Biology Commons^™

Effect Of Myristicin, A Constituent Of Parsley, On Levels Of Glutathione And Glutathione S-Transferase In Mice Tissues, Maria Theresa Tijerina

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Glutathione (GSH) and related enzymes interact as a ubiquitous and efficient detoxification system in biological organisms. Several naturally occurring, as well as synthetic compounds, are known to increase the levels of glutathione/glutathione S-transferases (GST). One of the natural compounds includes myristicin, which is a constituent of parsley leaf oil as well as other natural foods. The extent to which the levels of the GSH/GST system can be induced appears to be dependent on the specific tissue type and the amount of myristicin administered. Our results show that increased amounts of myristicin exhibited beneficial effects within a certain range for each …

Development Of Mass-Rearing Techniques For Aphelinus Asychis Walker For Use In A Biological Control Program Against Russian Wheat Aphid, Robin Lynn Whitaker-Deerberg

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Mass-rearing techniques were developed for the parasitoid Aphelinus asychis Walker (Hymenoptera:Aphelinidae) for use in a biological control program against the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) (Homoptera:Aphididae). Daily ovipositional activity, host-feeding behavior, effects of population density in the rearing cages and effects of cold storage on mummies were determined.

Daily ovipositional activity peaked at day 5 after emergence of the parasitoid. Ninety-two percent of mummies resulting from ovipositional activity were oviposited the first 13 days of the parasitoid’s life. Since mummification occurred 11 days after oviposition and emergence occurred 11 days after mummification, day 24 was determined to be the …

Electrophysiology, Cell Calcium, And Mechanisms Of Hepatocyte Volume Regulation, Walid E. Khalbuss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The electrophysiologic technique (Reuss, L., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:6014, 1985) was modified to measure changes in steady-state hepatocyte volume during osmotic stress. Hepatocytes in mouse liver slices were loaded with tetramethylammonium ion (TMA$\sp{+}$) during transient exposure of cells to nystatin. Intracellular TMA$\sp{+}$ activity (a$\sp{\rm i}\sb{\rm TMA}$) was measured with TMA$\sp{+}$-sensitive, double-barreled microelectrodes. Loading hepatocytes with TMA$\sp{+}$ did not change their membrane potential (V$\sb{\rm m}$), and under steady-state conditions a$\sp{\rm i}\sb{\rm TMA}$ remained constant over 4 min in single impalements. Hyperosmotic solutions (50, 100, & 150 mM sucrose added to media) and hyposmotic solutions (sucrose in media reduced by …

Seasonal Distribution Of The Ichthyofauna Of Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Alamo, Texas, Matthew Albert Ciomperlik

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study investigated the small aquatic ecosystems of Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, located in a predominantly agricultural area of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Fishes and water quality data were collected for 13 months to determine the status of fish populations and the factors which influence their distributions on the refuge.

Sixteen fish species were collected during the study, however, more than 20 species are known to inhabit the Rio Grande in the vicinity of the refuge. Water source played a major role in influencing fish species richness in these aquatic ecosystems. Diverted river water offered the best …

Adaptation Of Striped Bass To Sea Water Following Direct Transfer From Freshwater: Morphological, Biochemical, And Physiological Parameters, Judy A. King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been heightened interest in the biology of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) because of increased pollution in their native spawning grounds and because of their extensive use in landlocked sport fisheries. Their euryhalinity makes them an excellent species for osmoregulation studies. The objective of this research was to study the rate of adaptation of striped bass gills to sea water (3% salt) after direct transfer from freshwater using biochemical (ion transport enzyme levels), physiological (chloride efflux), and ultrastructural methods. Striped bass have specialized osmoregulatory cells located on the interlamellar and afferent surfaces of their gill filaments as shown by …

Eye Movement Related Single-Unit Recording In The Nucleus Reticularis Tegmenti Pontis In The Alert Monkey, William Franklin Crandall Jr.

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Nucleus Reticularis Tegmenti Pontis (NRTP) is a structure which lies in the mid-brain ventral to the oculomotor complex. Anatomical studies strongly implicate it in oculomotor function as most of its inputs and outputs are to systems previously shown to be intimately involved in eye movement generation--superior colliculus (SC) and cerebellum. These reports show an integrative structure with inputs and outputs distributed in a way well suited for performing relay and feedback tasks. Physiological data in the alert, trained monkey has been gathered in an attempt to characterize these neurons and to classify them in functional terms. Three monkeys were trained …