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Articles 1 - 30 of 54
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Relationship Between Cognitive Impairment In Psychiatric Patients And Readmission Rate To An Inpatient Facility, Cherilyn Isis Schuff
The Relationship Between Cognitive Impairment In Psychiatric Patients And Readmission Rate To An Inpatient Facility, Cherilyn Isis Schuff
Theses and Dissertations
The primary intention of this study was to further understand the impact of assessing cognitive impairment in psychiatric patients, as a mediating factor on readmission rates. Mild cognitive dysfunction impacts a patient’s functional outcomes (Bowie & Harvey, 2006; Davis et al., 2012; Marcantonio, et al., 2001). Little information exists to guide best practices in the treatment of adults with cognitive impairment who are hospitalized for acute conditions (Davis et al., 2012). A cognitive impairment may impact patient prognosis and ability to function outside of a setting focused on stabilization. Neuropsychological testing is a valuable tool in predicting a patient’s cognitive …
The Relationship Between Biofouling Adhesion And Frequency Of Mechanical Cleaning To Control The Recruitment To Clear Coatings, Dylan Thomas Eggers
The Relationship Between Biofouling Adhesion And Frequency Of Mechanical Cleaning To Control The Recruitment To Clear Coatings, Dylan Thomas Eggers
Theses and Dissertations
There is a need to control biofouling on sensors and transparent windows in the marine environment. Clear silicone coatings offer a method to reduce the adhesion strength of marine organisms to the surface, however, these also require mechanical cleaning to maintain the surfaces free of fouling. This research evaluated the performance of eighty seven formulations and took the top two candidates to investigate a) the frequencies of wiping required by a brush to maintain two coatings and uncoated glass surfaces free of fouling and b) the effects of clear silicone coatings fouling release properties on required frequencies. The panels were …
Crispr-Based Genome Editing Of Caenorhabditis Elegans And Cultured Human Cells, Katie Marie Toperzer
Crispr-Based Genome Editing Of Caenorhabditis Elegans And Cultured Human Cells, Katie Marie Toperzer
Theses and Dissertations
The fields of genetics and molecular biology have grown exponentially in the knowledge and ability to edit DNA sequences. The discovery of DNA structure in the 1950s and enzymes that are able to make site-specific cuts in the 1970s allowed scientists to harness growth in the field of genetic engineering and develop realistic gene therapies for diseases. In my thesis, I will utilize cutting-edge technology to be the first person at Florida Tech to genetically engineer two different model systems. Using CRISPR, I will study the molecular mechanisms of fertilization by introducing a genetically encoded reporter in C. elegans. Additionally, …
Characterization Of The Responses To Chronic Stress In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Amy Laura Knight
Characterization Of The Responses To Chronic Stress In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Amy Laura Knight
Theses and Dissertations
Exposure to chronic temperature stress influences organismal phenotypes that are important for human health, agriculture, and ecology. In this thesis, the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans was used to study the effects of temperature stress on reproduction and lifespan. It was found that worms demonstrated a rapid shut down in egg-laying between 18-24 hours of exposure to 28°C. Despite this reproductive defect, the overall lifespan of worms was unaffected. At the molecular level, heat shock factor 1 (HSF-1), a regulator of the protective molecular pathway known as the heat shock response (HSR), was identified as important for progeny production during heat …
Metabolic Signatures Of Kin Recognition In The Model Angiosperm Arabidopsis Thaliana, Thiara Siqueira Bento
Metabolic Signatures Of Kin Recognition In The Model Angiosperm Arabidopsis Thaliana, Thiara Siqueira Bento
Theses and Dissertations
Many organisms have evolved to identify and respond to differences in genetic relatedness between conspecifics, allowing them to select between competitive and facilitative strategies to improve fitness. Due to their sessile nature, plants frequently draw from the same pool of nutrients, and the ability to limit competition between closely related conspecifics would be advantageous. Over the last 3 decades, significant evidence has accumulated in multiple species that such ‘kin recognition’ (KR) is indeed commonplace in plants. I propose that if KR has evolved, at least in part, as a plant-plant interaction to regulate nutrient uptake, then nutrients should modulate the …
The Impacts Of Holocene Climate And Pre-Columbian Humans On Neotropical Andean Forests, Rachel Kathleen Sales
The Impacts Of Holocene Climate And Pre-Columbian Humans On Neotropical Andean Forests, Rachel Kathleen Sales
Theses and Dissertations
Humid montane forests in the tropical Andes form hotspots for biodiversity, endemism, and conservation. Threats to the forests from deforestation are amplified by ongoing climate change, which could further reduce available habitat area by about 57 – 80%. These forests are known to have withstood considerable climate change in the past, and an emerging view suggests that they have also been shaped by a long interaction with people. Although climate-driven species range shifts are broadly known, questions remain about how past climate change has affected the species composition of these forests. The interaction of people with forests on the eastern …
Holocene Human Influence In The Ecuadorean Amazon, Meghan Mary O'Connor
Holocene Human Influence In The Ecuadorean Amazon, Meghan Mary O'Connor
Theses and Dissertations
The extent to which the spectacular biodiversity of Amazonia has been shaped by Pre-Columbian humans is actively debated. Forests that today appear to be pristine wildernesses may have supported complex human societies as recently as 300 years ago. Understanding human history and the potential successional trajectories that result from site abandonment are important to conservation and policy-making. The Yasuni, is famed for its human and biological diversity and yet its pre-history is poorly known. Lake Añangucocha, a small blackwater lake in northwestern Ecuador, is unusual in that it is not a riverine lake, and has the potential to provide the …
The Form And Function Of Cranial Spines In Fishes, Louis Michael Penrod
The Form And Function Of Cranial Spines In Fishes, Louis Michael Penrod
Theses and Dissertations
Despite the prevalence of fishes that express cranial spines, quantitative investigations into the function of these spines are rare. Function is often assumed with little or no evidence. Commonly, spine-like structures are considered to be used for defense despite spines potentially being used for other purposes. Here, I took a high-level approach to investigate the morphology and potential functions of cranial spines in over 2000 fishes. Identifying the function of cranial spines in fishes not only informs us as to how these fishes interact with conspecifics, with other species, and with their environment, but also may provide advances in human …
Variations In Otolith-Zinc Concentrations Of Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus Nigrofuscus) Between Marine Protected Areas And Fished Reefs, Matthew Austin Nichols
Variations In Otolith-Zinc Concentrations Of Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus Nigrofuscus) Between Marine Protected Areas And Fished Reefs, Matthew Austin Nichols
Theses and Dissertations
As human populations continue to increase, the growing reliance on exploited fish stocks has furthered patterns of declining body size and biomass worldwide. To mitigate these impacts, fisheries managers have implemented a variety of conservation strategies, including marine protected areas (MPA), as these serve as a refuge for fish, resulting in increases in numerous health metrics (fish density, biomass, body-size, and species diversity). By using fish otolith samples previously concluded to have physiological and morphometric differences between MPA and fished reef (FR) fish, this thesis explores the potential of using microchemical analysis of zinc (Zn) to reveal impacts MPAs might …
Role Of Hsp70 And The Tlr4-Md2 Complex In The Vasculature: From Function To Dysfunction In Diabetes, Amanda Almeida De Oliveira
Role Of Hsp70 And The Tlr4-Md2 Complex In The Vasculature: From Function To Dysfunction In Diabetes, Amanda Almeida De Oliveira
Theses and Dissertations
Diabetes impairs vascular functionality, which contributes to the pathophysiology of its associated complications. Recently, it was suggested that innate immune receptors assist in the development of diabetic vasculopathies, which sustains the pro-inflammatory state of the disease. Among these receptors, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a strategic player as its activation prime the release of inflammatory mediators and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are well-known pathological mechanisms linked to diabetic complications. The TLR4-Myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD2) complex has gained much attention over the last decade, primarily because it interacts with self-produced molecules. In vascular tissues, the Heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) …
Divergent Regulatory Roles Of Nurd Chromatin Remodeling Complex Subunits Gatad2 And Chd4 In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Nicole Lynn Golden
Divergent Regulatory Roles Of Nurd Chromatin Remodeling Complex Subunits Gatad2 And Chd4 In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Nicole Lynn Golden
Theses and Dissertations
During stress, a protective cellular network known as the heat shock response (HSR) is induced to maintain protein-folding homeostasis, or proteostasis. While the HSR is essential for stress resistance, its misregulation is associated with neurodegenerative disease and cancer. Using the nematode model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, we have identified the chromatin remodeling complex NuRD (nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase) as a novel regulator of the HSR. Here, we begin with a brief introduction of the HSR and chromatin remodeling complexes in C. elegans, prior to presenting our findings in a series of two chapters. In chapter one, we outline a set of …
The Potential Of Indian River Lagoon Muck To Act As A Reservoir For Emerging Organic Contaminants, Gregory David Belson
The Potential Of Indian River Lagoon Muck To Act As A Reservoir For Emerging Organic Contaminants, Gregory David Belson
Theses and Dissertations
Pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and personal care products are frequently found in sediments and waterways around the world. These chemicals, collectively known as Emerging Organic Contaminants (EOCs) can harm the environments in which they are deposited by killing or stressing the local flora and fauna. These EOCs also can be released back into the water column when these substrates are disturbed. Such sediments and their associated EOCs are particularly problematic in urbanized areas. However, the particular composition of urbanization-associated sediments as well as their potential to harbor EOCs needs to be evaluated in the context of their environment, to ensure proper mitigation …
Transcriptomic And Proteomic Identification Of Signaling Molecules Involved In Egg Activation In The Sea Star, Patiria Miniata, Lauren Shea Bates
Transcriptomic And Proteomic Identification Of Signaling Molecules Involved In Egg Activation In The Sea Star, Patiria Miniata, Lauren Shea Bates
Theses and Dissertations
During egg activation in all species, the critical mechanism to restart the zygote metabolism and prevent polyspermy is an intracellular Ca2+ increase. The signaling molecules, including the receptors on the sperm and egg, leading to the Ca2+ rise are not fully known. In the sea star, Patiria miniata, SFK1, SFK3, and PLCγ are known signaling molecules who are responsible for causing the internal Ca2+ rise from the endoplasmic reticulum. These three proteins share common features including signaling through SH2 domains and their activity is controlled by tyrosine phosphorylation. Using transcriptomics and phospho-proteomics to search for more molecules with these same …
Spatial Ecology And Stable Isotope Composition Of Cetaceans In The Bohol Sea, Edna Sabater
Spatial Ecology And Stable Isotope Composition Of Cetaceans In The Bohol Sea, Edna Sabater
Theses and Dissertations
Studies on Philippine cetaceans (i.e., whales and dolphins) began in the early 1980s, and have resulted in the location and identification of species in Philippine waters. However, the population estimates of most of the cetacean species are uncertain, which is important in evaluating whether the populations are stable, decreasing, or increasing in relation to potential threats and conservation measures. I conducted line-transect surveys between 2010 and 2019 in the Bohol Sea, Philippines. A total of 2009.5 km survey efforts were made, which covered an area of 8041 km2 throughout the 5-year survey period. Distance sampling methods estimated the total abundance …
Late Quaternary Vegetation And Climate History From The Lake Junín Plateau, Jacob Daniel Schiferl
Late Quaternary Vegetation And Climate History From The Lake Junín Plateau, Jacob Daniel Schiferl
Theses and Dissertations
Whether the Andean ecosystem is resilient against future climate change remains unclear. A 2018 IPCC special report identified that warming more than 1.5ºC above pre-industrial temperatures by the year 2100 would be a major disrupter to natural systems, by causing more frequent extreme heatwaves, prolonged droughts, extreme precipitation events, and biome shifts. The tropical Andes will likely exceed this 1.5ºC threshold within the next century, threatening the diverse and endemic biota found in one of the world’s largest biodiversity hot spots. Yet few studies have examined the response of the Andean system through past interglacial periods when the temperatures were …
Distinct Spatiotemporal Regulation Of The Cytoprotective Heat Shock Response In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Rosemary Nadine Plagens
Distinct Spatiotemporal Regulation Of The Cytoprotective Heat Shock Response In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Rosemary Nadine Plagens
Theses and Dissertations
Every organism studied to-date utilizes the heat shock response (HSR) to maintain protein-folding homeostasis (proteostasis) during temperature or other protein-folding stress. The HSR has been well characterized using acute heat stress (HS) in single-celled models, but less is known about how distinct cell types and tissues respond to HS. Furthermore, how metazoans respond to prolonged HS at the molecular level remains relatively unexplored. The model organism C. elegans, with its genetic tractability and distinct tissues and behaviors, has been used extensively in the field to characterize the acute HSR, but with considerable variability across labs regarding HS temperature and duration. …
Effects Of Precessional Forcing In The Early Stages Of The 100-K World, Molly Kingston
Effects Of Precessional Forcing In The Early Stages Of The 100-K World, Molly Kingston
Theses and Dissertations
Much of what we know about the Andes today comes from studying a heavily human-manufactured landscape. However, before the presence of human modification in this system (~13,000 years ago), past interglacial and glacial cycles, influenced by changes in Earth cycles (eccentricity, obliquity, and precession), were the cause of major landscape re-organization. The variability in intensity and duration of these events and the probable response of the plant community is not well understood. Very few records in South America extend far enough back in time to capture these changes. Those records that do exist, lack an independent chronology and instead rely …
Geographic Variability In The Reproductive Hormones And Oocyte Maturation Of Bonefish (Albula Vulpes) In The Bahamas, Ashley Yarbrough
Geographic Variability In The Reproductive Hormones And Oocyte Maturation Of Bonefish (Albula Vulpes) In The Bahamas, Ashley Yarbrough
Theses and Dissertations
Bonefish (Albula vulpes) are an extremely popular sport fish that are a vital component of the multimillion-dollar recreational flats fishery. Despite its economic importance for many countries, there is little information available about many aspects of their reproductive biology. Significant gaps include analysis of the hormones that influence oocyte development and the nutrient levels in oocytes that drive embryonic and early larval development and how these parameters vary among habitats. The goals of this study were to characterize and quantify the reproductive hormones, oocyte developmental stages, and nutrient composition of oocytes from fish at or near spawning sites across multiple …
Roles Of Holocene Climate And Pastoralism In Shaping Andean Landscapes, Courtney Renee Shadik
Roles Of Holocene Climate And Pastoralism In Shaping Andean Landscapes, Courtney Renee Shadik
Theses and Dissertations
The Holocene (c. 11,700years ago –present) was a time rich in Andean climatic, environmental, and cultural changes. Assemblages were reforming after the last ice age, millennial scale wet and dry events caused the largest changes in lake level of the last 100,000 years, and humans came to dominate the landscape. Against the backdrop of ecological change, this study asks the following questions-Was the onset of camelid domestication associated with mid-Holocene aridity? Are modern, high-elevation vegetation assemblages a product of manufactured landscapes? What are the long-term effects of intense agropastoralism on paleoecological reconstructions of Andean landscapes? Did Holocene agropastoral domesticates coevolve? …
Coral Bleaching: A Global Analysis Of Bright Spots, Shannon Elizabeth Sully
Coral Bleaching: A Global Analysis Of Bright Spots, Shannon Elizabeth Sully
Theses and Dissertations
Thermal-stress events associated with climate change cause coral bleaching and mortality that threatens coral reefs globally. Yet coral bleaching and coral cover patterns vary spatially and temporally, and few studies have identified bright spots where corals have the potential to survive through climate change. This study synthesizes over 10,000 field observations globally of coral bleaching and coral cover from 1997to 2017 and uses a suite of environmental and temperature metrics to analyze coral bleaching and coral cover patterns. The objectives of this dissertation are to(1) identify the environmental variables that constitute bright spots for coral reefs, and (2) identify where …
Analysis Of The Role Of Dnaa Recognition Site Position In Directing Assembly Of The Pre-Replicative Complex In Escherichia Coli, Christopher Aaron Czerwonka
Analysis Of The Role Of Dnaa Recognition Site Position In Directing Assembly Of The Pre-Replicative Complex In Escherichia Coli, Christopher Aaron Czerwonka
Theses and Dissertations
Prior to initiating new rounds of DNA replication, all cells assemble pre-replicative complexes (pre-RC) consisting of initiator proteins and regions of DNA termed origins of replication. In the bacterial model system, E. coli, multiple copies of the initiator protein, DnaA,assemble into a complex with the unique chromosomal replication origin, oriC, to produce a pre-RC that unwinds the DNA helix, preparing the origin for the new replication forks. Nine base pair (bp) low affinity DnaA recognition sites are distinctly arrayed in each half of oriC and both arrays are bounded by high affinity recognition sites. Although it is known that DnaA …
Proteomics Of The Egg Cell Membrane Of The Sea Star Patiria Miniata, Emily Wiseman
Proteomics Of The Egg Cell Membrane Of The Sea Star Patiria Miniata, Emily Wiseman
Theses and Dissertations
The conception of life, the creation of a genetically distinct being, is an event that has fascinated humanity for ages. It was only recently, at the turn of the 20th century, that the field of reproduction research reached an age of molecular mechanics, and with that, an onslaught of difficulties were encountered. The egg is a unique cell type because it contains a number of mRNA transcripts that do not express proteins necessary for the initial moments of gamete interaction or egg activation. Instead, these RNAs are stored in the egg for expression during early embryonic development. Coupled with the …
Symbiosis And Immunity At The Tri-Kingdom Interface, Stephen Alexander Lazar
Symbiosis And Immunity At The Tri-Kingdom Interface, Stephen Alexander Lazar
Theses and Dissertations
The rise in global sea-surface temperatures drastically and adversely impacts coral reefs worldwide through coral bleaching, diseases, and subsequent coral mortality. Corals become bleached by the expulsion of endo-symbiotic dinoflagellates, which reduces host pigmentation. Coral bleaching can also lead to enhanced disease prevalence immediately after thermal-stress and during the associated re-uptake of symbiotic dinoflagellates. This aspect has yet to be thoroughly investigated. A model system is necessary to study the relationships between symbiosis and disease that has sufficient flexibility to include a variety of host symbionts as well as pathogens. For this dissertation project, Exaiptasia pallida was investigated as a …
Megafaunal Extinction In The Neotropics: A Landscape Approach, Angela Rozas Davila
Megafaunal Extinction In The Neotropics: A Landscape Approach, Angela Rozas Davila
Theses and Dissertations
A 20 million years reign of large terrestrial mammals, known as megafauna (animals over 45 kg), came to an end during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. Particularly apparent in the Americas, the sudden extinction of Pleistocene megafauna has no equivalent in the fossil record as it only targeted large terrestrial animals. Early hypotheses explaining this extinction focused on climatic forcing and anthropogenic interactions, which included extensive hunting and/or landscape transformation. More recently, a third plausible explanation of megafaunal extinction has been the combined effects of climate-change and human influences; commonly referred to as the ‘synergistic effect of climate-humans’ hypothesis. The study of …
Nursery Habitat Characteristics Of Juvenile Tarpon, Megalops Atlanticus, In The Northern Indian River Lagoon, Fl, Austen Zugelter
Nursery Habitat Characteristics Of Juvenile Tarpon, Megalops Atlanticus, In The Northern Indian River Lagoon, Fl, Austen Zugelter
Theses and Dissertations
The life history of tarpon is complex, involving multiple ontogenetic habitat shifts, which spatially separate larval, juvenile, and adult populations. Juvenile tarpon are obligate users of mangrove and marsh ecosystems as nursery habitats, whereas adults use the coastal ocean. Habitat loss/fragmentation due to coastal development however, threatens the availability and quality of obligate juvenile tarpon nursery habitat. Furthermore, there is a general lack of data on the environmental characteristics and spatial coverage of these important habitats. The goal of the present study was to identify potential environmental characteristics related to juvenile tarpon habitat utilization in the northern Indian River Lagoon, …
Determining The Role Of Human Plasma In Amyloid Fiber Synthesis, Carlee Renee Confer
Determining The Role Of Human Plasma In Amyloid Fiber Synthesis, Carlee Renee Confer
Theses and Dissertations
The presence of plaques and tangles in the human brain is a major feature observed in several neuropathological diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Due to the high morbidity and mortality rates of such diseases, research on the characteristics and functions of these highly ordered structures aims to expand the understanding of how the presence of these plaques lead to cognitive decline. Many studies have led to the development of models that suggest that the presence of amyloid plaques and tangles within the brain induce a cytotoxic cycle that results in the suffocation and death of neurons within the brain. A …
Vegetation Response To Intense Holocene Dry Events In The Andes And Amazon Basin, Majoi De Novaes Nascimento
Vegetation Response To Intense Holocene Dry Events In The Andes And Amazon Basin, Majoi De Novaes Nascimento
Theses and Dissertations
By using the natural laboratory of past climate change I ask: How resilient are extant tropical forest ecosystems to climatic forcing? Do tropical forests systems show gradualistic or threshold responses to past climate change? How do climate forcings change floristic composition? And do humans amplify or suppress the effects of natural climate variability through land use? My study is set in western Amazonia and in the eastern flank of the Andes, regions renowned for high endemism and cultural importance. The time scale of the study spans the Mid-Holocene Dry Event (MHDE, c. 9000 to 4000 years ago), arguably the most …
Ontogeny Of Similarity And Disparity In Length-At-Age Of Coral Reef Fishes In The Family Acanthuridae Between Marine Protected And Fished Areas, Mathias Tjarko Cramer
Ontogeny Of Similarity And Disparity In Length-At-Age Of Coral Reef Fishes In The Family Acanthuridae Between Marine Protected And Fished Areas, Mathias Tjarko Cramer
Theses and Dissertations
Drastic reductions in the harvestable biomass of exploited fish populations on coral reefs and other marine coastal ecosystems have been hypothesized to be a consequence of astronomical and unrelenting fishing pressures, particularly in the coastal small-scale and sustenance fisheries of the world. It has recently been proposed that the causal relationship between fishing pressure and fish biomass is rooted in the negative effects of size-selective fishing mortality, which consequently instigates directional shifts in phenotype (i.e., fishing induced evolution). To mitigate the effects of unsustainable fishing pressures, parcels of traditional fishing grounds have been designated as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). To …
Humans, Vegetation, And Drought In Late Holocene Amazonia, Christine Michelle Åkesson
Humans, Vegetation, And Drought In Late Holocene Amazonia, Christine Michelle Åkesson
Theses and Dissertations
The resilience and adaptation of past societies to climate change remain unclear, especially in the tropical cloud-forests of the Andes and the aseasonal forests of lowland western Amazonia. Long thought to have been too humid for significant human settlement, a new image of cloud-forests is emerging in which they supported human settlements for millennia. Anthropogenic disturbance, such as forest clearance, fire activity, and land-use has been suggested to have intensified during times of drier climates. Even so, the mid-elevational Andes and western Amazonia probably supported smaller pre-Columbian populations than settings with a distinct dry season. Uncertainties persist, however, regarding the …
Morphology Of The Olfactory Apparatus In Leptocephalus Larvae, Molly Ann Wightman
Morphology Of The Olfactory Apparatus In Leptocephalus Larvae, Molly Ann Wightman
Theses and Dissertations
Leptocephalus larvae are a unique larval form that unites the Elopomorph fishes. This larval form has morphological and cellular characteristics that differ from most other teleost fishes. The visual system of leptocephali rod-dominated retinas, leading to poor photopic vision and low visual acuity that would hinder feeding on planktonic prey. Recent studies indicate they feed marine snow, which is composed of mucilaginous materials, bacteria and plankton. Their low visual acuity raises the question of how these organisms find this gelatinous food source in the wild. I hypothesize that these larval fishes use chemoreception in order to find marine snow, and …