Product Description
Many human diseases including Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, cancer, and cardiovascular disease have complex genetics that require sophisticated analysis. Genetics of Complex Human Diseases: A Laboratory Manual brings together the tools that geneticists use to find disease genes with the genetic concepts and statistical theories that underpin these research approaches. Topics covered include basic genetics and Mendelian inheritance, statistical methods, genetic epidemiology, linkage studies, transmission disequilibrium test analysis, variance components analysis, genome-wide association studies, copy-number variation, methods for high-throughput genotyping, the complexity of RNA editing, and genetic computer programs. The book's chapters, written by leading investigators in the field, blend practical information and reviews of each topic, providing both the how and the why of complex disease analysis. Genetics of Complex Human Diseases is an important guide for anyone with an interest in human genetics or who uses genetic techniques in the study of diseases with complex inheritance. Related Titles from the Publisher Genetic Variation: A Laboratory Manual Proteomics: A CSHL Course Manual Statistics at the Bench: A Step-by-Step Handbook for Biologists ... Read more

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Modern laboratory and computing advances have made it possible to identify which genes are responsible for a disease (or other biological traits) and to identify those genes.This book presents a survey of the methods that are being used to generate these successes, especially to study disease in families.The methods of epidemiology and genetics are surveyed, and related to molecular genetic data, with examples from both pediatric and chronic disease.The pattern of variation that has been found is best understood from the evolutionary perspective.Because these methods and ideas apply to any biological trait, not just to disease, this is a general book about the genetic control of biological traits. ... Read more

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Institut fur Humangenetik und Anthropologie, Heidelberg, Germany. Third edition of an extensive textbook on the concepts and problems of human and medical genetics, for geneticists, biomedical researchers, physicians, and epidemiologists. Previous edition 1986. Emphasizes molecular concepts and techniques. ... Read more

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There is a growing awareness of the important role that human genetics play in individual differences in human behavior. However, many behavioral scientists have little background in biology, much less training in genetics. This book is for students in the behavioral sciences who need to understand genetics, but who have little or no training in biology. The text provides the basic biology which is essential for an understanding of genetics and then provides a solid overview of the principles of genetics.Rather than provide a comprehensive analysis of the current literature on genetics, the author reviews a selected sample of the research that is most relevant to the social and behavioral sciences. Emphasis is placed on the role that genetics plays in regards to the behavioral sciences. In addition, a fully interactive website has been developed that includes quizzes, learning exercises, articles on advanced topics in genetics as well as links to other web resources on genetics. The resulting text is a strong resource that will help social scientists grasp the necessary basics of genetics in a way that no other book can.

Product Description
A major debate in anthropology concerns the relationship between anatomically modern humans and earlier "archaic" humans including the Neandertals. What was the origin of modern humans? Did we arise as a new species in Africa 200,000 years ago and then replace archaic human populations outside of Africa, or are our origins part of a single evolving lineage extending back over the past two million years? In addition to fossil and archaeological evidence, anthropologists have increasingly turned to using genetic data on living populations to address this question. Patterns of genetic variation within and between living human populations are felt to contain clues as to our species' evolutionary history, and provide a reflection of the past.

This book reviews the modern human origins debate focusing on the genetic evidence relating to our origins, including genetic variation in living humans and recent discoveries of ancient DNA from fossil specimens. Following a brief introduction to the problem and a review of evolutionary genetics, the book focuses on gene trees and the search for a common ancestor, genetic diversity within populations, genetic distances between populations, the use of genetic data to reconstruct ancient demography, and Neandertal DNA. The main point of the text is that although the genetic data are often compatible with a replacement model, they are also compatible with some multiregional models. The concluding chapter makes the case that modern human origins are mostly, but not exclusively, out of Africa. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Within and Between: Evolution of the Study of Human Origins
Coming from a perspective outside the field of biological anthropology I am always struck by a certain level of hesitation upon embarking on a document written by someone from within this technical field. While evolutionary theory is the main tenant of both this field as well as my field of study, evolutionary psychology, the approaches, suppositions, and terminologies are often perceived as being different and very distinctive. Likewise, the conflict within the field itself, the various approaches, and contrasting interpretations utilizing the same evidence can easily leave an outsider (not to mention insiders!) feeling overwhelmed and confused. After reading Relethford's Genetics and the Search for Modern Human Origins, some of this hesitation, and some of the seeming non-overlap between scientific groups, has been lifted.

Relethford offers a clear, well-constructed argument on the modern human origins debate that has been volleyed back and forth between (and within!) the different areas of anthropology. He presents a basic background in the area of evolutionary theory, genetics, and the archeological evidence; an in-depth review of the various genetic studies and a strong argument for the application for the various computer-modeling techniques currently used. What is especially refreshing is that rather than relying on one technique (i.e. computer models or archeological evidence) and by not taking a definitive stance on one model alone to explain the time and place of human origins, he presents the perspectives of the central models of human evolution as a moderator, rather than a competitor. This manner allows the evidence itself to engage the reader into developing their own interpretation, rather than forcing them to accept the authors' own biases.

The evidence presented throughout the book is used mainly to pit the African replacement model and the Multiregional evolution model against each other, in what Chamberlin (1897) called "the method of multiple working hypotheses" and Platt (1964) called "strong inference". By comparing the evidence to each model, rather than trying to fit it all within one chosen framework, Relethford arrives at the conclusion that modern humans arose from a "Mostly Out of Africa" scenario. This suggests that humans did indeed first arise in Africa, with subsequent evolutionary forces (mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, and the interaction of) mediated by inter and intra-continental migrations, affecting their evolution both within this continent of origin and throughout the world. Overall, the genetic patterns elucidated by human DNA studies (mtDNA, Y-chromosome, and nuclear) suggest that Africa was the point of origin, with an initial migration toward the Middle East, branching off to Europe, Asia and Oceania, with a smaller (yet still substantial) return migration back home to Africa.

Likewise, Relethford examines some of the controversy surrounding the placement of Neandertal's in relation to human lineage's. Were Neandertal's a distinct sub-species of archaic human which contributed genetic material to modern humans, or are we completely free of Neandertal genes? This issue is explored within the context of the archeological evidence which suggests that there are certain Neandertal characteristics in human bone structure, and the genetic evidence which supports the latter proposition. Again by careful expression he explains the evidence in the light of each model, and suggests that the best fit is still up in the air.

Overall, the issues this book explores are well articulated and are examined in a style that doesn't necessitate substantial background knowledge in the study of human genetic variation or modeling formulas. However, Relethford also doesn't ignore those who are well-versed in such areas. Genetics are discussed in a technical manner and mathematics are explained at the end of the book in "Chapter Notes".

A few notes of caution must be expressed upon opening this book. First, this book should be read while attempting to leave your preconceived biases behind. This book is aimed at giving an unbiased presentation of the current evidence for the origins of modern humans. As such, it should be read with an open mind. Second, there are some minor editorial, and factual mistakes made within the book. These mistakes are, for the most part, unnoticed by individuals without a background in either genetics or genetic theory as applied to modern human origins. For individuals who wish to use this book as a tool for learning the basics of genetics this may be a detriment. Third, because new evidence within this and other fields utilizing evolutionary theory are changing daily, some of the evidence offered here may quickly become dated. However, the main approach of this book, the overarching perspective, and the engaging manner in which it is written, should make it a must read for anyone interested in gaining at least a rudimentary understanding of this area of scientific scrutiny.

By assimilation of bones and stones, genes, memes, and models, Relethford sifts through the various forms of evidence for the emergence and subsequent existence of Homo sapiens. He accomplishes this feat in a calming integrated manner that makes sense to those who may think that the techniques and approaches common within the field are inherently different from their own. As such he has showed, at least to this reader, that once again the within group variation may be more prevalent than between group variation.

Lucid and Engaging
"Relethford writes...in a lucid and engaging manner. He dispassionately examines the major controversies surrounding modern human origins and clearly identifies the ways in which the genetic data impinge on the predictions of the explanatory models....[T]his book will appeal to the general science reader, as well as being suitable for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in Biological Anthropology." (American Journal of Human Biology)

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The modern human origins debate is finally illuminated with the first clear and understandable discussion of the genetic arguments on both sides. Relethford is a key player in this debate, and he brings to it a sorely needed perspective, placing the exciting laboratory results in the theoretical frame that explains them, and doing it in manner that the rest of us can grasp.It's good writing, because it's good thinking, and Relethford is to be congratulated for his efforts in clarifying and explaining the complex issues that underlie the conflict between Multiregional evolution and the Eve Theory. --Milford H. Wolpoff, Paleoanthropology Laboratory, University of Michigan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Diferent, something you don't see every day.
I gave the book four stars for it's uniqueness.The author was simpathetic to the subjects but still conveyed the shocking nature of thier lot in life.

Loved it!
People with oddities or deformities are often overlooked.This book lets the viewer learn about the kinds of people we would be afraid to look at.He treats them as special and unique.Some of the pictures were hard to believe. ... Read more

Product Description
This is one of the first introductions to the sophisticated statistical methods that play a key role in research on human genetics. Topics include the estimation of allele frequencies, the testing for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, classical and complex segregation analysis, linkage analysis for Mendelian and complex diseases and quantitative traits, the detection of allelic associations, the estimation of heritability for multifactorial traits and path analysis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fantastic Book!
This book is a fantastic introduction to and reference to stats in genetics (I bought it for a genetic epidemiology course).Sham works through the concepts with enough detail that you aren't wondering what is going on, but so that you aren't bored either.The explanations are clear, the writing is excellent and the organization of the book can't be beat.Highly recommended.

Good book but Don't deserve!
This is a good book on the state-of-art Human Genetics Statistics. However, first, the organization of the topics is not that systematical and is a bit chaotic, especially section on association analysis. The author just simply puts everything together without a clear connection among each part. Sometimes (actually most), the language is confusing. Large paragraphs were used try to clarify an issue, but appear to be the opposite to what one wishes. On the other hand, unfortunately, there are a lot a lot of TYPOs in the book!

My comment is: Don't deserve the price (actually it's going up!!!) and don't deserve a 'Bible' in the field!

Statistics in Human Genetics - Sham P
This is an excellent book covering all major areas of genetic epidemiology.Ideal for postrgraduate studies it is well structured and highly detailed.The only criticism would be is that the sections onassociation studies and segregation analysis are not overly strong, butthen this reflects the states of those fields in comparison to linkageanalysis ... Read more

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As our scientific and technical abilities expand at breathtaking speeds, concern that modern genetics and bioengineering are leading us to a posthuman future is growing. Is Human Nature Obsolete? poses the overarching question of what it is to be human against the background of these current advances in biotechnology. Its perspective is philosophical and interdisciplinary rather than technical; the focus is on questions of fundamental ontological importance rather than the specifics of medical or scientific practice.

The authors—all distinguished scholars in their fields—take on questions about technology's goals and values that are often ignored or sidelined in the face of rapid scientific advances and the highly specialized nature of technical knowledge. The essays included represent a rich variety of thought, ranging from finely nuanced philosophical and theological arguments to historical studies and cultural commentaries. Several explore the historical background of today's biotechnology: Timothy Casey traces such developments as the emergence of cybernetic humanity from Cartesian dualism, and Diane Paul presents the history of "positive" versus coerced eugenics. Jean Bethke Elshtain discusses cloning as a "messianic project" to perfect the body and exclude natural diversity—giving as an example the elimination of Down Syndrome as an acceptable human type—while Harold Baillie calls for an examination of the metaphysical roots of personhood. Robert Proctor finds no evidence in paleontology for any "essence of humanity," and Tom Shannon argues against materialist reductionism. Addressing social concerns, Lisa Sowle Cahill finds the possibility of a political solution to the problems raised by genetic engineering in Catholic teachings on social justice, and Langdon Winner looks critically at the "scientific enthusiasts of a posthuman future." Taken as a whole, the book provides a humanistic overview of a subject too often considered only in its technological aspect. ... Read more

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Every parent hopes for a healthy, "normal" baby, but not all babies fall into that category. On a daily basis, genetic counselors help clients, at whatever stage of intended or actual pregnancy, navigate both the purely clincial manifestations of a complicated birth and the short and long term emotional impact. This manual helps students learn how to guide clients through this complex and difficult process. Designed to help students learn these basic counseling skills, FACILITATING THE GENETIC COUNSELING PROCESS takes a "how to" approach to these complex and emotionally charged client interactions. ... Read more

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Humanity's physical design flaws have long been apparent--we get hemorrhoids and impacted wisdom teeth, for instance--but do the imperfections extend down to the level of our genes? Inside the Human Genome is the first book to examine the philosophical question of why, from the perspectives of biochemistry and molecular genetics, flaws exist in the biological world. Distinguished evolutionary geneticist John Avise offers a panoramic yet penetrating exploration of the many gross deficiencies in human DNA--ranging from mutational defects to built-in design faults--while at the same time offering a comprehensive treatment of recent findings about the human genome. The author shows that the overwhelming scientific evidence for genomic imperfection provides a compelling counterargument to intelligent design. He also develops a case that theologians should welcome rather than disavow these discoveries.The evolutionary sciences can help mainstream religions escape the shackles of Intelligent Design, and thereby return religion to its rightful realm--not as the secular interpreter of the biological minutiae of our physical existence, but rather as a respectable philosophical counselor on grander matters of ultimate concern. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Avise's "The Iliad and Theodicy"
Avise, a Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at UC Davis, holds a PhD in Genetics, has written 20 books, and has authored/coauthored more than 300 scientific articles in his field.

He wastes no time and minces no words. From the very first paragraphs of his Preface, he challenges the basic premise of Intelligent Design. He says: "...explaining biological systems that are complex and function well is easy, at a cursory level." [but] "The greater conceptual challenge--for scientists and ID proponents alike--is to explain complex biological traits that show profound structural or functional flaws." [and] "Flawed biotic features nonetheless abound in species, including humans." Avise posits that while the original design may have been intelligent, subsequent flaws reflect implementations that are far from intelligent and are accordingly more reasonably attributed to evolution's non-sentient design.

ID rejects macro-evolution, thus requires special creations, which brings the issue of theodicy to the fore, placing on God the entire responsibility for all the suffering caused by design and implementation flaws. But by attributing genetic flaws to evolution's less than perfect implementations, God is placed at least one remove from responsibility for them.

In Chapter 1 Avise fleshes out his thesis that an error-riddled genome, as implemented, does not reflect intelligent design: implementation by evolution does, and evolution lessens the burden of theodicy.

In Chapters 2-4, Avise supports his contention that flawed biotic features abound. He notes the many inborn errors of metabolism that take countless lives, gratuitous genomic complexities that routinely compromise human health, byzantine mechanisms of gene regulation, and much more - and all these imperfections are consistent with evolutionary expectations, not intelligent design. While he describes only a few representative genomic flaws, he does provides numerous tables categorizing and enumerating many more, and cites other documents that describe yet more, such as the "Human Genome Mutation Database", which as of 2010 describes more than 100,000 mutations!

In Chapter 5 Avise details his argument from imperfection. Since his argument is based on microbiological data, he chooses, appropriately, to challenge Behe: "I will use Behe's 1996 treatise [Darwin's Black Box] as a touchstone for discussion because it remains the preeminent book-length endorsement of Intelligent Design from a professional molecular biologist."

Point by point, Avise shows evolution's non-sentient design is far superior to ID's special creations in explaining the diversity of life on earth. Behe was aware that there are "apparent" molecular imperfections, but tried to deflect an argument from imperfection on the basis that we can't know the mind of the designer and whether he would consider them imperfections. Avise notes: `Ironically, Behe's dismissal of the argument from imperfection in effect demolishes Intelligent Design as a testable scientific hypothesis..."

Regarding special-creations Avise says: "When fine details of molecular errors appear in phylogenetically related species, special-creation explanations for such errors are thus effectively eliminated (unless we suppose that a bumbling Creator made the same molecular mistakes time and again when directly forging different species)."

Avise finishes with a brief epilogue - essentially an apologetic for science.

In summary, the preceding is just a taste: Avise delivers much, much more. He provides a passionate defense of science in general and evolution theory in particular. In the process, he demonstrates that ID is without scientific merit and is of questionable religious merit, being unsupportive of religion relative to theodicy.

Render unto evolution that which is evolution's...
In one of its pivotal confrontations, the New Testament shows a wry Jesus responding to the challenge of critics concerning what defference to give to Rome (and along with it, temporal human authority).

By way of reply, Jesus holds up a coin (presumably showing the face of Tiberius Caesar) and asks whose face is on it.Noting the reply that the image depicts Caesar, Jesus famously suggests that followers render to Caesar that which is Caesar's and that to God, which is God's.

I think Professor Avise's book can best be understood as making a much similar point, albeit with respect to science.

And though fundamentalist's may certainly differ, the liberation from having to force religion to explain natural phenomenon and thereby be placed in competition with it, dissaudes it from its more proper historical mission.And what is that proper role of religion? By its own religious texts, much of the message of organized religion concerns itself with proseltyzing moral values rather than imparting factual truths (separate and apart of course that those facts which specifically relate to its myth of beginning).In this sense, I think the particularly religious as well as the majority stream can welcome this book as a breath of fresh air.

But for the mainstream, this book is fascinating reading.Contrary to what one may think, an examination of our genetics clearly shows a more Rube Goldberg structure than one bearing the imprint of some mastermind intelligent designer. The points Avise makes in support of this thesis do run to the very technical but fortunately he periodically reduces his more complex explanations to more simple layman's language.

And significantly, the examples Avise points out are merely the tip of the iceberg to show the often flawed and self destructive ways in which our genetics can fail us.

5 for content, 1 for formatting...
The author does an excellent job of presenting evidence against Intelligent Design at the genomic level.It's a relatively short book, packed with facts.As a biologist I was fine, but it may be slightly too technical for the casual reader.

Unfortunately the Kindle formatting was atrocious.I doubt that anyone actually checked it.Only the first chapter link works on the table of contents.And none of the endnotes are clickable.Plus many of the tables are broken up by text or unreadable.I feel bad for the author to have the publisher mangle his book like this.

Much-needed book; appreciated brevity; but very difficult for non-specialists.
Some material is irreducibly complex.I mean in genetics.There is only so far that an author can go in simplifying the material for a non-scientist like me before she ends up not even saying things that are accurate any more.So I sympathize with Avise's challenge in writing a book like this, but...I found some of his efforts to be more "popular" in his tone sort of amusing.I mean, he says that he is trying to produce a work for a "broad audience."Effort noted and appreciated, but then the next couple of chapters had between them perhaps four or five paragraphs that I could follow fully.And sometime's Avise helpfully provides a definition for a term that might not be familiar to the reader (ironically, it was more often than not these terms that I WAS familiar with...so perhaps one of his guiding principles was only to define the terms that were essential to an understanding of the overall subject matter even if in the context of other less-well-understood terms), followed by an onslaught of three or four paragraphs in a row of genetic arcana that I find it very hard to believe anyone without a solid grounding in genetics could follow.

Having said all that, I still think the book is valuable and I think it's compelling...even kind of fun in its way, because the genome and its workings are such a freak show.The chapters where Avise comes up for air and makes pronouncements on what we've just read are lucid and cogent.Avise plays painfully fair with theism, but I do wish he could have followed Jerry Coyne's example in "Why Evolution is True" and just not addressed much of the theistic stuff at all.It's not necessary to make some sort of atheistic rant or to try to make up some soothing excuses for theism either one.The science speaks for itself, quite loudly, and any dispassionate examination of the evidence can only lead one to conclude that an all-powerful, all-good being cannot be behind the human genome.As Avise says in the section on mitochondria, not only is the design of it suboptimal, it is ludicrous.'Nuff said, frankly.Efforts at reconciliation with religion seem necessarily hollow once the truth of that sinks in.

There are other books that walk a similar path and are much easier to read.I'm thinking especially of Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease, which has an interesting take on, for example, malaria.But for sophisticated, scientifically credible material one could use to counter the work of, for example, some recent books that try to make the claim that Intelligent Design is evident in DNA, "Inside" is invaluable.Not light reading, mind you, but invaluable.

A timely reminder that Evolution still rules supreme.
Published on February 12, 2010, presumably in celebration of the 201st anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, "Inside the Human Genome: A Case for Non-Intelligent Design" is yet another book convincingly pointing out that the "modern" Creationist theory of Intelligent Design has no explanatory or predictive power, and therefore fails.

I don't recommend the Kindle edition though.The formatting of the tables and illustrations is very poor, and almost completely unreadable, and after a while I gave up on them.The text is very clear though.It would have been better if it had been formatted for the larger screen of the Kindle DX or the Kindle computer version.

Instead of examining biological structures that work very well and are very beautiful, John Avise examines plain ugly and barely functional elements of ID's latest poster child, DNA.He shows that DNA looks exactly the way it should, after a long process of evolution and tinkering, and not the masterwork of a loving and caring Intelligent Designer.

It's often forgotten, that for all its design faults, the vertebrate eye still works extremely well.Both Intelligent Design and Evolution have little trouble in explaining perfection or almost perfection.

John Avise, in less than 240 pages (in the Kindle version, the main text finishes 72% through the book before the "Notes and References"), discusses exhaustively the many design faults of the human genome.I'm not certain for whom this book is written.Certainly not the common run-of-the mill ID proponent who waxes enthusiastically over Stephen Meyer's 600+ page "Signature in the Cell".The information is presented in a very dense form, fact after fact, almost without respite.

To give two examples John Avise uses.In malarial areas, sickle cell trait provides increased resistance to malaria.Individuals are heterozygous for Haemoglobin S, a variant form of Haemoglobin A, and have a survival advantage.Individuals with sickle cell anaemia, homozygous for HbS, have a nasty and short life.They pay the price for the increased survival of heterozygotes, and the die is cast at conception.Hardly the deed of a loving and caring Intelligent Designer.So, the malarial parasite is intelligently designed, and the stop-gap measure of sickle cell trait is also intelligently designed, or at least according to ID.

He also discusses my favourite example of bad design, the mitochondrial genome.Mitochondria were originally symbiotic bacteria, and as such had a complete bacterial genome.Most of the mitochondrial genes have been moved out of harm's way to the nucleus, but the mitochondria still retains a circular bacterial chromosome, with a small number of genes, including 13 genes for components of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway.In mitochondria, exposed to free radicals of oxygen, they mutate at 5 to 10 times the rate of nuclear genes, so the end result is steadily decreasing energy production with ageing, and "brownouts" followed by "blackouts", and death.

The human genome contains 3 billion base pairs.Most of it is definitely "junk", without function.ID proponents have faith that all of it will eventually be found to have a function, but they are certain to be disappointed.Almost all genes consist of alternating exons (which code for the protein product) and introns (which don't).The trouble is, is that the the non-coding introns are 30 times as long as the coding exons.So the cell has to take a lot of effort transcribing a much larger mRNA molecule than necessary, and then has to expend a lot more effort splicing the non-coding RNA out to get a functional mRNA molecule.Not very efficient, and very wasteful.Bacteria have a much more efficient genome (actually, I wonder, does the Intelligent Designer love bacteria more than us?)

Towards the end, the author points out that Darwin liberated both science and theology with "Origin of the Species".No longer do religious people have to try to explain the theodicy of genetic defects, as the action of a loving and caring Creator.

The author finishes, with a re-writing of Darwin's famous conclusion to "Origin";"... There is grandeur in this view of the genome, with its several powers, having perhaps been originally breathed by the Creator into one or a few primordial molecular forms; and ... from so simple a beginning most beautiful, sometimes most awful, but always wondrous genomic features have been, and are being evolved".

I think I still prefer the original, which still excites me whenever I hear it. ... Read more

Product Description
Advances in genetics will make it possible to intervene in human biological development in ways that will give us considerable control over the properties that make us persons and the length and quality of our lives.Genes and Future People explores two general philosophical questions presented by human genetics, one metaphysical, the other moral: (1) How do genes, and different forms of genetic intervention (gene therapy, genetic enhancement, presymptomatic genetic testing of adults, genetic testing of preimplantation embryos), affect the identities of the people who already exist and those we bring into existence? and (2) How do these interventions benefit or harm the people we cause to exist in the near future as well as those who will exist in the distant future by satisfying or defeating their interest in having reasonably long and disease-free lives? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Forty Years Later Still the Best!
Curt Stern's Principles of Human Genetics is the most interesting and readable introduction to this subject that you will find. Despite the advances in genetics and recent map of the human genome, the principles covered in this book are still relevant. In 1962, I took a graduate course at the University of Texas in Austin using the second edition of this book which I still possess. Dr. Stern was away for a semester and his grad student taught the course. Forty years later I still use this book as a reference. I just ordered the 3rd edition published in 1973 for an "update". This book is a real classic and would get anyone interested in human genetics with its photos and pedigrees. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Jam packed with food for thought
I can hardly recall reading a book with so many intriguing new concepts per page as this one.The author makes a compelling case for counting group genetic interests amongst human rights.At the same time, he lays bare the ignorance, hypocrisy and bias of most of the "scientific" community when dealing with this subject.Yet he does so with great modesty and respect.

We are shown how there is no qualitative difference between the connection between mother and child and the connection between an individual and his race.The difference is only in degree.We are shown this conceptually and mathematically.

"Until the discovery of our evolutionary origins, we were like blind men in pursuit of the adaptive life...now the enlightenmentis illuminating our fundamental interest..."Though the author was speaking of our overall scientific knowledge, the same can be said about the knowledge contained in his book.Most of us are like blind men prior to reading it.After reading it, we are blessed with sight.Thank you Mr. Salter.You have done all humanity a great service.

I highly recommend this monumental work to anybody who has a genetic interest - which is to say, everybody!

A good one
This book gives scientific legitimacy to genetic interests which can be protected by the ethnostate.It reads like a scientific journal and is a bit daunting to understand at times for the layman, but not overwhelming.

Salter advocates putting more emphasis on preserving the ethny rather than just focusing on families or humanity. The three concerns involved are humanity, ethny, and family. Conservatives favor family and liberals favor humanity in their concerns. The mass immigration of genetically distant populations into America is displacing the European ethny here. He uses evolutionary sociobiology to make his arguments against alien immigration. He advocates universal nationalism for the world's ethnies. He reviews arguments against his ideas and the ethical considerations involving universal nationalism.

He argues for the same thing that David Duke and Robert McCollough argue for, but his arguments are even more focused on scientifically justifying ethnic separations such as having ethnies monopolize a territory. This strategy would echo the tribal evolutionary strategy that has always existed and has built the nation state. Modern mass anonymous societies with all their technologies have made us confused about our genetic interests. He is against the multi-racial polities which favor minority interests over majority ones, although he does not forbid multi-racial states for those who desire them. Minorities are more motivated to defend their interests in multi-racial states because of alienation and the subtle rejection of the majority. Majorities are complacent about their interests because they deal more with their own kind everyday and do not feel alienated.

He is against aggression in his model of universal nationalism; it is no longer worth it to take over territory because of population growth and the destruction war can cause. The age of empire should not be renewed.

Unfortunately, ethnic polices are often decided by political cunning and will to power, rather than by scientific reasoning. I do not see that any of ideas will be implemented soon. Some states are based on ethnic solidarity such as in Germany, where only those of German blood are citizens. Still Germany has not sent many Turks back home because they do not have the political will, even though it is constitutionally legal for them to do so. Even such ethnic states will not always enforce their ethnic policies. But Germany is better off than the US and England, which have become proposition nations in which citizens supposedlyattain solidarity by believing in liberal democratic ideals that deny the genetic interests of various ethnies. Multi-racial proposition nations are hard to hold together and require a lot of propaganda from the media, government, entertainment, and education to keep people believing in the proposition.

Amazing book brings the most important interests we have to light
"A tour-de-force. Absolutely astounding information about genetics you wont hear anywhere else. For example, he clearly shows how immigration into western countries is much worse than mass murder of members of our extended family (our racial genotype) in relation to or genetic interests. We have a lot to lose if immigration goes unchecked culturally and intellectually, but this book shows the specific genetic basis for our global fears in this regard. A very unique book pulling the true power of genetics out of the stone of natural sciences. Very unique, very well-written. A masterpiece."

the arguments does not reconcial with reality well..
the fact is, that the greatest hatred are amoung peoples who are genetically very similar through out human history. (German, English in WWII, Chinese, Japanese, Korean through out history etc). in the worst human conflict, WWII, American, English, Chinese, Russian on one side, German, Italian, Japanese on the other side. i can't see any "genetic" stratification in that.and now, the greatest nation(at least the most powerful one)-- America, have no genetic basis. and Germany, the country that advocated racial purity is not even a entity until a fewhundred years ago.(before that, it is loosely connected tribal...)

anecdote evidence aside, quantitatively, traditional ethnic division can only 1% explain human genetic variation(my estimation, no hard data), so if these is a genetic base for ethnic based thinking(racism), it must be a very weak third order effect. it is akin to rate attractiveness among individuals by the body mass based onnewton's law. we know it is absurd, even through newton's law is correct.

Path-Breaking Book
The importance of this book is that it explains that racism is rational.That is, by favoring people of one's own race, a person is increasing his fitness.This means that the anti-racists are trying to convince people to lower their fitness and eventually go extinct.In evolutionary terms, racism is adaptive and anti-racism is maladaptive.A further implication is that racists are in harmony with man's nature (indeed, the nature of all living things - to pass on the unique forms of one's genes), and that anti-racists, who go ballistic at any tinge of racism, are psychologically pathological.
While there is some math in the book, it can be understood by the average person who thinks carefully about the definitions of the terms.The reader should consult the glossary in the back of the book and be sure he understands the difference between "individual fitness," "absolute fitness," "relative fitness," and "inclusive fitness."Chapter 2 is the most important and difficult chapter and should be read several times. ... Read more

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Product Description
Genetics Primer for Exercise Science and Health is the first text dedicated to the basic concepts of genetics in relation to the broad range of topics in exercise science and health. Author Stephen M. Roth, PhD, makes the content comprehensible for readers who are unfamiliar with genetics without sacrificing the foundational and critical understanding necessary for interpreting research findings and incorporating genetics into research programs.

Genetics Primer for Exercise Science and Health maintains a practical focus and addresses common concerns when preparing to study genetics, such as how to use online search tools to identify existing research literature and how to identify and select candidate genes using genome databases. Through this text, readers will discover these concepts:

• The basics of DNA and genetics as they relate to health, physical activity, and sport
  
• Specific skills and strategies for interpreting and applying genetics findings in research
  
• How genetics research may affect sport performance training and clinical practice
  
• The ethical issues raised by genetics in society and sport
  

Genetic research will play an important role in the future practice of exercise science and health, requiring students and professionals to have this basic knowledge for success in their careers. Through its practical presentation of current and basic topics, Genetics Primer for Exercise Science and Health makes the case for more universities to introduce genetics courses to their curricula. Having the essential topics of genetics in a single, practical introductory text will facilitate the work of instructors, students, and professionals. ... Read more

Product Description
This outstanding history examines the eugenics movement from its origin to its heyday as the source of a science of human genetics. Eugenics, Human Genetics and Human Failings makes a major contribution to the study of the British eugenics movement and its applications to current scientific work.

Previous treatments have been flawed in not viewing eugenics as a science whose methods required serious consideration. By avoiding this narrow approach, Pauline Mazumdar provides a scholarly and provocative analysis, utilizing important archival material newly available to researchers. The conclusions she draws from this material give the reader important insight into the inner workings of the British eugenics that published sources alone could not provide. The study also provides a historical introduction to the current problems connected with the huge international projects for the mapping of the human genome. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Flawed World of Genetic Security
Genetic determinism for enhancement as well as genetic determinism to remove weakness and predispositions of potential illness suffers from the idealism and greed that accompanies all recipe designers, the desire for perfection, that can never be good enough. Allowing this addictive concept to take hold can so alter the mechanics of nature that life may not be held with the sacredness that we now attach to it. The cloning that is continuously and constantly searching for the ideal is much like choosing contestants for a Miss America or a Miss Universe pageant, but applied to the choice of babies and their characteristics. Which combination could possibly be good enough? And with only 30,000 genes to choose from, wouldn't the likelihood produce idealized genetic copies or twins in short order if people were given the option to choose? The world would find it very difficult to refrain from making the "ultimate choice" if given the opportunity, and at the point where we literally compose children rather than relying upon the chance genetics that humans are currently stuck with, we may have moved beyond the world of the living into the world of fantasy where all participants become the stars of their own manufactured screen play, literally. Genetic security is approaching a time when this will be possible, and is likely to occur, allowing life to lose much of the mystery and uncertainty which makes it fascinating, and perhaps reducing it to a level of boredom with life that few will enjoy. Not only is it a moral issue; it may become a practical issue. Fixing the problems of disease in-utero is far different from designing in-utero but involves the same process, and is, therefore, highly probable to occur without stringent controls to prevent it, world wide. ... Read more

Product Description
This second edition of a very successful text reflects the tremendous pace of human genetics research and the demands that it places on society to understand and absorb its basic implications. The human genome has now been officially mapped and the cloning of animals is becoming a commonplace scientific discussion on the evening news. Join authors Julia Richards and Scott Hawley as they examine the biological foundations of humanity, looking at the science behind the sensation and the current and potential impact of the study of the genome on our society.

The Human Genome, Second Edition is ideal for students and non-professionals, but will also serve as a fitting guide for the novice geneticist by providing a scientific, humanistic, and ethical frame of reference for a more detailed study of genetics.

New in this edition:
· 60% new material, including data from the Human Genome Project and the latest genetics and ethics discussions
· Several new case studies and personal stories that bring the concepts of genetics and heredity to life
· Simplified treatment of material for non-biology majors
· New full-color art throughout the text
· New co-author, Julia Richards, joins R. Scott Hawley in this revision ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Somewhere between a textbook and an article in time magazine.
I had the tremendous honor of being taught genetics by two brilliant scientists at the University of Missouri Kansas City, one of whom was Dr. R. Scott Hawley (the other was Dr. Saul Honigberg). Dr. Hawley's name is regnant in the world of meiotic genetics, and a significant percentage of modern biological knowledge can be found within the many pages he has authored. Not only is Dr. Hawley a brilliant scientist, he is also a gifted story-teller. He has an excellent sense of humor, and he has repeatedly proven he can make a grown man cry with his heart-tugging stories of real people affected by very real disease. He infuses his literature on science and medicine with a dose of compassion, much-needed by students of science, like myself, who spend hours trying to see disease in terms of molecules rather than human faces.

I am not very familar with any other work done by Julie Richards, but if this text is representative of her fare I would say she too is quite gifted.

This is an excellent book.

That said, I would caution anyone who wants a very deep and detailed study of the science of genetics to look elsewhere because this book merely contains the essential molecular information for understanding the rest of the text (it is, after all, "a user's guide," not a PhD-student's guide). Still, it is an excellent, extremely informative read, with some paradigm-shifting perspectives to offer.

Awesome!
I am a Genetics student at the University of Kansas with the intent of beginning medical school in August.I strongly feel this text has helped me to be better prepared on this topic.I enjoyed the style in which this book was written since you can almost hear the authors speak directly to you as you're reading.I especially admire and appreciate the authors' human sides come across in the examples that are given.Too bad my other science textbooks aren't as interesting!

Better than before!
I personally think that the first edition was unfairly reviewed-A couple of the ridiculously negative reviewers who bashed the book (without providing much explanation or insight) were probably written by former students whom the authors flunked, since the attacks appear personal. Of course, the first edition wasn't perfect, although it was pretty darn good!I recently had a chance to peek at the new, 2nd edition, and was thrilled to see so many improvements.The language is much clearer and easier to follow since the authors use a nice conversational tone and less-technical language.The color art is really impressive and ADDS to the new edition.The book is at least twice as long and packed with current, up-to-date information such as human cloning, the human genome project and genetic diseases.I definitely recommend buying this book!

Timely and Thorough revision
This SECOND EDITION is a major improvement on the first (which was already pretty good). It's an excellent text on modern Human Genetics. Not too overwhelming for non-experts, in fact perfect for the absolute novice, but enough science to really get the gist of the issues. It goes a long way to explaining some difficult concepts that I haven't seen treated correctly elsewhere.

Individual aspects of disorders covered
I had this text for a MCB 10 (genetics) course at UC Davis in California.I found the science part of it interesting and for the most part helpful.I think the authors really tried to keep the reader's interest, and make asubject that is not always thought of as fascinating a little more lightand relevant.People may disagree about including anecdotes in a textbook,but I think the anecdotes, while they may have been out of place,made thebook more readable for me.Also, I really admired the way the authorsfocused on the individual aspects of the disorders they mentioned.As ayoung woman with Turners Syndrome, I can say that it was very refreshingthat for once we were not portrayed as genetic mutants, and that individualdifferences that occur in any disorder was pointed out.I think it's sad,looking down the reviews, that only the bad reviews were seen as helpful. I would hope that people will give this book a chance. ... Read more

Product Description
Anthropological genetics is a field that has been in existence since the 1960s and has been growing within medical schools and academic departments, such as anthropology and human biology, ever since. With the recent developments in DNA and computer technologies, the field of anthropological genetics has been redefined. This volume deals with the molecular revolution and how DNA markers can provide insight into the processes of evolution, the mapping of genes for complex phenotypes and the reconstruction of the human diaspora. In addition to this, there are explanations of the technological developments and how they affect the fields of forensic anthropology and population studies, alongside the methods of field investigations and their contribution to anthropological genetics. This book brings together leading figures from the field to provide an up-to-date introduction to anthropological genetics, aimed at advanced undergraduates to professionals, in genetics, biology, medicine and anthropology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Reflects Today's State of the Art
This text is basically an anthropology textbook on human evolution that integrates the latest biological and cultural research. It comes from the merger of genetic analysis and cultural anthropology. The authors see a co-evolution of genes with culture that helps to define the organism and the environment in which they live in which both are acting as cause and effect.

This book was written at the suggestion of the American Association of Anthropological Genetics (AAAG) with the intent of being used as a textbook at the advanced undergraduage and graduate level. It is broken into four major parts:

Theory: Covering Evolution and Genetic Variations and Isolates
Methods: Field Research, historical demography, molecular markers
General Applications: Forensic DNA, Emerging technology, Linkage analysis
The Human Diaspora: Africa, Europe, Oceania, Americas.

Dr. Crawford originally was to be the editor of the book. Due to contributors failing to meet promised deadlines, he has written a substantial part of the book. ... Read more