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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Human biology & related topics > General
The measurement of metabolic rates is central to important questions in many areas of physiological research. Unfortunately these measurements are anything but straightforward, with numerous pitfalls awaiting both the novice and even the experienced investigator. The original edition of this work, published in 2008, quickly became the principle "how to" manual for the field. It successfully de-mystified the topic, explaining every common variation of metabolic rate measurement. Background information on different analyzer and equipment types allowed users to choose the best instruments for their application. Respirometry equations, normally a topic of terror and confusion to researchers, were derived and described in sufficient detail to facilitate their selection and use. In this new edition, the content has been thoroughly updated and a decade of new literature incorporated. New chapters on room calorimetry, human metabolic measurement, and metabolic phenotyping have also been added. Measuring Metabolic Rates is aimed at experimental biologists, physiologists, and any professional scientist involved with metabolic measurement. This practical handbook will also be of relevance and use to graduate students.
In the space of one generation major changes have begun to take place in the field of human reproduction. A rapid increase in the control of fertility and the understanding and treatment of sexual health issues have been accompanied by an emerging threat to reproductive function linked to increasing environmental pollution and dramatic changes in lifestyle. Organised around four key themes, this book provides a valuable review of some of the most important recent findings in human reproductive ecology. Major topics include the impact of the environment on reproduction, the role of physical activity and energetics in regulating reproduction, sexual maturation and ovulation assessment and demographic, health and family planning issues. Both theoretical and practical issues are covered, including the evolution and importance of the menopause and the various statistical methods by which researchers can analyse characteristics of the menstrual cycle in field studies.
Every year, there are over 1.6 million violent deaths worldwide, making violence one of the leading public health issues of our time. And with the 20th century just behind us, it's hard to forget that 191 million people lost their lives directly or indirectly through conflict. This collection of engaging case studies on violence and violent deaths reveals how violence is reconstructed from skeletal and contextual information. By sharing the complex methodologies for gleaning scientific data from human remains and the context they are found in, and complementary perspectives for examining violence from both past and contemporary societies, bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology prove to be fundamentally inseparable. This book provides a model for training forensic anthropologists and bioarchaeologists, not just in the fundamentals of excavation and skeletal analysis, but in all subfields of anthropology, to broaden their theoretical and practical approach to dealing with everyday violence.
An essential guide to this major contemporary issue, Consanguinity in Context is a uniquely comprehensive account of intra-familial marriage. Detailed information on past and present religious, social and legal practices and prohibitions is presented as a backdrop to the preferences and beliefs of the 1100+ million people in consanguineous unions. Chapters on population genetics, and the role of consanguinity in reproductive behaviour and genetic variation, set the scene for critical analyses of the influence of consanguinity on health in the early years of life. The discussion on consanguinity and disorders of adulthood is the first review of its kind and is particularly relevant given the ageing of the global population. Incest is treated as a separate issue, with historical and present-day examples examined. The final three chapters deal in detail with practical issues, including genetic testing, education and counselling, national and international legislation and imperatives, and the future of consanguineous marriage worldwide.
Neuromorphic and brain-based robotics have enormous potential for furthering our understanding of the brain. By embodying models of the brain on robotic platforms, researchers can investigate the roots of biological intelligence and work towards the development of truly intelligent machines. This book provides a broad introduction to this groundbreaking area for researchers from a wide range of fields, from engineering to neuroscience. Case studies explore how robots are being used in current research, including a whisker system that allows a robot to sense its environment and neurally inspired navigation systems that show impressive mapping results. Looking to the future, several chapters consider the development of cognitive, or even conscious robots that display the adaptability and intelligence of biological organisms. Finally, the ethical implications of intelligent robots are explored, from morality and Asimov's three laws to the question of whether robots have rights.
Explanations and accounts of our own origins have become one of the
most popular of all the areas in science that are now regularly
brought into the public arena via television, lavishly illustrated
books, and even cartoons. The discovery of fossils and artefacts
has its own intrinsic interest, but it is the origin of our
characteristically human abilities - speech, the creation of
images, reading, writing-that holds the imagination. This volume is a reference work that sets out and evaluates the
basic knowledge and theory relevant to these origins of these
abilities that have accumulated in the scientific literature over
the last few decades. It is a compendium of and a guide to the
general topics that assist in understanding human symbolic
evolution. Contributions to the volume include those from linguistics, anthropology and psychology. Primatologists and biologists have also contributed giving the reader a uniquely broad and accessible reference work.
The International Biological Programme investigated the biology of circumpolar human populations in the period 1967 1974. This research was carried out by multidisciplinary teams and covered demography, genetics, craniofacial development, growth, ophthalmology, nutrition physiology and behaviour. The populations studied include Eskimos, Lapps and Ainu as well as certain of those from Russia. The environment inhabited by the populations has low temperatures, seasonal extremes of light and dark and relatively meagre ecological resources, but despite such harsh conditions the groups have survived for thousands of years. The study elucidates the biological and behavioural processes leading to this successful adaptation.
This fourth edition of the best-selling textbook, Human Genetics and Genomics, clearly explains the key principles needed by medical and health sciences students, from the basis of molecular genetics, to clinical applications used in the treatment of both rare and common conditions. A newly expanded Part 1, Basic Principles of Human Genetics, focuses on introducing the reader to key concepts such as Mendelian principles, DNA replication and gene expression. Part 2, Genetics and Genomics in Medical Practice, uses case scenarios to help you engage with current genetic practice. Now featuring full-color diagrams, Human Genetics and Genomics has been rigorously updated to reflect today s genetics teaching, and includes updated discussion of genetic risk assessment, single gene disorders and therapeutics. Key learning features include: * Clinical snapshots to help relate science to practice * Hot topics boxes that focus on the latest developments in testing, assessment and treatment * Ethical issues boxes to prompt further thought and discussion on the implications of genetic developments * Sources of information boxes to assist with the practicalities of clinical research and information provision * Self-assessment review questions in each chapter Accompanied by the Wiley E-Text digital edition (included in the price of the book), Human Genetics and Genomics is also fully supported by a suite of online resources at www.korfgenetics.com, including: * Factsheets on 100 genetic disorders, ideal for study and exam preparation * Interactive Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with feedback on all answers * Links to online resources for further study * Figures from the book available as PowerPoint slides, ideal for teaching purposes The perfect companion to the genetics component of both problem-based learning and integrated medical courses, Human Genetics and Genomics presents the ideal balance between the bio-molecular basis of genetics and clinical cases, and provides an invaluable overview for anyone wishing to engage with this fast-moving discipline.
In The Historic Turn in the Human Sciences eleven scholars widely known for their interdisciplinary work investigate one of the most striking developments in the intellectual world today: the return to history by a wide range of academic disciplines. From "new historicism" in literary theory, to "ethnohistory," to "historical sociology," these new approaches have resulted both in more works of historical analysis and in a more self-conscious attempt to locate the human sciences in their own histories. The essays in The Historic Turn in the Human Sciences -eight of them published here for the first time-take stock of these changes from the perspectives of some of the disciplines most deeply involved: anthropology, sociology, political science, law, literary studies, and history itself. Many of the authors have played a crucial role in producing the historic turn in their own disciplines. The volume as a whole, therefore, goes significantly beyond a mere inventory of these changes to ask how and how much history can make a difference; how the practice of history is affected by post-structural and other theories; and what is left of both unproblematized history and social science after the historic turn. Taken together the essays give a sense both of what these various turns to history have in common and what sets them apart. This comparative dimension distinguishes the volume from those that have analyzed the impact of history on a single field or have assayed its effects without including historians themselves. In the wake of the historic turn neither the historical actor nor the historical analyst will ever again be seen as a colossus striding over the pages of history. This volume explains in an extraordinary thought-provoking and challenging way why this must be so.
We like to think of ourselves as highly evolved. But if we are evolution's greatest creation, why are we so badly designed? We have retinas that face backward, we must find vitamins and nutrients in our diets that other animals simply make for themselves and millions of us can't reproduce successfully without help from modern science. And that's just the beginning of the story. Biologist Nathan H. Lents takes us on an entertaining and illuminating tour of our four-billion-year-long evolutionary saga, and shows us how each of our flaws tells us a story about our species' history.
How do plants, animals, and humans manage to survive and adapt to the urban environment? This book provides a comprehensive coverage of biological matters related to urban environments presenting both the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings, and practical examples required to understand and address the challenges presented by this novel environment. The Biology of Urban Environments focusses on urban denizens: species (both domesticated and non-domesticated) that live for all or part of their life cycle in towns and cities. The biology of household plants and companion animals is discussed alongside that of species that have become feral or have not been domesticated. Temporal and spatial distribution patterns are set out and generalizations are made while exceptions are also discussed. The various strategies used and the genotypic, phenotypic, and behavioural adaptions of plants and animals in the face of the challenges presented by urban environments are explained. The final two chapters contain a discussion of the impacts of urban environments on human biology and suggestions on how this understanding might be used to address the increasing human health burden associated with illnesses that are characteristic of urbanites in the early twenty-first century.
The complete DNA molecules comprising the human genome were deciphered two decades ago. With this discovery began a remarkable genomic voyage back in time yielding a new science of human evolution. We are just beginning to unravel our full genomic history and answering age-old questions about how and when we evolved. For the first time, we are finding our ancestors in our genome and gleaning tantalizing clues about our past. Molecular anthropologist Eugene E. Harris now gives us an updated and expanded version of the original Ancestors in Our Genome. Written from the perspective of population genetics, and in simple terms, his book traces human origins back to our earliest human ancestors and explains how our genome has adapted as we spread to colonize new regions on Earth. Harris's book reveals the latest insights into our relationships with our extinct cousins, the Neandertals and Denisovans, and describes where, when and to what extent we mated with them, probing the good and bad consequences of this.
"Congratulations on the purchase of this exclusive product, tailor-made just for you. It will provide you with years of continuous service." The brain is one of nature's most miraculous but misunderstood creations. In this fascinating user-friendly guide, you will discover all you need to know about what is ceaselessly happening inside your head - from the 38 million billion calculations the brain makes per second, to the complex distribution of memory (there is no central storeroom for information) and why love is an entirely neuronal experience. With wit and style, Marco Magrini cuts through the noise of cerebral misinformation to tell the real story of who you are and, crucially, what you are capable of achieving. N.B. Product comes with a 10-year warranty. T&Cs apply "A fantastically original and clever way to popularise neuroscience." - Professor Gilberto Corbellini, Philosophy of Science, La Sapienza University, Rome "In these pages, Magrini describes beautifully, and often very humorously, the extraordinary harvest of new neuroscientific discoveries shedding light on the most complex and astonishing thing in the universe itself." - Tomaso Poggio, MIT McGovern Institute
Where did we come from? Where are we going? Homo sapiens is the most successful, the most widespread and the most influential species ever to walk the Earth. In the blink of an evolutionary eye we have spread around the globe, taken control of Earth's biological and mineral resources, transformed the environment, discovered the secrets of the universe and travelled into space. Yet just 7 million years ago, we were just another species of great ape making a quiet living in the forests of East Africa. We do not know exactly what this ancestor was like, but it was no more likely than a chimpanzee or gorilla to sail across the ocean, write a symphony, invent a steam engine or ponder the meaning of existence. How did we get from there to here? Human Origins recounts the most astonishing evolutionary tale ever told. Discover how our ancestors made the first tentative steps towards becoming human, how we lost our fur but gained language, fire and tools, how we strode out of Africa, invented farming and cities and ultimately created modern civilisation - perhaps the only one of its kind in the universe. Meet your long-lost ancestors, the other humans who once shared the planet with us, and learn where the story might end. ABOUT THE SERIES New Scientist Instant Expert books are definitive and accessible entry points to the most important subjects in science; subjects that challenge, attract debate, invite controversy and engage the most enquiring minds. Designed for curious readers who want to know how things work and why, the Instant Expert series explores the topics that really matter and their impact on individuals, society, and the planet, translating the scientific complexities around us into language that's open to everyone, and putting new ideas and discoveries into perspective and context.
Why do people's financial and economic preferences vary so widely? 'Nurture' variables such as socioeconomic factors partially explain these differences, but scientists have been discovering that 'nature' also plays an important role. This is the first book to bring together these scientific insights for a holistic view of the role of human biology in financial decision-making. Geneticists are now examining which genetic markers are associated with financial and economic preferences. Neuroscientists are now determining where in the brain financial decisions are made and how that varies between people. Endocrinologists relate the level of different hormones circulating in the body to financial risk-taking. Researchers are exploring how physiology and environmental conditions influence investment decisions, and how three types of cognitive ability play essential roles in investment success. This exciting and relevant work being done in these academic silos has generally not been transmitted among the scientific areas, or to industry. For the first time, this book integrates all these areas, explaining the myriad ways in which a person's biology influences their investing decisions. Financial analysts, advisors, market participants, and upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students of behavioral finance, behavioral economics, and investing will find this book invaluable, enabling a deeper understanding of investors' decision-making processes. To further ensure this new material is accessible to students, PowerPoint slides are available online for instructors' use.
In 1993, an American biotechnology company and a French genetics
lab developed a collaborative research plan to search for diabetes
genes. But just as the project was to begin, the French government
called it to a halt, barring the laboratory from sharing something
never previously thought of as a commodity unto itself: French
DNA.
This is the loose-leaf version of Kinetic Anatomy, Fourth Edition, which offers students a less expensive, printed version of the text. Kinetic Anatomy, Fourth Edition With HKPropel Access, gives students a firm concept of musculoskeletal anatomy by systematically assembling each component of the human body. Layer by layer, readers will study bones, ligaments, joints, and muscles as well as the nerves and blood vessels that supply these muscles that are essential for movement.With full-color visual aids and activities that invite readers to apply their understanding of structural anatomy to their own lives, the fourth edition is ideally suited for students studying physical activity because it explores how the structural anatomy of the human body facilitates movement. Part I of the text introduces the basics of structural anatomy. It describes how bones, joints, muscles, nerves, and other essential anatomy work together to allow for fundamental movement. Part II details the anatomy of the upper extremity region, including the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand. Part III of the text explores the anatomy of the head, spinal column, thorax, and pelvis. These chapters include unique coverage not found in other anatomy texts, explaining how the brain, heart, and lungs-as the power centers of the nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems-affect movement. Part IV discusses the anatomy of the lower extremity region: the hip, thigh, knee, lower leg, ankle, and foot. Parts II, III, and IV each end with a summary table that offers a quick reference for the components of the body region featured in that part. Kinetic Anatomy, Fourth Edition, contains nearly 400 photos, illustrations, and infographics to help readers visualize structural anatomy and engage with their coursework. Throughout the book, Hands On exercises instruct readers to physically identify anatomical structures on themselves or on a partner, and Focus On sidebars illustrate circumstances in everyday activity that relate to the specific anatomical structures in the text. Pop quizzes provide readers an opportunity to strengthen their clinical reasoning skills by asking them to identify the muscles shown in the accompanying photo. The fourth edition is further enhanced with the addition of new online learning tools -all of which can be assigned, and progress tracked, by instructors directly through HKPropel: Anatomy labeling and coloring sheets offer students nearly 100 interactive activities that test their knowledge of anatomical structures and function. Learning activities; true-false, multiple-choice, and fill-in-the-blank questions; and functional movement exercises ensure students have a firm grasp of key points from each chapter. Chapter quizzes (assessments) may also be assigned; these are automatically graded to test comprehension of critical concepts. Readers of Kinetic Anatomy, Fourth Edition, will learn what structures are involved in movement and how those structures should function, allowing them to identify problems and correct them to enhance physical activity. Anyone interested in just how their body functions during physical activity and how certain overuse or misuse can affect certain anatomical structures will benefit from this book. Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with all new print books.
Kepler's successful solution to the problem of vision early in the
seventeenth century was a theoretical triumph as significant as
many of the more celebrated developments of the scientific
revolution. Yet the full import of Kepler's arguments can be
grasped only when they are viewed against the background of
ancient, medieval, and Renaissance visual theory. David C. Lindberg
provides this background, and in doing so he fills the gap in
historical scholarship and constructs a model for tracing the
development of scientific ideas.
Humans and flies look nothing alike, yet their genetic circuits are remarkably similar. Here, Lewis I. Held, Jr compares the genetics and development of the two to review the evidence for deep homology, the biggest discovery from the emerging field of evolutionary developmental biology. Remnants of the operating system of our hypothetical common ancestor 600 million years ago are compared in chapters arranged by region of the body, from the nervous system, limbs and heart, to vision, hearing and smell. Concept maps provide a clear understanding of the complex subjects addressed, while encyclopaedic tables offer comprehensive inventories of genetic information. Written in an engaging style with a reference section listing thousands of relevant publications, this is a vital resource for scientific researchers, and graduate and undergraduate students.
Humans and flies look nothing alike, yet their genetic circuits are remarkably similar. Here, Lewis I. Held, Jr compares the genetics and development of the two to review the evidence for deep homology, the biggest discovery from the emerging field of evolutionary developmental biology. Remnants of the operating system of our hypothetical common ancestor 600 million years ago are compared in chapters arranged by region of the body, from the nervous system, limbs and heart, to vision, hearing and smell. Concept maps provide a clear understanding of the complex subjects addressed, while encyclopaedic tables offer comprehensive inventories of genetic information. Written in an engaging style with a reference section listing thousands of relevant publications, this is a vital resource for scientific researchers, and graduate and undergraduate students.
Robert Arking's Biology of Aging, 3rd edition, is an introductory
text to the biology of aging which gives advanced undergraduate and
graduate students a thorough review of the entire field. His prior
two editions have also served admirably as a reference text for
clinicians and scientists. This new edition captures the
extraordinary recent advances in our knowledge of the ultimate and
proximal mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of aging. As a
result, six important conceptual changes are included here:
Over millions of years in the fossil record, hominin teeth preserve a high-fidelity record of their own growth, development, wear, chemistry and pathology. They yield insights into human evolution that are difficult, if not impossible, to achieve through other sources of fossil or archaeological data. Integrating dental findings with current debates and issues in palaeoanthropology, this book shows how fossil hominin teeth shed light on the origins and evolution of our dietary diversity, extended childhoods, long lifespans, and other fundamental features of human biology. It assesses methods to interpret different lines of dental evidence, providing a critical, practical approach that will appeal to students and researchers in biological anthropology and related fields such as dental science, oral biology, evolutionary biology, and palaeontology.
The first thing children ask about sex is typically, "Where do babies come from?" This, the most perplexing scientific question of all time, was hailed by the ancient Greeks as "the mystery of mysteries". Throughout history the most intelligent and well-educated men and women have struggled to understand how we reproduce, and the full picture is far from complete. In the mid-17th century, a theory of reproduction - preformation - sparked a heated debate that continued for over 100 years. Preformation proposed that miniature creatures waiting to be born existed inside each potential parent much like a Russian nesting doll. It was thought that God placed these beings during Creation and predetermined the precise moment that each would unfold and exist. In "The Ovary of Eve", Clara Pinto-Correia traces the history of this much-maligned theory, ultimately revealing its critical influence on the modern view of conception. Opinion on preformation was sharply divided. "Ovists" believed that preformed individuals existed in the egg, but "spermists" argued that the locus of perfection before birth was in the sperm. This controversy ranged beyond the narrow confines of biology. Most scholars were reluctant to allow perfection to women. After all, these debates occurred in a culture which held women responsible for the Fall and original sin and which saw women as imperfect or incomplete males. Yet spermism entailed a moral dilemma, - why would God allow millions of preformed individuals to die with each ejaculate? Pinto-Correia recounts this controversy in all its complexity, revealing the religious, cultural and social climate of the day. Acknowledging that several modern authors have presented preformation as little more than an entertaining interlude in the study of reproduction, Pinto-Correia nonetheless seeks to recast preformation as an important theory with a precious legacy. Her book shows that the basic tenets understood by the old preformationists are still a crucial part of developmental biology and effect such state-of-the art techniques as cloning. |
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