Bøker av National Academy of Sciences

The brain ... There is no other part of the human anatomy that is so intriguing. How does it develop and function and why does it sometimes, tragically, degenerate? The answers are complex. In Discovering the Brain, science writer Sandra Ackerman cuts through the complexity to bring this vital topic to the public. The 1990s were declared the "Decade of the Brain" by former President Bush, and the neuroscience community responded with a host of new investigations and conferences. Discovering the Brain is based on the Institute of Medicine conference, Decade of the Brain: Frontiers in Neuroscience and Brain Research. Discovering the Brain is a "field guide" to the brain--an easy-to-read discussion of the brain's physical structure and where functions such as language and music appreciation lie. Ackerman examines: How electrical and chemical signals are conveyed in the brain. The mechanisms by which we see, hear, think, and pay attention--and how a "gut feeling" actually originates in the brain. Learning and memory retention, including parallels to computer memory and what they might tell us about our own mental capacity. Development of the brain throughout the life span, with a look at the aging brain. Ackerman provides an enlightening chapter on the connection between the brain's physical condition and various mental disorders and notes what progress can realistically be made toward the prevention and treatment of stroke and other ailments. Finally, she explores the potential for major advances during the "Decade of the Brain," with a look at medical imaging techniques--what various technologies can and cannot tell us--and how the public and private sectors can contribute to continued advances in neuroscience. This highly readable volume will provide the public and policymakers--and many scientists as well--with a helpful guide to understanding the many discoveries that are sure to be announced throughout the "Decade of the Brain."

The National Research Council was asked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to review the draft report of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-CDC's working group charged with revising the 1985 radioepidemiological tables. To this end, a subcommittee was formed consisting of members of the Council's Committee on an Assessment of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Radiation Programs and other experts. The original tables were mandated under Public Law 97-414 (the "Orphan Drug Act") and were intended to provide a means of estimating the probability that a person who developed any of a series of radiation-related cancers, developed the cancer as a result of a specific radiation dose received before the onset of the cancer. The mandate included a provision for periodic updating of the tables. The motivation for the current revision reflects the availability of new data, especially on cancer incidence, and new methods of analysis, and the need for a more thorough treatment of uncertainty in the estimates than was attempted in the original tables.

Biodiversity--the genetic variety of life--is an exuberant product of the evolutionary past, a vast human-supportive resource (aesthetic, intellectual, and material) of the present, and a rich legacy to cherish and preserve for the future. Two urgent challenges, and opportunities, for 21st-century science are to gain deeper insights into the evolutionary processes that foster biotic diversity, and to translate that understanding into workable solutions for the regional and global crises that biodiversity currently faces. A grasp of evolutionary principles and processes is important in other societal arenas as well, such as education, medicine, sociology, and other applied fields including agriculture, pharmacology, and biotechnology. The ramifications of evolutionary thought also extend into learned realms traditionally reserved for philosophy and religion. The central goal of the In the Light of Evolution (ILE) series is to promote the evolutionary sciences through state-of-the-art colloquia--in the series of Arthur M. Sackler colloquia sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences--and their published proceedings. Each installment explores evolutionary perspectives on a particular biological topic that is scientifically intriguing but also has special relevance to contemporary societal issues or challenges. This tenth and final edition of the In the Light of Evolution series focuses on recent developments in phylogeographic research and their relevance to past accomplishments and future research directions.

"Held on November 16-17, 2017, at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C."

Biographic Memoirs Volume 82 contains the biographies of deceased members of the National Academy of Sciences and bibliographies of their published works. Each biographical essay was written by a member of the Academy familiar with the professional career of the deceased. For historical and bibliographical purposes, these volumes are worth returning to time and again.

The shift in US-China relations since normalization has resulted in an influx of Chinese students and scholars studying at US institutions. This book explores issues - such as China's concern about a 'brain drain' as Chinese students decide to stay in the United States. It explains why data on Chinese students in the United States are elusive.

A summary of a symposium on careers of women in science. This work incorporates 3 panels of presenters: one focusing on the next generation; a second that looks at the issues reflected in one particular field of science; and a third that focuses on strategies and policies to recruit and promote career advancement for women scientists.

Contains 17 papers that mark the 50th anniversary of the publication of Stebbins' classic. This book, organized into five sections, covers: early evolution and the origin of cells, virus and bacterial models, protoctist models, population variation, and trends and patterns in plant evolution.

How can the postdoctoral experience be enhanced for the over 40,000 individuals who hold these positions at university, government, and industry laboratories? This book offers its assessment of the postdoctoral experience and provides principles, action points, and recommendations for enhancing that experience.

Describes the state to which US and Russian nuclear forces and policies. This book evaluates constraints for US nuclear weapons policy that includes reductions in nuclear forces, changes in nuclear operations to preserve deterrence but enhance operational safety, and measures to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The central goal of the In the Light of Evolution (ILE) series is to promote the evolutionary sciences through colloquia. This title focuses on the field of evolutionary neuroscience that includes an array of different approaches, data types, and species.

Biographical Memoirs V.91 (2004)

Biographical Memoirs V.90 (2004)

States have also assumed an increasing responsibility for developing, formalizing, and institutionalizing policies and programs that support R&D and enable S&T evidence and expertise to be incorporated into policy making. These issues were explored during a National Convocation. This report highlights the major themes from the Convocation.

Presents modern scientific perspectives on the evolutionary origin and maintenance of complex phenotypes including various behaviors, anatomies, and physiologies. This book includes 14 papers presented by distinguished evolutionists at the colloquium.

Biographical Memoirs V.88 (2004)

Biographical Memoirs V.87

Offers recommendations on foods to eat and provides tips on shopping, cooking, and eating out. This volume explains what protein, fiber, cholesterol, and fats are and what foods contain them, and tells readers how to reduce their risk of chronic disease by modifying the types of food they eat.

Presents a review of the relationship between technology and economic growth. The chapters in this volume discuss the political and corporate decisions for a "Competitiveness Policy." It provides various insights including two illuminating discussions of Japan.

Describes the state of biomarker development, including the implications of the Human Genome program, and presents a range of viewpoints on the future of biomarkers from the leaders in the field. This book explores the three basic types of from a variety of perspectives.

Written for nonscientists, this book helps individuals understand the basic science behind changes in the global environment and the resulting policy implications that the population of the entire planet must face. It also presents practical examinations of economic, security, and development questions.

Based on the second Frontiers of Science symposium sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences, this book describes the accomplishments and directions in ten basic fields, represented by scientists convening to discuss their research. It also discusses the developments in magnetic resonance imaging and breakthroughs in medical diagnosis.