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Allies and Enemies : How the World Depends on Bacteria
Bacteria are invisible, mysterious, deadly, self-sufficient and absolutely essential for all life, including "yours." No other living things combine their elegant simplicity with their incredibly complex role: Bacteria keep us alive, supply our food, and regulate our biosphere. We can t live a day without them, and no chemical, antibiotic, or irradiation has ever successfully eradicated them. They re our partners, like it or not--even though some of them will happily kill us. "Allies and Enemies" tells the story of this amazing, intimate partnership. Authored by Anne Maczulak, a microbiologist who s hunted and worked with an extraordinary array of bacteria, this book offers a powerful new perspective on Earth s oldest creatures. You ll discover how bacteria work, how they evolve, their surprising contributions and uses, the roles they ve played in human history, and why you can't survive without them. No form of life is more important, and in Maczulak s hands, none is more fascinating. Outlasted, outnumbered, outsmarted "They ve been here four billion years"--"and they even outnumber you "in your own body How bacteria keep you alive " and how to keep them from killing you" Humans Defeat Germs "But not for long " The Invisible Universe "The stunning hidden relationships between bacteria and the rest of nature" "
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A Field Guide to Bacteria
Bacteria are an integral aspect of every habitat in which they occur and affect the lives of humans, other animals, and plants in many ways. Too often, we equate bacterium with pathogen and think of bacteria as things to avoid. In a guide for naturalists, students, teachers and tourists alike, Betsey Dexter Dyer lets the reader know that it is possible to observe bacteria with all the senses. Many groups of bacteria can be easily identified in the field (or in the refrigerator) without a microscope.
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The Human Genome : A User's Guide
Significant advances in our knowledge of genetics were made during the twentieth century but in the most recent decades, genetic research has dramatically increased its impact throughout society. Genetic issues are now playing a large role in health and public policy, and new knowledge in this field will continue to have significant implications for individuals and society. Written for the non-majors human genetics course, Human Genetics, 3E will increase the genetics knowledge of students who are learning about human genetics for the first time. This thorough revision of the best-selling Human Genome,2E includes entirely new chapters on forensics, stem cell biology, bioinformatics, and societal/ethical issues associated with the field. New special features boxes make connections between human genetics and human health and disease. Carefully crafted pedagogy includes chapter-opening case studies that set the stage for each chapter; concept statements interspersed throughout the chapter that keep first-time students focused on key concepts; and end-of-chapter questions and critical thinking activities. This new edition will contribute to creating a genetically literate student population that understands basic biological research, understands elements of the personal and health implications of genetics, and participates effectively in public policy issues involving genetic information . Includes topical material on forensics, disease studies, and the human genome project to engage non-specialist students Full, 4-color illustration program enhances and reinforces key concepts and themes Uniform organization of chapters includes interest boxes that focus on human health and disease, chapter-opening case studies, and concept statements to engage non-specialist readers
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The Machinery of Life
Imagine that we had some way to look directly at the molecules in a living organism. An x-ray microscope would do the trick, or since we're dreaming, perhaps an Asimov-style nanosubmarine (unfortunately, neither is currently feasible). Think of the wonders we could witness firsthand: antibodies attacking a virus, electrical signals racing down nerve fibers, proteins building new strands of DNA. But the nanoscale world of molecules is separated from our everyday world of experience by a daunting million-fold difference in size, so the world of molecules is completely invisible. I created the illustrations in this book to help bridge this gulf and allow us to see the molecular structure of cells, if not directly, then in an artistic rendition. I have included two types of illustrations with this goal in mind: watercolor paintings which magnify a small portion of a living cell by one million times, showing the arrangement of molecules inside, and comput- generated pictures, which show the atomic details of individual molecules.
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Microbiology
Now in full color, Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Microbiology, Second Edition enables rapid review and assimilation of large amounts of complex information about medical microbiology. The book has the hallmark features for which Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews volumes are so popular: an outline format, 450 full-color illustrations, end-of-chapter summaries, review questions, plus an entire section of clinical case studies with full-color illustrations. This edition's medical/clinical focus has been sharpened to provide a high-yield review. Five additional case studies have been included, bringing the total to nineteen. Review questions have been reformatted to comply with USMLE Step 1 style, with clinical vignettes.
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Microbiology for the Health Sciences
Microbiology for the Health Sciences is the market's leading textbook for microbiology for allied health students. It is the ideal source for health professions and nursing students who need to learn the basic microbiological concepts involved in the care of patients and protection against infectious diseases. The Seventh Edition is fully updated with the latest research, techniques, and philosophies of microbiology in the health sciences today. There are free online instructor and student resources on the book’s companion Website. For more information, visit http://connection.LWW.com/go/burton7e.
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A Planet of Viruses
Viruses are the smallest living things known to science, yet they hold the entire planet in their sway. We are most familiar with the viruses that give us colds or the flu, but viruses also cause a vast range of other diseases, including one disorder that makes people sprout branch-like growths as if they were trees. Viruses have been a part of our lives for so long, in fact, that we are actually part virus: the human genome contains more DNA from viruses than our own genes. Meanwhile, scientists are discovering viruses everywhere they look: in the soil, in the ocean, even in caves miles underground. This fascinating book explores the hidden world of viruses--a world that we all inhabit. Here Carl Zimmer, popular science writer and author of Discover magazine's award-winning blog The Loom, presents the latest research on how viruses hold sway over our lives and our biosphere, how viruses helped give rise to the first life-forms, how viruses are producing new diseases, how we can harness viruses for our own ends, and how viruses will continue to control our fate for years to come.
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Principles of Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of the invisible world of microorganisms, organisms so small that microscopes and other special equipment are needed to directly observe them. They play a crucial role in maintaining the Earth's atmosphere and help decompose organic matter. Microbiology plays a role in a great variety of areas, including optimizing soil for agriculture, developing preservatives and pharmaceuticals, genetic engineering, and developing climate change models. The discovery of microbes was instrumental in controlling infectious disease outbreaks that had, for centuries, wiped out entire populations.
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The Secret Life of Germs : Observations and Lessons From a Microbe Hunter
They're on everything we touch, eat, and breathe in -- on every inch of skin. And despite the advances of science, germs are challenging medicine in ways that were unimaginable ten years ago. No wonder the world is up in arms -- and using antibacterial soaps. From the common cold, E. coli, and Lyme disease to encephalitis, mad cow disease, and flesh-eating bacteria, Tierno takes readers on a historical survey of the microscopic world. Rebuffing scare tactics behind recent "germ events" Tierno explains how the recycling of matter is the key to life. Yes, he'll tell you why it's a good idea to clean children's toys, why those fluffy towels may not be so clean, and why you never want to buy a second-hand mattress, but he also reveals that there is a lot we can do to prevent germ-induced suffering. You'll never look at anything the same way again.