Intraseasonal oscillations in the atmosphere-ocean system can affect weather patterns and regional ecosystems. In turn, these oscillations can be affected by climate variability, resulting in additive and/or non-linear responses of regional ecosystems to climate forcing. In the Northern California Current, a strong correlation was identified between the location of the...
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an abnormal part of aging that mainly affects those over the age of 65. The current therapies are only FDA approved for mild to moderate AD symptoms. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating constituent of Cannabis sativa that has been shown to have beneficial effects on cancer,...
The California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), located on the eastern boundary of the North Pacific Ocean, is highly dynamic, with variable conditions driven by seasonal upwelling, regional oceanography, and broad scale climate patterns. In the last decade, the northeast Pacific Ocean has experienced several marine heatwaves (MHWs), prolonged periods...
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Influenza A Virus both primarily infect the upper respiratory tract, with more severe disease occurring during coinfection than would be caused by either pathogen independently. Until recently, characterization of the interactions between these two pathogens has occurred exclusively in the context of a host or using host-derived...
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is a Knowledge-belief-practice system acquired through intergenerational direct and indirect observations representing past and current understandings of environments and integrates Indigenous value systems. TEK has become a popular topic recently as Indigenous stewarded lands contain more biodiversity and are more adaptable. It is critical for Indigenous...
Aromatic hydrocarbons represent a large class of environmental contaminants that have a broad range of structures, physicochemical properties, and toxicities. Arising from the burning of organic matter, particularly fossil fuels, they are both widespread and abundant in all environmental compartments. Both monoaromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are...
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder experienced by 10–15% of the global population, manifesting as chronic abdominal pain, bloating and inconsistent bowel habits. The search for effective treatments remains ongoing. One promising contender in this realm is kappa-casein glycomacropeptide (GMP), a milk-derived peptide. Its potential benefits stem...
Over the last several decades, potato production has increased globally as it has been recognized as an important component to improving food security. However, potato production has been continuously challenged by pests. Current pest management practices rely heavily on chemical pesticides. Unfortunately, the overuse of pesticides can be harmful to...
Metabolomics has recently gained momentum in biomolecule research and complements the genomics and proteomics research space. Metabolomics strives to detect, identify, and quantify all metabolites present in biological samples. In particular, biomolecular analysis using ultra-performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) has become increasingly important for metabolomic analyses. Similarly,...
Whey protein’s potential for bioactivity is well documented, but there is disagreement on the extent to which it may modulate the immune system towards decreased inflammation. Decreased inflammation is generally perceived as a beneficial bioactivity in foods as excessive chronic inflammation is linked to morbidity and mortality.
This thesis first...
The gut microbiome has been previously implemented in a number of diseases. Of note is its substantial role in metabolic syndrome, which encapsulates a group of conditions that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. Understanding the causal relationships between the gut microbiome and host processes...
Background:
The number of people diagnosed with chronic physical conditions is increasing in the United States. Chronic mental illnesses are also common in the country. Low-income women and those on Medicaid bear a disproportionate burden of chronic conditions and these conditions significantly contribute to obstetric morbidity. Prioritizing preventive measures and...
Play therapy is a unique skill set within psychotherapy that combines the language of play with other forms of communication to promote healing and growth in children and adolescents. This therapeutic approach involves utilizing toys, pretend play, structured and unstructured activities, and various interactions to foster a therapeutic relationship. By...
During applied signal-detection (e.g., airport-baggage screening) human operators can be assisted in their decision-making process by automated devices. Automation implementation is aimed at increasing performance relative to unaided levels. Generally, this intended effect is empirically observed. However, operators consistently fall short of optimal levels of aided performance, indicating suboptimal aid-use...
Aniba rosaeodora commonly known as rosewood is a tree species of great socio-economic value in the Amazon because it is harvested for the extraction of its essential oil, which is used in the production of cosmetics. Since rosewood is a wild species included on the Convention on International Trade in...
The research was conducted in the Fundo Almendra, property of the National University of the Peruvian Amazon (UNAP). The objective was to analyze the gross forest loss in the period 2001-2021 in Fundo Almendra, the relationship between forest loss and local surface temperature, and the role of local communities’ demographics...
A dissertation describing the results of a series of greenhouse experiments conducted to better understand phytoremediation in stormwater bioretention systems.
In the United States, children from underserved racial/ethnic backgrounds encounter greater environmental risk both in terms of the physical environment (e.g., housing quality, access to resources like health services and jobs, and exposure to environmental toxins) and the social environment (e.g., social support, neighborhood crime, racism, and discrimination), due to...
Heterogeneous catalysis modulates the rate and selectivity of reaction processes by
stabilizing a series of intermediate states on solid surfaces, facilitating the production
of many commodity chemicals modern society relies upon. Conventional, thermal
catalytic processes—conducted at elevated temperatures and pressures—source
thermal, mechanical, and chemical potential energy from carbon-hydrogen bonds—
combustion...
Toxin production by cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) in freshwater systems has lasting ecological and human impacts. Nutrients, light availability, hydrology, and microbial community composition impact the frequency and intensity of toxic cyanoHABs. Climate change will exacerbate toxic cyanoHABs, making real time and predictive monitoring a vital tool for managing...
Metabolic defects within the different tissues and cell types of the eye give rise to many human ocular diseases. Polymorphisms in the Cytochrome P450 (CYP) family have been associated with many ocular disorders, particularly Cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1). Mutations in CYP1B1 have been linked to ocular diseases such as Primary...
Cannabis sativa L. is emerging as an economically important crop, particularly for its high levels of cannabinoid production. One of these cannabinoids, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), is the precursor to many well-researched cannabinoids such as the psychotropic delta-9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (Δ9-THCA i.e., THCA) and the medically relevant cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). CBGA has...
In the past fifty years, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have become alarming global pollutants. In 2019, the United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ultimately classified them as emerging contaminants and established an action plan to address PFAS and protect public health through developing, identifying, monitoring, and remediating current...
Background: Against global health disparities and a shortfall of medical personnel, community health workers (CHWs) promise a solution based in lived experience and connection to the health system. To address global and upstream health determinants, CHW programs engage the perspectives of both the workers they employ and the communities they...
This thesis explores the intricate issues surrounding migration at the U.S.-Mexico border, offering diverse perspectives and insights into its drivers, consequences, and ethical dimensions. Through three comprehensive papers, this research offers a nuanced analysis of the complex dynamics influencing the migration crisis. The first examines the historical and theoretical factors...
During the first full school year of the Covid-19 pandemic, two central contexts for adolescent development—home and school—changed utterly. In Oregon, most middle- and high schoolers attended school entirely remotely from the beginning of the pandemic, in March, 2020, through the end of April, 2021, removing both the supports available...
Many queer scholars have made the turn away from orientations that treat Victorian queerness as either “lost” or “hidden.” Adding more complexity to literary theories which center practices of “revealing” queer artifacts, Sharon Marcus, for instance, argues queer encounters exist at the surfaces of Victorian literature. In addition, Anjali Arondekar’s...
The intricate relationship between wildlife health and the quality of their environment is well established, with technological advances increasing our understanding and aiding the unraveling of underlying mechanisms. Large herbivores require forage of sufficient quality to maintain their condition to reproduce and survive, all while warding off parasites and predators...
Water availability is a controlling factor in stream ecosystems with direct influences on habitat and aquatic ecosystem process, but little work has been done evaluating how biota respond to natural variations in low flow conditions during summer, and which biotic or abiotic features in the system may link most closely...
The purpose of this study was to explore how campus climate at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) influences degree completion for Black women. As the number of HSIs has increased in the past decade, there exists a need to understand how Black women fare in such an institutional context. Though there is...
The Pacific Northwest region of the United States is known for quality production of blueberries, blackberries, and red raspberries. However, as the climate shifts to warmer, drier, and more extreme summers, growing these water intensive berry crops is becoming increasingly difficult. Furthermore, water regulations within agriculture are becoming more prevalent...
Oomycete and fungal pathogens threaten food, fiber, and forests around the world. With climate change, these pathogens are expected to emerge more frequently. Evolution can facilitate their emergence through mechanisms such as mutations that change or expand host range. Characterizing evolutionary mechanisms in plant pathogens will contribute to our ability...
In 2022, the Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth noted only 24% of children ages 6 to 17 years achieved the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity daily, with a drop in physical activity as children age (Barriss, 2022). More importantly, children with disabilities have been found...
Phytochemicals from cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, contain a multitude of bioactive compounds that prevent and suppress cancer and promote optimal health. Some of the health promoting effects of cruciferous vegetables are attributed to a class of compounds known as isothiocyanates (ITCs), a potent nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2...
Coastal communities rely on the abundant ecosystem services derived from robust conservation areas in offshore marine waters (Campbell, 2019). United Nations member states support the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework, wherein the 14th guideline asserts the importance of life under water. Protected marine environments are critical to the survival of...
This dissertation consists of three essays that provide comprehensive insights into the complex dynamics shaping entrepreneurial and organizational outcomes. In the first essay I incorporate the Biophilia Hypothesis and the Challenge Hindrance Stressor framework to study entrepreneurial creativity. The findings emphasize the importance of more frequent nature visits for entrepreneurs...
Natural products (a.k.a. secondary metabolites) are produced by living organisms that are not essential for their growth, development, or reproduction, but may play a role in their survival or adaptability in nature. Many secondary metabolites isolated from plants and microbes have found use as molecular probes, drug leads, or medicine...
Investigation on barley genotype contribution to beer flavor is a relatively new area of research but has interest from members of the malting barley supply chain. This body of work builds upon previous studies by approaching it from new angles that further supports the malting and brewing industries’ interests around...
The body of work aims to contribute to the area of Quantitative analysis in Environmental Sciences, and is focused on the microbiome. The underlying theme for the dissertation is methods and workflow. The unique bioinformatics workflow used for the analysis of genomic data was used to answer distinct and pressing...
Null networks are a type of random graph that is favored for the analysis of a wide variety of real-world networks, including gene-regulatory networks, food webs, and species co-occurrence matrices. As a hypothesis-generating tool, null networks are invaluable because they can reveal network motifs and unusual large-scale properties of networks...
Dual use pasture systems, sometimes referred to as dual purpose pasture systems, take advantage of the land being used to maximize multiple outputs from a single area. Developing a system to support both production of grazing livestock as well as pollinator health is of increasing importance in pasture-based farming systems....
Quick and accurate measurements of nanoparticles have important applications in biology, environmental and non-proliferation areas. Calculation of isotopic ratios, particularly in special nuclear materials, has relied on integration of nanoparticle counts and limited the capability of counting minor isotopes. Rapid transient detection method of nanoparticles has demonstrated the effectiveness of...
Following European-American colonization of North America and associated landscape changes, barred owls (Strix varia) underwent a dramatic expansion of their historical range. The barred owl expanded across the previously tree-less Great Plains that had limited their distribution, and into the forests along the west coast. In these western forests they...
Deep learning is now being utilized widely in applications where sensitive data is being used for model training, for example, in health care. In this scenario, any data leakage will cause privacy concerns to whose data records are used to train the model. An attacker can actively cause privacy leakage...
I examine the strong co-variability between the surface divergence and vorticity and how it varies with latitude in the Pacific Ocean using surface vector winds from reanalysis and satellite scatterometer observations. This analysis was motivated in part by a significant correlation between divergence and vorticity over the global oceans that...
Based on current trends both pesticide and plastic production are expected to continue to rise in the coming decade. A growing global population coupled with the effects of climate change are the main drivers of increased pesticide use. Throughout this dissertation pesticides refer to herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Plastic production...
Growing concerns over the rise of anthelmintic resistant populations of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) have led producers to look for alternative means of treatment. These sentiments have been echoed by organic producers, who are restricted from the use of synthetically derived anthelmintics in the US. Chicory has emerged as a potential...