{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.014726507713884993, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0, 'mean_word_length': 5.0702127659574465, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
The Physical Measurement of Bone

A book of this nature is long overdue; as could be expected from the pedigree of the editors, the coverage is comprehensive and, thanks to the authors selected, is of high quality. The book is divided into five sections, the central three of which are concerned with the measurement techniques themselves. The invasive techniques of mechanical testing and bone histology are dealt with in great detail at a level suitable for postgraduate students looking for an introduction to these techniques at a practical level. In the section dealing with the measurement techniques which use ionizing radiation, the chapters on DXA, neutron activation and radiogrammetry are well detailed and again at the appropriate level for postgraduate students. However, the chapters dealing with quantitative CT techniques are missing the sort of information that would have given them more authority. There is no mention of reconstruction algorithms or some of the typical shortcomings (e.g. partial volume artefacts) of these techniques and, given the excellent quality of the rest of the book, this was disappointing. The third of these technique sections deals with methods that do not use ionizing radiation. As one might expect with these two editors, the chapter on ultrasound is excellent and the coverage thorough and deep. The chapter on MRI and bone is particularly useful and timely as little has been published in this area and the debate about how best to measure bone quality in vivo has recently been rejoined. The chapters on finite element modelling and vibration analysis give a useful overview of the topics and have comprehensive reference lists for anyone who wishes to deepen their studies. The book has a useful introductory section. Bone biology is discussed in some detail, providing sufficient knowledge for the reader to be able to understand the basis and significance of the measurement techniques that follow. Exhaustive coverage is given to biological and radiation safety issues which may be faced when using the measurement techniques and a basic framework is given for the validation and quality assurance of measurement instruments. The only disappointment is the final section on animal and human studies, where the chapter on human studies is superficial and concentrates predominantly on DXA matters. Occasional use of non-SI units (c/sec rather than hertz) is surprising but my only real complaint is about the quality of reproduction of a large number of the illustrations, particularly the photographs, where the contrast is poor and the resolution at times leaves something to be desired. That said, this is an excellent and encyclopaedic book which any individual or department concerned with bone measurement, or wishing to extend their knowledge of the field, should have on their bookshelf.