Biology Commons^™

Effects Of Intraperitoneal And Intracerebral Injections Of Triiodothyronine On Temperature Selection In Fish, Dennis A. Grahn

Dissertations and Theses

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) of 15-28g were maintained at 23 C and subsequently were intraperitoneally injected with saline (controls) and varying doses of Triiodothyronine (T₃). Following the injection, the fish were placed in a thermal gradient and temperature selection and activity monitored for 30 min. There was no- significant difference between the responses of the experimental fish to the 2 different doses of T₃. However, there was a significant difference in response between the experimental and control groups (P < 0.001). The decreased temperature selection occurred early in the test runs, while the increased activity began later. Larger goldfish (175-205g) received 0.5 μl intracerebral injections of 1.5-3.0 ng T₃ in the anterior brainstem via an indwelling cannula injection system. These fish responded to the injections by …

The Combined Effect Of Cu And Zn On Selenastrum Capricornutum, Helmer Colonia-Roque

Dissertations and Theses

It has been demonstrated that the toxicity of heavy metals depends on their chemical speciation and can be related to their free ion activities, rather than the total metal concentrations. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of combined free ions of zinc and copper on the toxicity to the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum. This alga was grown in a defined medium, under controlled laboratory conditions, with a varying range of zinc and copper concentrations. The growth rate of the alga was inhibited at pZn = 5.93 or at pCu = 7.24. The results suggest that …

Breeding Success And Nest Site Characteristics Of The Western Bluebird On Parrett Mountain, Marcia Diane Sims

Dissertations and Theses

The lack of suitable nest sites may be a limiting factor for Western Bluebird populations inhabiting the upper Willamette Valley. Nest box trails have been established on the hills surrounding the Portland metropolitan area. Since their placement, approximately 25% of the boxes available have been used by Western Bluebirds as nest cavities. This study was undertaken to identify factors which might determine the selection of a nest box by Western Bluebirds and the subsequent nest success or failure.

The breeding biology of Western Bluebirds using the nest box trail located on Parrett Mountain, Oregon in 1979 was investigated. Breeding season, …

Serial Cardiovascular Adaptations During Pregnancy, Mark Vincent Hart

Dissertations and Theses

Maternal cardiovascular adaptations appear to be essential in order to supply extra circulation to both the developing fetus and maternal system during a successful pregnancy. Since inadequate cardiovascular adjustments may produce abortions or maternal morbidity, the characterization of maternal cardiovascular changes during pregnancy and the elaboration of the underlying mechanism for these changes are essential to the understanding of how the heart enlarges during pregnancy and what significance this enlargement might have. To provide needed information regarding this time course and extent of maternal cardiac enlargement and the hormonal and hemodynamic changes which may be responsible for these changes, the …

The Absence Of Extrachromosomal Dna In Methanogenic Bacteria, Nancy Ann Kurkinen

Dissertations and Theses

Five species of methanogenic bacteria were analyzed for the presence of plasmid DNA. Several procedures for the detection and isolation of covalently closed circular plasmid DNA were modified for use with the methanogens.

The Effect Of Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium Americanum) Upon A Portion Of The Carbon Budget Of Lodgepole Pine (Pinus Contorta), Nancy Ellen Broshot

Dissertations and Theses

Arceuthobium americanum is a vascular plant which is parasitic upon Pinus contorta var. murrayana. Its documented effects include reductions in host growth, vigor and wood quality. The specific physiological changes that occur in the host are, for the most part, unknown.

In an attempt to understand the manner in which the mistletoe alters its host's carbon budget, a model is proposed which states that the host plant has priorities for carbon allocation. The model proposes that the parasite will access the host's carbon initially in terms of carbon intended for storage, next, in terms of carbon intended for growth, …

Temporal And Phenomenological Aspects Of Social Behavior In Captive Wolves (Canis Lupus L.), Paul C. Paquet

Dissertations and Theses

Although cooperative behavior is generally acknowledged to occur among wolves, there is a lack of systematically collected data confirming the extent of development. The objectives of this study were to collect long-term, detailed observations documenting the role of social structure, seasonal influences, and individual participation in wolf pack cooperative activities. Individual cooperative strategies were associated with age, sex, and social positions and critically compared with results of similar studies. Emphasis was placed on quantifying group and dyadic relationships, focusing on reproductive strategies and dominance structure. Additional data were collected on denning behavior, maternal care behavior, scent marking, and spontaneous individual …

Cadmium And Zinc Levels In The Hair Of Smokers And Nonsmokers, Neal R. Simonsen

Dissertations and Theses

To determine the relationship of tobacco and marijuana smoking to levels of cadmium and zinc manifested in hair samples, a study was conducted at Portland State University using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. 97 adult student volunteers participated in the main study.

A Genetic And Physiological Study Of An Arsenite Resistant, Uncoupled Mutant Of Escherichia Coli, Daniel Gordon Smiley

Dissertations and Theses

Chromosomally determined arsenate resistance in Escherichia coli is well characterized. Little, however, is known about chromosomally determined arsenite resistance in E. coli. Accordingly, spontaneous arsenite resistant mutants were selected in a plasmid free strain of E. coli. One mutant strain was analyzed in detail, genetically and physiologically. The mutation confering arsenite resistance was shown to be a single gene mutation. Genetic mapping studies using conjugation and transduction showed that the mutation was closely linked to the ilv region of the E. coli map.

Physiological studies of this mutant showed that it shared characteristics common to those of mutants …

Characterization Of Gram-Positive Bacterial Isolates From Burn Victims, Trisha A. Hannan

Dissertations and Theses

Streptococcus and Staphylococcus were collected from patients hospitalized at the Oregon Burn Center, Emanuel Hospital, Portland, Oregon, between October 27, 1980 and January 1, 1981. Forty-five isolates of Staphylococcus and twenty-one isolates of Streptococcus, Lancefield Group D, were included in the investigation.

The objectives of the investigation were: (i) to identify to the species level all isolates, (ii) to determine their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents, (iii) to test the organisms. over time for increasing resistance to silver, (iv) to determine, if present, a bacterium harbored within the burn unit (nosocomial bacterium), and (v) to determine any recognizable pattern of successive …

Variation In Branch Growth Characteristics Of Pinus Contorta Infected With Arceuthobium Americanum, Lynn Anne Larsen

Dissertations and Theses

Arceuthobium americanum is a flowering plant which parasitizes Pinus contorta (Lodgepole pine). This study examined branch performance of P. contorta infected to varying degrees with A. americanum.

Plasmid-Mediated Resistance To Arsenite And Arsenate In Escherichia Coli, Thomas Patrick Trezona

Dissertations and Theses

Bacterial strains resistant to arsenite, arsenate (or both) are readily isolated from nature. The resistance, in many cases, can be shown to be determined by conjugal plasmids. The mechanisms by which these plasmids confer resistance to arsenic compounds are entirely unknown. This study was undertaken to shed light on some of the physiological and genetic aspects of this resistance using plasmid-bearing strains of Escherichia coli which are highly resistant to both arsenite and arsenate. Most studies were carried out using E. coli J53 (R773) or the plasmid-free strain J53.

The Metabolic Cost Of Behavioral Thermoregulation Of Body Temperature In The Northern Alligator Lizard Gerrhonotus Coeruleus, And How It Affects The Classical Concept Of Eurythermality, James Dudley Campbell

Dissertations and Theses

The effect of total metabolic cost expenditures on the precision of behavioral thermoregulation was investigated for the purportedly eurythermic Northern Alligator lizard (Gerrhonotus coeruleus). An operant apparatus was designed to test metabolic output at different heat reinforcement magnitudes. The mean T_B reflected in each trial was positively correlated to the length of reinforcement. The shuttle rate during each trial was inversely correlated to the length of reinforcement. The standard deviation and total metabolic costs did not vary significantly between trials undertaken at the same ambient temperature. Eurythermality in G. coeruleus is caused by fluctuations in preferred body temperature and …

The Ductuli Efferentes In Macaca Mulatta: Electron Microscopic Evaluation Of Changes After Vasectomy, Loyal Douglas Marsh

Dissertations and Theses

After vasectomy, the passage of sperm antigen through the epithelium of the efferent duct in the rhesus macaque probably results in immune complex deposition. Immune complexes can be visualized in the thickened basement by fluorescence microscopy. Subsequent electron microscopic evaluation, with the appearance of electron-dense deposits in the basement membrane of the efferent ducts, substantiates these findings.

Geochemical And Biogeochemical Interactions In A Hot Spring, William Delis Knox

Dissertations and Theses

Southeast Harney Lake Hot Spring and its effluent channel were examined for spatial and temporal variations in the concentrations of several chemical species, viz. dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, phosphate-phosphorous, nitrate and nitrite-nitrogen, conductivity, chloride, flouride, temperature, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Phosphate-phosphorous and nitrate-nitrogen both exhibited downstream increases in concentration. pH and alkalinity increased also, mainly due to CO₂ evolution and temperature mediated carbon species redistribution. The diurnal pH and alkalinity curves exhibited depressions during the daylight hours due to the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate within the pool and effluent stream.

Cytologic Characterization Of Human Constitutive Heterochromatin, Timothy Atchison Donlon

Dissertations and Theses

A study was conducted to cytologically map certain subsets of constitutive heterochromatin onto specific portions of human chromosomes. This involved sequentially staining metaphase chromosomes from lymphocytes first with the Centromeric Dot, Giemsa-11, G-banding or Lateral Asymmetry staining techniques, which are cytochemical methods which stain particular chromosomes or chromosomal regions. Then those same metaphase chromosomes were stained using the C-banding technique, a method which is believed to denote constitutive heterochromatin. With the exception of the G-banding technique, areas depicted by the special staining techniques were found to reside only within the areas stained by the C-band technique and are thus believed …

Storage And Use Of Glycogen By Juvenile Carcinonemertes Errans, D. Mitchell Wolgamott

Dissertations and Theses

Juvenile C. errans do not feed on particulate matter and yet they can survive, apparently unchanged, for several months before maturing into the adult stage which feeds on the eggs of Cancer magister. The significance of glycogen as an energy source for maintenance of the juvenile form was investigated.

Culture And Growth Of Closterium Ehrenbergii (Desmidiaceae), David Bruce Renstrom

Dissertations and Theses

Methods were devised for the isolation and pure culture in defined mineral medium of Closteriurn ehrenbergii Menegh (Chlorophyceae). The effect of pH, type of nitrogen source, nitrate concentration, total hardness, and various buffers on growth were investigated. Best growth rates were obtained at pH 8 to 9, but good growth was observed even at pH 9.4. Nitrate, ammonia, or urea nitrogen could be utilized, but at concentrations greater than 10^-2M urea was toxic to growth. At higher concentrations of ammonia and nitrate longer lag phases of growth were obtained but eventual higher cell yields were obtained. Good growth …

Ascorbic Acid, Lipid Peroxidation, And Aging, Brian Evan Leibovitz

Dissertations and Theses

The role of ascorbic acid with regard to lipid peroxidation and aging has been examined. A thorough literature analysis indicates that free radical-induced lipid peroxidation is a plausible biochemical explanation for aging. Lipid peroxidation causes cellular damage due to altered enzyme activities, error-prone nucleic acid metabolism, and membrane dysfunction, as well as the accumulation of aging pigments in the lysomes. Ascorbic acid, a water soluble free radical quencher, was examined with regard to carbon tetra-chloride-induced lipid peroxidation and in vivo aging. Carbon tetrachloride, a well-known free radical inducer, caused marked increases in the ration of oxidized/reduced vitamin C only …

Androgen-Induced Immunosuppression, Debra Ann Weyant

Dissertations and Theses

It is well established that females are more immunocompetent than males as evidenced by higher humoral antibody titers, lowered susceptibility to infection, and more efficient graft rejection.

Furthermore, females also exhibit a much higher incidence of autoimmune disease. These observations have led investigators to believe that the male hormonal environment may play a key role in the regulation of immune response. For this reason, this study is concerned with the expression of autoimmunity and of immune function in the mouse.

This study included the New Zealand Black (NZB) mouse strain, as an animal model for human SLE, as well as …

Some Physical And Biological Factors Affecting Red-Tailed Hawk Productivity, Stewart Wayne Janes

Dissertations and Theses

Various physical and biological factors affecting annual productivity in a Red-tailed Hawk population in north-central Oregon were investigated. The percentage of the population successfully fledging one or more young was the most important factor in determining the number of young fledged per pair in a given year. Neither clutch size nor the number of young fledged per successful nest varied significantly. Percent pair success was correlated with several January weather variables. A cold and dry January is positively correlated with Red-tailed Hawk productivity. This is apparently related to the onset of rapid vegetative growth and this in turn is positively …

The Effect Of Developmental Temperature On Morphology, Energy Metabolism, Growth Hormone And Thyroid Stimulating Hormone In Long-Evans Rats, Dana Elizabeth Quinn

Dissertations and Theses

Long-Evans rats were raised from birth to eight weeks of age at 5°C, 20°C and 30°C. Blood was taken from animals two to eight weeks of age and assayed for growth hormone and thyroid stimulating hormone. The 30°C reared rats were found to have the longest ear, tail and hind limbs, followed by the 20°C reared rats. The 5°C rats were found to have the shortest ear, tail and hind limb. The 30°C and 5°C reared rats were found to have similar masses at the termination of the experiment. The 20°C reared rats had the smallest mass. Differences in size …

Germination, Respiration And Photosynthesis In Seeds Of Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium), Steven Wayne Gustafson

Dissertations and Theses

Germination, respiration, and photosynthesis in seeds of dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium) were studied. The effects of 1 hour soakings of seeds in aqueous solutions of 1, 2, or 3% H₂O₂ or 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5% Chlorox on germination of seeds were tested. Germination rates for seeds from three consecutive years (1975-1977) were obtained. Germination rates varied widely. This variance transcended subtle changes in treatment. Pretreatment of seeds with Chlorox resulted in significantly lower germination rates than those of the control. Chlorophyll concentrations were determined for seeds and aerial shoot tissue of four species. Seeds …

Alpine Vegetation Of Steens Mountain, Paul Collins

Dissertations and Theses

A determination was made that the summit of Steens Mountain is an alpine tundra. The assessment was based on floristics, vegetation and community structure, environmental parameters, and geomorphological criteria. Microhabitats of Oxyria digyna at low elevations were found to approximate alpine conditions.

The Use Of Track Autoradiography To Determine Species-Specific Phytoplankton Productivity, Ralph Martin Vaga

Dissertations and Theses

Methods of measuring primary productivity are discussed in terms of what information they provide concerning energy flow in the phytoplankton community. A track autoradiographic technique is presented which measures species-specific phytoplankton productivity and its use is demonstrated under laboratory conditions. Controls and standardized processing conditions are established which permit the use of the track technique in quantitative evaluations of primary productivity.

Small Mammal Dissemination Of Dwarf Mistletoe Seeds, Daniel Eugene Lemons

Dissertations and Theses

No study has been done in the western United States concerning dispersal of dwarf mistletoe by mammals. At the outset of the study it was determined that the red squirrel, the yellow pine chipmunk (Eutamias amoenus), the northern flying squirrel, and the bushy-tailed wood rat (Neotaoma cinerea), were all potential vectors of seeds. The red squirrel was chosen as the main object of study because it is diurnal and is closely associated with ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), a heavily infected species. The study was undertaken to determine whether small mammals play a significant role in transporting mistletoe seeds to uninfected …

Genetic Transformation Among Azotobacter Species, Wayne H. Voth

Dissertations and Theses

Previous methods for genetic transformation in Azotobacter vinelandii have employed poorly defined genetic markers or crude DNA extracts. An improved transformation technique has been developed for use in Azotobacter. The technique was used to transform several strains of Azotobacter with DNA carrying a defined genetic marker. A method for isolating pure, high molecular weight, biologically active DNA from Azotobacter is also presented. Purity of the extracted DNA was determined by standard chemical assays. The molecular weight was determined by boundary sedimentation techniques to be 18.2 megadaltons. DNA was obtained from several mutant strains of Azotobacter. Biological activity of these samples …

Distribution And Behavior Study Of Diurnal Tree Squirrels In Portland, Oregon, With Emphasis On The Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Griseus Griseus Ord) And The Western Fox Squirrel (S. Niger Rufiventer E. Geoffroy St.-Hilaire), Ira Young Rice Iii

Dissertations and Theses

Populations of diurnal tree squirrels in the Portland area were located by mail surveys, personal interviews, and field inspections. Pine squirrels were found to reside in thickly wooded residential areas with dense understories and running water nearby. Western gray squirrels occupied habitats in relatively quiet residential neighborhoods, in areas well supplied with mast crops. Western fox squirrels were found to coexist with gray squirrels in their preferred habitat, and also to thrive in park settings with few mast trees and high activity and noise levels. In areas occupied by both fox and gray squirrels, dominant-subordinate relationships were noted. Each species …

Effects Of Types 1 And 2 Herpes Simplex Viruses On Several Fish Tissue Culture Systems, Raymond Charles Harry

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this investigation was to observe changes induced by types 1 and 2 herpes simplex viruses (HSV 1 and HSV 2) when these viruses were cultivated in fish cells. The possibility of attempting to use human strains of herpesviruses in order to transform normal fish tissue culture preparations was considered. Three different fish cell cultures were tested: CHSE-214 cell lines were derived from embryonic chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and STE-137 cell lines were obtained from embryonic steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri). Cells isolated from immature ovaries of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) were propagated …

A Behavioral Study Of A Small Group Of Pikas (Ochotona Princeps) On Mt. Hood, Oregon, Nancy A. Ewen Frazier

Dissertations and Theses

Observations or a small group of pikas, (Ochotona princeps) occupying a southwest facing roadfill on Mt. Hood, Oregon (1518 m) were made during the fall or 1976. Territorial sizes of 305.5 m² and 121 m² were determined based on territorial displays. These territories were compared with those observed in other studies. The mean distance to the nearest neighbor was 15.1 m. A pair relationship between two of the pikas and a dominance order are discussed. The seasonal progression of the haypiles and the reactions of the pikas to other animals are also noted.