Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Book Description

Over the last few years, the language of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has expanded enormously to the extent that few scientists can expect to be familiar with all the terms and concepts. This is partly due the massive influence of the Genome and successive "-omics" projects which have developed in to many new areas of research. At the same time, terms from other subject areas - including mathematics, statistics, physics and other life sciences - appear increasingly in the biochemical literature. The Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology provides a comprehensive and 'encyclopaedic' survey of modern biochemistry and molecular biology. This new edition of the popular dictionary has been comprehensively reviewed and updated to include many important new concepts and words. The entries are short but informative, providing up-to-date information on a broad range of topics, including definitions for terms from the fields of Bioinformatics, Biophysics, Cell Biology, Chemistry, Genetics, Immunology, Mathematics, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Systems Biology, and Toxicology. There are over 21000 main entries, which include: details of biochemical substances and the processes in which they are involved, methods and concepts in molecular biology, and definitions of biochemical symbols and abbreviations. Each entry is accessibly written. They point out pitfalls where terms are often confused, and explain the precise syntax of biochemical terms such as Greek letters and other formatting, which are invariably lost when searching the Internet. In addition, the dictionary is generously illustrated with over 900 chemical structures. The Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will serve as an invaluable reference text for student and professional biochemists and molecular biologists seeking information both from within and outside their own fields. It will also be of relevance and use to a broader audience of life scientists seeking an authoritative overview of fundamental principles.

Customer Reviews:

Complete and mostly accurate.......2006-10-27

How does one review a dictionary? If the aim is to arrive at a reasoned and mature assessment of the book the ideal way would be to keep it on my shelf for five years or so, noting how often I find it useful to consult it, how often I am happy with the result of the consultation, and how often I am unhappy. Unfortunately, however, the job needs to be done more quickly than that, so I shall adopt a more superficial approach, checking a selection of definitions to see how accurate and helpful they are.

Opening the book at random led the definition of "elasticity coefficient". The definition given is accurate enough as far as it goes (setting aside the presence of two undefined quantities in the equation given), but I wonder how much illuminated a reader will be who consults the dictionary in the hope of understanding the (important) difference between an elasticity coefficient and a control coefficient. The definition fails to mention that elasticity coefficients are usually called just elasticities, and it fails to give a cross-reference to "control coefficient" (perhaps just as well, as the dictionary has no entry for control coefficient), but it does give a rather unhelpful suggestion to "see controllability coefficient" --- unhelpful because following the suggestion leads only to the information that this is a "former name for elasticity coefficient". Would it not save the reader trouble just to include this information in the main entry?

What about something that I knew nothing at all about before, such as myocilin? This is apparently also called TIGR, which was news to me as I thought TIGR was The Institute for Genome Research, and that is also what the entry for TIGR says, without any cross-reference to myocilin. Anyway, myocilin is a protein of no known function expressed in many tissues---not especially muscle, despite the entry a few lines up that says that myo+ is a prefix denoting muscle. Is this important enough to justify a five-line definition? Apparently it is, because the gene for myocilin is implicated in glaucoma.

As an illustration of the maxim that one picture is worth a thousand words, the definition of "Fischer projection" runs to more than 150 words, but lacks the simple diagram that would have rendered the words more readily intelligible.

A common fault in elementary biochemistry textbooks is the lack of understanding that some authors display of the ionic states of biochemical species in neutral aqueous solution. This is now far better than it was a generation ago, but there are still some authors who have not yet seen the light. So how well does the dictionary fare? Less well than I would have hoped. Phosphoric acid derivatives are normally shown in ionized states, but carboxylic acids and primary amines do less well: threonine, thyronine, thyroxine, tranexic acid, tryptophan and tyrosine all appear in physically impossible states in the space of a few pages.

All this led me to consult the entry on "zwitterion", which defines it as "an alternative name for dipolar ion". This seemed to be an example of defining the familiar in terms of something less familiar, but I see that several textbooks do prefer the latter term. Anyway, a dipolar ion or zwitterion is "a molecule containing ionic groups of opposite charge in equal numbers". So the form of aspartate that exists in neutral solution is not a zwitterion? If we want a word that includes all the common amino acids at pH 7 we need amphion (or amphoion if we prefer it and can think of a way to pronounce it), a term that I have never encountered (in either spelling) in any paper I have seen in the biochemical literature. Anyway, it would have been nice to see more expansive definitions of these terms, and it would be hard to argue that there was no space available in a dictionary that has room for nine lines to discuss the pronunciation of Linux. It is dangerous, anyway, for a biochemistry dictionary to include terms from computing that are in danger of becoming obsolete before the ink is dry: Netscape, for example, is "a popular browser available for a variety of computers and operating systems", but this is 2006, and who uses Netscape Navigator in 2006? Have young biochemists even heard of it? Incidentally, despite the bold type there is no entry for browser.

If any of the editors read this review they will doubtless find it very pedantic. I have to plead guilty to that, but reviewers of dictionaries need to be pedantic, and in an ideal world compilers of dictionaries would be pedantic as well.

Excellent reference for the biochemist!.......2004-12-20

I have been using this book as a general reference since I bought it three years ago. It describes most terms in general biochemistry, molecular biology, organic chemistry and genetics. I find it easier to have one reference book where one can look up terms, than having to search through various textbooks to find the descriptions.

keep handy when you're trawling through science literature.......2003-07-10

As someone involved in biochemical research, I spend loads of time reading a variety of life science journals. Just keeping up with the latest research is hard enough, but as my areas of interest become ever larger and intermeshed with other disciplines such as medicine and physics, I've found myself delving into this book more and more. But the pace of research is also a problem for a book like this, because to remain useful, new editions cannot appear fast enough to keep up with the latest batch of techniques, genes and proteins. Ultimately an Internet version of this book that gets updated on a regular basis would be the most useful. Never the less, once you get in the habit of using this dictionary, you'll want to keep it nearby when you're browsing the life science literature. Is this book good value? I think it's expensive compared to all other books, but well priced for an academic textbook. I find that using this book is still more rapid and direct than browsing the web for the definition of a word I don't know, and the brief definition given in this book is a good starting point for hunting down more detailed information.

FAIR: DEPENDING ON YOUR NEED.......2003-01-04

This revised edition of "Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology" is comprehensive, clinically relevant, and fairly up-to-date. It has a good coverage (for degree students), although that advanced researchers may need something more extensive. Its ability to correlate biochemical terms and data is appreciated. But with just over 17,000 definitions, its listed price is a bit on the high side. Buyers could get a better illustrated, more voluminous Biochem dictionary at that price.

Every Definition you'll need.......2001-11-03

Great for Science majors, all the definitions or words you used to know but can't remember from class to class. Very thorough. much better than a textbook glossary.

Average customer rating:

Concise Encyclopedia Of Biochemistry
Thomas A Scott
Manufacturer: DE GRUYTER, WALTER
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3110145359

Book Description

An up-to-date, comprehensive yet compact source of biochemical and molecular biological data containing more than 4,500 entries and over 1,000 figures, formulas and tables. The ideal reference book for the researcher, teacher and student. In the third edition existing entries have been revised and where necessary, entirely re-written. Many new entries on Molecular and Cell Biology have been included. Advances in our knowledge of metabolic pathways have not been ignored. There are also new entries on methods for the determination of macromolecular structure and conformation. Several topics have been reorganized, and certain subjects previously grouped together have now been separated anbd accorded more extensive treatment as separate entries.

Elsevier's Dictionary of Medicine and Biology

Average customer rating:

Excellent choice - Certainly more than a reference work

Elsevier's Dictionary of Medicine and Biology
G. Konstantinidis
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0444514406

Book Description

Dictionaries are didactic books used as consultation instruments for self-teaching. They are composed by an ordered set of linguistic units which reflects a double structure, the macrostructure which correspond to the word list and the microstructure that refers to the contents of each lemma. The great value of dictionaries nests in the fact that they establish a standard nomenclature and prevent in that way the appearance of new useless synonyms.
This dictionary contains a total of about 27.500 main English entries, and over of 130.000 translations that should normally sufficiently cover all fields of life sciences. The basic criteria used to accept a word a part of the dictionary during the development period in order of importance were usage, up-to-dateness, specificity, simplicity and conceptual relationships. The dictionary meets the standards of higher education and covers all main fields of life sciences by setting its primary focus on the vastly developing fields of cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, developmental biology, microbiology, genetics and also the fields of human anatomy, histology, pathology, physiology, zoology and botany.
The fields of ecology, paleontology, systematics, evolution, biostatistics, plant physiology, plant anatomy, plant histology, biometry and lab techniques have been sufficiently covered but in a more general manner. The latest Latin international anatomical terminology "Terminologia Anatomica" or "TA" has been fully incorporated and all anatomical entries have been given their international Latin TA synonym. This dictionary will be a valuable and helpful tool for all scientists, teachers, students and generally all those that work within the fields of life sciences.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent choice - Certainly more than a reference work.......2006-01-26

This book is more than a reference book.
It is expensive but also one of its kind! Well organized, extensively covering all claimed scientific fields and has such a vast number of synonyms in each language (in English for example it presents over 22.000 cross-referenced synonyms) that could be also used as a scientific thesaurus.

The incorporation of the Greek, Italian and Latin languages in this singe volume is without doubt a great accomplishment since all the previous languages are source languages of scientific terminology of the fields of life sciences.
Although most scientific dictionaries lack grammatical information, this book presents a clear brief info that is very helpful for all those trying to compile scientific texts in a foreign language.

Closing this review it would be a mistake to overlook that in its 2590 pages one can find the modern translation of almost any term -from- and -to- any language between English Greek German Italian and Latin.

Recommendation is guaranteed since it is already trusted by major libraries worldwide:

US National Library of Medicine
US Library of Congress
Harvard University Library
Cambridge University Library
Yale University Library
Johns Hopkins University Library
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Library
Oxford University Library
Berkeley University of California Library
Los Angeles University of California Library
EMBL Heidelberg Germany Library
German National Library of Medicine
Chicago Public Library
Central Library of Zurich
McGill University Library
Irvine University of California Library
San Francisco University of California Library
Santa Barbara University of California Library
North Carolina State University Library
University of Toronto Library
University of Texas MD.Anderson Cancer Center Library
Pennsylvania State University Library
Kansas State University Library
Davis University of California Library
University of Cincinnati Library
Indiana University Library
Cornell University Library
Columbia University of NY Library
University of Saskatchewan Library
University of Chicago Library
University of Alberta Library
University of Wisconsin-Madison Library
University of Florida Library
University of Connecticut Library
University of Southern California Library
University of Kentucky Library
University of Muenster Library
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Universite Laval Library
Universitat Pompeu Fabra Library
Universite de Montreal Library
Georgia Institute of Technology Library
Stadt-Universitatsbibliothek Bern
Universitatsbibliothek Leipzig
Universitatsbibliothek Basel
Universitatsbibliothek Stuttgart
Universitatsbibliothek Wien
University of Sydney Library
ETH-Bibliothek Zurich
National University of Singapore Library
Lithuanian National Library
Chinese Peking University Library
Japanese Osaka Medical College Library
Japanese National Institute of Informatics Library
Japanese AICHI University Library

If I could recommend other dictionaries then those would be: (Elsevier's) Dorland's illustrated medical dictionary and (Lippincott Williams and Wilkins) Stedman's Medical dictionary.

Average customer rating:

Dictionary of Plant Toxins
Gerard P. Moss
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471951072

Book Description

Phytotoxins are poisonous substances produced by plants, mostly for reasons of protection and compound transport. The study of these substances has yielded many new medicinal products both for humans and other animals. This book provides a concise and comprehensive source of information on plant toxins.

Encyclopedic Dictionary of Genetics, Genomics, and Proteomics

Average customer rating:

Practical and illuminating
Excellent Resource

Encyclopedic Dictionary of Genetics, Genomics, and Proteomics
G. P. Redei
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471268216

Book Description

"very useful as a quick desk reference for students, professionals, and nonprofessionals."
-Quarterly Review of Biology

"a trove of valuable clinical information"
-New England Journal of Medicine

This extensively expanded and thoroughly revised new edition provides a uniquely user-friendly and clearly written tool for navigating the latest terminology, concepts, theories, applications, and technology in these dynamic disciplines. This second edition includes a vast range of terms and concepts dealing with biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, immunology, hereditary diseases, and molecular evolution, through to the state-of-the-art in genomics and proteomics. The nearly 25,000 alphabetically arranged entries are explained in a concise yet detailed manner, including ample cross-references, literature citations, databases, tables, and illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Practical and illuminating.......2004-02-10

The alphabetical listing of entries and the double-column format generates an interesting clustering of related concepts. It also happens to juxtapose seemingly unrelated concepts with common root meaning. The encyclopedic explanations are pithy and their range is global. Highlights for me are 1) the references to journal articles and texts included with many of the entries, 2) useful cross-referencing within the book, 3) the appendix of reference books, and 4) best of all, the historical vignettes. Author, please, write a book of 25,000 historical vignettes to illuminate science in light of our humanity.

Excellent Resource.......2003-11-27

This book is a comprehensive tool that will be useful to a variety of users. The layout of the book is easy to use and the definitions are easy to understand. It is an excellent resource for information.

Exploring Medical Language: A Student Directed Approach

Average customer rating:

FAST delivery!!
Why wait for school!
Very thorough...
Great Textbook
Excellent Textbook! Received an "A" in my class also!

Exploring Medical Language: A Student Directed Approach
Myrna LaFleur Brooks
Manufacturer: C.V. Mosby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Biochemistry | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0323017185

Book Description

In this new edition of a time-tested, proven method, Exploring Medical Language provides the basic knowledge of medical language that students need to communicate clearly and understand communication from other health care team members. This easy-to-use book offers clear presentations of medical terms built from word parts, as well as terms not built from word parts that are sometimes not covered in other texts. It also reviews anatomic terminology. A wealth of exercises help students memorize word parts and their meanings so they can confidently combine parts to form medical terms.

A vivid, full-color page design and full-color illustrations emphasize terms to be learned, bring content to life, and make learning easier.
Extensive learning aids for students, including flash cards, audiotapes with definitions and pronunciations, and an accompanying CD-ROM with additional exercises offer more valuable learning tools than any other medical terminology book.
Comprehensive coverage distinguishes between terms built from word parts and those not easily recognized as built from word parts.
Systemic presentation of medical terminology provides a foundation of word parts and shows how words are built by combining the parts, giving students a set of skills to recognize and define new words as they encounter them.

A consistent color key uses different colors to represent sections on diagnostic, pathology, and pharmacy terms, setting these sections apart and making them easy to locate within a chapter.
New terms and abbreviations reflect advances in technology and changes in health care delivery system, providing the student with the most up-to-date terminology.
Chapter outlines at the beginning of each chapter communicate chapter content at a glance and allow readers to find a specific topic quickly.
Function sections with separate headings in the body systems chapters clearly introduce and describe the function of each body system.
Review exercises on abbreviations in each chapter help students memorize abbreviations in medical terminology.
"Real-life" case studies, formatted as actual medical reports, encourage critical thinking and demonstrate how to apply information.

Customer Reviews:

FAST delivery!!.......2007-08-04

I paid extra to have them delivered in 24 hours and sure enough, they came. Awesome!

Why wait for school!.......2006-11-10

Classes started and its not a class you want to be behind on. I odered the book though my school, but it was on backoreder forever. Finally got mad, cancalled my order though school and I ordered book here, paid a little more because I wanted it over night! I guess I'm better off getting the book though amazon. Atleast I didn't get far behind!

In a different school, I took Medical Terminology their book is confusing, This book is GREAT, pic to show where stuff is, and explains. I understood this book a lot more then the old one!

Very thorough..........2006-11-07

My son finds this book very helpful in his prenursing course which is also entitled Medical Terminologies. It is thorough and comprehensive. The root words are very helpful and the pictures are descriptive.

Great Textbook.......2006-03-26

This book was required for my Medical Terminology class, but I love it. It is an excellent teacher.

Excellent Textbook! Received an "A" in my class also!.......2004-12-12

I just took this course at a local college and I thought this textbook was excellent. The materials are well laid out and the book includes many photos and drawings of medical procedures. The book includes the following sections for each chapter: anatomy, combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, terms built from word parts, terms not built from word parts, procedures, diseases, acronymns, and many excellent practice sections in each chapter. If you follow the layout of the chapters and do the practice exercies then you will do well in this class. Medical terminology is very logical and practical. Good luck!

A Dictionary of Biology (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Average customer rating:

Maintain that resting potential, now!
Amazing, concise dictionary
No pronunciation guide!
I think this is a very good college biology reference
Great if you are doing A levels!

A Dictionary of Biology (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192801023

Book Description

Fully revised and updated, this fourth edition is the perfect guide for those studying biology, either at school or university. Containing many new entries, and now with biographical entries on key scientists, it provides comprehensive coverage of biology, biophysics, and biochemistry. -- Over 4,000 clear and concise entries -- New entries include heat-shock protein, zinc finger, integrated pest management, and oxidative burst -- Feature articles on important topics, such as genetically modified organisms -- Chronologies chart the discoveries in the main fields of the subject

Customer Reviews:

Maintain that resting potential, now!.......2006-12-02

The question was: what (or whatever) maintains the resting membrane potential nowadays! I always thought that it was the sodium pump (or Na K ATPase etc.). Recently, I heard: No, it is not the sodium pump that maintains the resting potential. So I checked both the Oxford and the Penguin Dictionaries of Biology. Oxford says that the resting potential is maintained by the sodium pump; however, the Penguin says it is the leaky potassium channels, and sodium pump plays a slight role. Well, it is one of those academic debates, it would seem--which really mean nothing--because nothing is at stake! The debate is from confusing maintenance, recovery, and repair--perhaps. Is it the resting potential (a thing being maintained) or is it the repolarization after a depolarization (a thing in recovery) that we are talking about? Is maintenance still maintenance if you spend energy in extruding the smaller atoms out--well: a running car can be maintained only by spending money? Perhaps, after all, it is only the usual confusion of the frogs in a well: they can only see the stars in their own horizons. The whole biological process has several components, and to know which is the one--well, just take one out and see if the process holds and functions. Which brick is the most important in a wall? Clearly, the truth is never simple, and possibly there is no such thing as the truth. Things evolve using all of the components--and are what they are. So, I guess it is always the context and it is always relative: point of view etc. There is no simple correct answer because the question is incorrectly formulated--without the necessary context. What is more important in the running of a car: the engine or the gas? So get both the Oxford and Penguin--they complement, and both are useful when viewed and understood in the right context: neither can replace the textbook; and no textbook replaces all the source materials--but you need to start somewhere. For a rich fantasy life read Ayul Zamir's Intern Beth. Now, whatever maintains that resting membrane potential!

Amazing, concise dictionary.......2006-11-23

This is the best dictionary that I have ever purchased. The dictionary has EVERYTHING that a college biology major (or biology professional) needs. The definitions are thorough and extremely well written. The dictionary itself is organized perfectly. Everything about this dictionary is great--inside and out! A must-buy for any biology student, teacher or anyone else who is interested in the subject.

No pronunciation guide!.......2006-10-28

This book would be better titled Glossary of Biology. There are lots of words and terms with definitions, but no pronunciations given for any of them.

I think this is a very good college biology reference.......2004-08-22

This is a very good reference for college biology because it helped to clarify certain terms. It also is a valuable study tool. I also really liked The Ultimate Study Guide for Biology: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations
Vol 1 isbn:1933023007
Vol 2 isbn:1933023015
Vol 3 isbn:1933023023
These three study guides had great questions to guide me through what to expect on my undergraduate biology exams. A Dictionary of Biology is helpful in clearing up some harder concepts in biology texts.

Great if you are doing A levels!.......2002-02-25

I needed help on terms in both my PE and Biology a levels so I got this. This dictionary gives easy to understand definitions. It comes with cross referencing and a couple of diagrams. It has extra tables and classifications in the back and goes beyond the A level stuff aswell. Worth every penny.

A Dictionary of Chemistry (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Average customer rating:

Beneficial to Veteran Chemists as Well
Very Comprehensive
An indispensable A-level chemistry guide

A Dictionary of Chemistry (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192800310

Book Description

Authoritative and up-to-date, this is the perfect reference book for students of chemistry, whether at school or university. The fully revised new edition has over 1000 new entries and covers all the commonly encountered terms in chemistry, including physical chemistry and biochemistry.

Customer Reviews:

Beneficial to Veteran Chemists as Well.......2007-08-02

I've been in Applications R&D for 17 years and have found this book indispensible. About 2% of what I do falls into the "oddball" category and for those times that I quickly need a reminder regarding a term or mechanism that I don't use on a regular basis (what happens during a condensation reaction, again?), this book is a great memory jogger.

Very Comprehensive.......2004-07-11

This is an excellent reference book at a very nice price. I gave it only four stars because I would have liked to see the origins of the words included. I teach college chemistry and I'm interested in where the terms came from.

An indispensable A-level chemistry guide.......2001-01-10

This A-level chemistry dictionary was a life-saver during my GCE chemistry course and I highly recommend this book to anyone taking chemistry for a degree in university. Do note that there are a few errors definition wise, e.g. the definition of the Rf value. But the new third edition (this one is the second edition) has all that sorted out. So. Go get it!

An A to Z of DNA Science: What Scientists Mean When They Talk About Genes and Genomes (A to Z...)

Average customer rating:

The Best Book For a Non-Scientist / WONDERFUL!
The Perfect Guide for a Non-Scientist / WONDERFUL!
A good idea with mediocre execution

An A to Z of DNA Science: What Scientists Mean When They Talk About Genes and Genomes (A to Z...)
Jeffre L. Witherly
Manufacturer: COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0879696001

Amazon.com

Any lawyer would love to have this guide to DNA that is easy to read and easy to understand. Beautifully illustrated, the book focuses on the language of genes, genomes, DNA, biotechnology, and heredity. --David Marshall Nissman, J.D.

Book Description

Medical science constantly demands our attention, as patients or relatives, concerned citizens, voters, investors, or simply curious individuals. But for those without training, the language of science is often hard to follow. The A to Z of DNA Science book series defines and illustrates specialized terms in ways that non-specialists can appreciate and enjoy. This volume focuses on the language of genes, genomes, DNA, biotechnology, and heredity, defining, explaining, and illustrating over 200 terms used in books, broadcasting, websites, and newspaper and magazine articles.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Book For a Non-Scientist / WONDERFUL!.......2003-02-19

Five wonderful stars and the highest rating for making DNA science understandable for me.

I am not a professional reviewer and not a scientist, and can only write about what this little book has meant to me.

I wanted to say, especially in light of the last review, that this is the only resource like this anywhere I could find. It has clearly and wonderfully explained all these interconnected terms to me in a way that is really insightful, valuable and I think quite remarkable. I now can say "I get it."

I carry this with me most of the time and use it to remind me or explain to me the fairly unique language that even television reporters (and especially writers in major magazines and newspapers) use to explain new DNA-based findings. I am surprised how technical these writers think we (the general public) are in this area. I use this book to decipher the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and even the CNN reports on genetics I am interested in.

This book is a blessing in that respect. I can find the term, see what other related words might further help define it for me, and see a drawing to help even more.

I don't think it was meant to do more than that, and it does that perfectly.

So when a review calls it less than magical, I think that is probably from someone with a lot more science in their personal life than the general public might have. I think writers and scientists really misunderstand how little "we" know about this area and they use so much technical jargon every time they speak or write.

I suspect that having a strong understanding of DNA might make a reader wonder why this book is important or needed. I just wanted to say that it is needed because most of us do not know a lot of this science, but we now find it in our daily lives and important and interesting.

This is the tool we were waiting for. The overly complete and technical textbooks have been out there for years. If you want to learn more, go there.

However, if you are just a regular person who wants to understand the vocabulary of this amazing science then this is perfect. I feel educated and empowered by this great little book.

Three cheers for all involved and my highest recommendations.

The Perfect Guide for a Non-Scientist / WONDERFUL!.......2003-02-19

Five wonderful stars and the highest rating for making DNA science understandable for me.

I am not a professional reviewer and not a scientist, and can only write about what this little book has meant to me.

This book is a blessing in that respect. I can find the term, see what other related words might further help define it for me, and see a drawing to help even more.

I don't think it was meant to do more than that, and it does that perfectly.

This is the tool we were waiting for. The overly complete and technical textbooks have been out there for years. If you want to learn more, go there.

However, if you are just a regular person who wants to understand the vocabulary of this amazing science then this is perfect. I feel educated and empowered by this great little book.

Three cheers for all involved and my highest recommendations.

A good idea with mediocre execution.......2003-01-05

An A to Z of DNA Science is an illustrated glossary coauthored by the Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Science Education at the National Human Genome Research Institute at NIH. (The third author created the illustrations). For each glossary term the authors provide a concise, one-sentence definition, a longer explanatory paragraph, and often an accompanying illustration.

Given the authors' respective credentials as science communicators and educators, I was surprised and disappointed by the ambiguity inherent to the writing style, inconsistencies among and within definitions, and the paucity of terms represented.

The lack of clarity in the writing was particularly striking given the following excerpt from Dr. W. French Anderson's preface to the book: "[This book's] core value...is the increased access into, and understanding of, the world of genetic research that it provides to the non-scientist through clear, well-defined terms."

For example, the definition of a "genotype" is listed as "the genetic identity of an individual that does not show as outward characteristics." The use of the word "that" instead of the word "which" implies that the authors are distinguishing "genotype" from some other genetic identity that does show as outward characteristics. Even as a neophyte in this arena, I am fairly certain that some portion of the genetic identity codes for outwardly identifiable traits. Clearly, this is simply a case of poor grammar. One would expect more from science educators, especially when the result is semantic ambiguity.

In some cases, poor writing results in apparent inconsistencies and tautologies within definitions. For example, the notion of "contig" is first defined as "a chromosome map", then as a "collection of overlapping clones", and finally, a "contig map" (a new term?) is described as "a physical map reflected by an overlapping series of clones". Thus, if we subscribe to the first definition, then a contig map is a map of a chromosome map. But from the second and third definitions, we can also infer that a contig map is a physical map reflected by a contig. Confused? So was I.

In a field that Dr. Anderson refers to as "exacting", it is unfortunate that this book seems to have inconsistencies also among its definitions. For example, "genome" (a fundamental term in DNA Science), is defined to include both the DNA in the nucleus of a cell as well as the DNA found in mitochondria. However, if one were to look up the term "mitochondrial DNA", one would find that it is "a complete and independent genome". If this is not contradictory, it certainly requires a modicum of elaboration in order to reconcile the seemingly incongruous definitions.

Finally, while brevity may be the soul of wit (to steal from Mr. Twain), in science, it leads to conceptual poverty. Though much of the explanatory text seemed to be of an appropriate length for this type of book, some key terms and their related concepts seemed to be missing. For example, the illustration for a "chromosome" depicts two "chromatids", which are also referenced in the explanation of a "centromere". However the "chromatid" is simply not included as a glossary term in this book.

On this basis of this review, one might expect to see a numerical rating lower than three. However, despite the shortcomings described above, I was sufficiently motivated by my interest in each definition to pursue other related definitions. Ultimately, I found myself flipping pages back and forth throughout the book in an effort to pursue various conceptual threads. If the book can stimulate such interest in me, then perhaps it will also be of interest to others - particularly in a second edition which has been embellished for completeness, and edited for clarity and consistency.

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English Japanese / Japanese English Dictionary on Biochemistry

Manufacturer: French & European Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785996915

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