lunes, 22 de agosto de 2011

Books reviews


Book News and Reviews
Simon Garfield
Sarah Lee
Simon Garfield
BOOKS OF THE TIMES

‘Just My Type: A Book About Fonts’

“Just My Type: A Book About Fonts” is an accessible book that makes typography noticeable and fun for people who had no idea they were interested in the subject.
RIFF

Another Thing to Sort of Pin on David Foster Wallace

How he both inadvertently created the voice of the Internet and ruined a generation of writers.
BOOKS OF THE TIMES

Her Life Since Then: Different Views of It

Patricia Bosworth’s “Jane Fonda” is about a younger woman who had very little idea of who she was, while Ms. Fonda’s “Prime Time” is a how-to book about being happy at 73.
The gold-leafed statue of Justice atop the Old Bailey's current building, opened in 1907.

As the Gavels Fell: 240 Years at Old Bailey

Digital tabulation methods allow historians to tabulate trials from 1764 to 1913 at the Old Bailey in London.
BOOKS OF THE TIMES
Wendy Wasserstein with her infant daughter.

‘Wendy and the Lost Boys ’

“Wendy and the Lost Boys” is Julie Salamon’s biography of the playwright Wendy Wasserstein, who died in 2006.

Newly Released Books

New books from Gordon Reece, Robert Olen Butler, Jennifer Close, Brandi Lynn Ryder, Evan Mandery and James Sallis.
BOOKS OF THE TIMES
Evan Hughes

‘Literary Brooklyn ’

Evan Hughes takes in Walt Whitman, Henry Miller, Thomas Wolfe and the young and hip of today.

Amazon Set to Publish Pop Author

Amazon moved aggressively to fulfill its new ambition to publish books as well as sell them, announcing that it had signed Timothy Ferriss, the popular self-help guru.
BOOKS OF THE TIMES
Amy Waldman

‘The Submission’

“The Submission,” the debut novel by Amy Waldman, tackles the aftermath of a terrorist attack similar to 9/11.
Sunday Book Review

‘Class Warfare ’

Illustration by Joon Mo Kang; Photograph from Jupiterimages/Comstock — Getty Images
In “Class Warfare,” Steven Brill brings a sharp legal mind to the world of education reform and mounts a zealous case against America’s teachers’ unions.
Amy Waldman

‘The Submission’

Amy Waldman’s new novel concerns the controversy surrounding the choice of a Muslim to design a 9/11 memorial.
From left, Robert Alexander, John Reed, Wallace Berman, Juanita Dixon and Walter Hopps, a co-founder of the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, in 1959.

‘Rebels In Paradise’

An account of how the Los Angeles art scene hit the big time in the 1960s.
Kelle Groom

‘I Wore the Ocean in the Shape of a Girl’

In her memoir, the poet Kelle Groom struggles with the loss of her son.
John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office, 1961.

‘A First-Rate Madness’

A specialist in bipolar disorder explores whether madness improves political leadership.

‘Busy Monsters’

A protagonist with an odd manner of speaking strives to win back his fiancée from a hunter of giant squid.

‘1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created’

Charles C. Mann argues that ecological encounters since Columbus have affected much of subsequent human history.
Shel Silverstein from "Every Thing on It." © 2011 Evil Eye, LLC.; lettering by Ray Fenwick

‘Addie on the Inside’

Narrated by a brainy female outcast, this book is the third volume in James Howe’s “Misfits” series.

‘You Against Me’

Jenny Downham renews the classic formula of star-crossed romance in a story that forces a choice between youthful passion and family loyalty.
The precocious title character of David Mackintosh's

Picture Books About Making Friends

Three new picture books deal with the pursuit of friendship.

Books About Troublemakers

Two bullies are redeemed through art and one remains defiantly unrepentant.

Tales of a Fourth-Grade Something

Marissa Moss’s book series for young readers, “Daphne’s Diary of Daily Disasters,” takes on the highs and lows of fourth grade.
In

Picture Books About Elephants

The land heavyweights of the animal kingdom figure largely in three picture books.
Searching for sidekicks: A bunny without a pal in Katherine Battersby's

Picture Books About Lonely Animals

Creatures in need of companionship are the main features in these three picture books.

Shakespeare and Austen, Updated

Two young adult novels re-imagine two high-school staples, “Pride and Prejudice” and “Hamlet.”

Bookshelf: Back to School

Children’s and young adult books about behavioral issues at school, creative play, dealing with bullies and more.

Picture Books About Sibling Rivalry

“Mine!” and “The Twins’ Blanket” are two new picture books about warring siblings aimed at the youngest readers and rivals.
Back Page
ESSAY

Boys and Reading: Is There Any Hope?

Boys’ aversion to reading, let alone to novels, has been worsening for years, prompting the question — what turns boys into readers?

VIDEO:Inspiring Reluctant Readers

The best-selling authors James Patterson and Rick Riordan talk about the challenge of encouraging children, particularly boys, to love reading.
Children’s Bookshelf: Back to School
Picture books about school and imaginative play.
From Sunday Review
NEWS ANALYSIS
The Book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl.The Lesson: Don't consume too much.

Fairies, Witches and Supply and Demand

Once economics is on the brain, it seems to pop up a lot in children’s literature.

‘Nasty School’ and Other Poems

Selections from “Every Thing on It.”

Fiction Chronicle

Novels by Kevin Wilson, David Whitehouse, Maxine Swann and Francis Levy.
T Magazine
Bookshelf

Bookshelf

On T’s bookshelf this month: a survey of the work of Hussein Chalayan, “Happy Accidents” by “Glee” star Jane Lynch, Cherie Burns’s account of the life of Millicent Rogers and a collection of stories by Sandra Novack.
Off the Shelf | ‘The Wanderings of Odysseus’

Off the Shelf | ‘The Wanderings of Odysseus’

This week, T talks to the restaurateur Andrew Tarlow of Marlow & Sons about his affinity for ancient Greek myths.

Champagne by the Case

The bubbly flowed, the diamonds too. For one good-time girl in '70s L.A., it seemed like the party would never end.

Book Review Podcast

Featuring Amy Waldman on her 9/11-themed novel, “The Submission”; Holland Cotter discussing the Los Angeles art scene in the 1960s.
  •  This Week's Book Review Podcast (mp3)
The Times's Critics
Recent reviews by:
Book Review Features
TBR

Inside the List

“Unlikely Friendships,” No. 7 on the paperback nonfiction list, chronicles some surprising pairings from the animal kingdom. But can these relationships last long enough for a sequel?

Editors’ Choice

Recently reviewed books of particular interest.

Paperback Row

Paperback books of particular interest.
Business
OFF THE SHELF

Of Management and Mosquito Nets

In his new book, “Lifeblood,” Alex Perry shows how philanthropists have applied management principles to charitable work around the world.
Science
BOOKS ON SCIENCE
HIGH AND MIGHTY If experts are correct and seas rise by two or even three feet by the end of the century, development along Australia's Gold Coast would suffer flooding.

Shorelines, Sandy or Otherwise, That May Not Last

Four coastal scientists have come to the aid of the beach curious with a comprehensive, readable guide to the physical features of many kinds of beaches and the threats they face.

Reconocimiento facial y de otras imágenes: 10 ingeniosas aplicaciones


El caparazón: Reconocimiento facial y de otras imágenes: 10 ingeniosas aplicaciones

Link to El caparazon


Posted: 21 Aug 2011 05:24 AM PDT
Me parecía curiosa una entrada en The next web que traduzco parcialmente, sobre las múltiples utilidades de algo que a muchos asusta: el etiquetado automático de personas mediante el reconocimiento de rostros.
De actualidad durante los últimos días para la policía y las brigadas ciudadanas encargadas de aplicarlo en el reconocimiento de los responsables de los disturbios violentos británicos, es bueno saber qué otras utilidades, más allá de la seguridad, tiene esta evolución tecnológica:

-Etiquetado automático de gente, sugerencias para ahorrarnos tiempo, como complemento de productividad.  iPhoto, Picasa y Facebook ya incorporan características de este tipo.

-Juego
Empiezan a surgir juegos que utilizan el reconocimiento facial, como el de Viewdle, que distingue (no sé en base a qué complicados algoritmos :) ) si eres humano no vampiro.

-Comparación de precios Google Shopper trabaja con recnocimiento de imágenes y RedLaser, de ebay, mediante  un escáner de códigos de barras pero ambos ayudan a comprar los objetos en que nos fijemos, recomendando tiendas, precios, etc.

-Notas mentales:  Deja Vu ayuda a organizar imágenes como recordatorios, permitiendo que añadamos notas, etiquetas y datos de localización.  El reconocimiento de imágenes sirve en este caso para etiquetar automáticamente libros, CDs, DVDs y etiquetas de vinos.

-Identificando programas de  TV
Similares a la popular aplicación que reconoce patrones musicales,  ‘Shazam’, TVtak identifica series de televisión, anuncios, etc. Solo en Israel de momento.


-Realidad aumentada


-Búsqueda de imágenes
Google introducía recientemente la posibilidad de buscar imágenes comparándolas con otras. Subiendo una imagen o dejando una url a una imagen mostrará imágenes similares. Puede tener muchas utilidades, desde saber dónde se han usado nuestras imágenes a confirmar o desmentir la autenticidad de las mismas. Durante las revueltas en Londres corrió un rumor en twitter sobre que había un tigre huido del zoo por las calles. Una simple búsqueda en esta herramienta de Google despejó que la imagen que corría era de 2008 en Italia.


-Resolver Sudokus
Sí, parece que si enviamos una imagen de un sudoku a Google Googles nos lo resuelve en segundos…


-Seguridad
Es probable que en algún momento el reconocimiento facial sustituya los passwords en los login de nuestras apps. Imaginemos que podemos loguearnos en twitter mediante reconocimiento facial, como ya imaginan en la Universidad de Manchester y muchas empresas están interesadas en aplicar. Hemos visto durante los últimos días emerger un nuevo fenómeno violento, las “flash robs”, consistentes en la reunión de gente para saquear establecimientos. De este tipo, de identificación de quienes acceden a los locales, podría ser la solución.


-Revelando más de uno mismo en público
No es todavía una aplicación real pero podría ser un escenario futuro de Google Googles o similar, que lo autorizásemos y ampliásemos nuestros datos para hacerlos accesibles en conferencias, encuentros o cualquier otra aplicación que se os ocurra. No parece un escenario probable en Europa, cuando hoy mismo leía acerca de un estado Alemán que prohibe los like de Facebook por violar las leyes europeas sobre privacidad. En el caso del reconocimiento facial el tema es aún peor, lógicamente.

Síndrome metabólico y resistencia a la insulina



Prevalencia del síndrome metabólico y sus componentes en pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo
Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and its Components in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome.
Jover A, Corbella E, Muñoz A, Millán J, Pintó X, Mangas A, Zúñiga M, Pedro-Botet J, Hernández-Mijares A.
Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset y Fundación para la Investigación Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, Valencia, España.
Rev Esp Cardiol. 2011 Jul;64(7):579-586. Epub 2011 Jun 2.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: A large proportion of patients with coronary disease have metabolic syndrome, although the frequency and association of its different components are not well understood. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and the combination of its components in a Spanish cohort of patients with acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: Clinical histories of 574 inpatients with acute coronary syndrome in 6 tertiary hospitals were reviewed and the presence of metabolic syndrome and its components determined by applying Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. In a second step, the components of the metabolic syndrome were analyzed, excluding those patients with diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: The metabolic syndrome was present in 50.9% of patients and was more frequent in women than in men (66.3% vs. 47.3%; P<.001). The most prevalent component was carbohydrate metabolism disorder (85.3%), followed by low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) levels (80.5%). In nondiabetic patients, 34.6% had metabolic syndrome and the most prevalent component was low HDLc levels (86%), followed by high blood pressure and hypertriglyceridemia and, in fourth place, impaired fasting serum glucose levels. CONCLUSIONS: The metabolic syndrome has a high prevalence in patients with an acute coronary syndrome, especially in women. The most frequent components are hyperglycemia and low HDLc levels. After excluding diabetic patients, the most prevalent diagnostic criterion of metabolic syndrome was low HDLc levels. Full English text available from:www.revespcardiol.org.

Síndrome metabólico y resistencia a la insulina: consideraciones perioperatorias
Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance: perioperative considerations.
Bagry HS, Raghavendran S, Carli F.
Department of Anesthesia, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada.
Anesthesiology. 2008 Mar;108(3):506-23.
Abstract
Metabolic syndrome represents a constellation of risk factors associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and progression to diabetes mellitus. Insulin resistance, a state of decreased biologic response to physiologic concentrations of insulin, is a key component of this syndrome and seems to be the result of a primary defect at the skeletal muscle glucose transporter. Acute illness and the perioperative period are characterized by a state of insulin resistance that manifests as hyperglycemia and leads to various other metabolic and biochemical alterations that adversely affect end organ function. Hyperglycemia in acutely ill patients adversely affects outcome. Achieving euglycemia seems beneficial in certain clinical situations, but considerable disagreement exists regarding the target blood sugar levels, the duration of therapy, and the modality. Pharmacotherapy, exercise, and nutrition to improve insulin sensitivity seem promising but require further evaluation to confirm their efficacy for perioperative risk reduction. This review discusses the pathophysiology and the clinical implications of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in the acutely ill patient with an emphasis on perioperative modulation strategies
http://journals.lww.com/anesthesiology/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2008&issue=03000&article=00023&type=abstract 

Características diferenciales de pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo con elevación del segmento ST comparado con aquellos con elevación transitoria del segmento ST
 Differential characteristics of patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST-segment elevation compared to those with transient ST-segment elevation.
Arroyo Úcar E, Domínguez-Rodríguez A, Juárez Prera R, Blanco Palacios G, Hernández García C, Carrillo-Pérez Tome M, Abreu-González P.
Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, España.
Med Intensiva. 2011 Jun-Jul;35(5):270-3. Epub 2011 Feb 24.Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate different characteristics of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) without ST-segment elevation compared with transient St-segment elevation.DESIGN:
An observational, prospective study. SETTING:  A 12-bed coronary care unit. PATIENTS:
Consecutive patients of ACS without persistent ST-segment elevation. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: The population was divided intro 2 groups according to the presence of transient ST-segment elevation. Variables of interest were age, cardiovascular risk factors, troponin I and glucose concentrations on admission, coronary anatomy, left ventricular ejection fraction, inhospital mortality and drugs. RESULTS: Patients identified as ACS with transient ST-segment elevation were significantly younger, smokers and predominantly male. At the same time, they showed a minor peak elevation of troponin I, a higher ejection fraction and, mainly single-vessel coronary disease. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ACS with transient ST-segment elevation differ in the type of population, myocardial damage and coronary angiographic results with respect to patients with ACS without ST-segment elevation. More research is needed to clarify whether these differences imply a different therapeutic approach.
Atentamente
Anestesiología y Medicina del Dolor

Cómo medir el riesgo de muerte en pacientes obesos


NUTRICIÓN | Estudio en Canadá

Cómo medir el riesgo de muerte en pacientes obesos

[foto de la noticia]
  • Una nueva herramienta predice los problemas asociados al exceso de peso
  • Servirá para dar prioridad a las personas que más necesiten cirugía bariátrica
Ángel Díaz | Madrid
Actualizado jueves 18/08/2011 12:23 horas
Científicos de Canadá acaban de comprobar la eficacia de un nuevo método para medir el riesgo de sufrir complicaciones o fallecer en pacientes con obesidad. El sistema, que podría servir para dar prioridad en las listas de espera a las personas que han de someterse a cirugía bariátrica, utiliza datos sobre la salud y enfermedades subyacentes de los afectados y les clasifica según una escala de cinco puntos (de 0 al 4).
Los investigadores, liderados por el doctor Raj Padwal, de la Universidad de Alberta (Canadá), han revisado información de más de 8.000 pacientes, recogida entre 1988 y 2004 en EEUU, y han dado a cada uno de estos casos clínicos una puntuación según el nuevo método, denominado Sistema de Clasificación de Obesidad Edmonton (EOSS, por sus siglas en inglés). Los resultados del estudio se publican en la revista 'PLoS One'.
Al comparar la puntuación recibida con la evolución seguida por estos pacientes, los investigadores han comprobado que el EOSS es una herramienta eficaz para predecir enfermedades graves o fallecimientos en personas obesas, sin necesidad de tener en cuenta otros factores utilizados hasta ahora para pronosticar las consecuencias del sobrepeso, como son el índice de masa corporal, la presencia de síndrome metabólico (conjunción de varias enfermedades ligadas a la obesidad) o la cadera hipertrigliceridémica (otra medida de riesgo asociada a la obesidad con la que se obtuvieron similares resultados).
"Queríamos determinar si existe una manera mejor de clasificar el riesgo relacionado con la obesidad", explica a Padwal a ELMUNDO.es. "En Canadá, tenemos listas de espera muy largas para la cirugía y estamos pensando en usar el sistema EOSS para priorizar a los pacientes. Es decir, aquellos pacientes que tengan un gran riesgo de morir en un futuro -pero que presenten también un riesgo aceptable de someterse a la operación- deberían someterse a la cirugía bariátrica antes que los pacientes que no tienen problemas de salud debidos a su obesidad".
Padwal y su equipo recuerdan que el índice de masa corporal es la herramienta más utilizada en la actualidad para determinar el grado de sobrepeso, pese a que este sistema presenta algunos inconvenientes: "Es una forma sencilla de medir indirectamente la obesidad. No refleja si un paciente tiene problemas como tensión alta, colesterol y otros", señala el investigador.
El método EOSS, por su parte, considera diversas medidas de cada paciente como la glucosa, lípidos, psicopatologías, niveles de enzimas en el hígado, presencia de apnea del sueño o diabetes tipo 2, enfermedad cardiaca, infartos y otros. De los pacientes analizados, no se pudo clasificar a ninguno de ellos en el nivel máximo (4) de la escala, debido a la falta de datos más precisos. De entre los clasificados como tipo 0, 1, 2 y 3, se pudo comprobar que los del cuarto grupo tenían un riesgo considerablemente mayor de complicaciones que los del 1 o el 2.
Para estar en el grupo 3 según el sistema Edmonton (nombre que hace referencia a la capital de Alberta, en Canadá), es decir, el que requeriría de una intervención inmediata si se estableciera esta herramienta, los pacientes han de haber sufrido daños graves en un órgano, enfermedades psiquiátricas y problemas en el corazón -como un infarto cardiaco- o un ictus.