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Articles 451 - 480 of 729

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Case-Oriented Pathways Analysis In Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Using Data From A Sleeping Beauty Transposon Mutagenesis Screen, Yen Yi Ho, Timothy K. Starr, Rebecca S. Larue, David A. Largaespada Apr 2016

Case-Oriented Pathways Analysis In Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Using Data From A Sleeping Beauty Transposon Mutagenesis Screen, Yen Yi Ho, Timothy K. Starr, Rebecca S. Larue, David A. Largaespada

Faculty Publications

Background: Mutation studies of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) have revealed complicated heterogeneous genomic landscapes of the disease. These studies cataloged a number of genes mutated at high frequencies, but also report a very large number of genes mutated in lower percentages of tumors. Taking advantage of a well-established forward genetic screening technique, with the Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon, several studies produced PDA and discovered a number of common insertion sites (CIS) and associated genes that are recurrently mutated at high frequencies. As with human mutation studies, a very large number of genes were found to be altered by transposon insertion …

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Xenoestrogens From Household Plastics Bind Estrogen Receptors And Affect Cell Proliferation, Susan G. Hurley, Brett R. Lackey, Patricia L. Tate, Sandra L. Gray Mar 2016

Xenoestrogens From Household Plastics Bind Estrogen Receptors And Affect Cell Proliferation, Susan G. Hurley, Brett R. Lackey, Patricia L. Tate, Sandra L. Gray

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Xenoestrogens are “foreign” chemicals or compounds that interact with estrogen receptors as either agonists or antagonists to interfere with endocrine system function. Xenoestrogens include phytoestrogens, pesticides, industrial by- products and synthetic estrogens. In this study, consumer plasticware, including baby bottles and food storage containers, were found to release xenoestrogenic compounds that bound to ERα and ERβ and affected cell proliferation.

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Novel Strategies To Promote Smoking Cessation, Matthew J. Carpenter Mar 2016

Novel Strategies To Promote Smoking Cessation, Matthew J. Carpenter

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

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Predicting Dissolved Lignin Phenol Concentrations In The Coastal Ocean From Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (Cdom) Absorption Coefficients, Cédric G. Fichot, Ronald Benner, Karl Kaiser, Yuan Shen, Rainer M. W. Amon, Hiroshi Ogawa, Chua-Jung Lu Feb 2016

Predicting Dissolved Lignin Phenol Concentrations In The Coastal Ocean From Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (Cdom) Absorption Coefficients, Cédric G. Fichot, Ronald Benner, Karl Kaiser, Yuan Shen, Rainer M. W. Amon, Hiroshi Ogawa, Chua-Jung Lu

Faculty Publications

Dissolved lignin is a well-established biomarker of terrigenous dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the ocean, and a chromophoric component of DOM. Although evidence suggests there is a strong linkage between lignin concentrations and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption coefficients in coastal waters, the characteristics of this linkage and the existence of a relationship that is applicable across coastal oceans remain unclear. Here, 421 paired measurements of dissolved lignin concentrations (sum of nine lignin phenols) and CDOM absorption coefficients [ag(λ)] were used to examine their relationship along the river-ocean continuum (0–37 salinity) and across contrasting coastal oceans (sub-tropical, temperate, high-latitude). …

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Costs Of Resistance And Infection By A Generalist Pathogen, Tad Dallas, Mathieu Holtackers, John M. Drake Feb 2016

Costs Of Resistance And Infection By A Generalist Pathogen, Tad Dallas, Mathieu Holtackers, John M. Drake

Faculty Publications

Pathogen infection is typically costly to hosts, resulting in reduced fitness. However, pathogen exposure may also come at a cost even if the host does not become infected. These fitness reductions, referred to as “resistance costs”, are inducible physiological costs expressed as a result of a trade-off between resistance to a pathogen and aspects of host fitness (e.g., reproduction). Here, we examine resistance and infection costs of a generalist fungal pathogen (Metschnikowia bicuspidata) capable of infecting a number of host species. Costs were quantified as reductions in host lifespan, total reproduction, and mean clutch size as a function …

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The Role Of Nuclear Factor-Erythroid-2-Related Factor 2 In Sensitivity To Thymidylate Synthase Inhibitors In Colon Cancer Cells, Sarah Ashley Clinton Jan 2016

The Role Of Nuclear Factor-Erythroid-2-Related Factor 2 In Sensitivity To Thymidylate Synthase Inhibitors In Colon Cancer Cells, Sarah Ashley Clinton

Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2), a member of the cap ‘n’ collar family of bZIP transcription factors, confers protection against oxidative and electrophilic stress. NRF2 is of great interest in cancer research, due to its role in response to chemotherapy. The class of drugs targeting thymidylate synthase (TYMS) has been useful in the treatment of colorectal cancer, among other cancers. It has long been known that inhibition of TYMS leads to depletion of thymidine levels and the onset of programmed cell death, deriving from the enzyme’s function as the sole de novo source of thymidine for DNA replication and repair. …

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Powerful Association Test Combining Rare Variant And Gene Expression Using Family Data From Genetic Analysis Workshop 19, Yen Yi Ho, Weihua Guan, Michael O'Connell, Saonli Basu Jan 2016

Powerful Association Test Combining Rare Variant And Gene Expression Using Family Data From Genetic Analysis Workshop 19, Yen Yi Ho, Weihua Guan, Michael O'Connell, Saonli Basu

Faculty Publications

Background: Genetic association studies aim to test for disease or trait association with genetic variants, either throughout the human genome or in regions of interest. However, for most diseases and traits, the combined effects of associated genetic variants explain only a small proportion of the genetic variation. This "missing heritability" may be a result of the small effects of common variants considered in the genetic association studies. Rare variants may also play an important role in understanding the missing heritability of complex traits. Method: We propose a novel weight-adjustment approach to combine gene expression into rare variant analysis. Results from …

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Deeply Rooted: The Story Of Congaree National Park, Taylor Karlin Dec 2015

Deeply Rooted: The Story Of Congaree National Park, Taylor Karlin

Senior Theses

This photo-essay book was written to fulfill requirements for completion of a senior thesis project to graduate with honors from the South Carolina Honors College. Its purpose is to promote the enjoyment and preservation of the Congaree National Park by educating the public on the historical and ecological significance of the land and the many activities it has to offer. Despite its proximity to downtown Columbia, there remains a lack of public awareness about the park and the amazing activities and opportunities it has to offer. I have compiled information and pictures that will best depict the unique qualities of …

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Regulation Of Stress Response And Innate Immunity By DsRna-Binding Proteins Pact And Trbp, Lauren S. Vaughn Dec 2015

Regulation Of Stress Response And Innate Immunity By DsRna-Binding Proteins Pact And Trbp, Lauren S. Vaughn

Theses and Dissertations

An integral aspect of innate immune response to viral infections is the ability to detect non-self molecules to initiate antiviral signaling via pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). One subset of these receptors are cytoplasmic receptors that contain double stranded (dsRNA) binding domains, which allow them to identify non-self dsRNA produced during a viral infection and mount a protective cellular response. PKR is a dsRNA-activated eIF2α kinase that is a key regulator of cellular antiviral and stress response pathways. Activation of PKR’s catalytic activity requires binding to one of its activators, viral dsRNAs or the cellular protein PACT (PKR activator). Although PACT …

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Establishing The Microcrustacean Daphnia As A Model System For Research On Aging, Charles Andrew Shumpert Dec 2015

Establishing The Microcrustacean Daphnia As A Model System For Research On Aging, Charles Andrew Shumpert

Theses and Dissertations

Aging is a ubiquitous process pertaining to all biological systems around the planet. Although much has been learned from studies so far on the molecular mechanisms that lead to aging, a complete understanding of a healthy life span and longevity still eludes us. In this dissertation, we will examine the use of a freshwater microcrustacean Daphnia as a model system for studies on the biology of aging. The Introduction chapter presents a review of the general molecular alterations associated with cellular and organismal aging, and discusses the core model organisms currently used to study the aging process. The introduction chapter …

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The Effects Of Elevated Circulating Levels Of Lipocalin 2 On Liver Metastasis Of Colorectal Cancer, John Gerard Bonapart Dec 2015

The Effects Of Elevated Circulating Levels Of Lipocalin 2 On Liver Metastasis Of Colorectal Cancer, John Gerard Bonapart

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. In 2015, approximately 143,000 new cases will be diagnosed and 50,000 deaths are predicted. Liver metastasis is the major cause of death. To understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of liver metastasis, we used an orthotopic mouse model of CRC liver metastasis that recapitulated all stages of tumor growth and metastasis to perform whole genome microarray analysis to identify genetic changes in the liver microenvironment in response to primary tumor growth in the cecum. We identified lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) …

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Vulnerable Species In A Changing Climate: The Genomic Response Of Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes To Predicted Oceanic Conditions As A Model Of Physiological Plasticity And Adaptive Capability, Troy James Huth Dec 2015

Vulnerable Species In A Changing Climate: The Genomic Response Of Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes To Predicted Oceanic Conditions As A Model Of Physiological Plasticity And Adaptive Capability, Troy James Huth

Theses and Dissertations

In its fifth report in 2014 the IPCC reinforced the contribution of anthropogenic CO2 to global climate change predicting widespread and significant changes to the global climate over a relatively short time scale. The polar regions, including the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica, were identified as ecosystems that may experience the most rapid and severe changes. As the Southern Ocean is one of the coldest and most oceanographically stable regions on earth, the endemic fauna likely have no alternative habitats available for migration. Further compounding the challenge these species will face is the substantial degree of adaptation to the extreme cold …

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Linkages Among Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter, Dissolved Amino Acids And Lignin-Derived Phenols In River-Influenced Ocean Margins, Youhei Yamashita, Cédric G. Fichot, Yuan Shen, Rudolf Jaffé, Ronald Benner Nov 2015

Linkages Among Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter, Dissolved Amino Acids And Lignin-Derived Phenols In River-Influenced Ocean Margins, Youhei Yamashita, Cédric G. Fichot, Yuan Shen, Rudolf Jaffé, Ronald Benner

Faculty Publications

Excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) is commonly used to investigate the dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM). However, a lack of direct comparisons with known biomolecules makes it difficult to substantiate the molecular composition of specific fluorescent components. Here, coincident surface-water measurements of EEMs, dissolved lignin, and total dissolved amino acids (TDAA) acquired in the northern Gulf of Mexico were used to investigate the relationships between specific fluorescent components and DOM biomolecules. Two terrestrial humic-like components identified by EEM-PARAFAC using samples obtained from river to offshore waters were strongly linearly correlated with dissolved …

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Assessing The Synergistic Effect Of Caffeine And Sugar On Cognitive Performance In Undergraduate Students, Sandra P. Urquiza, Michelle Vieyra Oct 2015

Assessing The Synergistic Effect Of Caffeine And Sugar On Cognitive Performance In Undergraduate Students, Sandra P. Urquiza, Michelle Vieyra

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Working independently, both caffeine and sugar provide benefits to attention and memory. However, there is sparse literature on the synergistic effects on improved cognitive performance between caffeine and sugar when taken together. This study explored the dynamics between caffeine and sugar when consumed under ordinary conditions – as a cup of coffee. Twenty-four undergraduate students (15 women and 9 men) were asked to complete a baseline cognitive test, and one of the three variables was given at random in the form of a cup of coffee: decaffeinated with sugar, caffeinated with no sugar, and caffeinated with sugar. The remaining two …

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Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Neurodegeneration Is Independent Of The Ryanodine Receptor In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Lyndsay E.A. Young, Daniel C. Williams Oct 2015

Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Neurodegeneration Is Independent Of The Ryanodine Receptor In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Lyndsay E.A. Young, Daniel C. Williams

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Despite the significant impacts on human health caused by neurodegeneration, our understanding of the degeneration process is incomplete. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is emerging as a genetic model organism well suited for identification of conserved cellular mechanisms and molecular pathways of neurodegeneration. Studies in the worm have identified factors that contribute to neurodegeneration, including excitotoxicity and stress due to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Disruption of the gene unc-68, which encodes the ryanodine receptor, abolishes excitotoxic cell death, indicating a role for calcium (Ca2+) signaling in neurodegeneration. We tested the requirement for unc-68 in ROS-mediated neurodegeneration using the …

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Altered Activation Of Protein Kinase Pkr And Enhanced Apoptosis In Dystonia Cells Carrying A Mutation In Pkr Activator Protein Pact, Lauren S. Vaughn, D. Cristopher Bragg, Nutan Sharma, Sarah Camargos, Francisco Cardoso, Rekha C. Patel Sep 2015

Altered Activation Of Protein Kinase Pkr And Enhanced Apoptosis In Dystonia Cells Carrying A Mutation In Pkr Activator Protein Pact, Lauren S. Vaughn, D. Cristopher Bragg, Nutan Sharma, Sarah Camargos, Francisco Cardoso, Rekha C. Patel

Faculty Publications

PACT is a stress-modulated activator of the interferon-induced double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR). Stress-induced phosphorylation of PACT is essential for PACT's association with PKR leading to PKR activation. PKR activation leads to phosphorylation of translation initiation factor eIF2α inhibition of protein synthesis and apoptosis.Arecessively inherited form of early-onset dystonia DYT16 has been recently identified to arise due to a homozygous missense mutation P222L in PACT. To examine if the mutant P222L protein alters the stress-response pathway, we examined the ability of mutant P222L to interact with and activate PKR. Our results indicate that the substitution mutant P222L activates PKR more …

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Precise Repair Of Mping Excision Sites Is Facilitated By Target Site Duplication Derived Microhomology, David M. Gilbert, M. Catherine Bridges, Ashley E. Strother, Courtney E. Burckhalter, James M. Burnette Iii, C. Nathan Hancock Sep 2015

Precise Repair Of Mping Excision Sites Is Facilitated By Target Site Duplication Derived Microhomology, David M. Gilbert, M. Catherine Bridges, Ashley E. Strother, Courtney E. Burckhalter, James M. Burnette Iii, C. Nathan Hancock

Faculty Publications

A key difference between the Tourist and Stowaway families of miniature inverted repeat transposable elements (MITEs) is the manner in which their excision alters the genome. Upon excision, Stowaway-like MITEs and the associated Mariner elements usually leave behind a small duplication and short sequences from the end of the element. These small insertions or deletions known as “footprints” can potentially disrupt coding or regulatory sequences. In contrast, Tourist-like MITEs and the associated PIF/Pong/Harbinger elements generally excise precisely, returning the genome to its original state. The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanisms underlying these …

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Co-Extinction In A Host-Parasite Network: Identifying Key Hosts For Network Stability, Tad Dallas, Emily Cornelius Aug 2015

Co-Extinction In A Host-Parasite Network: Identifying Key Hosts For Network Stability, Tad Dallas, Emily Cornelius

Faculty Publications

Parasites comprise a substantial portion of total biodiversity. Ultimately, this means that host extinction could result in many secondary extinctions of obligate parasites and potentially alter hostparasite network structure. Here, we examined a highly resolved fish-parasite network to determine key hosts responsible for maintaining parasite diversity and network structure (quantified here as nestedness and modularity). We evaluated four possible host extinction orders and compared the resulting co-extinction dynamics to random extinction simulations; including host removal based on estimated extinction risk, parasite species richness and host level contributions to nestedness and modularity. We found that all extinction orders, except the one …

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Essential Oils From Apple Mint (Mentha Suaveolens) And Passionflower Fruit (Passiflora Incarnata): Studies On Cognition, Coordination, And Chemical Components., Evelyn F. Patrick *, Jessie Bowers *, Shannon Read *, Brett R. Lackey, Christine Murphy, Sandra L. Gray Apr 2015

Essential Oils From Apple Mint (Mentha Suaveolens) And Passionflower Fruit (Passiflora Incarnata): Studies On Cognition, Coordination, And Chemical Components., Evelyn F. Patrick *, Jessie Bowers *, Shannon Read *, Brett R. Lackey, Christine Murphy, Sandra L. Gray

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Plant essential oils (EO) are used as perfumes, lotions and air fresheners because of their pleasant aromas, but EO also have the ability to elicit changes in mood and behavior. These activities are influenced by the mode of administration and by multiple signaling pathways. The EO aromas from organically grown apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) and passionflower fruit (Passiflora incarnata) were assessed for their effects on cognition and coordination. Participants completed two tasks designed to test working memory and bimanual task efficiency in rooms infused with apple mint, passionflower fruit or control EO. Bimanual coordination was assessed using the Intercept2 program …

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The Effects Of Suspended Sediment On Japanese Medaka (Oryzias Latipes) And Mosquitofish (Gambusia Affinis) Metabolism, Brandy L. Bossle, Ruben R. Goforth, Shem D. Unger, Olin E. Rhodes Jr. Apr 2015

The Effects Of Suspended Sediment On Japanese Medaka (Oryzias Latipes) And Mosquitofish (Gambusia Affinis) Metabolism, Brandy L. Bossle, Ruben R. Goforth, Shem D. Unger, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Sedimentation is recognized as a significant environmental stressor in aquatic ecosystems and high amounts of suspended sediments (SS) in streams are known to negatively affect aquatic organisms. In particular, it has been hypothesized that many fish species mayexhibit increased respiration rates when exposed to elevated SS. To evaluate this hypothesis, we evaluated the acute response (3 hour exposure) of two small, freshwater fish species exposed to high suspended sediment loads using experimental respirometry chambers which measure oxygen consumption as a proxy of metabolism. Our results indicate that Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) did not exhibit a significantly greater oxygen …

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Understanding Phylogenies: Constructing And Interpreting Phylogenetic Trees, Joseph L. Staton Apr 2015

Understanding Phylogenies: Constructing And Interpreting Phylogenetic Trees, Joseph L. Staton

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Interpretation of phylogenetic trees is fundamental in understanding the relationships between organisms, their traits or characteristics, their ecology and even their genomic and developmental biology. As trees appear more often in basic texts, many students, and even their teachers, clearly understand little of how they are constructed and even less about what can be inferred from them about the history of the representatives analyzed. Not only are these trees a source of confusion on what they do tell us, often non-specialists infer things wrongly or, worse, others misuse them in an attempt to negate the validity of evolutionary theory. In …

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The Rise Of Carbon Nanoscience In South Carolina, Apparao M. Rao Apr 2015

The Rise Of Carbon Nanoscience In South Carolina, Apparao M. Rao

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

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The Candidate Cancer Gene Database: A Database Of Cancer Driver Genes From Forward Genetic Screens In Mice, Kenneth L. Abbott, Erik T. Nyre, Juan Abrahante, Yen Yi Ho, Rachel Isaksson Vogel, Timothy K. Starr Jan 2015

The Candidate Cancer Gene Database: A Database Of Cancer Driver Genes From Forward Genetic Screens In Mice, Kenneth L. Abbott, Erik T. Nyre, Juan Abrahante, Yen Yi Ho, Rachel Isaksson Vogel, Timothy K. Starr

Faculty Publications

Identification of cancer driver gene mutations is crucial for advancing cancer therapeutics. Due to the overwhelming number of passenger mutations in the human tumor genome, it is difficult to pinpoint causative driver genes. Using transposon mutagenesis in mice many laboratories have conducted forward genetic screens and identified thousands of candidate driver genes that are highly relevant to human cancer. Unfortunately, this information is difficult to access and utilize because it is scattered across multiple publications using different mouse genome builds and strength metrics. To improve access to these findings and facilitate metaanalyses, we developed the Candidate Cancer Gene Database (CCGD, …

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Map Kinase Signaling In Plant Responses To Biotic Stress, Carlton James Bequette Jan 2015

Map Kinase Signaling In Plant Responses To Biotic Stress, Carlton James Bequette

Theses and Dissertations

Plants must be able to perceive and properly respond to a multitude of environmental conditions and produce appropriate cellular responses for optimal growth and reproduction. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation cascades are critical components of signal transduction networks that mediate cellular responses to a wide range of both biotic and abiotic extracellular stimuli. This thesis presents an investigation of three novel aspects of MAPK signaling, the role of MAPKs in the regulation of cell death, the organization of MAPKs in a multi-protein complex, and the negative regulation of MAPKs by MAPK phosphatases. In tomato, three MAPKs play an essential role …

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Tipping The Balance Of Double-Strand Break Repair In Cells Modeling Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, Andrew Robert Patrick Jan 2015

Tipping The Balance Of Double-Strand Break Repair In Cells Modeling Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, Andrew Robert Patrick

Theses and Dissertations

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome is disease of highly accelerated aging. In addition to appearing physically old mere months after birth, patients suffer from maladies typical of the elderly, including heart attack and stroke, two factors which contribute to an average life expectancy of 14 years. The source of progeria has been identified as progerin, a defective variant of nuclear lamina protein lamin A. Progerin has also been found natively in healthy cells (concentration increasing with age), and is known to adversely affect nuclear morphology and chromosomal integrity. This thesis sought to investigate the effect of progerin upon which pathways were favored …

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Species Responses To Climate Change And Environmental Heterogeneity: A Multi-Focal Approach, Megan Riley Jan 2015

Species Responses To Climate Change And Environmental Heterogeneity: A Multi-Focal Approach, Megan Riley

Theses and Dissertations

Changes in global climate trends have the potential to influence diverse ecosystems at multiple levels of organization, from the species to the community. Changes in other environmental variables, such as those resulting from pollution and habitat modification, also have the potential to impact species fitness and alter species interactions. This dissertation employs a multi-focal approach to investigate species responses to two main topics: climate change and environmental heterogeneity. To investigate the first topic, this work focuses on the climate change-induced range expansion of the mangrove tree crab Aratus pisonii into novel salt marsh habitats. It investigates latitudinal patterns of life …

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Tp53 And Hras Influence On Hpv16 E7 Expression In Hpv16-Transformed Human Keratinocytes, Nella Christie Delva Jan 2015

Tp53 And Hras Influence On Hpv16 E7 Expression In Hpv16-Transformed Human Keratinocytes, Nella Christie Delva

Theses and Dissertations

Head and Neck Squamous Carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. HNSCC affects regions of the upper aerodigestive tract such as the lip, tongue, nasopharynx, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx. About 25% of all HNSCC cases and up to 65% of Oropharyngeal Carcinoma (OPC) cases are positive for HPV DNA. African American patients, especially males, present primarily with HPV-negative HNSCC. HNSCC’s that are HPV-positive tend to be HPV-active at initial presentation: these cancers contain HPV DNA and express HPV RNA. However, recurring HPV-positive cancers of the head and neck are more often inactive: these tumors contain HPV DNA, …

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The Evolutionary Biology Of Vision In Daphnia, Christopher S. Brandon Jan 2015

The Evolutionary Biology Of Vision In Daphnia, Christopher S. Brandon

Theses and Dissertations

Eyes have attracted the attention of evolutionary biologist since the field’s infancy. In On the Origin of Species, in fact, Darwin famously remarked on the proposition that natural selection could engineer the eye, saying “[it is] absurd in the highest possible degree.” Though, he goes on to explain, beautifully and simply, how his theory of evolution by natural selection could produce such an organ. Indeed, eyes are remarkable examples of complex information acquisition systems that have evolved from simple beginnings. Eyes allow animals to extract environmental information from light, which informs physiological and behavioral responses to resources, predation, and mates. …

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Potential Range Expansion Of The Invasive Lionfish In The Western Atlantic Ocean, Brian Grieve Jan 2015

Potential Range Expansion Of The Invasive Lionfish In The Western Atlantic Ocean, Brian Grieve

Theses and Dissertations

Lionfish (Pterois volitans) are an invasive, predatory fish native to the reefs of the Indo-Pacific. In the mid-1980s, lionfish were introduced off the coast of Miami, FL and have since transformed many of the reef ecosystems throughout the Western Atlantic Ocean. Although lionfish are found year-round as far north as Cape Hatteras, NC, they are confined to the warm Gulf Stream during winter months. Seasonal inshore expansion is possible in the summer, and further poleward expansion is limited by cold bottom-water temperatures in winter. Here, I use an ensemble of 17 different climate models to project lionfish habitat by the …

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Patterns Of Selection Amongst Dengue Virus Serotypes And Efficacy Of Computational Epitope Prediction Applications, April Christina Hall South Jan 2015

Patterns Of Selection Amongst Dengue Virus Serotypes And Efficacy Of Computational Epitope Prediction Applications, April Christina Hall South

Theses and Dissertations

Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne virus of global concern that leads to infections with symptoms ranging from high fevers and headaches to death. Current estimates place almost half the world’s population living in areas that are at-risk for infection by dengue and that area continues to expand over time. There are four distinct serotypes of dengue (DENV1, DENV2, DENV3, and DENV4). Disease severity from dengue infection is significantly worse if there is a secondary infection by a heterotypic serotype. The problems of increased severity with secondary infection as well as host immune response evasion by the virus itself have …

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