Blackwell Publishing

Lecture notes; clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 7th ed.

Aimed at medical students, general practitioners, and allied health professionals, this text offers a concise introduction to the principles of clinical pharmacology. Twenty-two chapters address such topics as the influence of disease and age on pharmacokinetics; antimicrobial therapy; drugs and the reproductive system; and poisoning and drug overdose. The material is based upon a course of lectures and seminars in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics at the U. of Glasgow. The previous edition was published in 2001 under the title Lecture Notes on Clinical Pharmacology. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Lecture notes; emergency medicine, 3d ed.

Moulton (emergency medicine, Royal Bolton Hospital, UK) and Yates (emergency medicine, U. of Manchester, Hope Hospital, UK) provide an outline of the treatment and diagnosis of conditions arising in emergency situations, based on their experience. Principles of emergency medicine are detailed, as well as what to do for major traumas and multiple injuries. Each chapter has information on immediate assessment, imaging, symptoms, complications, and background on the condition. This edition includes improvements to clinical practice. There is no bibliography. The book is intended for medical students, junior doctors, trainees, and primary care doctors and nurses. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Lecture notes: Oncology.

Aimed at medical students and nurses who specialize in cancer care, this concise introduction to oncology describes the scientific basis of cancer, as well as its personal and social impacts. The material is organized into three sections, which include an overview of cancer, information on common cancers by body regions and systems, and oncology treatments and patient management. The text is supplemented with illustrations, tables and diagrams. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Loft conversions.

In this book for architects, builders, surveyors, and students of construction, UK-based technology consultant and writer Coutts discusses the construction of space-saving lofts in single-family homes (as opposed to industrial warehouse conversions). Information has been culled from professionals as well as regulatory bodies. The legal concerns and regulations discussed in the first two chapters apply to England and Wales. The remaining chapters separately address external forms for many different types of conversions; fire precautions; conversion surveys; beams and primary structure; floor, wall, and roof structures; and strategies for energy conservation. Appendices on specification, cartilage, and additionally legal considerations are included, as well as a glossary and a list of useful contacts. All denotations are metric. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Lung function; physiology, measurement and application in medicine, 6th ed.

Cotes (Medical Research Council, UK) adds 26 chapters to this sixth edition of a text on pure and applied respiratory physiology and the lung function component of respiratory medicine, bringing the total number of chapters to 44. New chapters cover areas such as respiratory muscles, neonatal assessment, high altitude, fumes and dust, and respiratory rehabilitation. The text progresses from basic science through lung mechanics, distribution of gas and blood in the lungs, and gas exchange, to more applied aspects, such as exercise, pollution, and changes in lung function in disease. Mathematical treatments are kept to a minimum. This edition features references within the text and numbered references at the end of chapters, rather than the classification of references by topics as in previous editions. The book will be used as a theoretical work and as a practice manual for respiratory physicians and surgeons, staff of lung function laboratories, physiologists, and respiratory nurses. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Managing risk; in construction projects, 2d ed.

This companion volume to Engineering Project Management discusses risk and the management of projects for undergraduate and postgraduate students and construction professionals. Smith (project and transport infrastructure management, U. of Leeds, UK) et al. outline how decision making processes are impacted, project phases, and risk attitude and management techniques. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are covered, in addition to the effects of information technology on modeling and simulation, risk allocation, and financial risks. A chapter of case studies rounds out the book. This edition takes into account the Turnbull Report and describes corporate, strategic business, and project level risk. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Managing your patients' data in the neonatal and pediatric ICU; an introduction to databases and statistical analysis. (CD-ROM included)

Schulman (newborn medicine, Cornell U.) explains how to use electronic databases to access data and patients and data about criteria for evaluating care, and how to link the two. He begins by introducing the design, implementation, and administration of an electronic database of patient information. Then he explains how to ask meaningful questions of the data, obtain well-founded answers, and make sense of those answers. His examples come from his own specialty. The disk contains the eNICO software package and related documents. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Medical biochemistry at a glance, 2d ed.

For medical, biochemistry, and biological science students, Salway (biomedical and molecular sciences, U. of Surrey, UK) presents this medical biochemistry text to be used for studying and understanding the concepts and preparing for examinations. As in the other books in the series, the 59 topics are laid out in double-page spreads with line drawings, tables, and brief explanations. This edition has been re-organized, revised, and updated. There is no bibliography. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Memory and emotion; interdisciplinary perspectives.

While interaction between memory and emotions has been described for over a century, systematic psychological research into it has begun only recently. Researchers from Japan, North America, and Europe look at such facets as the relevance of memory for associated emotions, why memories may become more positive as people age, and anxiety and the encoding of emotional information. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Mental health care for nurses; applying mental health skills in the general hospital.

Written by six British nurse consultants, this collection helps nurses provide improved care for general hospital adult patients who have a pre-existing mental illness or problems triggered by their physical condition. The 13 chapters address legal and ethical issues and the causes of challenging behaviors, then provide details on how to undertake assessments and actual interventions for specific conditions, such as depression, attempted suicide, perinatal problems, illicit drug use, and dementia. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Myocardial laser revascularization.

Cardiologists and other medical researchers explain the indications, results, mechanisms, and limitation of transmyocardial laser revascularization. The procedure has demonstrated clinical success in improving myocardial blood flow and perfusion when conventional revascularization techniques are not appropriate. It involves creating a laser channel to allow blood to flow directly from the left ventricle into the myocardium, which works just fine in reptiles. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Notes on cardiorespiratory diseases of the dog and cat.

Martin (veterinary cardiology, Warwickshire) and Corcoran (veterinary studies, U. of Edinburgh) discuss the investigation, treatment, and characteristics of cardiorespiratory diseases in dogs and cats in this text for veterinary practitioners and undergraduates. Updates in this second edition mainly account for advances in cardiology research and technologies. Common disorders and diseases have been covered significantly in lieu of rarer conditions. The final section discusses CPR and 8 short appendices cover common breed predispositions to disease, the use of various drugs, normal ECG values, and sedation regimes for animal patients, among other topics. A drug glossary, an index, and an abbreviation guide are included. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Nursing care of older people with diabetes.

Intended for nurses, this guide focuses on the care of older people with diabetes. Dunning (endocrinology and diabetes, St. Vincent's Hospital, Victoria, and U. of Melbourne, Australia) compiles 12 chapters, including a chapter of resources, that cover short and long-term complications, education and communication, rehabilitation and palliative care, mental health, medication, sexuality, and complementary therapies. The aim of the book is to be a comprehensive nursing text that emphasizes management using a staged approach and research evidence, and addresses the elderly living in the community, hostel care, and residential aged care facilities. It is meant to be a companion text to Care of People with Diabetes from 2003 and draws information from the UK's National Service Frameworks for Diabetes and Care of Older People and Australia's Department of Human Service Standards. Contributors are medical professionals from the two countries. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Pain management.

Taking a lifespan approach, Mann and Carr (health and community studies, Bournemouth U., UK) explain the current theories, mechanisms, and challenges of, and guidelines for, treating acute and chronic pain. Non-pharmacological approaches are briefly discussed. The management of pain in palliative care and pregnancy/childbirth are considered beyond the scope of the text. The pocket guide includes case studies, assessment algorithms, resources, and a glossary. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Pathology of hepatocellular carcinoma.

For fellow pathologists, Kojiro (pathology, Kurume U., Japan) summarizes the current understanding about early stages of liver cancer, classical advanced cases, and nodular lesions that mimic it, drawing from over a thousand surgically resected cases and many biopsy specimens over the past two decades at his home institution. Among the perspectives are pre-malignant lesions, morphological evolution, multi-centric occurrence, and chemical prevention. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Pediatric hematology, 3d ed.

Pediatric hematologists and oncologists from Johns Hopkins and children's hospitals in London and Dublin present this third edition discussing malignant and benign disorders of the blood in children. Along with students, subspecialty trainees, and subspecialists in the field, nursing specialists and pediatricians may find this text useful. The first chapter introduces hematopoiesis. The following chapters separately address marrow failure syndromes and disorders related to red cells, granulocytes, lymphocytes, platelets, and coagulation. The final two chapters survey ideas in supportive therapy and secondary hematological problems. Rather than expanding on the last edition, the editors have rearranged and eliminated some material to improve coherence and present the most relevant information. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Pesticides; health, safety, and the environment.

A specialist in pesticides, Matthews (emeritus biosciences, Imperial College, London) explains how the registration and certification processes can prevent the use of pesticides that pose a significant risk to users and the environment, and how any adverse affect after use can be minimized by understanding the movement of pesticides following their application. His topics include the approval of pesticides, application, operator exposure, risks from spray drift, residues in food, and the future of pesticides. He cites only a selection of the voluminous information now available, but refers to other resources for more. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Pheochromocytoma; proceedings.

Papers from an October 2005 symposium provide an update on recent advances in genetics, diagnosis, management, and treatment of patients with pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas, two types of neuroendocrine tumors. Papers are in sections on presentation and differential diagnosis, genetics in clinical decision making, tumor biology and genotype-phenotype relationships, biochemical diagnosis and tumor localization, malignant pheochromocytoma, and pathology. The proceedings includes summaries of symposium breakout sessions on recommendations for research and treatment. There is no subject index. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Philosophy of technology; an introduction.

Dusek (philosophy, U. of New Hampshire) explores some of the major issues in the relatively new field of the philosophy of technology. He includes chapters exploring the relationship of the philosophy of technology to the philosophy of science, proposed definitions of technology, the idea of technocracy, and forms of technological rationality. He also addresses a complex of issues involving the influence of technology on society and culture and the extent to which technology defines us as human. A pair of chapters discusses feminist and non-western approaches to the philosophy of technology, followed by treatment of anti-technological ideologies such as Romanticism and Luddism. Finally, technology is examined from the perspective of social constructionism and actor-network theory. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Plant hormone signaling.

Plant hormones — signaling molecules — were first discovered in the 18th and 19th centuries, but their chemical identification progressed only slowly until the final decades of the 20th. Enough information is now available that a review of the current status was deemed appropriate. Biological scientists from around the world detail several specific hormones, their function, and what is yet to learn about them. They also discuss hormone distribution and transport, reproductive development, and seed development and germination. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Plumb's veterinary drug handbook, 5th ed.

This reference outlines the chemistry, storage, pharmacology, uses and indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications/precautions, reproductive considerations, adverse effects, overdosage concerns, drug interactions, and animal-specific doses of approximately 400 veterinary drugs. Entries are alphabetically arranged. Updates in this fifth edition account for new and modified drug monographs. A large appendix comprises supplemental information regarding drug therapy and diet. Drugs are indexed separately by name and therapeutic class; abundant resources references are also included. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)