Life Sciences Commons^™

A Conceptual Framework For The Integration Of Gis-Based Spatial Analysis In Social Science Research, Bryan Paul Bonner

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Seed Coat In The After-Ripening Process Of American Pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana L.), Jason E. Cox

Honors Theses

As plants evolve into new forms and shapes, the reproductive structures are often the last to change because of the importance of successful reproductive organs to the survival of the plant's hereditary information. Because of this particular feature, one very common method of determining how advanced a species is evolutionarily is the study of its reproductive cycle (Gifford and Foster, 1989). A few advanced classes, most notably the general class groupings of the Gymnosperms and Angiosperms, have developed seeds as a part of their reproductive cycle. Normally, there are several stages through which the seed must go in order for …

The Feasibility Of Foamed Ink Use In Flexographic Printing, Anthony Malerich

Honors Theses

Flexographic and rotogravure printing are two of the three predominant printing processes; the other is offset lithography. They are very similar in that they each transfer a very fluid, low viscosity ink from an ink fountain to an engraved cylinder. Foamed ink is a completely water based liquid ink that is foamed by the introduction of air at press side, and presents numerous advantages over conventional organic solvent based and water based inks. The prime advantage is that foamed inks are a completely aqueous, environmentally safe system. Another benefit is the cost savings associated with foamed ink. Ink consumption is …

Use Of Antisense Rna In The Study Of Essential Cell Division Genes In Escherichia Coli, Quynh V. Nguyen

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Glyconeogenesis From Alanine By Diaphragm Muscle, Stephanie A. Mills

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

An Sem Study Of Selected Genera Of The Ranunculaceae, Gregory A. Mantooth

Honors Theses

The Ranunculaceae, better known as the Crowfoot or Buttercup family, is commonly recognized as one of the most diverse plant families in North America. A moderately large family, the Ranunculaceae contains 1750 temperate species with many of its genera represented in the southeastern United States (Gleason, 1952). Sixteen genera are native to Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia and it is these members of the Ranunculaceae that are the focus of my study. In my research, I have studied the seed coat patterns of various genera native to the southeastern United States. It is my intention to see how …

The Effects Of Potassium Cations On The Germination Of Phytolacca Americana, Karen Michelle Smith

Honors Theses

Phytolacca americana, a plant species of eastern North America, is widely known as a plant of multiple uses in traditional medicine, a source of contemporary research compounds, and as a pot herb when correctly prepared for human consumption. Experimental conditions that promote rapid laboratory germination and the role of chemical factors in the germination process are being investigated in P. americana. The role of potassium ions in plant metabolism, especially the process of seed germination, is reviewed. Experiments were designed, the results of which are presented and discussed, to determine (1) the effect of exogenously applied salts of K+ on …

Use Of Solid-Phase Resins In Pesticide Monitoring, Jenny Bittinger

Honors Theses

The feasibility of using solid-phase resins for monitoring concentrations of pesticides in water was examined. Efforts were made to ascertain relationships between concentrations of a pesticide (methoxychlor) in water and on a resin (AXD-2) under laboratory conditions. Solutions of pesticide in water were drawn through columns of resin. Methylene Chloride was used to absorb the pesticide from the resin. Gas chromatography and ultraviolet spectrophotometry were used to measure concentrations of pesticide.

An Investigation Of The Allelopathic Effects Of Pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana L.), Angela Rambalakos

Honors Theses

Phytolacca americana L., or common pokeweed, is a tall, branching, perennial herb whose uses range from the preparation of certain medicines to being cultivated as a vegetable. At the same time, however, pokeweed is also a highly poisonous plant and certain precautions must be taken in utilizing this weed. The following paper opens with a description of P. americana including its habitat, range, structure, uses, and toxicity. The second part of this paper will investigate the topic of allelopathy - its history and its future. The final section of this paper involves a series of laboratory experiments conducted to examine …

Rise To Power Of Senator Joseph R. Mccarthy: Reflections Of The Cold War Mccarthy Era In American Film, Scott Lainer

Honors Theses

The common bond between much of the film industry and Joseph McCarthy was insecurity and the drive for national approval. If one grasps the specific characteristics of McCarthy the man, and the methods of these politically "inspired" movies, we can to better place the period into context and acknowledge the fact that, if the citizenry is not aware, and is again caught by an ever-building wave of trickle down sentiment, the 1950s might not prove to be an isolated period in American history. Insecurity was not a fifties novelty. It still exists, and could potentially escalate anti-Communist policy and sentiment …

The Allelopathic Effects Of Pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana) Berry Juice, Steven R. Parris

Honors Theses

This paper is divided into three major sections. The first section is a limited overview of the field of allelopathy, from its origins to its potential future. Since the field of allelopathy is relatively young and there are only a very few texts on allelopathy available, much of this information is taken directly from journal articles. The second section reviews the publications concerning Phytolacca americana (pokeweed) and some of its close relatives, as well as information on a number of interesting and potentially useful compounds that have been isolated from them. The third section describes a series of laboratory experiments …

The Effects Of Strain Differences On The Binding Of Concavalian A To Mouse Sperm, Lisa A. Mckay

Honors Theses

The current study, lectins were used as genetic probes to determine the phenotype of the sperm from different strains of mice. Lectins are proteins of non-immune origin, which bind to specific carbohydrates (McCoy, 1986). Being that virtually all cell membranes contain carbohydrate components, lectins have been used to identify all types of cells. In this study, a biotinylated lectin Concavalian A (Con A) derived from Canavalia ensiformis, was used and binding was detected using an avidin-biotin peroxidase (ABP) complex technique. The object of the current research was to 1) determine if mouse strain differences have an effect on lectin binding, …

A Study Of Generic Evolution In The Plant Family Ranunculaceae, Elizabeth Rose

Honors Theses

The eighteen southeastern genera of the Ranuncuiaceae famiiy yielded eight evolutionary trees when analyzed using the PENNY routine of the PHYLIP program with a data matrix of 19 genera by 41 characters. Each tree required 70 steps, and the trees were the most parsimonious found for the data.

The Effect Of Bilateral Adrenalectomy On The Electrocardiogram Of Meriones Unguiculatus, Jeff A. Brown

Honors Theses

The effects of adrenalectomy on the heart rate and electrical potentials of the heart of the Mongolian gerbil were studied (using an EKG) in an attempt to determine in hyperkalemia is the cause of its short survival time following adrenal ablation.

The Distribution Of The Ctenophore, Mnemiopsis Leidyi (A. Agassiz), In A Vertical Thermal Gradient, James J. Leder Iii

Honors Theses

The distribution of organisms in an estuary is affected by a plethora of environmental factors. The ctenophore, Mnemiopsis leidyi, is found to exists over a wide range of these factors, temperature and salinity in particular, allowing it to occupy the estuary year round and make use of low salinity areas unavailable to most marine organisms.

Description Of The Form Of Wing-Flashing Behavior In Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus Polyglottos), Lyn M. Harper, Kathryn J. Schneider

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe the form and location of wing-flashing behavior in mockingbirds and to identify differences in flashing between young and adult birds through film analysis techniques and observation. Subjects consisted of 50 mockingbirds from the University of Richmond campus. Analyses of the data suggested that there were three types of wing-flashes based on degree of wing extension. Flashes were most likely to occur in direct sunlight and in grass. No significant differences in the form of flashes between adult and juvenile mockingbirds were found. It is hoped that this study will provide insight into …

A Quantitative Study Of The Distinctive Proteins Of The Eosinophil: A Comparison Of Normals And Eosinophilic Patients, James M. Olson

Honors Theses

Eosinophils have long been associated with parasitic and allergic diseases. Methods of procurement and purification of eosinophils in the last ten years have allowed intensive investigation into their components, properties, functions, and mechanisms (Gleich et al, 1982). The goals of this project are to separate eosinophils in blood samples taken from patients with eosinophilia and from normals based on density over distontinuous Metrizamide gradients; to determine quantitatively the levels of the three distinctive proteins of the eosinophil, specifically MBP, EDN, and ECP; and to compare the levels of these proteins found in eosinophils of patients with eosinophilia to the amounts …

The Occurence Of C4-Photosynthetic Plants In Cedar Glades, Jamie S. Ross

Honors Theses

This project began as a continuation and extension of upper level undergraduate biological study in Plant Taxonomy. It began over a year ago with the collection of plant specimens in the early spring of 1983 and continued throughout that year and into the summer of 1984. The latter half of the project entailed mainly laboratory and library work related to the plant specimens. Collecting was done in Chickamauga Battlefield and was made possible by the granting of a collecting permit by the National Park Service. The collection was restricted to herbaceous vascular plants and most of these were summer annuals. …

Wood Anatomy And Relationships Of Neowawraea (Euphorbiaceae), Dörthe S. Brandt, W. John Hayden

Honors Theses

Wood anatomy of three specimens of Neowawraea phyllanthoides Rock, a rare and endangered member of Euphorbiaceae endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, is described and compared with woods of other genera of subfamily Phyllanthoideae. Neowawraeahas often been associated or synonymized with Drypetes Vahl. Wood of Neowawraea is diffuse porous, perforation plates are simple, imperforate tracheary elements are thin-walled septate fiber-tracheids, rays are heterocellular and crystalliferous, and axial xylem parenchyma is restricted to a few scanty paratracheal and terminal cells. In several respects these results differ from earlier published descriptions of the wood of this taxon; these earlier descriptions are shown …

Cytogenetic Test Of Captan And Triethylenemelamine In Mouse Bone Marrow, Stephen M. Fry

Honors Theses

Following a single non-toxic i.p. injection with 0.5 or 1.0 mg triethylenemelamine/kig a significant increase in chromosome aberrations in mouse bone marrow was observed 6, 12, 30, but not 54 h after treatment. A single i.p. injection with 250 mg captan/kig caused up to 68% lethality above controls, but no significant increase in chromosome aberrations after the same time intervals. One metacentric chromosome was observed 6, 30, and 54 h after captan treatment among 300, 300, and 101 metaphase spreads respectively, whereas none appeared in 1495 control spreads.

Adaptive Mechanisms For Aquatic Existence In Freshwater Turtles, Oscar Gloor

Honors Theses

Naturalists have often marveled at the ability of some air-breathing vertebrates to remain underwater for long periods of time (that is, "long" from man's reckoning). Seals, penguins, porpoises, and whales are all noted fro their ability to use oxygen stored in various ways to permit them to "stay under" for many minutes.

The return of vertebrates, which evolved on land, to an aquatic existence has been a much discussed subject from an evolutionary standpoint. That there are many advantages to life underwater is easily seen simply by the fact that, according to fossil records, terrestrial life arose from the sea. …

Physiological Adaptations Of Aquatic Turtles, Oscar Gloor

Honors Theses

Naturalists have long noted the remarkable ability of aquatic turtles to remain submerged for long periods of time. Only recently, though, has much serious attention been given to discovering the mechanisms which enable turtles to survive for so long in the relatively hypoxic aquatic environment.

The Great Potato Debate, James D. Hudson

Honors Theses

Anencephaly and spina bifida cystica are two of the most common severe congenital malformations consistently observed in human populations. Both represent defects in the neural tube and share a significant number of similar epidemiological associations among them, occupational class, geography, sex ratio, maternal age, year and season of the year. In anencephaly most of the brain and upper skull never form usually resulting in death within a few hours of birth. Spina bifida cystica is a malformation of the spinal cord often causing paralysis, vulnerability to infection, and early death. In 1972, Dr. J.H. Renwick presented a controversial hypothesis which …

Response Of Insects To U.V. Light And Varying Intensities Of White Light, Tim Matthews

Honors Theses

Object: To determine the sensitivity of insects to ultraviolet light and also to verify their response to varying intensities of white light.

Theory: Insects are generally sensitivity to light of any wave-length. Some insects' reactions are due to the response of specialized epidermal cells whereas the center of most response is in the compound eye. The reaction is generally thought to be due to an electro-chemical reaction within the light sensitive cells of the compound eye, i.e. mainly the cells of the crystalline cone and the rhabdomere. Insects tend to react more strongly to light in the ultraviolet region although …

Response Of Insects To Ultraviolet Light As Compared To White Light And Observation Of Other Factors Involved In Their Response, Part 2, Tim Matthews

Honors Theses

The goal of this experiment was to confirm the response of insects to ultraviolet light as compared to white light. This is the data collecting portion of the experiment.

Another equally important objective was simply to observe and record the insects' response to the light and their relation to factors other than the light itself. The possibility of a connection between the number of insects attracted to the light and the intensity of the moonlight was not thought of until later in the experiment.

To develop my powers of observation was an important goal. Any type of research is more …

A Brief Summary Of Insects's Vision And Their Response To Light, Tim Matthews

Honors Theses

Insects have been studied and observed since man first walked this earth. Man's first observation was that some insects were quite palatable. One of Christ's contemporary's, John the Baptist, maintained a diet which consisted of "honey and locusts". The spittings of another insect provided nourishment for the Children of Israel during the Exodus. Even today insects are of primary importance in the ecology. It is only a small minority of the insect population that are nuisances. The vast majority of the insect population is not only beneficial to man but also to the rest of the animal kingdom and to …

Experimentation To Develop Procedures To Be Used In The Investigation Of The Effects Of Restriction On The Unmodified Dna Of The Bacteriophage Lamda, John Haynes

Honors Theses

The results of experimentation approximately twenty years ago with variuos bacteriophages by Ralston and Krueger¹⁶, Anderson and Felix¹, Luria and Human¹², and by Bertani and Weigle² have shown that the host range of a given phage depends directly on the bacterial strain on which the phage has last propagated. This event came to be known as host-induced modification or host-controlled variation. As this phage host range is controlled by the host environment and can be altered from one generation to another it has, according to Luria, made microbiology "the last stronghold of Lamarckism" …

A New Me: A Study In Diet Therapy, Marsha Ellis

Honors Theses

Obesity is a major problem in our nation today. It Seems that we are eating too much and exercising too little. We can analyze, discuss, and write about obesity from now through eternity. However all of this is in vain, unless it causes us to lose weight.

A Comparative Consideration Of Lipoprotein Distribution And Stress Response In The Mallard Duck And Man, Janice Mackay

Honors Theses

Lipid is associated with all of the major serum protein fractions of both the mallard duck and man. however, whereas the ρ lipoproteins predominate in man with little lipo-albumin evident, according to available literature, in ducks the lipo-albumin constitutes more than half of the serum lipoproteins, and a substantial lipo-prealbumin fraction is evident. Most studies of lipo-proteins are carried out on human serum primarily for the purpose of diagnosis of abnormalities. The stress response in many animals includes a rise in serum α-globulin levels, but its physiological basis is still speculative. While a consideration of the changes in lipoprotein distribution …

The Effects Of Moist-Heat Treatments And Stratification On Germination Of Prairie Plant Seeds, John E. Stuurwold

Honors Theses

Germination of Silphium terebinthenaceum was enhanced by a post-stratification most-heat treatment at 80°C. Tested seeds of four other perennial herbs common to midwestern prairies (Andropogon scoparius, Sorghastrum nutans, Eryngium yuccifolium, and Solidago rigida) showed little adverse or beneficial effects of the heat treatment. Heat treatments alone had little effect on the seeds; the length of stratification periods necessary to effect maximal germination varied. The significance of these findings is examined in the light of related literature on grassland fire ecology.