Blackwell Publishing

Linking affect to action; critical contributions of the orbitofrontal cortex.

It turns out that a number of bio-medical specialties have been treating the orbitofrontal cortex subdivision of the brain's prefrontal cortex as their territory, with no clue that others were doing the same. The March 2007 Academy conference in New York City, served rather as a gathering of lovers to trade stories. Papers of about 20 pages each report recent laboratory research into such aspects as cross-species comparison, chemosensory function, revealing the orbitofrontal cortex through the amygdala and striatum, mental health and aging, and addiction. Abstracts of posters are also presented. The quality of the illustrations is high for a conference volume. There is no subject index. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Lung cancer, 3d ed.

Fourteen years after the previous edition, this summary for clinicians was due for an update, and this third edition brings coverage up to date in the realms of biology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Twenty-eight contributed chapters offer information on lung cancer susceptibility and risk assessment, peripheral lung adenocarcinoma, screening for early detection, molecular and genetic markers, the detiction and treatment of pre-neoplastic lesions, and novel therapies such as angiogenesis and multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The three editors and many of the contributors are affiliated with the U. of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, but some are from other institutions in the US, Europe, and Asia. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Manual of surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation.

In recent years, a myriad of surgical protocols have been developed to manage atrial fibrillation, increasing the confusion over which are the most effective approaches. The book presents a multidisciplinary, international team of authorities who have reviewed the evidence in order to establish which surgical approaches should be used under which circumstances. Divided into five parts, the book not only explores surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation, it also offers an understanding of underlying causes. Sections cover anatomy, pathophysiology, and the electrophysiologic basis of atrial fibrillation; the surgical approach; modifications of the Cox-maze; use of alternative surgical patterns; the invasive cardiologist approach; and perioperative complications, reporting results, and statistical analysis. The art program features color and b&w cadaver photos, medical images, and illustrations. Sie is affiliated with the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Isala Klinieken, The Netherlands. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Mechanisms in transcriptional regulation.

Courey (biochemistry, U. of California-Los Angeles) presents material he uses for a course in eukaryotic transcription for graduate and upper-division undergraduate students in the molecular life sciences, and incorporates basic ideas taught in a similar course on prokaryotes. Rather than pretending that he can fit a comprehensive account of genetic transcription into a slender paperback, he focuses on a few new topics such as the basal transcriptional machinery, mechanisms of activation, and the role of chromatin. His own research is on fruit flies, so many of his examples are drosophilic. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Mental health and social space; towards inclusionary geographies?.

In the late 20th century, the wealthy elite in the West stopped supporting mental health facilities, now that their own insane were regularly being elected to high office. People with severe and enduring mental health problems were turned into the streets, a process called community care. But they have vanished from the media over the years, and Parr (human geography, U. of Dundee, Scotland) wonders what has become of them. She takes readers on a journey through different kinds of environments and communities, some of which purport to facilitate the empowerment and integration of this consistently marginalized group. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Molecular mechanisms and models of aging; proceedings.

While aging is inevitable, it is also the result of complex genetic factors interacting with a variety of stochastic changes over time. Therefore the process may be inevitable but is also an adaptive process modulated by genetics and environment. These papers from the May 2007 Congress include an overview of clonal attenuation of somatic cells in aging mammals. Contributors address cell signaling and replicative sequences (including how human diploid fiberblasts exposed to hypoxia expands proliferative life spans); biomarkers of aging (including age spots and the micro-inflammatory model of skin aging); DNA repair and aging (including oxidating DNA damage during senescence as the first step toward carcinogenesis); free radicals, oxidative stress, proteolysis, and proteins maintenance (including such topics as lipofuscin), intervention (including stress-mediated hermetic modulation of aging); molecular links between aging and cancer, age-related diseases, model organisms; and evolutionary and epidemiological aspects of aging. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Neuroprotective agents; proceedings.

Clinicians, basic research scientists, and policy makers share recent insights on neuroprotection from the perspectives of the pathophysiology of nervous system insults, neurotrophic factors, nanotechniques, and additional approaches. One sampling of specific topics turns up metabolic syndrome in drug abuse, brain-derived neurotrophic factor in neuronal survival and behavior-related plasticity, nanodevices for neuro-modulation, and the effect of methylene blue and related redox dyes on monoamine oxidase activity as revealed by rats and frogs. Some of the 23 papers were not presented at the conference. Only the contributors are indexed. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Neuropsychology for occupational therapists; cognition in occupational performance, 3d ed.

This textbook is for undergraduate students of occupational therapy and practitioners working in cognitive rehabilitation. Theoretical frameworks, the relationship between cognition and occupational performance, and treatment approaches and assessment and intervention are first explained. Subsequent chapters focus on major elements of the cognitive system and impairments that could result from brain injury, along with case studies and suggestions for evaluation and intervention. Expanded and updated, this edition reflects advances in neuropsychology and incorporates an evidence-based consideration of practice. A new section on the occupational therapy process in cognitive rehabilitation is included. Grieve was formerly at the London School of Occupational Therapy, and Gnanasekaran teaches occupational therapy at Brunel U., both in the UK. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Nutrition at a glance.

Berasi (nutrition, U. of Wales Institute, Cardiff, UK) presents a reference volume for nursing and medical students consisting of 62 topics in nutrition, each in two-page formats. They cover principles, the components of a balanced diet, the role of nutrition in key organs and systems, physiological and other challenges across the life span, related diseases, including obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, and promoting nutritional health. There is no bibliography. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Older people and mental health nursing; a handbook of care.

Nurses and other health care providers describe knowledge and key skills that practitioners require to work effectively with older people who have mental health needs, or are at risk of developing them. They primarily address nurses working in all setting and all types of roles, but acknowledge the interdisciplinary nature of older people's services by trying to make the material relevant for whoever is doing the work. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Plant anatomy; an applied approach. (CD-ROM included)

Cutler, president of the Linnean Society of London, provides an overview of all aspects of plant anatomy, emphasizing the application of plant anatomy and its relevance to modern botanical research. Coverage progresses from morphology and tissue systems through roots, leaves, stems, seeds, adaptive features of plants, and economic aspects of applied plant anatomy. A final chapter is devoted to simple techniques for the preparation of non-permanent and permanent slides. The book is illustrated with a wealth of b&w photos, drawings, and images. Accompanying the text is a CD-ROM, The Virtual Plant, containing photographs and scanning electron microscope images, illustrated instructions on the use of the light microscope, and laboratory exercises. The book can be used as a reference for undergraduates taking courses in plant anatomy, applied plant anatomy, and plant biology, and for researchers and postgraduates in plant sciences. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Principles and practice of pharmacology for anaesthetists, 5th ed.

Calvey and Williams (anesthesia and clinical pharmacology, respectively, U. of Liverpool) have added a new chapter on adverse drug reactions for this edition and have completely updated the text to reflect current research and practice. They focus on providing an comprehensive scientific basis as they cover drug absorption and distribution, drug elimination, pharmacokinetics, drug action and interaction, variability in response, intravenous and inhaled anesthetic agents, local anesthetics, drugs that act on the neuromuscular junction, analgesics, pre-medication and anti-emetic drugs, the effects of drugs on the autonomic nervous system, antihypertensives, antiarrhythmic and antianginal drugs, antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs, fibrinolytic agents, corticosteroids and hypoglycemic agents. The illustrations are informative without being intrusive and the authors provide a very good glossary and explanatory list of acronyms. They use international non-proprietary names for generic agents, but the exception of current nomenclature for adrenaline and noradrenaline. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Problem-solving in conservation biology and wildlife management; exercises for class, field, and laboratory, 2d ed.

This collection of 32 practical exercises has been substantially updated for this edition to reflect current theory and practice. The exercises, suitable for field, lab or classroom use, are built on solid theoretical and practical precepts, cover genetics, populations, species, ecosystems and landscapes, policy and organizations, and specific exercises probe such topics as spiders as exemplars of biodiversity, organizations' strategies and funding priorities, threatened species, diversity within versus diversity among populations, genetic drift, pedigree management, landscape genetics, life table analysis, population viability, habitat loss and fragmentation, declining populations, estimating population size, analyzing camera trap data, plant reintroduction, ecosystem fragmentation, forest harvesting, protected areas, islan biogeography, mapping for conservation, global change, climate envelope modleing, species imperilment in Africa and Europe, over consumption, conservation values, commercial fishing, conservation law and conservation policy. The exercises are well illustrated and include resources. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Public health advocacy and tobacco control; making smoking history.

Writing in a personal and witty style, Chapman, one of the world's leading advocates for tobacco control, lays out a program for abolishing smoking. He condemns ineffective approaches and overly enthusiastic policies which ignore important ethical principles, and provides a cookbook of strategies for denormalizing smoking and the industry which promotes it. In the first section of the book, he looks at the place of advocacy in tobacco control, ethical issues, smoking cessation and prevention, harm reduction, and product regulation. The second section provides an alphabetical compendium of tobacco control advocacy strategies. Many entries include examples of the strategy in action, in Australia and the other English-speaking countries. The author is affiliated with the University of Sydney, Australia. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Sharks of the open ocean; biology, fisheries and conservation.

Shark experts from around the maritime world synthesize and share current understanding about open-ocean, pelagic sharks. After introductory and overview studies, they cover the life history and status of pelagic elasmobranchs, trends in catches and abundance, methods to improve knowledge about demographics and the size and structure of stocks, and the conservation and management outlook. The 38 papers are from a February 2000 workshop in Pacific Grove, California. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The social cognitive neuroscience of organizations.

Nineteen international academics, researchers, and consultants contribute 12 articles reflecting the different levels of regulation in organizational behavior and offering various perspectives on the emotional aspects of organizing work relationships. Following an opening article presenting an agenda for the field of organizational cognitive neuroscience, the remaining essays provide a methodological approach to organizational cognitive neuroscience, incorporating affective insights about the workplace; explore the importance of positive emotions in the workplace; and examine how the workplace can become a toxic environment. A sampling of topics: hormonal and genetic influences on processing reward and social information, neural correlates of corporate camaraderie and teamwork, and being fed up — a social cognitive neuroscience approach to mental satiation. No subject index. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Stem cell research; the ethical issues.

Despite the news in 2006 that researchers had found a way to harvest human embryonic stem cells without having to destroy embryos, controversy still surrounds potentially life-saving stem cell research. Gruen (philosophy/Ethics in Society Project, Wesleyan U.), other philosophers, bioethicists, and researchers discuss developments in the field; the politics that often eclipse the science in the U.S.; and such contentious issues as human cloning and the moral status of stem cells and non-human animals. These 11 papers were first published in Metaphilosophy v. 38, nos. 2- 3 (April 2007). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Stroke; practical management, 3d ed.

Unusual for a major medical book, this text is co-authored by the 11-member author team, who each read and made comments on each chapter. Introductory chapters detail the history of the field and discuss basic issues, including arterial territory, and diagnosis. The material is discussed from a problem-based approach that residents and practitioners will find accessible. In addition to the central theme of management and treatment, three chapters are included on prevention of recurrent stroke, the organization of stroke services, and improving public health. The volume is clearly organized and well- illustrated with drawings, photos, and MR and CT scans. The authors practice and teach in Scotland and the UK at the U. of Edinburgh Western General Hospital, the Royal Infirmary in Glasgow, the Radcliffe Infirmary, and St James' University Hospital in Leeds; at Royal Perth Hospital in Australia; and Utrecht U. in the Netherlands. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Structural timber design to Eurocode 5.

This work provides practicing engineers and specialist contractors with detailed information and guidance in the design of timber structures based on the common rules and rules for buildings in Eurocode 5 — Part 1-1. The book takes a step-by-step approach to the design of all of the most commonly used timber elements and connections using solid timber, glued laminated timber, and wood- based engineered products. It features numerous detailed work examples, and incorporates the requirements of the UK National Annex. Coverage includes strength and stiffness properties of timber, the lateral stability requirements of timber structures, and the design of moment-resisting rigid and semi-rigid connections. In addition to professionals, the book will also be of interest to undergraduate and postgraduate students of civil and structural engineering. Porteous is a consulting engineer specializing in timber engineering. Kermani teaches timber engineering at Napier University. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Sustainable brownfield regeneration; liveable places from problem spaces.

This collection of 13 articles describes UK policies, processes and practices, highlighting projects proved in the Thames Gateway in the south of England and greater Manchester in the north. Taking a necessary interdisciplinary approach that combines science and social science research and not hesitating to assess the effectiveness of different types of regeneration policy and practice, contributors address research methods; regeneration issues such as democracy and trust as well as risk related to contaminated sites, actor networks, the role of the property development industry, sustainable community-building in brownfield regeneration; remediation issues such as providing a sustainable process for green space, novel composts, robust sustainable technical solutions, and restoring real monsters like acid tar lagoons; and providing "joined-up" solutions that consider global climate change, take a close look at evaluating sustainability, and conduct cross-disciplinary research. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The textbook of children's and young people's nursing, 2d ed.

Covering all ages and a range of specialties, this text explores all aspects of nursing care. Sections cover the dynamics of the family, development in children, the promotion of child health, the care of sick children and its implications on the family, and professional issues such as legal, ethical, and management issues. This second edition is revised to reflect changes in the field, and especially in UK government policy, since the late 1990s. It contains new chapters on children's voices and problems related to sexuality. There is also new material on risk management. The text features study activities, key points, margin notes, and summary boxes in a ready-friendly, two- color layout. Moules is on the faculty of health and social care at Anglia Ruskin University, UK. Ramsay is associate director of nursing, Woman & Children's Division, Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust, UK. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Turning a town around; a pro-active approach to urban design.

Hall (Griffith University, Australia) helps urban planners, developers, and elected officials understand and manage urban design within the urban planning process. He sets out a proactive approach to building urban design into the local planning process, based on the actual experience of redesigning the built form and urban life of one UK town, Chelmsford. Hall was formerly an elected member of the Chelmsford Borough Council in the UK for six years, and he draws on his professional and political experience to explain how to incorporate design principles into policy, make design briefing effective, and prepare for successful negotiation. The first part of the book deals with the nature of the recommended proactive approach, with chapters on integrating urban design with broader spatial policy, the preparation of physically prescriptive guides and masters, and proactive negotiation. The second part of the book describes how the proactive approach evolved at Chelmsford and gives examples of what was achieved. Numerous b&w and color photos and plans are included. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)