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Evaluation Of Heterologous Promoter Function In The Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica)., Ta Philip Chih Cheng

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The goal of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of using antimicrobial peptide gene transfer to enhance oyster immunity. The specific objectives were to: (1) compare the efficiency of collagenase, pronase, and trypsin to dissociate atrium, ventricle and mantle into individual cells for the initiation of primary cell culture; (2) develop cryopreservation conditions to preserve the dissociated cells; (3) establish a serum-free transfection system; (4) evaluate inducible promoter function using the established serum-free transfection system; (5) evaluate the effects of the transfer of antimicrobial peptide genes on oyster immunity. Pronase was found to be the most effective enzyme for …

Effects Of Cobalt-60 Gamma Irradiation On The Malaysian Prawn Macrobrachium Rosenbergii., Nyanti Lee

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A major obstacle in culture of the Malaysian prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, is the complex social structure whereby a few large males dominate the population and reduce production. The goal of this work was to induce reproductive sterility by use of gamma radiation as a means to increase production. Of the 62 publications related to the use of gamma radiation in aquatic species published between 1938 and 1996, 66% did not indicate performance of dosimetry (dosage verification). Samples were not rotated during irradiation in 98% of these studies, which introduces considerable variation in dose. A dosimetric study in this dissertation found …

Ecological Models For Assessing Functions Of Hard Claypan Vernal Pool Wetlands In The Central Valley Of California Using The Hydrogeomorphic (Hgm) Approach For Wetland Assessment., Ellis Joseph Clairain Jr

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Seven vernal pool complexes consisting of numerous shallow wetland depressions were sampled in Sacramento County, California, during the spring and early summer of 1998. Data were obtained to characterize ecological conditions within each complex and to develop models for assessing wetland disturbance and functions. Degree of disturbance, topographic features, soil profiles, and plant species composition and percent cover were examined. Pool area, volume, perimeter, maximum depth, distance from pool to pool, and percent of sample area were computed for 265 vernal pools. Additional detailed topographic and vegetative data were obtained at 68 vernal pools and soil profiles characterized at 64 …

A Cross-Sectional Study Of Prevalence And Risk Factors For Major Goat Diseases In Eastern And Western Uganda: Results And Exploration Of Biases., Edmond Kato Kabagambe

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

In 1998 a cross-sectional study on goat health and management was conducted in eastern and western Uganda. This study involved 1518 goats which were distributed in 145 herds in 5 districts, namely Kumi, Masaka, Mbarara, Soroti and Ssembabule. Cluster sampling was used to select farms across the two regions. A questionnaire on goat health, management and constraints to production was administered to 145 goat owners. Blood and nasal swabs were collected from a random sample of goats. For each goat a physical examination was performed to detect presence of clinical conditions. Serological assays for contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP), peste des …

Modeling Escherichia Coli Concentration In Surface Runoff: The Ecoli Model., Teck Yee Ling

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A biological model, ECOLI, is developed that is capable of continuously simulating E. coli concentration in surface runoff from agricultural land applied with manure. The model was calibrated and validated by using data from field-scale studies at Franklinton, Louisiana. During validation the model was interfaced with GLEAMS-SWT model to obtain the necessary hydrologic and erosion variables as input to the ECOLI model. The ECOLI model was found to perform best when simulating runoff concentration following the first application of waste. For reapplication of waste within 50 days, the trend of decrease over time was well-simulated but simulated E. coli concentrations …

Diversity And Spatial Analysis Of Passerine Birds In Relation To Habitat Characteristics Of Woods Along The Northern Coast Of The Gulf Of Mexico., Jose Luis Alcantara

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

I studied the ecological diversity and spatial patterns of passerine birds during the springs of 1993, 1994, and 1995 at 3 stopover sites on the Chenier Plains of Louisiana and Texas. A "control" stand with dense understory vegetation and a "reduced" stand with modified understory were at each site. Data were collected on the structure and composition of vegetation and on the abundance and location of birds. Species richness, dominance, and diversity indices were computed for both vegetation and birds. Patterns of floristic impoverishment, greater dominance, and greater plant species diversity were found at the "reduced" stands. "Control" vegetation did …

Habitat Influences On Nongame Bird Nest Success In A Managed And Fragmented Southern Pine Forest., Michael Darren Baker

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

We confirmed the breeding-season presence of 52 bird species and assessed the reproductive quality of a fragmented southern pine forest managed for natural resource extraction on Barksdale Air Force Base in northwest Louisiana, USA. We also conducted point counts to assess relative abundance, richness, and diversity among four habitat discontinuity types (timber harvests, pipeline corridors, access roads, and natural gas wells). Each parameter was greater on study plots adjacent to gas wells than on those adjacent to roads. We determined the fate of 817 nests of 42 species between 1996 and 1998 and determined Mayfield daily nest success (MDNS) for …

Structure And Function Studies Of De Novo Peptides Containing Novel Amino Acids., Ted Joseph Gauthier

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A series of amphipathic peptides rich in alpha,alpha-disubstituted amino acids (alphaalphaAA's) was synthesized and studied for antimicrobial activity and helix preferences in various solvent systems. In addition, a constrained lactam dipeptide amino acid was synthesized and incorporated into a peptide to examine beta-sheet dimer formation. Several short, amphipathic, 310- and alpha-helical peptides containing 80% alphaalphaAA's were synthesized using various combinations of 1-aminocyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, and 4-aminopiperidine-4-carboxylic acid. The peptides showed direct antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. In addition, several of the peptides showed in vivo and in vitro activity against Brucella abortus and Mycobacterium chelonei. Studies …

A Spatial Inquiry Of Infant Low Birthweight And Cancer Mortality In East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana., Esra Ozdenerol

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Infant low birthweight rate in East Baton Rouge Parish is higher compared to the nation. Cancer is one of the most serious health problems in Louisiana. A few studies have indicated a relationship between the two health outcomes and their environment, but conclusions from these studies have not always been consistent. The spatial and temporal scales of the data and the methods used in these studies contribute to the inconsistent and uncertain results. The spatial patterns of infant low birthweight and cancer mortality in East Baton Rouge Parish from 1993 to 1996 and their relationships with environmental factors at three …

The Effect Of Storage On Consumer Preference, Sugar Content, And Starch Content Of Spiced Low-Fat Sweet Potato Flavored Yogurt., Mohammad Abdulrahman Al-Fayez

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if addition of pumpkin pie spice to sweet potato puree would enhance consumer acceptance of sweet potato flavored yogurt. In Phase I, the effect of fat percentage, spice percentage, and addition of sweet potato pre-fermentation and post-fermentation on consumer acceptance was examined to determine the optimum treatment preferred by consumers and the effect of each treatment variable on the fermentation process. Phase II focused on the effect of storage periods of 7, 14, and 21 days on the organoleptic qualities and chemical composition of sweet potato. Analyses showed that the percentage …

Understanding The Biological Concept "Bird": A Kindergarten Case Study., Dilek Buchholz

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study of 14 students in a metropolitan public school in the Deep South was to find out, during a period of three months, what these kindergarten-aged children knew about birds, whether this knowledge represented current scientific thought, if such science instruction meaningfully affected their prior knowledge, and if so, what the factors during instruction that seemed to influence their understanding of the concept of bird were. The research was conducted in three phases; preinstruction interviews, instruction, and postinstruction interviews. The theoretical framework for this research was based on the Human Constructivism theory of …

A Case Study In Amazonian Biogeography: Vocal And Dna -Sequence Variation In Hemitriccus Flycatchers., Mario Cohn-Haft

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Ongoing debate about the evolutionary history of the Amazonian avifauna suffers from a shortage of data. Especially needed are thorough geographic sampling, sensitive markers of genetic diversity, and historical data in the form of explicit phylogenies. I examined patterns of geographic variation in three widespread species complexes of nearly identical Amazonian flycatchers in the genus Hemitriccus, based on spectrographic analysis of vocalizations and phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences (1026 base pairs of cytochrome b from 44 individuals) from throughout Amazonia. Although members of the three complexes are extremely difficult to distinguish morphologically and have long been confused by taxonomists, they …

The Silver Bulletin 2000-2013 Binder, Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, William J. Sagstetter, Ivan Arceneaux, Lila Millican, Nancy Byler, Stephen Wilson

Texas Silver-Haired Legislature

The Silver Bulletin 2000-2013 binder. The cover of the binder is the primary document on this record and the documents inside the binder are attached to this record as additional files. See list below for additional files contents.

The editors of The Silver Bulletin during these years are listed before:

Bill Sagstetter, 1996-2003

Ivan Arceneaux, 2004-2007

Lila Millican, 2009

Nancy Byler, 2010-2013

Stephen Wilson, 2013 -

The Development And Evaluation Of Molecular Exposure Assessment Tools To Study The Potential For Horizontal Transmission Of Pneumocystis Carinii., Nancy Hopson Maher

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Phytase On Nutrient Availability In Diets For Swine And Poultry., Sara Leann Johnston

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A series of experiments was conducted to determine the effect of increasing phytase coefficient of variation (CV) in chick diets, and to determine the effect of phytase addition on nutrient availability in diets for swine and poultry. The first experiment (EXP) simulated varying mix uniformity of phytase by alternately providing two diets with two different concentrations of microbial phytase (FTU). Increasing phytase CV had little effect on growth performance, whereas bone ash and breaking strength and Ca and P retention and excretion decreased only at the most extreme CV. These data suggest that a phytase CV of between 34 and …

Effects Of A Low -Protein Diet Supplemented With Coated And Uncoated Methionine On Methionine Metabolism In The Tilapia Oreochromis Niloticus., Manuel Alberto Segovia-Quintero

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Crude protein is the most expensive macronutrient, the use of plant proteins and crystalline amino acid supplementation is the next logical step to increase nutritional value of plant-based diets. The goal of this experiment was to determine the effect of coated and uncoated crystalline methionine on growth, body composition, and methionine uptake in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus fed methionine supplements. Two experiments were designed for this purpose: one to study the effect of supplementation on weight gain and body composition, and a second to determine the effect of coating on absorption efficiency and utilization of crystalline methionine. Five isonitrogenous (26% …

Structure Determination Of Derivatized Disaccharides By Tandem Mass Spectrometry And Molecular Modeling., Sanford Louis Mendonca

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This research entails the synthesis of derivatized disaccharides, mass spectrometry studies for structural elucidation of the synthetic disaccharides and molecular modeling of the native and derivatized disaccharides. Peralkylated (methyl to pentyl), peresterifed and tert-butyl-dimethyl silylated linkage isomeric glucose-glucose disaccharides were synthesized to eventually be used in mass spectrometry studies. In this dissertation, mass spectrometry was used to examine anomeric pair discrimination of two sets of peralkylated (methyl to pentyl) disaccharides (maltose/cellobiose and isomaltose/gentiobiose). This was carried out by electrospray ionization and collision experiments on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. In addition, effects of alkyl substitution on cleavage of the glycosidic …

Structure, Expression And Promoter Activity Of Ubiquitin Genes From Rice (Oryza Sativa L.)., Jianlin Wang

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Successful transgenic plant production is largely dependent on the use of suitable promoters. In this study, we described isolation of rice ubiquitin genes, and demonstrated the potential utility of the rice ubiquitin promoters in plant transformation systems. Two polyubiquitin genes (RUBQ1 and RUBQ2) and two ubiquitin extension/fusion genes (RUBQ3 and RUBQ4) have been isolated from a rice genomic BAC library. DNA sequence data revealed that both RUBQ1 and RUBQ2 contained an open reading frame encoding a hexameric precursor ubiquitin and an intron immediate upstream of the initiation codon. The two ubiquitin fusion/extension genes RUBQ3 and RUBQ4 contained one repeat of …

Effects Of Reading Styles On African-American Preschoolers Of Disadvantage., Elizabeth Nowlin Witt

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This study investigated the effects of two styles of storybook reading within the storybook reading event (SBRE) upon African-American preschoolers of disadvantage (AAP-D). One style, performance-oriented, was thought to be closer to cultural frameworks familiar for this population. This style was contrasted with the interactive style familiar to children of middle-class. Each style was utilized with two groups of five children (ten children per condition) across three storybooks, which were each read six times. Pre- and posttesting were used to determine changes in language (semantic and discourse ability, as measured by retelling), literacy, and world knowledge. A control group of …

Oxidation -Reduction Chemistry Of Methane And Nitrous Oxide In Soils And An Approach To Minimize Their Emissions From Irrigated Rice Fields., Kewei Yu

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Rice fields are an important source of the greenhouse gases methane (CH 4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). In this dissertation study, experiments were conducted at three levels---in soil suspensions, in soil cores, and under actual field conditions, to investigate the impact of soil redox potential on CH4 and N2O emissions to the atmosphere. Methane and N2O emissions occurred at distinctively different redox conditions in the homogenous soil suspensions. No significant amounts of CH4 was produced when the soil redox potentials were above -150 mV. In the denitrification process, both N2O production and reduction occurred in the soil redox potential range …

Depression And Potentially Lethal Ventricular Arrhythmias., Martha M. Phillips

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Perlecan Structure And Function., Pairath Tapanadechopone

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Urolithiasis In Persons With Spinal Cord Injury: Risk And Risk Factors., Yu-Ying Chen

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Apoptosis In The Pathogenesis Of Primate Lentiviral Infections., Ian Christopher Davis

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Human Breast Cancer Cell Adhesion And Signaling., Nina Sharone German

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Structural And Functional Analysis Of O -Glcnac On Estrogen Receptors., Xiaogang Cheng

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

A Structure/Function Analysis Of The Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Abc Transporter, Ste6p., Barclay Lee Browne

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Role Played By The Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Cd45 In Lymphocyte Signal Transduction Processes., Susanna Fletcher Greer

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Dynamic Glycosylation Of The Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau And Neurodegenerative Disease., Christopher Shane Arnold

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Molecular Genetics Of Hunter Syndrome: Mutation Characterization, Carrier Detection, And Parental Origin Of Mutation., Amy Bennett Bellows

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.