Life Sciences Commons^™

Morphometric Analysis And Comparisons Of Electrophoretic Protein Profiles Of The Scutellaria Ovata Hill (Lamiaceae) Complex In West Virginia, Virginia And Ohio With Emphasis On Shale Barren Taxa, Eric W. Ewing

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Elements of the Scutellaria ovata complex in the eastern United States are reported to include S. ovata var. pseudoarguta, S. ovata var. rugosa, S. ovata var. virginiana and S. ovata ssp. ovata. All but S. ovata ssp. ovata occur in the shale barren habitat of eastern West Virginia and western Virginia. S. ovata var. pseudoarguta has been proposed as a threatened element in North America. A morphometric study of specimens collected in West Virginia, Virginia and Ohio was undertaken to determine which characters are most useful in separating taxa in the complex. Nineteen characters were assessed from 104 herbarium specimens …

A Study On The Life History And Seasonal Foraging Habits Of The Salamander Desmognathus Quadramaculatus Holbrook, In Wv, Glenn R. Mills

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A study was conducted on Desmognathus quadramaculatus in the northern periphery of its range with some aspects of its life history, surface density, and seasonal foraging habits. The results in this study are compared to studies done on D. quadramaculatus in the southern portion of its range. Female D. quadramaculatus have been found tending egg clutches from June to September in the southern portion of its range and data collected in this study shows that egg deposition also occurs during this period in the northern population. Female size (SVL) at which D. quadramaculatus reach sexual maturity ranged from 57.6- 77.5 …

Nitrogen Transformations In A Mitigated Wetland In The Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, Mark Allen Fisher

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Soil nitrogen (N) dynamics have been shown to be quite sensitive to the soil hydrology. Creation of a mitigation freshwater wetland from an old field provided an opportunity to examine changes in N dynamics in terrestrial, aquatic (but formerly terrestrial), and transition (seasonally inundated) soils.

This thesis determined N availability using in situ incubations of soils taken from three distinct habitat conditions based on the degree of inundation following wetland creation: (1) old field (no inundation), (2) transition (seasonally inundated, initially beneath 10-20 cm of water), and (3) mitigation wetland (permanently inundated). Sample plots were located along five parallel transects …

The Effect Of The Mammalian Hormone Estrogen On The Yeast C̲A̲N̲D̲I̲D̲A̲ A̲L̲B̲I̲C̲A̲N̲S̲, Marcia Clifton Finucane

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Changes in the balance between commensal microbes and mammalian hosts can cause disease if the scales tip in favor of the microbe. Although usually caused by a defective host immune response, overgrowth of or changes in the microbe may also be responsible for opportunistic infections. Clinical and laboratory investigations have indicated that mammalian hormones, including estrogen, can influence the production of symptomatic disease and the virulence attributes of Candida albicans.

This study demonstrated enhanced growth of some strains of C. albicans when 17β-estradiol was added to the growth medium. Measurement of extracellular protein under the influence of estradiol did …

Geographic Variation Of S̲O̲R̲E̲X̲ C̲I̲N̲E̲R̲E̲U̲S̲ In West Virginia, Lisa Jane Gatens

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The morphological and geographical diversity of Sorex cinereus is evident in West Virginia. In an attempt to identify patterns of morphological variation relative to age, sex, and geographic locality, and to clarify taxonomic status of the West Virginia soricids by defining diagnostic characters applicable to this area, a sample of 288 specimens representing three taxa were analyzed statistically. Standard external measurements were recorded, and a series of 12 cranial and dental characters were measured and recorded for each specimen. Morphological variation due to age was found in S. c. cinereus, but not in the smaller reference samples of S. …

Modulated Structures In Electrodeposited Superconducting Ba(1-X)K(X)Bio(3), Chad Bryant Huffman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Compositionally modulated crystals of the superconductor Ba_1-x K_xBiO₃ have been grown electrochemically. Modulation was produced through control of the deposition potential.

Modulated crystals were imaged using optical microscopy, backscattered SEM, and STM. The expected linear relationship between the amount of time that current was applied and the modulation thickness was observed, and the growth rates were determined.

Multilayers were differentially etched using an EDTA solution. Etched and unetched samples were imaged using backscattered SEM.

The transition temperature of a modulated sample was determined by SQUID magnetometry to equal the bulk value.

An Analysis Of Habitat Utilization And Feeding Ecology Of Plethodon Richmondi And Plethodon Cinereus In Northern West Virginia, Peter A. Kramer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Studies were conducted on the comparative microhabitat requirements and feeling habits of the ravine salamander, Plethodon richmondi and the redback salamander, P. cinereus in northern West Virginia. Plethodon richmondi had a mean SVL of 49.7 ± 7.1 mm and were significantly larger than P. cinereus which had a mean SVL of 37.2 ± 8.0 mm. Both species had biennial egg laying patterns and deposited eggs in late spring or early summer. Juvenile P. richmondi were not surface active except for the early spring and neonates did not become surface active until the ensuing spring; conversely, P. cinereus juveniles exhibited more …

Floristics, Plant Community Structure And Bank Profiles, For Five Sites Along The Middle Ohio River, Amy Nicole Morris

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Plant community structure, floristics, and bank profiles for five sites along the middle Ohio River were described. Values obtained were compared with a similar study by Clagg and Mills in 1978 on four of the five sites. A total of 186 plant species was observed in the plant community and floristic study. Glenwood Bend had the greatest diversity with 109 plant species. Mason-Pomeroy had the lowest diversity with only 35 plant species. Six species, representing 3.2 percent of the total observed number of species, were present at all five sites. The majority of species, 51 percent, were present at only …

Use Of The (3)H-Tetracycline Rat Model In The Study Of Skeletal Compartmentalization And Metabolism Of Calcium In The Maturing Male And Female Rat And The Role Of The Skeleton In Calcium Homeostasis In The Adolescent Male Rat, Darrin Lee Demoss

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The (3)H-tetracycline bone labeling procedure was employed to monitor bone resorption from urinary loss curves in male and female rats of various ages. In addition, whole body dry skeletal mass and the loss of (3)H-tetracycline from individual bones was determined. It was found that the dry skeletal mass/body mass ratio of 24-week-old females was 30-40% greater than that for males. The urinary loss of (3)H-tetracycline was described by a double exponential equation indicating the presence of two distinct and independent exchangeable bone compartments. Both compartments decrease in size with age, but their label loss activities were different. The label loss …

Effect Of Retinoic Acid On The Expression And Function Of Ap-1 Transcription Factor In B16 Mouse Melanoma Cells: Role Of Protein Kinase, Sejal H. Desai

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Retinoic acid (RA) induces differentiation of B16 mouse melanoma cells. This differentiation is accompanied by an increase in protein kinase Ca (PKCα) protein level and selective enrichment in nuclear-associated PKCα. PKC is thought to regulate gene expression through the TPA response element (TRE). This element is specifically recognized by the AP-1 transcription factor composed of jun and fos family members. In this study, I have analyzed the effect of RA on the expression and function of AP-1 in B16 mouse melanoma cells. Transient transfection analysis of B16 cells using leuciferase reporter gene constructs with or without AP-1 elements indicated that …

Regulation Of Melanogenesis In B16 Mouse Melanoma Cells By Protein Kinase C (Pkc), Harish Mahalingam

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The pigment cell-specific expression of tyrosinase and TRP1 has been shown to be important for the production of melanin in pigmented cells. Using a pigmented cell line, B16 mouse melanoma, we obtained evidence that PKC plays a major role in regulating melanogenesis. Chronic treatment with phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu) leads to downregulation of PKC activity and protein levels. This is accompanied by a loss of pigmentation which is correlated with a 50% reduction and a complete loss of TRP1 and tyrosinase respectively. Similar results were obtained with Northern and Western blotting indicating that PKC may regulate the steady state levels of …

Postnatal Development Of The Neural Retina In A South American Opossum: Monodelphis Domestica, Tracy L. Soltesz

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Postnatal retinal development was studied in a marsupial opossum, Monodelphis domestica using light microscopy and 3H-thymidine autoradiography. For the light microscopic study, opossum neonates at 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 25 and 28 days of age were euthanized, fixed and processed into paraffin sections for hematoxylin and eosin staining. The distinct ganglion cell layer, first observed on postnatal day (P) 7, was separated from the outer neuroblasts by the inner plexiform layer. The neuroblast layer was divided into inner and outer nuclear layers on P25 by the presumptive outer plexiform layer, indicated by discrete intercellular spaces located between the nuclear …

Genetic Analysis Of Rhinichthys Atratulus (Pisces: Cyprinidae) In North Central West Virginia, Alan Harper Tennant

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The blacknose dace, Rhinichthys atratulus, is a cyprinid minnow common to shallow streams throughout North America. It has been shown to be sensitive to anthropogenic stress and a study of the genetic nature of R. atratulus populations may yield information about their habitats. In West Virginia, two subspecies of R. atratulus are present, R. a. atratulus and R. a. obtusus, which are separated by the Allegheny divide. In north central West Virginia, R. a. atratulus was observed in the Cheat River drainage, an area previously thought be within the range of R. a. obtusus. Fish of the R. a. atratulus …

Four-Year And Seasonal Patterns Of Herbaceous Layer Development In Hardwood Stands Of The Fernow Experimental Forest, Parsons, Wv, Anne Wallace Hockenberry

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study described patterns of herbaceous layer characteristics in watersheds of the Fernow Experimental Forest (FEF) in Parsons, WV. The purpose of this study was to examine four-year and seasonal patterns of change in herb layer species composition, cover, and richness within three stands of mixed hardwood forest. Sampling was conducted within seven circular plots (0.04 ha) in each of three watersheds of the FEF: WS3 (24-yr-old stand, previously clear-cut, receiving experimental nitrogen additions), WS7 (24-yr-old stand, previously clear-cut and treated with herbicide), and WS4 (>85-yr-old stand, untreated, control). All vascular plants~ lm in height were identified to species …