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A Biochemical Study Of Gossypol And Lactate Dehydrogenase X Binary Interactions, Patricia Brown Ravenell

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The goal of this project was to study the mechanism of action of gossypol through its (a) binary interaction with native and trypsin digested lactate dehydrogenase-X (LD-X), a sperm-specific isozyme, and (b) its binding in vitro in primary cultures of spermatogenic cells. Mouse LD-X was cleaved with trypsin before and after treatment with gossypol. This was followed by high performance chromatography (HPLC) separation of the LD-X tryptic peptide fragments to observed alterations in separation patterns as indicators of intramolecular disturbance in the enzyme molecule. Definite alterations in peptide fragment peaks were observed in the presence of gossypol and suggest conformational …

Vitellogenesis In Hyalomma Dromedarii (Acari: Ixodidae): A Model For Analysis Of Endocrine Regulation In Ixodid Ticks, Martin E. Schriefer

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The egg yolk proteins, vitellins, and their hemolymph precursors, vitellogenins, were characterized in the ixodid tick Hyalomma dromedarii. Three vitellins were identified. The high molecular weight vitellins, VN A and VN B, were composed of seven homologous molecular weight subunit polypeptides, VN 1-7. VN A appears to be a dimeric form of VN B. VN C was composed of single polypeptide. Low levels of vitellogenin, were identified in western immunoblots utilizing antibody raised against purified vitellin. Adult protein and polypeptide profiles, including vitellin and vitellogenin, were characterized as a function of sex, tissue and reproductive development. Quantitative assessment of the …

Development And Characterization Of Monoclonal Antisperm Antibodies: Potential For Contraception, Dilrowshan H. Haque

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

There is an expressed need to develop a greater variety of safe contraceptive methods which would find acceptance worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Immunization against spermatozoa might be such a method as judged by the accumulated evidence from studies on human females and in a number of female animal species.

Two extraction techniques were used for sperm membrane antigen isolation. The first technique involved NP-40 detergent for antigen extraction from human motile sperm and the second technique employed homogenized human testis for antigen extraction. Using these immunogens, sperm membrane-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were developed. When these antisperm MAbs were subjected …

The Role Of Queuine Deficient Trna In Translational Control, Kathryn Lenore Hart

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The purpose of this research was to study the effect of the level of tRNA modification with respect to queuine on translational efficiency. Transfer RNA from neoplastic cells is generally deficient with regard to certain hypermodified nucleosides found in normal cells. The hypothesis that was examined is whether or not the altered efficiency of translation can be correlated to the presence of queuine hypomodified tRNA. The loss of queuine in the anticodon may change the interaction of the tRNA's anticodon with its codon. Therefore, the translational complex may stall looking for a rare tRNA, or the stability of the complex …

Fertilization And Mouse Embryo Development In The Presence Of Midazolam, Maria Leavitt

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The development of mouse embryos in vitro has provided a unique opportunity for the study of cellular differentiation and the influence of various agents on differentiation. Midazolam is administered for conscious sedation in the recovery of human ova. In the Norfolk IVF Program, midazolam is found in varying concentrations in follicular fluid. Mouse embryo formation and development has been used to test midazolam's effect on fertilization and early development as a model of human in vitro fertilization and development. Midazolam' s effects were studied using varying doses of midazolam on (1) in vivo fertilization and subsequent cell division, and (2) …

Effects Of Ultrasonic Scaling And Hand Scaling On Root Typography, Kim Lee Herremans

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of scaling and root planing with the modified P-10 Cavitron^R tip and curet instruments on root surface topography. Sample specimens included 20 periodontally involved extracted human teeth. Specimens were carved into a three split root design, each sample specimen acting as its own control. Control and experimental surfaces were randomly assigned to each specimen. Scaling techniques were applied on the assigned experimental surfaces for 2 minutes and 14 seconds. A scanning electron microscope was used to examine and micrograph root surface topography of experimental surfaces. Photomicrographs were evaluated using …

Norfolk Resource Mothers Program Evaluation, Margaret Moore Konefal

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

This study uses the post-test only design to assess the preliminary effects of a community-based policy initiative, the Norfolk State University Resource Mothers Program (RMP), on the gestational ages, birth weights, and survival rates of infants born to participating adolescent mothers.

The RMP uses experienced mothers or paraprofessionals similar in race and socio-economic status to the participating teenagers. These persons are trained to assist pregnant adolescents and teen parents with nonmedical dimensions of pregnancy and child care. They recruit teens into the RMP, encouraging them to get early prenatal care. Resource Mothers provide teen mothers and their families with practical …

A Record Of The Present Moment: A Comparison Of The Early And Later Narrative Work Of Gertrude Stein, Elisa Stuber Cohen

English Theses & Dissertations

Gertrude Stein began and ended her literary career with the narrative, a mode of discourse which she reworked and altered to fit her vision of twentieth-century reality. In her early work with the narrative (Three Lives and The Making of Americans), she reevaluated traditional techniques of plot, theme, and character and began to emphasize the textual surface over referential meaning. But feeling restricted by the narrative, Stein left it behind in search of the value of the individual word, which she thought was lost in nineteenth-century rhetoric. For the next twenty-five years, she concentrated on poetry, plays, and …

The Study Of Natural Product(S) From Opsanus Tau (Linnaeus), The Oyster Toadfish, Miki Taira

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Opsanus tau (Linnaeus), the Oyster toadfish, commonly inhabits the Chesapeake Bay. The Oyster toadfish has been categorized as a venomous and/or ichthyotoxic fish; however, chemical studies to substantiate these claims have not been forthcoming.

The oyster toadfish has dorsal and opercular spines which are believed to secrete a venom(s). Based on our findings, the oyster toadfish does not secrete venom(s) from these spines.

The oyster toadfish secretes large amounts of a mucus when it is irritated. 3-Octanone was believed to be the major ichthyotoxic component of the mucus from the oyster toadfish. Based on our investigation, 3-octanone is present only …

Identification Of Health Promotion Behaviors, Perceived Health Status And Perceived Health Education Needs Of Older Women, Susan Carol Fellinger Reynolds

Ellmer School of Nursing Theses & Dissertations

The health-promoting behaviors, perceived health status, and perceived health education needs of older women were identified in this non-experimental, descriptive, correlational study. Fifty women over 60 years of age, living in three housing complexes for the elderly, disabled and handicapped in two southeastern United States cities were asked to complete The Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile, The Perceived Health Status Questionnaire, The Health Education Needs Questionnaire, and Demographic Data Sheet. It was concluded that the women engaged in a high level of health-promoting behaviors. The participants rated their health as good and rated their health as good compared to that of other …

Identification And Ranking Of Stressors Specific To The Acute Head Care Nurse, Joan A. Breen

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Amphibians And Reptiles Of Back Bay, Virginia, Christopher A. Pague, Joseph C. Mitchell

II. Fauna

(First Paragraph) Past authors who documented the distributions of eastern North American amphibians and reptiles illustrated the southeastern corner of Virginia as the northern limit of distribution for many species (Conant 1958, 1975; Martof et al. 1980). These maps were not sufficiently detailed to allow resolution of specific areas; the entire region was completely shaded.

The History And Success Of The Wood Duck Nest Box Program At Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge, William H. Hegge

II. Fauna

Coastal southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina are considered to be within the primary breeding and wintering range of the Wood duck (Aix sponsa). To restore and expand the local Wood duck population, Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge introduced 37 pairs of pen-reared Wood ducks in 1970. Concurrently, 34 nest boxes were erected on the refuge. The total number of nesting boxes has expanded at a moderate pace to where the number of boxes now totals 121. The nest box program during all or part of the 10 year period from 1980 - 1989 was evaluated to: (1) assess general …

Zooplankton Populations In Back Bay, Virginia, Harold G. Marshall, Ronald Southwick, Bruce Wagoner

II. Fauna

Back Bay contains two distinct populations of zooplankton. One is a micro-zooplankton component composed primarily of ciliated protozoans, the other is a macrozooplankton group dominated by calanoid copepods, crustacean larvae, rotifers and polychaete larvae. Seasonal periods of abundance for these zooplankters are identified and discussed.

The Phytogeographical Significance Of Some Rare Plants At Back Bay, D. A. Knepper, J. B. Wright, L. J. Musselman

III. Flora

The Back Bay region has long been recognized for its many species which reach either their northern or southern limits there. The eminent Harvard botanist M.L. Fernald collected extensively in the Back Bay region during the late 1930's and early 1940's. He postulated the Back Bay area provided a unique opportunity for the migration of fresh and brackish water species through a series of interconnected or neighboring marshes and pools. His collections document the presence of several species which we now consider extirpated.

Of especial interest are genera with vicarious species pairs, that is, one area of overlap between wide-ranging …

Phytoplankton Populations In Back Bay, Virginia, Harold G. Marshall

III. Flora

Cyanobacteria, diatoms and chlorophyceans dominated the seasonal assemblages of phytoplankton in a two year study of Back Bay, Virginia. Seasonal differences in composition and development were found between the two years, with highest concentrations occurring in summer and early fall when a piconanoplankton assemblage of cells was dominant.

Front Matter For The Proceedings Of The Back Bay Ecological Symposium, Harold G. Marshall, Mitchell D. Norman

Front Matter

Cover, Title page, Preface, and Table of Contents for the Proceedings of the Back Bay Ecological Symposium, Published June 1991.

Rx For Success At Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge: Take Two Committed Partners-Add Water, Janet Taylor, Julia Herrick, Ben Mathias

V. Poster Abstracts

As part of a major effort to improve habitats for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife, Ducks Unlimited, Inc. is contributing $187,500 in matching funds to help the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rehabilitate wetland impoundments at Back Bay NWR.

The three-year project will increase Refuge management capabilities on existing wetland areas, create 300 acres of new marsh habitat and increase water management flexibility throughout the impoundment system. Components of the project include:

• Raising and re-sloping 8 miles of existing dikes
• Installing 13 new water control structures
• Constructing 6,000 feet of new dikes
• Creating two storage pools totalling 53 acres and …

U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service Back Bay Initiative: Goals And Objectives, David A. Stilwell

V. Poster Abstracts

Back Bay has historically been noted for its abundant wildlife and fisheries. A testimony to this fact has been the establishment of two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuges (Back Bay and Mackey Island National Wildlife Refuges), three Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Waterfowl Management Areas (Pocahontas, Barbours's Hill, and Trojan Waterfowl Management Areas) and a State park (False Cape State Park). Back Bay has been a major stopover point for waterfowl in the North Atlantic flyway, it had prodigious submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) beds and an outstanding fisheries. Since the l 920's these resources have …

Environmental Education: A Chance For The Future, Ben Mathias

V. Poster Abstracts

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to providing environmental education opportunities for the Nation's student body. Local, regional and national educators are invited to investigate and utilize the resources of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge with their colleagues and students. Teacher workshops at the Refuge provide orientation to Refuge lands, outdoor classroom sites, trails, interpretive facilities and equipment, and potential field activities. Refuge staff members are available to assist with: • Preliminary planning • Group scheduling • Library research • Workshop registration • Trip logistics and • On-site group orientation. Most classroom sites, associated trails/boardwalks, and Visitor Contact …

Refuge Management: Committed To The Future, Anthony D. Leger

IV. Management

The Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established on June 6, 1938, " ... as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife." During its first 30 years, the Refuge was managed similar to other areas of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Dikes were constructed, facilities were built, and wildlife management programs were initiated. In the late 1960's, the emphasis of the area changed, as increasing numbers of beach oriented visitors, primarily using 4 wheel drive vehicles, began using the area. By 1971 public use reached 348,000 visits per year. Throughout the 1970's and early 1980's Refuge …

Rare Animals Of Back Bay, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Christopher A. Pague, Kurt A. Buhlmann

II. Fauna

(First paragraph) The Back Bay region is located in extreme southeastern Virginia and extends into adjacent North Carolina as the upper reach of the Currituck Sound watershed. The Back Bay ecosystem encompasses the only large intact barrier beach system in Virginia south of the Chesapeake Bay. The dynamic natural resource history of Back Bay is well known for waterfowl and fishes; however, the significance of this region is poorly known for the majority of plants, animals, and natural communities (but see Ludwig, et al. this volume).

A Catalog Of The Vascular Flora Of The Back Bay Watershed, Joan B. Wright

III. Flora

The Back Bay Region has long been known for the richness of its flora. This catalog is an attempt to bring together all the known listings of the flora, both historic and recent. Previous references to the flora of this area are also provided in the bibliography. The area under discussion includes False Cape State Park, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (including its proposed expansion), the community of Sandbridge ending at the Dam Neck Naval Fleet Combat Training Center fence, Trojan and Pocahontas Waterfowl Management Areas, Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge north of the causeway, the Virginia portion of Knotts …

Ecology Of Freshwater Turtles In Back Bay, Virginia, Joseph C. Mitchell, Christopher A. Pague

II. Fauna

The freshwater turtle community of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park is comprised of seven species: Clemmys guttata, Chrysemys picta, Chelydra serpentina, Kinosternon subrubrum, Pseudemys rubrivenfris, Terrapene carolina, and Trachemys scripta. Resource partitioning in this community is accomplished by habitat selection and dietary differences. Three species exhibit strong female biased sexual size dimorphism and one species strong male biased sexual size dimorphism; three species do not exhibit strong size dimorphism. Nesting occurs from about late-May through June and probably longer. Clutch size ranges from a low of three in the smallest species (Kinosternon subrubrum) to a …

Assessment Of Organic And Metal Contaminants In Lower Back Bay And Upper Currituck Sound, Kate Benkert

V. Poster Abstracts

Studies were conducted at Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge in 1988 and 1989 to provide baseline data for an assessment of organic chemicals and metal contaminants in the aquatic ecosystem. Longnose gar, gizzard shad, snapping turtles, common rangia clams and sediments were collected from sites in lower Back Bay and upper Currituck Sound for contaminant analyses.

Composite sediment samples were analyzed for the presence of metals, organochlorine pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Organochlorine pesticides were not detected in the sediments. Various PAH compounds were detected in the sediments, although at trace concentrations which just exceeded the analytical detection limit …

Refuge Land Acquisition: Helping Preserve Back Bay's Wildlife Heritage, Julia Herrick, Ben Mathias, Janet Taylor

V. Poster Abstracts

The once-renowned waterfowl populations and bass fishery of Back Bay, Virginia have declined dramatically in recent years. Lands surrounding Back Bay are increasingly threatened by on-going and potential land development. These lands serve as an important filter for pollutant and sediment-laden runoff from adjacent areas. The boundary of the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge was expanded in 1989 to include an additional 6,340 acres of brackish marsh, forested swamp, and "critical edge" upland habitat, important to a variety of wildlife species and for its natural filtering effect. Within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's policy of working with willing sellers, …

Community Structure Of The Macrobenthos In Back Bay, Virginia, Michael F. Lane, Daniel M. Dauer

II. Fauna

A study of the subtidal macrobenthos in Back Bay, Virginia was conducted to examine community structure in relation to sedimentary and water quality characteristics. Samples were collected in August and November of 1987 and February and May of 1988 at ten stations.

From a cluster analysis of ten collection stations, three site groups were identified. Species composition between site groups was relatively homogeneous. Discriminant analysis indicated that eight species accounted for most of the variation between site groups. A comparison of plots of the biological and environmental variables in discriminant space suggested that variation in the biological data between site …

Cell Surface-Binding Sites For Progesterone Mediate Calcium Uptake In Human Sperm, Peter F. Blackmore, Joseph Neulan, Frank Lattanzio, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

Recent studies (e.g. Blackmore, P. F., Beebe, S. J., Danforth, D. R., and Alexander, N.) (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 1376-1380) have shown that in human sperm, progesterone produces a rapid increase in intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) and an induction of the acrosome reaction (e.g. Osman, R. A., Andria, M. L., Jones, A. D., and Meizel, S. (1989) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 160, 828-833). In this study, the location of progesterone receptors on the cell surface of human sperm was identified using progesterone immobilized on bovine serum albumin (BSA) (progesterone 3-(O-carboxymethyl)oxime:BSA) as well as progesterone and its 3-O-carboxymethyloxime derivative. Using …

Estimation In A Marked Poisson Error Recapture Model Of Software Reliability, Rajan Gupta

Mathematics & Statistics Theses & Dissertations

Nayak's (1988) model for the detection, removal, and recapture of the errors in a computer program is extended to a larger family of models in which the probabilities that the successive programs produce errors are described by the tail probabilities of discrete distribution on the positive integers. Confidence limits are derived for the probability that the final program produces errors. A comparison of the asymptotic variances of parameter estimates given by the error recapture and by the repetitive-run procedure of Nagel, Scholz, and Skrivan (1982) is made to determine which of these procedures efficiently uses the test time.

Information Technology And Wealth: Cybernetics, History And Economics, Elin Whitney-Smith

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Capitalism developed where and when it did because there was high information access. There was high information access because of a major advance in information technology--the press. Where the technology was not controlled by the "powers that be" there was economic growth and a shift in the entire social structure. Where it was controlled there was no structural change and there was economic ruin. The development of capitalism is a major step change in economic growth. It is also a major change in the way people organize themselves into groups.

Major step changes in the growth and in the organization …