The Stuff of Life: Profiles of the Molecules That Make Us Tick

Book Description

In The Stuff of Life, Eric P. Widmaier deconstructs the fundamental processes of the human body and focuses on those vital biological substances that aren't particularly well understood. By examining the blueprints that dictate what we are, Widmaier answers questions, including: - Why are some fats worse than others? - Is cholesterol actually good for anything? - How does the stomach digest food? - Why do we need to breathe and why can't we hold our breathfor very long? - How does a single carbon atom contribute to the differencebetween a man and a woman? - Where does our energy come from? The Stuff of Life answers these and many more common questions about how the body works in a concise, easy-to-read handbook complete with illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Good, but limited.......2002-10-26

The idea here is a short, easy-to-read book that helps the general reader understand the molecular basis of life. The usual approach to this is a text by an expert in the field with close editing by someone whose level of knowledge is closer to that of the general public.

This is what was attempted here, but I don't feel it was entirely successful. As I noted in a review of a similar book (Ball, Philip. Stories of the Invisible: a Guided Tour of Molecules, 2001), there is unfortunately a kind of veil-like quality thrown between the molecular world and our perception of that world by the very fact of its invisibility that it not easy to overcome. It is not a question of readability so much as a question of how to present these very complex structures and ideas in a way that the reader can absorb in some concrete fashion.

This problem is common to all scientific books, but in biochemistry it is particularly difficult because (1) biochemistry is so complex, and (2) it is only touched on superficially in our schools, and (3) its knowledge base is expanding so rapidly. Professor Widmaier, who wrote the popular Why Geese Don't Get Obese (and We Do), gives it a good shot here with editorial help from John Parsley at Times Books, but I think they ran into the bugaboo of all science writing: How much to explain? How fundamental to get?

Let me try to illustrate what I mean using an example from page 81. Widmaier writes, "...[I]f muscles are not used for long periods, as in long space missions, they tend to atrophy." Is this enough said? My feeling is the text could be improved by adding that even though the astronauts exercise often and vigorously and work long days, the reason the muscles tend to atrophy is that there is not the constant pull of gravity on them that forces them to work to support the weight of the body.

Or, for a slightly different example: On page 91 Widmaier mentions "a hormone called [a] melanocyte-stimulating hormone" which he says is "responsible for seasonal changes in coat color in some mammals, but whose physiological role in humans is still debated." He leaves it at that, but I think he ought to have briefly given the sides of the debate. That would help us get a better feel for the hormone and it would be something vivid that we might easily remember.

I also think that the choice to go with largely schematic drawings of the molecules added little to the text. Better would have been drawings showing processes, such as molecules leaving and entering cell membranes, or illustrating how the various hormonal cycles work.

Still there is a lot to learn here. For example, on page 44 Widmaier explains that fiber "tends to inhibit the reabsorption of bile from the intestine" which forces the liver to "extract more cholesterol from the blood to regenerate the bile being lost in the feces." He concludes, "That's one reason why it's believed a fiber-rich diet has the effect of lowering blood cholesterol levels in a harmless, natural way." This is in addition to fiber helping with "regularity." And on page 116 I learned that the reason very dim stars (which might very well be red) appear white is that "their low-level light is only detectable by the color-blind rhodopsin molecules" in the rods of our eyes.

A much more ambitious book on this subject, and one that strongly challenges the reader, is Franklin Harold's The Way of the Cell: Molecules, Organisms and the Order of Life (2001), which I highly recommend.

An excellent intro to microbiology for non-scientist.......2002-09-30

I couldn't resist, I've read the whole book sitting on the floor of the bookstore that was selling it. I've bought it anyway, because it's worth every penny! It's a very concise reference, where a lot of complicated biochemical processes are explained with breathtaking simplicity. The most up-to-date issue for non professionals I've ever seen in a bookstore. Two thumbs up to the author! I gave it five stars, but it rather deserves "five plus." Highly recommended for everyone interested in Biology.

Putting DNA and the proteins they make understandable.......2002-09-16

As a non-scientist, I like reading about the discoveries of the Genone and wonder how this new map will impact my life. For the most part, Eric Windmaire writes in a very understandable way that helped me put it together a little more. He explains how the DNA strands un-wrap to allow different proteins to then interact in a multitude of ways. He goes over the most common proteins and how they help regulate salt and water balance (for readers taking ACE inhibitors), the regulation of energy to the cells (which would help diabetic readers better understand why insulin is so important), brain chemistry regulations (for readers who are dealing with depression or other meds), oxygen regulation, muscle movement and nueorologic symptoms.

He covers a lot of stuff in a fairly readable manner. As a visual reader, I thought that the book would have been even better if they had more illustrations of some of the dynamic processes. Most illustrations were chemical in nature, but the explanation of muscle contraction was one I am having a hard time visualizing and needed an illustration.

His editors should have recommended better illustrations and more of them. As somebody who also doesn't have a chemistry background, his explanations of the chemistry were very helpfull. Sometimes, though, I didn't understand his "obvious" comments -- they went over my head.

If you want to understand hyper-tension, diabetes, cardiac disease, hormonal influence, mental medications, thyroid influences, and many genetically problems -- read this book.

But come on, Eric, you're a great word-smith, give us some eye candy. Protein understanding is our future, with Genone as the first map. Work with us non-scientist.

I also recommend Genone by Matt Ridley.

Book Description

Driven by the vast, yet largely unexplored, potential of bioactive organisms in the ocean and improvements in analytical techniques to facilitate their research, natural products scientists face an increasing need for single-source reference cataloging the current knowledge and state-of-the-science regarding marine natural products. Dictionary of Marine Natural Products with CD-ROM presents a comprehensive resource for more than 25,000 known natural products drawn from marine organisms. Following a similar format to the Chapman and Hall Chemical Database, this dictionary indexes each product by chemical name, CAS registry number, and compound type. Documenting all known marine natural products, each entry includes the biological source, chemical structure, physical properties, biological activity, and literature references for each compound. An accompanying CD-ROM is fully text and structure-searchable and enables unique access to this valuable resource. The editors, John Blunt and Murray Munro, both pioneers in the field, also provide an introductory monograph that describes structural compound types and marine organisms. Marine organisms offer a delicate, yet plentiful source for a vast array of novel products whose unique structural features make them suitable drug candidates, pesticides, marine anti-fouling agents, and more. The Dictionary of Marine Natural Products Web Version gives researchers a new tool for developing pharmaceutical and chemical applications of marine natural products.

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Dictionary of Natural Products

Manufacturer: Chapman & Hall/CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Loose Leaf

English (British) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

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General | Reference | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The Dictionary of Natural Products is the only comprehensive source of chemical data on natural products. It provides the busy scientist with fast access to chemical, physical, bibliographic, and structural data on over 139,000 natural products organized into more than 43,000 -virtually every natural product isolated and reported in the literature.

Dictionary of Natural Products, Supplement 3 (Dictionary of Natural Products, Annual Supplements)

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Dictionary of Natural Products, Supplement 3 (Dictionary of Natural Products, Annual Supplements)

Manufacturer: Chapman & Hall/CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Loose Leaf

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

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A Dictionary of Natural Products: Terms in the Field of Pharmacognosy Relating to Natural Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Materials and the Plants, Animals, and Minerals from Which They

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A Dictionary of Natural Products: Terms in the Field of Pharmacognosy Relating to Natural Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Materials and the Plants, Animals, and Minerals from Which They
George MacDonald, Ph.D. Hocking
Manufacturer: Plexus Publishing (NJ)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Herbal Remedies | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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General | Pharmacology | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Pharmacy | Pharmacology | Medicine | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0937548316

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Roempp Encyclopedia of Natural Products

Manufacturer: Thieme Medical Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Antiques & Collectibles | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0865778442

Rompp Encyclopedia: Natural Products (Rompp Encyclopedia)

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Nice concise Enclyclopedia

Rompp Encyclopedia: Natural Products (Rompp Encyclopedia)

Manufacturer: Thieme Medical Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Medical | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

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General | Pharmacology | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Dictionaries & Terminology | Reference | Medicine | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Medicine | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0865779880

Customer Reviews:

Nice concise Enclyclopedia.......2006-06-20

I read the whole book in under 6 months, just like you would read a Dictionary. I work in the Natural Products field, and this is the Bible of the chemist who works with NatProds. Each entry has tons of references, from isolation to synthesis, to usage. A lot of the most important entries have interesting historical data. A must.

Dictionary of Natural Products V1 Replacement

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Dictionary of Natural Products V1 Replacement

Manufacturer: Chapman & Hall/CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Loose Leaf

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

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Dictionary of Natural Products on CD-ROM

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Dictionary of Natural Products on CD-ROM
CRC
Manufacturer: Chapman & Hall/CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Biochemistry | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

Dictionary of Natural Products on CD-ROM provides today's busy scientist with fast access to chemical, physical and structural data on more than177,000 compounds. Continually reviewed to keep pace with the current literature, this CD-ROM is the most comprehensive source of natural product information.Special academic pricing and site-license pricing are available. Please contact us for details.System requirements: Pentium II processor or higher, 32 MB RAM , 20 MB hard disk space, 24x speed CD-ROM drive, SVGA monitor at 800x600, 256 colors, WindowsTM 95, 98, 2000 (from version 9:2 onwards) or NT4x

Borlind of Germany's dictionary of skin care product ingredients: With reference to their natural sources

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Borlind of Germany's dictionary of skin care product ingredients: With reference to their natural sources
L. K Upton
Manufacturer: Borlind of Germany
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0006EVW70

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Dictionary of natural commodities,
Ralph Erskine Osborne
Manufacturer: E. Wilson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B000878Q74

Book Description

This book is a compendium of seventy two of the more than two hundred eighty published papers of Eric Reissner, one of the important contributors in the field of applied mechanics. His work ranges from classical elasticity, structural mechanics, vibrations and aerodynamics to the variational principles that form the foundations of modern finite element methods. They include some of the most significant contributions to these disciplines over the past sixty years. The papers in each section are arranged in chronological order and preceded by historical comments.

Selected Works in Applied Mechanics and Mathematics

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Selected Works in Applied Mechanics and Mathematics
Eric Reissner
Manufacturer: Jones & Bartlett Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MZ4QQC

Selected Papers of Demetrios G. Magiros: Applied Mathematics, Nonlinear Mechanics and Dynamical Systems

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Selected Papers of Demetrios G. Magiros: Applied Mathematics, Nonlinear Mechanics and Dynamical Systems

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Selected Works in Applied Mechanics and Mathematic

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Selected Works in Applied Mechanics and Mathematic
Eric Reissner
Manufacturer: Jones & Bartlett Pub 01/1//1996
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N5KPZ2

Selected Works in Applied Mechanics and Mathematics (Math Ser.)

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Selected Works in Applied Mechanics and Mathematics (Math Ser.)
Eric Reissner
Manufacturer: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLTWPO

Book Description

Cooper's epic of the western course of the American frontier follows the exploits of Natty from the French and Indian Wars to the early nineteenth century. The five novels are presented in their order of composition. Volume 1: The Pioneers, The Last of the Mohicans, The Prairie. Volume 2: The Pathfinder, The Deerslayer.

Customer Reviews:

A Tribute to Virtue.......2006-09-19

The Pathfinder and The Deerslayer are great stories well told. Natty Bumppo (a.k.a. Pathfinder, Deerslayer and Hawkeye) is the archtypical American hero. He is brave, honest and selfless, yet still humble. He is a model for us all. Young people in particular should read about him as an antidote to the rampant braggadocio that too many modern "heros" exhibit.

Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses.......2006-03-22

There is one, and only one reason to read Fenimore Cooper's books.
That reason is so you can fully appreciate Mark Twain's critique of Cooper's writing.
See:
"Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses"
[...]

For this reason only I recommend to read this book or others by Cooper. It will have made all that pain greatly worthwhile.

CAPTIVATING STORIES INTIMATLY TANGLED WITH ART.......2001-07-23

Cooper is too good to be true! I love reading his books because he creates such beautiful pictures while he binds you to an imaginative story line. His stories bring you to the battlefront and into the very mind of the hero.

This book has a beautiful format. It is very useful. I do recommend hardback editions thus allowing you to pass on your treasures to further generations. James Fenimore Cooper demands immense reverance from attentive readers. No library should be without this book.

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The Leatherstocking Tales II: the Pathfinder/The Deerslayer
James Fenimore Cooper
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cooper, James Fenimore | Classics | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000N65IFI

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THE LEATHERSTOCKING TALES, VOLUME II: THE PATHFINDER: OR, THE INLAND SEA, THE DEERSLAYER: OR, THE FIRST WAR-PATH.
James Fenimore. Cooper
Manufacturer: Library of America,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cooper, James Fenimore | Classics | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000QSGXJI

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