB for the rest of the study session.

No comments about Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences.

3 comments about Fundamentals of Biomechanics: Equilibrium, Motion, and Deformation.

1. This book is to the point, easy to understand and a good addition to a library for anyone interested in biomechanics. It is simple without becoming too simple and the examples are well thought out.



2. This book is very helpful. It is an easy read and fully explains the principles and ideas the book is trying to convey. I highly recommend purchasing it.



3. This textbook provides a very comprehensive exploration of the basic fundamentals of biomechanics. It is an excellent overview of force vector, moment and torque, statics, deformable body mechanics, stress and strain, dynamics, kinetics, kinematics, and impulse and momentum. It even provides a review of the mathematics required for understanding the many concepts introduced in the book. Each chapter has examples of the principles introduced and practice exercises. As a biomechanist, I own many textbooks on biomechanics, many of which concentrate on just one of the many areas covered so concisely in this book. To me, this would be the best teaching textbook currently available.