Library News

Now available in e-book format is Communicating Science: Professional, Popular, Literary. Paul Casella,  MFA, AB  (University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine) reviewed this title for MedInfoNow:

The book covers a broad range of subjects, from the current state of technical or factual scientific communication and the role of journalism in communicating science, to the roles that fiction and drama have in communicating science. One effective feature of the book is the use of real-world examples at the beginning of each chapter, whether brief stories, overheard conversations, or descriptions of situations, that serve as useful starting points for the ensuing discussion.

The author is careful to state explicitly that the book is not intended as a manual to help scientists communicate their findings, conclusions, and theoretical analyses. A wide audience would find this book interesting, from students entering the science communication field and practitioners young and old concerned with how their science is being communicated, to anyone fascinated with the history of communication generally.

This book is most valuable for its broad but organized perspective on science communication and for its wealth of relevant historical and policy information. Rather than easy answers, readers will likely come away with hard questions about how best to proceed in their careers, education, and their lives as people in the service of communicating science. The depth of the author's experience makes for a treatise that is unparalleled in its perspectives on the field of science communication.
 

You can now read this book at any time online. To begin reading, click on the title below.

Communicating Science: Professional, Popular, Literary
Authors: Russell, Nicholas
Edition Statement: 1st ed
Published by: Cambridge University Press
Subject(s): Medical Education & Informatics
Year: 2010

Now available in e-book format is Infectious Disease Informatics and Biosurveillance from the book series Integrated Series in Information Systems. Philip Polgreen,  MD, MPH  (University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics) reviewed this title for MedInfoNow:

This book covers a wide range of important informatics topics related to the field of infectious diseases, ranging from data sources to surveillance analytics, and includes sections on decision support.

The book covers informatics infrastructure and surveillance, data sources, and surveillance analytics and decision support. These three areas are further broken down into detailed, well-referenced chapters. For example, data sources chapters cover not only ethical practices and emergency room data, but also veterinary diagnostics. The strengths of the book are the level of detail in several of the chapters. A great effort is made to describe the methods in sufficient detail while presenting technical concepts in a readable fashion.

This book fills a unique gap by providing a technical but accessible interdisciplinary reference or standalone textbook. It does an admirable job of summarizing technical methods in an accessible fashion without resorting to superficial treatment of the subject. Despite the large number of authors, the book is remarkably even in terms of readability and depth. It is a great introduction, and in several areas could double as a reference.  

You can now read this book at any time online. To begin reading, click on the title below.

Infectious Disease Informatics and Biosurveillance
Authors: Zeng, Daniel, PhD; Chen, Hsinchun, PhD; Castillo-Chavez, Carlos; Lober, William B., MD; Thurmond, Mark, PhD
Edition Statement: 1st ed
Published by: Springer
Subject(s): Biostatistics | Infectious Disease | Public Health
Year: 2011

Now available in e-book and your smartphone is the 19th edition of The Harriet Lane Handbook. Rebecca Hutchings,  MD  (Ochsner Clinic Foundation) reviewed the previous edition of this title for MedInfoNow:

This is supposed to be the "pearl book" for pediatric house officers. It was originally created by house officers, and each update is completed with the input of current house officers to target the most necessary information for these physicians in their day-to-day practice.

The handbook uses a systems-based approach to address most major pediatric disease processes. The material is generally summarized in table or graph format with easy-to-follow algorithms for patient management. An excellent quick dermatologic resource has pictures of common rashes. The fluid and electrolytes section is essential for any intern learning to write intravenous fluid and electrolyte replacement orders for patients. Easy-to-use equations and examples are particularly helpful. Emergency management algorithms for diseases such as asthma and epilepsy are particularly useful resources for house officers on call or in the emergency department. Up-to-date vaccine schedules for physicians in the clinic setting are invaluable.

This is the best portable resource for residents available. It is a must-have for all pediatric house officers, and many pediatric training programs provide this to their residents. The updated version is always necessary due to changes in the formulary section, infectious disease sections, and the current vaccination schedule guidelines, which do change from year to year. 

You can now read this book at any time online. To begin reading, click on the title below.

The Harriet Lane Handbook, 19th ed.
Authors: Tschudy, Megan, MD; Arcara, Kristin M., MD
Edition Statement: 19th ed
Published by: Elsevier
Subject(s): Family Practice | Pediatrics
Year: 2011

NOTE: With the new mobile-optimized version of MDConsult you can read The Harriet Lane Handbook from your  smartphone. To access the MDConsult mobile, you will first need to register an account by clicking Create Account. Once you have your personal login, simply go to m.mdconsult.com from your smartphone.

Now available in e-book format is The Essentials of Biostatistics for Physicians, Nurses, and Clinicians. Diane Tomasic,  EdD, RN  (Slippery Rock University) reviewed this title for MedInfoNow:

This book presents a nontechnical approach to the essential biostatics used in medical research, covering topics not necessarily taught in traditional introductory statistics courses, explaining them on a conceptual level without the theoretical background or how they work mathematically.

The target audience is nurses and physicians, hospital residents, and fellows. The author recommends this book as a supplement for biostatics courses at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It also can serve as a resource for healthcare professionals. The author, who has over 30 years in the field of biostatics, teaches biostatistics and has published a book on the subject.

You can now read this book at any time online. To begin reading, click on the title below.

The Essentials of Biostatistics for Physicians, Nurses, and Clinicians
Authors: Chernick, Michael R., PhD
Edition Statement: 1st ed
Published by: Wiley-Blackwell
Subject(s): Biostatistics , Research
Year: 2011