Life Sciences Commons^™

The Isolation And Identification Of Polyphenolics From Grape Seeds And Their Activity Towards Specific Cell Lines, Joseph A. Reddy

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Grape seed extract is being marketed in France for cardiovascular use and skin care. The active constituents of both these drugs are certain polyphenols called procyanidins. A similar seed extract has now been obtained from Virginia Chardonnay grape seeds. Ten of the major components in this extract have been isolated in their pure form by the semi-preparative HPLC separation on a YMC ODS-AQ (Octadecylsilane-AQ) column. The ODS-Aq column has been shown to have a better resolving capacity compared to the Spherisorb ODS (Octadecylsilane) column previously described in the literature. This has been attributed to the ODSAQ support which has both …

Pheromonal Composition Of Two Species Of African Amblyomma Ticks: Similarities, Differences And Possible Species Specific Components, Thomas Lem Price Jr.

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Two species of bont ticks, Amblyomma hebraeum and Amblyomma variegatum, common to Africa have been studied to compare types and quantities of compounds known or believed to serve as components of the attraction-aggregation-attachment pheromone (AAAP). A complex of attraction, aggregation and attachment pheromones are used by these ticks to detect hosts, mates and perhaps minimize interspecific breeding. Solvent extraction of pheromone emitting ticks followed by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry revealed little difference in the composition of the AAAP in these two species. However, subtle differences in the relative makeup of the pheromonal blend are noted, suggesting that such differences …

The Influence Of Temperature Salinity And Postlarval Transport On The Distribution Of Juvenile Spiny Lobsters, Panulirus Argus, In Florida Bay, Jennifer Marie Field

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Florida Bay is a major nursery for the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus. The Bay contains a series of hardbottom or seagrass-covered basins separated by mudbanks, which serve as barriers to water circulation and presumably to transport of postlarvae. Temperatures can fluctuate dramatically in the basins and salinities range from 35 ppt to > 50 ppt. In this study I: i) investigated the physiological tolerance of spiny lobster postlarvae to combinations of temperature and salinity representative of conditions in Florida Bay, and ii) examined how postlarval availability and habitat structure influence spiny lobster recruitment into basins. I measured juvenile lobster …

Evaluation Of The Gross Anatomy Seasonal Changes Function And Histology Of The Perineal Gland In The Hispid Cotton Rat, Sigmodon Hispidus, Julie Anne Winchell

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The perinea! gland in the hispid cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus, is a seasonally cyclic, subcutaneously located organ which is associated with the reproductive system. On gross dissection, the gland possesses a strong attachment to the penis with only loose fascia! connections to the rectum and surrounding muscle and skin. Histologic exam confirms this connection to the reproductive tract and shows the organ to be a compound tubuloacinar gland with a projection leading into the penis. The cyclic hypertrophy and regression of the gland closely parallels that of the testes and seminal vesicles indicating that this cyclicity may be under …

Phytoplankton Assemblages Associated With A Bloom Of Ptychodiscus Brevis Off The North Carolina Coast, Traycie Lea West

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

A bloom of the dinoflagellate Ptychodiscus brevis occurred off the North Carolina coast in late 1987, and samples were forwarded by NOAA to the Old Dominion University Phytoplankton Laboratory for total phytoplankton analysis. Six sampling stations were chosen to represent different bloom scenarios and these six were clustered into three site groups based on the concentrations of statistically significant taxa. Abundances of phytoplankton taxonomic groups over time were examined in relation to P. brevis concentrations to identify any general tendencies. These results indicated the total phytoplankton concentration, and most taxonomic groups, increased at all three site groups regardless of the …

Age And Growth Of Larval And Juvenile Atlantic Croaker, Micropogonias Undulatus, From The Middle Atlantic Bight And Estuarine Waters Of Virginia, Stephen W. Nixon

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Sagittal otoliths were used to determine the age and growth of 605 larval and juvenile Atlantic croaker, Micropogonias undulatus, collected in the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) and estuarine waters of Virginia. A Laird-Gompertz model (r2 = 0.95) was used to describe the growth of croaker up to 65 mm standard length (SL) and 142 days (t): S1_(t) = 2.657 Exp {4.656 [1-Exp (-0.008lt)]}; SL_(t) = standard length at day t. Generally, croaker collected inshore were larger and older than those collected offshore, indicating estuarine immigration from offshore spawning grounds. Back-calculated hatch-dates indicated spawning over an 8- month period …

The Cytotoxic Effect Of Tropical Plants On Human And Rat Hepatoma Cells, Mark Tafazoli

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

A Limnological Analysis Of Ten Mountain Lakes, Gary Wayne Burns

Dissertations and Theses

Ten mountain lakes were analyzed in order that they be assigned a trophic status. The lakes which are located in the Mount Hood National Forest of Oregon are Anvil, Beaver Pond, Cripple Creek, Fish, Gifford, Monon, Ollalie, Rimrock, Round, and Sportsman. The purpose of this report is to determine the productivity of these waters. Data were collected for analyses of temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, Secchi depth, major ion concentration, light intensity versus depth, alkalinity, phytoplanktcn species composition/total density, and zooplankton species composition/total density. Samples were collected in Van Darn sampling bottles and returned to the laboratory for chemical analyses and …

Using Thermophilic Bacteria To Produce Enzymes For Wood Pulping, Robert A. Debelak Jr.

Paper Engineering Senior Theses

The objective of this Senior Thesis Project was to determine if thermophilic (heat loving) bacteria are capable of producing enzymes to break down lignin. Currently known ligninases produced by white-rot fungi are destroyed by high temperatures, and are only useful for pre-treatments in refiner mechanical pulping. Thermophilic lignin-degrading enzymes could potentially be useful in a high temperature pulping process.

Milled wood lignin was isolated from birch to be used in bacterial cultures. The lignin would serve as the only source of carbon for the bacteria, so their growth would depend on their ability to utilize the lignin for food. Standard …

Suppressive Effects Of Transforming Factor-Β And Interleukin-10 On The Cytolytic Activity Of Murine Macrophages And Reversal By Cytokines, Chin-Hung Lin

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In this study, the suppressive effects of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) on peritoneal macrophage killing of H238 target cells and the potential for reversal of the immunosuppressive effect by IL-4 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were investigated. The responsiveness of naive and peptone-activated macrophages was compared. The cytolytic activity for tumor cells of these effector cells was measured by percent lysis of ³H-thymidine labeled Herpes simplex virus type 2-transformed tumor cells (H238). After 18-24 hours of incubation with TGF-β or IL-10, the cytolytic activity of macro-medium alone. The immunosuppressive effect of TGF-β or IL-10 on non-activated macrophages was …

A Non-Human Primate Model For Evaluating A Fenestration Corticotomy Technique, Philip G. M. Khng

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A study model has been designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a new fenestration corticotomy procedure in two non-human primates Macaca fasicularis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new conservative corticotomy procedure to facilitate dental translation using fenestrations. This pilot study compared treatment and control quadrants of each individual animal's maxilla and mandible with both having the same retraction appliance and force on the 2nd premolar following extraction of the 1st molars. The null hypothesis stated that there was no significant statistical difference between the new conservative corticotomy procedure (fenestrations) when compared with …

Factors Affecting Behavioral Variation Of Individual Glaucous-Winged Gulls (Larus Glaucescens) While On Territory, Michael Murdoch

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Factors affecting the patterns of behavior of individual Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) on Protection Island, Jefferson County, Washington were examined. Males were found to be present on territory often than females. Proportions of behavior varied by time of season. Gulls tended to be more alert (used upright and intermediate-upright displays) during the "chick" stage than earlier in the season. Attendance rates were very similar between individuals of the same gender, and a significant correlation was found between the attendance rates of members of a pair. However, sequences of territorial behavior varied significantly between genders.

Modelling Avian Distributions Of The Navarrese Region In Northern Spain With A Geographic Information System, Samuel Soret-Garcia

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

GIS (Geographic information Systems) technology was used for identifying relations between environmental characteristics and the breeding distributions of nine avian species of the Navarrese region in northern Spain. Data overlays of multiple GIS layers derived the explanatory variables for modelling the breeding distributions from logistic regressions. A spatial autocorrelation analysis was conducted to characterize the distribution patterns and to incorporate spatial factors (neighborhood effects) into their analysis.

All nine patterns analyzed exhibited a high level of spatial autocorrelation. Accordingly, the basic hypothesis of spatial randomness was rejected in favor of spatial clustering for the sample data. The breeding distributions strongly …

Thymic Peptide Modulates Glutathione Redox Cycle And Antioxidant Enzymes In Macrophages, Choon Sil Park

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The effect of a 6-kDa thymic peptide (TP) on the oxidative burst of a murine macrophage cell line J774 was determined. TP (12.5-200 μg/ml) was incubated with 5 x 10⁵ J774 cells at 37° C and 5% C0₂ for 18 h and oxidative burst was triggered by zymosan; chemiluminescence was amplified by luminol and measured in an automated luminometer. TP exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibition of oxidative burst. To study the mechanisms involved in TP’s inhibition of oxidative burst, its effect on the glutathione (GSH) redox cycle, GSH biosynthesis, and antioxidant enzymes was investigated. TP was shown to increase …

Mechanisms Of T Cell-Mediated Macrophage Activation: Role Of Antigen Specific And Antigen Nonspecific Cognate Interactions, Xiang Tao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages play an important role in host antimicrobial immunity and in non-septic inflammatory reactions. Most studies on macrophage activation have focused on the roles of the T cell-produced cytokine, interferon-$\gamma$ (IFN$\gamma)$ and bacterial product, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). T cell-macrophage interaction is a critical step in initiating both specific and nonspecific immune responses to antigenic stimulation. The current study examines the role of cognate T cell-macrophage interaction in activation of macrophage effector functions and induction of macrophage early activation gene expression. Viable resting T$\sb{\rm H}$2 clone cells can activate IFN$\gamma$-primed macrophages to produce reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI) or express cytostatic activity. The …

The Vegetation Of Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Past, Present, And Future, Mark D. Mackenzie

Doctoral Dissertations

This research investigates the vegetation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) using three different techniques: 1) analysis of vegetation data collected circa 1930, 2) remote sensing of current (1984) vegetation using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery, and 3) the integration of gradient analysis with forest succession modeling.

Analysis of the 1930's data revealed that Castanea dentata was the dominant species in the GRSM at that time, even with the introduction of the chestnut blight to the park in 1926. Classification of the 1930's plot data identified 16 unique vegetation types ranging from the low elevation, xeric Pinus rigida …

A Survey Of Helminths Of Ondatra Zibethicus In Eight States And Four Foreign Countries, Mike P. Lyons

McCabe Thesis Collection

The muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus. is a large member of the Order Rodentia and regarded as the United States' most important fur bearing mammal (Abram, 19 69) . Helminths, or parasitic worms, include amongst its members: trematodes (flukes), cestodes (tape worms) and nematodes (round worms). Parasite surveys based on geography and subspecies of the host, Ondatra zibethicus. have pieced together information gaps based on these criteria and enabled investigators to construct an overall picture of helminth parasites in the United States and elsewhere.

The question of helminths in representative host species can be addressed either through necropsy examinations or through literature …

Human Lung Mast Cell Tryptase Isozymes: Separation And Examination Of Structural And Functional Differences, Susan S. Little

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tryptases are trypsin-like enzymes found in mast cell granules. Although in vivo substrates have not been positively identified, tryptases cleave a limited number of potential physiological substrates in vitro, including high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Purified human lung mast cell tryptase (HLT) apparently exists as a tetramer with an M$\sb{\rm r}$ of 135-144 kDa by gel filtration, whereas SDS-PAGE yielded two bands of M$\sb{\rm r}$ 29 Kda and 33 Kda. Tryptases are resistant to inhibition by most natural trypsin inhibitors and display some affinity for heparin. The existence of tryptase isozymes has been implied from …

An Evaluation Of Hands-On Instruction As A Method To Improve Observation Skills In Second Grade Students, Lydia Rogers

Master's Theses

A hands-on assessment tool for testing second-grade students' ability to discriminate physical attributes (size, shape, color, texture, pattern, edge, part-to-whole, and type) of mollusk shells was developed, pretested, and administered to 48 second-grade students at Maybeury Elementary School, Henrico County, Virginia. Treatment group students (n = 24) attended five afterschool, activitybased classes in which close observation of object a~tributes was taught. The classes included the same discriminations as did the assessment test but used different materials. Control and test group students were retested. Neither paired t test nor question-by-question analysis showed a significant improvement in the test group's score. Presence …

Population Ecology Of Black Bears On Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Carmen A. Lombardo

Masters Theses

Fifteen black bears (Ursus americanus) were captured 24 times on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, during 1988 and 1989. Females dominated the capture sample, but age did not differ between the sexes (P=0.31). No subadult males were captured during the study. Mean litter size was 2.2 (n=6) with females attaining primiparity at age 4. Breeding may occur at age 3; den observations-and teat development suggested previous parturition in a four-yearold. Estimated annual survival rates were 0.77 for males, 0.69 for females, and 0.53 for cubs. Causes of mortality included vehicle collisions (n=S), research (n=l), and legal …

Gregarious Behavior In Large Mammals: Modeling, Methodology, And Application, Thomas L. Morton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Gregarious behavior of ungulates was considered in four ways. The first concern was W. D. Hamilton's hypothesis that a simple movement rule could reduce predation risk and encourage grouping behavior. Simulations showed little effect of this nearest-neighbor rule on predation risk. Similar, more complicated rules reduced predation risk by up to two thirds.

The second focus was on the accuracy of ground observers in diagramming individual animal locations in small herds of elk. A remotely controlled airplane was used to photograph the herds from above. A substantial distance discrepancy was found between "true" and "observed" animal locations. This discrepancy increased …

Effects Of Elevated Co2 On Crop Growth Rates, Radiation Absorption, Canopy Quantum Yield, Canopy Carbon Use Efficiency, And Root Respiration Of Wheat, Oscar A. Monje

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wheat canopies were grown at either 330 or 1200 μmol mol^-1 CO₂ in sealed controlled environments, where carbon fluxes and radiation interception were continuously and nondestructively measured during their life cycles. The effects of elevated CO₂ on daily growth rates, canopy quantum yield, canopy and root carbon use efficiencies, and final dry mass were calculated from carbon flux measurements in an open gas exchange system. Dry biomass at harvest was predicted from the gas exchange data to within ± 8%. The greatest effect of elevated CO₂ occurred in the first 15d after emergence; however, several physiological …

Resource Partitioning Among Brown Bears At Brooks River In Katmai National Park And Preserve, Alaska, Tamara L. Olson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A quantitative study of the behavior of brown bears (Ursus arctos) was undertaken in areas of different human activity at Brooks River in Katmai National Park and Preserve, 1988-1990. The research was conducted to determine whether the activity of any particular classes of bears using the river were differentially affected by human activity, activity of conspecifics, or availability of salmon. Approximately 1643 hours of systematic observation were recorded, 781 between June 26 and July 29 and 862 hours between August 26 and October 12 of all three years. Comparisons of fish capture rates by bears and distributions of …

Characterization Of A Dexamethasone-Immunosuppressed C57bl/6n Mouse Model For Chronic Cryptosporidiosis, Edward G. Martin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cryptosporidium parvum is a coccidian protozoan that colonizes epithelial cells lining respiratory and digestive tracts of animals and humans. Cryptosporidiosis is a well-recognized zoonotic disease infecting primarily neonates and immunocompromised hosts, including human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. Clinical disease is manifested as a chronic diarrheal illness that is self-limiting in immunocompetent hosts and prolonged and often life-threatening in hosts with compromised immune systems. The lack of a suitable small animal model for screening anti-cryptosporidial drugs and for examining the pathogenicity and immunobiology of chronic cryptosporidosis was the impetus for this research effort.

The objectives of the present study were three-fold: to …

Effects Of Rumen-Protected Amino Acids On Production In Holstein Cows, David Paul Dawson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Six nonlactating Holstein cows fitted with rumen and duodenal cannula were used to determine the efficacy of pH sensitive fatty acid polymer encapsulation as a means protecting amino acids from rumen fermentation and as a post-ruminal amino acid delivery system. The cows were arranged in a 2 X 2 factorial in a Latin Square design. Treatments were 1) the basal ration, and 2) basal ration plus rumen-protected lysine, methionine, and threonine at 10 g each per day.

Rumen parameters measured were pH, ammonia, volatile fatty acids, protozoa, liquid, and dry matter rate of passage, total viable bacteria, and viable cellulolytic …

Treatment Of Low Quality Forages By Hydrogen Peroxide And(Or) Anhydrous Ammonia And Their Utilization In Ruminant Nutrition, Mohammed Diouri

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate low quality forages treatment by anhydrous ammonia (NH₃) and(or) hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂).

In experiment I, a control and three treatments of barley straw were compared: NH₃, NH₃ after rehydration of the straw with water (NH₃+H₂O), and NH₃ after rehydration with a H₂O₂ solution (NH₃+H₂O₂). Forages were fed, with a supplement, at two levels of intake (ad libitum and 75% of ad lib.). Treatments were administered in a split-plot in a Latin …

Effect Of Salinity (Nacl) On Germination, Growth, Ion Accumulation, And Protein Synthesis In Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.), Thamir S. Al-Niemi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To study the effect of NaCl stress on gene expression in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), greenhouse and laboratory experiments were conducted with 22 cultivars during germination and post-germination growth. The ability of alfalfa cultivars to germinate at the different NaCl concentrations was not related to their postgermination performance (salt tolerance) under those conditions.

Genetic effects were evident for Na and Cl ion uptake and accumulation in alfalfa shoots and roots. The strategies of alfalfa cultivars to cope with NaCl stress includes exclusion of Na from shoots and Cl from roots or from the whole plant depending on cultivar and …

Fat Content Of American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) And Sharp-Shinned Hawks (Accipiter Striatus) Estimated By Total Body Electrical Conductivity, Shari M. Harden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC) is a noninvasive method for the estimation of lean mass in live subjects. Lipid content can be calculated from the body mass measured and the lean mass estimated from TOBEC. I used live American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) to study the accuracy of this method. TOBEC measurements were compared to actual body content determined by Soxhlet fat extraction using petroleum ether as the solvent. TOBEC estimated 73.7% of the variation in lean mass in a sample of 21 kestrels. The use of restraining devices (Vetrap and cardboard cylinders) altered the TOBEC measurement but only …

Influence Of Microphytic Crusts On Selected Soil Physical And Hydrologic Properties In The Hartnet Draw, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah., John Dana Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Microphytic crust influences on selected physical and hydrologic soil properties were examined at one location in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. Designed experiments were conducted in a sandy loam soil where microphytic crusts were present without the concomitant development of confounding physical or chemical soil conditions. Three treatments were used for all experiments: control, chemically killed (microphytes killed but left in place), and scalped (microphytic crusts mechanically removed).

A portable wind tunnel was used to deter-nine if microphytic crusts contribute to soil stability and reduce the erosive effect of wind. Significantly lower threshold friction velocity and greater wind-entrained material were …

Anaerobic Treatment Of Whey Permeate Using Upflow Sludge Blanket Bioreactors, Seokhwan Hwang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Whey permeate was anaerobically digested in laboratory scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors. Nine hydraulic retention times between 5 and 0.2 days were examined with a fixed influent concentration of 10.6 ± 0.2 g COD/L.

Chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency ranged from 99.0 to 18.9% and maximum production rate of methane gas was 2.67 L/L/day at a hydraulic loading rate of 12.97 kg COD/m³/day. About 70% of the chemical oxygen demand removed was converted to methane.

Both the nonlinear least square method with 95% confidence interval and linear regression were used to evaluate kinetic coefficients. The maximum substrate …