English Words from Latin and Greek Elements Review

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(More customer reviews)As the reviser of this book--not the Photographer (there is not a single picture in the tome)--I must correct a few misimpressions given in the other reviews, while touting the systematic format that separates Dr. Ayers's book from its competitors. To be sure this is a textbook--the best selling text in this subject area--divided into two halves, one dealing with English words derived from Latin, the other dealing with English words derived from Greek. Each lesson has some introductory material; these intros vary: some explain how English builds words from Latin and Greek bases with an explanation of how dictionaries present such information, some are mini-lectures in linguistic processes that characterize English words, some deal with how the form and meaning of words change with time. Each lesson presents a list of bases, prefixes and suffixes for the student to memorize. These are set forth clearly in caps, and there are many examples given for each item. The lesson ends not with quizzes but with words derived from the elements presented in sentences that are written by skilled writers of English. All of the information is well indexed at the end. This systematic approach gives the student control over the most frequently encountered word elements in English coming from Greek and Latin. As a consequence of her studies, such a student will have stored in her brain the keys to about half of the harder words in English including the many thousands of technical words invented each year--especially those medical and biological tongue twisters invented by the biological and medical communities. With the keys in her head and the word in its context before her, the student will often undertand the author without having to look up words that often are not yet even in the most recent dictionary. This is power; but power is not easily gained in any field of endeavor. The book can be used by a diligent person for self-study, but most students will need a structured environment in which to learn its contents. TD Worthen

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Since 1965,Donald Ayers' English Words from Latin and Greek Elements has helped thousands of students to a broader vocabulary by showing them how to recognize classical roots in modern English words.Its second edition, published in 1986, has confirmed that vocabulary is best taught by root, not rote.The importance of learning classical word roots is already acknowledged by vocabulary texts that devote chapters to them.Why a whole book based on this approach?Ayers' text exposes students to a wider range of roots, introduces new English words in context sentences, and reinforces vocabulary through exercises.It promotes more practice with roots so that students learn to use them as tools in their everyday encounters with new words.English Words is written from the standpoint of English; it neither attempts to teach students Latin or Greek nor expects a knowledge of classical languages on the part of instructors.Its success has been demonstrated at both the secondary and college levels, and it can be used effectively with students in remedial or accelerated programs.An Instructor's Manual (gratis with adoption) and a Workbook are also available.

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Introduction to Biomedical Engineering Review

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(More customer reviews)I've used this book now in 2 classes (including one taught by an author of one of the chapters) and have both times found the book hard to use. It is full of so many small errors you can never be sure whether the problems you are having are because you don't understand the material, or if there is another mistake in that section. Very frustrating. The problems are not limited to explicit errors either, there are issues with the presentation that makes me think it was poorly edited as well. Style, order, and omission of important points are among the sins. Some sections are pretty good, though.
The book is a good value for a textbook, however (it's huge!), and provides lots of useful information on a wide variety of BME-related topics. Just make sure you have someone to help you spot the mistakes.

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This is a comprehensive survey of the multi-disciplinary field of biomedical engineering. The book is intended to be the introductory textbook for the first course at the undergraduate junior level and as the introductory textbook in graduate programs in biomedical engineering programs. The book is also intended to be utilized as a professional reference book for engineers and biomedical researchers requiring a knowledge of the basic fundamentals and the latest advances in biomedical engineering. This text/reference will have worked examples throughout the text as well as end-of-chapter homework and self-study problems. In addition to the pedagogy within the book, the authors will maintain a website of relevant laboratory simulations and links to other biomedical engineering web sites. * Well illustrated throughout text* Appropriate for course use by engineering students as well as biological science students* An outstanding introductory reference work for engineers and scientists in the industry* An essential tool on practicing biomedical engineers' bookshelves* Professional, public, and research libraries will find this book a welcome addition to their libraries* MATLAB and SIMULINK software is used throughout the book to model and simulate dynamic systems* Frequent use of example problems within each chapter including thorough explanation of the techniques used to solve them* Numerous self-study/homework problems at the end of each chapter, ranging from simple to difficult

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Biomedical Ethics (Fundamentals of Philosophy Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)I had my own rather nasty tangle with the margins of biomedical ethics last year. As a result, a lot of my online reading has been spent diving deeper in some of the ethical issues around medical research, pregnancy, premature babies, and intervention guidelines. I decided to pick this book up to try to give myself some background to the debate, so that I feel like I can be a more educated participant. That makes me a rather odd reader of this book, I suspect. It seems obvious that it was intended as a classroom text-- probably a class in Ethics 101 or something similar. I am unable to evaluate this as an ethics textbook.
The book is divided into a series of sections, each with its own focus on a particular ethical issue. I got most of the things that I needed out of the first chapter-- a short introduction to the histories and theories of biomedical ethics. Glannon does a concise and clear job of explaining the relevant frameworks and terminology. The book was worth the money to me for that alone.
The other chapters go on to place ethical issues into the framework that Glannon develops. Subjects include: patient-doctor relationships, human medical research, reproductive rights, genetics, end of life decisions, and medical rationing. I found the treatment of these subjects largely superficial, and were primarily useful to me as they contained pointers to further reading in the area.
I found the text as well written as this kind of thing can get without actually having any real flair behind it. As I said before, Glannon is clear and concise in the way he approaches the subjects. At times I had the feeling that he was presenting his opinion as established ethical principles, but am not really knowledgeable enough in the area to be sure that this is true.
I got out of it what I had hoped that I would get.

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Today, advances in medicine and biotechnology occur at a rapid pace and have a profound impact on our lives. Mechanical devices can sustain an injured person's life indefinitely. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the body and brain can reveal disorders before symptoms appear. Genetic testing of embryos can predict whether people will have diseases earlier or later in life. It may even become possible to clone human beings. These and other developments raise difficult ethical questions. Biomedical Ethics is an engaging philosophical introduction to the most important ethical positions and arguments in six areas of biomedicine: the patient-doctor relationship, medical research on humans, reproductive rights and technologies, genetics, medical decisions at the end of life, and the allocation of scarce medical resources. Concisely capturing the historical, contemporary, and future-oriented aspects of the field, author Walter Glannon discusses both perennial issues in medicine, such as doctors' duties to patients, and recent and emerging issues in scientific innovation, including gene therapy and cloning. Ideal for undergraduate courses in contemporary moral problems, introduction to ethics, and introduction to bioethics, Biomedical Ethics is accessible to students who have little or no background in ethical theory, medicine, or biotechnology.

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The Evolution and Emergence of RNA Viruses (Oxford Series in Ecology and Evolution) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a tour de force introduction to the field of emerging RNA viruses by one of the world's leading experts in virus evolution. The book progresses rapidly from concise chapters on RNA virus biology, origins and microevolution to detailed discussions of RNA virus macroevolution, (contentious) quasi-species concepts, phylogeography and patterns of RNA virus emergence. Though each chapter may stand alone as a significant contribution, the succession of chapters provides a strong logical framework for understanding the observed epidemiological patterns of RNA emergence. This narrative structure culminates in a series of case studies of emerging RNA viruses that are a fitting conclusion to a book that ties together the molecular evolution of RNA viruses with their emergence and epidemiological dynamics.
In sum, any biologist interested in evolution and/or RNA viruses, from novices to experts, would benefit from and enjoy reading this claret-colored addition to the OUP catalog.

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RNA viruses provide unique insights into the patterns and processes of evolutionary change in real time. The study of viral evolution is especially topical given the growing awareness that emerging and re-emerging diseases (most of which are caused by RNA viruses) represent a major threat to public health. However, while the study of viral evolution has developed rapidly in the last 30 years, relatively little attention has been directed toward linking work on the mechanisms of viral evolution within cells or individual hosts, to the epidemiological outcomes of these processes. This novel book fills this gap by considering the patterns and processes of viral evolution across their entire range of spatial and temporal scales. The Evolution and Emergence of RNA Viruses provide a comprehensive overview of RNA virus evolution. This is the first book to link mechanisms of viral evolution to epidemiological outcomes, incorporating case studies in RNA virus emergence and evolution using topical examples such as influenza, HIV, dengue fever, and rabies. It reveals the underlying evolutionary processes by which emerging viruses cross species boundaries and spread in new hosts.

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Essential Dance Medicine (Musculoskeletal Medicine) Review

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(More customer reviews)Being both a dancer and physician I was very excited about this book. Unfortunately it was rather vague. I had hoped it would clearly define the dance positions, specify the muscles used in achieving and maintaining the dance positions and list the injuries that occurred to the muscles, tendons and ligaments as a result of both the correct and incorrect dance positions.
The book did not clearly define either the dance or medical terminology and was short on anatomical illustrations and imaging. I had also hoped it would provide information about how to prevent injuries such as specific, illustrated the correct positioning and stretching exercises for each position. Treatment of injuries were poorly defined. Again specific information about type of ROM, stretching, strengthening and taping methods were omitted.
This book has great potential and this is only the first edition. It appears to be a good book for Physiatrists. I hope with the second edition she will expand to reach a wider audience to include those who get the injuries (dancers) as well as those who treat them (internists, physical therapists, neurologists and orthopedists.)

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Groundbreaking and long overdue, Essential Dance Medicine is a unique text designed to help medical professionals learn the presentations, differential diagnoses and available treatment options for common dance injuries. As different types of dance have evolved, so have their related injuries. This novel text explains the underlying principles associated with correct ballet, modern and ethnic dance movements to better understand the pathophysiology and mechanism of action for the injuries described. It provides further insight by elucidating common errors and compensations dancers often make in an effort to achieve correct positioning and technique.Describing different types of dance injuries according to body region, each chapter is organized by case reports that depict a typical patient, followed by the epidemiology and pathophysiology associated with the dancer's injury. The history, physical examination findings, imaging and diagnostic evaluation for each condition are discussed. Non-operative and surgical treatment options are described according to chronicity and stage of severity of the injury. To provide evidence behind the algorithms of treatment and to highlight applicable research, relevant studies are cited as often as possible. Classic texts are also referenced to provide more in-depth information.Certain to become a gold standard in the field, Essential Dance Medicine is an important new text that provides medical professionals with the necessary tools to treat amateur and professional dancers and help them prolong their dance careers.

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Phonology and Language Use (Cambridge Studies in Linguistics) Review

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(More customer reviews)After decades of theories built upon painfully abstract argumentation, here is an approach to language that fits how we actually use it--and with how we learn, master, and play with much of what we do in life (vision, music, work, sports, etc.). Chomskian structuralist linguistics treats language as if it were some mysterious coding machine, completely unlike other cognitive, purpose-driven human activities. In go concepts and noises; deep inside the black machine, its gears and rules and constraints turn and whir; then out come the utterances of English or Asmat or Vietnamese (depends on which "machine" we have). And once we get our machines, we're stuck with them--they don't evolve. Each machine/language has its own set of rules, and only elite linguists understand them.
Like cognitive linguistics, Bybee's usage-based approach treats our use of language as very much like our uses of other skills. As with other skills, fluency comes through frequent practice. Many other parts of the UB approach also seem obvious or "common sense," and Bybee excels at making their explanatory force clear. This approach is still new, and still developing, but it looks like it has a LOT of potential for future research--not just in phonology, but also in morphology, syntax, and in grammaticalization (and other studies of diachronic language change).

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Referencing new developments in cognitive and functional linguistics, phonetics, and connectionist modeling, this book investigates various ways in which a speaker/hearer's experience with language affects the representation of phonology. Rather than assuming phonological representations in terms of phonemes, Joan Bybee adopts an exemplar model, in which specific tokens of use are stored and categorized phonetically with reference to variables in the context.This model allows an account of phonetically gradual sound change that produces lexical variation, and provides an explanatory account of the fact that many reductive sound changes affect high frequency items first.

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