pathology books

	Pathologies of Rational Choice Theory: A Critique of Applications in Political Science
	By: Donald Green, Ian Shapiro ISBN: 0300066368 Publisher: Yale University Press Release Date: 10 September, 1996 Bioscience book rank: 493417	The authors identify three major rational choice theorists, Arrow, Downs, and Olson, and argue that there has been little empirical support for the application of their approach to political theory. The authors correctly identify two types of rational agent theory, "thin" and "thick." The former represents the agent of decision theory, as modeled by Savage and others. The latter represents the rational actor of economic theory: self-regarding, pursuing materialistic goals, an omniscient decision-maker, and the like. The critique in this book covers both. <br /> <br />The authors did not compare the relative power of rational choice theory with its alternatives in dealing with various political phenomena. Rather, they evaluate the inadequacies of the rational choice approach in absolute terms. This is a common error, and could easily have been avoided. Moreover, their general critique is that there has been little empirical work generated by rational choice theory. This is an interesting fact, if true. But, it would have been useful to suggest where the rational choice approach is correct or incorrect when it has been tested as well. <br /> <br />The authors try to maintain a balanced demeanor, but the title of the book undermines any attempted show of objectivity. "Pathologies" does not set the tone for measured judgment. Nor are the judgments measured. They are extravagant, but delivered dispassionately. <br /> <br />The standard "thick" rational choice model of voter behavior seriously conflicts with the evidence. This model assumes rational agents are self-regarding. However, the selfish rational actor would not vote, and if he did, he would conform to Downs' median voter model. Many people vote, and the median voter model is a poor predictor. The authors do not present this evidence (e.g., concerning voting on the welfare state and other redistributional measures). Indeed, they show little evidence of being knowledgeable in the literature, which is strange given their task in this volume. <br /> <br />A major application of the rational choice model is to defining and analyzing power, using game theory (the "thin" conception of rationality). The authors do not even touch upon this critically important literature. It is difficult to take these authors seriously, given the gaps in their knowledge. <br /> <br />The authors are critical of Olson's model of social dilemmas, but they slight the phenomenally important work of Elinor Ostrom and coworkers in showing that communities often develop effective strategies for managing the commons by successfully solving the free rider problem. Ostrom's work is squarely in the rational choice tradition (including the use of game theory, a careful attention to incentives and informational issues, and the use of laboratory and field experiments). Ostrom's work is a triumph of rational choice theory (thin variety). <br /> <br />As an attempt at balanced assessment, this book does not succeed, but if it encourages researchers to engage in more empirical testing and to devise alternatives to existing theories, it will have served a good purpose. <br /> <br /> As a believer in rational choice theory I believe this to be a useful book. Formal theorists in political science can benefit from its suggestion of research avenues that others in the profession would find interesting. They can also benefit from a better understanding of the threat some corners of political science perceive from the formal techniques of rational choice.<p>Reports of formal theory's death are greatly exaggerated. Non-formal types must keep that in mind as they read this, half of the "debate." Political science is a pluralistic discipline, and rational choice is here to stay. One need only examine article counts by subfield in any leading journal to conclude that. <p>Reading G&S's highly selective account of RC scholarship may suggest that that's a shame. The selectiveness of their account responsible for that is one of the drawbacks of the book. Empirically-motivated rational choice work is largely ignored. The fascinating RC-led debates on legislative organization, and the sources of party power, are not treated.<p>The approach of G&S is simply to look at some areas that have been problematic for RC, like voter turnout. The picture this paints of RC in general is nothing but an exercise in selection bias. As such the review is not exactly a balanced account.<p>That is to say nothing of the review they actually present, which in many ways is simply inadequate. For example, G&S would seem to believe that collective action problems are all "dilemma"-like situations leading to mutual non-contribution. In reviewing turnout they seem completely unaware of game theoretic models leading to positive turnout.<p>One common insult levied by anti-formal types is the "pseudoscience" card. If the derivation of testable hypotheses from logical analysis of carefully stated assumptions, and the confrontation of those hypotheses with data, is pseudoscientific, then formal theorists are guilty. But it seems to me that this approach may be the best way to make political science deserving of both halves of its name. At some point non-formal types ought to realize there's more to rational choice than the infamous Riker-Ordeshook "D term." This book is an excellent debunking of the rat choice cult and its high priests. By using rat choices own methodologies, Green and Shapiro prove that the cult has been a monumental waste of time and highly destructive in pol sci/IR. A timely book that (hopefully) will kill off the pseudo-scientific pretensions of the cultists and open up the discipline to more informative approaches and theories. One can but hope that the cult's grip on hiring practices is about to be loosened.
	The The Nature of Disease: Pathology for the Health Professions
	By: Thomas H McConnell ISBN: 0781753171 Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Release Date: 01 December, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 42537
	Handbook of Forensic Pathology, Second Edition
	By: Vincent J.M. DiMaio, Suzanna E. Dana ISBN: 084939287X Publisher: CRC Release Date: 31 October, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 57698	very good outline--but remember that it is just an outline, a good place to start. This is a great book and will be helpful in my daughter's future library for referral. While this is only a soft cover book, it is a terriffic resource. It's outline format lays out all of the common issues seen in forensic pathology, with all of the various arguements made by other forensic pathologists described in easy to understand terms. I am a trial attorney who tries murder cases for a living and this book is a tremendous resource - the best I've ever seen.
	Lymphoma: Pathology, Diagnosis and Treatment
	By: Robert Marcus, John W. Sweetenham, Michael E. Williams ISBN: 0521865441 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Release Date: 16 July, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 162984
	Radiographic Pathology
	By: TerriAnn Linn-Watson ISBN: 0721641296 Publisher: Saunders Release Date: 15 January, 1996 Bioscience book rank: 324355	I found this to be excellent for pathology I needed to know for school and for the arrt exam. Other books that helped me tremendously for the arrt exam are (The Ultimate Study Guide for the Registry Examination in Radiography: Key Review Questions and Answers) Volumes 1,2,3. Excellent review questions in these guides. These are must buys if you want to make your life easier. As a student I found this book was invaluable for bridging the gap between theory and practice. Having learnt pathology and physiology the previous semester, I used the excellent pictures in Radiographic Pathology to prepare me for my first foray into the practical side of things. Much of our testing was picking pathology on images and thanks to this book I passed with flying colours.
	An Atlas of Hair Pathology with Clinical Correlations (The Encyclopedia of Visual Medicine Series)
	By: Leonard C. Sperling ISBN: 1842142038 Publisher: Informa Healthcare Release Date: 24 March, 2003 Bioscience book rank: 131324	Great overview of hair pathology which is sorely misrepresented in most dermatopathology texts. Unfortunately many of the histology images are completely out of focus and of poor quality. Text though is excellent and probably worth being in the libary of any dermatopathologist.
	Deja Review: Pathology (Deja Review)
	By: Sarah K. Galfione, Kenny Kronforst, Julia Conlon ISBN: 0071474951 Publisher: McGraw-Hill Medical Release Date: 18 October, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 599969
	Sourcebook for Medical Speech Pathology (Clinical Competence Series)
	By: Lee Ann C. Golper ISBN: 1565938615 Publisher: Singular Release Date: 01 November, 1997 Bioscience book rank: 648701
	Head and Neck Pathology: A Volume in Foundations in Diagnostic Pathology Series (Foundations in Diagnostic Pathology)
	By: Lester Thompson ISBN: 0443069603 Publisher: Churchill Livingstone Release Date: 17 March, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 168423	I am a general anatomic/clinical pathologist with 20 years experience in a small community hospital with a heavy ENT service. I found the format, photographs, tables, and charts to be excellent and exceeding my expectations. The presentation of "Fact Sheets" and "Pathologic Features" is concise, easy to find, and is very useful when there is a need for rapid retrieval of information (e.g. when you are alone on a late Friday afternoon with a difficult frozen section or you need to answer a surgeons question over the phone). <br /> <br />There is a glaring lack of information on thyroid and parathyroid pathology. I suppose that these areas were considered best left to endocrine texts, but I found this very disappointing, especially given the controversies and difficulties in this area (last time I checked these organs are most often found in the neck). There are other gaps. For example: Squamous dysplasia is not covered in depth and there is no separation into keratinizing and non-keratinizing types. There is no discussion concerning invasive SCC often arising directly from mild keratinzing dysplasia, especially in the oral cavity. I found no information on thyroglossal duct cyst. I do not remember specifics of other abscences, but over time I found myself passing this book over and reaching for other sources on difficult cases. The times when I came back to this book I found it most often lacked any additional information. <br /> <br />One of my big complaints about textbooks is the irritating habit of failing to cross reference items in the index and the numerous abscences of key words in the listing. This one is no exception. For instance Mixed tumor and dysplasia are not listed. Instead of dysplasia there is a listing of "precursor squamous leisions of larynx/hypopharynx/trachea" - no mention of oral cavity. Look up Warthin tumor and you find "See Papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum" with no page listing - how much more trouble and paper would it take to give a page number and save the reader a bit of time and trouble ? Do editor's/publishers ever use their books or do focus groups ? Are you listening Elsevier ? <br /> <br />I believe the goal of providing a foundation was accomplished and I would recommend this book as a basic text for residents and as a part of a practicing pathologists library. It is inadequate as a comprehensive specialty textbook, especially for those with a large volume of ENT cases. Compared to other books in this area it is highly cost effective. As is becoming typical for this series, this is a nice book with fine photo illustrations but falls somewhat short due to its brevity. Better than the typical chapter in a multiauthored general pathology textbook, but not as comprehensive of a typical textbook or as useful as the AFIP fascicles. This book includes all of the important information needed for the surgical pathologist dealing with Head and Neck specimens. Very logically presented along with great photographs. Another great book in the series.
	Katzenstein and Askin's Surgical Pathology of Non-Neoplastic Lung Disease: Volume 13 in the Major Problems in Pathology Series (Major Problems in Pathology)
	By: Anna-Luise A. Katzenstein ISBN: 0721600417 Publisher: Saunders Release Date: 25 August, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 676165	This book is excellent written, in an easy to read and understand format. It is completely revised and improved from the previous edition. All the pictures are color, a lot of tables and bibliographical information. It is concised and focused. It's a great book for the practicing pathologist. Excellent review of basic lung pathology--very good color photos.