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Yes / Context: Adult age-at-death is presented in a number of different ways by anthropologists. Ordinal categories predominate in osteoarchaeology, but do not reflect individual variation in ageing, with too many adults being classified as ‘middle adults’. In addition, mean ages (derived from reference samples) are overly-relied upon when developing and testing methods. In both cases, ‘age mimicry’ is not adequately accounted for. Objectives: To highlight the many inherent biases created when developing, testing and applying age-estimation methods without fully considering the impact of ‘age mimicry’ and individual variation. Methods: The paper draws on previously published research (Web of Science, Pub Med, Google Scholar) on age estimation methods and their use in anthropology. Results and Conclusions: There is a lack of consistency in the methods used to estimate age, and for the mode of combining them. Ordinal categories are frequently used in osteoarchaeology, whereas forensic anthropologists are more likely to produce case-specific age ranges. Mean ages reflect the age structure of reference samples, and should not be used to estimate age for individuals from populations with a different age-at-death structure. Individual-specific age ranges and/or probability densities should be used to report individual age. Further research should be undertaken on how to create unbiased, combined method age estimates.

Fertility development in selected European countries considering the timing effect from the second half of the 20th century to the present The main objective of this thesis is to evaluate the influence of the timing effect on the mean age of mothers at childbirth in the context of fertility development in selected European countries from the second half of the 20th century to the present. Another objective is to adjust the total fertility rate to the timing effect and consequently demonstrated how changes in fertility timing affect this period measure in selected countries at a given time fame. The last objective is an evaluation of the views of respondents from studied countries from the sample survey of the European Social Survey for the years 2004 and 2010 to the questions relating to the reconciliation of work and family as one of the factors affecting the timing of fertility. On the basis of Esping-Andersen's typology of welfare states, following states are selected: Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine. Changes of the mean age of mothers at childbirth are given not only by real changes in the timing of childbearing (the timing effect), but also by changes in the childbearing according to the birth order (the effect of fertility structure). The method of decomposition was used for...

The objective behind this study was to mathematically analyse, model and forecast the vital rates (mortality and fertility) of Nepal. In order to attain this goal, the data have been converted into tables and analysed intensively using several softwares such as Mocrosoft Excel, SPSS, Mathematica. The margin of error of data has been analysed. In Chapter 4, the error and uncertainity in the data have been analysed using Bayesian analysis. The reliability of the data of Nepal has been compared with the reliability of the data of Germany. The mortality and fertility conditions of Nepal have been compared from two angles. Data on India (particularly north India) have provided comparison on the socio-economic grounds whereas data on Germany(with accurate and abundant data) have provided comparison on the ground of data availability and accuracy. Thus in addition to analysing and modeling the data, the regional behaviour has been studied. The limited and defective data of Nepal have posed a challange at every stage and phase. Because of this very long term forecasting of mortality could not be made. But the model has provided a lot of information on the mortality for the years for which the data were lacking. But in the comming future, with new data at hand and with the new models developed here, it could be possible to do long term projections. In the less developed world, rural and urban areas have a big impact on the mortality and fertility of a country. The rural and urban effects on mortality and fertility have been studied individually. While analyzing the mortality scene of Nepal, it has been observed that the mortality is decreasing. The decrease is slow, but it reflects the advancement in medical facilities and health awareness. The fertility is also decreasing. There is a decrease in the number of children per woman and per family. This decrease is more pronounced in the urban areas as compared to the rural areas. This also reflects that the family planning programmes launched are showing results, particularly in urban areas.