With the advent of the Human Genome Project there have been many claims for the genetic origins of complex human behavior including insanity, criminality, and intelligence. But what does it really mean to call something "genetic"? This is the fundamental question that Sahotra Sarkar's book addresses. This important book clarifies the meaning of the term "genetic," shows how molecular studies have affected genetics, and provides the philosophical background necessary to understand the debates over the Human Genome Project. It will be of particular interest to professionals and students in the philosophy of science, the history of science, and the social studies of science, medicine, and technology.

Childhood is a uniquely human life-stage, and is both a biological phenomenon and a social construct. Research on children is currently of wide-ranging interest. This groundbreaking book presents reviews of childhood from four major areas of interest--human evolution, sociology/social anthropology, biomedical anthropology and developmental psychology--to form a biosocial, cross-cultural understanding of childhood. The book places a strong emphasis on how childhood varies from culture to culture, offering examples from developed and developing countries, as well as from other animal species. It will be of interest to students and scholars within the fields of human biology, anthropology, sociology, health studies, and developmental psychology.

A few gray hairs and a couple of wrinkles are often the first visible signs of aging on our bodies. For most of us, however, aging remains largely a mystery. We can only wonder why we have to age and what casualty of age hovers nearby. Written in everyday language, The Clock of Ages takes us on a tour of the aging human body--all from a research scientist's point of view. From the deliberate creation of organisms that live three times their natural span to the isolation of genes that may allow humans to do the same, The Clock of Ages also examines the latest discoveries in geriatric genetics. Sprinkled throughout the pages are descriptions of the aging of many historical figures, such as Florence Nightingale, Jane Austen, Billy the Kid, Napoleon, and Casanova. These stories underscore the common bond of senescence that unites us all. The Clock of Ages tells us why.

This introductory textbook examines the issues of human reproduction common to a variety of advanced school and beginning university courses. It covers in detail the physiology of the human reproductive system, the production of gametes, fertilisation, pregnancy, birth, lactation and contraception. Sensitive issues such as infertility, abortion and embryo research are discussed with careful consideration of the moral and ethical issues involved.

The early environment in which we grow up has profound, long lasting, and often irreversible consequences for us throughout our lives. Stresses due to undernutrition in early childhood can mean that in adulthood individuals are smaller, more prone to disease, and have a shorter life expectancy than those with normal diets. Disease and poor living conditions in infancy and childhood also have serious implications in adulthood. While environmental effects on human growth and development are well documented, the long term consequences due to processes taking place at the early stages of growth and development have only recently become a focus of intense study. In this volume, leading researchers in nutrition, epidemiology, human biology, anthropology and physiology bring together a uniquely accessible source of information on this fascinating topic.

Ambitious and elegant, this book builds a bridge between evolutionary theory and cultural psychology. Michael Tomasello is one of the very few people to have done systematic research on the cognitive capacities of both nonhuman primates and human children. "The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition" identifies what the differences are, and suggests where they might have come from.

Tomasello argues that the roots of the human capacity for symbol-based culture, and the kind of psychological development that takes place within it, are based in a cluster of uniquely human cognitive capacities that emerge early in human ontogeny. These include capacities for sharing attention with other persons; for understanding that others have intentions of their own; and for imitating, not just what someone else does, but what someone else has intended to do. In his discussions of language, symbolic representation, and cognitive development, Tomasello describes with authority and ingenuity the "ratchet effect" of these capacities working over evolutionary and historical time to create the kind of cultural artifacts and settings within which each new generation of children develops. He also proposes a novel hypothesis, based on processes of social cognition and cultural evolution, about what makes the cognitive representations of humans different from those of other primates.

Lucid, erudite, and passionate, "The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition" will be essential reading for developmental psychology, animal behavior, and cultural psychology.

Infectious disease accounts for more death and disability worldwide than either noninfectious disease or injury. This book contains a number of different quantitative approaches to understanding the patterns of such diseases in populations, and the design of control strategies to lessen their effect. The papers are written by experts with varied mathematical expertise and involvement in biological, medical and social sciences. The volume increases interaction between specialties by describing research on many infectious diseases that affect humans, including viral diseases, such as measles and AIDS, and tropical parasitic infections. Sections deal with problems relating to transmissible diseases with long development times (such as AIDS); vaccination strategies; the consequences of treatment interventions; the dynamics of immunity; heterogeneity of populations; and prediction. On each topic, the editors have chosen papers that bring together contrasting approaches via the development of theoretical results, the use of relevant knowledge from applied fields, and the analysis of data.

The problems of understanding and controlling disease present a range of mathematical challenges, from broad theoretical issues to specific practical ones, making epidemiology one of the most vibrant branches of applied biology. Progress in this field requires collaboration among leading researchers with a wide range of mathematical expertise and close involvement in applied fields across the social, medical and biological sciences. This volume surveys the current state of epidemic modeling in relation to basic aims such as understanding, prediction, and evaluation and implementation of control strategies. The book is divided into five parts, covering the conceptual framework, three major problem areas (space, nonlinearity, heterogeneity), and the direct relation of models to data. The contributors discuss a wide range of methodological issues, e.g. comparing different approaches to the modeling of heterogeneity and relations among different types of model; and different data analytic approaches, together with the availability and quality of the data they require.

Reproduction plays a huge part in many people's lives, but often little is understood about the biological processes involved and the larger impact of reproductive choices. This book offers an accessible, comprehensive introduction to this fascinating subject. Irina Pollard takes a unique, interdisciplinary perspective, describing in detail the biology of human reproduction, but also covering in depth the impact of procreational behavior on human social structures, the environment, and health. This compelling and authoritative account is the first to draw together in a single volume these two disparate yet intimately connected strands of the story of human reproduction. The book covers fertility and infertility, sexual behavior and pheromones, sperm creation, maternal physiology during pregnancy, fetal development, the biology of breast feeding, and the impact of parental behavior on the physiology of the newborn, as well as population dynamics, artificial control of fertility, the AIDS epidemic, the effects of nutrition and exercise on reproductive behavior, and the causes of birth defects, including abuse of substances such as nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine. This book is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate students studying biology, medicine, anthropology, human ecology, population dynamics, and public health. It is also an engrossing and enlightening source of information for a wide range of general readers including prospective parents, pregnant mothers, teenagers, and anyone wishing a concise, up-to-date review of human reproductive biology.

Reproduction plays a huge part in many people's lives, but often little is understood about the biological processes involved and the larger impact of reproductive choices. This book offers an accessible, comprehensive introduction to this fascinating subject. Irina Pollard takes a unique, interdisciplinary perspective, describing in detail the biology of human reproduction, but also covering in depth the impact of procreational behavior on human social structures, the environment, and health. This compelling and authoritative account is the first to draw together in a single volume these two disparate yet intimately connected strands of the story of human reproduction. The book covers fertility and infertility, sexual behavior and pheromones, sperm creation, maternal physiology during pregnancy, fetal development, the biology of breast feeding, and the impact of parental behavior on the physiology of the newborn, as well as population dynamics, artificial control of fertility, the AIDS epidemic, the effects of nutrition and exercise on reproductive behavior, and the causes of birth defects, including abuse of substances such as nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine. This book is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate students studying biology, medicine, anthropology, human ecology, population dynamics, and public health. It is also an engrossing and enlightening source of information for a wide range of general readers including prospective parents, pregnant mothers, teenagers, and anyone wishing a concise, up-to-date review of human reproductive biology.

Seasonality has effects on a wide range of human functions and activities, and is important in the understanding of human environment relationships. In this volume, distinguished contributors, including human biologists, anthropologists, physiologists and nutritionists consider many of the different ways in which seasonality influences human biology and behaviour. Topics addressed include the influence of seasonality on hominid evolution, seasonal climatic effects on human physiology, fertility and physical growth, seasonality in morbidity, mortality and nutritional state, and seasonal factors in food production, modernisation and work organisation in Third World economics. This book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in human biology, anthropology and nutrition.

This volume looks at the relationship between specific aspects of Third World cities and human health. Rapid and extensive urbanization of the less developed nations is perhaps the most dramatic demographic phenomenon of our times, but its impact on human biology is not well understood. Here, a cross-section of work is presented on this subject allowing human biologists, urban planners, public health workers and other specialists to assess our knowledge and the current approaches available to increase it. Contributions fall into two groups: studies of urban ecology including the social, economic and physical domains, and studies of biological responses to the urban environment. Health is not merely the absence of specific diseases, but is construed more broadly to include a wide range of biological parameters that are correlated with various states of sub-optimal health. These include patterns of child growth and development, frequencies of specific diseases, nutritional status, immunological characteristics and physiological parameters. This important volume will be of interest to a wide range of researchers and academics, including human biologists, anthropologists, healthcare professionals, human geographers, urban and regional planners, and economists.

Physical activity and exercise affect many dimensions of health. This book presents an up-to-date and wide ranging account of the key issues of the biology of physical activity and health. The context is set by considering the comparative and temporal aspects of activity in humans. There follows an examination of the concepts and methodological issues associated with activity, exercise, health, and fitness, as well as their interrelationships. Particular attention is given to activity in children, adolescents and the elderly, activity and weight maintenance, and the psychological effects of activity. The book ends with an overview of current and future leisure life styles.

Nutrition has become a hot topic, in the media as well at the market place. But how much of the information given to the consumer is hype and how much is accurate? In Taking the Fear out of Eating, published in 1993, two established scientists have distilled the information from thousands of scientific studies into a succinct, easily read description of what is known, what is merely suspected and, equally important, what is not known, about nutrition and how food choices might affect health. The book takes a hard look at both sides of the controversy about the connection between food and health, with particular emphasis on diet and the chronic diseases of cancer and heart disease. Food is, of course, essential to our survival but our food supply is often portrayed as dangerous - loaded with additives, pesticides, salt, sugar, fat and cholesterol. Taking the Fear out of Eating puts these topics into perspective in an authoritative and entertaining manner. It is not intended as a 'self-help' book but rather as a means to make the reader a participating partner with health professionals.

Nutrition has become a hot topic, in the media as well at the market place. But how much of the information given to the consumer is hype and how much is accurate? In Taking the Fear out of Eating, published in 1993, two established scientists have distilled the information from thousands of scientific studies into a succinct, easily read description of what is known, what is merely suspected and, equally important, what is not known, about nutrition and how food choices might affect health. The book takes a hard look at both sides of the controversy about the connection between food and health, with particular emphasis on diet and the chronic diseases of cancer and heart disease. Food is, of course, essential to our survival but our food supply is often portrayed as dangerous - loaded with additives, pesticides, salt, sugar, fat and cholesterol. Taking the Fear out of Eating puts these topics into perspective in an authoritative and entertaining manner. It is not intended as a 'self-help' book but rather as a means to make the reader a participating partner with health professionals.

The Diabetes LIFEMAP changes the way chronic diabetes care is delivered forever. The LIFEMAP raises diabetes care for the primary care and ancillary healthcare provider to the level of world renown diabetes expert, David Bleich, MD. For patients, the LIFEMAP provides real-time diabetes care that changes a "tough-to-manage" disease into a shared, personal, and efficient management experience. The LIFEMAP can be used as a stand-alone diabetes management tool or can be combined with our cloud based LIFEMAP platform through GoMo Health. Now care can be delivered seamlessly at home for both provider and patient. The Diabetes LIFEMAP is the playbook for 21st century diabetes care. It starts with an understanding of the basic principles of insulin secretion and moves to a discussion of how the LIFEMAP evolved and why it is such a powerful management tool. Finally, case studies are provided to reinforce basic concepts of LIFEMAP diabetes care with real world examples. Taken together, The Diabetes LIFEMAP succeeds in helping healthcare providers overcome a difficult to manage disease and provides patients with an optimal diabetes outcome with the least amount of effort necessary to achieve high level results.

When Did I Begin? investigates the theoretical, moral, and biological issues surrounding the debate over the beginning of human life. With the continuing controversy over the use of in vitro fertilization techniques and experimentation with human embryos, these issues have been forced into the arena of public debate. Following a detailed analysis of the history of the question, Reverend Ford argues that a human individual could not begin before definitive individuation occurs with the appearance of the primitive streak about two weeks after fertilization. This, he argues, is when it becomes finally known whether one or more human individuals are to form from a single egg. Thus, he questions the idea that the fertilized egg itself could be regarded as the beginning of the development of the human individual. The author also differs sharply, however, from those who would delay the beginning of the human person until the brain is formed, or until birth or the onset of conscious states.

Fertility in animals reflects access to scarce resources, such as food and territory. In humans the situation is more complex. Patterns of breast feeding, contraception and ideas about age at marriage and desired family size all affect fertility. The relation between these and access to scarce resources such as housing and employment, via income, education and other factors which affect status, is explored in this book, which aims to bridge the gap between socioecology and population demography by showing how animals and humans adjust their fertility to environmental conditions.

The health of a population is most accurately reflected in the rate of growth of its children. This theme, prevalent in this book, underlies the analysis and presentation of what is by far the largest compilation of growth data ever assembled in one source. The first edition, published in 1976, included all known reliable recent results on height, weight, skinfolds, and other body measurements from all parts of the globe. In this edition, numerous subsequent measurements taken between 1976 and 1988 have been included, as well as the results of a large number of new studies made on rate of maturation as evinced by bone age and pubertal development stages. Many sections of the book dwell on disentangling the effects of the environment and heredity on growth, and attempt to answer the question of whether one universal standard suffices for all peoples of the world or whether different populations (such as races or nations) should each have their own optimal growth standards.

The health of a population is most accurately reflected in the rate of growth of its children. It is this theme which underlies the analysis and presentation of what is by far the largest compilation of growth data ever assembled. The first edition, published in 1976, included all known reliable recent results on height, weight, skinfolds and other body measurements from all parts of the globe. In this edition, the very numerous measurements taken between 1976 and 1988 have been included as well as the results of the large number of new studies made on rate of maturation as evinced by bone age and pubertal development stages. Many sections of the book dwell on disentangling the effects of the environment and heredity on growth, and thus answer the question of whether one universal standard suffices for all peoples of the world, or whether different populations (such as races or nations) should each have their own optimal growth standards. Written by practical people with experience of the problems in developing countries, this book explains in simple terms the different sorts of growth surveys, how to set about making them, and which sort to choose. All who are professionally concerned with child health should read it.

Based on a two day symposium in the annual Society for the Study of Human Biology Ssymposium Series, this book covers a wide spectrum of growth physiology, and presents a state-of-art review of human auxology, from factors affecting cellular growth, through nutritional factors affecting the growth of the infant, to endocrine and other factors affecting the growth of the child before and after adolescence.

"Semblance Hypothesis" is a structure-function hypothesis that explains a possible way of brain function. Based on a definition of memory, the author hypothesize certain structural patterns of the dendritic spines, shows evidence for these structures from the literature and use inductive reasoning for their role in explaining memory and other brain functions.

First published in 1987, this book is about the challenge posed by the unprecedented growth of the world's population and the response that has been made to that challenge by the United Nations and its system of agencies. It focuses in particular on the creation, in 1969, of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) as the principal instrument for the United Nations' population programmes and on the work undertaken by the United Nations and its specialized agencies, including the World Bank, in this field. A substantial part of the book is devoted to discussing the actual achievements, in terms of demographic policies and falling birth rates, which have been realised in different parts of the developing world. At a time when there is a good deal of criticism of the United Nations and its agencies, this book makes it clear that here at least is one area where the world organization is continuing to make an important contribution towards the solution of the most important problem of our time.

This volume considers the genetic variability of human populations, particularly in the tropics: its origins and maintenance, and its contribution to the phenotypic variability of complex characters. The first section deals with the ways of analysing genetic variation and provides a valuable review of relevant developments in molecular biology. The origin and maintenance of genetic diversity is considered in the second section with data presented for Pacific, African, Asian and Central American populations. The final section concerns characters in which the genetic contribution to variability is complex and shows how such characters may be used to elucidate biological problems of affinity and differentiation, of adaptation and survival. Published as part of the Decade of the Tropics research programme of the International Union of Biological Sciences, this volume will be of particular interest to human geneticists, physical and biological anthropologists.

Surnames are inherited in much the same way as are biological traits. Since surnames were generally adopted - in Europe during Medieval times - their distribution has become very uneven: analysis of the present geographic patterns provides an insight into the kind of redistribution of genes that has resulted from all the migrations of the intervening years. Using non-technical language and a minimum of mathematics, this book presents a lucid description and evaluation of these studies of the genetic structure of human populations. A special feature is the appendix which presents computer-generated maps and distribution diagrams of 100 common surnames in England and Wales.