Life Sciences Commons^™

Aspects Of Bald Eagle Winter Behavior In Rush Valley Utah: A Telemetry Study, Neil B. Sabine

Theses and Dissertations

The diurnal behavior and nocturnal roosting patterns of 28 bald eagles outfitted with tail-mounted radios were investigated in Rush Valley, Utah between January and March 1982-1984. Casting analysis and feeding observations indicated the principal food source was jackrabbit carrion. Jackrabbit availability declined from 1982 to 1984 and eagles responded by; 1) roosting closer to feeding sites, 2) shifting from canyon to valley roosts, 3) arriving later at and departing earlier from roosts, 4) decreasing diurnal activity, and 5) decreasing residence time. Foraging efficiency appeared to be maximized by experienced eagles using familiar feeding areas and by naive birds monitoring their …

The Relationship Of Applied Rock Phosphate On The Growth Of Sweet Corn, Deborah A. Sutherland

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

Banding is a more intense application of fertilizers than broadcasting. Literature reviews have indicated that a higher amount of phosphorus in the root zone can enhance the growth and development of seedlings (Amin and Zaidi, 2004). Field trials on Sandy and Loam soils were conducted to test the effects of rock phosphate on sweet corn. These effects were investigated by studying the height, dry weight and phosphorus uptake of plants grown in soils banded with 0-90 lb P2O5/AFS. The results were moderate increases in plant height with applied rock phosphorus. The laboratory studies entailed oven drying forty day old corn …

Time Delayed Protein Complementation, Diana L. Lakusta

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The time delayed complementation of plant proteins was tested in weanling Sprague-Dawley male rats by measuring growth rates as well as plasma and tissue free amino acids. Diets of pinto beans with rice, corn or wheat were pair-fed in combination or alternating 4 times a day at 6 and 11 am, and 4 and 9 pm for 4 weeks. Plasma, liver and muscle samples were obtained 2 hours postprandial, a time determined most suitable for sacrifice, and analyzed for free amino acids via ion-exchange chromatography. There were no significant differences in growth of rats fed combination or alternating diets.during week …

Depth Profiles And Soil Textures Of The Vernal Pools Of The Santa Rosa Plateau Preserve, Riverside County, California, Ralph Charles Workman Jr.

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this project was to study the edaphic and topographic characteristics of the 13 vernal pools on the Santa Rosa Plateau Preserve, thus documenting the role soil texture plays in vernal pool formation.

Several field and laboratory procedures were used to demonstrate that there is a higher percentage of clay present within vernal pools than in soils outside the margin of the pools, for 11 out of the 13 pools. Statistical tests showed that the percentage of clay was highly significant within the center soil of the pool as compared to the soil outside the margin of the …

Job Characteristics As Related To Job Satisfaction Of University Foodservice Employees, Kelly M. Duke

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between job characteristics and job satisfaction of university foodservice employees. The relationship of demographic variables to job satisfaction was also explored. A three-part survey was developed including the 30-item Job Characteristics Inventory, six items related to job satisfaction and seven demographic items. Separate written questionnaires were administered to 32 supervisory and 147 non-supervisory employees of a large state university foodservice department. The response rate was 98 percent (n=32 supervisory; n=142 non-supervisory).

The reliability of the instruments using Cronbach's alpha was .88 for employees and .91 for supervisors. Multiple regression analyses …

Hyperosmotic Modification Of Brain Extracellular Space And Blood-Brain Barrier In The Rat As Observed By Electron Microscopy, Susan A. Meacham

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The highly selective permeability of cerebral blood vessels, termed the blood-brain barrier, is due to endothelial tight junctions (zonulae occludentes). Hyperosmotic solutions reversibly open the blood-brain barrier. The purpose of this study is to determine the immediate effect of hyperosmotic arabinose perfusion upon the cerebrovascular endothelium, the morphology of the cerebral cortex, and the cortical extracellular space.

Twelve adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into three groups of four animals each: control, intermediate, and extreme. Controls were perfused with a Tyrode's solution prewash followed by trialdehyde fixative. The intermediate group received a prewash of 740 mmol/kg arabinose followed by the …

The Effect Of Cold Acclimation On The Temperature Preference Of The Goldfish, Carassius Auratus, And The Brown Bullhead, Ictalurus Nebulosus, Alfred Lord

Dissertations and Theses

Two species of fish, Carassius auratus and Ictalurus nebulosus, were subjected to cold acclimation regimes. Acclimation temperatures were slowly lowered to 3°C, then held for a period of time. At various times during this regime, fish were taken out and allowed to spend time in a temperature gradient to determine their preferred temperatures. Carassius were left in the gradient just long enough to determine a measure of the acute temperature preference, while Ictalurus were left in the temperature gradient for longer periods of time to observe any changes that might occur as the fish adjusted to selected temperatures. In …

Classifying Oregon Lake-Watershed Ecosystems For Regional Water Resources Assessment, Randall Alan Jones

Dissertations and Theses

Natural lake-watershed ecosystems in Oregon compose a diverse and valuable assemblage of land and water resources. With an increasing demand on lakes for recreation, water supplies, and aesthetic values and an increase in available data on Oregon lake systems, there is a need for applicable and timely scientific water management information about lake conditions statewide. This thesis is an attempt to summarize some of the data collected on natural Oregon lake-watershed ecosystems.

The purpose of the thesis is to identify the most typical natural systems out of an initial data base of twenty-four variables, measured over ninety-eight lake-watershed ecosystems. The …

Investigation Of Complex Formation By Oligomers Of Cytosine And Guanosine, Steven Roberts Davis

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Duplex formation between oligo(C:G) _n where n=3 to 4 was shown not to occur under conditions favorable for duplex formation between poly G and poly C. Instead, a stable guano sine self-structure was found to form which a T_m of 50°C for (Gp)₃ and 80°C for (Gp)₄ at strand concentrations of 10^-5M in 1M NaCl. Neither a duplex nor a self-structure formed in the absence of salt.

Oligomers of guanosine and cytosine were obtained by basic hydrolysis and separated according to chain length using DEAE Sephadex column chromatography. Separation of cytosine oligomers with chain lengths …

Synthesis And Characterization Of N-Alkyl-Adenosine-5'-Diphosphates, Han-Ping Huang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

n-Alkylphosphates and adenosine derivatives have been observed to be competitive inhibitors of coenzyme molecules in many NAD⁺ requiring enzymes. In earlier studies, adenosine derivatives such as AMP, ADP and ADP-ribose were found to be coenzyme competitive inhibitors of the Lactate Dehydrogenase catalyzed reaction. However, n-alkylphosphates, to the contrary, + were found to be noncompetitive inhibitors of NAD⁺.

Furthermore, it was observed previously in Dr. Yuan's laboratory that the effect of n-octylphosphate on the LDH catalyzed reaction was changed from noncompetitive to competitive in the presence of low concentration of AMP. Rossmann et al. reported that the binding …

Molting In The Mature Female Blue Crab, Callinectes Sapidus, Rathbun, Kirk J. Havens

OES Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines the hypothesis that mature female blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, do not have a terminal anecdysis. Induced molting via eyestalk ablation, size frequency distributions and gonad and limb regeneration indices from field collected animals are used as indicators of potential post maturity molts.

Eyestalk ablation of mature females resulted in ecdysis approximately 51 days after ablation, indicating a physiological ability if mature females to complete ecdysis. Analysis of size frequency distributions indicates two distinct shifts from smaller to larger females, one in early spring and a second in early fall. While migration of larger females into …

Phytoplankton Dynamics In The Very Low Salinity Region Of The James River Estuary, Virginia, U.S.A., Changho Moon

OES Theses and Dissertations

During summer and autumn discharge from the James River estuary, Virginia, was less than 120 _m³sec^-1. There was a peak phytoplankton biomass in the very low salinity region (defined as the location where surface salinity measured less than 0.5$ 0/00) and this peak represented five to ten times greater biomass than adjacent waters. The peak biomass occurred independent of the tidal state and the location of nutrient inputs. It disappeared during winter and spring, and nutrient limitation was not responsible for the low phytoplankton biomass, indicating there were physical, not chemical controlling factors.

The peak biomass …

Age And Growth Of Black Crappie Pomoxis Nigromaculatus In Lake Anna, A Virginia Power Cooling Impoundment, Robert Mason Daniels

Master's Theses

A study of the age and growth of black crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus, was conducted in Lake Anna, Virginia, a cooling impoundment for Virginia Power's North Anna Power Station. Growth of the population in the reservoir was compared to that of the population in North Anna's Waste Heat Treatment Facility. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) using age as the covariate indicated the growth rate of the two populations did not differ significantly at the .05 level. The populations were combined and tests were conducted to determine differences in growth rates between the sexes. ANCOVA indicated the growth rates of males and females …

Morphological And Biochemical-Based Phylogenetic Analyses Of Opuntiae Prickly Pear Cacti Of Southern California, Lyla S. Richards

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Phylogenetic analyses are used to suggest phylogenetic relationships for series Opuntiae (genus Opuntia, subgenus Opuntia) present in Southern California. The bases of the analyses were electrophoretic characters utilizing allelic band data obtained from electrophoretic assays conducted in this study and morphological and chromatographical characters compiled from data in existing literature. Cladograms produced from the different data bases yielded similar relationships. The electrophoretic-based cladogram provided the strongest support for Benson's (1982) classification with the o. littoralis complex represented as a monophyletic group, unlike the morphological and chromatographic-based cladograms. Placements of hybrids "Occidentalis C" and "Occidentalis D" were also considered.

[Key Words: …

Insulin And Glucagon Responses To Dietary Protein In Diabetic And Nondiabetic Men, Monica L. Blomstedt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Five men with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and fourteen nondiabetic men, were given test meals with soy protein, casein or additional carbohydrate in place of protein. Blood levels of insulin, glucagon, glucose and lipids were measured at fasting, one-half hour and two hours postprandial. To all meals, the nondiabetic subjects responded with a quick rise of the insulin level which decreased at two hours. In contrast, the diabetics showed a significantly lower insulin response at one-half hour (p < 0.05), but a tendency to higher levels at two hours. The same pattern was observed in the insulin to glucagon ratio. No significant difference between the meals was found in regard to insulin or glucagon responses, suggests that a sustained, although delayed postprandial insulin response, may be a precursor to the higher cholesterol and increased risk for cardiovascular disease among diabetics.

Signal Processing In Bacterial Chemotaxis, Jimmie Marquette Smith

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study localized 1) the site of ATP utilization in the signal transduction pathway of bacterial chemotaxis and 2) the point of convergence of the methylation-independent systems of chemotaxis with the methylation-dependent system. The site of ATP utilization was localized at the CheY protein/switch point. In an Eaeheriehia call strain (BT3077) containing the cheY, motor and switch genes, ATP depletion, accomplished by treating the cells with arsenate, suppressed the CheY protein-induced tumbling. ATP was not required by the switch for directing the clockwise and counterclockwise rotations of the flagellar motor. ATP did not appear to be required for normal steady-state …

Effect Of Disulfiram On The Urinary Excretion Of The Serotonin Metabolites 5-Hydroxytryptophol And 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid In Problem Drinkers, Mark D. Harding

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Problem drinkers (N=7) were given 500mg disulfiram daily for one week. Urine was collected before and after disulfiram intake. 5-Hydroxytryptophol (5-HTOL) was determined by a modification of the method of Davis et al. and adapted to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an electrochemical detector setting of 0.75V. 5-Hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5- HIAA) was determined using the HPLC method of Shihabi et al. (1980). Urinary excretion of 5-HTOL in ug/gm creatinine before and after disulfiram was 25.4± 3.3 and 110.5± 27.1 respectively, p < 0.02. 5-HIAA in mg/gm creatinine before and after disulfiram was 4.9±0.9 and 3.6±0.8 respectively, p > 0.16. The data shows that disulfiram administration alters serotonin metabolism resulting in increased 5-HTOL which is known to increase …

Maternal And Umbilical Plasma Lipids Obtained During Elective Cesarean Section As Predictors Of Macrosomia In Diabetic Pregnancy, Dianne Greive Butler

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Twenty-five pregnant women were recruited for this study as they presented for elective cesarean section at term. Comparison was made between 10 diabetic women and 15 nondiabetic women: 13 nondiabetic women with normal weight babies and six diabetic women with macrosomic babies. Radial artery, uterine vein, umbilical vein, and umbilical artery blood samples were analyzed in the fasting state for lipoprotein composition. Diabetic and diabetic-macrosomic infants had greater birth weight and skinfold measurements but not greater birth length.

It appears that higher triglyceride (TG) levels found A in diabetics (p=0.035) are transferred to the fetus more efficiently (p=0.009) than in …

Decrease In Selected Temperature After Intracranial Dopamine Injections In Goldfish, Hercules Theodore Panayiotides-Djaferis

Dissertations and Theses

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) (40-80g) were injected with dopamine into the forebrain to study the possible involvement of this amine in central temperature regulation in these fish. Dopamine caused a decrease in selected temperature after injection into the rostral nucleus preopticus periventricularis (NPP). This effect was dependent on the dose of dopamine administered. Doses of 25, 50, 100 and 250 ng were used, injected in a volume of 0.2μ1. Injections in regions adjacent to the NPP elicited hypothermic effects only at the higher dosages. These effects were not consistent. Injections in caudal regions of the NPP elicited no effect. …

The Isolation And Identification Of Filamentous Fungi From Distribution Systems, Ground Water, Cisterns And Hemodialysis Water, Tammy J. Liles

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Tammy J. Liles on August 18, 1987.

The Correlation Of Physiological Responses To Verbal Behavior During Environmental Stimuli Exposure, Cynthia Lou Baker

Student Dissertations & Theses

The study was designed to investigate the hypothesis that various environmental stimuli would elicit specific individual responses, as reflected in autonomic patterns. It then became the aim of the study to see whether the stimuli which controlled the physiological pattern would also control the verbal response. Three female and two male students volunteered for the single-subject experiment, where they were exposed to a 15-slide sequence of environment stimuli. Results indicated that when allowed to verbally respond without rating restrictions, responses varied greatly, limiting the possibilities of comparison. In kind, the physiological responses exhibited great variability. Results also supported the position …

Sodium/Proton Exhange In Membrane Vesicles From Crab (Callinected Sapidus And Carcinus Maenas) Gill, Robert Eric Shetlar

Master's Theses

The existence of a sodium-ion-for-hydrogen-ion exchange mechanism in the membranes of certain epithelial cells has been demonstrated by many investigators (Murer et al., 1976; Tsai et al., 1984; Seiler et al., 1985 ) • This mechanism has been shown to exchange one Na+ for one H+ (Aronson & Igarashi, 1986) and is thought to be more prominent in the brush-border membranes (Murer et al., 197 6; Reenstra et al., 1981 ; Ives et al., 1983) of mammalian kidney tubules and intestinal tissues than in basolateral membranes of these tissues. The roles the exchanger plays in the cell may include intracellular …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of A Low Glycemic Diet On The Antisocial Behavior Of Juvenile Offenders, James Edward Longhurst

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine if a low glycemic diet contributes to a reduction in the incidence of antisocial behavior among male juvenile offenders.

One hundred forty juvenile offenders at a residential treatment center were randomly divided into treatment and nontreatment groups. The treatment group ate from a diet which contained foods low in glycemic characteristics. There was no dietary alteration for the control group.

Three instruments were used to measure differences between groups in antisocial behavior following a 5-week experimental period. These instruments include: (1) the Unusual Incident Report--a systematic and objective observer report form, (2) …

Intracellular Protein Degradation In A Mesophile And A Thermophile Of The Genus Bacillus, Cameron C. Hoover

Masters Theses

¹⁴C-leucine was incorporated into th e proteins of the mesophile Bacillus licheniformis and the thermophile Bacillus stearothermophilus. Aliquots of the cell suspension were treated with chloramine-T in order to decarboxylate the ¹⁴C-leucine that was released as the proteins degraded. The ¹⁴CO₂ was trapped and counted. This allowed for the determination of the extent of intracellular protein degradation at various tem peratures and at various stages of the growth cun/e. For the mesophile, the extent of degradation increased with temperature from 30° C to 55° C. For the thermophile, no significant amount of degradation occurred until …

River Otter Reintroduction In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Jane M. Griess

Masters Theses

Between 26 February and 31 March, 1986, 11 river otter (Lutra canadensis) were obtained from North Carolina, implanted with radio transmitters, and released on Abrams Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A total of 635 radio locations were obtained on eight otters.

Male home ranges averaged 14.1 km during the study (March - December) while female home ranges averaged 15.9 km. There were no significant differences in home range length (p > 0.05) between sexes.

A total of 75 scats (42 samples) were collected during the study. Food items were calculated on frequency of occurrence. Crayfish occurred in …

The Effect Of Body Temperature On Arteriovenous Oxygen Difference During Rest And Activity In The Toad, Bufo Marinus, Wayne Bryant Palioca

Dissertations and Theses

The relative contribution of arteriovenous oxygen (A-V O₂) difference to thermally-induced and activity-induced changes in metabolic rate (VO₂) were delineated in the toad, B. marinus. In conjunction, the influence of rest and activity, temperature, and removal of the pericardial sac on separation efficiency (Es) in the anuran ventricle was determined by direct measurement of arterial and venous percent oxygen saturation (% saturation), using a microsampling technique.

Abundance And Distribution Of Herbaceous Angiosperms In Grass-Sedge Marshes Of West-Central Florida: The Effect Of Seasonal Water-Level Fluctuation, Pamela S. Botts

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Grass-sedge marshes in west-central Florida were studied to determine the abundances and distributions of herbaceous angiosperms. Cluster analysis, reciprocal averaging, and a biotic boundaries technique were used to analyze the relationship between community composition and depth within the marsh. Shallow areas were dominated by Rhynchospora filifolia, Dichanthelium sabulorum, and Rhynchospora cephalantha. Abundances of the species fluctuated seasonally and varied between marshes. Deep areas of individual marshes differed markedly from shallow areas and from each other. A deep, well-drained marsh supported a monospecific stand of Juncus repens, while a less deep, but poorly drained marsh had a …

Synthesis Of Potential Long Acting Calcium Channel Antagonists: A Study Of 1,4-Dihydropyridine Analogs, Thomas E. Christos

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

An investigation was undertaken to synthesize and evaluate longer acting analogs to the antihypertensive agent nifedipine. Analogs that are capable of covalent bonding to the nifedipine receptor were considered. These compounds may show increased activity as they will remain at the receptor for a longer period of time.

During the course of this study, previously unreported and unexpected products were encountered and lead to a more intense examination of the Hantzsch synthesis. Of particular interest was the oxazolidine 25 which was a major component of the Hantzsch synthesis when ethanolamine was used instead of ammonium hydroxide. Also isolated during this …

An Annual Study Of Phytoplankton Composition And Associated Environmental Conditions Of Lake Trashmore, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Seba B. Sheavly

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

A 12 month study of Lake Trashmore was conducted on phytoplankton composition, inorganic nutrients and their seasonal associations. The dominant phytoplankton groups observed were diatoms, chlorophyceans and cyanobacteria. Phytoplankton assemblage patterns were coupled with pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrites and silicates. Diatoms dominated during periods of high nutrient concentrations, cooler temperatures and an unstable water column. Cyanobacteria forms dominated during periods of warmer temperatures, higher pH and decreased nitrogen and dissolved oxygen concentrations. A seasonal community shift occurred from cyanobacterial dominance to chlorophycean dominance when pH levels decreased. The lake is eutrophic based on indices of chlorophyll a concentrations, transparency …

Reactions Of Organic N-Chloramines In The Gastric Fluid Of The Rat, Kathryn E. Mazina

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Using chlorine as a drinking water disinfectant may have potential health effects due to its reactivity with organic amino nitrogen compounds found in the stomach. Organic N-chloramines have been shown to form in the stomachs of laboratory rats. The possible reactions of N-chloramines in the stomach fluid were examined in this study using a model radiolabeled N-chloramine. ³⁶Cl-N-Chloropiperidine, was synthesized and purified to remove ³⁶Cl-chloride. Stomach fluid was obtained from Sprague-Dawley rats which had been first fasted for 24 or 48 hours and then administered 3 mL of deionized water. Different concentrations of radiolabeled chloramine were reacted with …