Reducing Birth Defects


Book Description

Each year more than 4 million children are born with birth defects. This book highlights the unprecedented opportunity to improve the lives of children and families in developing countries by preventing some birth defects and reducing the consequences of others. A number of developing countries with more comprehensive health care systems are making significant progress in the prevention and care of birth defects. In many other developing countries, however, policymakers have limited knowledge of the negative impact of birth defects and are largely unaware of the affordable and effective interventions available to reduce the impact of certain conditions. Reducing Birth Defects: Meeting the Challenge in the Developing World includes descriptions of successful programs and presents a plan of action to address critical gaps in the understanding, prevention, and treatment of birth defects in developing countries. This study also recommends capacity building, priority research, and institutional and global efforts to reduce the incidence and impact of birth defects in developing countries.







Spontaneous Abortion


Book Description

Sixteen British specialists pool their extensive knowledge of spontaneous abortion in one source. Their discussion is directly applicable to clinical situations and helps identify areas of debate and alternative methods.




The Rasputin Effect: When Commensals and Symbionts Become Parasitic


Book Description

This volume focuses on those instances when benign and even beneficial relationships between microbes and their hosts opportunistically change and become detrimental toward the host. It examines the triggering events which can factor into these changes, such as reduction in the host’s capacity for mounting an effective defensive response due to nutritional deprivation, coinfections and seemingly subtle environmental influences like the amounts of sunlight, temperature, and either water or air quality. The effects of environmental changes can be compounded when they necessitate a physical relocation of species, in turn changing the probability of encounter between microbe and host. The change also can result when pathogens, including virus species, either have modified the opportunist or attacked the host’s protective natural microflora. The authors discuss these opportunistic interactions and assess their outcomes in both aquatic as well as terrestrial ecosystems, highlighting the impact on plant, invertebrate and vertebrate hosts.




The CDC Field Epidemiology Manual


Book Description

A NEW AND ESSENTIAL RESOURCE FOR THE PRACTICE OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH The CDC Field Epidemiology Manual is a definitive guide to investigating acute public health events on the ground and in real time. Assembled and written by experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as other leading public health agencies, it offers current and field-tested guidance for every stage of an outbreak investigation -- from identification to intervention and other core considerations along the way. Modeled after Michael Gregg's seminal book Field Epidemiology, this CDC manual ushers investigators through the core elements of field work, including many of the challenges inherent to outbreaks: working with multiple state and federal agencies or multinational organizations; legal considerations; and effective utilization of an incident-management approach. Additional coverage includes: � Updated guidance for new tools in field investigations, including the latest technologies for data collection and incorporating data from geographic information systems (GIS) � Tips for investigations in unique settings, including healthcare and community-congregate sites � Advice for responding to different types of outbreaks, including acute enteric disease; suspected biologic or toxic agents; and outbreaks of violence, suicide, and other forms of injury For the ever-changing public health landscape, The CDC Field Epidemiology Manual offers a new, authoritative resource for effective outbreak response to acute and emerging threats. *** Oxford University Press will donate a portion of the proceeds from this book to the CDC Foundation, an independent nonprofit and the sole entity created by Congress to mobilize philanthropic and private-sector resources to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's critical health protection work. To learn more about the CDC Foundation, visit www.cdcfoundation.org.




Problems of Birth Defects


Book Description

Surprisingly, the beginning of a modern approach This collection of articles and commentaries is an to the problems of birth defects is relatively recent integration of information from many disciplines, and dates from Gregg's classical report in 1941 that and presents a comprehensive survey of both recent mothers who contracted rubella during the first tri and previously reported work related to the major mester of pregnancy gave birth to infants with severe aspects of birth defects. In particular, an attempt multiple anomalies. For the first time, an environ has been made to provide a critical assessment of mental agent was found to be teratogenic in man current concepts and to identify areas in need of and was documented in a thoroughly convincing further investigation. manner. Since then, many important discoveries The scope of this volume and space limitations and significant developments have been made, par precluded discussion of and reference to all papers ticularly in the areas of environmental teratogenesis, of relevance or importance: a work of the present hereditary mechanisms, and prenatal diagnosis. nature must necessarily be selective. Some good In recent years, there has been an impressive papers have been left out or given relatively little surge of interest in the causes and prevention of consideration. It is my hope that the list of Further birth defects. Undoubtedly this resulted not only References will be consulted and should compensate from the thalidomide tragedy, but also from the for this lack of completeness.




Safe Drinking Water


Book Description

Drinking water provides an efficient source for the spread of gastrointestinal microbial pathogens capable of causing serious human disease. The massive death toll and burden of disease worldwide caused by unsafe drinking water is a compelling reason to value the privilege of having safe drinking water delivered to individual homes. On rare occasions, that privilege has been undermined in affluent nations by waterborne disease outbreaks traced to the water supply. Using the rich and detailed perspectives offered by the evidence and reports from the Canadian public inquiries into the Walkerton (2000) and North Battleford (2001) outbreaks to develop templates for understanding their key dimensions, over 60 waterborne outbreaks from 15 affluent countries over the past 30 years are explored as individual case studies. Recurring themes and patterns are revealed and the critical human dimensions are highlighted suggesting insights for more effective and more individualized preventive strategies, personnel training, management, and regulatory control. Safe Drinking Water aims to raise understanding and awareness of those factors that have most commonly contributed to or caused drinking-water-transmitted disease outbreaks - essentially a case-history analysis within the multi-barrier framework. It contains detailed analysis of the failures underlying drinking-water-transmitted disease epidemics that have been documented in the open literature, by public inquiry, in investigation reports, in surveillance databases and other reliable information sources. The book adopts a theme of 'converting hindsight into foresight', to inform drinking-water and health professionals including operators, managers, engineers, chemists and microbiologists, regulators, as well as undergraduates and graduates at specialty level. Key Features: Contains details and perspectives of major outbreaks not widely known or understood beyond those directly involved in the investigations. Technical and scientific background associated with case studies is offered in an accessible summary form. Does not require specialist training or experience to comprehend the details of the numerous outbreaks reviewed. By providing a broad-spectrum review using a consistent approach, several key recurring themes are revealed that offer insights for developing localized, tailor-made prevention strategies.




Evolution's Rainbow


Book Description

In this innovative celebration of diversity and affirmation of individuality in animals and humans, Joan Roughgarden challenges accepted wisdom about gender identity and sexual orientation. A distinguished evolutionary biologist, Roughgarden takes on the medical establishment, the Bible, social science—and even Darwin himself. She leads the reader through a fascinating discussion of diversity in gender and sexuality among fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals, including primates. Evolution's Rainbow explains how this diversity develops from the action of genes and hormones and how people come to differ from each other in all aspects of body and behavior. Roughgarden reconstructs primary science in light of feminist, gay, and transgender criticism and redefines our understanding of sex, gender, and sexuality. Witty, playful, and daring, this book will revolutionize our understanding of sexuality. Roughgarden argues that principal elements of Darwinian sexual selection theory are false and suggests a new theory that emphasizes social inclusion and control of access to resources and mating opportunity. She disputes a range of scientific and medical concepts, including Wilson's genetic determinism of behavior, evolutionary psychology, the existence of a gay gene, the role of parenting in determining gender identity, and Dawkins's "selfish gene" as the driver of natural selection. She dares social science to respect the agency and rationality of diverse people; shows that many cultures across the world and throughout history accommodate people we label today as lesbian, gay, and transgendered; and calls on the Christian religion to acknowledge the Bible's many passages endorsing diversity in gender and sexuality. Evolution's Rainbow concludes with bold recommendations for improving education in biology, psychology, and medicine; for democratizing genetic engineering and medical practice; and for building a public monument to affirm diversity as one of our nation's defining principles.




Insect-Borne Diseases in the 21st Century


Book Description

Insect-Borne Diseases in the 21st Century provides a comprehensive look at the most notorious diseases carried by insects. It offers an assessment of current and potential insect-vectored diseases as they relate to human health and agricultural and livestock production. Written by a leading expert in insect-borne diseases, it examines the history of insect-borne diseases, beginning with those that have been well-known to scientists for decades, also including recent outbreaks like Zika. The book takes into consideration environmental conditions and climate change and explores the bionetworks and system biology of potential new superorganisms, offering preventative and protective solutions. This is a must-have resource for entomology researchers and students who seek the most up-to-date information on disease-causing pathogens transmitted by insects. This book will also serve as a resource for ordinary people whose lives may be affected by such diseases. - Details the leading insect-transmitted diseases, including malaria, West Nile, Zika, dengue, yellow fever and Xylella - Examines containment issues, including resistance phenomena among insects and microorganisms - Offers alternative solutions to protection and prevention, including natural and environmentally-friendly insecticides