In this thesis I present the results of a comprehensive assessment of the Pacific-North American (PNA) teleconnection pattern in general circulation models (GCMs) and a regional climate model (RCM). The PNA teleconnection pattern is a quasi-stationary wave field over the North Pacific and North America that has long been recognized...
A high-spectral resolution laser-excited molecular fluorescence
system was developed that utilizes a pulsed supersonic expansion to
simplify the fluorescence excitation spectra of large, gas-phase
aromatic molecules diluted in an excess of a monatomic gas. A
microcomputer was used to control and synchronize the instrumental
components, which included a Chromatix CMX-4...
Spectrometric detection systems for gas chromatography
(GC) based on gas phase ultraviolet absorbance
and fluorescence measurements have been developed and
evaluated in this research. Polynuclear aromatic compounds
(PNAs) are selectively detected by these systems.
Limits of detection for PNAs range from 4 ng to 90 ng
for absorbance determinations, and...
Microstructure changes in uranium and uranium/metal alloys due to radiation damage are of great interest in nuclear science and engineering. Titanium has attracted attention because of its similarity to Zr. It has been proposed for use in the second generation of fusion reactors due to its resistance to radiation-induced swelling....
This dissertation uses manipulative experiments to explore amphibian-Bd infection dynamics. Although there has been almost two decades research since the discovery of Bd, many questions still remain regarding what conditions mediate chytridiomycosis virulence. My research shows how certain host and pathogen factors can influence disease virulence. Identifying how host and...
Pseudomonas syringae are plant pathogenic bacteria that cause disease by rapidly multiplying within the aboveground tissues of host plants. Growth of P. syringae within plant host tissues requires the disarmament of host immune defenses that limit microbial growth. To combat host defenses, P. syringae deploys a type III secretion system...
An increase in anthropogenic activities since the industrial revolution, primarily due to burning of fossil fuels and changes in land cover, has resulted in a steady increase in the global mean atmospheric CO2 concentrations. While there is unequivocal scientific evidence on global warming and its multidimensional impacts on natural and...
Cnidarians and their symbiotic dinoflagellates form a productive mutualism that shapes marine environments. In this symbiosis, dinoflagellate species from the family Symbiodiniacea reside within cnidarian host gastrodermal cells and provide the host with photosynthetically fixed carbon in exchange for host metabolites. This nutritional exchange allows both partners to thrive in...
Skeletal muscles provide several functions, including, yet not limited to, voluntary body movement and locomotion, posture and body position, and soft tissue support. Skeletal muscles also play a role in metabolism, requiring energy to facilitate contraction. Each skeletal muscle serves a different purpose despite seeming to perform the same task....
Batch cultures of Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique were grown under iron-, organosulfur-, and nitrogen-limiting conditions to understand how this ubiquitous marine bacterium responds to and interacts with environments where growth is limited by the availability of these nutrients. Global gene expression was monitored using microarrays and quantitative mass spectrometry to observe...