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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

How To Build A Cortex: Coordinated Assembly Of Cortical Septins And Actomyosin In The Leader Bleb, Asia Marie Paguntalan Jan 2023

How To Build A Cortex: Coordinated Assembly Of Cortical Septins And Actomyosin In The Leader Bleb, Asia Marie Paguntalan

Master's Theses

In confined spaces, migrating cells can undergo mesenchymal-to-amoeboid transitions by altering their cortical dynamics and adhesion with the environment. Septins frequently associate with cortical actin and non-muscle myosin (NMII), but the functional nature of these interactions remains unclear. Upon non-adhesive confinement and NMII enrichment, fibroblasts can switch to a fast, leader bleb-based mode of motility, characterized by the absence of adhesions and stress fibers and formation of a single, elongated leader bleb. During this transition, cortical actin remodeling and polarized NMII contractility drive leader bleb stabilization by generating long-range cortical flows, in coordination with changes in septin localization and assembly …


Regional Variation In Migratory Behavior And Reproductive Output Of The Gulf Of Mexico Blue Crab Spawning Stock, Adam Kemberling May 2018

Regional Variation In Migratory Behavior And Reproductive Output Of The Gulf Of Mexico Blue Crab Spawning Stock, Adam Kemberling

Master's Theses

The overarching goal of this research was to better understand the structure and boundaries of the blue crab stock(s) in the Gulf of Mexico, focusing on large-scale movements of spawning female crabs. Because spawning location is a primary determinant of larval transport pathways, understanding spawning locations and offshore movements of female blue crabs can inform stock identification and potentially clarify the somewhat conflicting population genetic information available for blue crabs. A large-scale mark-recapture study was conducted through the partnership of state/federal management agencies, the commercial fishing industry, recreational fisherman, tourists, and numerous academic institutions to shed light on the timing …


The Role Of C-Abl Kinase In Hcc Development, Lennox Chitsike Jan 2016

The Role Of C-Abl Kinase In Hcc Development, Lennox Chitsike

Master's Theses

Hepatocellular Carcinoma is the second most lethal cancer after pancreatic cancer. Unresectable HCC tumors carry a poor prognosis and few treatment options are available. The dismal prognosis is mainly due to limited therapy options and molecularly targeted therapy is deemed as solution. Here, we report a novel role of c-Abl in HCC development. We provide evidence of c-Abl activation in human HCC samples compared to normal liver. Using genetic and pharmacological tools, we show that c-Abl plays a vital role in HCC progression in vitro and in vivo. We have identified Axl as an effector in processes mediated by c-Abl. …


Gut Microbiota Of Migratory Passerines At Stopover, William Bagley Lewis Dec 2015

Gut Microbiota Of Migratory Passerines At Stopover, William Bagley Lewis

Master's Theses

Although the gut microbiota provides many beneficial functions to animal hosts, relatively little is known about the gut microbiota of passerines. It is likely that gut microbes are especially important during the migratory phase; however gut atrophy experienced during prolonged migratory flight may cause disruptions of the stable microbiota. Fecal samples were collected from several species of passerine after crossing the Gulf of Mexico during spring migration and before crossing during fall, and microbiota communities were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Despite showing large inter-individual variation, a core microbiota composed largely of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria was identified in all birds. Microbiota …


An Analysis Of Juvenile Chinook Salmon Outmigration Speed And Survival In Response To Habitat Features: Sacramento River From Knights Landing To Sacramento, California, Natalie N. Mcnair Jun 2015

An Analysis Of Juvenile Chinook Salmon Outmigration Speed And Survival In Response To Habitat Features: Sacramento River From Knights Landing To Sacramento, California, Natalie N. Mcnair

Master's Theses

Outmigration is an important life stage for Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) survival in the Sacramento River, and yet our understanding of their behavior and needs during this time is limited. To gain a better understanding of their survival and movement rates during outmigration, late fall run Chinook salmon smolts were tracked using acoustic telemetry techniques. Habitat features were measured and quantified throughout the study area to evaluate how Chinook salmon respond to key levee features including shade, instream woody material, and aquatic vegetation. The overall average movement speed through the entire study area was 0.77 m/s with an …


Studies To Characterize Heavy Metal Content And Migration From Recycled Polyethyleneterephthalate, Michael John-Ross Whitt Dec 2014

Studies To Characterize Heavy Metal Content And Migration From Recycled Polyethyleneterephthalate, Michael John-Ross Whitt

Master's Theses

Packaging Materials account for 31% of the world’s municipal solid waste. Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) are pushing for the increased use of recycled thermoplastic materials. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a commonly recycled thermoplastic which is used to package ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables. Most recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) packaging materials contain heavy metal catalysts, the most common being antimony. The recent increased use of recycled plastic materials has been suspected as the source of increased human heavy metal exposure. In this study, cadmium, chromium, nickel, lead and antimony …


Tick Infestations And Their Consequences For Migratory Songbirds During Spring Stopover, Johnny Michael Sellers Jr. Dec 2011

Tick Infestations And Their Consequences For Migratory Songbirds During Spring Stopover, Johnny Michael Sellers Jr.

Master's Theses

Migratory birds face a number of challenges during their seasonal movement from tropical/sub-tropical Central and South America to more temperate North America. Maintaining health during migration is of particular concern. This study seeks to understand how haematophageous ectoparasites, such as ticks (Ixodida), impact host body condition as they feed on passerines during migration. We hypothesized that foraging location would impact tick acquisition by migrants and that tick burdens during migration would negatively impact body condition. We surveyed 2,064 birds during spring 2009 and 2010 and found that 2.4% of the surveyed birds were infested with one or more …