Life Sciences Commons^™

Cryptococcus Neoformans Serotype Groups Found In Clinical And Environmental Isolates, John Clauson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast responsible for severe meningoencephalitis. The importance of epidemiological studies on cryptococcosis has increased since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. C. neoformans exists in two varieties containing four serotypes, C. neoformans var. neoformans (serotypes A and D) and C. neoformans var. gattii (serotypes B and C). Locally C. neoformans var. neoformans has been associated with pigeon feces during those months having an average temperature of 64.2°F j(17.8°C) and above. Clinical and environmental isolates of C. neoformans obtained from regional hospitals and environmental samplings, respectively, have been grouped into their variety status utilizing canavanine-glycine-bromthymol blue …

A Study Of Kentucky’S Agricultural Performance Using Shift-Share Analysts, David Neal Cundiff

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In this paper the theory that Kentucky has a comparative advantage in agricultural employment, when compared to the United States, is examined. In order to test this hypothesis, a dynamic shift-share analysis was conducted using the thirteen major economic sector of Kentucky over the period 1970 to 1989. The resulting regional shift components, or competitive components, give support to the theory that a comparative advantage for Kentucky in agriculture does exist. Annual regional shift components, as well as their dynamic counterpart, possess predominately positive values, indicating outperformance by Kentucky’s agricultural sector when compared to the United States economy as a …

Repeatabilities Of Pelvic Area Measurements Between And Within Technicians With Varying Levels Of Experience, Steven Ftizner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

There has been some concern recently about the ability of technicians to accurately measure and rank prospective replacement heifers and herd bulls for pelvic area. Two studies were conducted to determine the repeatabilities between and within technicians with varying levels of experience in measuring pelvic areas.

In both studies, virgin yearling heifers were measured for pelvic height and width to determine pelvic area. In each study, technicians included a veterinarian with several years experience in reproductive physiology practice and Western Kentucky University students with varying levels of experience in rectal examinations. In the first study , the veterinarian used both …

The Ratio Of Heinz Body Formation In Different Hemoglobin Zurich Subjects, Yenya Hu

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Hemoglobin Zurich is a hemoglobin anomaly that results when one amino acid (histidine) is substituted by arginine at position 63 in the beta chain of hemoglobin molecules [β 63 His—Arg]. When Hemoglobin Zurich individuals are exposed to sulfonamide medication, their hemoglobins denature and subsequently form Heinz bodies which attach to the surface of the plasma membrane.

Four Hemoglobin Zurich family members were the subjects of the current study. They included a splenectomized female subject, non-splenectomized female and male subjects, and a non-splenectomized female member without Hemoglobin Zurich as the control. The results collaborate that splenectomy increases the number of erythrocytes …

A Modified Scheme For The Isolation And Enumeration Of Bacteria In Municipal Sewage Sludge, Kelly Ball

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Because of the potential health hazards associated with the use of sludge for agricultural purposes, Dudley et al (1980) published a scheme for the routine analysis of bacteria in municipal sewage sludge. In this study, the Dudley et al scheme (1980) was modified by updating some of the procedures. Aerobically digested sludge generated by the Bowling Green Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bowling Green, Kentucky, was analyzed using the modified scheme. Sludge samples were collected once every two months over a one-year period from October 1989 to August 1990.

Egg yolk-free tryptose sulfite cycloserine agar in conjunction with the revewrse CAMP test …

Thermal Properties Of Some Lipid Components Of Cell Membranes, Lihua Wei

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Phospholipids are the major structural components of the lipid portion of biological membranes. The study of the thermal properties of these phospholipid provides a systematic understanding of the relationships between the chemical structures and functional properties of phospholipid molecules in artificial and biological membranes. This study examined the thermal behavior of phospholipids in the solid state using DSC and TG coupled with FITR. The phospholipids were found to have phase transitions below the melting point. Egg-yolk lecithin had four transitions below its melting point; sphingomyelin had two phase transitions below its melting point. Phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine had complex phase transitions. …

Wendell Berry’S Cyclic Vision: Traditional Farming As Metaphor, Morris Allen Grubbs

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Although Wendell Berry’s first book, a novel, appeared in 1960, he did not gain significant national attention until the publication of his nonfiction manifesto, The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture, in 1977. Since its publication, Berry has moved increasingly toward the prose of persuasion as he continues to sharpen his argument in support of a practical, continuous harmony between the human economy and Nature. His canon as a whole – the poems, essays, and novels – is an ongoing and thorough exploration of man’s use of and relationship to the land.

Arguing that the health of a culture …

Studies On I) Dry Matter And Nitrogen Disappearance Of Six Soybean Protein Products In Situ And Ii) Contamination Of In Situ Dry Matter And Nitrogen Disappearance With Acid Detergent Fiber, James Coomer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In experiment I), dry matter disappearance (DMD) and nitrogen disappearance (ND) of raw soybeans (RAW), solvent extracted soybean meal (SBM), heat treated whole soybeans (HT), mechanically extracted soybean meal (MEX), dry extruded soybeans (DEX), and wet extruded soybeans (TEX), were studied in situ for times of 3, 6, 12 and 24 h of rumen exposure. Five gram, air dry, samples were suspended in the rumen of a lactating Holstein cow fed a total mixed ration twice daily. The percent DMD for 24 h was as follows: RAW-85.9; SBM-56.6; HT-39.0; MEX-40.2; DEX-28.0; TEX-43.3. The greatest DMD was observed with RAW and …

Evaluation Of Fomesafen For Broadleaf Weed Control, In Soybeans (Glycine Max), Ricardo A. Jimenez

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The lack of effective broadleaf weed control represents one of the major factors having detrimental effects on growth and yield of soybeans. Broadleaf weeds are a serious threat to soybean growers in the southeastern United States. A broad range of herbicides is being used in an effort to control broadleaf weeds in soybeans, and research is still being conducted to find new herbicides that can best work for this purpose. This study involved the use of one these herbicides. It was fomesafen, 5-[2-chloro-4-trifluromethyl) phenoxy]-N-(methyl-sulfonyl)-2-nitrobenzamide, which controls a broad spectrum of broadleaf weeds in soybeans.

The experiment was conducted in the …

Adolescent Smoking Status And Socioeconomic Dependence On The Tobacco Crop In Southeastern Kentucky, Gregory Colwell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the study was to quantify the relationship between adolescent smoking and economic dependence on the tobacco crop. A survey of 1322 students from a random sample of all secondary schools in four counties in southeastern Kentucky was performed. The survey gathered information concerning smoking behavior and social variables. Chi-square analysis was performed to assess the relationships between these variables in students from families who worked with tobacco and families who did not.

Chi square analysis of female adolescent smoking behavior revealed a significant association between the instances of adolescent smoking and age, friend smoking status and sibling …

The Effects Of Adjacent Cell Fusion And Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure On Viral Plaque Formation With Herpes Simplex Virus Type I, Rebecca Conner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In mammalian cell-virus systems, it has been observed that damage caused by exposure of the cell to ultraviolet radiation (UV) will result in an increase in viral plaque development rate. This phenomenon is termed the Large Plaque Effect (LPE). Apparently, viral plaque development increases at a faster rate for Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) when it is assayed on certain UV-irradiated mammalian cells. The consequence of this increase in plaque development rate is that viral plaques appear larger on irradiated monolayers of cells when compared to plaques that developed on unirradiated cellular monolayers.

The cause of the LPE is not yet …

A Preliminary Investigation Of The Effect Of Storm Events On The Concentration Of Volatile Organic Compounds In The Lost River Cave System, Warren County, Kentucky, Francis Michael Cretella

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Samples of cave water were analyzed for volatile organic compounds during four separate storm events. The major compounds detected were toluene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, methylene chloride, and 1,1-dicloroethane. Minor compounds detected were trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethylene, and ethylbenzene. These compounds were detected in varying amounts at each of the three study sites. During a storm event, the levels of each contaminant changed significantly at all three sites studied. Two effects were observed when a storm event occurred. The first effect was the dilution of the volatile organic compounds during the storm event. These effects were related to the amount of rainfall and …

Physical Properties Of Tar Sand Tailings That Influence Their Ability To Sustain Plant Growth, Timothy Cole

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The mining of bituminous sandstone rock for the purpose of extracting bitumen has created a need for reclamation. One such mine is located in northern Logan County. Their mining operation involves removing large sections of sandstone, which is impregnated with bitumen, and crushing it to sand-sized material. The sand-sized material is then mixed with organic solvents which extract the bitumen. Once separated, the bitumen is stored for future refinement and the spent sand is stockpiled for later disposal.

The spent sands or waste material are referred to as tar sand tailings. These tailings have particular properties which make reclamation efforts …

The Performance Of Gazania Splendens Cultivars Under Kentucky Conditions, Ellen Sue Justiss

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Gazania splendens is a tender, herbaceous perennial that belongs to the Compositae family. The leaves are green and glabrous above, white tomentose beneath, toothed, simple and/or pinnatifid, 4”-6” long tapering to a winged petiole, lanceolate to obovate-lanceolate, and arranged in a basal clump. The flower heads are large, showy, 2”-3” in diameter, and range in color from white to yellow, orange, pink, purple, ruby, and bronze with a dark ring or spot at the base of most.

Twelve cultivars of Gazania splendens were to be evaluated to determine which would perform the best under Kentucky conditions. A seed germination test …

A Comparison Of Selected Nutrition Factors Of Personal Care Residents With Nutrition For The Elderly Residents., Jill Kay Costin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Persons in the Nutrition for the Elderly program in Barren River Area Development District in Kentucky and personal care residents at Lakeview Nursing Home, Morgantown, Kentucky, and Glasgow Rest Home, Glasgow, Kentucky participated I this study on a voluntary basis. The population consisted of an intact sample of sixty-eight persons: forty-six personal care residents (PC residents) and twenty-two Nutrition for the Elderly participants (NE participants). The Ne participants and Pc residents were compared to determine which received the best nutritional care. Selected parameters of nutritional assessment were compared for the two groups be means of a t test. The groups …

A Bacteriological And Chemical Analysis Of Nonpoint Source Pollution In A Karst Aquifer Bowling Green, Kentucky, Wayne Green

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Monthly water samples collected from four sites in the Lost River Groundwater Basin, a shallow karst aquifer in the Bowling Green-Warren County area of Kentucky, represented samples from sites receiving conduit and diffuse flow. All sites were severely contaminated with bacteria, and on some occasions the surface water criteria for some heavy metals were exceeded.

Of the total 334 bacterial colonies identified 92.1% were verified as Escherichia coli by the API20E system. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. anitratum accounted for 2.10% of colonies; Citrobacter freundii for 0.30% Klebsiella pneumoniae for 0.90%; Klebsiella oxytoca, 0.90%; Citrobacter amalonaticus 0.30%; Enterobacter cloacae, 1.20%; …

The Effect Of Orally Administered Butylated Hydroxytoluene On Herpes Simplex Keratitis, Donald Carson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Some studies have reported in vitro inactivation of membrane enveloped viruses by Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). This study investigates the effect of orally administered BHT on primary infections of Herpes simplex virus (HSV) using rabbit corneas as the assay system.

Assigned levels of BHT were incorporated into the diet of New Zealand White rabbits with HSV-1 McKrae strain on the corneal surface of the eyes. The degree of infection was measured by a subjective assay. Rabbits receiving BHT in their diet consistently experienced lower levels of infection. The interpretation of this data is that orally administered BHT can be an effective …

Binding Activity Of The Tubulin-3h-Colchicine Complex, Menjor Tino Unlap

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Microtubules, isolated from bovine brain, were used to study the effect of ultraviolet radiation on the tubulin-³H-colchicine complex and the polymerizing ability of this complex to intact and disrupted microtubules. Dissociation of this complex was observed upon ultraviolet irradiation and continued to progress as exposure time increased. The binding of this complex to intact microtubules prior to irradiation did not seem to enhance its stability to ultraviolet radiation. There was a significant difference observed at the 0.05 level between the binding of the tubulin-³H-colchicine complex to microtubules in mechanically disrupted and control samples. Statistically, there was …

The Influence Of Livestock Feed Size On Feed Consumption By Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris), Daniel Twedt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Ground meal and 4 sizes of pelleted feeds (3/16, ¼, 3/8 and ½ inch diameters) were offered to captive Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris, Linnaeus) to determine the minimum feed size they were unable to consume in significant amounts. The ground meal, 3/8 and ½ inch diameter pellets substantially decreased feed consumption compared with 3/16 and ¼ inch diameter pellets. Additionally, ½ inch pellets were consumed substantially less than ground meal or 3/8 inch pellets. Supplemental feed was require to prevent mortality among Starlings offered only ½ inch pellets.

Two pellet sizes, the 3/16 inch pellet which was readily consumed by …

Sunset As An Orientational Cue For A Nocturnal Migrant, The White-Throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia Albicollis), James Pauly

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The possibility that nocturnal migrants use sunset as an orientational cue was explored in the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) between 1 April and 24 April, 1981. Orientation tests were run on the roof of the biology building at Western Kentucky University when birds were assumed to be in the proper physiological condition for migration. Birds exposed to only nighttime skies, birds isolated from all visual cues, and birds exposed to both daytime and nighttime skies did not exhibit the northward directional preference appropriate for the season tested. However, White-throated Sparrows exposed only to sunset and tested in the absence …

Evaluation Of S-734 And Bas 9052 For Control Of Johnsongrass (Sorghum Halepense) In Soybeans (Glycine Max), Julio Beingolea Ochoa

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Johnsongrass is one of the more limiting factors in soybean production and is the most serious weed problem in the Southeastern United States. Actually, different herbicides are used in johnsongrass control, and still there are new herbicides which are being tested. Two experimental herbicides for johnsongrass control in soybeans are BAS 9052 and S-734.

The experiments were conducted in 1980 and 1981 with the objective to evaluate the effectiveness of S-734 alone and in combination with mefluidide and BAS 9052, BAS 9052 applied early or late postemergence, trifluralin, alachlor, and fluchloralin for seedling and rhizome johnsongrass control.

In both areas …

A Floristic Survey Of The Vascular Plants Of Barren County, Kentucky, George Pryor Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A floristic survey was made of the vascular plants of Barren County, Kentucky. A total of 1190 specimens were collected which represent 603 species, 351 genera and 103 families.

The Asteraceae had the largest number of species of any family, a total of 85. The next largest families were Poaceae and Fabaceae, with 54 and 35 species, respectively. The genus Carex was represented by 24 species, the largest number for any genus.

A description and discussion of the vascular flora of specific sites as well as the county in general is given. An annotated list of species is also presented.

Isolation And Identification Of Yeasts From The Barren River, Richard Vanenk

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Barren River was sampled twice monthly for one year to obtain data on aquatic yeasts. Sites upstream and downstream of the Bowling Green sewage plant, as well as the sewage effluent, were sampled to ascertain if the effluent had any effect on the yeast population of the river. Sporadic yeast counts were obtained which averaged 40 CFU/ml for the effluent, while the river averaged 15 CFU/ml. A total of 318 yeasts were isolated and identified during the study, including 16 different genera with Cryptococcus being the most common. Cryptococcus laurentii occurred most frequently of the 67 different species identified. …

The Early Life History Of The White And Black Crappie In Rough River Lake, Kentucky, Gary Overmann

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Crappies spawned in Rough River Lake from April 29 to July 9. Larvae were first collected on May 3 when the lake temperature reached 17 C. A total of 7369 crappie was taken from may 3 to August 1. The maximum number of crappies occurred from May 30 to June 20. The developmental chronology was described for specimens 4.75 mm to 29 mm total length. Meristic characters averaged 10.8 for preanal myomere count, 21.1 for postanal myomere count, 31.9 for total myomere count and 0.62 for preanal length to postanal length ratio. Densities of larvae were low early in the …

Ecotypic Differentiation Of Andropogon Virginicus L. In Relation To Strip Mine Spoil Banks, Valina Kay Hurt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Reciprocal plantings of populations of broomsedge, taken from an abandoned strip mine and from an abandoned farm plot in south central Kentucky, on strip mine spoil and abandoned field soil resulted in patterns of populations differentiation. Clonal plantings of populations from strip mine habitats and old field development appeared equal in height and biomass when grown on old field soils in both field trials and growth chamber studies. Populations when planted in strip mine soils in field trials and controlled growth experiments. Later flowering in strip mine populations may be a key to survival strategy in the harsh microclimates of …

Some Aspects Of The Ecology Of Larval Fishes In Rough River Lake, Kentucky, Greg Allen Kindschi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In Rough River Lake, Kentucky, some aspects of the ecology of larval and juvenile fishes were investigated from April – August, 1978. Larval fishes were collected weekly from the upper reaches of the lake from the surface and bottom, during daylight and dark periods.

Twenty-three species and three categories of unknown larval and juvenile fishes, represented by 177,119 individuals, were collected. White bass and logperch larvae were the first to appear on April 15 with surface water temperatures of 18.5 C. Gizzard shad larvae dominated net collection while Lepomis spp. were the second most abundant. Larvae were primarily concentrated …

Synergistic Effects Of Wavelengths Of Ultraviolet Radiation On Capacity In A Mammalian Cell-Virus System In Vitro, Bobby Cobb

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The synergistic effect between each of two minor contaminating UV wavelengths has been studied. The TC-7 host cell-capacity system was used. The macromolecular damage induced in monolayers of cell cultures as the result of exposure to UV radiation was measured by determining the ability of irradiated cells to support the replication of Herpes simplex virus. The macromolecule involved has been shown to be DNA and the damage is probably due to the formation of thymine dimers plus some undefined chromosphore associated with the DNA of the cell.

Preliminary experiments showed that low exposures of germicidal radiation are less effective in …

Effects Of Row Width And Seeding Rate On Yield And Other Agronomic Characteristics Of Three Soybean Cultivars, Russell Kithcart

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Soybeans have traditionally been grown in rows wide enough to allow mechanical cultivation and to increase lodging resistance. Improved cultivars and herbicides have permitted farmers to obtain yield advantages from narrower rows. The growth response of soybeans to variations in row width and seeding rates depends upon the cultivar and geographic location.

“Williams,” “Mitchell,” and “Essex” cultivars were planted at row widths of 18, 36, 54, and 72cm. at seeding rates of 33, 67, 100 and 134 kg/ha in multi-row plots. Data were collected from each plot for seed yield, lodging, plant height, height of lowest pod, seed and population …

The Induction Of Thy -1.2 Antigen Expression In Murine Bone Marrow Cells Incubated In Vitro With Immune Serum, Terry Knight

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Adult BALB/c mice were immunized with C57BL/6 spleen cells first on day 0 and again on day 8 of the experimental procedure. Serum was collected from these animals on day 0 (before the first immunization), day 4, day 8 (before the second immunization), day 12, and day 16. Two groups of normal BALB/c bone marrow cell suspensions were incubated with the experimental immune sera: and one of the groups of cell suspensions was subsequently incubated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Following the incubation steps, both groups of cell preparations were assayed for their ability to absorb the activity of the anti-Thy-1.2 serum. …

The Effect Of Spleen Cells From F1 Hybrid Mice Undergoing A Graft-Versus Most Reaction Upon The Humoral Immune Response Of Parental Mice, Elizabeth Schmidt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mice undergoing a graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) exhibit a surppressed immune response. Cells responsible for this suppression have been found to be localized in the spleen. Thus, in this research, a study was made to evaluate the effect of spleen cells from F­₁ mice undergoing a GVHR upon the humoral immune response to sheep erythrocytea (SRBC) in parental mice. An attempt was made to create an experimental model involving the transfer of suppressor cells in vivo. Parental BALB/c spleen cells were injected into (C57BL X BALB/c)F₁ hybrids to induce a GVH disease. Ten or twenty days later, spleen …