Basic Facts for Basic Science

Overall, this outstanding text should soon become recognized as the definitive reference for the diagnosis and management of ocular trauma. The tall, narrow shape of Basic Facts for Basic Science suggests that perhaps the author intended that it be put into the pocket of one's lab coat; perhaps not, but this book is certainly appropriate for the shelf of any laboratory and for the office of anyone who reads the biomedical literature. The book offers a small, handy reference , covering many of the areas necessary for understanding and performing research experiments. The first chapter is a list of commonly used Greek and Latin prefixes, as well as a list of word roots from which many biomedical terms are derived. The second chapter, "Computational Essentials," is a reference for mathematical principles, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and basic calculus. It includes a (relatively) extensive discussion on the use of logarithms. There is an excellent section on "Curves Commonly Used to Fit Biological Data," which discusses not only the properties of the various types of curves, but some of their common biological applications (e.g., a saturation curve as a hyperbola and as a Scatchard plot). Finally, the chapter contains a section which covers basic statistical principles and terms, as well as an overview of various statistical tests. The third chapter is titled "Dictionary of Physics and Physical Chemistry," but it is actually more of a mini-encyclopedia, as terms are explained, not merely defined. For example, the "definition" of centrifugal force is a full-page discussion of the theory and the formula for its calculation, covering its use and derivation from the basic equation F = ma. "Chemistry" is the fourth chapter. The section on inorganic chemistry primarily reviews nomenclature. The organic chemistry section deals with the structure and nomenclature of organic chemical groups and bonds. The chapter also covers organic chemistry reactions. Fortunately, an excellent index is provided within the chapter. "Dictionary of Molecular Biology," the fifth chapter, offers relatively detailed definitions of molecular biologic terms. For those who completed their formal schooling before the recent explosion in the field of molecular biology, there is a brief but in-depth introduction, covering the basics of the DNA molecule, genetic structure , and gene expression. The sixth chapter provides a listing of animal taxonomy, with alphabetical lists of both common and scientific names. At the end of the chapter, there is a useful set of …