Mangroves are becoming increasingly recognized as important nursery habitats for many juvenile fish and macroinvertebrate species, however little is known about their importance for zooplankton communities. The complex structure of mangrove environments may provide zooplankton populations with shelter, substrate, food, and protection from depredation. These factors could impact zooplankton survival,...
The matrisome is an ensemble of genes that are highly relevant for characterizing the behavior of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during the onset and progression of many diseases. Recent advances in the definition of the matrisome, such as The Matrisome Project, have been instrumental in making more advanced resources available...
During the Late Pre-Hispanic period, settlements in Northern Highland Ecuador were organized under a number of chiefdoms. While a basic hierarchical political system is described in the ethnohistoric literature, the nature of the interactions between specific settlements has remained unknown. This study utilizes two methods for describing the degree and...
Schistosomiasis afflicts 200 million people and is responsible for 200,000 deaths per year. The infection is caused by a digenean trematode in the genus Schistosoma. The parasite must cycle through both a vertebrate (human) and invertebrate (snail) host to complete the life cycle. My dissertation focuses on the genetic mechanisms...
At a time of rapid global change, a socio-ecological system (SES) approach can provide a framework through which to quantify and communicate the risks and uncertainties of coupled human-natural systems. Islands, and tropical coral reef islands in particular, can be excellent models for SES research since they may be considered...
Sites in need of restoration typically have one or more environmental factors that limit seedling establishment; identifying ecophysiological responses to environmental stressors can be advantageous in growing seedlings able to overcome such constraints on survival. To maximize survival after outplanting, seedlings should be grown in a manner that considers both...
A common issue with extracorporeal medical devices is blood clotting due to bio-incompatibility. Systemic anticoagulants are often prescribed to mitigate the coagulation issues. However, such drugs can lead to further complications, for example hemorrhaging. One solution to improve the hemocompatibility of blood-contacting medical devices are biomaterials, such as slippery liquid...
Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women, with an estimated 12.4% of American women diagnosed with this tumor type. Evidence suggests that exogenous disruptors can exert epigenetic changes leading to aberrant gene expression, shifting the cellular balance toward oncogenesis. While chemical pollutant exposure is well-studied, light...
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is secreted in low-amplitude pulses in sexually intact dogs to stimulate synthesis of estrogen and testosterone in females and males, respectively. LH is mainly considered a reproductive hormone, but LH receptors (LHR) have been identified in non-reproductive tissues, including in canine lymphoma and isolated canine T-cell lymphoma...
Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a primary malignant bone tumor sarcoma that occurs in dogs as well as people and has aggressive biologic behavior with devastating consequences. Because of the similarities in morphology and prognosis, OSA in dogs represents an effective model for the equivalent disease in humans. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)...