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A Comparison Of Boltzmann And Gibbs Definitions Of Microcanonical Entropy For Small Systems, Randall B. Shirts Dec 2012

A Comparison Of Boltzmann And Gibbs Definitions Of Microcanonical Entropy For Small Systems, Randall B. Shirts

Faculty Publications

Two different definitions of entropy, S= klnW, in the microcanonical ensemble have been competing for over 100 years. The Boltzmann/Planck definition is that W is the number of states accessible to the system at its energy E (also called the surface entropy). The Gibbs/Hertz definition is that W is the number of states of the system up to the energy E (also called the volume entropy). These two definitions agree for large systems but differ by terms of order N-1 for small systems, where N is the number of particles in the system. For three analytical …


Cultural Thinning Of Native Sagebrush Stands To Increase Seed Yields, Kurt David Elder Dec 2012

Cultural Thinning Of Native Sagebrush Stands To Increase Seed Yields, Kurt David Elder

Theses and Dissertations

Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) is an important native shrub in the Great Basin because of its wide distribution where it dominates over 60 million ha and provides essential habitat and forage for many varied species. The hand collection of sagebrush seed often results in seed scarcity and the available seed quantities are at times inadequate to revegetate large areas that have been disturbed, resulting in a demand for sagebrush seed. Study locations were selected near Scipio and Sahara sand dunes of Utah, and treatments were 1-) control, no treatment applied area left undisturbed 2-) general chemical strip …


Transcriptome And Methylation Analysis Of Gossypium Petal Tissue, Aditi Rambani Dec 2012

Transcriptome And Methylation Analysis Of Gossypium Petal Tissue, Aditi Rambani

Theses and Dissertations

Polyploidization instantly doubles all genome content by combining two genomes that have markedly different methylation and gene expression levels. This process may be accompanied by genetic and epigenetic changes in each genome. Sequencing of the transcriptome (RNA-seq) and the methylome (bisulfite treated libraries whole genome libraries) were used to measure gene expression and methylation levels of genic regions of allopolyploid cotton petals and petals of their diploid relatives. Many differentially expressed genes detected by RNA-seq were consistent with expression levels previously detected by microarrays. RNA-seq results also reconfirmed the presence of general polyploid gene expression trends like expression level dominance …


Transcriptome Analysis Of Drought Induced Stress In Chenopodium Quinoa, Joshua Arthur Raney Dec 2012

Transcriptome Analysis Of Drought Induced Stress In Chenopodium Quinoa, Joshua Arthur Raney

Theses and Dissertations

RNA-seq transcriptome analysis of Chenopodium quinoa at different water treatment levels was conducted in a greenhouse study using four water treatments (field capacity to drought) on a valley ecotype quinoa (variety Ingapirca) and an Altiplano Salares ecotype quinoa (variety Ollague). Physiological results support the earlier findings that the Salares ecotypes display greater tolerance to drought-like stress conditions than the valley ecotypes (as determined by growth rate, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and stem water potential). cDNA libraries from root tissue sample for each treatment x variety combination were sequenced using Illumina Hi-Seq technology in an RNA-seq experiment. De novo assembly of …


The Pre-Application Of Hydrocortisone Cream And Its Effect On Transdermal Drug Delivery By Phonophoresis, Patrick Thomas Webb Dec 2012

The Pre-Application Of Hydrocortisone Cream And Its Effect On Transdermal Drug Delivery By Phonophoresis, Patrick Thomas Webb

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Transdermal delivery of hydrocortisone by phonophoresis is used for the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Research shows hydrocortisone and other white or opaque topical preparations transmit ultrasound energy poorly. Effective transmission of ultrasound is important in phonophoresis. Main Outcome measured: Samples of subcutaneous interstitial fluid were collected during and for 20 minutes following phonophoresis treatment. Cortisol concentrations were analyzed by an enzyme linked immune-assay (ELISA) test. Objective: Determine the subcutaneous cortisol concentration after two different phonophoresis treatments using a 2.5% hydrocortisone preparation. Design: Randomized design in which 22 healthy participants were assigned to receive a phonophoresis treatment where: 1) hydrocortisone …


Long-Term Depression Of Excitatory Inputs To Gabaergic Neurons In The Ventral Tegmental Area, Philip J. Sandoval Dec 2012

Long-Term Depression Of Excitatory Inputs To Gabaergic Neurons In The Ventral Tegmental Area, Philip J. Sandoval

Theses and Dissertations

Dopamine cells within the ventral tegmental area of the brain are involved in motivation and reward. Drugs of abuse target these dopamine cells altering their activity and plasticity resulting in addiction. While dopamine cell activity is primarily involved in addiction, the GABA neurons in the VTA have also been shown to have an indirect role. By decreasing the activity of the inhibitory GABA inputs onto dopamine neurons abusive drugs can indirectly increase dopamine cell activity resulting in addictive behaviors. However, although GABA neurons are important in the perception of reward, much less is known about how the excitatory inputs to …


A Tree Theory Case Study In Steinernema, Camille Eileen Finlinson Porter Dec 2012

A Tree Theory Case Study In Steinernema, Camille Eileen Finlinson Porter

Theses and Dissertations

It is widely assumed that current phylogenetic methods are fairly accurate at recovering the evolutionary relationships among different species, but evaluating the relative success of this enterprise is a difficult task. This study addresses some fundamental questions associated with generating phylogenetic trees. The complete genomes of five species of Steinernema were sequenced and assembled. Genes were predicted in AUGUSTUS and orthologous genes were found from those data using OrthoMCL. I aligned 3890 genes in MAFFT and eliminated poorly aligned positions with GBlocks. I created individual trees for each gene as well as a supermatrix tree in PAUP*, using a closely …


Mtor Pathway Activation Following Sciatic Stimulation In Wild-Type And Desmin Knockout Mice, Daniel S. Nelson Dec 2012

Mtor Pathway Activation Following Sciatic Stimulation In Wild-Type And Desmin Knockout Mice, Daniel S. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

The 52 kDa intermediate filament protein desmin plays an important role in force transmission in skeletal muscle by connecting myofibrils at Z-lines and to the sarcolemma. Desmin content in muscle adapts to contractile activity and may be involved in cellular signaling mechanisms responsible for muscle growth. Purpose: To compare signaling responses of the mTOR pathway in wild type (WT) vs desmin knock out (KO) mice. Methods: WT (n=12) and KO (n=12) mice were exposed to high frequency electric stimulation of the left hindlimb to elicit an acute response of the mTOR pathway. Non-stimulated right hindlimbs were used as a within …


Thin Soils And Sacbes: The Soil Resources Of Uci, Yucatan, Mexico, Zachary S. Larsen Dec 2012

Thin Soils And Sacbes: The Soil Resources Of Uci, Yucatan, Mexico, Zachary S. Larsen

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to use pedological evidence in conjunction with Geographic Information Systems, and soil physical and chemical analyses as means to better understand the agricultural landscape surrounding the ancient Maya city of Uci. Specifically, the query of this thesis is to determine whether there is an association between settlement density and soil resources, and what relationship if any there is between the ancient sacbe of Uci and its surrounding agricultural potential. Stable carbon isotope analysis of the humin fraction of the soil organic matter was conducted on several profiles from karst depressions known as rejolladas near …


Characterization Of Sterile Tassel Silky Earl: A Homeotic B-Class Gene Involved In Specification Of Floral Organ Identity In Zea Mays, Steven Keith Williams Dec 2012

Characterization Of Sterile Tassel Silky Earl: A Homeotic B-Class Gene Involved In Specification Of Floral Organ Identity In Zea Mays, Steven Keith Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Specification of floral organ identity in angiosperm flowers is accomplished by the coordinated activity of A-, B-, C-, and E-class MADS-box genes. In the eudicots, B-class genes specify petal and stamen identity. This eudicot B-class function depends on the simultaneous expression of genes from two paralogous B-class lineages (the DEFICIENS/APETALA3 lineage and the GLOBOSA/PISTILLATA lineage). Proteins produced by genes from these two lineages interact as obligate heterodimers and together regulate the transcription of various downstream targets. These obligate heterodimers also positively regulate the transcription of the B-class genes themselves, thereby mediating a unique B-class autoregulatory feedback loop. There is compelling …


Psychological Well-Being And Dietary Quality Of College Women: Examining The Confounding Influence Of Sleep And Physical Activity, Whitney Ann Hebbert Dec 2012

Psychological Well-Being And Dietary Quality Of College Women: Examining The Confounding Influence Of Sleep And Physical Activity, Whitney Ann Hebbert

Theses and Dissertations

Objective. To determine the relationship between overall psychological well-being and stress on diet quality among young adult women and to examine the potential confounding influence of season, physical activity and sleep on these relationships. Design/Participants. The study used a cross-sectional design. Three hundred and fifty-one women were recruited to participate in the study. All participants were university students (20.2 ± 1.6 y). Overall psychological well-being was assessed using the General Well-being Schedule (GWB) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Diet intake was measured using three 24-hour recalls over a seven day period. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was calculated to …


A Survey Of Invasive Exotic Ants Found On Hawaiian Islands: Spatial Distributions And Patterns Of Association, Camie Frandsen Martin Dec 2012

A Survey Of Invasive Exotic Ants Found On Hawaiian Islands: Spatial Distributions And Patterns Of Association, Camie Frandsen Martin

Theses and Dissertations

An intensive sampling of all ant species encountered on 6 Hawaiian Islands: Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, and Lanai took place between 1988 and 1996. Species presence and absence was recorded at each site. Using remote sensing, variables were added insitu and used throughout my analysis. Species accumulation curves suggest that sampling was comprehensive. There is a significant trend between island area and species richness which validates the Theory of Island Biogeography for invasive species. Islands were found to be significantly nested by area, order, and tourism. Cluster analysis shows a link between elevation, land-use and island, and species …


Effects Of Chemical Stimulation And Tumor Co-Incubation On Macrophage Activation And Aggressiveness, Measured Through Phagocytosis And Respiratory Burst, Bo Marcus Gustafsson Dec 2012

Effects Of Chemical Stimulation And Tumor Co-Incubation On Macrophage Activation And Aggressiveness, Measured Through Phagocytosis And Respiratory Burst, Bo Marcus Gustafsson

Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages are a cornerstone in innate immunity, especially important in detecting and killing invading microorganisms. In tumor biology, the macrophages can contribute both to anti-tumor activity and tumor promotion depending on individual tumor microenvironment and therefore have a large impact on both tumor progression and prognosis. Two of the most important functions of macrophages are the ability to phagocytose microorganisms and then kill them through the respiratory burst. Phagocytosis activates the respiratory burst, but the more subtle interactions between these processes are less known. Since phagocytosis and reactive oxygen species production are two attributes that change between the classically and …


Improving Phosphorus Use Efficiency Through Organically Bonded Phosphorus, Micheal W. Hill Dec 2012

Improving Phosphorus Use Efficiency Through Organically Bonded Phosphorus, Micheal W. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Current maximum efficiency of phosphorus (P) fertilizers that is utilized by plants in the same year of application ranges from near zero to thirty percent. Despite low utilization of P in crop production, yields are often limited by P deficiencies. Innovative technology is requisite to achieve greater efficiency as fertilizer demands are increasing, while phosphorus mineral resources are rapidly being depleted. A growing environmental concern for nutrient pollution of surface waters also carries significant weight. A novel new product, Carbond® P, is promising technology to increase P use efficiency. Research is needed to understand its capabilities and the functioning mechanisms …


Microfluidic Devices With Integrated Sample Preparation For Improved Analysis Of Protein Biomarkers, Pamela Nsang Nge Dec 2012

Microfluidic Devices With Integrated Sample Preparation For Improved Analysis Of Protein Biomarkers, Pamela Nsang Nge

Theses and Dissertations

Biomarkers present a non-invasive means of detecting cancer because they can be obtained from body fluids. They can also be used for prognosis and assessing response to treatment. To limit interferences it is essential to pretreat biological samples before analysis. Sample preparation methods include extraction of analyte from an unsuitable matrix, purification, concentration or dilution and labeling. The many advantages offered by microfluidics include portability, speed, automation and integration. Because of the difficulties encountered in integrating this step in microfluidic devices most sample preparation methods are often carried out off-chip. In the fabrication of micro-total analysis systems it is important …


Habitat Selection Of Greater Sage-Grouse Centrocercus Urophasianus And Northern River Otters Lontra Canadensis In Utah, Matthew D. Westover Dec 2012

Habitat Selection Of Greater Sage-Grouse Centrocercus Urophasianus And Northern River Otters Lontra Canadensis In Utah, Matthew D. Westover

Theses and Dissertations

Greater sage-grouse populations have decreased steadily since European settlement in western North America. Reduced availability of brood-rearing habitat has been identified as a limiting factor for many populations. We used radio-telemetry to acquire locations of sage-grouse broods from 1998 to 2012 in Strawberry Valley, Utah. Using these locations and remotely-sensed imagery, we proceeded to 1) determine which features of brood-rearing habitat could be identified using widely available, fine-scale imagery 2) assess the scale at which sage-grouse selected brood-rearing habitat in our study area, and 3) create a predictive habitat model that could be applied across our large study area to …


Summer Watering Patterns Of Mule Deer And Differential Use Of Water By Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Mule Deer, And Pronghorn In Utah, Andrew V. Shields Dec 2012

Summer Watering Patterns Of Mule Deer And Differential Use Of Water By Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Mule Deer, And Pronghorn In Utah, Andrew V. Shields

Theses and Dissertations

Changes in the abundance and distribution of free (drinking) water can influence wildlife in arid regions. In the western USA, free water is considered by wildlife managers to be important for bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), elk (Cervus elaphus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). Nonetheless, we lack information on the influence of habitat and landscape features surrounding water sources, including wildlife water developments, and how these features may influence use of water by sexes differently. Consequently, a better understanding of differential use of water by the sexes could influence the conservation and management of those ungulates and water …


Microflora Of Traditional Mexican Corn Masa And Its Effect On Folic Acid Degradation, Stephen J. Adolphson Dec 2012

Microflora Of Traditional Mexican Corn Masa And Its Effect On Folic Acid Degradation, Stephen J. Adolphson

Theses and Dissertations

Many Mexican women consume inadequate amounts of folic acid. Fortification of the corn tortilla could be an effective way to help increase the folic acid levels among the Mexican population. Previous studies have shown significant folic acid losses in fortified tortilla dough (masa) as it is held before baking. This loss in folic acid could be due to degradation by lactic acid bacteria naturally present in the masa. The microflora of traditionally made nixtamalized corn masa from six tortilla mills in Guadalajara, Mexico were isolated and characterized, and their effect on folic acid content was evaluated. Isolated bacteria were identified …


Alteration Of Behavior By Desert Bighorn Sheep From Human Recreation And Desert Bighorn Sheep Survival In Canyonlands National Park: 2002 - 2010, Kanalu K. Sproat Dec 2012

Alteration Of Behavior By Desert Bighorn Sheep From Human Recreation And Desert Bighorn Sheep Survival In Canyonlands National Park: 2002 - 2010, Kanalu K. Sproat

Theses and Dissertations

Human encroachment into wilderness areas can influence the persistence of wildlife populations by decreasing and degrading habitat, displacement, and decreasing survival. For bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), some human activities are detrimental, causing both physiological stress and habitat abandonment. Between 1979 and 2000, human recreation has increased over 300% in areas occupied by desert bighorn sheep (O. c. nelsonii) in southeastern Utah. We investigated if an increase in human activity in areas used by bighorns affected their behavior. We observed 34 bighorn sheep using focal-animal sampling for >14 hrs to compare time spent grazing and scanning between areas of high and …


Neural Responses To Food Pictures And Their Association With Dietary Intake, Edward Christenson Dec 2012

Neural Responses To Food Pictures And Their Association With Dietary Intake, Edward Christenson

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Food-related visual cues may affect eating behavior and energy intake. The purpose of this study was to determine the neural response to pictures of food and whether or not the neural responses were associated with energy intake. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, 60 adults participated in this study. Each participant reported to the laboratory in a fasted state, were fitted with a 128-electrode electroencephalogram (EEG) net, and were shown pictures grouped into three categories: high-calorie foods, low-calorie foods, and distractor pictures. These pictures were shown in random order. Furthermore, participants were shown these pictures in one passive condition and …


The Relationship Between Sleep Deprivation, Food Motivation, And Energy Intake In Normal-Weight And Obese Females, Lora Light Romney Nov 2012

The Relationship Between Sleep Deprivation, Food Motivation, And Energy Intake In Normal-Weight And Obese Females, Lora Light Romney

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Sleep deprivation has been proposed as a potential correlate of obesity, particularly influencing energy intake. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare neural indices of attention related to food motivation and energy intake in normal-weight and obese women under two separate sleep conditions: 1) sleep-restricted (<5 hours) and 2) recommended sleep (~8 hours). This study used a combined cross-over and ex post facto design with condition order counter-balanced. Methods: Twenty-two normal-weight (age=30.9±9.5y, BMI=22.0±1.6 kg/m2) and 18 obese (age=29.7±10.7 y, BMI=36.4±5.3 kg/m2) women completed both sleep conditions. To confirm sleep levels, participants recorded sleep quality and quantity via sleep logs and wore a wrist actigraph. Following each condition, participants reported to the laboratory under the same fed state (energy shake ~10% of total daily needs) to verify they followed the sleep protocol. Subsequently, motivation for food was tested using electroencephalogram (EEG); participants completed a computerized passive-viewing task of food and flowers, while event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded. After EEG testing, participants continued their normal routine but recorded all energy intake using weighed food scales. There were no instructions or limitations on dietary intake. Analyses included P300 and LPP amplitudes in response to picture type, total next day energy intake, and energy intake by several periods of the day. Results: Participants averaged 4.7±0.4 hours of sleep during the sleep-restricted condition and 7.7±0.3 hours during the recommended sleep condition (F=1057.02; P<0.0001). There was no group*condition interaction for next day food motivation (P300: F<2.896, P>0.09; LPP: F<2.967, P>0.093). Next day total energy intake also did not differ by group*condition (F=1.81; P=0.187). When participants were pooled, there was no difference in energy intake by sleep condition (F=0.00; P=0.953). However, when participants’ energy intake was analyzed during the lunch period (following testing to 1:30pm) there was a …


Microfabrication, Characterization, And Application Of Carbon Nanotube Templated Thin Layer Chromatography Plates, And Functionalization Of Porous Graphitic Carbon, David S. Jensen Nov 2012

Microfabrication, Characterization, And Application Of Carbon Nanotube Templated Thin Layer Chromatography Plates, And Functionalization Of Porous Graphitic Carbon, David S. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation contains the following sections. Chapter 1 contains a detailed description of the theory of thin layer chromatography (TLC). Chapter 2 describes the benefits and practical considerations of elevated temperatures in liquid chromatography (LC). The porous graphitic carbon (PGC) I modified as part of my work is often used in elevated temperature LC. Chapter 3 shows a thermodynamic analysis of chromatographic retention at elevated temperature, and Chapter 4 contains a closer look at the van 't Hoff equation in LC and how it can be used in retention modeling. In Chapter 5, I describe a new procedure for microfabricating …


Deposition And Characterization Of Hydrophobic Coatings, Vipul Gupta Nov 2012

Deposition And Characterization Of Hydrophobic Coatings, Vipul Gupta

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrophobic coatings find application in various sectors of the economy including to electronics, textiles, optical devices, and in scientific and commercial equipment. These different applications demand that different hydrophobic coatings posses a range of properties that may include smoothness or roughness, thicknesses on the order of a monolayer or a micron, robustness or the ability to dissolve quickly, transparency or opacity, water resistance or water permeability, electrical conductivity, oleophobicity, etc. However, whatever the final/desired properties, deposition via dry-deposition processes offers significant advantages, including greater reproducibility, increased environmental friendliness, and cost effectiveness on an industrial scale. Herein I explore the chemical …


Mechanism Of Action Studies On A New Class Of Anticancer Nucleosides, Megan E. Browning Nov 2012

Mechanism Of Action Studies On A New Class Of Anticancer Nucleosides, Megan E. Browning

Theses and Dissertations

We have completed mechanism of action studies on a new class of anticancer nucleosides typified by a novel nucleoside discovered in our lab, MAP-870. In order to study the mechanism of MAP-870, several experiments were completed on a colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line, HT-29, including trypan blue cell count, sulforhodamine B assays, flow cytometry of cell cycle, propidium iodide incorporation, and phosphatidylserine externalization, Caspase-Glo3/7 assays, DNA fragmentation gel, cyclophilin A release gel, PAMPA, and confocal imaging. Sulforhodamine B assays show that MAP-870 does indeed cause growth inhibition and cell death in the model tested. PAMPA assays show that MAP-870 does not …


Regulation Of Sensory Neurogenesis In The Trigeminal Placode: Notch Pathway Genes, Pax3 Isoforms, And Wnt Ligands, Jason Samuel Adams Nov 2012

Regulation Of Sensory Neurogenesis In The Trigeminal Placode: Notch Pathway Genes, Pax3 Isoforms, And Wnt Ligands, Jason Samuel Adams

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is divided into three chapters, each discussing the study of different regulatory molecules involved in sensory neurogenesis occurring in the trigeminal placode. Chapter one is a spatiotemporal description of Notch pathway genes in chick opV placode by stage-specific expression analysis, showing expression of many Notch pathway genes and effectors in the opV placode. Notch pathway gene expression is primarily confined to the ectoderm with highest expression of these genes at the beginning stages of peak neuronal differentiation. This information preceded studies of the functional roles that Notch signaling has in the opV placode and how it may affect …


Healthy And Unhealthy Diet Intake And Carotid Intima Media Thickness In Older Adults, Kelsey Joelle Da Silva Oct 2012

Healthy And Unhealthy Diet Intake And Carotid Intima Media Thickness In Older Adults, Kelsey Joelle Da Silva

Theses and Dissertations

Background -- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a primary premature killer of adults and risk of CVD has been linked to modifiable risk factors including dietary intake. Many diet assessment tools are costly, time consuming, and complicated. This study investigated the relationship between diet quality and cardiovascular disease risk as indicated by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) using a validated, simple, self-administered rapid food screener. Methods -- Participants were 51 male and 33 female older adults with an average age of 67 years. Carotid intima-media thickness was assessed using B-mode high resolution diagnostic ultrasound. Unhealthy and healthy diet intake was assessed using …


Loss Of The Lipopolysaccharide Core Biosynthesis Rfad Gene Increases Antimicrobial Chemokine Binding And Bacterial Susceptibility To Ccl28 And Polymyxin: A Model For Understanding The Interface Of Antimicrobial Chemokines And Bacterial Host Defense Avoidance Mechanisms, Cynthia S. Lew Aug 2012

Loss Of The Lipopolysaccharide Core Biosynthesis Rfad Gene Increases Antimicrobial Chemokine Binding And Bacterial Susceptibility To Ccl28 And Polymyxin: A Model For Understanding The Interface Of Antimicrobial Chemokines And Bacterial Host Defense Avoidance Mechanisms, Cynthia S. Lew

Theses and Dissertations

In order to better understand the mechanism of antimicrobial chemokine activity, including binding to and killing of bacteria, random transposon mutagenesis was performed in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Resulting mutants were screened for increased binding to chemokine and high binding clones were selected for further study. One mutant, designated mutant 27, was found to have a single insertion mutation in the rfaD gene. The rfaD gene product is involved in heptose biosynthesis, one of the sugars of the inner core oligosaccharide of Gram- negative lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Mutant 27 was found to bind both CCL25 and CCL28, two antimicrobial chemokines, more efficiently than …


Membrane Properties Involved In Calcium-Stimulated Microparticle Release From The Plasma Membranes Of S49 Lymphoma Cells, Lauryl Elizabeth Campbell Aug 2012

Membrane Properties Involved In Calcium-Stimulated Microparticle Release From The Plasma Membranes Of S49 Lymphoma Cells, Lauryl Elizabeth Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

The mechanism of microparticle shedding from the plasma membrane of calcium-loaded cells has been investigated in erythrocytes and platelets. Recent studies have revealed the physiological and clinical importance of microparticle release from nucleated cells such as lymphocytes and endothelium. The experiments of this study were designed to address whether simple mechanisms discovered in platelets and erythrocytes also apply to the more complex nucleated cells. Four such mechanisms were addressed: potassium efflux, transbilayer phosphatidylserine migration, cytoskeleton degradation, and membrane lipid order. The rate and amount of microparticle release in the presence of a calcium ionophore, ionomycin, was assayed by light scatter …


Characterization And Variable Expression Of The Cslf6 Homologs In Oat (Avena Sp.), Melissa A. Coon Aug 2012

Characterization And Variable Expression Of The Cslf6 Homologs In Oat (Avena Sp.), Melissa A. Coon

Theses and Dissertations

(1,3;1,4)-β- D-glucan (β-glucan) is a plant cell wall hemicellulose and a main component of endosperm cell walls. The Cellulose Synthase F family of genes is involved in the synthesis of β-glucan. In this study full-length genomic sequences of CslF6 were obtained from multiple Avena species. Three unique alleles were found in each A. sativa line. Comparisons of these alleles to diploid Avena species allowed for identification of the genomic origin of each allele. The A and D genome alleles had identical amino acid sequences while the C-genome had 13 different amino acids. Global expression of CslF6 was completed at three …


Effectiveness Of Phosphorus Fertilizers In Hydroponics And Glasshouse Settings With Moderate And High Organic Matter Soils, Jeffrey Sean Christian Summerhays Aug 2012

Effectiveness Of Phosphorus Fertilizers In Hydroponics And Glasshouse Settings With Moderate And High Organic Matter Soils, Jeffrey Sean Christian Summerhays

Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) is poorly soluble in most soils and, thus, has poor plant uptake efficiency. AVAIL® and Carbond P (CBP) are new fertilizer products shown to increase P use efficiency (PUE) and increase crop yields when grown in P limiting soils. Carbond P has specifically been seen to increases P uptake and crop yields in soils low in P, although effectiveness in regards to soil organic matter is unknown. The objectives of these studies were to determine if the mode of action for these products is related to physiological response, to determine if Carbond P is toxic to plant roots …