Life Sciences Commons^™

The Biochemistry Of Vascular Smooth Muscle In The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat, John Edward Taylor

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Cyclic adenosine 3’,5’-monophosphate (cAMP) was first described as the mediator of the glycogenolytic effect of epinephrine and glucagon in the liver almost two decades ago. It has since been found that cAMP may mediate the effects of a number of hormones and neurohormones, and this observation has led to the development of the second messenger hypothesis of hormone action. According to the second messenger theory, the hormone or first messenger brings information to the cell, whereas, the second messenger (cAMP) transfers this information into intracellular events. More recent evidence has described the existence of an additional second messenger, cyclic guanosine …

Vocal Communication, Nesting, And Territoriality In The California Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma Coerulescens), Nancy Donehue Dodson

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This report evaluates vocal communication, nesting, territoriality, and other social behaviors of the California Scrub Jay.

A Comparison Of Swimming Behavior In Four Species Of Mice Found In The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Of California, Charles Edward Biggerstaff

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study is to examine swimming position, gait, stroke speed, speed over distance, endurance, and willingness to enter water in four species of mice found in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta of California; Mus musculus, Reithrodontomys megalotis longicaudus, Miorotus californicus acstuarius, and Peromyscus maniculatus gambelii.

Calcification And Productivity In A Dominant Shallow Water Reef Building Coral, Acropora Palmata (Lamarck), Elizabeth H. Gladfelter

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Coral reefs are "constructional physiographic features of tropical seas consisting fundamentally of a rigid calcareous framework made up mainly of the interlocked and encrusting skeletons of reef-building (hermatypic) corals (Wells,1957). The principal organisms responsible for the construction of modern day coral reefs, the stony corals, comprise the cnidarian order Scleractinia, which is closely allied to the sea anemones (Actinaria). Individual polyps secrete a calcium carbonate skeletal cup (calyx) beneath the basal epidermis. In most coral species the polyps remain connected by living tissue forming a colony and calcium carbonate is deposited beneath the basal epidermis of the entire colony, thereby …

A Comparative Study Of The Vascular Plants Of Three Vernal Pools In The San Joaquin Valley, California, Robert Howard Smookler

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Today a good deal is known about the general nature and flora of vernal pools. Nevertheless, there is very limited information or actual documentation in the scientific literature. Vernal pools need to be studied more extensively. and they still offer unlimited opportunities for such research (Holland and Griggs 1976).

The purpose of this investigation was to enumerate and compare the vascular plant species occurring at three vernal pools in the San Joaquin Valley of California.

Some Helminths From Salamanders Of California, José Joaquín Castro

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Studies on the helminth parasites of salamanders from California have been very limited.

Between September 1975 and April 1977, 340 salamander belonging to seven species, Aneides flavipunctatus (7), A. lugubris (7), Batrachoceps attenuatus attenuatus (250), Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii (52), E. e. sierrae (17), Taricha torosa (6), and Dicamptodon ensatus (1), were examined for helminths and found to harbor 10 species, four of which are new. The parasites found are: Cestoda: Distoichometra ensatinae sp. nov. from Ensatina e. eschscholtzii and E. e. sierrae; and Baerietta diana (Helfer, 1948) Douglas, 1958 from Batrachoceps a. attenuatus. Nematoda: Dibulbiger caballeroi sp. nov. from Dicamptodon …

Occurence And Transmission Of Toxoplasma Gondii In European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris) Of Northern California, Theresa Marie Haslett

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This research was performed to determine; (1) the prevalence of Toxoplasma antibodies among starlings in Northern California, (2) if such starlings can transmit the disease, and (3) if tissues from seropositive starlings contain encysted forms of T. gondii.

The Partial Purification And Characterization Of A Soluble Activator Of The Cation Transport Adenosinetriphosophatase In Bovine Caudate Nucleus, Paul Culver

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

To many investigators, these observations suggested the existence of a molecular “pump” mechanism responsible for the maintenance of the ionic gradients. Extensive research over the last twenty years has resulted in the assignment of this role to the magnesium-dependent, sodium- and potassium-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase, first reported by Skou in 1957. This membrane-bound enzyme is the subject of the research presented in this thesis.

Studies On The Genus Streptococcus, Janet Lee Storey

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The streptococci, as a group, are gram positive cocci which occur in pairs or chains; they are nonmotile, nonsporing, and catalase negative. Most species are facultative anaerobes, and a few are obligate anaerobes. They are chemorganotrophs producing lactic acid as an end product of glucose metabolism. The G + C (guanine + cytosine) content reported for 15 species is 33-42% (Diebel and Seeley, 1974). The genus Streptococcus includes a large number of saprophytic, pathogenic and non pathogenic species. Many of these bacteria are members of the normal body flora. However, man is very susceptible to the pathogenic members, and no …

A Biosystematic Investigation Of Medically Important Yeasts, Nancy Christiansen Ballot

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) conduct an epidemiological survey of yeasts found in clinical material; and (2) suggest an identification scheme that would identify yeasts of medical importance in the shortest possible time.

Glycerol Permeability In Two Species Of Peromyscus, Greg Evan Raecker

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

In 1938, Jacobs, et al. discussed differences in the permeability of the erythrocytes of rat and mouse to erythritol, mannitol, glycerol, and thiourea. Rat erythrocytes were more permeable to glycerol than to thiourea, whereas the reverse was true for mouse erythrocytes. Mouse erythrocytes also displayed a high degree of permeability to erythritol. However, this same substance penetrated rat cells much more slowly.

Small but recognizable permeability differences were soo demonstrated among a number of species within a single genus. Levine (1943) investigated species differences in rates of osmotic hemolysis within the genus Peromyscus. The four species studied were: P. eremicus …

Studies On The Reproduction And Larval Biology Of Polydora Giardi Mesnil (Polychaeta: Spionidae), Randy L. Day

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

There are no published accounts of larval development for P. giardi, although Mesnil (1896) determined his populations to be simultaneous hermaphrodites. The present paper describes aspects of the reproductive biology and larval development of P. girardi and presents descriptions and illustrations of developing larvae and recently metamorphosed juveniles.

The Use Of Discriminate Function Analysis In The Identification Of Two Species Of Larval Smelt, Spirinchus Thaleichthys And Hypomesus T. Transpacificus, In The Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary, California, Marilou Simonsen

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this study are to identify the larval forms of the two species of smelt, Spirinchus thaleichthys and Hypomesus transpacificus transpacificus, and to better describe their spawning times in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary.