Viruses, Plagues, and History
Michael B.A. Oldstone - 1998
The first small cities formed not only the cradle of civilization, but the spawning ground for the earliest viral epidemics, the first opportunity for viruses to find a home in the human herd. This is a story of fear and ignorance, as everything from demons and the wrath of the gods to minority groups have been blamed for epidemics from smallpox to yellow fever to AIDS. It is a story of grief and heartbreak, as hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions, are wiped out in a single year. And it is a story of great bravery and sacrifice, as doctors and nurses put themselves in harm's way to combat yellow fever in Memphis and Ebola in Zaire, and as researchers risk their own lives to test theories of vaccines and the transmission of disease. Now, in Viruses, Plagues, and History, Michael B. A. Oldstone tells all these stories as he illuminates the history of the devastating diseases that have tormented humanity.Oldstone focuses his tale on a few of the most famous viruses humanity has battled, beginning with some we have effectively defeated, such as smallpox, polio, and measles. Nearly 300 million people were killed by smallpox in this century alone -- more than were killed in all the wars of the twentieth century combined. The author presents a vivid account of the long campaign against the virus, the insightful work of Edward Jenner, who created the smallpox vaccine from cowpox virus in 1796, and the monumental efforts of D. A. Henderson and an army of W.H.O. health care workers to finally eradicate smallpox. The smallpox virus remains the only organism that we have deliberately pushed to complete extinction in the wild.Oldstone then describes the fascinating viruses that have captured headlines in more recent years: Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers, which literally turn their victims' organs to a bloody pulp; the Hantavirus outbreaks in the southwestern United States and elsewhere; mad cow disease, a frightening illness made worse by government mishandling and secrecy; and, of course, AIDS, often called the plague of our time. And he tells us of the many scientists watching and waiting even now for the next great plague, monitoring influenza strains to see whether the deadly variant from 1918 -- a viral strain that killed over 20 million people in 1918-1919, more than twice the military and civilian casualties of the First World War -- will make a comeback.Viruses have enormous power. They have wiped out cities, brought down dynasties, and helped destroy civilizations. But, as Michael Oldstone reveals, scientific research has given us the power to tame many of these viruses as well. Viruses, Plagues, and History shows us the panorama of humanity's long-standing conflict with our unseen viral enemies, from our successes to our continuing struggles. Oldstone's book is a vivid history of a fascinating field, and a highly reliable dispatch from a worker on the frontiers of this ongoing campaign.
Dreadful Diseases and Terrible Treatments
Jonathan J. Moore - 2017
Squirming parasites, bursting pustules, rotting limbs, and cascading diarrhea: it's all depicted here in vivid detail. Sometimes the remedy proved as unbearable as the sickness itself. Whether performing dire dentistry or ice-pick lobotomies, bloodletting or blistering, the medical practitioners of history were ever inventive, if not effective. Disease played a role in shaping human history, too: read how measles and smallpox hastened the decline of the native peoples of the Americas, and how typhus helped to defeat Napoleon. Extraordinary anecdotes abound, such as the cautionary tale of Typhoid Mary and how a cow called Blossom saved the day. Packed with startling medical illustrations, this morbidly fascinating study of all that ails is bound to grip you from page one and leave you reaching for the disinfectant."
The Death of Cancer: After Fifty Years on the Front Lines of Medicine, a Pioneering Oncologist Reveals Why the War on Cancer Is Winnable--and How We Can Get There
Vincent T. DeVita Jr. - 2015
But most of us know very little about how the disease works, why we treat it the way we do, and the personalities whose dedication got us where we are today. For fifty years, Dr. Vincent T. DeVita Jr. has been one of those key players: he has held just about every major position in the field, and he developed the first successful chemotherapy treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a breakthrough the American Society of Clinical Oncologists has called the top research advance in half a century of chemotherapy. As one of oncology’s leading figures, DeVita knows what cancer looks like from the lab bench and the bedside. The Death of Cancer is his illuminating and deeply personal look at the science and the history of one of the world’s most formidable diseases. In DeVita’s hands, even the most complex medical concepts are comprehensible.Cowritten with DeVita’s daughter, the science writer Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn, The Death of Cancer is also a personal tale about the false starts and major breakthroughs, the strong-willed oncologists who clashed with conservative administrators (and one another), and the courageous patients whose willingness to test cutting-edge research helped those oncologists find potential treatments. An emotionally compelling and informative read, The Death of Cancer is also a call to arms. DeVita believes that we’re well on our way to curing cancer but that there are things we need to change in order to get there. Mortality rates are declining, but America’s cancer patients are still being shortchanged—by timid doctors, by misguided national agendas, by compromised bureaucracies, and by a lack of access to information about the strengths and weaknesses of the nation’s cancer centers.With historical depth and authenticity, DeVita reveals the true story of the fight against cancer. The Death of Cancer is an ambitious, vital book about a life-and-death subject that touches us all.
Intermediate English Grammar
Raymond Murphy - 2006
It is for intermediate and more advanced students combines reference grammar and practice exercises in a single volume.
First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CS
Tao Le - 2006
The top-selling CS review book written by students and IMGs who recently passed 100+ high-yield minicases by chief complaint 30 complete cases simulate the exam experience Contains new Patient Encounters, including telephone interviews Perfect for group or solo study YOUR COMPLETE CS SURVIVAL GUIDE FROM THE AUTHORS OF FIRST AID FOR THE USMLE STEP 1 INSIDER ADVICE FOR STEP 2 CS SUCCESS New miniguide shows US students and IMGs how best to use this book Revised by test veterans to reflect the 2005--2006 exam experience Each complete case features standardized patient checklists and a recommended clinical approach Minicases represent the major chief complaints and diagnoses seen on the Step 2 CS Proven strategies for the patient encounter and patient note High-yield, must-know facts on patient diagnosis and workup.
Communication Electronics
Louis E. Frenzel - 1989
In addition, it discusses antennas and microwave techniques at a technician level and covers data communication techniques (modems, local area networks, fiber optics, satellite communication) and advanced applications (cellular telephones, facsimile and radar). The work is suitable for courses in Communications Technology.
The History of Last Night's Dream: Discovering the Hidden Path to the Soul
Rodger Kamenetz - 2007
When Sigmund Freud awakened modern interest in the dream a century ago, his theory of interpretation undermined the potential insights dreams had to offer. For Freud, dreams were little more than fragmented puzzle parts made up of events from our waking lives. Most of us today still live under Freud's far-reaching influence. When we wake up after experiencing a powerful series of images, we too readily explain them away or simply ignore them all together. Whatever emotion or insight the dream evokes slowly fades. But what if Freud was wrong? Unless we challenge his deeply-ingrained assumptions, we will forever lose the gift of our dreams.International bestselling author Rodger Kamenetz believes it is not too late to reclaim the lost power of our nightly visions. Kamenetz's exploration of the world of dreams reopens all the questions scientists and psychologists claimed to have settled long ago. The culmination of decades of research, The History of Last Night's Dream is a riveting intellectual and cultural investigation of dreams and what they have to teach us. We discover how the age-old struggle between what we dream and how we interpret our dreams has shaped Western culture from biblical times to today. Kamenetz introduces us to an eighty-seven-year-old female kabbalist in Jerusalem, a suave Tibetan Buddhist dream teacher in Copenhagen, and a crusty intuitive postman-turned-dream master in northern Vermont. He fearlessly delves into this mysterious inner realm and shows us that dreams are not only intensely meaningful but that they hold essential truths about who we are. In the end, each of us has the choice to embark on this illuminating path to the soul. But one thing is certain: our dreams will never be the same again.
Medicine and Mayhem; The Dr. Laura Nelson Files
Patricia Gussin - 2016
Tragically, at the peak of her professional success, a fall on the ice and a devastating hand injury ends her surgical career. But Laura proves resilient and lands the top research job in a large pharmaceutical company. Seven years in Laura’s life separate each of the four novels in the collection. Laura’s personal life evolves just as do the threats—initiated in the dark days of Detroit—that have haunted her along the way.
Strange True Encounters & Unearthly Experiences: 25 Mind-Boggling Reports of the Paranormal - Never Before in Book Form
Phyllis Galde - 2017
Over the next ten years the “Strange” books sold over 6,000,000 copies worldwide. Strange True Encounters & Unearthly Experiences is the first new book in the series in over three decades, and features: Robert M. Schoch, Ph.D. in Geology and Geophysics at Yale University on discoveries at Anatolia‘s Gobekli Tepe suggesting civilization is far older than previously believed. Gregory Sams on unfolding evidence that stars may be conscious. Janet Brennan on Europe’s mysterious Black Madonna statues. Martin Cadin, ex-member Federal Aviation Administration, on his personal experiments using telekinesis. Michio Kaku, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the City University of New York, on our ten-dimensional universe and paranormal phenomenon. Journalist Chris Friar on 19th century UFO sightings proving they are not a modern phenomenon. Actor Anthony Quinn on the “profound mystical experience” in the Sinai Desert that changed his life. Plus over a dozen other accounts, investigation and in-depth reports on the Ouija board, remote viewing, poltergeists, Kansas’ sacred sites, the U.S. warship that was saved by an angel, and much more. We believe this brand new entry in the “Strange” series – is in every way the equal of its predecessors. And will prove every bit as entertaining and enlightening as the earlier books did. (Asked where he got the ideas for his stories, Steven King credited FATE. “My mother used to read me FATE Magazine, which was about the paranormal, flying saucers…all that stuff. I was fascinated.”) Here is what Amazon readers have to say about classic reprints from FATE: “A book worth reading. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.” “FATE always comes through.” “Well written, short articles on a variety of paranormal events, many of which were unfamiliar to me. Interesting, unfamiliar and competently edited.” “Good stuff. Reminds us that stories like this have been happening for years. Not just a modern invention. Worth a read.” “Very good read. 5 stars.”
Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science
Judy Mikovits - 2020
Judy Mikovits is a modern-day Rosalind Franklin, a brilliant researcher shaking up the old boys’ club of science with her groundbreaking discoveries. And like many women who have trespassed into the world of men, she uncovered decades-old secrets that many would prefer to stay buried. From her doctoral thesis, which changed the treatment of HIV-AIDS, saving the lives of millions, including basketball great Magic Johnson, to her spectacular discovery of a new family of human retroviruses, and her latest research which points to a new golden age of health, Dr. Mikovits has always been on the leading edge of science. With the brilliant wit one might expect if Erin Brockovich had a doctorate in molecular biology, Dr. Mikovits has seen the best and worst of science. When she was part of the research community that turned HIV-AIDS from a fatal disease into a manageable one, she saw science at its best. But when her investigations questioned whether the use of animal tissue in medical research were unleashing devastating plagues of chronic diseases, such as autism and chronic fatigue syndrome, she saw science at its worst. If her suspicions are correct, we are looking at a complete realignment of scientific practices, including how we study and treat human disease. Recounting her nearly four decades in science, including her collaboration of more than thirty-five years with Dr. Frank Ruscetti, one of the founders of the field of human retrovirology, this is a behind the scenes look at the issues and egos which will determine the future health of humanity.
Toward the Goal: The Kaka Story
Jeremy V. Jones - 2010
A biography of Brazilian soccer player Kaká detailing his life and career.
The Naked Surgeon: the power and peril of transparency in medicine
Samer Nashef - 2015
We all have one, but most of us will never see one. The heart surgeon now has that privilege but, for centuries, the heart was out of reach even for surgeons. So when a surgeon nowadays opens up a ribcage and mends a heart, it remains something of a miracle, even if, to some, it is merely plumbing.
As with plumbers, the quality of surgeons’ work varies. As with plumbers, surgeons’ opinion of their own prowess and their own attitude to risk are not always reliable. Measurement is key. We’ve had a century of effective evidence-based medicine. We’ve had barely a decade of thorough monitoring of clinical outcomes. Thanks to the ground-breaking risk modelling of pioneering surgeons like Samer Nashef, we at last know how to judge whether an operation is in a patient’s best interest, which hospital and surgeon would be best for that operation, when it might best be performed and what the exact level of risk is. We have at last made what is important in surgery measurable. But how should surgeons, and their patients, use these newfound insights? Ever since his days as a medical student, Samer Nashef has challenged the medical profession to be more open and more accurate about the success of surgical procedures, for the sake of the patients. In The Naked Surgeon, he unclothes his own profession to demonstrate to his reader (and prospective patient) many revelations, such as the paradox at the heart of the cardiac surgeon’s craft: the more an operation is likely to kill you, the better it is for you. And he does so with absolute clarity, fluency and not a little wit.
Netter's Anatomy Flash Cards [with Student Consult Online Access]
John T. Hansen - 2011
This 4th Edition contains full-color illustrations from Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy, 6th Edition paired with concise text identifying those structures and reviewing relevant anatomical information and clinical correlations. Online access at studentconsult lets you review anatomy from any computer, plus additional "bonus" cards and over 300 multiple-choice questions.A perfect study aid and complement to Netter's Clinical Anatomy, 3rd Edition?concise text and the Netter/Atlas of Human Anatomy, 6th Edition.Netter. It's how you know.
The Longevity Paradox: How to Die Young at a Ripe Old Age
Steven R. Gundry - 2019
But aging does not have to mean decline. World-renowned surgeon Dr. Steven Gundry has been treating mature patients for most of his career. He knows that everyone thinks they want to live forever, until they hit middle age and witness the suffering of their parents and even their peers. So how do we solve the paradox of wanting to live to a ripe old age—but enjoy the benefits of youth?This groundbreaking book holds the answer. Working with thousands of patients, Dr. Gundry has discovered that the “diseases of aging” we most fear are not simply a function of age; rather, they are a byproduct of the way we have lived over the decades. In The Longevity Paradox, he maps out a new approach to aging well—one that is based on supporting the health of the “oldest” parts of us: the microorganisms that live within our bodies.Our gut bugs—the bacteria that make up the microbiome—largely determine our health over the years. From diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s to common ailments like arthritis to our weight and the appearance of our skin, these bugs are in the driver’s seat, controlling our quality of life as we age.The good news is, it’s never too late to support these microbes and give them what they need to help them—and you—thrive. In The Longevity Paradox, Dr. Gundry outlines a nutrition and lifestyle plan to support gut health and live well for decades to come. A progressive take on the new science of aging, The Longevity Paradox offers an action plan to prevent and reverse disease as well as simple hacks to help anyone look and feel younger and more vital.
Ketotarian: The (Mostly) Plant-Based Plan to Burn Fat, Boost Your Energy, Crush Your Cravings, and Calm Inflammation
Will Cole - 2018
The ketogenic diet kick-starts your body's metabolism so it burns fat, instead of sugar, as its primary fuel. But most ketogenic plans are meat- and dairy-heavy, creating a host of other problems, especially for those who prefer plants at the center of the plate. Dr. Will Cole comes to the rescue with Ketotarian, which has all the fat-burning benefits without the antibiotics and hormones that are packed into most keto diets.First developed for individuals suffering from seizures, keto diets have been shown to reduce inflammation and lower the risk of many chronic health problems including Alzheimer's and some cancers. Adding a plant-based twist, Ketotarian includes more than 75 recipes that are vegetarian, vegan, or pescatarian, offering a range of delicious and healthy choices for achieving weight loss, renewed health, robust energy, and better brain function.Packed with expert tips, tricks, and advice for going--and staying--Ketotarian, including managing macronutrients, balancing electrolytes, and finding your carb sweet spot, this best-of-both-worlds program is a game-changer for anyone who wants to tame inflammation and achieve peak physical and mental performance. Let the Ketotarian revolution begin!