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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Heavy Metal Toxicity In Bioremediation: Microbial Cultures And Microscopy, Jason B. Goodbody Dec 1997

Heavy Metal Toxicity In Bioremediation: Microbial Cultures And Microscopy, Jason B. Goodbody

Theses and Dissertations

This research employed a variety of microscopy and spread plating techniques to observe the effects of heavy metal treatments on a toluene-selected bacterial population. Microbial colonies were cultured on spread plates and the resulting numbers were compared to respiration data. The mechanisms of reproduction were demonstrated to be more sensitive to metal treatments than were the mechanisms of respiration. Phase contrast, Gram stain, fluorescent microscopy, were used to compare and document a wide variety of bacteria resulting from different metal treatments as well as from environmental changes within the source bioreactor. The removal of sensitive bacteria and the selection of …


Metabolic Inhibition Of A Toluene-Enriched Microbial Population Due To Lead (Pb2+): Verification Of A Free Metal Ion Toxicity Model, Patrick J. S. Marbas Dec 1997

Metabolic Inhibition Of A Toluene-Enriched Microbial Population Due To Lead (Pb2+): Verification Of A Free Metal Ion Toxicity Model, Patrick J. S. Marbas

Theses and Dissertations

A dissolved oxygen probe and an ion specific electrode were used to study the lead-induced metabolic inhibition in a toluene-enriched microbial population. Predicted toxicity values were compared to the actual toxicity responses using a free metal ion toxicity model (TM) which linked metabolic inhibition with lead activity. Experimentally derived values for the model parameters (lead activity and a lead distribution coefficient) were used in the TM. It was postulated that cellular metabolism is disrupted by the conformational changes to the cell's plasma membrane produced by lead ion adsorption. The predicted toxicity values were higher than the actual toxicity response. This …


Stem Cell Factor And Kit Expression In Type I Neurofibromatosis, Kenneth Eugene Roth Jan 1997

Stem Cell Factor And Kit Expression In Type I Neurofibromatosis, Kenneth Eugene Roth

Theses and Dissertations

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an inherited disease characterized by the appearance of multiple neurofibromas and an increased incidence of malignant schwannomas, both of which contain hyperproliferative Schwann cells. Our laboratory previously reported that Schwann cells produce stem cell factor (SCF), a multi potential growth factor known to be involved in mast cell migration and growth. Given the fact that mast cell numbers are increased in both neurofibromas and malignant schwannomas, we set out to evaluate a potential role for SCF in the development of NF1 lesions. First we studied the effects of high doses of recombinant SCF on mast …


Estimation Of The Ld100p When P Is Small, Daniel Bettendorf Jan 1997

Estimation Of The Ld100p When P Is Small, Daniel Bettendorf

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis concerns the estimation of extreme quantiles on a dose-response curve. It focuses on the Robbins-Monro and up-and-down procedures. Simulation studies run in search of the LD15 and LD30 using a variety of methods suggest that the Robbins-Monro procedure is optimal in terms of Monte Carlo MSE and bias. The up-and-down procedure's performance differs in many cases only slightly from that of the Robbins-Monro process, therefore indicating its value as a practical alternative to the Robbins-Monro process for extreme-quantile estimation.


Molecular Cloning And Analysis Of The Promoter For Rat Hepatic Neutral Cholesterol Ester Hydrolase, Ramesh Natarajan Jan 1997

Molecular Cloning And Analysis Of The Promoter For Rat Hepatic Neutral Cholesterol Ester Hydrolase, Ramesh Natarajan

Theses and Dissertations

Neutral cholesterol ester hydrolase (CEH) is a key enzyme in regulating hepatic free cholesterol. Using the CEH specific cDNA sequence in the 5'-untranslated region as a primer, 1.3 kb of sequence upstream of the ATG initiation codon was amplified and cloned. Primer extension analysis with total RNA from rat primary hepatocytes identified a transcription initiation site, 60 bases upstream from the initiation codon. No typical TATA-box sequences were found upstream from the transcription start site. However, a consensus GC-box, which can bind the positive transcription factor SP1, was found 35 bases upstream from the transcription start site. In addition the …


The Nutritional Characterization Of The Carob Tree In The Department Of Cochabamba, Karem Khaterine Loma Mercado Jan 1997

The Nutritional Characterization Of The Carob Tree In The Department Of Cochabamba, Karem Khaterine Loma Mercado

Theses and Dissertations

The nutritional value for the following species have been determined: P.pallida, P.laevigata var. andicola, P.flexuosa, P.nigra, P.alba of the genus Proposis. To obtain this purpose surveys were done about the use and consumption of the Carob Tree in the High and Central Valleys of the Cochabamba Department. As a result of the surveys it was determined that the consumption of the pods made up for 54% of human nourishment. The species that were consumed the most were P.pallida and P.laevigata var. andicola. Within the uses of these leguminous pods, the pods are directly consumed in their raw form and on …


Electrophysiological Effects Of Lysoplasmenylcholine On Rabbit Ventricular Myocytes, Ray Caldwell Jan 1997

Electrophysiological Effects Of Lysoplasmenylcholine On Rabbit Ventricular Myocytes, Ray Caldwell

Theses and Dissertations

Myocardial ischemia activates a phospholipase A2 that targets plasmalogen phospholipids and liberates 1-0-alkenyl-Iysoplasmenylcholine (LPLC) in preference to 1-0- acyl-Iysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). Although LPC is a pro arrhythmic ischemic metabolite, the effect of LPLC on cardiac electrophysiology is unknown. At the lowest doses investigated, LPLC induced spontaneous contractions in otherwise quiescent rabbit ventricular myocytes significantly faster than LPC. Spontaneous contractions developed with median times of 16.4 (n = 64), 27.4 (n = 36), and >60 min (n = 25) during exposure to 5, 2.5, and 1 JlM LPLC compared with 38.0 (n = 48) and >60 min (n = 29) for 5 …


Food And Nutrition Situation In The Villa Santa Chacoma, Hancara, Hichuraya Grande And Pan De Azucar Communities Of The Ingavi Province In The Department Of La Paz, Bolivia 1996, Teresa Beatriz Iglesias Sandoval Jan 1997

Food And Nutrition Situation In The Villa Santa Chacoma, Hancara, Hichuraya Grande And Pan De Azucar Communities Of The Ingavi Province In The Department Of La Paz, Bolivia 1996, Teresa Beatriz Iglesias Sandoval

Theses and Dissertations

A diagnosis of the Food and Nutrition situation was made of the populations of the communities of Villa Santa Chacoma, Hancara, Hichuraya Grande and Pan de Azúcar, pertaining to the Ingavi province of the La Paz department. The principle objective was to: identify the Nutritional Food Situation of these communities, the secondary objectives were to: Identify the nutritional state of the inhabitants of the communities, identify the physical availability of food, identify the habits of breastfeeding and supplementary feeding, identify the level of ingestion, establish the consumption of food and identify the level of education of householders; to these ends …


Vitamin A Content In Preparations Of Plant Foods With The Highest Consumption In The Beneficiary Communities Of The Benson Institute, Ana Luisa Méndez Hernández Jan 1997

Vitamin A Content In Preparations Of Plant Foods With The Highest Consumption In The Beneficiary Communities Of The Benson Institute, Ana Luisa Méndez Hernández

Theses and Dissertations

One of the main nutrient deficiencies in Guatemala is vitamin A, mainly in pregnant women and children under the age of five. The consumption of plant material can improve vitamin A ingestion levels. It is necessary to research consumption frequency and preparation methods of the most commonly available plant materials, as well as the vitamin A content of these plant materials. This research took place in San Juan Ermita, Chiquimula in the communities of Chancó, Corral de Piedra, and Salitrón. The results demonstrated that the most commonly consumed plant material preparations were mulberry soup, chatate soup, toasted maize soup, chipilin …


Diagnosis Of Livestock Production In Three Communities (Tunshi San Javier, San Antonio And Maria Auxiliadora) Using The Chambo Irrigation System - Guano, Egresado ÁNgel Montalvo Silva Jan 1997

Diagnosis Of Livestock Production In Three Communities (Tunshi San Javier, San Antonio And Maria Auxiliadora) Using The Chambo Irrigation System - Guano, Egresado ÁNgel Montalvo Silva

Theses and Dissertations

During 43 weeks three communities belonging to the Chambo-Guano irrigation system (María Auxiliadora, San Antonio, and Tunshi San Javier) were studied. Each family had 0.662 ± 0.149 producing cows, 0.115 ± 0.048 dry cows, 0.381 ± 0.095 heifers, 0.252 ± 0.068 young bulls, 0.158 ± 0.052 bulls, and 0.568 ± 0.096 calves. The age at first mounting (21.696 ± 9.28 months) showed that the cows enter reproduction late. Of the cows, 71.94 ± 5.26% were of household varieties. To feed them, alfalfa was used at 79.86 ± 4.5%, undergrowth 56.83 ± 5.62%, corn stalks 48.2 ± 6.02%, kikuyu 19.42 ± …


Determination Of The Presence Of Antibiotics And Bacterial Pathogens With Their Susceptibility In Fresh Milk From The San Nicolas Community And The Cities Of Penipe, Guano, And Chambo In The Chimborazo Province, Lupe Marín Jan 1997

Determination Of The Presence Of Antibiotics And Bacterial Pathogens With Their Susceptibility In Fresh Milk From The San Nicolas Community And The Cities Of Penipe, Guano, And Chambo In The Chimborazo Province, Lupe Marín

Theses and Dissertations

This study is entitled, “determination of the presence of antibiotics and bacterial pathogens with their susceptibility in fresh milk from the San Nicolas community and the cities of Penipe, Guano, and Chambo in the Chimborazo province”. It was funded by the Benson Institute of Brigham Young University and Nestle. The objectives were: 1) to determine the presence of antibiotics in fresh milk from the San Nicolas community and the cities of Penipe, Guano, and Chambo, 2) to determine the presence of bacterial pathogens in milk from the places previously mentioned, and 3) to detect the susceptibility of the isolated bacteria …


Diagnosis Of Livestock Production In Three Communities (La Inmaculada, Tunshi San Miguel, And Ela Guano) Using The Chambo Irrigation System - Guano, Egresado José Orozco Cruz Jan 1997

Diagnosis Of Livestock Production In Three Communities (La Inmaculada, Tunshi San Miguel, And Ela Guano) Using The Chambo Irrigation System - Guano, Egresado José Orozco Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to implement a stratifying sampling system in the communities of La Inmaculada, Tunshi San Miguel, and Ela Guano, part of the Chambo-Guano irrigation system. The domesticated animal population in these communities consisted of cattle, sheep, swine, guinea pigs, and poultry. The animal feed used in these communities included alfalfa, grass, corn stalks, banana, weeds, kitchen residue, hulk, hard and soft corn, barley, wheat and other feed preparations. In general, animal management in these communities is technically deficient and most animals exhibited diseases that are controllable by veterinarians. Study recommendations to improve conditions for rural …


Study Of Livestock Production Levels In Three Communities Near The City Of Riobamba, Raul Rolando Nuñez Lopez Jan 1997

Study Of Livestock Production Levels In Three Communities Near The City Of Riobamba, Raul Rolando Nuñez Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

This study was done by administering household surveys to 50% of the families in the three communities. Families were selected through stratified random sampling. This allowed us to determine how much families are exploiting species that have a significant level of production as well as whether they use them for a commercial activity or subsistence. With regard to cows, 60.40 ± 4.72% of families use them. Each family has an average of 1.68 ± 0.21 cows. Productive cows make up 36.9% of the above percentage, which is a majority. The measured rate of production was 6.48 ± 0.25 L/cow/day. Overall, …


Nutritional And Food Situation Of Five Communities Of Canaviri, Colina Blanca, Villa Arriendo, Puente Arriba And Pocohata, Department Of La Paz, Bolivia, Juana F. Moraima Gonzáles Tapia Jan 1997

Nutritional And Food Situation Of Five Communities Of Canaviri, Colina Blanca, Villa Arriendo, Puente Arriba And Pocohata, Department Of La Paz, Bolivia, Juana F. Moraima Gonzáles Tapia

Theses and Dissertations

The following work seeks to address the necessity that the inhabitants of the impoverished regions in Bolivia experience, as is the case of the highland region of Paceno, which is the understanding of their nutritional and alimentary situation. We studied the communities of Canavari, Pocohata, Colina Blanca, Puente Arriba, and Villa Arriendo de la Provincia Ingavi, in the province of la Paz.
The studied variable was the nutritional sta te, having as parameters: physical and economical availability of the food, food consumption, nutritional habits, biological usage of the food, basic sanitary conditions, and the educationallevel of the heads of family. …


Processing And Conservation Of The Little Corn In Aiquile Province In The Cochabamba Department: Use Of Antioxidants, Organic And Industrial Evaluation, Saul Victor Miranda Fernandez Jan 1997

Processing And Conservation Of The Little Corn In Aiquile Province In The Cochabamba Department: Use Of Antioxidants, Organic And Industrial Evaluation, Saul Victor Miranda Fernandez

Theses and Dissertations

The present work was conducted in order to determine an adequate variety in the processing of small corn, in which a monitoring of all the cycle in cultivation was conducted. The behavior of the small corn was analyzed in the laboratory before the presence of three antioxidants, ascorbic acid, acetic acid and sodium sulfate in two concentrations in addition to subjecting them to thermal treatments that allows us to obtain a pleasant product for the consumer that is both resistant to treatment and nutritious for the health. The results indicate that the best variety of corn is muruchi yellow, the …


Nutritional Situation Of The Communities Pan De Azucar, Hancara, Villa Santa Chacoma And Hichuraya Grande, Department Of La Paz, Ingavi Province, Bolivia 1996, Teresa Beatriz Iglesias Sandoval Jan 1997

Nutritional Situation Of The Communities Pan De Azucar, Hancara, Villa Santa Chacoma And Hichuraya Grande, Department Of La Paz, Ingavi Province, Bolivia 1996, Teresa Beatriz Iglesias Sandoval

Theses and Dissertations

The present research work is a transverse and descriptive study, which had as its principal objective to determine the Food and Nutritional Situation of the communities of Villa Santa Chacoma, Hancara, Hichuraya Grande and Pan de Azucar of the Ingavi province of the department of the La Paz. The most relevant part of the study was in finding the elevated percentage of infant population that presents an elevated prevalence and different levels of malnutrition. In adults what calls the attention is the physical exhaustion and the loss of muscle tissue, this situation was seen as a consequence of poverty, food …


Tests On The Elaboration Of Soybean Milk, Derivatives, And Industrial Feasibility Project, Ciro Pablo Kopp Valdivia Jan 1997

Tests On The Elaboration Of Soybean Milk, Derivatives, And Industrial Feasibility Project, Ciro Pablo Kopp Valdivia

Theses and Dissertations

This work was done with the purpose of evaluating different forms of soybean milk processing, the product acceptance by the public, and to do a study on the feasibility for the production of milk at a small scale to be used as a nutritional supplement in school breakfasts. The soybean milk was prepared with 2 varieties "(Cristalina and Doko)" and two periods of enzymatic inactivation (Before and After) of the grain mush. The "organoleptic" quality was evaluated through surveys and its posterior statistical analysis. Parameter quality was also considered just as did the microbiologic analysis and the conservation tests. The …