Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of A Corporate Fitness Program On Worker Productivity, Joseph A. Leutzinger

Student Work

Other parts of the world, namely Europe and Asia, are out producing the United States. According to Steers & Porter (1987), the U.S. ranked sixth among seven leading industrial nations in productivity increases from 1968-1978. An unhealthy life-style is one factor causing decreased productivity in the U.S. (Cox, Shephard & Corey, 1981). Fitness level, work capacity, mental fatigue and stress are related to life-style and have an impact on productivity (Falkenberg, 1987). It is estimated that two-thirds of all businesses in the U.S. with fifty or more employees offer some type of health promotion program (McLemore & Dolzier, 1987). These …

Changing Adolescents' Food-Related Behavior Via Nutrition Education, Adrienne Adams White

Doctoral Dissertations

A nutrition education behavior change strategy for secondary health classes was developed, implemented, and evaluated with 159 adolescents in 6 schools. The experimental design was pretest/posttest, treatment/control group with two treatment groups--one receiving only the behavior change strategy (BC) and one receiving the strategy plus a traditional knowledge-oriented component (BC+). Fundamental concepts of the behavior change strategy included personalization, goal setting, self-management, self-implementation, structured feedback, and structured self-evaluation. Based on a personal nutrient analysis, each adolescent in a treatment group selected improvement of one nutrient as a goal. Effectiveness of the strategy was tested by changes made in nutrient intake …

A Rapid System For Analyzing Histone H4 Mutations In The Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Edward Rex Lakey Harkrader

Master's Theses

Genetically engineered, specific histone H4 mutations have been analyzed in yeast which lack normal H4 protein using the time consuming technique of tetrad dissection. The purpose of the present research project has been to develop a rapid new system for analyzing histone H4 mutations in yeast. The new system has made it possible to isolate quickly cells which are surviving on mutant H4 only. The system will make it possible to analyze more quickly large numbers of H4 mutations. It is termed a plasmid shuttle system because of the use of plasmid vectors for shuttling histone H4 alleles in and …

Sodium/Proton Exchange In The Gills Of Three Species Of Crabs : Libinia Dubia, Callinectes Sapidus, And Menippe Mercenaria, Nicholas J. Maiolo

Master's Theses

Na+/H+ exchange was studied in plasma membrane vesicles from gills of three species of crabs: Callinectes sapidus (blue crab), Libinia dubia (spider crab), and Menippe mercenaria (stone crab). Spider crabs and stone crabs were acclimated to full (35ppt) seawater, while blue crabs were acclimated to both dilute (5ppt) and full strength seawater. Membrane vesicles were prepared by sucrose density centrifugation. Na+/H+ exchange was analyzed using acridine orange fluorescence. Male C. sapidus showed the most exchange activity (per g gill tissue), followed by M. mercenaria, female C. sapidus and Libinia dubia. No difference in exchange activity was evident when blue crabs …

A Reverse Genetics Approach For Studying Histone H4 Structure-Function Relationships In Yeast, Michael J. Bonaduce

Master's Theses

A previously constructed mutation of the histone H4 gene has been the subject of a detailed analysis. The mutation involves an H4 gene encoding two amino acid changes which substitute aspartic acid for glycine at positions 13 and 42 of the polypeptide. These substitutions result in a nonfunctional H4 protein when assayed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast, an analysis of an amino terminal deletion of amino acids 3-26 results in a functional H4 protein. Physical biochemistry studies identify the sites of histone-histone interactions between residues 38-102 of histone H4, the same area in which position 42 resides. The question being …

A [6-14c] Glucose Autoradiographic Study Of The Rat Brainstem Under Hypercapnic And Hypocapnic Conditions: Identification Of Respiratory-Related Regions, Tobey M. Leung

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The effects of systemic hypercapnia on brainstem metabolism were studied with the [6-¹⁴C] glucose autoradiography method. Neuronal pools which are metabolically active take up more [6-¹⁴C] glucose and maybe revealed pictorially as darker areas on autoradiograms. Since a high concentration of carbon dioxide stimulates central chemoreceptors and hence enhances respiratory drive, the darker regions on the autoradiograms may represent regions concentrated with respiratory-related neurons. Two discrete regions in the ventrolateral medulla (a column near nucleus ambiguus and a column in the lateral reticular nucleus) appeared dark and were analyzed with an image processing system, which converted …

A Survey And Distributional Analysis Of The Park Coccoid Fauna Of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park And Evirons, John Keith Watson

Masters Theses

This comprehensive study on the coccoids (Homoptera: Coccoidea) of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) resulted in the collection of fifty-three species representing six families from which seven new collection records for Tennessee were obtained. Six species were discovered that possibly represent new species. Analysis of distribution and host relationships are provided. Keys to the families, genera, and species are provided as well as descriptions of scale covers or tests and distinguishing morphological characters of the adult females.

A higher number of species were collected at lower elevational vegetative types and decreased inversely with elevation (y = 17.104 - …

Comparison Of Five Different Serological Assays For Determination Of Antibody Levels Against Herpes Virus Type 1 And 2, Murat Sami Küçük

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

To aid in the diagnosis of certain clinical types of Herpes virus infections, we evaluated and compared five serological methods for measuring Herpes virus antibody. The five tests we compared are complement fixation test (CF), indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay (IFA), anticomplementary immunofluorescent assay (ACIF), enzyme linked immunoassay test (ELISA), and the latex agglutination test (LA). The main objective of this study was to establish which of the currently available serologic tests was best suited for clinical laboratory use and which may then replace the complement fixation test. In the comparative testing, one hundred twenty serum samples were divided into four …

Prediction Of Forest Type And Productivity Index On Disturbed Sites In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Charlotte Pyle

Masters Theses

A study was conducted in a portion of the permanent vegetation plots established by Uplands Field Research Laboratory in Great Smoky Mountains. The plots were located in the northwestern portion of the park in the vicinity of Cades Cove and Tremont on sites previously disturbed by chestnut blight, logging, fire, farming activities, and livestock grazing. Estimated plot productivity, and data on vegetation, soils, and topographic parameters were available from previous study of these plots. The purpose of the present study was to develop methods to predict forest cover type and plot productivity index score using site and disturbance history-related factors. …

The Importance Of Competition For Food Resources In The Interaction Between Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) And Rainbow Trout (Salmo Gairdneri), William E. Ensign

Masters Theses

The last 80 years have seen a drastic reduction in the range of the brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) the only salmonid native to the Southern Appalachians. Much of this range reduction is directly correlated with increases in the range of the introduced rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). The purpose of this study was to determine if competition for food resources plays a significant role in this interaction.

Stomach contents were obtained from sympatric and allopatric populations of brook and rainbow trout during June, July, August and September of 1987. Terrestrials comprised the majority of food items in …

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 …

Modulation Of Queuine Uptake In Cultured Human Fibroblasts By Phorbol Esters And Interferons, Debra L. Crane

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Queuosine, a nucleoside found exclusively in the first position of the anticodon of transfer RNA (tRNA), is generated post-transcriptionally in an exchange of guanine for queuine by the modifying enzyme tRNA-guanine ribosyltransferase. Phorbol ester tumor promoters were shown to induce queuine hypomodified tRNA, and that phorbol ester action was due, in part, to inhibition of queuine transport across the cell membrane. An unidentified protein designated conditioned medium factor (CMF) that potentiated a phorbol-induced inhibition of queuine uptake was also documented. We suggest here that phorbol ester-induced inhibition of queuine uptake is not a significant factor in inducing queuine-deficient tRNA although …

Molecular Study Of The B19 (Human) Pathogenic Parvovirus, Jamshed Ayub

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The B19 (human) parvovirus is a small single stranded DNA virus of 5.4 kilobases. B19 is specific for erythroid progenitor cells and has been propagated in vitro only with human erythroid bone marrow. Replication of viral DNA and the viral protein products of B19 appear similar to those of other animal parvoviruses. However, B19 differs from other parvoviruses in some important aspects, which include the initiation of all transcripts at a strong left side promoter (p6) and the absence of a functional internal promoter. B19 has an unusual transcription map which is described in this study.

The transcription map of …

A Light And Electron Microscopic Study Of The Rat Olfactory Tubercle: Normal Morphology And Acetylcholinesterase Localization, James Curtis Woodley

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

A cytoarchitectural analysis of the rat olfactory tubercle using Nissl-stained coronal sections revealed that the dense cell layer (DCL) consisted of medium sized striatal cells in the cortical regions and small sized "granule" cells in the cap regions. Also delineated from this experiment was a rim of neuropil, nearly devoid of neurons as well as neuronal processes, outlining the islands of Calleja. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) localization utilizing light microscopy revealed that the olfactory tubercles (OT) contained AChE-positive fibers that were orientated dorsoventrally in the molecular and multiform layers. The DCL consisted of only fibers en passant and putative terminals. Diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) …

Effects Of Ammonia, Salinity And Oxygen On The Growth And Energetics Of The Grass Shrimp, Palaemonetes Pugio, Ahmad Mohammed Altayaran

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The growth and energy budget of juvenile grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio, were examined under various combinations of ammonia, salinity and dissolved oxygen. Experiments were performed to determine the effects of multiple stresses on the growth and physiological processes of the shrimp. The experimental design also allowed an evaluation of the effectiveness of several techniques for determining the productivity potential of aquatic animals exposed to stress.

A flow-through system was used to produce combinations of ammonia concentrations (0, 3, 6 and 12 mg/l) and salinities (20, 25, 30 and 35 ppt) for 21-day tests. The tests were conducted at high …

The Application Of The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales Administered To 20 Developmentally Delayed Children, Jan H. Henderson

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to provide physical and occupational therapists with empirical data and clinical information that will enable them to better understand and utilize the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS) in the assessment of children who potentially may need physical and/or occupational therapy. The PDMS was administered to 20 developmentally delayed children between the ages of 24 and 83 months, who were receiving both physical and occupational therapy in the Chesapeake Public School System. The PDMS was also administered to 20 normal subjects between the ages of 24 and 77 months that were volunteers from the PTA …

Seasonal Phytoplankton Assemblages In The Nansemond River, Virginia, Cindy Eleanor Shomers

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

A monthly phytoplankton study was conducted on the Nansemond River from November 1984 to October 1985. Light microscopy was utilized to characterize the resident populations, their cell concentrations and to provide a general comparison to other regional studies of river systems considered more polluted. The results divided the flora into two major categories. The first group was a pico-nanoplankton component composed of Cyanobacteria and Chlorophycean cells 1-10 um in diameter. The second group was a microplankton assemblage of Bacillariophyceae, Dinophyceae, Cryptophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cyanobacteria and Euglenophyceae. The pico-nanoplankton had a unimodal abundance pattern with peak concentrations occurring in spring. The microplankton …

The Effect Of Ph Variation On The Evolution Of Non-Condensible Gases From Hardwood Black Liquors, Gregory Allen Goode

Paper Engineering Senior Theses

A distillation process utilizing hardwood black liquor samples from Mead in Escanaba was used to determine the effect of ph on non-condensible gas evolution.

Ph was found to be highly negatively correlated to the volumetric production of non-condensible gas. The correlation for all the black liquor samples tested was found to be greater than -.990. This indicates that as ph increases the volumetric production of non-condensible gas decreases.

Ph was found to be more correlated to the effect of gas volume reduction in the ph range of I 1.5 to 12.5.

Non-condensible gases produced in the fifth and sixth effects …

A Descriptive Catalog Of Dimming Cells In The Purple Shore Crab Hemigrapsus Nudus, Eugene Pak

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A population of cells responsive to the decrease or dimming of light was identified in the Purple shore crab Hemigrapsus nudus. Extracellular pin electrode recordings from the optic nerve tract measured responses to decremental changes in relative light levels over the range 40 to 0.08 lux. The observed activity revealed that these dimming cells could respond over this entire range. A catalog detailing the response characteristics for each of the thirty dimming cells in the study was generated. The parameters measured the receptive field size; response to mechanoreceptive tactile stimuli; response to abrupt On or Off light level changes; …

Chemoreceptors Regulate Discharge Of Microbasic P-Mastigophores In The Sea Anemone, Aiptasia Pallida, Gail E. Muir Giebel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Recently, using cnida-mediated measurements of adhesive force, Thorington and Hessinger (1984, 1988a, b) identified two different chemoreceptors involved in triggering cnida discharge on the tentacles of the sea anemone, Aiptasia pallida. These two classes of receptors were shown to interact with glycine and N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA). We now show that the discharge of the microbasic p-mastigophores, one of the three types of cnidae present on the tentacles of A. pallida, is under the controlling influence of these two classes of cnidocyte-associated chemoreceptors. We also demonstrate that the number of discharged microbasic p-mastigophores adhering to the test probes is proportional to …

The Influence Of Job Characteristics On Organizational Commitment To Job Satisfaction Of Foodservice Employees, Carole M. Herman

Masters Theses

The purpose in this study was to determine the relationship among job characteristics, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction of hospital foodservice employees. A 4-part questionnaire was developed including the 30-item Job Characteristics Inventory, 15-item Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, 6 items related to job satisfaction, and 7 demographic items. Separate written questionnaires were administered to 45 supervisors and 172 employees in dietary departments in 11 East Tennessee hospitals. Data from school and university setting was collected from previous studies.

The reliability for the instruments (Cronbach's alpha) was .89 for employees and .87 for supervisors. Multiple regression analyses were used to test research …

A Study Of Alkaline Sodium Sulfite Pretreatment Of Spruce During Thermomechanical Pulping, Nagaraju Dendukuri

Masters Theses

A review of literature relating sodium sulfite pretreatment during thermomechanical pulping to pulp physical properties revealed many contradictions. Thermomechanical pulping variables were studied for their effect on pulp physical properties. An improvement in pulp physical properties was observed above 1% sodium sulfite treatment. Regression analysis and analysis of variance showed that there was a significant effect of sodium sulfite on the reduction of shive content, pulp brightness, and tear index. Fiber length, tensile, burst, and density were not found to be significantly affected by the amount of sodium sulfite. Sodium sulfite treatment during thermomechanical pulping showed a negative relationship with …

A Pilot Plant Evaluation Of Selected Hardwood Pulps For Supercalendered Grade B Paper, Devendra Kumar Srivastava

Masters Theses

The proliferation of wood free printing and writing papers suggests the evaluation of hardwood kraft and chemithermomechanical pulps for the manufacture of uncoated rotogravure paper. In this study 100% aspen kraft, 100% eucalyptus kraft, and 50% aspen chemithermomechanical with 50% kraft pulps were used to produce rotogravure paper on as 32" trim Fourdriner paper machine under alkaline papermaking condition.

The machine runnability was smooth using 100% hardwood furnish for the production of rotogravure paper. The paper produced was found suitable for supercalender grade B applications, such as Sunday magazines, inserts, and flyers. The tensile index and tear index values were …

Effects Of Corticosteroids And Of Cyclosporin A On Trypanosoma Musculi In Mice And In Culture, Philip Stephen Schuyler

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The in vivo and in vitro effects of cyclosporin A and corticosteroids on Trypanosoma musculi were examined. Mice that received continuous administration of 6 mg/liter/day of dexamethasone in drinking water and 200 mg/kg hydrocortisone acetate as a single dose 24 hrs prior to injection with T. musculi had significantly higher and longer parasitemias, than controls. Body and spleen weights and B cell responsiveness were lower in test animals and there were some deaths. Mice injected with T. musculi that received 100 mg/kg/day cyclosporin A had longer, but not higher, parasitemias than controls. Corticosteroids appear to partially inactive antibody production (i.e. …

Determination Of Antibody Levels In Periapical Lesions Against Sixteen Oral Microorganisms By The Elisa Technique, Sammee Lee Jones

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The root canal system, which includes the periapical region of the tooth, may become infected by several types of microorganisms which are normally associated with these tissues. A bacteria-specific antibody response may occur at the local level, where various classes of immunoglobulins have been found and reported in the literature. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively measure locally produced immunoglobulin' levels in periapical lesion abscess materials and to determine the specific reactivity of these antibodies to several microorganisms which are normal flora, as well as being previously associated with the development and pathogenesis of endodontic infections. Periapical lesions …

Decreased Triiodothyronine Binding To The Hepatic Nuclear Thyroid Hormone Receptor In The Diabetic Mouse, Thomas J. Dewind

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The diabetic C57BL/KsJ-db m mouse has abnormal thyroid hormone levels and indications of thyroid hormone resistance. To investigate the basis of these abnormalities, the hepatic nuclear thyroid hormone receptor was extracted with 0.4 M KCl, 1.1 mM MgCl₂, 20 mM Tris/HCl, pH 7.9 from hepatocyte nuclei of normal C57BL/KsJ, heterozygous C57BL/KsJ-db m (db/m), and diabetic C57BL/KsJ-db m (db/db) mice. Normal and heterozygous mice were grouped together as the controls. Triiodothyronine (T₃) binding studies at 4°C using nitrocellulose filtration to separate free T₃ from receptor bound T₃ demonstrated an …

Immunologic Mechanisms Involved With Human Endodontic Lesions, Sunita V. Prabhu

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Endodontic or root canal infection results in immunologic changes in periapical region, which causes the destruction of pulpal and periapical tissue. No definitive study has identified a specific organism or a group of organisms as a etiological agents. Past studies have indicated that immunoglobulin E play a significant role in the pathogenesis of periapical lesions. The presence of this factor suggests that some of the endodontic flare-ups may be IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. Antibody levels of IgA have been quantitatively measured by ELISA and IgE by modified RAST assay, against eleven oral bacteria which are routinely isolated from such lesions. The …

The Effect Of 48 Hr Glucose Administration On The Hepatic P-450 System, John N. Buchholz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The administration of glucose for 48 hrs to mice resulted in a shift of the dose response curve of phenobarbital, an indication that glucose administration significantly sensitized the animals to the effects of the drug. Glucose administration produced a reduction in the catalytic activity of hepatic microscopical P-450 as measured by the in vitro conversion of p-Nitrocellulose to p-Nitrophenol.

The administration of glucose to rats for 48 hrs resulted in prolonged anesthesia after the administration of pentobarbital. The spectral binding of hexobarbital and methadone to hepatic microsomal P-450 was found to be significantly reduced following glucose administration. The changes in …

The Isolation And Characterization Of Growth Regulatory Factors Produced By A Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Transformed Mouse Tumor Cell Line, H238, Robert B. Stagg

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Transformation of cells with herpes simplex virus Type 2 (HSV- 2)occurs by an unknown mechanism. No specific gene or gene product has been consistently associated with HSV-2 transformation as is the case for other tumor viruses. This study was performed in an attempt to associate HSV-2-transformation with specific growth factors in order to develop a testable model for HSV-2-transformation. For some tumor viruses, particularly those containing RNA, there has been a central concept (autocrine secretion) linking oncogenes and growth factors. This concept centers on the ability of the cancer cells to produce and respond to their own autologous factors. We …

The Occurrence Of Fish Remains In Modern Lake Systems : A Test Of The Stratified-Lake Mode, Douglas R. Britton

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Theories regarding the taphonomy of fishes in lacustrine environments have traditionally relied on an anoxic water column to explain the excellent preservation. This concept has never been directly tested in modern lacustrine environments that are thought to be analogous to the lacustrine environments predicted by the Stratified-lake Model. This research tested that model by searching for fish remains in 38 collected bottom samples of six modern lacustrine analogues, including Fayetteville Green Lake, New York. The bottom sediments of a warm, holomictic, shallow, and saline lake (Salton Sea, California) were also examined. Although laminated sediments were found in all of the …