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The Behavioral Ecology Of The Cooperatively Breeding Harris' Hawk In Southeastern New Mexico, James Cary Bednarz

Biology ETDs

I describe the breeding pattern and system of the Harris' Hawk (Perebuteo unicinctus) and test several hypotheses that have been proposed to explain avian cooperative breeding systems. Individual Harris' Hawks were color-marked and monitored for a 40-month period in southeastern New Mexico. Between 29% and 70% of Harris' Hawk social units made a second breeding attempt in either late summer or autumn within each year, often following successful spring breeding. Clutches were initiated between 17 February and 1 November. The interbrood period was positively correlated with the size of the first brood. The number of second nests initiated was correlated …

The Effects Of Molecular Weight And Degree Of Substitution Of Cationic Starch On The Sizing Efficiency Of Alkenyl Succinic Anhydride, George T. Nebel

Paper Engineering Senior Theses

Alkenyl Succinic Anhydride (ASA) is a cellulose reactive size used in neutral to alkaline papermaking. Since ASA exists as an oil at room temperature, it must be emulsified in cationic starch to make it compatible with the aqueous wet and environment.

The advantages of using a cationic starch in an ASA sizing system include improved retention of fines, filler, and size; improved sizing efficiency; and improved strength. Mill and laboratory experience has shown, however, that cationic potato starch is superior to corn starch. Their are two main differences between potato starch and corn starch: (1) potato starch typically has a …

Identification And Analysis Of Ichthyofaunal Remains From Late Pleistocene-Holocene Deposits Of Cheek Bend Cave (40mu261), Maury County, Tennessee, William Clark Dickinson

Doctoral Dissertations

Knowledge of the character of the late Pleistocene-Holocene ichthyofauna of the middle Duck River was acquired as a result of identification and biostratigraphic analysis of numerous fish bone fragments from the well-stratified deposits of Cheek Bend Cave, a small rockshelter situated in the limestone bluffs along the Duck River in Maury County, Tennessee. Forty-five unequivocal fish taxa (representing 12 families) were identified, of which 25 taxa occurred in the Late Wisconsin strata, 33 in Holocene strata, and 13 in both depositional sequences. Fifteen of the Late Wisconsin taxa and 18 Holocene taxa appear to represent initial records for these periods, …

Fetal Whole-Body Fluid, Cardiovascular And Endocrine Dynamics : Computer Analysis Of Regulatory Mechanisms, Peter Stuart Gold

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The dynamics of transcapillary fluid and protein distribution and endocrine regulation of cardiovascular function were studied in chronically instrumented fetal sheep during the third trimester. Average experimental changes in vascular pressures, blood volume, plasma hormone concentrations, hematocrit and plasma protein concentration were analyzed using mathematical modeling and parameter optimization techniques in order to determine values for the major parameters which regulate fluid, protein and endocrine dynamics and to determine endocrine dose-response relationships to changes in cardiovascular function. The hormones which were considered are arginine vasopressin (AVP), angiotensin II (AII), epinephrine (EPI) and norepinephrine (NE). Vascular disturbances which were considered include …

Selenium-Induced Enhancement Of Hematoporphyrin Derivative Phototoxicity In Murine Bladder Tumor Cells, Jeffrey M. Tosk

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The phototoxicity of hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd) to murine bladder tumor (MBT-2) cells was studied in vitro. It was observed that selenium in the form of sodium selenite enhanced Hpd-sensitized photodamage in MBT-2 cells under conditions where the selenite alone was non-toxic. Sodium selenite was found to enhance the fluorescence emission of Hpd and augment the Hpd-sensitized photooxidation of tryptophan. The data indicate that sodium selenite is able to disaggregate Hpd, thereby enhancing Hpd-sensitized phototoxicity.

Running Endurance In 27-Hour Fasted Humans, Kristin A. Carlson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Nine male marathon runners were exercised to exhaustion to determine the effects of a 27-hour fast on endurance performance. Each subject completed two exercise tests at 72% peak oxygen uptake (Vo₂max), one following a 27-hour fast and one three hours after a pre-exercise meal, in random order. Fasting caused a 44.7±5.8% (±SE) decrease in endurance performance (p2(9.3±2.0%), heart rate (8.4±2.4%), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and psychological fatigue, evident within the first 60 minutes of exercise. There was no difference in plasma glucose or epinephrine levels. Muscle glycogen degraded at the same rate (0.48±.15 vs 0.47±.28 u moles …

Late Pleistocene Sciurids From Kokoweef Cave, H. Thomas Goodwin

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Three local (Tamias panamintinus, Ammospermophilus leucurus and Spermophilus variegatus) and five extralocal (Tamias minimus, Tamias palmeri, Marmota flaviventris, Spermophilus townsendii, and Spermophilus lateralis) sciurid species (Sciuridae) were identified from the late Pleistocene-early Holocene Kokoweef Cave paleofauna. This fauna was the first documentation of T. minimus, T. palmeri and S. townsendii from the Pleistocene of the Mohave Desert. The 30-ft sedimentary sequence apparently recorded the mid-to late-Wisconsian introduction of S. lateralis into the Kokweef fauna but otherwise documented general taxonomic stability. The ecological diversity of the fauna was consistent with--but did not require--the hypothesis of more equable late Pleistocene climates, and …

Some Statistical Analyses Of The Climate Of Nacogdoches, Texas For Applications In Natural Resources Management, Alexander Sayok

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Analyses of a variety of climatic variables generated from 80 years (1901-80) of daily precipitation and temperature data collected by the National Weather Service showed that Nacogdoches is characterized by a humid subtropical climate with an average annual precipitation and temperature of 45.96 inches and 65.5°F, respectively. The summer is warm and dry with mean maximum temperature of 91.6°F while winter is mild with mean minimum temperature of 38°F. There were no statistical differences between mean annual temperature and precipitation on the 1951-80 and 1901-80 periods or between any 2 normal periods. Rain days occurred once in every 4 days …

A Demonstration Of Cartographic Modeling For Evaluating Natural Resources, Olufemi Amos Olaleye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cartographic modeling was used to evaluate the natural resources of the Angelina National Forest in East Texas. With the aid of the Map Analysis Package, three models were developed to evaluate historic changes, project future trends and to determine the proximity of resource to a specific location. Accuracies of results were determined at two different scales. MAP estimates at the smaller scales were about 92% and about 98% at the larger scale. Boundary cells were found to be important in improving accuracies of MAP estimates at the smaller scale. The performance of a representative low-cost grid-based system in building cartographic …

The Effect Of Exercise On Food Intake, Growth, Body Composition And Liver Lipogenesis In The Rat, Madeline Dellwo

Masters Theses

Growth, feed consumption, body composition and hepatic lipogenesis were studied in male Wistar rats that were exercised or feed restricted. The study consisted of 5 groups, with 10 animals per group: Sedentary, ad libitum-fed control group (A); Exercised by swimming for 3 hours/day, ad libitum fed (E3.0); Exercised by swimming for 1.5 hours/day, ad libitum fed (E1.5); Sedentary, diet restricted to match weight of E3.0 (R3.0); Sedentary, diet restricted to match weight of E1.5 (R1.5).

The body weights and feed consumption of the two exercised groups were never significantly different. Therefore, it became unnecessary to treat the two diet-restricted groups …

A Survey Of Cellular Slime Molds At Selected Sites On The James River, Virginia, Nathaniel Lemaster Armistead

Master's Theses

The flood plain of the James River in Virginia supports a variety of deciduous forest associations and has not been examined previously for dictyostelids. This thesis is primarily concerned with the results of a survey of dictyostelids at selected sites in the James River basin. Some incidental observations concerning possible ecological relationships between dictyostelids are included.

Seven of the plant communities of Virginia described by Harvill, Stevens and Ware (1984) afe present in the areas surveyed and collection sites were established accordingly: (1) Mountain Pine-Oak Heath, (2) Pine-Oak Heath, (3) Oak-Hickory Forest, (4) Alluvial Hardwood Forest, (5) Beech-Maple-Tuliptree Forest, (6) …

A Survey Of Cellular Slime Molds At Selected Sites On The James River, Virginia, Nathaniel Lemaster Armistead Iii

Master's Theses

Forty-three sample sites representing seven plant associations were surveyed for cellular slime molds in the James River basin from the head-waters to the mouth of the James River. Dictyostelium mucoroides, Q. minutum, Q. purpureum, D. discoideum, Polysphondylium violaceum and P. pallidum were found in all associations. Dictyostelium lacteum was found in all but the Maple-Basswood association. The remaining species were unique to the Alluvial Hardwood association and the following respective forest types: D. polycephalum to Oak-Hickory, D. giganteum to Oak-Hickory and Mixed Mesophytic, and D. rosarium to Mixed Mesophytic. A percentage similarity test indicated that, with regards to the observed …

The Effect Of Pre-Sterile Medium Ph Photoperiod And N6-(2-Isopentenyl)-Adenine (2ip) On Shoot Production During Stage Ii Micropropagation Of Rhododendrons, Lori Longo Smith

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The number of shoots produced during a six week subculture of two Rhododendron sp., cultivars Rocket and Gibraltar was the same for both 16 and 24 hour photoperiods under cool white fluorescent lights, whereas significantly fewer shoots were produced under a 10 hour photoperiod for ‘Rocket.' Increasing concentrations of N₆- (2-isopentenyl)- adenine (2iP) from 0 to 32 μMin Anderson's medium resulted in proportional increases in shoot number. When shoots were cultured in the presence of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 2iP, shoot multiplication was increased significantly over shoots cultured with 2iF alone. No interaction affecting shoot multiplication was …

The Synthesis And Evaluation Of The Cardiovascular Activity Of Novel Imidazole Ring Systems, Joseph E. De Los Angeles

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

An investigation was undertaken to synthesize and evaluate the cardiovascular activity of two imidazole ring systems. Imidazoles with hypotensive activity would provide novel potential antihypertensive drugs. These novel structures may also find use as chemical probes in the study of the cardiovascular system and as prototypes for other potential cardiovascular agents.

The histamine derivative, 7,7-dipyridyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroimidazo-[4,5-c]pyridine (ligand l), was demonstrated to possess significant hypotensive activity in laboratory rats. A 15 mg/Kg dose of ligand 1 produces a statistically significant decrease in blood pressure when injected IP. This hypotensive effect is also associated with marked increase in heart rate. Although compound 1 …

The Pollen Exostructure Of Striga (Scrophulariaceae), Mark A. Deleonardis

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

In this survey, the pollen exostructure of 13 Striga species was examined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Two of the 13 species were also observed by transmission electron microscopy to assess major differences in exine composition. Striga pollen is consistently spherical to oblate, isopolar, tectate, and three or four colpate. Sculpturing may be psilate, psilate-perforate, finely rugulate, or coarsely rugulate. The equatorial width of the species surveyed ranged from 15 to 30 micrometers. It is concluded that variation in Striga pollen sculpturing, aperture structure, and size support the current taxonomy of the genus.

The Effect Of Dietary Fat Level On Tumor Development And Immunity In Balb/C Mice Fed Casein Of Wheat Gluten As Protein And Challenged With Herpes Type 2-Transformed Cells, Helen Drakou

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A high percentage of fat in the diet has been implicated through epidemiological studies in several human cancers. Studies in experimental animals have produced evidence that increasing the fat in the diet decreases the animal’s ability to restrict tumor development and growth. In previous work done in this laboratory with BALB/c mice injected with herpes simplex Type 2-transformed mouse cells (H238), the effects of a diet which greatly enhanced tumor growth was compared with one which restricted tumor growth. The latter, a low (5%) fat, low protein diet, in which the protein was casein, was also found to produce a …

The Expression Of Dna Restriction-Modification Genes Of Escherichia Coli K12, Ainu Prakash

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

To facilitate the study of the expression of hsd genes in Escherichia coli K, hsdK::MudX (amp crop lac) operon fusion mutants have successfully been constructed and characterized for the first time. The results indicate that Promoters 1 and 2 for hsdK genes appear to be relatively weak, as reflected by about 50 units of beta-gal activity. Both promoters were active in all the conditions tested except during Beta-gal activity was higher in aerobic than in anaerobic growth; at 30°C and 37°C than at 42°C; and in L-broth early log phase of the culture. than in minimal media. Potential future uses …

Relationship Between Dietary Intake And Reproductive Hormones In Premenopausal Vegetarian And Nonvegetarian Seventh-Day Adventist Women, Joan M. Spuehler

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

There is evidence that specific nutrients may modify hormonal balance and contribute to breast cancer etiology. To investigate the relationship between dietary nutrients and plasma reproductive hormones and to determine hormone-nutrient interrelationships, we measured plasma estrogens, androgens. progesterone and prolactin levels in 10 premenopausal Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) vegetarian and 10 premenopausal SDA nonvegetarian women. Over three days in each of three consecutive months. diet records and fasting midluteal blood samples were collected. The nonvegetarians consumed significantly more protein, total and saturated fats, oleic and linoleic acids, and cholesterol than did the vegetarians. Hormonal status of the two groups did not …

Sprague-Dawley Rats Fed Milk Or Beef Protein : Differences In Response To 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine Carcinogenesis, Stanley W. L. Ng

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Colon cancer is responsible for a high percentage of cancer deaths in developing countries, and there is convincing epidemiological evidence that meat protein and fat in the diet increase the incidence of this form of cancer. An animal tumor model which has been used by many investigators interested in colon cancer is the 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-rat or DMH-mouse tumor model. In previous work done in this laboratory the DMH-BALB/c mouse tumor model was used to compare the production of colon tumors in mice fed a diet using non-fat powdered milk as a source of protein with those in mice fed beef …

The Effects Of Certain Oral Bacteria On The In Vitro Growth Of Bacteroides Gingivalis, Steven G. Morrow

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The effect of nine gram positive and grain negative cocci and bacilli, which are indigenous to the oral cavity, on the in vitro growth of Bacteroides gingivalis was examined in this study. A pure culture of B. gingivalis is was obtained from the American Type Culture Collection. The nine oral test organisms were Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacteriurn hofmanii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Branhamella catarrhalis, and Escherichia coli. The effect on the growth of B. gingivalis of the nine test organisms was evaluated on a solid medium by use of …

Apid Increase In Serum Calcium In Response To Stress In Pomoxis Nigromaculatus, Black Crappie, Severn Borden Churn

Master's Theses

Serum calcium levels were determined colorimetrically in Pomoxis nigromaculatus, the black crappie, subjected to rapid changes in temperature. Two experiments were conducted; in the first, fish were exposed to stress for 30 minutes before measuring serum calcium, and in the second, fish were exposed to stress for 5 minutes and returned to normal conditions for 25 minutes before measuring serum calcium. Condit ion (K-value) and sexual development were noted for the fish. Serum calcium increased in all stressed fish, regardless of sex, but higher serum calcium values were observed in stressed mature females than in stressed males or stressed immature …

The Use Of Dura Mater As A Meniscus Replacement In Tmj Surgery, Kim J. Dipasquale

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint is recognized as a problem of significant magnitude in both medical and dental circles. The last decade has seen a steady progression in the knowledge and sophistication of not only the anatomy and physiology of the temporomandibular joint, but also in the techniques of non-surgical and surgical management of internal derangements. Surgical correction of the unrepairable disc has typically been addressed by performing a menisectomy followed by placement of a non-physiologic implant material.

The animal study reported here was performed in order to evaluate the histologic fate and biological compatibility of freeze-dried dura when …

The Effects Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Fertilizer On A Young Loblolly Pine Plantation On Lignite Mine Spoil In East Texas, Martin Andrew Shupe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Five levels of nitrogen fertilizer combined with three levels of phosphorus fertilizer were tested in a two year-old loblolly pine plantation on a lignite mine spoil in East Texas. Growth parameters, foliar and spoil nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were measured after two growing seasons. Nitrogen increased diameter growth during the first year, and foliar nitrogen increased with increasing fertilizer rates for both years. Phosphorus increased height during the first year and over both years combined and also increased diameter during the second year and over both years combined. Foliar phosphorus was increased by nitrogen in the first year. Spoil phosphorus …

A Semiquantitative Analysis Of The Chorda Tympani Taste Pathway In The Rat Brain With The 2-Deoxyglucose Method, Charles L. Hardison

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This thesis is based on a semiquantitative analysis of four nuclear relay centers [nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), parabrachial nucleus (PBN), ventroposteromedial nucleus (VPM), gustatory neocortex (GNC)] in the chorda tympani nerve pathway. Metabolic changes were examined by the 2-deoxyglucose method in which one chorda tympani nerve was chemically stimulated and its contralateral side lesioned. Coronal sections of four taste centers were prepared for autoradiography and Nissl staining. Densities of the autoradiograms were determined by means of a video based image processor. Relative differences in the optical density ratios of the stimulated versus lesioned nuclear grey matter areas to white matter …

Comparison Of Electron And Light Microscopy Of Chromosome Aberration Induced In Human Lymphocytes By Adriamycin And Mitomycin C, Abbas Parsian

Dissertations

The present study was designed to develop a technique to prepare human chromosomes for sequential light and electron microscopic observation and to compare detectability of chromosome aberrations induced by adriamycin and mitomycin C by the two procedures. The technique developed preserved the morphological and structural organization of chromosome while allowing observation of the cell's entire chromosome complement. It was rapid and reproducible and chromosomes could be treated and stained for banding.

Light microscopic data showed that in cultures of human lymphocytes both drugs induce chromosome aberrations. In comparison with controls both drugs produced significantly more chromosome and chromatid fragments. Electron …

Use Of Sugar Substitutes And Dietary Habits Of Pregnant Adolescents In East Tennessee, Mary C. Valdrighi

Masters Theses

Information was collected from 34 pregnant adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 to determine whether consumption of sugar substituted products is a component of their food practices. The concern has been raised that use of sugar-substituted products by pregnant women may lower kilocaloric intake below recommended energy levels resulting in low weight gains. Low maternal weight gain in has been correlated to poor pregnancy outcome. Establishing current usage rates and evaluating the relationship between use of sugar substituted products and overall dietary adequacy was a secondary purpose of this study. Both quality of diet and quantity of nutrients …

Brook Trout Enhancement Through Rainbow Trout Removal By Electroshocking In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Jeanne Dyanne Riley

Masters Theses

Brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis) populations have declined in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park since the early 1900's. The continuing range loss of the Parks' only native trout species has been attributed mainly to the introduced rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri ) . Past studies have indicated that removal of introduced trout by electroshocking results in the enhancement of brook trout populations.

Twelve study streams in the Park were grouped as control and treatment streams. Removal efforts of one, two, and three passes consecutively were conducted on treatment streams to determine the effort needed to control rainbow trout populations. …

Wildlife-Related Perceptions Of Visitors In Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Bruce C. Hastings

Masters Theses

Wildlife viewing has become a popular recreational pursuit in the United States. However, little has been documented about visitor perceptions of wildlife at specific locations. An ideal site for conducting such a study was the Cades Cove region of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Wildlife were abundant and often visible in Cades Cove, resulting in many positive human-wildlife interactions.

A total of 400 visitors were interviewed in their vehicles at the end of an 18 km one-way road through the Cove. Sampling was conducted during July and August of 1983. Participants were asked to take a 10-page questionnaire home to …

Systematics, Distribution, And Biology Of Fishes Currently Allocated To Erimystax (Jordan), A Subgenus Of Hybopsis (Cyprinidae), John Lowrey Harris

Doctoral Dissertations

Intra- and interspecific variation of species of the subgenus Erimystax, genus Hybopsis, are analyzed using multivariate statistical techniques. Diagnoses, descriptions, figures, supporting tables, and distribution maps are provided to facilitate identification of the subgenus and component species. Results of multivariate analyses support the elevation of the Ozark subspecies of Hybopsis dissimilis to specific standing as Hybopsis i. insignis distributed in the lower Tennessee and Cumberland river drainages and H. insignis eristigma found in eastern tributaries of the upper Tennessee River drainage. Populations interpreted as intergrades occur in the Clinch, Powell, and Holston rivers. Two subspecies of Hybopsis x-punctata are recognized …

A Histological Investigation Of The Larval Mandibular Organ In The Mud Crab Rhithropanopeus Harrisii (Gould) (Crustacea Decapoda Xanthidae), Lore Lynn Hantske

OES Theses and Dissertations

Mandibular organs of the mud crab, Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould) were histologically located and followed throughout the larval cycle to determine their role in metamorphosis. Specimens from each day of the four larval stages and the megalopa stage were embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 8 μm, stained and observed under the microscope for the mandibular organs. The organs were located in the mandibular area of second, third and fourth stage larvae. The organs were probably present in the first stage zoeae and in the megalopa stage, although the

techniques of the study were not sensitive enough to observe them. The …