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Distribution Of Plutonium In Beagle Dog Liver, Jeffery M. Gearhart

Biology ETDs

Plutonium that reaches the systemic circulation by inhalation, ingestion or through cuts or abrasions is preferentially deposited in the liver and bone. Liver cancer may be an important late effect of this deposition. This study was designed to provide improved quantita­tion of the distribution of plutonium deposited in liver as a result of gradual introduction into the blood by absorption from the lung, com­pared with the immediate introduction by intravenous injection of a soluble form. In this study, Beagle dogs were exposed to an aerosol of ²⁸⁰Pu0₂ or an intravenous injection of ²³⁸Pu or ²³⁹Pu-citrate. Animals …

Respiratory Patterns And Oxygen Uptake In The Garter Snake, Thamnophis Elegans, James Whitney Hicks

Biology ETDs

Eight garter snakes, Thamnophis elegans, were collected in northern New Mexico during July and August. The snakes were kept in an environmental chamber and were entrained to a 141 (0630-2030 h) / 10D (2030-0630 h) cycle for five weeks at 25 C. Ventilation was monitored with a head/body plethysmograph. Pulmonary oxygen uptake was measured by open-system respirometry. Heart rate was recorded with electrodes implanted subcutaneously, bi-lateral to the heart. Ventilation, oxygen uptake and heart rate were measured simultaneously at 25+-1 C. All measurements were recorded continuously for 48-96 hours. As well as investigating the diurnal rhythms of ventilation, oxygen uptake …

Comparison Of Electron Microscopy And Immunoelectron Microscopy With The Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay For The Detection Of Rotavirus And Antibody To The Virus, Maria Del Carmen Monedero

Biology ETDs

Rotavirus has been shown to be an etiological agent of acute gastroenteritis, in human infants and children and in young animals, such as mice, calves, lambs, and pigs. Bovine, porcine, simian (SA-11) rotaviruses and the “0” agent (sheep, goat) have been cultivated in cell cultures. To date the human rotavirus has been propagated only in fetal intestine organ cultures, where it has lost infectivity after a few passages. For this reason, methods of detection of the human rotavirus and serological tests for antibodies to it have been difficult to develop. At the present time there are several techniques that are …

Host Plant Preference In Two Generalist Herbivores, Jody Genelle Gray

Biology ETDs

The host plant preferences of two generalist lepidopteran herbivores were investigated at a field site near Albuquerque from 1977 to 1979. Observations of larvae in the field and measurements of available biomass for each host plant were combined to calculate preference rankings for host plants. Similarly, the relative preference of each herbivore for young or mature leaves was calculated. Both Estigmene acrea (Drury) and Hyles lineata (Fabricius) preferred to feed on Rumex hymenosepalus in the spring. H. lineata is univoltine and was not observed feeding on any other plant species. E. acrea is bivoltine and feeds on Senecio longilobus, Helianthus …

Steroid Hormones And Human Variability: Correlation Of Androgen Levels With Age And Occupation In Normal Subjects, Frances E. Purifoy

Anthropology ETDs

The endocrine system, coordinated with the central nervous system, is an important mediator of the genetic-environmental interactions which influence the development of human phenotypes. For this reason, endocrine parameters provide an important source of information for anthropological studies. This research focuses on the role of the endocrine system in normal human variability, with emphasis on the steroid hormones, which affect numerous aspects of mammalian morphology, physiology and behavior. Preceding the discussion of original research is an extensive literature review on hormonal variation in each of three areas: 1) sex and inter-individual variation, with emphasis on behavior; 2) variation with age, …

Comparative Functional Analysis Of The Masticatory Apparatus In Two Species Of Myotis, David Wesley Reduker

Biology ETDs

Comparative jaw and skull morphologies were analyzed in two closely related species of bats, Myotis volans (aerial insectivore) and Myotis evotis (foliage gleaner). Force vector analyses were performed on each muscle-bone lever system to determine the relative force produced at three designated functional points along the lower tooth row: the incisors, canine, and protoconid of the second molar. Results of the analysis indicate that Myotis evotis not only has a more powerful bite and grip than volans but it also has the potential for a much quicker jaw closure which is most effective at smaller angles of jaw opening. These …

Spatial And Temporal Activities Of The Yellow Mud Turtle, Kinosternon Flavescens, In Eastern New Mexico, Robert Charles Semmler Ii

Biology ETDs

Many small ponds in the eastern plains of New Mexico are inhabited by yellow mud turtles. Some of these ponds are permanent, but many dry out during the year. This makes the terrestrial activity of mud turtles an important aspect of their life history. When turtles were active within the ponds, they showed no preference for permanent over temporary water. There were always more females than males present in the ponds. As water levels receded, aquatic activity lessened and the turtles buried themselves just under the mud near the edge of the pond for a few days and then moved …

Aspects Of The Life History And Reproductive Biology Of The Socorro Isopod, Thermosphaeroma Thermophilum (Crustacea: Peracarida), Stephen M. Shuster

Biology ETDs

Life history and behavioral information on North American isopods are limited and non-existent for the genus Thermosphaeroma. The habitat of T. thermophilum allows easy and accurate collection of field and laboratory data. The relative absence of complicating evolutionary contexts facilitates investigation of sexually selected behavior and morphology. Males are larger than females. Reproduction and mortality are somewhat seasonal. Sex ratio is consistently male-biased, which is attributed to male searching for mates and avoidance of males by non-reproductive females. T. thermophilum is omnivorous. Reproductive timing by females and its contribution to sexual dimorphism are discussed. Males choose mates by size and …

Sulfate Transport In The Sulfate Reducing Bacterium; Desulfovibrio Gigas, Joseph John Ruocco

Biology ETDs

The characteristics and kinetics of sulfate uptake and reduction by Desulfovibrio gigas were studied using radio-labelled sulfate, in order to assess the nature of terminal electron acceptor transport with respect to current membrane transport theory. Although sulfate is not accumulated into an intracellular pool, it is transported across the cell membrane prior to reduction as evidenced by studies on the localization of sulfate binding and reduction by cellular fractions. Sulfate is rapidly bound by whole cells to a stead, -state level which is a function of extracellular sulfate concentration and the availability of an electron donor. Hydrogen sulfide evolution begins …

Cytotoxic Effects Of Vanadium On Pulmonary Alveolar Macrophages, Crystal Joy Sheridan

Biology ETDs

Particles containing vanadium are emitted into the air from fuel oil and coal combustion, and may be inhaled by man. Because such particles are within the respirable size, vanadium may be deposited in the alveolar region of the lung and come into contact with the pulmonary alveolar macrophage. In order to evaluate vanadium cytotoxicity, pulmonary alveolar macrophages were lavaged from dogs, rabbits and rats and then incubated with various concentrations of vanadium pentoxide. The minimum vanadium pentoxide concentration which reduced cell viability from control was 1 mg/m1 for dog macrophages, 2.5 mg/ml for rabbit macrophages and 10 mg/ml for rat …

Egg Recognition And Its Adaptive Significance In Colonial, Altricial Birds, Glen A. Lanier Jr.

Biology ETDs

Naturally occurring populations of three species of colonial, altricial birds, the Piñon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), Great-tailed Grackle (Cassidix mexicanus) and Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) were tested for egg discrimination and the presence of intraspecific brood parasitism such discrimination would imply. Current theory predicts that, based on the intense pressure to increase personal fitness, brood parasitism, or cheating, should occur when a brood parasite's fitness is enhanced relative to a nonparasite's. Due to the high costs of parental care in altricial birds, selection against such cheaters (actual or potential) should also be intense. Egg rejection is the most common selection mechanism …

Natural Selection And Sex Change In Pandalid Shrimp: Test Of A Life History Theory, Eric Charnov

Biology Faculty & Staff Publications

This article presents a graphical approach to the genetical theory of sex change (similar to one recently applied to the evolution of simultaneous hermaphroditism). The graphs will help clarify a set of predictions to be tested against data from Pandalid shrimp. These shrimp are protandrous hermaphrodites (reproduce first as males). The goal is to use the genetical theory to predict the age of sex change. Since these shrimp show much geographic variation in this age, they provide a good opportunity to test the evolutionary model.

Simultaneous Hermaphroditism And Sexual Selection, Eric Charnov

Biology Faculty & Staff Publications

Theory about the evolution of sexual behavior in dioecious species is based on the general assumption that egg production is limited by a female's ability to garner resources to make eggs, not by a lack of sperm to fertilize them. Reproductive success for males is thus limited by access to females (and their eggs). I suggest that egg production by simultaneous hermaphrodites also obeys this principle--that fertilized egg production by an individual is not limited by sperm availability, but by resources allocated to eggs. If true, this suggests that sperm competition (reproduction success through male function) and a form of …

Unequal Sex Ratios In An Unhunted Mule Deer Population In New Mexico, Pamela Cotton

Biology ETDs

The adult sex ratio and the sex ratio at birth was determined for the unhunted mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) population occupying the riverbed area of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro County, New Mexico. The adult sex ratio was computed as the number of yearling and adult males per number of yearling and adult females observed within the effective area of seven linear one-mile transects established on the study area in accordance with the Stake Estimator Technique (Evans 1975). The ratio of 586 males:501 females (117:100) was significantly different from a 50:50 ratio. No evidence was found for …

Clinical Identification Of Mycobacteria Using Character Order Separation Theory, Mary Beth Frankenfeld

Biology ETDs

The intent in undertaking this thesis project was to set up a practical, economic, and reliable method of species identification for Mycobacteria. This was directed specifically at the clinical laboratory setting.

I began by testing the commonly published identification

tests for accuracy and reproduceability. For many of the commonly used tests the reliability left much to be desired. Several months after beginning my research I learned of an evaluation method developed by Dr. Eugene Rypka at Lovelace Foundation. The evaluation method developed by Dr. Rypka (1960) is based on a separation of characters by considering positive, negative or variable results. …

The Genetical Evolution Of Patterns Of Sexuality: Darwinian Fitness., Eric Charnov

Biology Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Lectin Stimulated Human Neutrophil Migration And Cap Formation, Cynthia J. Kuehn

Biology ETDs

Neutrophils have been described as the secretory organ of the inflammatory response (1) and are the main effector cells in host defense against acute bacterial infection (2,3,4,5). However, the mechanism by which cells move directionally toward or away from an inflammatory focus is a biological phenomenon which is poorly understood. Chemotaxis, directional migration, has been defined as a change in the direction of locomotion of a cell or organism, initiated by substances in the environment (6). Chemokinesis, on the other hand, is a change in speed or frequency of turning in randomly moving cells, induced by substances in the environment …

Specimen Catalog & Field Notes, Elizabeth Boyd

Division of Mammals - Field Notes and Catalogs

No abstract provided.