Immune checkpoint inhibitors have not been effective for immunologically “cold” tumors, such as prostate cancer, which contain scarce tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. We hypothesized that select tissue-specific and immunostimulatory bacteria can potentiate these immunotherapies. Here we show that a patient-derived prostate-specific microbe, CP1, in combination with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, increased survival and...
Developing an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is an important precursor to pursuing a STEM career. Given the United States’ relatively low standings in science and math compared to similar industrialized nations and its desire to be competitive in an increasingly STEM-based global economy, policy makers are...
Chapter 1 examines the question of how to sell a firm when potential buyers do not know how many other potential buyers there are. The seller can choose to sell the firm either through bilateral negotiations or through an auction. In equilibrium, if the seller observes the number of buyers...
This multi-study dissertation investigates the nature of musical independence in the instrumental large ensemble and the instructional practices that are used to foster its development. The dissertation is comprised of three separate papers, each addressing different aspects or approaches to the practice of independent musicianship in large ensembles. While each...
This thesis is naturally split into two parts. In the first part, we develop the theory of multi- linear algebra for Tate objects over exact categories endowed with an exact tensor product. We study all possible choices of tensor product and we give a geometric interpretation of the results. In...
This dissertation provides a socio-spatial account of black anarchism that emerges from a central concern with the practice of slaves’ jumps from the slave ship. It demonstrates how a substantive theoretical attention to these jumps generates possibilities for thinking about black radical politics differently. Through death, mobility, destruction, and escape,...
There is a shortage of research models that adequately represent the unique mucosal environment of human ectocervical tissue, which has limited the development of new therapies for treating infection or cancer. I hypothesized that engineering the microenvironment of ectocervical tissue with in vivo-like endocrine and paracrine support, would enable squamous...
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder affecting approximately 1 in 10 reproductive-age women and remains the leading cause of female factor infertility among women of childbearing age. PCOS presents with features of hyperandrogenism, irregular menses and polycystic ovaries. Twin and family studies have demonstrated high heritability estimates...
In this thesis, we study arithmetic phenomena exhibited by polynomial dynamical systems on the projective line. Specifically, given a number field $K$, we are interested in the arithmetic of orbits of points $\alpha\in K$ under polynomials $\phi\in K[z]$. Given such a polynomial $\phi$ of degree $d\ge2$, we prove a lower...
This dissertation contains three chapters on two broad topics in labor economics: the determinants of early career outcomes and the impact of an aging population (and related policies). The first chapter investigates how the retirement slowdown among older Americans has affected the labor market prospects of younger Americans in recent...