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.

The lipids of cellular membranes not only serve roles in controlling the structure and fluidity of the membrane, but are increasingly recognized for their roles as signalling molecules and modifiers of membrane protein function. Recent studies described in this volume reveal striking changes in membrane lipids during aging and in age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders. Lipids including inositol phospholipids, cholesterol, sphingolipids and ceramides play important roles in signalling cellular responses to stress and specific stimuli such as growth factors, cytokines and neurotransmitters. One or more of these lipid mediators has been linked to the pathogenesis of age-related diseases.

This book provides a comprehensive review of specific membrane lipid mediators and their roles in aging and age-related disease.

This volume provides a timely and thorough review of the current state of understanding of a fascinating type of cell that is capable of forming many or all cells in the body. In humans and other mammals embryonic stem cells, the immediate offspring of the fertilized egg, are capable of forming any type of cell in the body. Moreover stem cells are present in many different tissues in adults that are capable of dividing and differentiating into the specific cell types that comprise the organ in which they reside.

A major focus of the book is to provide the reader with up-to-date information on the molecular mechanisms that regulate the proliferation, differentiation and survival of stem cells, and how aging and age-related disease impacts on stem cells. Leading authorities detail the properties and therapeutic potential of embryonic stem cells and stem cells of the nervous and immune systems, muscle and bone. Particularly exciting are emerging technologies for using stem cells to treat human age-related diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

This book will be a valuable reference for developmental biologists and for scientists and clinicians who study and treat a variety of diseases.

The processes of aging and death remain one of the most fascinating, and mysterious, areas of biological research. Huge anomalies between species raise questions the answers to which could have fundamental implications for the field of medical science. As scientists unlock the secrets of the exceptionally long-lived little brown bat (up to 34 years), or the common budgerigar, for example, which despite having a metabolic rate 1.5 times that of a laboratory mouse, can live for up to 20 years, it has become more important than ever to be able to make a comparative analysis of the various species used in research.

Dealing with every one of the mammalian species that are employed in laboratory research, this is the first book on the subject of aging that provides detailed comparative data for age-related changes in its subjects. It does so at the level of the whole animal, its organs, organelles and molecules. The comparative data, supplied in 15 chapters by leading experts, provides information on fields as disparate as telomere function and loss, the importance of the Sirtuins and Tor, the influence of hormones on lifespans, the relationship between body size and lifespan, the effects of restricted calorific intake, age-related changes in cell replication, and DNA damage and repair. Chapters are devoted to cardiac aging, comparative skeletal muscle aging, the aging of the nervous and immune systems, the comparative biology of lyosomal function and how it is affected by age, and many other key areas of research.

This much-needed text will provide scientists working in a wide spectrum of fields with key data to aid them in their studies.

This book covers the origins and subsequent history of research results in which attempts have been made to clarify issues related to cellular ageing, senescence, and age-related pathologies including cancer. Cellular Ageing and Replicative Senescence revisits more than fifty-five years of research based on the discovery that cultured normal cells are mortal and the interpretation that this phenomenon is associated with the origins of ageing. The mortality of normal cells and the immortality of cancer cells were also reported to have in vivo counterparts. Thus began the field of cytogerontology. Cellular Ageing and Replicative Senescence is organized into five sections: history and origins; serial passaging and progressive ageing; cell cycle arrest and senescence; system modulation; and recapitulation and future expectations. These issues are discussed by leading thinkers and researchers in biogerontology and cytogerontology. This collection of articles provides state-of-the-art information, and will encourage students, teachers, health care professionals and others interested in the biology of ageing to explore the fascinating and challenging question of why and how our cells age, and what can and cannot be done about it.

Aging is an almost universal process within biological systems, one which leads to a decline in functional capacity, disease onset, and eventually death. There has been much interest in recent years to elucidate the molecular mec- nisms that underlie the aging process. Many theories have been proposed since the last century that aim to explain the causes of aging. There is no one theory that completely satisfies the phenotype of aging, but genetics and environm- tal factors play an important role in the etiology of age-related pathologies and the aging process. However, there is still much to be learned about the aging process which has been termed one of the last great frontiers in biology. De- graphic changes worldwide are leading to increased average life expectancies within our populations. These changes in population characteristics will impact upon the economies of the supporting society, with increasing healthcare and infrastructural costs arising from the prevalence of age-related pathologies and other physical disabilities associated with advancing years. Many researchers worldwide are working in the attempt to identify key cellular processes through which it might one day be possible to slow down the aging process and thus increase the health span of humans. Numerous research projects-from the cellular through to tissue, organ, and whole organism studies-are currently underway to investigate the mul- factorial aging process.

The goal of Biological Aging: Methods and Protocols is to present some of the most promising and important tools that are currently used in biological aging research. These tools include established protocols such as aging cell culture as well as many more contemporary approaches such as nuclear transfer, microarray and proteomics technologies and the use of ribozymes in aging research. Collectively, these powerful tools combined with the many other techniques that are presented are rapidly advancing the exciting and expanding field of biological aging.

This volume is an outgrowth ofcontemporary research on development over the adult lifespan, which by now has burgeoned and developed both nationally and internationally. However, for us, the impetus to be involved in this area was spawned and nurtured by our initial association with the Society for Research in Adult Development (SRAD) with its origins some 15 years ago by Michael Commonsand his associates inCambridge, Massachusetts. Throughthegood will and support of this society, we also became, and are still, heavily involved with the Journal of Adult Development and the Kluwer-Plenum Monograph Series on Adult Development and Aging, ofwhich this volume is a companion. Many ofthe contributions in the volume are from SRAD members, who con sistently adhere to a focus on positive adult development. Their chapters have been complemented by pieces from other researchers, who have adopted more mainstream approaches to adult development and/oraging. Regardless ofthe par ticular approach and/or focus of the chapter, all the work reported herein sup ports the relatively recent idea that development is not restricted to children and adolescents but continues throughout the adult lifespan in ways that we never envisionedsome 20 years ago. Thus, the volume represents state-of-the-arttheory, research, and practice on adult development, which has the potential to occupy us all for some time to come."

Understanding the relationship between frailty and longevity becomes increasingly important as the world continues to age and life expectancy in most countries continues to increase. The articles contained in this book are the outcome of a colloquium sponsored by Fondation IPSEN in which interdisciplinary perspectives were brought to bear on conceptual, empirical and clinical aspects of this relationship.

This volume is one of the first to concentrate on positive growth and development in a clinical arena, rather than loss and pathology. In contrast to the general theories and cross-sectional studies of existing adult developmental research, much of this volume looks at the whole-life level of development of adults through case studies. The book unites three compatible approaches to the study of adult development. The first considers the development of whole life. The second approach examines behavior during certain periods in adults' lives by combining clinical and developmental stage perspectives. The third approach examines periods of life following the work of Erikson, Levinson, and Vaillant. The editors of this volume believe that these three approaches form, in their synergy, a comprehensive and multifaceted approach to uniquely difficult problems of late adolescence and early adulthood. It is the unification of these three approches that makes this book unique in its field.

This volume is one of the first to concentrate on positive growth and development in a clinical arena, rather than loss and pathology. In contrast to the general theories and cross-sectional studies of existing adult developmental research, much of this volume looks at the whole-life level of development of adults through case studies. The book unites three compatible approaches to the study of adult development. The first considers the development of whole life. The second approach examines behavior during certain periods in adults' lives by combining clinical and developmental stage perspectives. The third approach examines periods of life following the work of Erikson, Levinson, and Vaillant. The editors of this volume believe that these three approaches form, in their synergy, a comprehensive and multifaceted approach to uniquely difficult problems of late adolescence and early adulthood. It is the unification of these three approches that makes this book unique in its field.

Recent studies have indicated that epigenetic processes may play a major role in both cellular and organismal aging. These epigenetic processes include not only DNA methylation and histone modifications, but also extend to many other epigenetic mediators such as the polycomb group proteins, chromosomal position effects, and noncoding RNA. The topics of this book range from fundamental changes in DNA methylation in aging to the most recent research on intervention into epigenetic modifications to modulate the aging process. The major topics of epigenetics and aging covered in this book are: 1) DNA methylation and histone modifications in aging; 2) Other epigenetic processes and aging; 3) Impact of epigenetics on aging; 4) Epigenetics of age-related diseases; 5) Epigenetic interventions and aging: and 6) Future directions in epigenetic aging research.

The most studied of epigenetic processes, DNA methylation, has been associated with cellular aging and aging of organisms for many years. It is now apparent that both global and gene-specific alterations occur not only in DNA methylation during aging, but also in several histone alterations. Many epigenetic alterations can have an impact on aging processes such as stem cell aging, control of telomerase, modifications of telomeres, and epigenetic drift can impact the aging process as evident in the recent studies of aging monozygotic twins.

Numerous age-related diseases are affected by epigenetic mechanisms. For example, recent studies have shown that DNA methylation is altered in Alzheimer s disease and autoimmunity. Other prevalent diseases that have been associated with age-related epigenetic changes include cancer and diabetes. Paternal age and epigenetic changes appear to have an effect on schizophrenia and epigenetic silencing has been associated with several of the progeroid syndromes of premature aging. Moreover, the impact of dietary or drug intervention into epigenetic processes as they affect normal aging or age-related diseases is becoming increasingly feasible.

This book focuses on precocious puberty, providing a unique continuum of expertise looking at puberty from anthropologic, epidemiologic, clinical, and molecular perspectives. The volume addresses broad pubertal changes in the general population while at the same time providing in depth information about specific disorders of puberty and the latest management changes. In particular, the book is intended for endocrinologists and internists.

Hans-Werner Wahl, Hermann Brenner, Heidrun Mollenkopf, Dietrich Rothenbacher and Christoph Rott Ageing research has been identi?ed as a prototypical ?eld of inquiry deserving the full exploitation of single discipline approaches and interdisciplinary synergies amongst these single perspectives. Although this is a generally accepted insight, there still is a strong need to provide models of how this global and most fundamental challenge can be dealt with. It seems in any case necessary to narrow down the wide scope of ageing research issues to sets of key constructs most promising in terms of interdisciplinary cross-fertilisation. Againstthis,themajoraimofthebookistoprovideacomprehensive treatment of one well-selected set of key issues of recent ageing research, i. e. health, competence and well-being. In addition, the book's ambition is to identify priorities for future ageing research and to further new avenues for interdisciplinary approaches and social policy applications. The substance of the book is based on an international conference which took place on June 18 and 19, 2004 in Heidelberg, Germany. Framed within the array of health, competence and well-being perspectives in ageing research, the idea of the conf- ence was to provide an integrated presentation of ?ndings generated in the German Centre for Research on Ageing at the University of Heidelberg (Deutsches Zentrum f. ur Alternsforschung, DZFA). The centre's three departments, i. e.

Understanding phytochemical-gene interactions provides the basis for individualized therapies to promote health as well as prevent and treat disease. The authors of Phytochemicals: Nutrient-Gene Interactions examine the interactions between phytochemicals and the human genome and discuss the impact these interactions have on health, aging, and chronic conditions such as inflammation, heart disease, obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, and cancer.

Keeping pace with the most important trends in phytochemical research, the authors accentuate the latest understanding on the use of controlled clinical trials, new screening technologies, and the completed human genome project for researching the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of phytochemicals. The book covers a balanced range of topics beginning with experimental strategies and methodologies for identifying significant interactions between diet, genetic variants, and different markers of cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and obesity. Different authors explain the mechanisms of protective action that link diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, unsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with a decreased risk of chronic and degenerative diseases. They also review and summarize epidemiological research on plant-based foods and dietary patterns supporting the beneficial role of phytochemicals in health promotion and disease prevention.

Phytochemicals: Nutrient-Gene Interactions illustrates the growing role of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics in disease prevention and in the responsible development of safe and effective phytochemical products within the food, pharmaceutical, and supplement industries.

'I am blown away by the level of detail Phil Cavell brings to his work.' - Elinor Barker MBE, multiple world champion and Olympic gold medallist 'The Midlife Cyclist is a triumph' - Cycling Plus 'An amazing accomplishment... a simple-to-understand precis of your midlife as a cyclist - you won't want to put it down.' - Phil Liggett, TV cycling commentator 'Phil is eminently qualified to write The Midlife Cyclist. Well, he is certainly old enough.' - Fabian Cancellara, Tour de France rider and two-time Olympic champion Renowned cycling biomechanics pioneer, Phil Cavell, explores the growing trend of middle-aged and older cyclists seeking to achieve high-level performance. Using contributions from leading coaches, ex-professionals and pro-team doctors, he produces the ultimate manifesto for mature riders who want to stay healthy, avoid injury - and maximise their achievement levels. Time's arrow traditionally plots an incremental path into declining strength and speed for all of us. But we are different to every other generation of cyclists in human history. An ever-growing number of us are determined to scale the highest peaks of elite physical fitness into middle-age and beyond. Can the emerging medical and scientific research help us achieve the holy triumvirate of speed and health with age? The Midlife Cyclist offers a gold standard road-map for the mature cyclist who aims to train, perform and even race at the highest possible level.

The Last Years of Long Lives is a unique account of that period of old age which precedes death. Based on 400 complete individual histories and covering a twenty-year period, it looks at the experiences of people over eighty years old in three important areas: disability, family life and health care. Using the life-course approach to research, it reveals rich data about the contributions of formal and informal care and how life expectancy and experiences of disability interact with experiences of care.

The reader is invited to conceptualise these phenomena as processes in continuous time - processes that are sometimes long and complex, sometimes short and simple - and learns about the four types of disability career before death. At the same time, the author presents a three-stage model of informal care and examines the main patterns of formal service use.

The Last Years of Long Lives presents a new way of looking at old age for students, researchers, practitioners and policy makers and gives a comprehensive picture of what has been called 'the fourth age'.

As individuals age, their ability to respond to andclear pathogens and to control unwanted immune reactions declines, leading to a greater incidence of certain infectious diseases, autoimmunity and general immune dysfunctions. Most remarkably, the efficacy of vaccines is frequently decreased in elderly persons. Therefore, age-associated dysfunctions of the humoral and cellular immune responses have a strong clinical impact. Improving our understanding of the aged immune system is crucial in developing effective prevention and treatment programs that will facilitate healthy aging and improve the quality of life of the elderly population.

The aim of this volume is to summarize current knowledge on the cellular and molecular aspects of the aging immune system, with an emphasis on infectious diseases and new therapeutic approaches.

"

Congratulations! You have been given about 20 more years to live than your grandparents. But does that just mean a longer decline? Berit Lewis shows that the story we so often tell ourselves about ageing – that it’s all downhill from 50 – is simply wrong. In fact, research reveals we are at our happiest aged 80! Combining her extensive experience in teaching mindfulness with her knowledge of how to live and age well, she reveals a simple framework that can help you make the most out of those extra years of living. Rather than wait for society to solve the challenges of longevity, she invites us to explore what each of us can do to take responsibility for our own life and ageing process. Ageing Upwards will help you navigate life after 50 with acceptance, self-compassion and mental flexibility. It’s also invaluable to leaders who wants overcome unconscious beliefs, limitations and discriminations related to age to create more diverse organizations.

A practical guide to how we can positively adapt to a changing world, from the internationally bestselling authors of The 100-Year Life 'The London Business School professors Andrew J. Scott and Lynda Gratton have been predicting how society must adapt for years. Now they have a post-pandemic road map for us all' Sunday Times Smart new technologies. Longer, healthier lives. Human progress has risen to great heights, but at the same time it has prompted anxiety about where we're heading. Are our jobs under threat? If we live to 100, will we ever really stop working? And how will this change the way we love, manage and learn from others? One thing is clear: advances in technology have not been matched by the necessary innovation to our social structures. In our era of unprecedented change, we haven't yet discovered new ways of living. Drawing from the fields of economics and psychology, Andrew J. Scott and Lynda Gratton offer a simple framework based on three fundamental principles (Narrate, Explore and Relate) to give you the tools to navigate the challenges ahead. The New Long Life is the essential guide to a longer, smarter, happier life.

A paradigm-shifting book from an acclaimed Harvard Medical School scientist and one of Time’s most influential people.

It’s a seemingly undeniable truth that aging is inevitable. But what if everything we’ve been taught to believe about aging is wrong? What if we could choose our lifespan?

In this groundbreaking book, Dr. David Sinclair, leading world authority on genetics and longevity, reveals a bold new theory for why we age. As he writes: “Aging is a disease, and that disease is treatable.”

This eye-opening and provocative work takes us to the frontlines of research that is pushing the boundaries on our perceived scientific limitations, revealing incredible breakthroughs—many from Dr. David Sinclair’s own lab at Harvard—that demonstrate how we can slow down, or even reverse, aging. The key is activating newly discovered vitality genes, the descendants of an ancient genetic survival circuit that is both the cause of aging and the key to reversing it. Recent experiments in genetic reprogramming suggest that in the near future we may not just be able to feel younger, but actually become younger.

Through a page-turning narrative, Dr. Sinclair invites you into the process of scientific discovery and reveals the emerging technologies and simple lifestyle changes—such as intermittent fasting, cold exposure, exercising with the right intensity, and eating less meat—that have been shown to help us live younger and healthier for longer. At once a roadmap for taking charge of our own health destiny and a bold new vision for the future of humankind, Lifespan will forever change the way we think about why we age and what we can do about it.

Ageing is of perennial interest as a universal feature in all human societies. The genetic background and biochemical bases of ageing processes are currently being revealed in unprecedented detail. It is emerging that one of the main hurdles to be overcome in achieving a long and healthy lifespan is the maintenance of a properly functioning immune system. The main cause of death in people who have achieved "successful ageing" (which mostly means not having succumbed to cancer or cardiovascular disease) is infectious disease, caused by immunosenescence. This book contains chapters by many of the leaders in the field of immune-related issues in ageing and remediation.

The conceptualization of dementia has changed dramatically in recent years with the claim that, through early detection and by controlling several risk factors, a prevention of dementia is possible. Although encouraging and providing hope against this feared condition, this claim is open to scrutiny. This volume looks at how this new conceptualization ignores many of the factors which influence a dementia sufferers' prognosis, including their history with education, food and exercise as well as their living in different epistemic cultures. The central aim is to question the concept of prevention and analyze its impact on aging people and aging societies.

Focusing on the contemporary period, this book brings together critical age studies and contemporary science fiction to establish the centrality of age and ageing in dystopian, speculative and science-fiction imaginaries. Analysing texts from Europe, North America and South Asia, as well as television programmes and films, the contributions range from essays which establish genre-based trends in the representation of age and ageing, to very focused studies of particular texts and concerns. As a whole, the volume probes the relationship between speculative/science fiction and our understanding of what it is to be a human in time: the time of our own lives and the times of both the past and the future.

The conceptualization of dementia has changed dramatically in recent years with the claim that, through early detection and by controlling several risk factors, a prevention of dementia is possible. Although encouraging and providing hope against this feared condition, this claim is open to scrutiny. This volume looks at how this new conceptualization ignores many of the factors which influence a dementia sufferers’ prognosis, including their history with education, food and exercise as well as their living in different epistemic cultures. The central aim is to question the concept of prevention and analyze its impact on aging people and aging societies.