Books

Additional abstracts and full text versions of introductions  are available at http://harvard.academia.edu/BrendaWilmothLerner  

 

Worldmark Global Health and Medicine Issues

Citation: Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth, and K. Lee Lerner. Worldmark Global Health and Medicine Issues. Cengage; 2016.

Worldmark Global Health and Medicine Issues

Abstract:

Worldmark Global Health and Medicine Issues (WGHMI) covers current health and medicine issues with global impact in the modern world and organizations and groups addressing these issues.  WGHMI addresses health and medicine topics as cross-disciplinary issues and many entries include primary source documents to provide deeper insight. Entries have short sidebars highlighting pertinent ancillary information, such as brief biographies on key figures, interesting facts or side stories. Each entry contains photographs, maps, tables, and illustrations to enhance understanding of the text. WGHMI also includes an introductory essay, an essay on how to use primary sources,

 
 
Introduction 

Many of the great successes in public heath and medicine also serve as important social milestones for humanity, especially with regard to the prevention and treatment of disease. While civic sanitation, water purification, immunization, and antibiotics have dramatically reduced the overall morbidity and the mortality of disease in advanced nations, much of the world is still ravaged by disease and epidemics, and new threats--including lifestyle diseases--constantly appear to challenge the most advanced medical and public health systems... At its core, WMGH contains assessable explanations of many recent scientific advances in public health, advances in medicine, molecular biology, genetics, epidemiology, and related fields. 

Another key and distinguishing feature of WMGH is an attempt to articulate links between science and social facets of global health issues. Despite their prevalence, many issues cannot be distantly cast from their intimate influence over daily life, economic impacts, and social context. Accordingly, a focus of WMGH is the attempt to identify the social determinants of health. 

Global health issues can also arouse passionate debate as to effective and appropriate solutions. By illuminating global health issues as a nexus of science, ethics, economics, and policy, WMGH serves both scientists and non-scientists searching to formulate rational opinions on an array of issues. In turn, issues that were once purely social or ethical issues (such as sexuality or alcoholism) are explained as aspects of human behavior and personality determined or influenced by genetics...  (continued)  -- Brenda Wilmoth Lerner & K. Lee Lerner; eds.  Cambridge, Mass. April, 2015.

harvard.academia.edu/BrendaWilmothLerner

Last updated on 10/21/2017

 

Biotechnology

Citation: Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth, and K. Lee Lerner, ed.  Biotechnology. Cengage | Gale.; 2012.

Biotechnology

Abstract:

RUSA seal

2013 RUSA Book and Media Award Named an Outstanding Reference Source, the "highest award or honor for academic reference books and media." --  American Library Association (ALA)
2012 Booklist Editor's Choice  "simple, engaging style… worldwide experts present authoritative and concise overviews… unbiased… visually appealing." -- Booklist. October 2012

Introduction

"Life is ancient, grounded in the physics, chemistry, and evolutionary biology of earth. In contrast, today's biotechnology marshals new ideas and techniques with the potential to reshape the planet and now, life itself.

The historical development of biomedical technology, the fusion of mathematical, scientific, and engineering principles, is deeply entwined with centuries of advances in medicine. Modern biotechnology is also unquestionably, a rapidly expanding field that promises important and rewarding work for generations of students. The problems facing the world in fighting hunger, pollution, and disease cry out for innovative scientific solutions. Accordingly, for many, biotechnology is a beacon toward engineering solutions, but for some, the manipulation of life offers a Siren song of peril."  (continued) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, eds. Cambridge, Mass. 
December, 2011. 

harvard.academia.edu/BrendaWilmothLerner

Last updated on 10/21/2017

 

 

Climate Change

Citation: Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth, and K. Lee Lerner, ed. * Climate Change. Cengage | Gale; 2008.

Climate ChangeAbstract:RUSA seal

”Timely… Clear…  Concise..  Stunning…” An “excellent guide to a vitally important issue” Ref Rev. October 2008.

Introduction

Editors’ introductions to books usually attempt to offer words of motivation designed to inspire readers toward their studies. For Climate Change: In Context, however, the editors wish to stand aside a bit and ask readers, especially students just beginning their serious studies of science, to carefully read the special introductions by Dr. Wallace S. Broecker (Newberry Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Columbia University, recipient of the National Science Medal (1996), and member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the British Royal Society).and Thomas Hayden that immediately follow. Together, these introductions serve as exemplary primary sources (personal narratives from experts in the field of climate change) and as both elegant motivation to readers to carefully consider the issues and impacts of climate change, and eloquent calls to actively engage in the challenge of finding solutions.

In the wake of the stunning 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, Climate Change: In Context is one of the first reference books designed to attempt to explain the complexities of those reports..." "Science sometimes speaks truths we might not wish to hear, and at this time in human history science is speaking clearly, with a chorus of voices, that with regard to the human activities that drive climate change, it is now time to fuse our science and technology with our noblest qualities of caring, commitment, and sacrifice so that our children enjoy the pleasures of the good Earth." (continued)  -- K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Paris, France. December 2007 

harvard.academia.edu/BrendaWilmothLerner

Last updated on 10/21/2017

 

Infectious Diseases

Citation: Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth, and K. Lee Lerner, ed. * Infectious Diseases. Cengage | Gale; 2008.

BiotechnologyAbstract:Outstanding Academic Title

Outstanding Academic Title, 2009

“Exceptionally fine… Authoritative… Comprehensive.” American Library Asscciation. Choice, October, 2008.

 

Introduction

"Humanity shares a common ancestry with all living things on Earth. We often share especially close intimacies with the microbial world. In fact, only a small percentage of the cells in the human body are human at all. We are vastly outnumbered, even within our bodies, by microbial life that can only be counted on the same scale as the vast numbers of stars in the universe. This is also an essential relationship, because humanity could not survive without an array of microflora that both nourish us and that provide needed enzymes for life processes. 

The common biology and biochemistry that unites us also makes us susceptible to contracting and transmitting infectious disease." (continued) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors  Dublin, Ireland,  July, 2007.

harvard.academia.edu/BrendaWilmothLerner

Last updated on 10/21/2017

 

Medicine, Health, and Bioethics: Essential Primary Sources

Citation: Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth, and K. Lee Lerner, ed. Medicine, Health, and Bioethics: Essential Primary Sources. Thomson | Gale; 2006.

 Essential Primary Sources

Abstract:

“Well-written..."--CHOICE 

"For students doing in-depth research, this up-to-date set would be the one to use."--Reed/Elsevier

 ”a sweeping view of events over the last 200 years.” ©School Library Journal.

“valuable and well organized” RUSQ, Spring, 2007.

 

Introduction

The social issues related to medical science are often intimate and arouse passionate debate. The primary sources contained in Medicine, Health, and Bioethics demonstrate the development, diversity, and nexus of science and ethics as embodied in medical advances, social policy, and law. 

Most importantly, the articles selected show a complex range of views on topics such as abortion, cloning, and stem cell research that are not always easily characterized as for or against. The intent is not to present the reader with all facets of a topic but rather to provoke critical thinking while providing both a foundation and desire to investigate topics increasingly important in social and political discourse. (continued... download to read more) . -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors London. March, 2006

harvard.academia.edu/BrendaWilmothLerner

Last updated on 10/21/201

 

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