Digital Commons Network^™

Isolation & Characterization Of A Type I Topoisomerase From The Hypocotyls Of Etiolated Soybeans, Rick Dye

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Topoisomerases are enzymes of critical biological significance. Despite this fact, little data specific to the topoisomerases of higher plants has been published. This research was undertaken to isolate and characterize a higher plant topoisomerase from soybean hypocotyls to further the understanding of the structure and function of these enzymes.

Nuclei were isolated from frozen hypocotyls of 4 day old etiolated soybeans by homogenization and centrifugation, then lysed by gentle stirring in the presence of 1.5 mM ammonium sulfate. The resultant extract was desalted and purified by column chromatography on DEAF sepharose, 5-200 sephacryl and CM cellulose. The components of the …

Hands-On Activities That Relate Mendelian Genetics To Cell-Division, Heather Mckean, Linda S. Gibson

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Management Of The Perth Metropolitan Purse-Seine Fishery., N. Moore

Fisheries Management Papers

This report outlines the management plan for the limited entry purse-seine fishery for small pelagic fish in coastal waters between Lancelin and Cape Bouvard and seaward to the 200 mile limit of the Australian Fishing Zone. The plan includes Cockburn Sound.

The Use Of Banding Recovery Data To Estimate Dispersal Rates And Gene Flow In Avian Species: Case Studies In The Red-Winged Blackbird And Common Grackle, William S. Moore, Richard A. Dolbeer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research Publications

Dispersal resulting in gene flow strongly affects the evolution of genetic structure in populations. This report describes statistical estimators of dispersal parameters based on USFWS banding recovery records. Finite-area studies of avian species yield estimates of root-mean-square (RMS) dispersal along a transect of about 1 km per generation. In contrast, estimates of RMS dispersal for the Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula), based on USFWS banding recovery records, are 94.6 and 111.4 km per generation, respectively. Distributions for both species are extremely leptokurtic, and confidence intervals based on jackknife statistics are large because the estimators are sensitive …

Effects Of Methylene Chloride On Immune Function In Mice And The In Vitro Effect Of Methylene Chloride In Immunologic Assays, Man-Ping Wang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A number of toxicities associated with methylene chloride have been found in both human subjects and mice. However, relatively few studies have probed immunotoxicities of methylene chloride. In order to examine possible immunotoxicities or immunomodulating effects of methylene chloride, several tests of cellular immune function were performed using both human in in vitro studies and a mouse model.

Body weights and specific organ weights of thymus, spleen, liver, and kidney were normal in CD-1 mice given various concentrations of methylenechloride. However, a significantly reduced mitogenic response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA} and reduced interleukin-2 (IL-2} production was found in these methylene-chloride-treated mice. …

Immunological Characterization Of An Sds/Kcl Isolated Total Protein Antigen Of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 13, Vicki L. Shore

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Because of the damaging effects of bluetongue disease on the livestock industry, interest exists in developing a means of inducing passive immunity in infected animals. Antibodies against VP2, the polypeptide responsible for immunoantigenicity in bluetongue virus (BTV), have been found to elicit neutralizing antibodies; however, production of this purified antigen is very costly and thus impractical for commercial purposes. Total viral protein, prepared by a simple, rapid, highly reproducible SDS/KCl method, was injected into rabbits and found to produce antibodies which are useful in immunoblots. However, plaque neutralization assays failed to detect any neutralization activity by these antibodies. Denaturation of …

Characterization Of Anti-Pichinde Virus Monoclonal Antibodies For The Directed Delivery Of Antiviral Drugs And Toxins, Noah Jefferson Burns Iii

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mouse monoclonal antibodies directed against Pichinde virus (PCV) were produced to evaluate their application as vehicles for the delivery of antiviral drugs or toxins to virus-infected cells. Four monoclonal antibodies, PC4.9A6, PC4.9D3, PC4.7C2, and PC4.8D3, were of the IgG2a subisotype and reacted with acetone-fixed and live PCV-infected Vero-76 cells. In vivo stained splenic macrophages derived from PCV-infected hamsters that had been injected with fluorescein-labeled PC4.9A6 (FITC9A6) demonstrated a 400% increase in total fluorescence over similarly treated, non-infected cells when analyzed by flow cytometry. This is an indication that FITC-9A6 does have some ability to specifically target PCV infected cells in …

Purification And Characterization Of A Chemically Induced Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Deoxyribonuclease, Guang-Yuh Hwang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Purification of Epstein-Barr virus-associated deoxyribonuclease (EBV-DNase) from Raji and P₃HR-1 cells treated with 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and sodium butyrate was performed by sequential ion-exchange column chromatography and fast protein liquid chromatography. The enzyme activity, protein concentration, yield, specific activity, purification profiles, and polypeptide patterns by electrophoretic analysis in each column purification step were determined. The characteristics of the partially isolated EBV-DNase were demonstrated by the enzyme activity, DNA binding affinity, and inhibition by the nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient sera and rabbit polyclonal antibodies against the partially purified EBV-DNase. A nonisotopic assay was developed as a new method in detecting the nuclease. …

In Vitro Identification Of The Effect Of Serotonin On Lymphocyte Dna Synthesis And Natural Killer Cell Activity, Kim Kartchener Kane

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the neurotransmitter, serotonin (SE), on the immune function of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of normal, healthy subjects. This was done as a preliminary investigation to studies on the association of SE with immune changes in autistic subjects.

The PBMC isolated from normal male subjects were treated with various concentrations of SE for 48 hrs. Their incubation in SE at a concentration of 10^-3 M induced about a 35% decrease in DNA synthesis. However, incubation of the cells in lower concentrations (10^-4 to 10^-10) of …

Analysis Of Mitochondrial Dna Restriction Fragment Patterns In Killer Whales, Orcinus Orca, Tracy Alison Stevens

Dissertations and Theses

The mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment patterns of killer whales (Orcinus orca) were investigated in order to determine the level of genetic differentiation that exists between killer whales from various geographic locations. Twenty one killer whales were examined, seventeen of which were captive killer whales that originated from the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific Oceans. Two were captive-born animals and two were killer whales that stranded along the Northeast Pacific coast.

DNA was extracted from blood and/or tissue samples, cleaved with a variety of restriction endonucleases and the DNA fragments were separated by horizontal agarose gel electrophoresis. The DNA …

A Review Of The Shark Bay Pearling Industry., D. A. Hancock

Fisheries Management Papers

While there are currently only two pearl culture leases in Shark Bay, two new applications for leases have already been received by the W.A. Fisheries Department. Increased interest is being generated about pearl culture in Shark Bay, which will need to be considered against the background of management plans designed to restrict further entry into other areas, notably the pearly industry of W.A from Exmouth Gulf northwards, and the pearling industry of the Northern Territory. Recent successes with pearl culture in both those areas, and the greatly increased revenues and high lease transfer values realised, must inevitably focus interest on …

Olfactory And Nasal Respiratory Epithelia, And Foliate Taste Buds Visualized With Rapid-Freeze Freeze-Substitution And Lowicryl K11m Embedding. Ultrastructural And Initial Cytochemical Studies., Bert Ph. M. Menco

Scanning Microscopy

Rat olfactory and respiratory epithelia and Rhesus monkey taste buds were studied with rapid-freeze, acetone/0.1% uranyl acetate freeze-substitution and low-temperature Lowicryl K11M embedding, usually in the absence of other chemical fixation and cryoprotection procedures. Ultrastructural features of mucus, cytoplasm, including cytoskeletons, and membranes were better retained than with conventional methods. Some major examples: The mucus of the olfactory epithelium consisted of a single layer; that of the respiratory epithelium had an electron-opaque sol layer surrounding cilia and microvilli below a thin laminated electron-lucent gel layer. Taste-bud pores displayed a foam-like opaque secretory product, resembling the contents of secretory granules within …

Solution-Mediated Transformation Of Octacalcium Phosphate (Ocp) To Apatite, R. Z. Legeros, G. Daculsi, I. Orly, T. Abergas, W. Torres

Scanning Microscopy

OCP crystals were hydrolyzed in solutions containing Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, HPO₄^2-, CO₃^2-, F^-, citrate or P₂O₇ ions. Products of hydrolysis were analyzed using scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction.

Results demonstrated that the OCP to Apatite (AP) transformation is influenced by: (1) types of ions in solution: inhibited by Mg²⁺, citrate or P₂O₇^4-; facilitated by F^-, CO₃^2-, HPO₄^2- or Ca²⁺ ions; (2) ionic concentrations; (3) …

Microbiological Immunocytochemistry: A Review Of Current Trends And Applications, Julian E. Beesley

Scanning Microscopy

It has been considered worthwhile to update previous reviews of microbiological immunocytochemistry in order to identify areas of current importance in this continually expanding area of research. Publications in virology, bacteriology and protozoology indicate a continued interest in immunocytochemistry. Deployment of colloidal gold techniques is almost universal in these applications. The post-embedding technique was the most widely applied technique although a few studies employed the immunonegative stain, pre-embedding and immunoreplica techniques, thereby reflecting the use of colloidal gold in all other areas of the biological sciences.

The Vascularization Of The Skin Of The Atlantic Hagfish, Myxine Glutinosa L. As Revealed By Scanning Electron Microscopy Of Vascular Corrosion Casts, A. Lametschwandtner, T. Weiger, U. Lametschwandtner, V. Georgieva-Hanson, R. A. Patzner, H. Adam

Scanning Microscopy

The vascularization of three different (A, B, C) skin regions (from the level of the heart to the cloaca including dorsal, lateral and ventral skin areas) of the Atlantic hagfish, Myxine glutinosa L. was studied by scanning electron microscopy of vascular corrosion casts. Vessel variables were measured either from semithin sections (diameters) or from vascular corrosion casts (diameters, lengths) and total blood capacities as well as vessel surfaces per unit skin area (mm²) were calculated. There are no significant differences in the number of subepidermal capillary meshes (ranging from 164 to 185 meshes per micrograph) in areas A, …

Interpretation Of Structural Patterns Appearing On Corrosion Casts Of Small Blood And Initial Lymphatic Vessels, A. Castenholz

Scanning Microscopy

Structures imprinted on the corrosion casts of blood and lymphatic microvessels are examined by correlative scanning electron microscopy of corroded casts and fixed tissue. Replicas of the endothelial nuclear portions and cell boundaries and the plastic bands surrounding the casts of terminal blood vessels are demonstrated. In small lymphatics the replication of valve structures, interendothelial open junctions and direct prelymphatic connections is shown. The different imprint patterns are examined in regard to their morphological significance and under methodical aspects.

Ranking Corrosion Efficiency: A Latin Square Study On Rat Lung Microvascular Corrosion Casts, Dean E. Schraufnagel

Scanning Microscopy

Scanning electron microscopy of corrosion casts is an important tool for the study of microvascular structure but few systematic studies on methods of specimen preparation have been reported. This study sought to determine the relative importance of factors involved in corrosion. It compared potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and water as major corrosive agents. It tested the size of the tissue sample, and the use of prealkali autolysis, detergent, and proteolytic enzymes in a Latin square designed study. The main findings were that sodium and potassium hydroxide were better than water (P < 0.0001) and the longer the corrosion time the better corroded the samples were (P < 0.0001 ). Although not a controlled factor, higher room temperature was also associated with better corrosion. The use of proteolytic enzymes, detergent, and warm tap water alone before the alkali treatment did not significantly improve the corrosion in this study, although this does not preclude an effect with another experimental design.

X-Ray Microanalysis Of Mammalian Salivary Glands, Godfried M. Roomans, R. Margareta Müller, Samuel Sagström, Gun-Britt Sagulin, Susan M. Scarlett, Joanna Wroblewski, Maria Albertsson

Scanning Microscopy

X-ray microanalysis was used to study the elemental composition of major salivary glands in rat and man. The elemental composition of the acinar cells is influenced by a variety of factors. Stimulation of fluid secretion by cholinergic, α-adrenergic or peptidergic agonists leads to a sustained increase of the Na/K ratio. The elemental composition and ultrastructure of the acinar cells of rat submandibular gland, as well as flow rate and composition of pilocarpinestimulated submandibular saliva are significantly affected by thyroxine, but less by the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone. Hypercalcemia (induced by chronic vitamin D treatment) as well as hypocalcemia (induced by calcitonin) …

Red Swamp Crayfish Ecology In Lake Mead, Suzanne E. Leavitt, Jennifer Stephens Haley, Mikell Hager, Donald H. Baepler, Nevada Department Of Wildlife

Publications (WR)

Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) were trapped in Flamingo Wash, an urban wash of Las Vegas, during four periods of 1988. Life history and reproductive success were determined. The trapped crayfish were marked and released into a study cove in Lake Mead as part of an experimental stocking program. Retrap data from the study cove were used to determine life history, habitat preferences, and movement patterns of the stocked crayfish. In addition, a literature search was done on red swamp crayfish ecology, including food preferences, life history, habitat preferences and fish predation.

Architecture Of The Medial Smooth Muscle Of The Arterial Vessels In The Normal Human Brain: A Scanning Electron-Microscopic Study, Toshitaka Shiraishi, Saburo Sakaki, Yasuo Uehara

Scanning Microscopy

The architecture of the medial smooth muscle of arterial vessels in normal human brains was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. We could divide the arterial vessels into four subdivisions according to the number of the circular muscle cells. The arteries ( > 100 μm in diameter) had 4-20 layers of circular smooth muscle cells; individual circular muscle cells were spindle-shaped and occasionally had branches at their ends. Multidirectional muscle cells were observed in the medio-adventitial border only at the branching sites in large arteries (>300 μm), but at both branching and non-branching sites in the small arteries (100-300 μm). The …

Analyses Of Dental Pulp In Restored Teeth, D. L. Lentz, J. T. Buchanan, D. R. Basinger

Scanning Microscopy

Restored teeth were extracted from test animals at four time intervals (1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and 3 months) following amalgam insertion. Extracted teeth were frozen in liquid nitrogen, cryo-fractured so as to expose the pulps and then freeze-dried. Pulps were analyzed for mercury content by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Mercury levels appeared below the detection limits of EDS but could be detected by AAS which showed the highest readings seven days after amalgam insertion.

The Response Phase - The First Six Hours After Acute Airway Injury By So2 Inhalation: An In Vivo And In Vitro Study, W. C. Hulbert, S. F. P. Man, M. K. Rosychuk, G. Braybrook, J. G. Mehta

Scanning Microscopy

We have identified an airway epithelial response following acute injury that cannot be termed 'repair' or regeneration. It precedes these well characterized events and it is termed the 'response phase'. We tested the hypothesis that for the first 6 h following acute injury to the tracheal mucosa, the initial cellular events of the response phase will continue as in vivo even if the tissue is maintained in vitro in an Ussing chamber. The tracheal mucosa of anesthetized, intubated mongrel dogs was injured by the inhalation of SO₂ 500 ppm for 1 h (7 dogs); controls (3 dogs) breathed filtered, …

X-Ray Microanalysis Of Calcium Containing Organelles In Resin Embedded Tissue, G. Nicaise, I. Gillot, A. K. Julliard, E. Keicher, S. Blaineau, J. Amsellem, J. C. Meyran, M. L. Hernandez-Nicaise, B. Ciapa, C. Gleyzal

Scanning Microscopy

The localization of calcium in cell organelles at the electron microscope level is often achieved through cytochemical techniques, and verified by X-ray microanalysis. Various methods have been used to cytochemically detect calcium or calcium-binding sites : calcium loading, calcium substitution by strontium, barium, or even lead, and calcium precipitation by oxalate, phosphate, fluoride, or pyroantimonate. Their results may have heuristic value, particularly in preliminary studies of poorly known cell types. A complementary and more physiological approach is offered by quantitative measurement of the total calcium content of organelles after cryofixation.

Resin embedding is less demanding than cryomicrotomy and gives better …

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Enhances Nickel Penetration Through Guinea-Pig Skin. Studies With Energy Dispersive X-Ray Microanalysis, Magnus Lindberg, Samuel Sagström, Godfried M. Roomans, Bo Forslind

Scanning Microscopy

The effect of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), a common ingredient of detergents, on the penetration of nickel through the stratum corneum in the guinea-pig skin model was studied with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis ( EDX) to evaluate the barrier-damaging properties of this common detergent. The EDX technique allows a simultaneous determination of physiologically important elements, e.g., Na. Mg, P, Cl, K, Ca and S in addition to Ni at each point of measurement in epidermal cell strata. Our results show that SLS reduces the barrier function to Ni-ion penetration of the stratum corneum. In addition we have shown that EDX …

A Report On Marron Fishing In Western Australia., Doug Wenn

Fisheries Management Papers

The marroning experience is one enjoyed by many Western Australians. A rapid increase in fishing effort evidenced by the increase in number of recreational fishing licences issued, combined with low rainfall in the last few years resulted in a dramatic reduction of marron catch rates during 1986/87. In view of the state of marron stocks, the Minister for Fisheries considered it appropriate to close the 1987/88 marron season.

The Vascular System Of Xenotransplanted Tumors -Scanning Electron And Light Microscopic Studies-, M. A. Konerding, F. Steinberg, V. Budach

Scanning Microscopy

A widely used model for investigating basic tumor characteristics and different treatment modalities preclinically is the immune-deficient, athymic nude mouse. This model offers many morphological parallelisms to the clinical situation.

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the vascularization pattern of xenotransplanted human melanomas and sarcomas using different methods. Xenotransplanted tumors of 62 congenital thymusaplastic nude mice were examined ultrastructurally and topographically after corrosion cast and tissue preparation. Quantitative measurements of tumors injected with India ink were carried out to obtain comparable information on the vascular densities in the tumors.

Quantitative measurements showed that there is no zonal, topographic …

Ultrastructural Variation In Enamel Of Australian Marsupials, C. F. Gilkeson, K. S. Lester

Scanning Microscopy

This paper initiates a survey of the enamel of fossil and extant Australian marsupials by scanning electron microscopy. Enamel was examined from 17 extant and 11 extinct marsupials. Assessment was made of prism packing pattern, prism course, tubule presence, tubule size and distribution. Values calculated were: prism diameter; prism axis ratio; cross-sectional prism area; cross-sectional ameloblast area; and numerical prism density.

Three different prism packing arrangements were found for extant and fossil marsupials within the classical Pattern 2. The Pattern 1 arrangement found in three extant species was relatively unexpected given the general acceptance of Marsupialia as having Pattern 2 …

Vascular "Sphincter" And Microangioarchitecture In The Central Nervous System: Constriction Of Intraparenchymal Blood Vessels Following A Treatment Of Vasoconstrictive Neurotransmitter, K. Nakai, Y. Naka, H. Yokote, T. Ikatura, H. Imai, N. Komai, T. Maeda

Scanning Microscopy

The site of action of neuropeptide Y (NPY), a potent vasoconstrictive neurotransmitter, on the intraparenchymal blood vessels in the rat parietal cortex was demonstrated using a corrosion cast technique with scanning electron microscopy. Our observations were confined to the cortical area where the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) had been reduced significantly by in situ application of NPY. A striking finding in that area was the diffuse narrowing of the perforating arteries in the upper cortical layers. Ring-like compressions on the corrosion casts, presumably formed by active vascular sphincters along the arteries, capillaries and venules within the brain parenchyma, seemed …

Historical Biogeography: Geography As Evolution, Evolution As Geography, Charles H. Smith

DLPS Faculty Publications

Despite a number of advances in recent years, biogeography remains a field with a poorly developed philosophical core. As a result, its historical and ecological sides remain as isolated from one another as ever. In this essay I argue that a more unified approach to biogeographic studies will become possible only when workers realise that it is necessary to reject absolute space, "geography as handmaiden" approaches to distribution problems in favour of structuralist models compatible with both probabilistic spatial interaction and deterministic phylogenetic kinds of thinking. Pros and cons of regionalist, vicariance, and panbiogeographic approaches are weighed in this regard; …

Genetic Variability Within And Among Wintering Populations Of Brant, James M. Novak, L. M. Smith, L. D. Vangilder

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.