Shaking up Parkinson Disease or Molecules at an Exhibition

Shaking up Parkinson Disease: Fighting like a Tiger, Thinking like a Fox

Author: Abraham Lieberman

This book explains Parkinson's disease--how it's recognized, what causes it, who gets it, when and how to get help, and much more.

Library Journal

It is estimated that 1.2 million people in North American have Parkinson's disease (PD), including actor Michael J. Fox. Lieberman, the national medical director of the National Parkinson Foundation, has written a sympathetic book aimed at answering the questions posed by patients and families dealing with this dreadful disease. He covers anatomy and chemistry changes, diagnostic tests, the autonomic nervous system, and how PD affects the body and the mind. Especially good is the section on anxiety and depression as a biological rather than a psychological symptom of the disease. Lieberman explains PD symptoms, considering why they occur, what can be done medically to treat them, and steps the patient can take to alleviate them. He also details the drugs and surgery used to treat the disease and lists disorders that can mimic PD. Finally, Lieberman offers questionnaires that will help patients measure personal mobility, emotion, quality of life, and more. Though some readers may find the religious quotes off-putting, this book's readability and concrete tips make it better than William Weiner's Parkinson's Disease (LJ 5/15/01). An excellent addition to consumer health collections. Janet M. Schneider, James A. Haley Veterans' Hosp., Tampa, FL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

See also: Structural Approach to Direct Practice in Social Work or Enduring Debate

Molecules at an Exhibition: Portraits of Intriguing Materials in Everyday Life

Author: John Emsley

What ingredient in Coke can remove rust from chrome? What is the bitterest substance on earth? What is the worst smelling one? In this entertaining tour of chemistry, John Emsley answers these and many other questions as he illuminates the materials that make up our world. Dozens of lively articles explore such well-known molecules as water, oxygen, and glass; versatile plastics like polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyurethane; even "elements from hell" such as Sarin (a lethal nerve gas). With no formulas, equations, or molecular diagrams to baffle the non-expert, each piece blends history, science, and anecdote, with many intriguing facts added to the mix.
"The world of chemistry has never been made as entertaining," writes Nobel Prize-winning chemist Roald Hoffmann. Indeed, this book will fascinate everyone curious about the chemicals in the foods we eat, the clothes we wear, and the air we breathe.

Booknews

The worst smell in the world comes from methyl mercaptan; phosphoric acid (an ingredient in Coke) can remove rust from chrome; and phenylethylamine (PEA) is the feel-good molecule in chocolate<-->just a few of the curious facts found in science writer and chemistry professor Emsley's gallery. Blending history, science, anecdote, and intriguing facts, he discusses curious molecules in food, molecules that can help and harm the young, detergents, high-tech materials, molecules in the environment, and molecules from hell. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

What People Are Saying

Carl Djerassi
"Emsley is the ultimate guide to a chemical Louvre: always making you wish for more!"

Roald Hoffman
"The world of chemistry has never been made as entertaining as in this readable guide to a living museum."

Table of Contents:

	Acknowledgements
	Introduction
	A quick guide to things large and small
Gallery 1	Nearly as nature intended: An exhibition of some curious molecules in the foods we eat
Gallery 2	Testing your metal: An exhibition of the metals which our body must have
Gallery 3	Starting lives, saving lives, screwing up lives: An exhibition of molecules that can help and harm the young
Gallery 4	Home, sweet home: An exhibition of detergents, dangers, delights and delusions
Gallery 5	Material progress and immaterial observations: An exhibition of molecules that make life a little easier
Gallery 6	Landscape room: environmental cons, concerns and comments: An exhibition of molecules that stalk the world
Gallery 7	We're on the road to nowhere: An exhibition of molecules to transport us
Gallery 8	Elements from Hell: An exhibition of molecules that are mainly malevolent
	Book list
App	Molecular portraits on display in Molecules at an Exhibition
	Index