Blackwell Publishing

Advanced dairy science and technology.

Scientists mostly from Greece and South Africa discuss some of the scientific and technical approaches that dairy companies can use to introduce new products, reduce costs, improve safety, and take other measures to remain competitive during the coming years. They include thermal processing, membrane separation, automation, the laboratory analysis of dairy products, and environmental issues. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Biotechnology in flavor production.

Biotechnology in the service of agriculture is working on providing the best flavors not only for tomatoes, apples, and other fruits and vegetables but also milk, vanilla, rice and basil. The articles edited by Havkin-Frenkel (biotechnology, Rutgers University) and Belanger (plant biology and pathology, Rutgers University) give professionals in the field an overview of the latest research in flavor. The results of the work done for these highly technical articles well undoubtedly appear in digestible forms in supermarkets all over the world. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Building in the 21st century.

Cooke (construction, Barking College) has written a textbook intended to address new challenges and developments in construction ranging from global warming to new materials and environmental and safety concerns. The text is intended for 21st century students studying for a National Award, Certificate, or Diploma in Construction. The text is amply supported by numerous color illustrations and photographs. Topics include types of surveying and equipment, foundations, walls and openings, floors and stairs, roofs, construction techniques and materials, energy sources and concerns, and utilities. The text does not include a bibliography, but does include a listing of relevant Web sites. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Charles Darwin.

Ruse (philosophy, Florida State U.) brings to the series his long philosophical interest in both biology and Darwin (1809-82). He explores the English naturalist's philosophical thoughts as he developed his theories on evolution, and the philosophical implications of his discoveries and interpretations of them. He also considers neo-Darwinism, which is how most people today understand his work. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Clinical dermatology, 4th ed.

Packed with clinical photographs and excellent line drawings, this reference for general practitioners includes captions and titles that double as aids to memory and specifics on diagnosing and treating dozens of conditions. The authors, academicians and practitioners from the UK and the US, cover such topics as the function and structure of the skin, diagnosis, disorders of keratinization, papulosquamous disorders such as psoriasis, dermatitis and related diseases, bullous diseases, connective tissue disorders, disorders of blood vessels and sweat glands, regional dermatology, infections, infestations, skin tumors, the skin and the psyche and drug eruptions. This edition includes chapters on racially pigmented skin, the dermatology of different age groups and cosmetic dermatology as well as updated formularies for systemic and topical medications. Chapters are logically organized and the index is particularly comprehensive and easy to use. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Endoscopic mucosal resection.

This new endotherapy technique has already proven to be effective in the treatment of superficial gastrointestinal cancers without requiring open surgery. This guide to endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) techniques sticks to the practical, providing guidance that includes methods and peculiarities not ordinarily reported in scientific articles. With accessible text and many illustrations, including clinical imagery, contributors cover epidemiology of gastrointestinal (esophageal, stomach and colorectal) cancer, etiological factors in gastrointestinal tumors, staging before EMR and EMR techniques, endoscopic imaging of Barrett's esophagus, EMR in the esophagus and stomach, resection of ampullary neoplasms and colorectal lesions, histopathology of endocscopic resection in the gastrointestinal tract, follow-up after EMR, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), EMR and ESD for early gastrointestinal cancers, complications and future directions of research. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Environmental microbiology; from genomes to biogeochemistry.

In this text for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students, Madsen (microbiology, Cornell University) highlights five core concepts, with an emphasis on the logic of the science and new, methods-driven discoveries. After an introduction to the significance and history of environmental microbiology, chapters cover the formation of the biosphere, physiological ecology, the Earth's microbial habitats, microbial diversity, generating and interpreting information in environmental microbiology, microbial biogeochemistry, special and applied topics, and future frontiers. Examples and application boxes provide reinforcement of material covered. Study questions require students to use analytical and quantitative approaches, to define and defend arguments, and to apply microbiological paradigms to their personal interests. Essay assignments are also included. The art programs features a wealth of color photos and maps, and detailed color diagrams explaining concepts. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Essentials of ecology, 3d ed.

This is a more succinct treatment of Ecology: from individuals to ecosystems, designed for an introductory semester-long course. The textbook examines resources and conditions that influence individual species and multispecies communities, the exchange of matter and energy in whole ecosystems, pest management, human pollution, and suggested methods to conserve biodiversity and endangered species. The third edition adds a chapter on evolutionary ecology. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Evidence-based medical monitoring; from principles to practice.

Monitoring of treatments for chronic conditions is an essential and large part of the clinical workload but a neglected area of health research, according to Glasziou (evidence-based medicine, U. of Oxford) and his UK and Australian co-editors. Introductory chapters review the benefits of monitoring, its phases, evaluation, general principles, and strategies studied in clinical trials (handily presented in a summary table). International contributors to two dozen chapters emphasize the role of the patient in the process, and that monitoring requires a theoretical framework for test selection and evaluation to ensure clinical efficacy. They treat monitoring in relation to specific conditions (e.g., diabetes, renal transplantation, pre-eclampsia) and settings such as intensive care. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Extended finite element method for fracture analysis of structures.

Mohammadi (civil engineering, U. of Tehran) introduces the concepts of the newly developed finite element method (XFEM) for fracture analysis of structures and relating engineering applications. He notes that one of advantages of this methods is that it avoids remeshing or geometric track modeling in numerical simulation while generating discontinuous fields along a crack and around its tip. He introduces the analysis of structures and of discontinuities, fracture mechanics, crack modeling, alternative techniques, and XFEM applications, then reviews fracture mechanics , including electroplastic fracture mechanics and numerical methods based on the J integral. He covers XFEM for isotropic problems, orthotropic problems and cohesive cracks, XFEM flow and new frontiers in interface cracks, contact, dynamic fracture, multiscale XFEM and multiphase XFEM. He also provides comprehensive references. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Fish welfare.

Branson, a recently deceased UK veterinary surgeon/specialist in fish health and production, heads a team of international contributors who make a scientific case for showing concern for fish welfare equal to that shown for "higher" animals. Fish scientists, fisherman, processors, and representatives of government and non-governmental agencies review current understanding of fish welfare issues, including the question of how to assess fish experience of stress/pain, the welfare implications of environmentally-constrained disease treatment options, and the need for legal protection of farmed and ornamental fish. They also address the related issue of water quality. Based on a 2004 meeting of the UK Fish Veterinary Society, the volume was published in conjunction with the FVS (a division of the British Veterinary Association). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Fundamentals of esthetic implant dentistry, 2d ed.

Askary, a specialist in esthetic dentistry, and his co-authors provide a comprehensive overview of modern esthetic implant dentistry in this textbook. Particular emphasis is placed on appearance and the importance of smile analysis in treatment planning, essentially a blending of art and science. The book covers the numerous scientific and technical advances in the field for both practitioners and students. Topics range from discussions of beauty and esthetics and clinician-patient relationships to diagnostic considerations and treatment complications, as well as contemporary techniques. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Fundamentals of physical volcanology.

For those curious about volcanos, especially those of us who live within sight of an active one. This well written textbook covers the formation of volcanos, the different types of eruptions, lava flows, monitoring for volcanic activity, climatic results of eruptions, and even volcanos on other planets. Parfitt is a research fellow at U. of Lancaster UK, and Wilson is in the environmental science department at the same university. The work is complete with a glossary, many photos, and questions for discussion and further research. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Global challenges in recreational fisheries.

This collection originates out of the fourth World Recreational Fishing Conference, held in Trondheim, Norway, in 2005. Aas (Norwegian U. of Life Sciences, Norway) includes contributions from researchers, managers, and non-governmental organization representatives and has selected papers in order to include a wide range of topics and issues of interest to many regions in the world. The topics presented include international reports on the state of recreational fishing around the world, the application of ecosystem management to fishery management, the biological impacts of angling, the impact of climate change on day-to-day recreational fishery management, bioeconomic models of decision making in fishery management, the role of recreational fishing in income and job creation, fishing tourism, cultural interactions between native people and sport anglers, and a prospective global code of conduct for recreational fishing. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The handbook of clinical linguistics.

Sixty-two leading clinical linguists and phoneticians from around the world contribute 38 chapters covering the main areas of research in the application of linguistic science to the study of communication disability in the clinical setting. The material is organized according to different areas of linguistics rather than to different types of communication disorder: discourse, pragmatics and sociolinguistics; syntax and semantics; and phonetics and phonology. The text includes discussion of a range of pathologies, both developmental and acquired, in each chapter, and commentary by individual authors on the actual or potential influence of their specialist areas on mainstream theories and descriptions of language. For students, instructors, researchers, and practitioners of speech- language pathology, linguistics, psychology, and education. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Health communication in the 21st century.

Introducing health communication as one of the fastest-growing areas of research in the communication field, Wright and other communication professors at the U. of Oklahoma and Chapman U., Orange, CA, overview the definition of health communication, history of research in this area, and role of research in addressing challenges to the U.S. healthcare system (e.g., the aging population, alternative approaches to the biomedical model, funding, and managed care). Several chapters present issues and theories relating to caregiving, patient support, cultural beliefs about health, and communication between/within patients and providers, healthcare organizations, and professionals. Other timely topics discussed include the role of new technologies, media, the communication of risk, and health literacy. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

How to display data.

Standard statistics textbooks only briefly cover how to display data and even major medical journals are plagued by poor data display, according to Freeman and her coauthors (Medical Statistics Group, U. of Sheffield). Following an introduction to types of data and bad data display, they offer recommendations for conveying categorical and quantitative results in tables and graphs in a manner useful for researchers and readers of health studies. Geared for print and oral presentations, many of their examples were drawn with Sigmaplot software. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

How to write a paper, 4th ed.

Editor Hall (anesthesia, St. George's University of London) and contributors have again updated this basic and brief guide on how to structure a scientific paper to get published in a biomedical journal. Originally prepared as a guide for non-native speakers of English, the first edition attracted a much more general audience; subsequent editions have accommodated the broader audience as well as changes in publishing (such as electronic submission). This fourth edition contains 20 focused chapters on preparing and submitting papers, abstracts, and reviews; the roles of authors, manuscript assessors, and publishers; why style matters; ethics; electronic publishing; and open access. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Instant clinical pharmacology, 2d ed.

In this update of the 2003 edition, Begg (clinical pharmacology/ medicine, U. of Otago, New Zealand) presents medical students, junior doctors, nurses, and clinical pharmacists with a quick reference to bridge the gap between basic and applied pharmacology. Topics covered include clinical pharmacokinetics, factors affecting dosing, drug effects, and principles of optimal therapeutics (e.g., aids to patient compliance, the use of complementary and alternative medicine). The handbook includes resources, a glossary, diagrams, and appended material. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Intestinal failure; diagnosis, management and transplantation.

Although the small intestine remains a challenging organ to transplant, transplantation is now an option for patients with intestinal failure (IF) due to short bowel syndrome (from multiple surgeries for inflammatory bowel disease), IF-associated liver disease, tumors, complications from bariatric surgery, and newborns with intestinal problems. In a volume bridging basic science and clinical practice, Langnas (transplant surgery, U. of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha) and international colleagues introduce 42 chapters with an overview of the development of total parenteral (intravenous) nutrition that can be a life-saver for those with IF, and transplantation as a way to avoid its negative effects. Contributors discuss gut physiology and immunology; causes of IF; and indications, procedures, post-surgical, nutritional, psychosocial, and economic concerns relating to transplantation. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

An introduction to plant breeding.

Noting that plant breeding has been described as a numbers game with the goal of creating superior genotypes for successful new cultivars, Brown (plant breeding and genetics, U. of Idaho) and Caligari (plant biology and biotechnology, U. de Talca, Chile) introduce private and public sector breeders' characteristics and objectives; natural and human selection in the evolution of crop species; and technical, practical, and ethical considerations in breeding programs for genetically-modified crop plants. Chapters include genetic analyses and critical thinking questions, but the textbook/professional resource surprisingly lacks references. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Invasive medical skills; a multimedia approach. (CD-ROM included)

Stoneham and Westbrook, both anesthesiologists at Oxford U., use a true multi-media approach by including a DVD with this book about proper invasive medical skills required by medical students and junior doctors in the UK. Injections, cannulation, airway management, catheterization and chest drain insertion procedures are all shown, using both photographs in the text and video footage in the DVD. Additional features of the DVD include animations that reveal a multi-level approach to each medical procedure. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)