Browsing PhD Dissertations - DO NOT EDIT by Title
Now showing items 22-41 of 132
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DETERMINING HOW ANTHROPOGENIC CHANGE FILTERS BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES AND HOW SPECIES MODIFY THEIR TRAITS IN RESPONSE TO URBANIZATION
(2023-08-11)Humans are significantly altering the environment at an alarming pace, leading to a reduction in species diversity. This transformation has created modified habitats where some species struggle to survive, while a few ... -
DEVELOPING APPROACHES THAT LEVERAGE NEXT GENERATION SEQUENCING TO STUDY BROAD BIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS
(2019-11-18)The advent of Next Generation Sequencing has been an extremely powerful tool in transforming the way we answer biological questions today. With the price per base pair continuously decreasing, and throughput, sequencing ... -
Development and characterization of novel a TCRm antibody and its application as an immune checkpoint blocker
(2021-12-21)Immunotherapy, the treatment of diseases via targeted immune system activation, has recently shown extraordinary success in clinical trials for multiple malignancies. In contrast to a routine therapeutic regimen for cancer, ... -
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNIQUES TO DISSECT THE GENETIC BASIS OF POPULATION-LEVEL VARIATION OF RECOMBINATION RATES IN THE DAPHNIA MODEL SYSTEM
(2021-12-20)We know very little about the determining genetic factors that control the recombination events within a genome. Moreover, the cause of recombination rate variation in population-level remains poorly understood, especially ... -
Disease in a Changing Ocean: Ecoimmunological Approaches to Coral Reef Ecology
(2018-04-26)Increasing prevalence of anthropogenic stressors and climate change have resulted in rapid increases in the incidence and severity marine disease affecting a number of vulnerable taxa. Cnidarians, including both reef-building ... -
DIVERSIFICATION ON CONTINENTS AND ISLANDS: A HERPETOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
This dissertation seeks to understand the geological and climatological processes that have promoted diversification on continental and island systems. Using molecular genetic data generated using Sanger sequencing and ... -
Diversity And Community Organization In The Periphyton Of Recirculating Streams Channels Are Defined By Current Velocity And Nutrient Supply
(Biology, 2010-03-03)In a series of experiments taking place in recirculating artificial stream channels, periphyton communities growing on ceramic tiles were subjected to variations in current velocity and nutrient supply. The first experiment ... -
Diversity of the Fanged-Frog Complex, Limnonectes kuhlii (Anura: Dicroglossidae) on the Mountainous Regions of Java and Sumatra, Indonesia
(2021-12-21)The cryptic species complex, Limnonectes kuhlii, previously was considered to have a large range across Southeast Asia. Recent works have started to identify species within the complex using primarily genetic methodologies. ... -
Domestication of PIF transposable elements transposases as regulatory proteins in Drosophila melanogaster
(2018-08-23)Transposable elements (TEs) are genetic units that are able to move and amplify within a host genome. As a result of their activities, TE insertions can cause disruptions of gene functions and ectopic recombination producing ... -
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 ...