This thesis outlines the development of new elastomeric materials and manufacturing processes for soft robotics. Specifically, this work describes the development of custom material formulations for use in additive manufacturing, additive manufacturing processing techniques for silicone elastomers, and multi-component additive manufacturing techniques. Material synthesis and processing is a gap in...
Centaurea solstitialis L. (yellow starthistle) and C. × moncktonii Britt. (meadow knapweed) are members of the genus Centaurea in the Asteraceae family. Both species have become serious management concerns as invasive species in North America, often displacing native vegetation and costing land managers millions of dollars to eradicate. Seven plants...
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP) are a class of proteins that lack a three-dimensional structure and their prevalence and diverse functions in the cell have only been discovered relatively recently. The intermediate chain (IC) subunit of the microtubule motor protein complex dynein contains an N-terminal disordered region, N-IC, which is central...
In recent decades, there has been increased attention on human exposure to, and subsequently toxicity of, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are widespread organic pollutants and some have been shown to be toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic. This research was focused on understanding the link between global PAH emissions and lung...
Corals have multiple roles in maintaining ocean health and are some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems. The coral animal is host to a multitude of taxa, including symbiotic dinoflagellate algae, fungi, bacteria, protists, and viruses. Environmental stressors and disease agents can perturb the delicate balance of the coral host...
Cytoplasmic dynein is an ATP-dependent, microtubule-based molecular motor involved in the positioning and trafficking of cellular cargo. The cargo binding sub-domain of dynein contains the natively disordered intermediate chain (IC) and the homodimeric light chains (Tctex1, LC8 and LC7). The structure and stoichiometry of this complex, how the light chains...
The focus of this dissertation was to understand protein function and structure ona molecular level. To do this successfully, a variety of biochemical and biophysicaltechniques were employed. A wide variety of techniques were applied to study theproteins of interest in this dissertation to probe protein-protein interactions, proteinfunction, protein structure, and...
We monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally threatened Western SnowyPlover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the Oregon coast from 5 April – 31 August 2016. From north to south, we surveyed and monitored plover activity at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River estuary, the Dunes Overlook, North and South Tahkenitch...
This dissertation examines the impact of the German naturalist and literary figure Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s ideas on twentieth century Anglophone plant morphology and biology. Goethe interpreted the organ forms of flowering plants as metamorphoses of each other. His literary, historical, and philosophical writings suggest themes of alienation from and...
We monitored the distribution, abundance and productivity of the federally threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) along the central and south coast of Oregon from 5 April – 14 September 2017. The project area surveyed and monitored for plover activity from north to south included Sutton Beach, Siltcoos River...