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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Structure And Evolution Of Lizard Immunity Genes, Trent Santonastaso Aug 2020

Structure And Evolution Of Lizard Immunity Genes, Trent Santonastaso

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

One of the most important gene families to play a role in adaptive immunity is the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). MHC class II loci are considered to be the most variable loci in the vertebrate genome, and studies have shown that this variability can be maintained through complex co-evolutionary dynamics between host and parasite. Despite the rich body of research into the MHC, there is comparatively little understanding of its genomic architecture in reptiles. Similarly, loci associated with innate immunity have received little attention in reptiles compared to other vertebrates. In the first chapter, we investigated the structure and organization …


Snapshots Of Human Anatomy, Locomotion, And Behavior From Late Pleistocene Footprints At Engare Sero, Tanzania, Kevin Hatala, William E. H. Harcourt-Smith, Adam D. Gordon, Brian W. Zimmer, Brian G. Richmond, Briana L. Pobiner, David J. Green, Adam Metallo, Vince Rossi, Cynthia M. Liutkus-Pierce May 2020

Snapshots Of Human Anatomy, Locomotion, And Behavior From Late Pleistocene Footprints At Engare Sero, Tanzania, Kevin Hatala, William E. H. Harcourt-Smith, Adam D. Gordon, Brian W. Zimmer, Brian G. Richmond, Briana L. Pobiner, David J. Green, Adam Metallo, Vince Rossi, Cynthia M. Liutkus-Pierce

Publications and Research

Fossil hominin footprints preserve data on a remarkably short time scale compared to most other fossil evidence, offering snapshots of organisms in their immediate ecological and behavioral contexts. Here, we report on our excavations and analyses of more than 400 Late Pleistocene human footprints from Engare Sero, Tanzania. The site represents the largest assemblage of footprints currently known from the human fossil record in Africa. Speed estimates show that the trackways reflect both walking and running behaviors. Estimates of group composition suggest that these footprints were made by a mixed-sex and mixed-age group, but one that consisted of mostly adult …


Rewilding And Domestication: Clarifying Terminology, Catia Correia-Caeiro Jan 2020

Rewilding And Domestication: Clarifying Terminology, Catia Correia-Caeiro

Animal Sentience

Baker & Winkler (B&W) describe the state of Asian elephant conservation, raising unique issues, and proposing a direction based on rewilding. The long history and socio-biology of elephants and humans has some parallels with the domestication of dogs (and other species). However, markers of domestication seem absent from elephants. The proper use of terms such as “wild” and “domestic” is crucial in defining the best conservation strategies, and, more important, in attending to the welfare needs of individuals, which can differ between wild and domestic animals. B&W’s target article represents an important starting point for discussion around elephant conservation, but …


Affective Sentience And Moral Protection, Russell Powell, Irina Mikhalevich Jan 2020

Affective Sentience And Moral Protection, Russell Powell, Irina Mikhalevich

Animal Sentience

We have structured our response according to five questions arising from the commentaries: (i) What is sentience? (ii) Is sentience a necessary or sufficient condition for moral standing? (iii) What methods should guide comparative cognitive research in general, and specifically in studying invertebrates? (iv) How should we balance scientific uncertainty and moral risk? (v) What practical strategies can help reduce biases and morally dismissive attitudes toward invertebrates?