This book investigates the various processes that are affected by the age of an organism. Several new tools for the analysis of biological aging have been introduced recently, and this volume provides methods and protocols for these new techniques in addition to its coverage of established procedures. Researchers seeking new technology and techniques will find this volume of tremendous benefit as they move towards new directions.

Late aging associated changes in alcohol sensitivity, neurobehavioral function, and neuroinflammation, Volume 148, the latest release in the International Review of Neurobiology series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on a variety of timely topics. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

determined by an inability to move in response to touch. C. elegans develop through four larval stages following hatching and prior to adulthood. Adult C. elegans are reproductive for about the rst week of adulthood followed by approximately two weeks of post-reproductive adulthood prior to death. Life span is most commonly measured in the laboratory by maintaining the worms on the surface of a nutrie- agar medium (Nematode Growth Medium, NGM) with E. coli OP50 as the bacterial food source (REF). Alternative culture conditions have been described in liquid media; however, these are not widely used for longevity studies. Longevity of the commonly used wild type C. elegans hermaphrodite (N2) varies ? from 16 to 23 days under standard laboratory conditions (20 C, NGM agar, E. coli OP50 food source). Life span can be increased by maintaining animals at lower ambient temperatures and shortened by raising the ambient temperature. Use of a killed bacterial food source, rather than live E. coli, increases lifespan by 2-4 days, and growth of adult animals in the absence of bacteria (axenic growth or bac- rial deprivation) increases median life span to 32-38 days [3, 23, 24]. Under both standard laboratory conditions and bacterial deprivation conditions, wild-derived C. elegans hermaphrodites exhibit longevity comparable to N2 animals [25].

Many books on ageing attempt to cover the whole field of gerontology. However, since gerontology is now such a diversified and rapidly expanding subject, the results of such attempts tend to be either incomprehensible compendia or encyc10pedias of disheartening size. The present book aims to be both more modest and more ambitious. It focuses on a single object (Drosophila), but attempts to off er a synthesis of all the gerontological work that has been done on it. It also aims to show the extent to which this work has led to an understanding of the biological phenomena of ageing, longevity, senescence and death in higher organisms, inc1uding man. Finally it attempts, on the basis of current knowledge, to mark out the paths that the next generation of researchers will most probably follow. Drosophila has been used as a model organism to advance our basic knowledge of the fundamentals of genetics and gerontology. It may be noted that the pioneering work on the genetics of ageing, which used Drosophila, began very early in this century, within the first decade of the rediscovery of Mendel's laws.

Predicting water runoff in ungauged water catchment areas is vital to practical applications such as the design of drainage infrastructure and flooding defences, runoff forecasting, and for catchment management tasks such as water allocation and climate impact analysis. This full colour book offers an impressive synthesis of decades of international research, forming a holistic approach to catchment hydrology and providing a one-stop resource for hydrologists in both developed and developing countries. Topics include data for runoff regionalisation, the prediction of runoff hydrographs, flow duration curves, flow paths and residence times, annual and seasonal runoff, and floods. Illustrated with many case studies and including a final chapter on recommendations for researchers and practitioners, this book is written by expert authors involved in the prestigious IAHS PUB initiative. It is a key resource for academic researchers and professionals in the fields of hydrology, hydrogeology, ecology, geography, soil science, and environmental and civil engineering.

The processes that control senescence have been the subject of more then a century of serious biological research. Two institutions closely involved in this programme, the Society for the Study of Human Biology and the British Society for Research in Ageing, held a joint symposium in 1984 to consider human ageing and longevity from an interdisciplinary point of view. The resulting book has four main sections: the evolution and genetics of ageing, biological age assessment, demographic and social aspects, and the nutritional and physiological aspects of ageing and longevity. The fundamental nature of the subject will generate interest across a wide range of biological and medical disciplines.

Combining anthropological, gerontological and biocultural evidence, this study explores how humans came to grow old as slowly as they do, and what impacts this has had on their health and lives. It is only comparatively recent that humans have developed late-life survival, but much of the research on senescence is based on isolated cells, worms, and fruit flies, which may be only of peripheral relevance to human aging.

Diana Moran, aka The Green Goddess, is here to help spread the word about treatments and preventative measures we can all take to tackle osteoporosis. As a sufferer of osteopenia herself (an early form of osteoporosis) Diana Moran is a strong advocate for exercise, early diagnosis, weight bearing exercise, vitamin D and other measures that can be taken to tackle osteoporosis. Written in association with the Royal Osteoporosis Society, this practical book is a must-have for anybody affected by osteoporosis. Packed with advice, friendly tips and ideas, and an overview of current research, and what we can all be doing to help ourselves live well. Also contains specially designed exercises to help encourage a more active lifestyle and strengthen areas of weakness, alongside the important theory, and medical side of osteoporosis. This is an easy to digest, friendly guide for the general reader.

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.

The proportion of elderly people continues to increase in the western world-nearly a quarter of the population will be over 65 years by the year 2050. Since aging is accompanied by an increase in diseases and by a deterioration in well-being, finding solutions to these social, medical and psychological problems is necessarily a major goal for society. Scientists and medical practitioners are therefore faced with the urgent task of increasing basic knowledge of the biological processes that cause aging. More resources must be put into this research in order to achieve better understanding of the cellular mechanisms that underlie the differences in life span between species and to answer the difficult questions of why some individuals age more quickly than others, and why some develop liver problems, some have heart problems, and others brain problems. The results of such a wide program of research will provide important information about the causes of many life-threatening and/ or debilitating diseases of old age; it will help find ways to prevent some of the ailments that result from aging, and it may well lead to discoveries enabling the prolongation of human life.

When rediscovered at the turn of the century, Mendel's laws were found to be applicable to humans, but from the beginning they were fraught with problems. Sex-linked traits and linked genes defied Mendel's rules. Later, other exceptions were found, including sporadic cases, non-penetrance, variable expressivity, and preferential parental transmission.
In this book, Harry Ostrer observes that some of these problems can be explained by incomplete ascertainment, typing errors and modifying genes. He then goes on to systematically explore the evidence for a number of newer genetic processes that were not foreseen by Mendel and his intellectual heirs, examining the molecular basis for these processes and their effects on transmission and phenotype. He shows that these non-Mendelian processes--gonadal and somatic mosaicism, sex-linked inheritance, mitochondrial transmission, genomic imprinting, accelerated rates of mutation, and viral infection--resolve many of the exceptions to Mendelian inheritance. He also provides a complete review of Mendelian genetics, as well as an overview of the structure and functions of genes, chromosomes, and their products. Thus the book presents a holistic view of human genetics.
In the last chapter, Ostrer grapples with the possibilities for identifying new genetic processes, and with genetic determinism--the view that a person's phenotype is fully subject to his or her genetic constitution. He contends that despite the large number of genetic combinations, phenotypes cannot be predicted precisely, even with sufficient computing power. Genetic processes are frequently modified by environmental exposure or they may be random or stochastic in theiroccurrence. Hence, there are innate limits to genetic determinism. Although prediction of phenotype based on genotype will improve in the future as all of the human genes are identified, such predictions will always remain imprecise.

No one wants to think about getting older. It's true. At any age, when things are moving along normally day to day and everyone seems fit and well, there seems no reason to think about future problems that your friends and relatives might (and probably will) come across as they age. In fact, it might even seem a little morbid to think such thoughts, or possibly even tempting fate? Yet there will come a time when you must raise these issues and, ideally, this should be before any problems arise. The Essential Family Guide to Caring for Older People is the ultimate source of information and help for families with care responsibilities. Deborah Stone draws on her extensive experience working in elder care to offer practical advice on every aspect of the field indepth. Topics range from how to get help immediately, legal information, care funding options, a guide to useful technology and advice on the main physical and mental health issues that affect older people. Plus guidance is given on dealing with social services and ensuring you choose the right care for your situations. Crucially, the book also offers help on how to cope as a carer with practical advice on juggling family, work and your caring responsibilities while looking after yourself.

The essential guide to making sure you have a fabulous later life. You're likely to live longer than you think. Today's fifty-year olds could have an astounding 36 or more years of life. What's your dream life for your later years? When We're 64 is a friendly, practical guide to preparing for what could be the best years of your life - from the essentials on work and how to fund retirement, to volunteering, where to live and what kind of housing you'll need. It covers how to stay healthy - and still live a full life if you get a health condition - and reveals how your attitude to ageing could actually increase your lifespan. There are sections on relationships with family and friends, as well as caring for older relatives and how to tackle loneliness. Packed with expert advice and new evidence and tips on how to age well, this route map will help you plan and prepare for the future.

This book provides a state-of-the-art overview of key areas of subcellular aging research in human cells. The reader is introduced to the historical development and progress in biomedical aging research and learns, for example, about the role of microRNAs, circRNAs, mitochondria and extracellular vesicles in cellular senescence. The reader will also learn more about how gap junctions, the nuclear pore complex and the proteasome are affecting the ageing processes. In addition, novel therapeutic opportunities through modulation of cellular senescence are discussed. The book follows on from Parts I and II of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Ageing (Volumes 90 and 91 of the Subcellular Biochemistry book series) by covering interesting and significant biomedical ageing topics not included in the earlier volumes. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, this book is a valuable resource for experienced researchers and early career scientist alike, who are interested in learning more about the fascinating and challenging question of why and how our cells age.

Biology of Aging, Second Edition presents the biological principles that have led to a new understanding of the causes of aging and describes how these basic principles help one to understand the human experience of biological aging, longevity, and age-related disease. Intended for undergraduate biology students, it describes how the rate of biological aging is measured; explores the mechanisms underlying cellular aging; discusses the genetic pathways that affect longevity in various organisms; outlines the normal age-related changes and the functional decline that occurs in physiological systems over the lifespan; and considers the implications of modulating the rate of aging and longevity. The book also includes end-of-chapter discussion questions to help students assess their knowledge of the material. Roger McDonald received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Nutrition at the University of California, Davis. Dr. McDonald's research focused on mechanisms of cellular aging and the interaction between nutrition and aging. His research addressed two key topics in the field: the relationship between dietary restriction and lifespan, and the effect of aging on circadian rhythms and hypothalamic regulation. You can contact Dr. McDonald at [email protected]. Related Titles Ahmad, S. I., ed. Aging: Exploring a Complex Phenomenon (ISBN 978-1-1381-9697-1) Moody, H. R. & J. Sasser. Gerontology: The Basics (ISBN 978-1-1387-7582-4) Timiras, P. S. Physiological Basis of Aging and Geriatrics (ISBN 978-0-8493-7305-3)

The scientific study of aging is a relatively nascent field of inquiry. Although philosophic and literary reflections on what it means to grow older appear in the earliest historical records, the systematic study of aging began in earnest about a century ago. Scholarly interest in the topic has accelerated in recent decades, due in part to rapid population aging in developed nations. As a result, the study of aging has been incorporated into many disciplines, emphasizing concepts, theories, and methods to elucidate the antecedents and consequences of growing older. Although each discipline has key concepts and empirical generalizations about aging, there is little agreement across disciplines about the intellectual core of gerontology. Each discipline brings its own intellectual heritage and perspective to the study of aging, but the question posed by author Ken Ferraro is whether there is an emergent perspective or way of thinking about aging that transcends the disciplines. Biologists, psychologists, and sociologists may claim an interest in gerontology, but do they have a common image of aging or a set of principles to guide their research? Do they share a paradigm-a fundamental image of aging-that incorporates concepts and empirical generalizations from multiple disciplines? And when disciplinary approaches to gerontology clash, which approach or conceptualization of aging is likely to emerge as part of the paradigm? Although biologists, psychologists, and social scientists share an interest in the study of aging, they are distinctive in how they conduct their research. The Gerontological Imagination provides an integrative paradigm of aging that makes it the first book to identify intellectual common ground among scholars studying aging. Ferraro identifies an underlying set of principles that constitute a paradigm for the study of aging: causality, life course analysis, multifaceted change, heterogeneity, accumulation processes, and ageism. The proposed paradigm provides an efficient way to identify and interpret essential ideas, findings, models, and theories across multiple disciplines that study aging.

Think diet and exercise are the keys to a long, healthy life?
Think again.

What can you do to increase the likelihood of living a happy, healthy, fulfilling life into your sixties, seventies, eighties, and beyond?

For more than five decades Harvard Medical School has studied the basic elements of adult human development, analyzing the health and happiness of hundreds of individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds. In Aging Well, George E. Vaillant, M.D., the director of the study, draws on the data gathered and reveals for the first time why some people turn out to be more resilient than others. His surprising conclusion is that individual lifestyle choices play a greater role than genetics, wealth, race, or other factors in determining how happy people are in later life.

Among the topics Dr. Vaillant explores:

• · The importance of marriage and the impact of divorce
• · The role of play and creative activity
• · The effects of tobacco, alcohol, and other mood elevators
• · The benefits of forming new friendships and new social networks
• · The importance of intellectual curiosity and lifelong learning

With its step-by-step advice and its revelation of scientific secrets, this inspiring book can help you — whether you are thirty-five or sixty-five — ensure that your golden years are truly golden.

When Near Becomes Far explores the representations and depictions of old age in the rabbinic Jewish literature of late antiquity (150-600 CE). Through close literary readings and cultural analysis, the book reveals the gaps and tensions between idealized images of old age on the one hand, and the psychologically, physiologically, and socially complicated realities of aging on the other hand. The authors argue that while rabbinic literature presents a number of prescriptions related to qualities and activities that make for good old age, the respect and reverence that the elderly should be awarded, and harmonious intergenerational relationship, it also includes multiple anecdotes and narratives that portray aging in much more nuanced and poignant ways. These anecdotes and narratives relate, alongside fantasies about blissful or unnoticeable aging, a host of fears associated with old age: from the loss of physical capability and beauty to the loss of memory and mental acuity, and from marginalization in the community to being experienced as a burden by one's children. Each chapter of the book focuses on a different aspect of aging in the rabbinic world: bodily appearance and sexuality, family relations, intellectual and cognitive prowess, honor and shame, and social roles and identity. As the book shows, in their powerful and sensitive treatments of aging, rabbinic texts offer some of the richest and most audacious observations on aging in ancient world literature, many of which still resonate today.

Research documents that rural elders are poorer, live in less adequate housing, and have far fewer health and service options available to them than their urban counterparts, yet there is a critical lack of current and detailed information on the problems facing rural elders and on the professional practices that serve this population. This text fills this gap by introducing readers to rural areas and their residents and discussing the issues, programs, and policies designed to meet their needs. Through a multidisciplinary lens, it examines and defines specific competencies required for successful work with older adults and their families in these communities.

The text presents a research-driven, competency-based approach for the health and human service professionals who work with older rural residents. It discusses both the problems facing older adults and their families and evidence-based solutions regarding policy and best practices. Key issues examined include health and wellness, transportation, housing, long-term care, income, employment, and retirement, along with the needs of special populations (ethnic minorities, immigrants, and the LGBT population). Case examples reinforce an interdisciplinary model that addresses practice with rural elders that encompasses professional competencies, values and ethics, and the roles of a spectrum of health and human service professionals. The text also examines current policies affecting health and social services to rural elders and recommendations for policy change to build an effective health and human service workforce in rural communities. Links to Podcast interviews with scholars and respected professionals working in the field and "Spotlight" excerpts from the text reinforce information. In addition, the text provides discussion questions, PowerPoint slides, a test question bank, and suggested activities and exercises.

Key Features: Fills a vacuum regarding information on health and social services for rural elders Provides current and comprehensive knowledge about issues besetting this population and programs and policies designed to meet their needs Examines and defines specific competencies required for effective health and social services Based on a research-driven, competency-based, interdisciplinary approach to policy and best practice Includes links to Podcast interviews with scholars and respected professionals in the field

'Dr Anna Dixon has written a must-read for anyone interested in the future of ageing. Learn from one of the best informed about an issue, and opportunity, that is facing us all.' Andy Briggs, Head of FTSE 100 life insurer Phoenix Group 'A very important book' Sir Muir Gray The Age of Ageing Better? takes a radically different view of what our ageing society means. Dr Anna Dixon turns the misleading and depressing narrative of burden and massive extra cost of people living longer on its head and shows how our society could thrive if we started thinking differently. This book shines a spotlight on how as a society we're currently failing to respond to the shifting age profile - and what needs to change. Examining key areas of society including health, financial security, where and how people live, and social connections, Anna Dixon presents a refreshingly optimistic vision for the future that could change the way we value later life in every sense.

From the author of the New York Times bestseller The Plant Paradox comes a groundbreaking plan for living a long, healthy, happy life. From the moment we are born, our cells begin to age. But aging does not have to mean decline. World-renowned surgeon Dr. Steven Gundry has been treating mature patients for most of his career. He knows that everyone thinks they want to live forever, until they hit middle age and witness the suffering of their parents and even their peers. So how do we solve the paradox of wanting to live to a ripe old age-but enjoy the benefits of youth? This groundbreaking book holds the answer. Working with thousands of patients, Dr. Gundry has discovered that the "diseases of aging" we most fear are not simply a function of age; rather, they are a byproduct of the way we have lived over the decades. In The Longevity Paradox, he maps out a new approach to aging well-one that is based on supporting the health of the "oldest" parts of us: the microorganisms that live within our bodies. Our gut bugs-the bacteria that make up the microbiome-largely determine our health over the years. From diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's to common ailments like arthritis to our weight and the appearance of our skin, these bugs are in the driver's seat, controlling our quality of life as we age. The good news is, it's never too late to support these microbes and give them what they need to help them-and you-thrive. In The Longevity Paradox, Dr. Gundry outlines a nutrition and lifestyle plan to support gut health and live well for decades to come. A progressive take on the new science of aging, The Longevity Paradox offers an action plan to prevent and reverse disease as well as simple hacks to help anyone look and feel younger and more vital.

The Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller TV and radio presenter Kate Garraway has a lot on her mind. She's turned 50, and suddenly seems to have MANY questions about EVERYTHING. Should she get plastic surgery? Will the menopause ruin her life? What's the secret to making love last? Can anyone really deal with the idea of death? And why, oh why, did nobody tell her how important big knickers would be?! As she tries to find what's useful amongst the deluge of advice we are bombarded with, Kate discovers a lesson on why women in their midlife and beyond should be loved and celebrated, especially by themselves...

The honest, compassionate and vital guide to getting older, from dementia to finances, medication to care homes 'The most important book about the second half of your life you'll ever read. I wish everyone in the UK could be under Dr Lucy's care' SANDI TOKSVIG 'This warm and compassionate book gets to the heart of older age' THE BRITISH GERIATRICS SOCIETY ________ Now more than ever, we need to talk about getting older. Many of us are living to a very great age. But how do we give those we love, and eventually ourselves, long lives that are as happy and healthy as possible? Dr Lucy's book gives us answers to the questions we can voice - and those that we can't. This essential guide will guide you through those important conversations around growing older, answering every question you might have, including: * How do we start the conversation? * How do we ask whether it's worth taking seven different medicines? * Is it normal to find you're falling out of love with someone, as they disappear into dementia? * Should Dad be driving, and if not, who can stop him? * What are the secrets of the best care homes? * When does fierce independence become bad behaviour? * How do you navigate near-impossible discussions around resuscitation and intensity of treatments? * And who decides what happens when we become ill? Serious, funny, kind and knowledgeable, this readable book helps guide us through essential conversations about getting older that go straight to the heart of what matters most.

Inherited disorders of the kidney are becoming important, not only in pediatric nephrological practice, but also in adult nephrology, representing a high proportion of patients with end-stage renal failure. In almost 50% of all children and in 15% of adults accepted for renal replacement therapy, the causative disorders have a hereditary basis. Many of these disorders are apparent at birth but may not cause renal failure until adolescence. Others may not present until adult life. The contribution of these disorders to adult nephrological practice has so far been understated in most of the existing textbooks. This book presents a practical approach to the investigation and management of patients with inherited renal disorders. The book is aimed at both established pediatric and adult nephrologists, as well as nephrologists in training, and will also be of interest to pediatricians, geneticists, and research workers in this field.