Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Scientific Writing for Impact Factor Journals

“I must admit that when this book came my way I was far from sure that it was appropriate for review in this journal. Ardent ichthyophiles will be delighted to find their fish-fix in Fig. 2 of page 77, but unless I missed it there is no mention at all of fish biology in the text itself. Remaining intrigued, I decided not to send the book out to a colleague but to review it myself. I am so glad that I did.” Published in the Journal of Fish Biology READ MORE…Ian J. Winfield, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster, U.K.

“…Lichtfouse has constructed his book offering tips and directions for young researchers and doctoral students on the craft of writing publishable manuscripts and scientific communication. This book is an excellent and practical, step-by-step guide in the field of writing that is supported with examples and great summarising illustrations and tables.” Published in the Journal of Medical Genetics READ MORE…M. Alriyami and C. Polychronakos, University, Montreal, Québec, Canada

“This certainly thing, but very informative book illustrates the importance of scientific communication. It is essential for researchers, willing to develop their productive writing skills quickly.” READ MORE…Ralph Babler, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research & Testing, Germany

“This is precisely what I say to my student-candidates for our United States Medical Licensure Examination Step 3 {U.S.M.L.E. III} {1} and to my student candidates for Certification by our American Board of Internal Medicine; {A.B.I.M.} the major difference is Professor Eric Lightfouse says it better. I encourage my students to write up challenging cases, I offer to help writing up these challenging cases with our understanding that the student will be the sole and only author while I will might receive a footnote in fine print endorsing, “Special thanks to Doctor Josh for his encouragement and support!” READ MORE…Josh Grossman, , Colonel {r}, U.S. Army Medical Corps, M.D., FACP

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Chemical Food Safety and Health

“In Chemical Food Safety and Health, authors focus on certain hazardous substances that can be found in raw and processed foods, but also some others that may help protecting human health. The book pays a special attention to the effect of food microstructure and state of constituents on nutrient bioavailability and shelf life under certain circumstances. The known experts of related fields author the ten chapters of the book.” READ MORE…Vural Gökmen, Professor of Food Engineering, Food Engineering Department, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

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The Benign and Malignant Prostate

“This excellent book is a carefully-edited compilation of 15 chapters, six covering benign prostatic hyperplasia, one on prostatitis and nine covering adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Each chapter is written by at least one urologist with contributions from radiologists and an oncologist, most working in the UK. The book reads easily and is well-illustrated. It discusses causes, diagnosis and surgical and non-surgical management of these conditions. The book is up to date, well-referenced (quoting studies to 2013) and clinically-relevant. The chapter covering diagnostic imaging of prostate cancer, for example, focuses on the highly topical development of multi-parametric MRI and fusion targeting of biopsies and is illustrated with 28 figures. The book would be valuable as a reference for urological resident/trainees studying to pass Boards or FRCS (urol.) examinations and for practising urologists.” – Dr. Simon Brewster, Urological Surgeon, Churchill Hospital, Oxford

“This book on the benign and malignant prostate forms part of a series entitled “Renal and Urologic Disorders”, published by Nova Science Publishers, New York. It addresses all issues relating to the prostate from its anatomy to the more recent advances in Robotic surgery. The authorship is mainly from the United Kingdom, some of whom, as the Editor mentions in the preface, are experts in these fields, but all of whom contributed on topics well known to them and in which they have a regular and daily clinical exposure.” READ MORE…John M. Fitzpatrick, MCh, FRCSI, FEBU, FCS(Urol)SA, FRCSGlas,FRCS, Head of Research, Irish Cancer Society, Professor of Surgery Emeritus, University College Dublin

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Fault Detection: Classification, Techniques and Role in Industrial Systems

“It is well known that the current scenarios differ from that ones we met decades ago. This is the result of prominent changes from a technological point of view that affects the maintenance field among others. One of the key factors in the Fault Detection and Diagnosis is the complexity to evaluate the type of failure and to implement suitable techniques.” READ MORE…Raúl Ruiz de la Hermosa González-Carrato, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Ciudad Real

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The History of Cesarean Section

“The book offers a fascinating medical history on Caesarean Section to both obstetricians and the medical community alike. It begins from the Book of Genesis, from the early days of Babylon and ancient Egypt, and displays in colorful, yet in historical and medical accuracy, the development of the concepts, art, and opinions that have accompanied it from the outset to its expansion into a mainstream general medical practice performed in the West and the world over.” READ MORE…Prof. Shifra Shvarts, Moshe Prywes Center for Medical Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev.

“Professor Samuel Lurie, a member of the International Society for the History of Medicine and a regular contributor to this journal has performed a great service to his colleagues in compiling this short account of the history of cesarean section. As the author notes the procedure has intrigued mankind through recorded time and in many ways the history of this operation reflects the progress of medical practice through the ages.” READ MORE…Kenneth Collins

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Phoenix Economics: From Crisis to Renascence

“The author of this recently published book is an Italian academic, who earned his PhD in Economic history. Phoenix Economics, his fourth book, is addressed to academics, researchers and those in need of food for thought to debate on economic current issues such as debt, financial crisis or fiscal and monetary policies.” READ MORE…Marie-Aimée Tourres, Associate Fellow, Foundation for Int’l Development Study and Research (FERDI), France

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Troponin: Regulator of Muscle Contraction

“As part of his development of the Ca2+ concept of muscle contraction and relaxation in the 1960s, Setsuro Ebashi discovered the first intracellular Ca2+ binding protein which he named troponin. In 1971 Marion Greaser and John Gergely determined that troponin consisted of three subunits. They named the subunits based on their observed function: TnC bound Ca2+, TnI inhibited actomyosin ATPase activity in the presence or absence of Ca2+ and TnT bound to tropomyosin.” READ MORE…Jack A. Ralln, Ph.D., Department of Physiology & Cell Biology, Ohio State University

“The authors have provided an excellent review of the history of troponin-related studies as well as a comprehensive summary of the protein’s structure and function. Most of the key papers that have led to our currently understood concepts about this protein were summarized. There is considerable subject matter redundancy among the subtopics as often occurs in books with multiple authors, but the quality of the chapters is uniformly high. This book will be a valuable and up to date addition to the muscle protein literature.” – Marion Greaser, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

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Evolution Stands Faith Up: Reflections on Evolution’s Wars

“This is an inspiring, readable collection of 21 essays of reflective value to everyone. You can dip into any of these well-crafted and thoughtful essays at leisure without concern for order. The layout of each essay is appealing, beginning with a quote extracted from the essay, which summarizes the key insight, and finishing with a list of suggested readings and resources.” READ MORE…Dr. Greg M. Stott

“The author immerses us in a broad range of topics with a common theme: why science is critical for our well-being and how “belief,” as a “disruptor,” delays and stops the correct comprehension and acceptance of evidence.” READ MORE…Avelina Espinosa, PhD, Professor of Biology, Roger Williams University, United States

“Many biologists and scientists in general would probably agree that the struggle against creationism as an alternative to science is a war that must be waged. However, we all know it is a difficult fight. Hence, most of us are content sitting on the sidelines, doing our own work, watching others engage this important and often thankless debate.” READ MORE…G.A.L., PhD, Evolutionary Biologist, Canada

“This is a delightful collection of essays about, as the author puts it, “evolution and its wars against superstition.” Professor Paz-Y-Miño does not try to teach evolutionary thinking in this book, or explain Darwin’s ideas in any way. But he is a firm believer in evolutionary processes, and you can easily feel his frustration at the victory of inherent belief over evidence-based thinking in our society.” READ MORE…Jan A. Pechenik

“I am delighted that some of Paz-y-Mino’s finest essays and editorials have been collected in a single volume. He is a prolific essayist and I have enjoyed reading his work over the last two decades. In the tradition of Richard Dawkins he does not pull any punches, but when he cuts to the core of an argument, he does it with the flare of a true artist. Too many of our colleagues work so hard to appear open minded that their brains appear to have fallen out. When they teach our students that they can pick and choose when to be logical, critical thinkers, they are modeling the type of reasoning that leads to the politics of convenience and it’s bridesmaids: racism, sexism, and the whole host of xenophobias. When the emperor has no clothes, I want to be standing in the back row with Guillermo, pointing a finger and having a good laugh.” – Stan Braude, PhD, Professor of Practice in Biology, Washington University in St. Louis

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Layered Structure Effects as Realisation of Anizotropy in Magnetic, Galvanomagnetic and Thermoelectric Phenomena

“Modern technologies turn the fancies of physicists into reality. “God created crystals, but man created superlattices!” – this is a well-known aphorism of Leo Esaki, the Nobel Prize laureate, about new semiconductor materials based on the ordered nanostructures whose quantum characteristics can be changed in the intended direction. Physicists create a wonderful world for charge carriers in such materials: like Alice in Wonderland, conduction electrons can move at researcher’s wish, from a conventional 3-dimensional to low-dimensional world, where their motion is restricted within one or 2 coordinates.” READ MORE…V.T. Maslyuk, D.Sc. in Physics and Mathematics, Professor, Head of Photonuclear Processes Department, Institute of Electron Physics of the NAS of Ukraine

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Scientific Research and Manufacturing: Potential India Growth Story

“This book by Professor B. M. Suri attempts to discuss what may be involved in developing countries encountering the above challenges emanating from several interlinked issues involving science, technology, engineering and mathematics higher education, R&D culture, manufacturing practices, intellectual property rights framework etc. The focus of discussion revolves around Indian ecosystem. The book aims to stimulate discussion between large number of quite diverse players in science, technology, industry, STEM education, policy making, entrepreneurs, and business schools in and outside India. The author provides an insight into the existing practices in these systems and their associated deficiencies. He also makes some pertinent suggestions to the concerned entities. The strength of this book lies in a comprehensive presentation of various interlinked issues in a simple way that can be understood by diverse players from different fields. India has also made concerted efforts all along to gain more and more technological strength, but it has a huge potential to achieve much more. It is hoped that this book would stimulate discussions to refine the ideas, generate new thoughts, and perhaps evolve novel solutions. This can be helpful in shaping up a roadmap which could lead the country to self-reliance in the international technology arena in the years to come.” – Prasad A. Naik, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore, India

“I am glad that these issues have been discussed comprehensively in the book “Scientific Research and Manufacturing: Potential India Growth Story”. The book provides for a primer on the issues which are of great relevance to India and many other developing countries. The author with his deep understanding of scientific research and development and wide exposure over 30 years, has presented all relevant issues with a way forward, in a clear, simple and effective manner. The book will be useful to the policy makers in the country, researchers in the government sector, academics and all those professionals otherwise interested in understanding the sphere of scientific, research and manufacturing activities in the country.” – Dr. Gulshan Rai, National Cyber Security Co-ordinator, Government of IndiaSansad Marg, New Delhi

“In this book, the author attempts to discuss what may be involved in developing countries who are encountering these challenges. Rather than treating the subject in a general way, the author has chosen to focus the discussion primarily around the Indian ecosystem as a typical test case. He has tried to describe and analyze in great detail the anatomy of scientific research, STEM higher education, Government policy structure, cultural issues, technology development and manufacturing eco-system in India. He has also described how to bring all of them to a common harness and how missing out on even one could derail the overall process of high technology-based manufacturing. This book should be of great interest to academicians, R&D fraternity and policy makers in India and the developing world, since most of the issues discussed here in the context of India have commonalities with many developing countries.” – Dr. Amitava Sen Gupta, The North Cap University, Gurgaon

“The book by Professor Brijmohan Suri brings out the requirement of an interesting paradigm shift in research and development in view of the onset of Industry Revolution 4.0, particularly in the face of disruptive technologies. Although, Professor Suri has the developing Countries in focus, (more specifically, India), many of his ideas in the book will find relevance even in developed Countries. The book has high quality inputs for research managers, scientific policy makers and education planners.” – Professor K.K. Aggarwal, Former Founder Vice Chancellor, I P University, Delhi, India; Former President, Computer Society of India; Former President, South East Asia Regional Computer Confederation

“The book is an original work on science and technology policy in India, its relation to the rest of the world and the prospect that a change in the policy may have in near future. The narrative is based on the facts which are available mostly in public domain, mixed with personal experience gained by the author from his illustrious long career in government sector R&D and dished out in simple scientific language. It is going to be a solid reference work for the science and technology policy makers in India, keeping in view India’s ambition to secure hi-tech job opportunities for its mammoth youth population. The book gives an alternative perspective to the perceived gap between science and engineering and translational research, thus creating a research eco-system in the country enabling hi-tech start-ups and spin-offs. I personally enjoyed reading the narrative as it stimulates the much required debate quite missing in present policy decision making, particularly related to Science and technology.” READ MORE…Manas Mukherjee, Principle Investigator, Centre for Quantum Technologies, Assistant Professor, Physics Department, National University of Singapore

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