Francisco M. Salzano and Maria Catira Bortolini Cambridge University Press 2002 FROM THE BACK COVER The human genetic make-up of Latin America is a reflection of successive waves of colonization and immigration. To date there have been few works dealing with the biology of human populations at a continental scale, and while much information is available on the genetics of Latin American populations, most data remain scattered throughout the literature. This volume examines for the first time Latin American human populations in relation to their origins, environment, history, demography and genetics, drawing on aspects of nutrition, physiology and morphology for an integrated and multidisciplinary approach. The result is a fascinating account of a people characterized by a turbulent history, marked heterogeneity and unique genetic traits. Of interest to students and researchers of genetics, evolution, biological anthropology and the social sciences, this book will also appeal to anyone concerned with the multifaceted evolution of our species and constitutes an important volume not only for anthropological genetics, but also for Latin American research. Francisco M. Salzano is Emeritus Professor of Genetics at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and is one of the most eminent geneticists in Latin America working in the field of anthropology. While his main scientific interest is in human population genetics, his research also covers medical, animal and plant genetics. He has previously published a number of influential works in both English and Portuguese and has received several awards including the Almirante Alvaro Alberto National Prize and the Franz Boas High Achievement Award of the Human Biology Association. Maria Catira Bortolini Associate Professor in the Genetics Department of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Her research focuses on the genetic variability, at both protein and DNA levels, of African- erived and Amerindian populations of South America. CONTENTS Preface xv 1. Origins 1 A diversity of sources 1 Amerindians 1 Confusion at the first encounter 1 Controversies 1 Prehistoric development 3 Europeans 4 Small but important 4 Prehistory 5 Cultural development 5 Factors responsible for the Maritime Epopee 6 Africans 7 The cradle of mankind 7 Cultural development 8 State formation 8 The tragic commerce 9 Other contributors 10 The Asian connection 10 A millenarian civilization 10 Kaleidoscopic people and social structures 11 The 'discovery' 11 Starting with one mistake 11 Ideology and prejudices 12 2. Environment and history 23 A convenient geographic subdivision 23 A highly diversified environment 23 Middle America 23 South America 25 Environment/human interaction 25 Power distribution: the two Americas 26 The Conquest 26 Spanish America 26 Portuguese America 27 Colonial period 28 Spanish America 28 Portuguese America 30 British, Dutch and French possessions 31 The road to independence 32 Further developments 35 Present situation 36 Middle America 36 South America 36 An interpretative synthesis 37 Society formation and problems of development 37 Classification 37 3. Socioeconomic indices, demography and population structure 55 Biology, culture and the environment 55 Does Latin America exist? 56 Micro- versus macroanalyses 56 Macrodemography and economics 57 Historical demography 59 Migration 62 Introduction 62 Spanish-speaking countries and Carib 62 Brazil 62 Inbreeding and isonymy 67 Demographic trends 70 Population policies and trend reversals 70 The changing impact of mortality 72 Sex ratio and twinning 74 Demography and genetics 75 The future 76 4. Ecology, nutrition and physiologic adaptation 103 Personal and evolutionary destinies 103 Nutrition 104 General overview 104 Under- and overnutrition 106 Specific studies 107 Physical growth 108 General overview 108 Specific studies 109 Physiology 112 General 112 Blood pressure 114 Physique and motor performance 114 Aging 114 Adaptation to high altitude 116 Relationship between variables, genetic and reproductive factors 117 5. Morphology 143 Significance 143 Anthropometrics 144 Interpopulation comparisons 144 Migration effects 145 Heritability 146 Comparison with other traits 147 Assortative mating 148 Asymmetry and selection 149 Skin color 150 Dermatoglyphics 151 General overview 151 Genetic determination and other influences 152 Association studies 153 Cephalometrics and oral traits 154 Hair and other characteristics 154 Bones and autopsy material 155 Morphology at the cellular level 155 6. Health and disease 165 Historical aspects 165 General concepts, prevalences and health facilities 166 Limitations 166 Cultural beliefs 167 General prevalences 168 WHO targets of health for all 169 Cancer 170 Genetic burden 170 The health system 171 Infectious diseases 171 Other immunologic conditions 173 Mendelian disease: nonmolecular approaches 173 Mendelian diseases: molecular approaches 174 Cytogenetics 176 Multifactorial conditions 178 Mutagenesis, teratogenesis, carcinogenesis 181 Association studies 185 Genetic screening in populations and selected families, genetic counseling 186 7. Hemoglobin types and hemoglobinopathies 215 A paradigmatic subject 215 Hemoglobin types 216 The three most common alleles 216 Rare variants 218 The thalassemias 219 Introduction 219 Alpha-thalassemias 220 Beta-thalassemias 221 Beta S-globin haplotype diversity 221 Beta A-globin haplotype diversity 224 Clinical studies 226 Sickle cell diseases 226 Thalassemias 227 8. Normal genetic variation at the protein, glycoconjugate and DNA levels 255 A world of differences 255 The Latin American microcosm 256 Protein and blood group genetic variability in Latin America (except Brazil) 256 Information available 256 Genetic diversity analysis 257 Brazil 263 Information available 263 Genetic diversities 264 DNA markers 264 Information available 264 A nuclear DNA polymorphism: DIS80 266 Mitochondrial DNA 267 Y chromosome 267 Protein-DNA comparisons 270 Variation in two key molecules 271 Introduction 271 Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase 271 Albumin 272 9. Gene dynamics 301 Variability is ubiquitous, but explanations difficult 301 Ethnic and 'race' classifications 302 Latin American ethnic categories 302 Racism and racial paradises 304 Assortative mating 304 Historical genetics: admixture quantification 305 Parental contributions to Latin American populations 306 Previous studies 306 New estimates 307 Asymmetries due to sex 309 Coda 310 10. Synthesis 327 Integration or disintegration? 327 The land and the people 328 Population characteristics 329 Life histories 329 Form and function 330 Well-being and sickness 331 Hemoglobin variation 332 Protein and DNA variability 333 Classification systems sometimes are ignored 334 The future 335 Appendix 1 337 Appendix 2 345 Appendix 3 348 References 361 Author Index 495 Subject Index 511 WHERE TO ORDER Cambridge University Press 40 West 20th Street New York, NY 10011-4211, USA Phone: 1-800-872-7423 Fax: 914-937-4712 Web site: http://www.cambridge.org Price: $90.00(Hardbound) ISBN: 0-521-65275-8
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