[The modelling of survival and mortality curves for human populations based on the theory of reliability]

The reliability theory model of aging (Kol'tover 1981, 1982) was used for analysis of life-tables of Swedish males and females for 1951-1955, 1962-1973 and 1971-1975 calendar years. In terms of the model it has been possible 1) to explain the Gompertz "law" of mortality; 2) to describe quantitatively statistical life-table data including Gompertz's and geriatric ages; 3) to predict the behavior of mortality rate function depending on the extent of population heterogeneity, among them the existence, at respective degrees of heterogeneity, of a maximum in geriatric age range and 4) to estimate the species-specific maximum life-span potential of animals.