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Articles 1 - 21 of 21
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Soil Microbial Community Dynamics In Florida Scrub Ecosystem, Maria Albarracin
Soil Microbial Community Dynamics In Florida Scrub Ecosystem, Maria Albarracin
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Pyrogenic ecosystems are maintained by fires which vary in frequency, seasonality, and intensity. Florida oak-saw palmetto scrub ecosystem is characterized by fires occurring at intervals of 10-20 years. Diverse factors as private land acquisition and development has created a patchy distribution of scrub ecosystems and also interrupted the natural fire cycle. The effects of fire over plant regeneration and fauna habitat utilization of the scrub have been well characterized in previous research. In the present paper the objective is to characterize the short- and long-term fire effects on the soil microbial community. Fire effects were studied in a chronosequence, comprising …
Effects Of A Shore Protection Project On Loggerhead And Green Turtle Nesting Activity And Reproduction In Brevard County, Florida, Kelly Brock
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Marine turtle reproductive success is strongly correlated with the stability and quality of the nesting environment. Because females show fidelity to key nesting beaches, the management and physical characteristics of these beaches directly affect future generations of marine turtles and may be essential for the recovery of these threatened and endangered species. The impacts of beach restoration on loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) and on green turtles (Chelonia mydas) were investigated. Previous studies concerning beach nourishment projects have focused on loggerhead turtles. I compared data between nourished and non-nourished areas and between loggerhead and green turtles. I found, at one season …
Juvenile Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) Foraging Ecology:Feeding Selectivity And Forage Nutrient Analysis, Eliza Gilbert
Juvenile Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) Foraging Ecology:Feeding Selectivity And Forage Nutrient Analysis, Eliza Gilbert
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
For the endangered green turtle, Chelonia mydas, a fundamental component of recovery and conservation is an understanding of its foraging ecology. Foraging optimality models suggest animals will select resources of high quality over those of low quality. For green turtles, this behavior is important, as sufficient quantities of nutritionally adequate forage items are necessary for growth and reproduction. One intrinsic element in the understanding of green turtle foraging ecology is to identify and document the availability and quality of forage resources preferred by green turtles. The objectives of this study were: 1) determine whether juvenile green turtles showed a feeding …
Historical Responses Of Marine Turtles To Global Climate Change And Juvenile Loggerhead Recruitment In Florida, Joshua Reece
Historical Responses Of Marine Turtles To Global Climate Change And Juvenile Loggerhead Recruitment In Florida, Joshua Reece
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Marine turtle conservation is most successful when it is based on sound data incorporating life history, historical population stability, and gene flow among populations. This research attempts to provide that information through two studies. In chapter I, I identify historical patterns of gene flow, population sizes, and contraction/expansion during major climatic shifts. In chapter II, I reveal a life history characteristic of loggerhead turtles previously undocumented. I identify a pattern of juvenile recruitment to foraging grounds proximal to their natal nesting beach. This pattern results in a predictable recruitment pattern from juvenile foraging ground aggregations to local rookeries. This research …
Effects Of Food Deprivation On Blood Lipid Concentration And Composition In Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias Jubatus), Michelle Lea Berman
Effects Of Food Deprivation On Blood Lipid Concentration And Composition In Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias Jubatus), Michelle Lea Berman
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Steller sea lions, the largest Otariid, fast during their breeding season; during this time they refrain from ingesting food for a period of 12-43 days. Fasting, while undertaking an extremely energetically demanding activity (breeding and pupping), requires specific physiological adaptations. This study examined the physiological response to fasting of two age classes, juveniles and sub-adults, during the breeding and non-breeding seasons to determine how these animals utilize lipids and the pattern of fatty acid mobilization from lipid stores during fasting. Four juveniles and 5 sub-adults were fasted for one and two weeks, respectively, and blood samples were collected approximately every …
Novel Protein-Protein Interactions Regulate The Proteolytic Activity Of The Pro- Apoptotic Serine Protease, Omi/Htra2, Supriya Singh
Novel Protein-Protein Interactions Regulate The Proteolytic Activity Of The Pro- Apoptotic Serine Protease, Omi/Htra2, Supriya Singh
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Omi/HtrA2 is a mitochondrial serine protease with high homology to the bacterial HtrA proteins. Omi promotes caspase-dependent apoptosis by binding and degrading IAPs-inhibitor of apoptosis proteins. Omi can also induce caspase-independent apoptosis but the actual mechanism is still unknown. IAP's are not the only substrates cleaved by Omi. There are at least two more known substrates of Omi, the HAX-1 and the ped/pea-15 proteins. HS1-associated protein X-1 (HAX-1) is a mitochondrial protein, degraded by Omi after induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis. Ped/pea-15 is also an anti-apoptotic protein and is cleaved by Omi after induction of caspase-independent apoptosis. The proteolytic activity of …
Responses Of The Florida Mouse (Podomys Floridanus) To Habitat Management, Jason Depue
Responses Of The Florida Mouse (Podomys Floridanus) To Habitat Management, Jason Depue
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The Florida mouse (Podomys floridanus), a species restricted to the Lake Wales Ridge and the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, is recognized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a species of special concern, highlighting its status as a species that is threatened by habitat loss statewide. Publicly owned lands offer protection for the species, but management is generally focused on protecting biodiversity in general and not a particular species. The response of the Florida mouse to land management practices such as mechanical treatment and prescribed fires is poorly documented. This research examined the population responses of Florida mice on …
The Effects Of Arsenic On Selenoprotein Biosythesis, Fanta Konate
The Effects Of Arsenic On Selenoprotein Biosythesis, Fanta Konate
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Arsenic contamination of drinking water is a real public health problem in certain areas of South-East Asia where chronic exposure has been correlated to higher rates of lung, skin, bladder, kidney, and liver cancer. Although arsenic carcinogenicity is well established, the mechanism by which it induces cancer is poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that oxidative stress could be a possible mechanism for the carcinogenic effects of arsenic. Selenium, in the form of selenocysteine, is necessary for the activity of several enzymes with a role in the defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS), primarily thioredoxin reductases (TrxR) and glutathione peroxidases (Gpx). …
A Novel Binding Interaction For The Paxillin Ld3 Motif: Paxillin Ld3 Mediates Merlin-Paxillin Binding At Paxillin Binding Domain 1, Sandra E. Beattie Geden
A Novel Binding Interaction For The Paxillin Ld3 Motif: Paxillin Ld3 Mediates Merlin-Paxillin Binding At Paxillin Binding Domain 1, Sandra E. Beattie Geden
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Neurofibromatosis type 2, an autosomal dominant genetic disorder, causes predisposed individuals to develop various benign central and peripheral nervous system tumors. The characteristic tumors of this disease are schwannomas, which are tumors of the Schwann cells, typically on the vestibular nerve. These and the other associated tumors slowly compress nervous system structures causing deafness and loss of balance, resulting in an average life-span of less than 40 years. The product of the Nf2 gene is the protein named merlin or schwannomin. In individuals diagnosed with NF2, merlin is either absent or mutated to the point of inactivation. As such, merlin …
Real Time Rt-Pcr For Direct Detection Of Viable Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis In Chron's Disease Patients And Association Of Map Infection With Downregulation In Interferon-Gamma Receptor (Infg1) Gene In Crohn's Disease Patients, Mounir Chehtane
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Association of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) with Crohn's disease (CD) and not with ulcerative colitis (UC), two forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), has been vigorously debated in recent years. This theory has been strengthened by recent culture of MAP from breast milk, intestinal tissue and Blood from patients with active Crohn's disease. Culture of MAP from clinical samples remained challenging due to the fastidious nature of MAP including its lack of cell wall in infected patients. The advent of real time PCR has proven to be significant in infectious disease diagnostics. In this study, real time reverse transcriptase …
Expression Of Hepatitis C Viral Non-Structural 3 Antigen In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anubhuti Bhati
Expression Of Hepatitis C Viral Non-Structural 3 Antigen In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anubhuti Bhati
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Hepatitis C viral infection is the major cause of acute hepatitis and chronic liver disease and remains the leading cause of liver transplants (NIH). An estimated 180 million people are infected globally (WHO). There is no vaccine available to prevent hepatitis C. The treatment with antiviral drugs is expensive, accompanied with various side effects and is limited only to those at risk of developing advanced liver disease. The treatment is also effective in only about 30% to 50% of treated patients and still a high percentage of patients are resistant to therapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the …
The Effects Of Ecotourism On Polar Bear Behavior, Gillian Eckhardt
The Effects Of Ecotourism On Polar Bear Behavior, Gillian Eckhardt
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Polar bears spend the majority of their lives on the sea ice, where they gain access to seals and mates. In western Hudson Bay, the sea ice melts for three to four months in the summer, and polar bears there are forced onto land. These bears live on their fat reserves for the duration of the iceless period, until temperatures get colder in the fall and freeze up begins. The aggregation of polar bears near Churchill, Manitoba during the ice free period has led to a thriving tourist industry, with a large influx of tourists visiting Churchill in the fall …
Expression Of Cholera Toxin B Subunit-Rotavirus Nsp4 Enterotoxin Fusion Protein In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anila Kalluri
Expression Of Cholera Toxin B Subunit-Rotavirus Nsp4 Enterotoxin Fusion Protein In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anila Kalluri
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Rotavirus, the major cause of life-threatening infantile gastroenteritis, is a member of the Reoviridae family and is considered to be the single most important cause of virus-based severe diarrheal illness in infants and young children particularly 6 months to 2 years of age in industrialized and developing countries. Infection in infants and young children is often accompanied by severe life threatening diarrhea, most commonly following primary infection. Diarrhea is the major cause of death among children around the world. Responsible for 4 to 6 million deaths per year according to the World Health Organization (WHO), diarrhea is especially dangerous for …
Site Preparation Methods For Restoration Of Non-Native Pasturelands To Native Upland Habitat, Krisann Joie Kosel
Site Preparation Methods For Restoration Of Non-Native Pasturelands To Native Upland Habitat, Krisann Joie Kosel
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The flatwoods ecosystem of Florida has been heavily depleted over time but remains one of the most important systems to many threatened and endangered species. Areas that have been converted into non-native pastures may be restored to provide not only this invaluable ecosystem but also restore connectivity of the surrounding ecosystems. The pasture areas on The Disney Wilderness Preserve in central Florida were surveyed, and a conceptual plan for restoration was written in 1996. That same year a pilot study was developed to assess five methods for removing non-native pasture grasses. The treatments studied were single herbicide, single disc, multiple …
Native And Invasive Competitors Of The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica In Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, Michelle Boudreaux
Native And Invasive Competitors Of The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica In Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, Michelle Boudreaux
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Populations of Crassostrea virginica within Mosquito Lagoon, Florida have recently undergone significant die-offs, which are a subject of major concern. Restoration efforts within Mosquito Lagoon are focusing on reconstructing the three-dimensional reef habitats. Before effective protocols can be established, however, important questions about the sources of juvenile and adult oyster mortality must be answered. Potential causes of Crassostrea virginica mortality in the Indian River Lagoon system include sediment loads, competition, predation, and disease. My research focused on the interactions between oysters and the competitors that may affect the settlement, growth, and survival of Crassostrea virginica. The four objectives of my …
Cascading Effects Of Predator Removal On The Ecology Of Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches, Brandon Barton
Cascading Effects Of Predator Removal On The Ecology Of Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches, Brandon Barton
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Traditional views of food web dynamics have characterized species interactions as linear and direct. However, modern food web theory suggests that interactions can also be nonlinear and indirect, so that disturbance at one trophic level is transmitted throughout the community. Many previous studies have demonstrated that the removal of top predators from terrestrial ecosystems can have broad-scale impacts on community ecology. I examined the direct and indirect effects of raccoon removal from sea turtle nesting beaches in east-central Florida during the summers of 2003 and 2004. Raccoon and ghost crab predation are among the highest causes of egg mortality for …
Expression Of Gal/Galnac Lectin Of Entamoeba Histolytica In Transgenic Chloroplasts To Develop A Vaccine For Amebiasis, Seethamahalakshmi Chebolu
Expression Of Gal/Galnac Lectin Of Entamoeba Histolytica In Transgenic Chloroplasts To Develop A Vaccine For Amebiasis, Seethamahalakshmi Chebolu
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Amebiasis, also defined as invasive intestinal and extra intestinal amebiasis, is caused by Entameoba histolytica, an invasive protozoan parasite. World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that approximately 50 million people are infected each year causing an estimated 40 to 100 thousand deaths annually. Entameoba histolytica ranks only second to malaria as a protozoan cause of death. Amebiasis occurs world wide but people living in Central and South America, Africa and Asia are the majority to suffer from morbidity and mortality. The enteric parasite has no zoonotic reservoirs and insect vectors for its transmission and infects humans and non-human primates. Therefore, …
Selenotrisulfide Derivative Of Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Evaluation In A Cell Culture Model For Potential Use As A Topical Antioxidant, Melenie Lee Alonis
Selenotrisulfide Derivative Of Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Evaluation In A Cell Culture Model For Potential Use As A Topical Antioxidant, Melenie Lee Alonis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Selenium is a required micronutrient in mammalian cells. It is incorporated in the form of selenocysteine into selenoenzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase, and is absolutely required for activity. Thioredoxin reductase is necessary for reduction of oxidized thioredoxin and therefore plays a major role in maintaining the redox status of the cell. Glutathione peroxidase is responsible for reducing peroxides into their corresponding alcohols and water. Together, these selenoenzymes constitute a significant part of the cell's arsenal to defend itself against oxidative stress. Exogenous sources of oxidative stress, such as UV radiation, are capable of generating reactive oxygen species …
Receptor Mediated Oral Delivery Of Bioencapsulated Green Fluorescent Protein Expressed In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Arati Limaye
Receptor Mediated Oral Delivery Of Bioencapsulated Green Fluorescent Protein Expressed In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Arati Limaye
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The skyrocketing costs of prescription medicine in developed countries and their lack of availability in developing countries are the most challenging problems of human health. Primary reasons for such high cost are fermentation-based production, expensive purification methods, the need for low temperature storage and transportation and the delivery through sterile injections. Most of these expenses could be minimized or eliminated when therapeutic proteins are expressed and orally delivered via plant cells. Chloroplasts have the machinery to fold complex and biologically active eukaryotic proteins in the soluble chloroplast stromal compartment. Protein expression through chloroplast transformation system offers a number of advantages …
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy As A Tool For The Investigation Of Tetracycline Fluorescence In Archaeologicalhuman Bone, Corey Maggiano
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy As A Tool For The Investigation Of Tetracycline Fluorescence In Archaeologicalhuman Bone, Corey Maggiano
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Fluorochromes such as tetracycline have been used to label bone for histomorphometric analysis, measuring bone formation, growth, maintenance, and pathology. More recently, similar fluorescence has been observed in ancient human bone. Attributed to tetracycline (TC) exposure, this phenomenon could affect various aspects of health during life and/or preservation of remains postmortem. Standard epifluorescence microscopy is the most common tool employed in the analysis of these labels. Though valuable, this technique is limited by its inability to penetrate bone three-dimensionally and its inclusion of out-of-focus light, possibly disrupting accurate analysis. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) has been demonstrated as a valuable …
A Theoretical Approach To Assessing Annual Energy Balance In Gray Whales (Eschrichtius Robustus), Nathalie Lucie Elizabeth Greenwald
A Theoretical Approach To Assessing Annual Energy Balance In Gray Whales (Eschrichtius Robustus), Nathalie Lucie Elizabeth Greenwald
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
While direct measurements of energetic demands are nearly impossible to collect on large cetaceans, comprehensive bioenergetic models can give insights on such parameters by combining physiological and ecological knowledge. This model was developed to estimate necessary food intake of gray whales, Eschrichtius robustus, of the Eastern North Pacific stock. Field Metabolic Rates (FMR) for gray whales were first estimated based on various assumptions (e.g. volumetric representation of gray whales, extent of their feeding season, and blubber depth distribution) using morphometric data, energetic costs, and food assimilation according to age and gender specific requirements. Food intake rates for gray whales of …