The Endangered Species: Ivory from Elephants
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5 pages. The African elephant is threatened with extinction and the trade in their ivory was forbidden in 1989 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). There is still, however, a serious poaching problem because ivory remains to be a highly sought after product. The implications of this illegal trade and the demand for it is discussed along with the organizations and groups that are involved. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: JGAivory.rtf

The Ethics of Bioengineered Foods
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A 5 page review of the purported advantages and disadvantages of bioengineered foods. Outlines the history of bioengineering and introduces the concept of bioethics. Concludes that bioethics are both shaped by and shape societal perceptions of wrong and right. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: PPbioEnF.wps

The Evolution of Birds from Dinosaurs
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An 11 page overview of the evolutionary path of the modern day birds. Discusses the controversy and debate surrounding the question of the speculated origin of birds from dinosaurs. Discusses the current findings in the field and the need for additional research. Identifies twenty common elements between the earliest known birds and the coelurosaurian dinosaurs. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: Evodino.wps

The Evolution of Teeth
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A 10 page outline of the evolution of teeth from the lower vertebrates to more advanced species such as man. Describes the origin of jaw structure and structures such as conodonts (minute toothlike structures) which were the precursors of advanced teeth. Outlines the further evolution of these teeth in the higher mammals with the appearance of features like the hypocone which expanded the grinding surface of teeth and resulted in an explosion of mammal species some forty thousand years ago. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Filename: PPevTeth.wps

The Genetic Pathway and Developmental Evolution
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A 7 page discussion of genetic pathways, specifically the direction of the orderly expression of specific gene subsets, a process which is controlled by tissue-specific transcription factors. Specific DNA target sequences are bound by these transcription factors and, in turn, interact with one another on either a cooperative basis or an antagonistic basis to control expression of the gene subsets. This interaction is aided as well by extracellular signaling molecules which both control and are controlled by the transcription factors. Ties these basic observations together with a review of research on species as diverse as Drosophila melanogaster and zebrafish. An additional 2 pages are appended on this paper which identify several references which could be applicable in an expanded review of this subject. Bibliography lists 13 sources.
Filename: PPgenePt.wps

The Human Digestive System / Its Phylogenetic and Ontogenetic Development
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A 7 page exploration of the concepts of phylogeny and ontongeny in relation to the digesive system. Discusses the embryonic development of the digestive system and points out that, although it is possible that certain phases of our evolution are reflected in our embryonic development, this reflection is sporadic and quite different from the view held in the nineteenth century that an organism's embryological developmental phases give a clear picture of its evolutionary history. Bibliography lists five sources.
Filename: Humandig.wps

The Importance of Phylogenetic Relationships in Evolutionary Biology
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A 5 page contention that phylogenetic relationships are a critical component of evolutionary biology. Indeed, it is upon our knowledge of phylogeny which we base much of our theory of evolution. Even in �Origin of Species�, that infamous production of an earlier century which many consider synonymous with the concept of evolution, Darwin relies heavily on his knowledge of phylogeny to assess the characteristics of plants and animals which he observed on his scientific voyage on the �Beagle�. Contends that this is only one example, of the many interrelationships of phylogeny and evolutionary theory which have occurred over time. It, along with the somewhat antiquated concept of ontogeny recapitulating phylogeny, however, illustrates the importance of phylogeny to evolutionary theory. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: PPphylog.wps

The Living Fossil "Palms"
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A 5 page paper discussing the physical characteristics, geographical distribution, morphological adaptations and reproduction of the genus Cycas of the Cycadaceae family. The long survival of Cycas is easy to explain, though some species are now endangered because of their commercial value and the slow growth rate of their seedlings. Others are in danger because of loss of habitat, such as the C. elephantipes. The Cycas genus is one important for both evolutionary and commercial interest. In that, its status is not likely to change. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: KS-Cycas.wps