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Show BOOK REVIEWS Section Editor: The Epidemiology of Eye Disease, 2nd Edition Gordon J. Johnson, MA, MD, FRCS( C), FRCOphth, Darwin C. Minassian, MB, BS, FRCS, MSc ( Epidemiol), FRCOphth, Robert A. Weale, MSc, MPhil, PhD, DSc, and Sheila K. West, PhD. Arnold, London, UK, 2003. ISBN: 0- 340- 80892- 6, $ 75.00. Scope: This volume is an updated revision of a well-respected text that provides ophthalmologists and public heath officials with information essential to understanding the worldwide scope of eye disease and its prevention. A quarter of the book is devoted to the prevalence of eye disease and the epidemiologic methods used to provide the reader with the tools to develop and conduct clinical trials. New sections on the genetics of eye diseases and the incidence of refractive errors throughout the world are very helpful in understanding the future directions of eye disease prevention. The bulk of the text is dedicated to specific eye disorders including refractive disorders, low vision, cataract, diabetes, AIDS, the glaucomas, and age- related macular degeneration. A large section of the text concentrates on the anterior segment and includes several common degenerative and inflammatory disorders. There are also sections analyzing problems more commonly seen in the developing world, including onchocerciasis, trachoma, leprosy, and Vitamin A deficiency. The last section discusses the World Health Organization's " Vision 2020," a program aimed at eliminating world blindness by 2020. The program concentrates on the five conditions- cataract, refractive disorders, onchocerciasis, trachoma, and vitamin A deficiency- that cause more than 75% of the blindness in the poorest areas of the world. Strengths: This is a well- edited text that gives the reader an excellent understanding of the incidence, prevalence, and contributing factors for most of the eye diseases that an ophthalmologist will encounter. This volume is especially helpful for those individuals who devote some of their time to working and teaching in developing countries. Weaknesses: The book is written for ophthalmologists who work across borders and research epidemiologists. Others may find it less compelling. Recommended Audience: Graduate students or ophthalmologists studying for a public health degree or involved in clinical trials. Critical Appraisal: Any second edition of a popular text has the burden of expanding and clarifying the flaws of the J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 26, No. 2, 2006 A. Newman, MD first edition. The editors of this volume have performed that task with excellent results and have produced a book that lives up to its title. However, its audience will be limited. August L. Reader, III, MD, FACS California Pacific Medical Center San Francisco, California The Science of Color, 2nd Edition Steven K. Shevell, PhD, Editor. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2003. ISBN: 0- 444- 512- 519, $ 95.00. Scope: This is a scholarly, multi- authored textbook focusing on the principles and observations that are the basis of color science. The intended audience is the scientific community as a whole and various specialties, which may include psychologists, physicists, and physicians. This is the new edition of a book that was written 50 years ago. The book begins with a comprehensive chapter on the history of color science knowledge and the foundational advances in color science. The next chapter deals with the sequence of light perception, beginning with the actual generation of the light stimulus through transmission in the eye and formation of the image on the retina. The next three chapters ( 3, 4, and 5) cover the physiology and phenomenology of color. The third chapter covers color matching and its relation to parvo-, konio-, and magnocellular pathways. This is backed up by classic studies and experience. The fourth chapter deals with color as a mental phenomenon and how it is affected by surrounding circumstances such as chromatic induction. It also describes the psychologic attributes of hue, saturation/ chroma, and brightness/ lightness. The fifth chapter deals with color order systems and systems for specifying color appearance. The remaining three chapters each take on a different aspect of color: anatomy and physiology of color vision, physics and chemistry of color, and digital reproduction of color. The sixth chapter is the familiar anatomy and physiology of color vision, from the photoreceptors to the arrangement on the cortex. The seventh chapter covers the production of color from various physical and chemical mechanisms such as vibrations and simple excitation. The eighth chapter describes the design of image capture and display devices in digital color reproduction. It also covers applications such as LCD technology and the basis of other modern color reproduction technology Strengths: Each chapter is well- referenced and begins with a detailed outline that summarizes its organization. Most of 149 J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 26, No. 2, 2006 Book Reviews the chapters are excellent stand- alone reviews. The illustrations are plentiful, well placed, and aid in understanding the concepts described in the text. Weaknesses: The book may attempt to cover too much. Recommended Audience: Doctoral students and researchers who interface in the color science will find this a useful manuscript. This is also a reference for physicians, physicists, physiologists, computer scientists, engineers, neuroscientists, and psychologists. Critical Appraisal: The editor, who is Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at the University of Chicago School of Medicine, is a respected color expert. This book will provide a resource for students of color vision whether they approach it from a clinical or basic science vantage. Susan M. Ksiazek, MD Department of Ophthalmology University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois Stroke: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, 4th Edition J. P. Mohr, MS, MD, Dennis W. Choi, MD, PhD, James C. Grotta, MD, Bryce Weir, OC, MD, FRCSC, FACS, FRCSEd ( Hon), and Philip A. Wolf, MD. Churchill Livingstone, Philadelphia, 2004. ISBN: 0- 443- 06600- 0, $ 299.00. Scope: This is a comprehensive presentation of clinical manifestations of stroke, differential diagnosis, and treatment. It is an ongoing work dating back to the first edition in 198 8; then it was entitled " Clinical Epidemiology of Stroke." This fourth edition, led by Jay P. Mohr, MD and four new editors, expands on the third edition ( 1998) with a review of recent knowledge and a new section on the epidemiology of stroke edited by Philip A. Wolf, MD. The contributors are internationally diverse. The book is divided into six sections: Epidemiology and Prevention, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnostic Studies, Specific Medical Diseases and Stroke, Pathophysiology, and Therapy. The sections are separated by colored tabs. Each chapter within these sections has its own references. Strengths: This is a thorough, well- organized review of current thinking and issues relating to stroke, and it does an excellent job of presenting each subject with clarity and ample supporting clinical studies. This style lends itself to reading as a narrative and reference source. Weaknesses: A minor weakness of the text is that a reader seeking specific answers to a question may have to review several different sections. For instance, for information on the epidemiology of subarachnoid hemorrhage, the reader will have to read the Epidemiology section and the epidemiology subsection of the Special Medical Disease and Stroke chapter. Also, each thumbed section could benefit from a " Contents" introductory page, with abbreviated titles and page numbers distilled from the book's main table of contents. Recommended Audience: Physicians of any specialty, including family practice, internal medicine, neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and especially neurology residents and interns, general ophthalmologists, and neuro- ophthalmologists. Critical Appraisal: I highly recommend this text to neuro-ophthalmologists. Discussions of specific neuro- ophthalmologic diseases and ocular manifestations of stroke are interspersed throughout the text, such as in chapters on vertebrobasilar disease and carotid disease. These portions are brief, accurate, and well- written. Perhaps a future edition will contain a contribution from a neuro- ophthalmologist in its own chapter. Mitchell Gossman, MD St. Cloud, Minnesota The 5- Minute Neurology Consult D. Joanne Lynn, MD, Herbert B. Newton, MD, FAAN, and Alexander D. Rae- Grant, MD, FRCP( C). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2004. ISBN: 0- 683- 30723- 1, $ 74.95. Scope: This text is a quick reference guide providing information on disorders of the nervous system. It is the latest edition in The 5- Minute Consult Series on different clinical areas. These books intend to allow the clinician an easy and concise review of medical problems. The book is divided into four sections: neurologic symptoms and signs, neurologic diagnostic tests, neurologic diseases and disorders, and short topics. Most entities are given two to four pages. Each symptom or diagnosis is subdivided into subsections: basics, diagnosis, management, medications, follow- up, and miscellaneous. The layout is an expanded outline, as one might expect in a handout from a lecture. At the end of each section, ICD- 9 codes and references are given to direct the reader toward more comprehensive reviews. The short topics area gives one-paragraph descriptions of less common disorders, such as Brill- Zinsser Disease or DiMauro Syndrome. Strengths: This is a very user- friendly reference that encourages frequent usage. The layout is very easy to read and would allow the physician to peruse the text while seeing patients. More than 200 diseases are covered. Everything is 150 © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Book Reviews J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 26, No. 2, 2006 well referenced and easy to find. Adequate information is provided to allow the non- neurologist to better understand common and uncommon neurologic disorders. Weaknesses: This text does not cover any disease in a comprehensive manner. If the reader needs to understand the disease in depth, it will be necessary to obtain more information elsewhere. The text is not current on medications; for example, the migraine section does not include topiramate, which is now widely used. Recommended Audience: This text would be extremely useful for the non- neurologist who sees patients with neurologic diseases. Medical students doing rotations in neurology would find it helpful. The neurologist looking for an easy basic review source would also find this a useful resource. Critical Appraisal: This is a very useful quick reference source for neurologic diseases. The text is easy to review and can be kept near the clinic for easy reference. The text is also available for palm left eye, pocket PC, and Windows CE, allowing even easier access during busy clinic times. Eric L. Herman, MD Sarasota, Florida Perception of Faces, Objects, and Scenes: Analytic and Holistic Processes Mary A. Peterson, PhD and Gillian Rhodes, PhD. Oxford University Press, New York, 2003. ISBN: 0- 19- 516538- 1, $ 85.00. Scope: This is a multi- authored text concentrating on cognitive visual processing and perceptual theory. The authors seek to answer the question of how analytic and holistic processes ( the role of parts and wholes respectively) contribute to the perception of complex natural visual stimuli such as faces, objects, and scenes. The book begins with an excellent introduction by the editors that explains the ongoing debate between structuralists, who emphasize elemental parts, and Gestalt psychologists, who champion the role of wholes. Several modern views of visual cognition are also presented together with experimental techniques used in visual cognition research. The book is divided into 13 chapters written by individual authors, all leaders in the field of visual cognition. The first four chapters deal with mechanisms of face perception: the importance of orientation, recollection, and fearural isolation. The next six chapters deal with object perception and include studies on object motion, orientation, scale, and contour. The final three chapters focus on scene perception from neuropsychologic perspectives and cover change detection, eye movements, and visual memory. Strengths: This is a comprehensive scholarly review of the current thinking in human cognitive processing for different types of visual stimuli. It bridges the gap between the two camps of analytic and holistic perceptual theory, suggesting that both types of processing may be integrated into a single universal system. The chapters are well- written and referenced. Weaknesses: Not enough emphasis is given to the neuroanatomic basis for different types of processing. Most studies pertain to neuropsychologic testing with very little mention of functional neuroimaging. Also, the illustrations describing the visual cognition tests are small and too few. Recommended Audience: Researchers in visual cognition will find this book an extremely valuable reference. It may also be helpful for clinicians who deal with patients with visual association pathway disorders to better understand phenomena such as prosopagnosia, visual agnosia, and visual memory deficits. Critical Appraisal: This text is an excellent, in- depth review of current visual cognitive theory and processing modalities. It is informative and thought- provoking, helping the reader better understand how our visual system is miraculously adept at filtering a constant barrage of visual input to effortlessly recognize familiar faces, objects, and scenes. Rudrani Banik, MD Albeit Einstein College of Medicine Montefiore Medical Center Bronx, New York Clinical Evaluation and Diagnostic Tests for Neuromuscular Disorders Tulio E. Bertorini, MD. Butterworth Heinemann/ Elsevier Science, Woburn, MA, 2002. ISBN: 0- 7506- 7290- 0, $ 102.00. Scope: The author and 32 contributing authors cover the clinical presentation and diagnostic testing of neuromuscular diseases. Electrodiagnostic testing is a prominent feature, but the section on imaging of muscle, nerve, and spinal cord is an excellent reference; 28 figures beautifully illustrate important points. Similarly, the histology section represents the pertinent stains relating to different muscle diseases so well that there are more than 80 black and white figures and 50 color plates illustrating normal and disease states. Basic genetics is reviewed as a preparation for the 151 J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 26, No. 2, 2006 Book Reviews known genetic foci of muscle/ nerve/ motor neuron/ spino-cerebellar disease and available PCR. This book serves as a clinical text, research source, and an atlas; it would be useful for the resident, general neurologist, and probably to some extent, the neuromuscular specialist. Strengths: The chapters link neuromuscular to systemic disorders and medications. There are handy comprehensive lists readily available. For example, the differential diagnosis list for myoglobinuria is very inclusive. The literature on neuromuscular disease is so cumbersome that this book is really a wonderful resource. The interpretation of various clinical tests is quite circumspect and balanced. Weaknesses: This is such a rapidly evolving field that books can hardly keep up. For example, there is no mention of MuSK antibodies. The coverage of pupillary disorders and eye movement presentations is relatively weak. Recommended Audience: All clinicians, particularly neurologists, who examine patients with neuromuscular disorders, even if that is not the primary disorder. Critical Appraisal: This is a very solid reference book that will serve not only the general neurologist but also the specialist who strives for a comprehensive and balanced view of testing in this field. Pamela S. Chavis, MD Medical University of South Carolina Storm Eye Institute Charleston, South Carolina 152 © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |