3. Adaptive immunity: a voyage of (non-)self-discovery
Paul Klenerman
in The Immune System: A Very Short Introduction
How does the immune system respond to such diverse threats, including viruses never encountered previously by us as a species? The inherent diversity in the immune system can be explained ...
More
1. Adolescence as a life stage
Peter K. Smith
in Adolescence: A Very Short Introduction
Adolescence is a period of transition between life as a child and life as an adult. The World Health Organization defines it as from ages 10 to 19. Biologically, entrance into adolescence ...
More
6. Alternative and complementary approaches to cancer care
Nicholas James
in Cancer: A Very Short Introduction
At least half of cancer patients use complementary or alternative medicines. ‘Alternative and complementary approaches to cancer care’ examines some of the very many different therapies ...
More
9. Anaesthesia tomorrow
Aidan O’Donnell
in Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction
Anaesthesia is evolving, so predictions about the future are hard to make. Three trends seem highly likely to result in changes in practice: understanding brain function, more intensive ...
More
5. Anaesthetic drugs and fluids
Aidan O’Donnell
in Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction
‘Anaesthic drugs and fluids’ looks at anaesthetic gases, such as nitrous oxide, which are used as an anaesthetic agent, intravenous induction agents, muscle-relaxant drugs, analgesics, and ...
More
2. Asylums and the origins of psychiatry
Tom Burns
in Psychiatry: A Very Short Introduction (2nd edn)
‘Asylums and the origins of psychiatry’ outlines the historical care of the mentally ill. If the mentally deranged could not be cared for within the family, they were sent to private ...
More
7. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
Marta L. Wayne and Benjamin M. Bolker
in Infectious Disease: A Very Short Introduction
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a fungal pathogen that infects many different amphibian species, driving some of them to extinction. ‘Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis’ ...
More
4. Bells and whistles
Aidan O’Donnell
in Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction
What equipment does the anaesthetist need? ‘Bells and whistles’ demonstrates methods of maintaining the airway during anaesthesia and describes the anaesthetic machine. The most basic ...
More
3. Beyond amyloid
Kathleen Taylor
in Dementia: A Very Short Introduction
‘Beyond amyloid’ outlines recent challenges to the amyloid cascade hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease. This theory’s enduring popularity has not been matched by success in the clinic. Some ...
More
3. Big impacts: the Black Death
Paul Slack
in Plague: A Very Short Introduction
‘Big impacts: the Black Death’ explains how the contention that major epidemic disasters changed the course of historical events — the ‘Great Disaster’ interpretations of history — leaves ...
More
9. Big issues and major challenges
Alan Whiteside
in HIV & AIDS: A Very Short Introduction (2nd edn)
Unless something dramatic happens, the AIDS epidemic will be under control across the world by 2022. The number of new infections will continue to fall; there will be virtually no vertical ...
More
4. Cancer research
Nicholas James
in Cancer: A Very Short Introduction
The mainstays of cancer treatment have been surgery and radiotherapy. Both of these techniques have seen incremental technical improvements since they were introduced in the ...
More
1. The challenges of dementia
Kathleen Taylor
in Dementia: A Very Short Introduction
While cognitive problems have long been associated with ageing, dementia is a relatively new concept. ‘The challenge of dementia’ shows how our understanding of it was shaped by research in ...
More
5. Cholera
Marta L. Wayne and Benjamin M. Bolker
in Infectious Disease: A Very Short Introduction
Cholera is a water-borne, diarrhoeal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. For illness to occur, humans must consume vast amounts of the bacteria and cholera must possess a ...
More
4. Cholera
Christian W. McMillen
in Pandemics: A Very Short Introduction
Cholera is caused by ingesting water contaminated with infected fecal matter. The disease spreads easily. Seven cholera pandemics have traveled the globe, the first starting in India in ...
More
4. Communication and control
Leslie Klenerman
in Human Anatomy: A Very Short Introduction
‘Communication and control’ considers the human nervous system, which has two anatomically separate, but closely related, components: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral ...
More
2. Current challenges
Virginia Berridge
in Public Health: A Very Short Introduction
What is the overall context within which public health is operating? What has been happening to the health of the public? ‘Current challenges’ considers the many challenges facing public ...
More
1. The development of anatomy
Leslie Klenerman
in Human Anatomy: A Very Short Introduction
‘The development of anatomy’ provides a short history of anatomical study beginning with Aristotle (384–322 bc) who named the subject anatome, meaning ‘cutting up’. Herophilus of Chalcedon ...
More
6. Development, numbers, and politics
Alan Whiteside
in HIV & AIDS: A Very Short Introduction (2nd edn)
‘Development, numbers, and politics’ first considers the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations in 2000 and explains how achieving some of them was difficult due to ...
More
5. Diagnosis and treatment
Kathleen Taylor
in Dementia: A Very Short Introduction
‘Diagnosis and treatment’ explains the systems used to classify brain disorders, and the change in our understanding of dementia from seeing it as threshold to a spectrum of symptoms that ...
More
