Biological Anthropology

1.3.b Biological Anthropology – Meaning Scope and Relevance

• Definition and scope of Physical anthropology
• Physical Anthropology in relation with other disciplines
• Branches of Physical Anthropology

1.7 The biological basis of life:

• The Cell
• DNA structure and replication
• Protein Synthesis
• Gene
• Mutation
• Chromosomes
• Cell Divisions
• New developments in genetics
• Previous Years questions

9.1   Human Genetics :

• Methods and Application:
  • pedigree analysis
  • twin study
  • foster child
  • co-twin method
  • cytogenetic method
  • karyo-type analysis
  • biochemical methods
  • immunological methods
  • D.N.A. technology
  • recombinant technologies.
  • Previous Years questions

9.2   Mendelian genetics in man-family study

• Human Genetics
• Mendelian rules of Inheritance
• single factor
• Applications of Mendel rules
• Exception or Non-Mendelian Inheritance
• lethal and sub lethal genes
• Polygentic or multifactor inheritance in man.
• Genetics and Environment
• Misuse of Mendelian genetics
• Previous Years questions

9.3  Population Genetics

• Meaning and scope of Population genetics
• Mendelian population
• Hardy-Weinberg law
• causes and changes which bring down frequency
• Short notes on
  • mutation
  • isolation
  • migration or gene flow
  • genetic drift
  • genetic load
  • Natural Selection
• Concept of genetic polymorphism and selection
• genetic effect of consanguineous and cousin marriages.
• Evolution of genetic disorders as adaptation
• On-going evolution in man: Are we still evolving?
• Microevolution vs. Macroevolution
• Previous Years questions

9.4 Chromosomes and chromosomal aberrations in man,methodology.

• Numerical and structural aberrations and their causes.
• Sex chromosomal aberrations –
  • Klinefelter (XXY)
  • Turner (XO)
  • Super female (XXX)
  • Super Male (XYY)
  • intersex
• Autosomal aberrations –
  • Down syndrome
  • Patau
  • Edward
  • Cri-du-chat
• Structural Abnormalities
• Genetic Imprinting
• Previous Years questions

9.5  Racial studies

• Race and racism
• Biological racial classifications
• Distribution and characteristics of world major races
  • Caucasoid
  • Mongoloids
  • Negroids
  • Australoids or Archaic Caucasoid
  • Criticism of various racial classifications
• Criteria of racial classification
• Formation of races
• Race crossing in humans
• Racial classification in India
  • Sir Herbert Hope Risley
  • Giufrida-Ruggeri
  • A.C. Haddon
  • Eickstedt
  • B.S. Guha
  • S.S. Sarkar
  • Debate over Negrito element in India
• Modern thought on racial classification
• UNESCO and American Anthropological Association Statement on race
• Previous Years questions

9.6  genetic markers and Physiological characteristics

• Age, sex and population variation as genetic marker
  • ABO blood group
  • HLA
  • Hp
  • Gm
• Physiological characteristics in different cultural and socio- economic groups.
  • Hb level
  • body fat
  • sensory perceptions
• Previous Years Questions

9.7  Ecological Anthropology.

• Ecological Anthropology meaning , scope and relevance
• Ecological Stresses
• Bio-cultural Adaptations –
  • Genetic factors
  • Non- genetic factors.
  • On diseases and nutritional status
• Man’s physiological responses to environmental stresses:(Adaptation)
  • hot desert climate
  • Adaptation cold stress
  • high altitude climate.
• Acclamatory Responses to Hot , Cold and High altitude – reversable changes
• Adaptation to Hot , Cold and High altitude – Permanent Changes at gene level
• Ecological Anthropology Methods
  • Environmental Determinism
  • Environmental Possibilism
  • Human Ecology
    • Cultural Ecological Approach
    • Leslie White – Energy Theory
    • Ecosystems Approach
    • An Ecosystem Approach to Caste System
    • Cognative Approach
    • Cultural Materialism
    • Generalised and Specialised Ecosystems
    • The Relationship between Environment and Productive Technology
• Previous Years questions

9.8 Epidemiological Anthropology

• Epidemiological Anthropology
• Health and disease
• Infectious diseases
• non-infectious diseases.
• Genetic Epidemiology.
• Nutritional deficiency related diseases.
• Theory of Epidemiologic Transition
• Are We Still Evolving
• Anthropology of medicine
• Palaeopathology
• Previous Years questions

10 Human growth and Development

• Concept of Human Growth and Development
• Approaches to study human growth and development
• Growth Curves
• Prenatal Growth
• Postnatal growth
• Measures of Maturity
• Ageing and senescence.
  • Theories of aging
• Methods of Studying Growth
• Factors influencing growth and development
  • Biological & genetic Factors
  • Environmental Factors
  • Socio-Cultural (Lifestyles) Factors
  • Secular Trend
  • Growth Gradients
  • Catch-up Growth
  • Biochemical Methods
  • Effect of Disease
  • Socio-economic Status and Family Size
  • Urbanisation
  • Psychosocial Stress
  • Canalization
• Human Constitution and Physique
  • Concept of Somatotype
  • Methods in the Assessment of Physique
    • Viola’s Method
    • Kretschmer’s Method
    • Sheldon’s Method
    • Heath – Carter Method
• Theories and observations – biological and chronological longevity.
• Blue Zones of longevity
• Applications of human growth and developmental studies
• The Dispersion of Modern Humans-Molecular and Morphological Patterns of Relationship
• Discordance Hypothesis
• Previous Years questions

11  Reproductive and Demographic Anthropology 

• Cytogenetics and serogentics of female reproductive system
• Cytogenetics and serogentics of Male reproductive system
• Oogenesis and Spermatogenesis
• Onset of Reproductive Functioning in Humans
• Relevance of menarche, menopause and other bioevents to fertility.
• Why menopause for human female ?
• Fertility patterns and differentials.
• Demographic theories- biological , social and cultural.
• Demographic Transition – World and India
• Biological and socio-ecological factors influencing
  • fecundity
  • fertility
  • natality
  • mortality
  • Factors associated with long term decline in fertility in developed countries
• Previous Years questions

12 Applications of Anthropology:

• Anthropology of sports
• Nutritional anthropology
  • Concept of Nutrition
  • Nutritional Status Assessment
  • Nutritional Epidemiology
  • Child Malnutrition Status in India
• Anthropology in designing of defence and other equipments
• Forensic Anthropology
• Personal Identification
• Medical science
• Methods and principles of personal identification and reconstruction
• Applied and emerging human genetics –
  • Paternity diagnosis
  • eugenics
  • Genetic screening and its treatment
  • genetic counseling
  • Prenatal Diagnosis
  • Gene Therapy
  • DNA profiling
  • DNA fingerprinting
  • Polymerase chain reaction
  • gene mapping
  • Genome Sequencing
  • Human Genome Project
  • DNA technology in diseases and medicine
  • Ethical Principles in Genetics Research
  • Proteomics
  • Bioinformatics
  • Pharmacogenomics
  • Stem cells Research
  • Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
  • Archaeogenetics
• Previous Years questions