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Distribution And Proportion Of Immunoreactive Neuron Specific Enoclase Containing Cells In The Rat Pineal Gland, Alfonso Miranda C.

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The distribution and proportion of cytoplasm containing immunoreactive neuron specific enolase (NSE) in the rat pineal have been investigated. Step serial sections of the pineal glands of 7 male Sprague-Dawley rats were stained for NSE using an indirect immunoperoxidase method. The volumes of the pineals and of the regions containing reactive cells were derived from the distance between sections and the sum of the corresponding sectional areas of camera lucida drawings. The proportion of the NSE areas actually consisting of NSE reactive cytoplasm was measured using an image array processor.

Cytoplasm reactive for NSE was consistently localized to the posterior …

The Effect Of Feeding, Bilateral Parotidectomy, And Pilocarpine Treatment On Parotid Hormone Secretion In The Pig, Jocelyn Celestin

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The effect of feeding, bilateral parotidectomy, pilocarpine treatment, visual and olfactory, and masticatory stimuli on parotid hormone (PH) secretion is reported. Feeding a regular chow was shown to be a potent stimulus for PH secretion. The parotid endocrine system is highly sensitive to the eating stimulus, since a period of feeding lasting 30 sec is enough to cause a significant increase in PH secretion. The parotid glands are the principal source of PH as shown by the marked decrease in basal PH titer, and a virtual absence of response of PH to feeding in parotidectomized pigs. Pilocarpine administration provoked profuse …

The Zinc Status Of Pregnant Vegetarian Women, Michelle J. Abu-Assal

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The zinc status of twelve lacto-ovo-vegetariah pregnant women and seventeen non-vegetarian pregnant women was evaluated. Zinc intakes were calculated from three-day dietary records and twenty-four hour dietary histories. Plasma zinc levels were drawn during the last trimester of pregnancy and approximately ten weeks postpartum. Gestational age at birth, birthweight, and APGAR scores of the infants born were obtained from the medical charts. Dietary zinc intakes for the vegetarians (10.5 ± 4.0 mg) did not differ significantly from the intakes of the non-vegetarians (10.9 ± 3.0 mg). The vegetarian last trimester plasma zinc levels (47.9 ± 12.4 mcg/dl) and postpartum plasma …

Covalent Binding And Other Mechanisms Of Primaquine Toxicity, Lucille S. K. Chau Yau

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A dose-dependent covalent binding of primaquine to mouse liver microsomal protein was found in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The binding in vitro was linear during the first 90 minutes of incubation and dependent on the concentration of mouse liver microsomal protein. The in vitro covalent binding was markedly enhanced by cofactors. Pretreatment of mice with phenobarbital, a cytochrome P450 inducer, increased the microsomal cytochrome P450 content and the in vitro covalent binding significantly. Binding was markedly inhibited when microsomal metabolism inhibitors (SK&F-525A, metyrapone and piperonyl butoxide), and sulfhydryl-contai ni ng compounds were added to the incubation system. …

Age-Changes Of The Neuronal Component Of Meissner Corpuscles In The Mouse Digital Pad, Roger C. Mathewson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Silver impregnated sections of mouse digital pads were studied using light microscopy to detect age-related changes of the neuronal component of Meissner corpuscles. Direct microscopic observation, photomicrographs and camera lucida tracing were utilized. From qualitative observation, the corpuscular neurites were found to undergo morphological age-related changes of diameter, tortuosity, varicosity, branching and terminal expansion size. Quantitative examination was made of the number of corpuscles, corpuscular neurites, branching neurites, cross-innervations, terminal neurite expansions, neurite intraepidermal continuations and terminal axonal processes. The number of corpuscles and neurite intraepidermal continuations decreased with age while having significant linear correlation; whereas, branching increased with age …

Baseline Study For Monitoring Variations In Nitrate Concentration In Surface Waters Of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park In Relation To Watershed Types, Lester E. Harris Iii

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to compare the variations in nitrate concentration in the surface waters of five different watershed community types at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Monthly water samples were collected at selected sites below each watershed and analyzed by use of a specific ion electrode for nitrate concentration. Results indicate that variations in nitrate concentration are influenced by seasonal variation in rainfall. The yellow pine forest/chaparral watershed showed the highest mean nitrate concentration, three to four times higher than the other watershed types analyzed. Peak nitrate concentrations did not approach the maximum safe limit for human or …

The Copper Status Of Vegetarian And Non-Vegetarian Men, Susan Bruce

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In this study, the copper status of 18 vegetarian and 17 non-vegetarian men were compared. Copper status was assessed by determining red blood cell superoxide dismutase (RBC-SOD) activity and plasma copper. Plasma copper levels were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Plasma cholesterol, triacyclglycerols, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol VLDL cholesterol were also determined. Twenty-four hour recalls and three-day food records were obtained to determine copper, zinc, energy, protein, fat, fiber, saturated fat, oleic acid, linoleic acid and cholesterol intake. Non-vegetarians had a significantly higher plasma cholesterol and LDL cholesterol than vegetarians. They also had a significantly higher cholesterol, saturated fat, percent …

Vascular Effects Of Physalia Physalis Venom, Jose S. Loredo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of Physalia physalis (Portuguese Man-of-War) venom on vascular smooth muscle and elucidate its mode of action. We utilized the in vivo approach by functionally isolating the skeletal muscle vasculature of the dog's hind leg, and the in vitro approach by studying rabbit arterial ring segments.

Twelve male mongrel dogs were anesthetized with 35 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital. Arterial pressure was measured from the aortic arch and the cranial femoral artery, a cephalad branch of the femoral artery. The skeletal muscle venous blood flow of the hind leg was functionally isolated. Femoral …

Conformational Analysis Of Nonsteroidal Estrogen Analogs, Robert N. Spady

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In target tissue, estrogens initiate a series of events, ending in protein synthesis, by binding to a cytoplasmic receptor. Once the estrogen binds, the receptor complex is activated--a process including dimerization of the estrogen complex with another subunit. In order to study the possible receptor-ligand interactions, conformational analysis was performed on several nonsteroidal estrogen analogs, using the CAMSEQ8 molecular mechanics program.

The probability that a molecule will exist in a given conformational energy well depends both on the energy and the shape of the well. A method has been previously worked out to calculate probabilities using both of these variables, …

Effects Of The Removal Of Adherent And Phagocytic Cells On The Spleen Cell Lymphoproliferative Response Of Tumor Bearing Mice, Aileen M. Hyde

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Cell-mediated immunity was investigated in two BALB/c mouse tumor systems using the lymphocyte transformation test with phytohemagglutinin as the mitogen. This lymphoproliferative response was quantitated using the Stimulation Index (SI). Spleen cells from mice injected with #51 cells, a chemically-transformed colon cell line, produced a SI value equal to that of normal mice. There was no evidence for suppressor cell activity in cell mixing experiments in which spleen cells from #51 cell-injected mice were mixed with spleen cells from normal mice. Following macrophage removal by Sephadex G-10 columns an d carbonyl iron ingestion, there were no significant changes in the …