Browsing PhD Dissertations - DO NOT EDIT by Title
Now showing items 31-50 of 132
-
Ecological Genetics Of Adaptive Life-history Phenotypes In The Cricket Allonemobius socius
(Biology, 2009-09-16)As many organisms inhabit unstable environments, the ability to respond to changing environmental conditions is highly adaptive, and results in the evolution of phenotypic plasticity. Thus, identifying the genetic basis ... -
EFFECTS OF A N2-FIXING BIOFERTILIZER ON THE RHIZOSPHERE MICROBIOME AND THE INFLUENCE OF BIOCHAR ON SOIL FERTILITY AND MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES
(2021-12-20)The rhizosphere microbiota and endosymbionts are the major contributors to biogeochemical cycling and significantly impact the associated host plant. Their association with plant roots is inevitable for plant health and ... -
EFFECTS OF pH SHOCK AND HEAT STRESS ON THE GROWTH OF NITROGEN-FIXING BACTERIA AND THEIR PHOSPHATE SOLUBILIZATION
(2021-05-11)Rhizobia are well known for their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N) into ammonia, so called biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), either as free-living bacteria in soil or as symbiotic partners of legume plants. ... -
Effects Of The Exotic Invader, Tamarix spp., On Aspects Of The Aquatic Ecosystem At McComb Creek, Presidio County, Texas
(Biology, 2010-07-19)The effects of saltcedar, Tamarix spp., invasion in riparian zones of the western United States have been well documented. These include, but are not limited to soil salinization, and shifts in hydrology and water use. ... -
EFFICACY OF A SERIES OF ORGANOMETALLIC POLYMERS AS ANTI-CANCER AND ANTIVIRAL AGENTS
(2017-08-18)Organometallic compounds, particularly organotin compounds, have been known to possess biological activity for over 80 years. A variety of these compounds have demonstrated antimicrobial, anti-cancer, and antiviral activities. ... -
Efficacy Of A Series Of Organotin Polymers As Anticancer And Antiviral Drugs
(Biology, 2008-04-22)Anticancer drugs have been shown to have antiviral abilities as well. The two types of diseases are similar in that they hold the cell in a continued growth phase. Therefore, if a drug has anticancer activity, it could ... -
Efficacy Of Selected Natural And Synthetic Novel Organic Compounds In Prevention Of Zebra Mussel (Dreissena Polymorpha) Macrofouling By Byssal Attachment Inhibition
(Biology, 2007-10-08)The invasive, freshwater, bivalve, Dreissena polymorpha (zebra mussel) was introduced to North America in the Great lakes in 1986 and has since spread throughout the waterway of the eastern and central United States and ... -
ELUCIDATING THE EVOLUTION OF SEX CHROMOSOME DOSAGE COMPENSATION USING BEETLES
(2021-05-04)Sex chromosomes are unique because of their role in sex determination. More importantly, sex chromosomes spend an unequal amount of time between the sexes which has significant consequences since it provides an opportunity ... -
ELUCIDATING THE MOLECULAR GENETIC BASIS OF BEHAVIORS RELATED TO THE LOSER EFFECT
(2022-09-01)Across the animal kingdom, when individuals experience social defeat (losing an aggressive conflict with a conspecific), it elicits stereotypical loser behavior such as isolation or submissiveness. In many species, social ... -
ENDOPHYTIC BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM AESCHYNOMENE INDICA PLANTS AND THEIR ROLE IN NOD-FACTOR INDEPENDENT NODULE FORMATION AND NITROGEN FIXATION
(2023-05-19)The formation of specialized root organs known as nodules is the most defining characteristic of leguminous plants due to the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen to bioavailable forms enabled by rhizobial endosymbionts. This ... -
Ensemble and Consensus Species Distribution Modeling Approaches Applied to Freshwater Fish
(2020-05-19)The field of species distribution modeling has expanded rapidly over the past two decades along with increasing computing capability and the introduction of novel analytical techniques. SDMs relate species occurrence to ... -
Evolution of allostery and conformational dynamics of caspases involved in the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis
(2023-04-25)Caspases are a class of cysteine proteases that play a crucial role in programmed cell death (apoptosis). We complete an evolutionary picture of folding of caspases in the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. The folding models ... -
Evolution Of Sex Ratios And Sex Determination Mechanisms: Lessons From Nematodes With Three Genders
(Biology, 2014-12)In sexually reproducing species, the decision to allocate resources towards male and female reproductive function is called sex allocation. Although theoretical and empirical work has been largely successful, the underlying ... -
EVOLUTIONARY AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF EFFECTOR CASPASES
(2021-04-16)Caspases are an ancient class of cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific proteases that control apoptosis, responsible for cell differentiation, and maintain cellular homeostasis in multicellular organisms. Dysregulation of ... -
The Evolutionary History And Genomic Impact Of Mammalian Dna Transposons
(Biology, 2009-09-16)Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile repetitive sequences that make up large fractions of mammalian genomes, including at least 45% of the human genome. Class 2, or DNA intermediate transposons, which make up approximately ... -
Evolutionary Morphology Of The Speckled Rattlesnakes (viperidae: Crotalus Mitchellii Group)
(Biology, 2009-09-16)I examined various facets of morphological variation and evolution in the speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii) species group. I performed three separate, but related, studies pertaining to the following topics: body ... -
Evolutionary Relationships In Some Northern Groups Of The Direct-developing Frog Genus Craugastor (Anura: Craugastoridae)
(Biology, 2012-07-25)Comparing phylogeographic patterns among vertebrates can give insight into the landscape and ecological determinants of phylogenetic diversity. However, in certain taxonomic groups (e.g., birds and mammals) natural history ... -
Explorations Of Aspects Of Mixotrophy Using Mathematical Models
(Biology, 2010-11-01)This work examined three theoretical aspects of mixotrophy, the simultaneous use of phototrophic and heterotrophic nutritional modes, and one practical application. The first study addressed the coexistence of microorganisms ... -
Feasibility For Utilization Of A Freshwater Pulmonate Snail, Physa acuta, As A Model Organism For Environmental Toxicity Testing, With Special Reference To Cadmium Ion Toxicity
(Biology, 2007-08-23)The benefits of developing the pond snail, Physa acuta, as a model species for testing acute and chronic toxicity of aquatic pollutants include its wide North American distribution, ease of field collection and laboratory ... -
Functional Analysis of Nuclear-Encoded Mitochondrial Gene Duplicates with Testis-Biased Expression in Drosophila melanogaster
(2019-08-12)Most of the genes encoding proteins that function in the mitochondria are located in the nucleus and are called nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes (N-mt genes). In Drosophila melanogaster, most of the tissue-specific ...