How can evolutionary and biological anthropologists engage broader audiences?

OBJECTIVES: With our diverse training, theoretical and empirical toolkits, and rich data, evolutionary and biological anthropologists (EBAs) have much to contribute to research and policy decisions about climate change and other pressing social issues. However, we remain largely absent from these critical, ongoing efforts. Here, we draw on the literature and our own experiences to make recommendations for how EBAs can engage broader audiences, including the communities with whom we collaborate, a more diverse population of students, researchers in other disciplines and the development sector, policymakers, and the general public. These recommendations include: (1) playing to our strength in longitudinal, place-based research, (2) collaborating more broadly, (3) engaging in greater public communication of science, (4) aligning our work with open-science practices to the extent possible, and (5) increasing diversity of our field and teams through intentional action, outreach, training, and mentorship. CONCLUSIONS: We EBAs need to put ourselves out there: research and engagement are complementary, not opposed to each other. With the resources and workable examples we provide here, we hope to spur more EBAs to action.

Human evolutionary history of Eastern Africa.

Since the discovery of the first hominin fossils, East Africa has been in the spotlight of palaeo-anthropological investigation for its role as a potential cradle of humanity and as a gateway out of Africa. With the advent of the genomic era an ever increasing amount of information has started to complement this notion, and to place the area within a broader, Pan-African scenario. Here we examine the most recent genetic and fossil results that recapitulate the last hundreds of thousands of years of human evolution in the area, and point to a number of uncharted avenues that may complement the emerging scenario in the coming years.

Somos una banda: Los médicos como grupo antropológico / We are a band: an anthropological vision of the medical community

Este artículo trata de explicar cómo, desde el punto de vista antropológico, el colectivo médico se comporta como una tribu similar a las que pueblan el Amazonas o la sabana africana. La familia como unidad fundamental de la banda de cazadores define a su vez el centro de salud y a los médicos que lo habitan, como grupo igualitario en el que los miembros trabajan por el bien de la tribu. Los líderes de la tribu, también llamados directores de centro, también son similares a los grandes hombres de la Polinesia o a los aborígenes que lideran la partida de caza. Incluso los enfrentamientos entre médicos, en torno a sus competencias respecto a los pacientes, han sido descritas a lo largo de la historia por los antropólogos y repiten los patrones de los grupos segmentarios. Se concluye con que esta visión de tribus enfrentadas se ha de superar para avanzar hacia la mejora de la salud de la población

In this paper we try to explain, using an anthropological point of view, how the medical community behaves like a tribe like those who inhabit the Amazon forests or the African Savanna. The Family as fundamental unit of a band of hunter-gatherers also defines the Primary Care Centre and the professionals who work there, as an egalitarian group in which every member works for the good of the tribe. The leaders of the tribe, also called "Health Centre Managers", are also comparable to the "big men" of Polynesia or the aborigines, who leads hunting parties. Even the clashes between physicians about the responsibilities as regards patients have been described throughout history in the anthropological literature, and they repeat the patterns of the segmental groups. We finish by concluding that this vision of warring tribes has to be overcome in order to advance towards the improvement of our community's health

Representation, archaeology and genealogy: Three "spatial metaphors" for inquiring into nursing phenomena with Foucauldian discourse analysis.

Foucault used the "Quadrilateral of Language" metaphor to describe how language functioned in what the French called the Classic Age, roughly 1650 to 1800, the period from Descartes to Kant. His purpose was to show how the functions of language changed radically with the arrival of the Modern Age (~1800). Foucault developed his archaeological methods to investigate the impact of this change, but later revised his methods to introduce genealogical strategies to conduct "histories of the present". Our purpose in this paper is to clarify Foucault's thinking about ruptures in the functions of language and to show their implications for analyzing nursing discourse. Our account provides an overview of radical changes in both the functions of language and in Foucault's analytical methods. Drawing on Foucault's "Quadrilateral of Language", his anthropological quadrilateral, and our spatialized conception of his genealogical methods, we critique advanced nursing practice (APN) discourse and invite others to inquire into nursing phenomena with spatialized thinking.

El fundamento antropológico del bioderecho. Una reflexión biojurídica / The biolaw anthropological basis. A philosofical reflection of biolaw

A partir de una clarificación terminológica básica, se pretende examinar brevemente lo que puede entenderse como los dos intentos de fundamentación de mayores pretensiones en el ámbito de la biojurídica contemporánea, el de raigambre o filiación kantiana y el de perfil antropológico-metafísico. A través del examen crítico del primero, se intenta evidenciar que sólo desde una libertad o autonomía asumida desde una antropología realista o metafísica es posible defender un bioderecho como un límite verdaderamente infranqueable frente al poder tecnológico respecto de la vida y la procreación humanas

From a basic terminological clarification, we seek to examine briefly what can be acknowledged as the two biggest attempts of foundation in the Biolaw contemporary area, that of the Kantian tradition and that of the anthropological and metaphysical realism. Through a critical examination of the first one, we attempt to show that only from a freedom or an autonomy assumed from the anthropological and metaphysical realism, is possible to hold a Biolaw as a true impervious limit against the technological power regarding human life and human procreation

Effects of internal and external environment on health and well-being: from cell to society.

Stem cell fate in cell culture depends on the composition of the culturing media. Every single cell in an organism is influenced by its microenvironment and surrounding cells. Biology, psychology, emotions, spirit, energy, lifestyle, culture, economic and political influences, social interactions in family, work, living area and the possibilities to expresses oneself and live full life with a sense of well-being have influence on people appearances. Disease is as much social as biological. It is a reaction of an organism to unbalancing changes in the internal environment caused by the changes in the external environment and/or by the structural and functional failures or unfortunate legacies. Health gradient in the society depends on the every day circumstances in which people live and work. The health of the population is an insight into the society. The problem facing medicine in the complex society of today cannot be resolved without the aid of social sciences, as cultural, social, ecological and mental processes affect physiological responses and health outcomes. Anthropology could be a bridge between biomedicine and social sciences and influence strategies in public health to prevent rather than cure and in education for fulfillment in life and improvement of society.

Incapacidade funcional em idosos: maneiras de pensar e maneiras de agir / Functional disability in the elderly: ways of thinking and ways of acting

Em um contexto de envelhecimento populacional, a funcionalidade se torna uma preocupação maior da saúde pública e a capacidade funcional, um balizador para o desenvolvimento de políticas. A dimensão da saúde que se refere à funcionalidade-incapacidade, amplamente investigada na perspectiva biomédica, não se restringe aos aspectos biológicos, pois carrega dimensões simbólicas, sociais e culturais que precisam ser conhecidas. Nessa perspectiva, foi construída essa tese que foi dividida em dois artigos. O objetivo do primeiro foi investigar os elementos que participam da construção dos significados da incapacidade para o idoso residente na cidade de Bambuí/MG. Este trabalho de abordagem qualitativa utilizou o modelo de signos, significados e ações na coleta e análise dos dados. Foram entrevistados 57 idosos(30 mulheres; 27 homens) com idades entre 61 e 96 anos, cadastrados nas unidades básicas de saúde da cidade. Os idosos compreendem a funcionalidade e a incapacidade (disease), como o“dar conta/não dar conta” ou “dar trabalho” (illness). “Não dar conta” refere-se às perdas funcionais inexoráveis atribuídas à velhice, enquanto “Dar trabalho” a uma condição definitiva que gera dor e sofrimento à pessoa e a quem dela cuida. As maneiras de lidar com o“não dar conta” passam por se conformar, enquanto com o “dar trabalho”, orar. A religiosidade e o conformismo podem ajudar nos momentos de crise; mas, revelam a carência de recursos e de alternativas de apoio e de intervenção nos casos mais graves...

A partir desses resultados foi feita outra análise seguindo os passos do modelo de signos, significados e ações e esse segundo artigo teve como objetivos: investigar como idosos residentes na comunidade lidam com a perspectiva da incapacidade e funcionalidade na velhice, bem como compreender como o contexto sociocultural modula esse processo. Assim, no segundo trabalho, “Ficar ou não ficar quieto?” é a dúvida que subjaz ao processo de funcionalidade e incapacidade na velhice. Porém, não se trata de uma questão de escolha individual, pois a resposta depende dos recursos financeiros, intelectuais, subjetivos e de apoio social disponível. Além disso,ficar quieto reflete uma concepção de velhice inexoravelmente associada à incapacidade, oque deixa os idosos conformados com sua condição e quando as dificuldades aumentam,resta-lhes somente “esperar a morte chegar”. As equipes de saúde precisam interferir nesta concepção, oferecendo cuidado aos idosos na sua recuperação da melhor funcionalidade, até o fim da vida...

Incapacidade funcional em idosos: maneiras de pensar e maneiras de agir

Em um contexto de envelhecimento populacional, a funcionalidade se torna uma preocupação maior da saúde pública e a capacidade funcional, um balizador para o desenvolvimento de políticas. A dimensão da saúde que se refere à funcionalidade-incapacidade, amplamente investigada na perspectiva biomédica, não se restringe aos aspectos biológicos, pois carrega dimensões simbólicas, sociais e culturais que precisam ser conhecidas. Nessa perspectiva, foi construída essa tese que foi dividida em dois artigos. O objetivo do primeiro foi investigar os elementos que participam da construção dos significados da incapacidade para o idoso residente na cidade de Bambuí/MG. Este trabalho de abordagem qualitativa utilizou o modelo de signos, significados e ações na coleta e análise dos dados. Foram entrevistados 57 idosos(30 mulheres; 27 homens) com idades entre 61 e 96 anos, cadastrados nas unidades básicas de saúde da cidade. Os idosos compreendem a funcionalidade e a incapacidade (disease), como o“dar conta/não dar conta” ou “dar trabalho” (illness). “Não dar conta” refere-se às perdas funcionais inexoráveis atribuídas à velhice, enquanto “Dar trabalho” a uma condição definitiva que gera dor e sofrimento à pessoa e a quem dela cuida. As maneiras de lidar com o“não dar conta” passam por se conformar, enquanto com o “dar trabalho”, orar. A religiosidade e o conformismo podem ajudar nos momentos de crise; mas, revelam a carência de recursos e de alternativas de apoio e de intervenção nos casos mais graves.

A partir desses resultados foi feita outra análise seguindo os passos do modelo de signos, significados e ações e esse segundo artigo teve como objetivos: investigar como idosos residentes na comunidade lidam com a perspectiva da incapacidade e funcionalidade na velhice, bem como compreender como o contexto sociocultural modula esse processo. Assim, no segundo trabalho, “Ficar ou não ficar quieto?” é a dúvida que subjaz ao processo de funcionalidade e incapacidade na velhice. Porém, não se trata de uma questão de escolha individual, pois a resposta depende dos recursos financeiros, intelectuais, subjetivos e de apoio social disponível. Além disso,ficar quieto reflete uma concepção de velhice inexoravelmente associada à incapacidade, oque deixa os idosos conformados com sua condição e quando as dificuldades aumentam,resta-lhes somente “esperar a morte chegar”. As equipes de saúde precisam interferir nesta concepção, oferecendo cuidado aos idosos na sua recuperação da melhor funcionalidade, até o fim da vida.

At the crossroads of anthropology and epidemiology: current research in cultural psychiatry in the UK.

Cultural psychiatry research in the UK comprises a broad range of diverse methodologies, academic disciplines, and subject areas. Methodologies range from epidemiological to anthropological/ethnographic to health services research; mixed methods research is becoming increasingly popular, as are public health and health promotional topics. After briefly outlining the history of cultural psychiatry in the UK we will discuss contemporary research. Prominent themes include: the epidemiology of schizophrenia among Africans/Afro-Caribbeans, migration and mental health, racism and mental health, cultural identity, pathways to care, explanatory models of mental illness, cultural competence, and the subjective experiences of healthcare provision among specific ethnic groups such as Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. Another strand of research that is attracting increasing academic attention focuses upon the relationship between religion, spirituality, and mental health, in particular, the phenomenology of religious experience and its mental health ramifications, as well as recent work examining the complex links between theology and psychiatry. The paper ends by appraising the contributions of British cultural psychiatrists to the discipline of cultural psychiatry and suggesting promising areas for future research.

Generational changes in the growth of children from Maribor and Slovenia.

Among the numerous factors which influence a child's growth and development are also factors of changeable socio-economic environment and life style. Our aim was to evaluate these changes and contribute to preventive measures and evaluation of a child's growth in pediatric practice. Therefore, we decided to estimate the state of body growth in two generations of children from Maribor at five and six years of age of both gender, establish secular changes and define standards. On a representative sample (gender and age) of 1461 children from Maribor measured in 1996 and a sample of 608 children from Maribor, measured in 1966, 28 body features were studied and compared in each population unit. Variables were statistically and epidemiologically assessed and results were controlled by a test. The following anthropometric differences were significant: in 5-year old boys the measures in the 1996 generation are statistically higher than in 1966 - foot length, head length, upper arm skinfold, subscapular skinfold, arm length, arm diameter, upper thigh skinfold, stature (length), suprailiac skinfold, and body weight. Decreased measures are: abdomen circumference, knee circumference, sitting height, elbow circumference, biacromial diameter, and face heigth. In 6-year old boys additional features have increased in comparison with the year 1966: sternal height, tight circumference, hip width, chest circumference; following measures have decreased: face height, head circumference. In 5-year old girls: increased measures in comparison with the generation from 1966 are: lower leg length, head length, ankle circumference, upper arm skinfold, body weight, billiac diameter, body height, subscapular skinfold, chest circumference, hip circumference, sternal height, suprailiac skinfold, decreased measures are: head circumference, elbow circumference, face circumference, shoulder with, sitting height. In 6-year old girls additional measures are increased: wrist circumference, arm length and chest circumference. Changing trends show an increased tendency towards decrease or increase of most body measurements. In everyday practice the most commonly used measurements are: body mass, head circumference, body length in babies and body height in pre-school children. Our measurements proved, with a p-value of 0.001, that measurements of children in 1966, also shown in diagrams, are significantly different from measurements in 1996. In the second part of this paper we present a part of the anthropometric measurement study carried out for the standardization of the DENVER II developmental screening test. There were 1596 healthy Slovene children between zero and six and half years of age included into the observation. Children come from Maribor, Koper, Velenje and Ljubljana. We used the Cameron's measurement and statistical method. Diagrams were made for following body measures: body mass, body height, head circumference, upper arm circumference, thigh circumference and body mass index. A comparative analysis with the Euro-Growth study showed that our results correspond with the European standards. Therefore, our results are suggested to be applied in everyday pediatric practice.

Enfermagem e Antropologia no Brasil: Relações, Dilemas e Desafios / Enfermería y Antropología en Brasil: Relaciones, Dilemas y Desafíos / Nursing and Anthropology in Brazil: Relations, Dilemmas and Challenges

Tendo como ponto de partida a constatação da invisibilidade da produção científica da enfermagem na perspectiva antropológica nas revisões da literatura sobre antropologia da saúde no Brasil, o objetivo deste ensaio crítico é fazer uma breve discussão sobre enfermagem e antropologia pontuando as particularidades do contexto brasileiro em comparação com países como Estados Unidos, Inglaterra e Espanha e, principalmente, problematizar os dilemas (problemas e limites) existentes nas relações entre as duas disciplinas e indicar alguns desafios para seu desenvolvimento e consolidação. Por fim, o arrolamento dos argumentos e a análise comparativa da construção dessa relação em diferentes países permitiram visualizar algumas hipóteses que visam contribuir para estudos e discussões futuras no Brasil (AU)

Tomando como punto de partida la invisibilidad de la producción científica de enfermería, en la perspectiva antropológica, en las revisiones de la literatura sobre antropología de la salud en Brasil, el objetivo de este artículo es realizar un breve análisis crítico de la relación entre enfermería y antropología puntuando las particularidades del contexto brasileño en comparación con países como Estados Unidos, Gran Bretaña y España y, en especial, discutir los dilemas (problemas y límites) en las relaciones existentes entre las dos disciplinas y señalar algunos desafíos para su desarrollo y consolidación. Por último, los argumentos y análisis comparativo de la construcción de esta relación en los diferentes países permiten ver ciertas hipótesis que apuntan a contribuir a los futuros debates y estudios en Brasil (AU)

Taking as a starting point to finding the invisibility of nursing scientific production in anthropological perspective on the literature reviews on anthropology of health in Brazil, the aim of this essay is to make a brief critical discussion of nursing and anthropology punctuating the particularities of the Brazilian context compared with countries like United States, England and Spain, and especially discuss the dilemmas (problems and limits) in the relations existing between the two disciplines and indicate some challenges to its development and consolidation. Finally, the enrollment of the arguments and comparative analysis of building this relationship in different countries allowed viewing certain hypotheses that aim to contribute to future discussions and studies in Brazil (AU)

interdisciplinariedad de la bioética: su posibilidad y sus límites / Interdisciplinary of bioethics: its possibility and its limits

Since its birth in USA Bioethics appears as a specifically moral science. However, in this case the terme moral does not refer to a formal point of view, which were added to the object, like in conventional applied Ethics, but the moral perspective has to be verified through the anthropological experience in which the specific bioethical concepts are placed. As anthropological experience it requires to count on biological sciences, which define what we understand as health and its recovery. Our next questio is whether bioethical conclusions are unequivocal or prudential judgements or rather a combination of both. Last but not least we examine how Moral Theology affects Personalist Bioethics (AU)

Desde su nacimiento en Estados Unidos la Bioética se presenta como una ciencia específicamente moral. Sin embargo, aquí el término moral no se refiere a un punto de vista formal añadido a su objeto, como en las éticas aplicadas al uso, sino que la perspectiva moral ha de verificarse en la experiencia antropológica en la que están asentados los conceptos bioéticos específicos. Por ser experiencia antropológica, requiere contar con las ciencias biológicas y clínicas que definen lo que entendemos por salud y su reposición. Nos preguntamos si las conclusiones en Bioética son inequívocas o son más bien juicios prudenciales o una combinación de ambos. Por último, pero no en importancia, examinamos cómo incide la Teología moral en una Bioética personalista (AU)

Our fragile intellect. Part I.

New developments in genetics, anthropology, and neurobiology predict that a very large number of genes underlie our intellectual and emotional abilities, making these abilities genetically surprisingly fragile.