Phycocyanin, a photosynthetic pigment-protein complex produced by cyanobacteria, has critical value in the medical field at high purity. Costs associated with the extraction of this pigment are high, emphasizing the importance of optimal growth conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate potential commercial producers of phycocyanin by evaluating...
There is increased emphasis on understanding cumulative risk from the combined effects of chemical and non-chemical stressors as it relates to public health. Recent animal studies have identified pulmonary inflammation as a possible modifier and risk factor for chemical toxicity in the lung after exposure to inhaled pollutants; however, little...
Heavy metals have historically been popular for use in cosmetics manufacturing due to the colorful pigmentation of heavy metal compounds. In the case of sindoor, a cosmetic used by married Hindu women for religious purposes, mercury sulfide, lead tetroxide, and lead chromate are compounds suspected to still be involved in...
As part of the Botswana Global Learning Internship Program, a qualitative study was conducted regarding the current staffing conditions at the local village health clinic in Maunatlala, Botswana. This was a month-long project conducted over the summer of 2018. Students from Oregon State University lived in the village of Maunatlala...
This thesis project has the following specific objectives: (i) Determine pathogenicity of Globodera ellingtonae to potato utilizing two trials conducted over a 16 week period, (ii) Elucidate the host range of G. ellingtonae using a variety of different Solanum weed species and crop species, and (iii) Characterize population decline of...
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNA molecules that are at least 200 nucleotides long and do not encode proteins. lncRNAs have roles in gene regulation, chromatin epigenetics, and molecular scaffolding. In light of mounting evidence implicating species-specific noncoding RNAs and gene regulatory mechanisms in species adaptations, it is reasonable to...
Natural products (secondary metabolites) are small organic molecules derived from plants, microbes, and marine organisms that have served as a diverse source of useful compounds pharmaceuticals. New biologically active natural products are critical as anti-infective and cancer drug leads. Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, produce diverse cytotoxic metabolites that represent potential...
Endogenous circadian clock regulation is essential to normal rhythmicity, particularly the timing of hormone release in the brain. In the context of mammalian reproduction, a surge of a specific hormone, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), initiates a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland, which is required for ovulation in...
Various flavonoid-rich plant extracts have shown efficacy in the treatment of diabetes. Although it is often assumed that dietary flavonoids exert biological antioxidant effects, it is possible that the observed effects work in carbohydrate metabolism. In this study we evaluated the effect of catechins and catechin containing extracts on α-amylase...
Natural disturbances and human activities can alter the benthic composition of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems. Reef fishes that associate with particular structures on the sea floor, such as coral heads, may be vulnerable to perturbations of those habitats. The spread of a newly discovered crustose alga (Ramicrusta sp.)...
The entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana are commercially available as microbial control agents for the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the key root-feeding insect pest in Pacific Northwest small fruits and ornamentals. Understanding habitat selection is critical to improve the efficacy, persistence and cost of...