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The Biosynthesis Of Delta-Aminolevulinic Acid In Rhodopseudomonas Sphaeroides, Jie Chen

Biology

The activity of two enzymes, delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthetase and 4,5-dioxovaleric acid (DOVA) transaminase, were determined in crude extracts of three strains of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides, (1) a wild type, (2) a mutant strain which can not form chlorophyll without the addition of ALA in the growth medium (known as H5) and (3) a second mutant strain which regained its ability to form chlorophyll without the addition of ALA in the medium (known as H5D). The results show that all three strains have DOVA transaminase activity, while ALA synthetase activity is found only in the wild type. Another experiment utilized D0VA …

Radioisotopic Studies Of Membrane Phospholipid Composition And Topography In Rhodopseudomonas Sphaeroides, Khalid Khurshid Al-Bayatti

Biology

Radioisotopic techniques were used to identify, quantitate and elucidate the topology of phospholipids in the photosynthetic membrane of Rhodopseudorronas sphaeroides. Two major phospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), were identified in the lipids extracted from chromatophores, spheroplast-derived vesicles (SDV's) and whole cells. PE and PG were found to comprise 63 percent and 35 percent of total phospholipids respectively. A third phospholipid comprising about two percent of the total phospholipids was not identified. The topological distribution of phospholipids in the photosynthetic membrane was investigated using phospholipase hydrolysis and trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) labelling methods on chromatophores and SDV's. Under non-lytic conditions, …

Vegetation Of Subalpine And Alpine Moraines In The Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, John R. Spence

Biology

The vegetation on the neoglacial deposits below six glaciers in Grand Teton National Park was examined. The deposits at the six sites range from large terminal moraines to steep debris slopes to relatively flat debris accumulations. The sites are characterized by a diversity in topography, climate, and aspect. The environmental millieu the plants are occupying is dominated by disturbance, including mass-wasting, climatic fluctuations, and possible herbivory. One hundred and four species of vascular plants were collected from the six sites. Most of these are typical arctic-alpine species. Transplants of late successional species failed to survive because of dessication, snow kill, …

Spatial And Temporal Changes In Spider Communities, Barbara J. Abraham

Biology

The spider fauna of a shrub steppe (Artemisia-Agropyron) community at the mouth of Green Canyon, Cache Co., Utah, was described. Herb, shrub and ground stratum spiders were sampled by sweep-netting, beating and pitfall trapping, respectively. Spiders of the ground were generally different from those of the vegetation. The two most abundant spider species and families in each stratum were distinctive. Horizontal distributions of spiders differed in four study plots with vegetation ranging from mostly herbaceous to very shrubby. Seasonal and diurnal spider abundance patterns were noted. Spiders were grouped into guilds based on their predatory strategies. This allowed comparisons between …

Antipredator Behavior And Parental Care In The American Avocet And Black-Necked Stilt (Aves: Recurvirostridae), Tex Albon Sordahl

Biology

Free-living American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts were studied during 1977 and 1978 in northern Utah. The broad objectives of the study were to: (1) describe the breeding biology of the birds and identify aspects related to predation pressure, and (2) examine the antipredator behavior of parent birds and their young. Nest success was approximately 30% at 75 avocet and 18 stilt nests studied. Fifty-seven percent of nest failures were due to predation on eggs, and another 11% were due to predation on incubating adults. Juvenal-plumaged broods contained fewer chicks than downy broods, indicating partial brood loss, which was probably due …

Supplementary Studies On The Systematics Of The Genus Perdita (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae) Part Ll, P. H. Timberlake

All PIRU Publications

This is the second part of a study (1971) that is supplementary to my revision of the genus Perdita (1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1968). Herein are treated some 57 species, of which 44 are described as new and the synonymy of three species is given. New keys are provided for the subgenera Macroteropsis, Epimacrotera, Cockerellula, and the Octomaculata Group and Sphaeralceae Group of the subgenus Perdita. The key to Macroteropsis is new for the females of that group, that for Epimacrotera is a revision of the key in Part III (1958). The key to Cockerellula is …

Notes On The Biology Of Halictus (Halictus) Farinosus Smith (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

Describes the habitat, life history, foraging, social behavior, and nest architecture of the subsocial halictine bee Hal ictus (Hal ictus) farinosus Smith. The interplay of host-plant conditions with nest development and generations is discussed. Natural enemies and other associates are noted but not extensively treated.

Irrigating For Rainbows, Jack Keller

Faculty Honor Lectures

Quite simply. irrigation is the act of applying water to land. It is usually done to improve plant growth and it lies somewhere between an art. a science. and plain hard work. Even though we do not often think about it. irrigation is very important to the well-being of the world. It is important because we need basic foods to survive. and luxury foods and pleasant views to enjoy this survival. For the many people directly involved in irrigation. especially farmers. it provides a livelihood which is both satisfying and peaceful. And for the few of us lucky enough to …

Induction And Selection Of Mutants Of Cells Of The 'Regen-S' Strain Of Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.), Dane R. Hansen

Biology

The use of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seedlings and plant tissue cultures as possible sources of material for mutation and selection studies was investigated. Alfalfa seeds (var. 'Regen-S') with a purported high frequency of regeneration were obtained and tested. Callus and single cell cultures were treated with ethyl methanesulfonate and then screened for resistance to atrazine. The results indicated that either type of culture could be induced to yield a high frequency of resistant tissue. Attempts to induce the tissue to regenerate suggested that 'Regen-S' may not have as high a frequency of regeneration as reported. The capability of regeneration …

Isolation And Characterization Of Light Harvesting Proteins From The Photosynthetic Membranes Of Rhodopseudomonas Sphaeroides, Brent D. Mcmillan

Biology

The purpose of this study was to investigate the protein components of the light harvesting complex of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Two protein bands, polypeptides 15A and 15B, were isolated by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Molecular weight values of 9,400 daltons for polypeptide 15A and 9,304 daltons for polypeptide 15B were calculated by amino acid composition. Molecular weights were also determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Polypeptide 15A was estimated to have a molecular weight of 8,250 ± 10% daltons from 12% acrylamide gels and 9,350 ± 10% daltons from 15% acrylamide gels. Polypeptide 15B was estimated …

The Effects Of Sucrose Concentration And Prolonged Darkness On Sieve-Element Ontogeny In Experimentally Grown Lemna Minor L., Julie Mitchell Palmer

Biology

An investigation of sieve element development in roots of Lemna minor L. was made under conditions of prolonged darkness and sucrose supplemented media. As a prelude to this study several small experiments were performed to determine whether or not sucrose in the nutrient solution is actually absorbed by the plant. Results of the dry weight analysis and osmotic values of nutrient media indicated that sucrose uptake does occur. In the prolonged darkness experiment, evidence was obtained that suggested better preservation of tonoplasts and smooth endoplasmic reticulum occurred in sieve elements that have a lowered solute concentration due to deprivation of …

Singing Behavior Of The Black-Headed Grosbeak, Pheuticus Melanocephalus, With Emphasis On The Function Of Singing By Females, Gary Kenneth Ritchison

Biology

Although song in passerines typically is limited to males, there are many reports of singing by females. This study was undertaken to ascertain the incidence and possible functions of such singing in the Black-headed Grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus. The singing of grosbeaks is expressed in a series of syllables lying between about 1.5 and 4.0 kHz. The number of syllables in the repertoires of the birds studied ranged from 14 to 37 in males and 4 to 28 in females. Within the most extensively studied population, an average of one-third of any male's syllables also were sung by another male. However, …

Evaluation Of A Sensitive Detection Procedure For Sewage-Isolated Reovirus, David N. Ridinger

Biology

MDBK,LLC-MK2 and Intestinal 407 were the most susceptible cell lines respectively in a comparison study using 12 continuous cell lines and reovirus serotypes 1, 2, and 3 isolated from sewage. In a similar study, MDBK cells, when compared to LLC-MK2 and BGM cells, were the most susceptible to sewage isolated, protamine precipitated reovirus, which had not been serotyped and had no previous cell contact. Sewage-isolated, protamine-precipitated reoviruses were also used in conjunction with MDBK cells in a comparative evaluation of immunofluorescent cell count (ICC) and a plaque assay procedures. The ICC assay detected higher reovirus titers in 18-24 hrs, considerably …

A Survey Of Selected Employers And Placement Counselors To Determine Sociocultural Factors In The Work Adjustment Of Navajo Students In Box Elder County, Utah, Dolores M. Keller

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The primary goal of vocational education is to prepare the student to successfully enter the world of work. While the present educational structure seems to work well for most Anglo-American students, there is evidence that the system is not effective with minority students. For example , in the case of Navajo students in government-sponsored technical schools, the dropout rate (60 percent) suggests that for Native American students there are serious problems in the educational process which need to be investigated and understood.

Because of the sharply different cultural background of the Navajo student a formidable barrier frequently exists between student …

The Development Of A Values Assessment Device Based Upon The Assumptions Underlying The Direct Approach To Moral Education, Todd Scott Larsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purposes of the present research were two-fold. The first purpose was the development of a test construction strategy by which an objective assessment device, based upon the unique goals of moral education within a specific school district, may be developed. The second purpose was the actual development of a psychometrically sound instrument based upon such goals. To accomplish these aims, seven interrelated studies were conducted involving a total of 775 subjects.

The rationale for the nature of the test was based upon the assumptions of the direct approach to moral education. These assumptions are that children should learn and …

Nonidentity Matching-To-Sample With Retarded Adolescents: Stimulus Equivalences And Sample-Comparison Control, Robert Stromer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In Experiment 1, four subjects were trained to match two visual samples (A) and their respective nonidentical visual comparisons (B); i.e., A-B matching. During nonreinforced test trials, all subjects demonstrated stimulus equivalences within the context of sample-comparison reversibility (B-A matching): When B stimuli were used as samples, appropriate responding to A comparisons occurred. A-B and B-A matching persisted given novel stimuli as alternate comparisons. However, the novel comparisons were consistently selected in the presence of nonmatching stimuli: i.e., during trials comprised of a novel comparison, an A or B sample from one stimulus class, and an "incorrect" comparison from the …

Effects Of Ddt Upon The Hematology And Immunology Of The Goldfish (Carassius Auratus), Maurice G. Zeeman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

DDT can cause hematological and immunological alterations in mammals and birds. Interference with normal hematological and immunological defense systems has been strongly linked to increased incidences of disease and tumors. Fish exposed to pesticides have been noted to be more susceptible to disease. This study examined DDT effects on goldfish hematological and immunological parameters.

Adult goldfish were kept in 250 liter aquaria at 25 ± 1° C. Fish were dosed intraperitoneally with p,p'-DDT in corn oil. Doses ranged from 0 to 500 mg/kg for acute (96 hour) hematology studies to 0 to 50 mg/kg for sub-acute hematology and immunology studies. …

Structure And Petrology Of Tertiary Volcanic Rocks Near Etna, Utah, Kent W. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Three volcanic domes and related volcanic rocks of Tertiary age are located near Etna, Utah, in Box Elder County. The domes follow a north-south trend and are fault controlled. Flow structure indicates a change from a less viscous, flow-forming lava which produced an exogenous dome to a more viscous lava which formed endogenous domes. Associated pyroclastic deposits are negligible. The volcanic rocks are composed of porphyritic rhyolite and rhyolitic vitrophyre having phenocrysts of quartz, sanidine, plagioclase and biotite with minor amounts of Fe-Ti oxides, hypersthene, allanite and calcic amphibole. Quartz and sanidine phenocrysts are generally embayed whereas plagioclase phenocrysts are …

The Assessment Of Consumer Awareness Of Adults, Virginia Anne Haldeman Dickinson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The assessment of consumer awareness is important to: 1) identify awareness needs of adults, 2) design programs to meet those needs, and 3) assess changes in consumer awareness as a result of participation in such programs. A search of the literature failed to identify an instrument using recall rather than recognition to assess adult consumer awareness of sources of product/service information, existing consumer protection laws, and possible channels of recourse.

The purpose of this research was to develop a reliable and valid instrument to measure the consumer awareness of adults. The test development study involved 32 respondents from one pre-existing …

Birth Order And Its Effect On The Attainment Of The Eagle Scout Status, Kevin Randy Moesser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effects of birth order on achievement have been under investigation continually resulting in reported prominence of first born children in various areas of achievement. The purpose of this study was to provide further investigation into the effects of birth order on the achievement hypothesis using the attainment of the Eagle Scout Award as the dependent variable. Five hypotheses were formulated from a review of literature which included: (1) boys in the first born position are more likely to attain the Eagle Scout Award than boys in later born positions, (2) family income is associated with attaining the Eagle Scout …

Utah Employer Attitudes Towards Sponsoring Day Care For Employees, Diane Hart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purposes of this study were to: 1) examine and contrast hospital administrator attitudes and manufacturing company president (or manager) attitudes in relation to the possibility of having more Utah employers establish organized day care facilities on sites of employment, and 2) determine which factors of employee composition and available facilities and services affect employer attitudes towards day care involvement.

Information from the questionnaire developed for the study was statistically analyzed by the Pearson r correlation coefficient and one-way analysis of variance. Many factors proved to be statistically significant.

Overall, it was found that hospitals were more interested in day …

Common Use Grazing Studies On Southern Utah Summer Range, Al F. Schlundt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Two common use grazing trials were conducted during two summer grazing seasons (1978-1979) on a typical shrubby grassland site on the Kolab Terrace, about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Cedar City, Utah, at an elevation of about 8500 feet (2600 m). Two animal units of ewes with lambs, or cows with calves, or both were stocked in each of six, one-acre (0.39 ha) pastures. A five to one substitution ratio provided two single-species and one mixed (five ewes with lambs and one cow with calf) livestock treatments replicated twice. The pastures were grazed for nine days during which time …

Taxpayer Satisfaction With Public Urban Services In Salt Lake County, Lea J. Cottam

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although citizens do not generally consider themselves consumers of public services in the same Sense they consider themselves consumers in the retail marketplace, their demand for public services clearly affects what local government units provide. Citizens are involved daily with the consumption of public urban services; yet most consumer education textbooks and teaching materials ignore tax supported services.

The purpose of this study was to measure the satisfaction of consumers with certain public urban services, public officials, and several units of government.

Satisfaction was found to be correlated with age, length of residence in the community and the respondents' attitudes …

Perceived Problems In First And Second Marriages, Gerald C. Dineen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify problem areas in second families as compared to first families.

A questionnaire was sent to 31 first married wives and 20 second married wives. Both groups had children living in the home.

The first 19 questions focused on parent-child, and husband-wife relations. Respondents were asked to indicate their feelings on a four-point Lichert-type scale of strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree.

The next section, which was included for other research purposes, asked respondents how prepared they felt for this current marriage.

Following these questions, 12 items were listed asking respondents to …

Proxemic Behaviors Of Sociometrically Identified Preschool Children, Laura Gaynard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

From a population of 160 children, 59 were sociometrically identified into four categories: popular, amiable, isolated, and rejected. Same-sexed pairs of children were then observed in an experimental play situation in which two experimenters, using a computerized event recorder, obtained the amount of time each identified child spent at various distances (0-305 cm) from the confederate. Frequency of moves was also recorded. A general pattern of proxemic behavior for all children, across category, was found to exist in which subjects spent the majority of time at distances of 30.5 cm to 122 cm and very little time at greater distances. …

Involving Parents In A Nutrition Education Program For Preschool Children, Cheryl Wright

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The primary intent of this study was to ascertain the effectiveness of parents in the role of teaching nutrition to their children. This research endeavor was an extension of refinement of a three-year program in nutrition education in the Department of Family and Human Development at Utah State University. Fifty-seven children enrolled in the Child Development Laboratory at Utah State, and their parents were involved in the study. Eighteen children were taught nutrition by their mothers. Twenty-one children were taught nutrition by their mothers and fathers, and 18 children served as the control group and received no nutrition using an …

The Effects Of Empathy Teaching On Sociometric Status In Kindergarten Children From Urban And Rural Populations, Marilyn Egan Skinner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children's popularity is of concern in this study and the effect on the child's sociometric status after a series on empathy teaching has been presented. An objective of the study was to see if children in the isolated or rejected sociometric status would change to popular and amiable status after being taught empathy skills. Another objective was to find an intervention program which would teach children empathy skills.

in order to measure children's abilities in sociometric choice, a sociometric technique devised by Dr. Craig Peery at Utah State University was used. The empathy tool used to measure children's empathy skills …

Impact Of Young Mothers Program On Lives Of Teenage Mothers (Program #2 In Granite District, Salt Lake City, Utah), Lou Jean C. Shaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact oi the Young Mothers' Program #2 Granite School District, Salt Lake City, Utah, and the aspects of the program that were responsible for that impact, upon the lives of the Young Mothers who have attended the program since its existence. This study could possibly serve as a guide in evaluating other programs of this nature, locally and nationally. Knowing the value of a program could help establish it more firmly in the education system.

A questionnaire was mailed to sixty students who had attended Young Mothers' Program #2 for one …

Grandfather: An Intergenerational View, Norma P. Johnston

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of grandfather in the lives of his adolescent grandchildren. A survey design was used to (1) obtain demographic data, (2) determine how the two generations perceive each other, (3) identify the types and frequencies of interaction between grandfathers and their adolescent grandchildren, and (4) compare the conceptions of an ideal grandfather by the two classes of subjects. Data were gathered from 47 adolescents and their 61 grandfathers. Most of the subjects were from the dominant religion in the Wasatch front area.

The results confirm a viable adolescent grandchild/grandfather relationship. Residential …

A Comparison Of Cerebral Electrotherapy And Relaxation As Anxiolytics, Robert B. Shelton Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The treatment of anxiety is assumed to be fundamental to the alleviation of various kinds of psychopathology. Because of the unwanted side effects of anxiety reducing (anxiolytic) drugs, non-pharmacological treatments should be investigated. A considerable body of literature exists on the use of relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, as anxiolytic methods. Previously published reports have suggested that cerebral electrotherapy (CET) also possesses anxiolytic properties. In this study 33 subjects from an alcohol rehabilitation unit were randomly divided into three groups. The treatment subjects received seven 1/2 hour sessions of CET using bi-polar electrodes and .3 ma current or …