Now in a completely newly revised and expanded second edition, this comprehensive text presents the current state of the art in our understanding and management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common hormonal disorder of reproductive aged women. The numerous bothersome symptoms of PCOS include menstrual irregularities, hirsutism, acne, scalp hair thinning, weigh excess and infertility; additionally, as they age, women with PCOS are at a higher risk for metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes and dyslipidemias, as well as for cardiovascular disease and even certain cancers. Despite improvements in our understanding of this condition, the exact cause/s of PCOS remain elusive; genetic, hormonal, metabolic and environmental underpinnings are all suggested as relevant. All chapters have been updated, with eight new chapters added across seven thematic sections. Part one discusses the epidemiology of PCOS in both adults and adolescents. Part two covers the pathophysiology of PCOS, including genetics, the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axes, insulin resistance, inflammation, and obesity. The next three sections present the various management strategies, medical and surgical, for harnessing the symptomatology, including PCOS-related infertility; these chapters include added case material to provide real-world examples of the treatments in action and their efficacy. Part six covers the comorbidities that women with PCOS commonly encounter, such as issues of mental health, sleep disturbances, endometrial hyperplasia, and cancer, as well as examines the economic burden of PCOS. The final section discusses emerging concepts surrounding possible mechanisms and potential therapeutic approaches to PCOS, including angiogenic dysfunction, the role of vitamin D, future potential therapies to targeted AMH signaling. The closing chapter, by familiarizing the readers with the intergenerational implications of PCOS and by raising awareness of potential "ripple effects", aims at alerting the community on a need for vigilance as regards the health of PCOS progeny. With contributions from leaders in the field, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Second Edition remains the gold-standard text on this common medical condition and a valuable resource for the wide range of healthcare professionals engaged in caring for the women with PCOS (including but not limited to reproductive endocrinologists, gynecologists, family physicians, dermatologists, mental health professionals), for the aspiring women's health providers of tomorrow, and for the researchers who are striving to unravel the mysteries of the complex entity that PCOS is.

Ageing is any change in an organism over time. Ageing refers to a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change. Some dimensions of ageing grow and expand over time, while others decline. Reaction time, for example, may slow with age, while knowledge of world events and wisdom may expand. Research shows that even late in life potential exists for physical, mental, and social growth and development. Ageing is an important part of all human societies reflecting the biological changes that occur, but also reflecting cultural and societal conventions.

The ageing process changes body composition and thus nutritional status changes as one gets older. At the same time the body becomes more susceptible to diseases and diet becomes an even more significant or at least visibly significant than in earlier years. Moreover, there is frequently socio-economic downward drifting in this age group making nutritious foods more difficult to afford. This book presents the latest research in this vital field.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

This atlas presents a series of photographic illustrations and line drawings that summarize the major developmental events that occur during organogenesis in the opossum (Didelphis virginiana).It will be of interest to General Biologists, Zoologists, Wildlife Biologists, Embryologists and Medical Scientists.

Say "biological clock" and most people think "women." Yet men have biological clocks too, reveals Dr. Harry Fisch, one of the country's leading experts in male infertility and author of this groundbreaking new book, "The Male Biological Clock." Men's clocks tick at a different rate from women's and of course cause an entirely different set of bodily and behavioral changes over the course of a lifetime. But while men's clocks don't strike a "midnight" toll heralding an end to fertility the way menopause does for women, male fertility, testosterone levels, and sexuality all do decline with age. Dr. Fisch's book emphasizes that even young men can have testosterone levels as low as those of much older men, leading to infertility, sexual problems, and other serious health issues. Another startling revelation is that men over thirty-five are twice as likely to be infertile as men younger than twenty-five. In addition, as men age, the quality of their sperm declines significantly, giving rise to an increased chance of a Down syndrome baby, other genetic abnormalities, and miscarriage. Every couple should know all the risks and issues facing men, because these affect two of the most important things in their life: their ability to have children and their capacity to have good sex.

"The Male Biological Clock" is must reading for every man and every couple who is struggling to have children or improve their sex life. Many of Dr. Harry Fisch's findings are startling -- beginning with the fact that infertility is not mostly a women's problem -- and he offers many helpful suggestions for how to deal with declining testosterone, changing sexual needs, and the fertility industry.

We have allheard stories of men becoming fathers in their seventies or even eighties, yet most of us are unaware that these are dangerously deceptive exceptions. Older men face a number of increased risks as fathers, and often find their sex lives and well-being changing considerably. The good news: Much can be done to slow down and even reverse the effects of a man's biological clock. "The Male Biological Clock" tells you what you need to know and how you can achieve optimal fertility and sexuality.

Combining attention to lived experience with the critical tools of ethics, Karey Harwood explores why many women who use the tools of high-tech assisted reproduction tend to use them repeatedly, even when the results are unsuccessful. With a compassionate look at the individual decision making behind the desire to become pregnant and the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), Harwood extends the public conversation beyond debates about individual choice by considering the experiences of families and by addressing the broader ethical problems presented by these technologies. Incorporating the personal narratives of women who are members of RESOLVE, the nation's leading organization for people who are infertile, Harwood demonstrates that repeated unsuccessful attempts to use ART may ironically help women come to terms with their infertility. Yet ART is problematic for a number of reasons, including the financial, physical, and emotional costs for women and their families as well as the effects of these technologies on the health and well-being of the children conceived. Issues such as consumerism, workplace norms that encourage delayed childbearing, and narrow definitions of family all come into play. By considering both emotional and ethical dimensions, Harwood offers a humanistic account of infertility and its resolution in a twenty-first-century American context.

Book & CD. One of the most striking demographic changes over the last century in Western countries has been the rapid growth, both absolute and relative, of the oldest-old population, to such an extent that living beyond the age of 80 years constitutes a new stage of life. But what is life like after 80? Rather than scrutinizing the pathologies of very old age, this book enquires into the normal aging of the oldest old, their health trajectories, their socio-demographic inequalities; it analyses their daily life, including their social relationships, social support, and activities, and observes how the oldest old adapt to the multiple stresses and challenges of very old age. The book reports major results obtained from Swilsoo, a long-term longitudinal study based on two cohorts of octogenarians. The two cohorts were assessed on an approximately yearly basis, the first for 9 waves from 1994 to 2004, with 340 participants at inception, and the second for 5 waves from 19v9 to 2004, initially with 377 participants. The book demonstrates that many common stereotypes concerning the oldest old are false. For examples, their main shared characteristic is not sickness, but frailty, which affects them in different ways. A long life does not necessarily culminate in dependence. Dependence is a risk -- especially among persons of lower socio-economic status -- but not an ineluctable outcome. It also helps to bring out the importance of social and psychological resources in the lives of the oldest old. Although multiple stresses such as negative health-related changes or self-reported bereavements of a loved one often occur in the life of the elderly and affect their health and well-being, the very old can take advantage of various resources or adjustment mechanisms to help preserve their well-being and robustness. The book shows for instance that the preservation by the elderly of a positive and active role within the family is a boon to their health and that the continuation of leisure activities or the effective use of psychological resources counters the negative effects of frailty on well-being.

Personalized medicine is what this book is about-tailoring your lifestyle, food, medicines, treatments, and reproductive choices to your genetic signature. According to Dr. Andrew Y. Silverman, MD, PhD, 'The desire to influence the sex of the next child is probably as old as recorded history."

'Gender selection is possible because of the way in which sex is determined by our chromosomes. Dr. Ericsson devised patented methods by which X and Y sperm can be separated through filtering processes. Sperm are 'layered" over a column of human serum albumin, and they swim down the gradient where they are collected in the bottom layer.

'The fraction of sperm that contains the male (Y) bearing sperm is used for insemination if a boy is desired. It is effective 70-75% of the time.

'The fraction of sperm that contains the female (X) bearing sperm is used for insemination if a girl is desired. It is effective 70-72% of the time."

Use personalized medicine more effectively. Empower consumers by interpreting DNA testing and learning more about infant gender choice by genetics.

Among the many applications of stem cell research are nervous system diseases, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune diseases as well as Parkinson's disease, end-stage kidney disease, liver failure, cancer, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Stem cells are self-renewing, unspecialised cells that can give rise to multiple types all of specialised cells of the body. Stem cell research also involves complex ethical and legal considerations since they involve adult, foetal tissue and embryonic sources. This book brings together leading research from throughout the world with particular focus on stem cells and cancer research.

Remaking Eden is a fascinating exploration of the future of reprogenetic technologies - a cautiously optimistic look at the scientific advances that will allow us to engineer life in ways that were unimaginable just a few short years ago. Indeed, in ways that go far beyond cloning, and that are at once more thrilling and more frightening. Could a woman give birth to her identical twin sister? Could a child have two genetic mothers? Could a man become pregnant? Could parents choose not only the physical characteristics of their children-to-be, but personalities and talents as well? Will genetic enhancement ultimately change the very nature of our species? The answers will excite some and alarm others. Silver demystifies the science involved in all these possibilities, calmly and efficiently dismantling our preconceptions and misconceptions. Throughout, he examines the profound ethical questions raised by these new technologies. Yet he reminds us that the desire both to have children and to provide them with all possible advantages in life is a uniquely powerful force - a force, he suggests, that will overcome all political and societal attempts to curb the use of reprogenetics.

This Medical thriller opens with the birth of a severely disfigured child the details the history of the main characters starting from their meeting at one of the most historic footraces in the world - The Dipsea Race. Their courtship begins with conflict but grows into one that will inspire readers to achieve in their own relationships. The novel encompasses three decades and dramatically unfolds after a seemingly small error occurs in a frozen sperm sample. As we embark on the 21st century sometimes ethical issues lag behind the swift pace of medical technology. Readers will grasp the premise of Frozen Identity and enjoy the ride. The main characters are competitive athletes, adding texture, drama and a common bond held by all who strive for physical accomplishment

Winner, 2007 Rachel Carson Prize given by the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S). Assisted reproductive technology (ART) makes babies and parents at once. Drawing on science and technology studies, feminist theory, and historical and ethnographic analyses of ART clinics, Charis Thompson explores the intertwining of biological reproduction with the personal, political, and technological meanings of reproduction. She analyzes the "ontological choreography" at ART clinics--the dynamics by which technical, scientific, kinship, gender, emotional, legal, political, financial, and other matters are coordinated--using ethnographic data to address questions usually treated in the abstract. Reproductive technologies, says Thompson, are part of the increasing tendency to turn social problems into biomedical questions and can be used as a lens through which to see the resulting changes in the relations between science and society. After giving an account of the book's disciplinary roots in science and technology studies and in feminist scholarship on reproduction, Thompson comes to the ethnographic heart of her study. She develops her concept of ontological choreography by examining ART's normalization of "miraculous" technology (including the etiquette of technological sex); gender identity in the assigned roles of mother and father and the conservative nature of gender relations in the clinic; the naturalization of technologically assisted kinship and procreative intent; and patients' pursuit of agency through objectification and technology. Finally, Thompson explores the economies of reproductive technologies, concluding with a speculative and polemical look at the "biomedical mode ofreproduction" as a predictor of future relations between science and society.

Generating Bodies and Gendered Selves examines the textured interrelations between medical writing about generation and childbirth - what we now call reproduction - and emerging notions of selfhood in early modern England. At a time when medical texts first appeared in English in large numbers and the first signs of modern medicine were emerging both in theory and in practice, medical discourse of the body was richly interwoven with cultural concerns. Through close readings of a wide range of English-language medical texts from the mid-sixteenth to the early eighteenth centuries, from learned anatomies and works of observational embryology to popular books of physic and commercial midwifery manuals, Keller looks at the particular assumptions about bodies and selves that medical language inevitably enfolds. When wombs are described as "free" but nonetheless "bridled" to the bone; when sperm, first seen in the seventeenth century by the aid of the microscope, are imagined as minute "adventurers" seeking a safe spot to be "nursed": and when for the first time embryos are described as "freeborn," fully "independent" from the females who bear them, the rhetorical formulations of generating bodies seem clearly to implicate ideas about the gendered self. Keller shows how, in an age marked by social, intellectual, and political upheaval, early modern English medicine inscribes in the flesh and functioning of its generating bodies the manifold questions about gender, politics, and philosophy that together give rise to the modern Western liberal self - a historically constrained (and, Keller argues, a historically aberrant) notion of the self as individuated and autonomous, fully rational and thoroughly male. An engagingly written and interdisciplinary work that forges a critical nexus among medical history, cultural studies, and literary analysis, Generating Bodies and Gendered Selves will interest scholars in early modern literary studies, feminist and cultural studies of the body and subjectivity, and the history of women's healthcare and reproductive rights.

This book presents a groundbreaking new method that doubles the rates of spontaneous ovulation and significantly improves fertility. Infertility is a growing concern for large portions of the population. Of women aged 15-44, 6.1 million have impaired fertility and 9.3 million women have made use of fertility services. "Fertility Foods" creates a prescriptive programme that increases ovulation, reduces the chance of miscarriage, and significantly improves a couple's probability of successfully getting, and staying, pregnant. From one of the most respected experts in reproductive endocrinology comes this groundbreaking, non-invasive, nutritionally-based method. Groll's specialised research has shown that high insulin levels can hinder normal ovulation and impact a pregnancy's ability to attach to the uterus. "Fertility Foods" combines its nutritional plan with a specific exercise programme that enhances insulin metabolism, this oft-ignored barrier to fertility. Whether couples are taking their first steps in combating infertility or are searching for effective methods to support more advanced fertility treatments, this essential guide is helpful and rewarding for every couple trying for a child.

Among the many applications of stem cell research are nervous system diseases, diabetes, heart disease, auto-immune diseases as well as Parkinson's disease, end-stage kidney disease, liver failure, cancer, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Stem cells are self-renewing, unspecialised cells that can give rise to multiple types all of specialised cells of the body. Stem cell research also involves complex ethical and legal considerations since they involve adult, foetal tissue and embryonic sources. This book brings together leading research from throughout the world in this frontier field.

"Introducing the only clinically proven program--steeped in ancient Chinese healing traditions--that has enabled hundreds of infertile couples to conceive.
"At Wu's Healing Center in San Francisco, miracles are happening. Women and their partners come to the clinic--often from across the country-- to fulfill a passionately held yet fragile dream: to conceive and deliver the healthy baby that mainstream doctors have told them they cannot have. Using traditional Chinese medical techniques, sometimes integrated with Western fertility treatments, Dr. Angela Wu is helping these couples experience the miracle of birth.
In this book,"" Dr. Wu details a proven 6-part self-care regimen that helps create the internal harmony and balance vital to conception. Her techniques not only enhance the results and reduce the side effects of in vitro and other Western fertility treatments, they also shorten labor and speed postpartum recovery. Babies benefit too, adopting regular sleep patterns more quickly and getting sick less frequently.
At a time when one in five U.S. couples is struggling with fertility problems, this practical and uplifting volume, filled with the inspirational stories of Dr. Wu's grateful patients, will be a godsend.

Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities. The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer's Disease (AD), which involves the parts of the brain that control memory, thought and language. Age is the most important known risk factor for AD. The number of people with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. AD is a slow disease, starting with mild memory loss and ending with severe brain damage. The course the disease takes and how fast changes occur vary from person to person. On average, AD patients live from 8 to 10 years after they are diagnosed, though the disease can last for as many as 20 years. Current research is aimed at understanding why AD occurs and who is at greatest risk for developing it, improving the accuracy of diagnosis and ability to identify who is at risk, developing, discovering and testing new treatments for behavioural problems in patients with AD. This book gathers state-of-the-art research from leading scientists throughout the world which offers important information on understanding the underlying causes and discovering the most effective treatments for Alzheimer's Disease.

Among the many applications of stem cell research are nervous system diseases, diabetes, heart disease, auto-immune diseases as well as Parkinson's disease, end-stage kidney disease, liver failure, cancer, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Stem cells are self-renewing, unspecialised cells that can give rise to multiple types all of specialised cells of the body. Stem cell research also involves complex ethical and legal considerations since they involve adult, foetal tissue and embryonic sources. This book brings together leading research from throughout the world in this frontier field.

This is the highly acclaimed book by Robin Marantz Henig about the early days of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the ethical and legal battles waged in the 1970s, as well as the scientific advances that eventually changed the public perception of 'test tube babies'. Published in paperback for the first time, this timely and provocative book brilliantly presents the scientific and ethical dilemmas in the ongoing debate over what it means to be human in a technological age. About the author: Robin Marantz Henig is the author of eight books. Her previous book The Monk in the Garden: The Lost and Found Genius of Gregor Mendel, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. She writes about science and medicine for the New York Times Magazine, where she is a contributing writer, as well as for publications such as Scientific American, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post. Robin Henig garnered two prestigious awards in 2006: the Science in Society Award, the highest honor in science journalism, awarded by the National Association of Science Writers, and The Watson Davis and Helen Miles Davis Prize awarded by The History of Science Society for the best book in the history of science for general readers.

This title contains a book and CD. The brain has a number of nerve cells estimated at a magnitude of 10 to 100 billion, and 1014 to 1015 synapses, and therefore is the most complex organ of the human body. During fetal development the foundations of the brain are laid as billions of neurons form appropriate connections and patterns. In the adult mammalian brain, most neurons are post-mitotic, and therefore at risk for irreversible damage. As we age, atrophy of the brain occurs. As brain weight declines the volume of the brain in the 8th decade is reduced by 6 per cent -10 per cent versus the third decade, and neuronal loss occurs, up to 10,000 to 100,000 neurons are lost per day, though this estimation is being revised downward with the advance of more sophisticated measurements.

Based on an intensive qualitative study of a diverse group of 51 older widowers, this unique book sets widowhood within the context of life experience and identifies characteristics and patterns of behaviour that contribute to widowers' success, or lack of it, in adjusting satisfactorily to their circumstances. The authors shed light on widowers' specific needs and on the services needed to help widowers develop greater self-reliance. Among the topics discussed are models of resilience, marriage and illness of the spouse, caregiving and communication, death of the wife, grief and adjustment, living alone and remarriage, life values carried forward, adult children and other social support, and cohorts and the future. The authors conclude with a consideration of trends that may influence the next generation's experience of widowhood. This excellent volume offers expert guidance on the needs and care of the nearly invisible population of older widowers.

New medical technology as reported in Preventing Miscarriage; The Good News pinpoints the causes and latest treatments available to prevent loss of pregnancy. This book presents a great deal of information in a sensitive, accessible and thorough manner. Illustrations.

Who does a woman turn to when, more than anything in the world, she wants to have a child, but her body refuses to cooperate? Sometimes, all you need is a miracle. In 1998, when thirty-seven-year-old Sandra Watson Rapley and her husband Craig married, both decided that they wanted children right away. Sandra expected some difficulty trying to conceive because of uterine fibroids she had removed years ago. However, she was not prepared for the turbulent - and often times disappointing - road she would have to travel to make her dream a reality. After many failed attempts at drug therapy, ovulation calculation, and in-vitro fertilization, the Rapleys finally learned the devastating truth - fibroids inside Sandra's uterus were preventing a successful pregnancy. Following months of discussion, testing, and counseling, the miracle that the Rapleys were praying for arrived in the form of a surrogate. Their sister-in-law, Victoria, selflessly volunteered to be their embryo's oven, and on August 29, 2001, Victoria gave birth to the Rapleys twin sons. Sandra Watson Rapley's struggle with infertility, through the emotional highs and lows and the exciting time when her dream of having a child is finally fulfilled.