Natural Selection and the Process of Speciation
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A 3 page overview of the process of natural selection. The author details how natural selection influenced speciation in Darwin's finches and in man himself. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: PPnatSel3.rtf

Nature Verses Nurture: Impacts on Child Motivation and Temperament
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A 12 page overview of the relative importance of nature verses nurture, genetics verses environment, on a child’s temperament and motivation. Emphasizes that research does indeed support the contention of a genetic predisposition toward certain behaviors but that this research does not dismiss the need to constructively format a child’s environment to enhance both motivation and temperament. Bibliography lists 15 sources.
Filename: PPntrNur.wps

New Gene Technology
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5 pages. This paper describes the discovery and possible patenting of a new gene that is involved in breast cancer research. Included are the background on the topic, the proposed methodology including the relevance of the experimentation, and the expected results. This is a proposal paper. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: JAnugene.rtf

Obesity: Physiological, Psychological, Sociological and Economic Factors
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A 10 page overview of obesity and the factors which interplay to cause the condition and those which result from it. Defines obesity and provides statistics from the United States of the proportion of the populace who are considered to be one degree or another obese. Traces the physiological, psychological, sociological and economic correlates with the condition. Emphasizes that unfavorable environmental influences acting upon genetically predisposed individuals is the most logical explanation for obesity. Bibliography lists 12 sources.
Filename: PPobese.wps

Peter and Rosemary Grant: Galapagos Finches
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A 3 page paper which examines natural selection and evolution concerning the Galapagos finches through the research of Peter and Rosemary Grant. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: RAggfin.rtf

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: Christ in Evolution
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This 4 page paper examines the thinking of Teilhard and how he justified placing God/Christ within the boundaries of evolutionary science. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: HVChardn.rtf

Polycomb Group-Mediated Repression of Homeotic Gene Expression in Drosophila
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A 5 page paper discussing two possible actions of polycomb group (PcG) genes in repressing homeotic gene expression in Drosophila. One is that PcG binds to DNA through PcG response elements; the other is the dMi-2 and Hb combine to recruit PcG to DNA, though it may also be possible that Hb recruits dMi-2 directly to DNA. Bibliography lists 7 sources.
Filename: KSDrosPcG.wps

Prokaryotic Cells: Similarities and Differences Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells and the Potential for Genetic Manipulation
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A 9 page discussion of the cellular structure of these two broad categories of cells. Notes that prokaryotic cells lack a limiting nuclear membrane and are represented among single cell organisms such as bacteria and the blue green algae while eukaryotic cells are found in multicellular organisms. Describes the major structural components of these cells and emphasizes that even the most simplistic of these cells can have tremendous importance even to the most advanced of multicellular organisms. Notes that this importance can be particularly concerning in the case of genetic modification of disease causing single-cell organisms for the purposes of biological warfare. Bibliography lists sources.
Filename: PPcell.rtf

Pseudoscience: Common Depictions Verses Scientific Fact in Homosexuality
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A 5 page discussion of the inaccuracies regarding the root causes of sexual preference. Suggests that these inaccuracies are particularly damaging when they are misrepresented as scientific fact. Present real facts regarding homosexuality which would support the contention that sexual preference is genetically determined. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: PPsciFrd.wps

Research Approaches To Extend Life Span In Lower Organisms
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10 pages in length. The quest for life extension continues to preoccupy mankind's scientific endeavors. Research in the area of increased longevity in lower organisms has produced findings associated with environmental (external) implications (Jazwinski, 1996), the discovery of longevity genes (Varmus, 1997), caloric limitations to produce beneficial metabolic changes (Yamaza et al, 2002) and achieving the same benefits of calorie limitations without the associated depravation by way of molecular mimicry (Anonymous, 2002). Bibliography lists 11 sources.
Filename: TLCLfSpn.rtf

Review of “Does Race Exist?”
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A 5 page review of an article appearing in Scientific American in 2003 discussing genetic similarities and differences between and within those groups of humans that we commonly refer to as races. The authors discuss the role that Alu polymorphism carries in distinguishing broad groups of people and the limitations of using the measure to categorize humans. The authors explain that some who appear to be quite similar can be quite different genetically, while the reverse is also true. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Filename: KSraceArtRev.rtf