The monumental statues of Easter Island, both so magisterial and so forlorn, gazing out in their imposing rows over the island’s barren landscape, have been the source of great mystery ever since the island was first discovered by Europeans on Easter Sunday 1722. How could the ancient people who inhabited this tiny speck of land, the most remote in the vast expanse of the Pacific islands, have built such monumental works? No such astonishing numbers of massive statues are found anywhere else in the Pacific. How could the islanders possibly have moved so many multi-ton monoliths from the quarry inland, where they were carved, to their posts along the coastline? And most intriguing and vexing of all, if the island once boasted a culture developed and sophisticated enough to have produced such marvelous edifices, what happened to that culture? Why was the island the Europeans encountered a sparsely populated wasteland? The prevailing accounts of the island’s history tell a story of self-inflicted devastation: a glaring case of eco-suicide. The island was dominated by a powerful chiefdom that promulgated a cult of statue making, exercising a ruthless hold on the island’s people and rapaciously destroying the environment, cutting down a lush palm forest that once blanketed the island in order to construct contraptions for moving more and more statues, which grew larger and larger. As the population swelled in order to sustain the statue cult, growing well beyond the island’s agricultural capacity, a vicious cycle of warfare broke out between opposing groups, and the culture ultimately suffered a dramatic collapse. When Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo began carrying out archaeological studies on the island in 2001, they fully expected to find evidence supporting these accounts. Instead, revelation after revelation uncovered a very different truth. In this lively and fascinating account of Hunt and Lipo’s definitive solution to the mystery of what really happened on the island, they introduce the striking series of archaeological discoveries they made, and the path-breaking findings of others, which led them to compelling new answers to the most perplexing questions about the history of the island. Far from irresponsible environmental destroyers, they show, the Easter Islanders were remarkably inventive environmental stewards, devising ingenious methods to enhance the island’s agricultural capacity. They did not devastate the palm forest, and the culture did not descend into brutal violence. Perhaps most surprising of all, the making and moving of their enormous statutes did not require a bloated population or tax their precious resources; their statue building was actually integral to their ability to achieve a delicate balance of sustainability. The Easter Islanders, it turns out, offer us an impressive record of masterful environmental management rich with lessons for confronting the daunting environmental challenges of our own time. Shattering the conventional wisdom, Hunt and Lipo’s ironclad case for a radically different understanding of the story of this most mysterious place is scientific discovery at its very best.

Serum lipoproteins and lipids were measured in 657 men (age 48) and were correlated with multiple constitutional and environmental variables. The two lipoprotein groups, Sf 0-12 and Sf 20-400, had a low intercorrelation and each correlated with different factors. The Sf 0-12 lipoproteins were related to constitutional obesity, cigarette smoking, and family history of vascular disease. The Sf 20-100 and Sf 100-400 lipoproteins were related to acquired obesity, carbohydrate tolerance, and 'aggressiveness' and 'sociability' as determined by personality survey. Carbohydrate tolerance, obesity, and personality were apparently independent variables. Serum triglyceride levels correlated with the same variables as the Sf 20-400 lipoproteins; serum cholesterol levels were related to factors that correlated with both lipoprotein groups. High levels (above 90th percentile) of each lipoprotein fraction and each lipid were associated with significantly greater quantities of the variables found to be correlated with each lipid fraction. The prevalence of familial hyperlipidemias was low (approximately 3-4%), but 18 per cent of individuals with elevated cholesterol and a high risk of coronary heart disease could be tentatively classified as having a type of familial hyperlipidemia. (Author).

This book provides an up-to-date review of the fundamentals of lipid metabolism and its role in cardiovascular diseases. Focusing on lipid transfer proteins in the circulation and cells, the role of important lipid transporters, the effect of recently discovered lipid binding proteins, and the link between lipid metabolism disorders and cardiovascular diseases, it covers phospholipid transfer protein, cholesteryl ester transfer protein, lipopolysaccharide binding protein, microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, ABC binding cassette members, and more. The book offers graduate students and researchers a coherent overview of lipid transfer and transport, as well as the limitations of current research in the field, and promotes further studies on cardiovascular diseases, as well as pharmaceutical research on drug discovery based on lipid transfer, transport, and binding.

Nutrition is unique in its behavioral approach--challenging students to actively participate, not just memorize the material. Offering a balanced coverage of behavioral change and the science of nutrition.

Diabetes mellitus has become epidemic on a global scale, and millions of new cases are diagnosed every year. The epidemic of diabetes mellitus is expected to result in one of the steepest rises in human morbidity and mortality ever observed outside of wartime. Insulin resistance is a hallmark of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and is characterized by impaired insulin-signaling transduction. Authoritative and comprehensive, Lipoproteins in Diabetes Mellitus details the many changes wrought by insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. The book begins by summarizing the various techniques to measure lipoproteins and their subclasses. The mechanisms by which insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus increase risk for atherosclerosis, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic nephropathy are then explored in detail. Finally, the effects of lifestyle modification and the results of clinical trials using established and investigational drugs are discussed. An invaluable contribution to the literature, Lipoproteins in Diabetes Mellitus is a comprehensive reference on the clinical and scientific aspects of lipoproteins in diabetes. It will have a long-lasting and significant effect on the medical management of people with diabetes.

This concise, evidence-based resource covers all of today’s need-to-know information to quickly and effectively diagnose and manage common adolescent conditions...in an exceptionally user-friendly format. Because it’s so compact, clinically oriented, and easy to read, Adolescent Medicine: The Requisites in Pediatrics is an ideal study tool as well as a convenient reference for practice. Includes detailed discussions on special health issues, common medical problems, sexual and reproductive health, behavioral problems, and the transition to adult health care to help you gain a better understanding of the unique needs of the adolescent patient. Features a logical, consistent chapter format that helps you find the guidance you need quickly. Presents abundant tables, differential diagnoses, lab values/radiologic studies, treatment/therapy recommendations, and guidance on when to refer to a specialist equipping you for every clinical challenge. Discusses controversies concerning the standard of care with the aid of thought-provoking clinical scenarios to help you to determine the best course of action in difficult situations. Provides highlighted boxes that emphasize relevant case studies, key points of each section, and other important information making you aware of considerations that impact today’s practice. Uses a wealth of illustrations so you can see details more clearly.