UNT Theses and Dissertations - 379 Matching Results

Search Results

Results: 1 - 50 next
Comparative Ultrastructural Study between Young and Adult forms of Trypanosoma Lewisi
The purpose of this study was to examine the ultrastructure of both young (dividing form) and adult (stationary form) of Trypanosoma lewisi. Changes observed between the two forms of the organism were related directly to data obtained from previous comparative biochemical studies conducted on these forms of Trypanosoma lewisi.
Ultrastructural Changes of Tumor Implants in Mice
The purpose of this investigation was to observe the sequential ultrastructural changes in tumor implants of a well established tumor line in isologous mice.
Diphenyloxazole Metabolism by Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylase
2,5-Diphenyloxazole (PPO) was tested as a potential alternate inducer for the aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) system. Its apparent lack. of carcinogenicity and toxicity provide a possible system for investigation of enzyme systems related to chemical carcinogenesis without exposure of the researcher to potent carcinogenic compounds. These studies found PPO to be an inducer of AHH in cultured human lymphocytes. When PPO was utilized as a substrate for the AHH assay system, the major metabolites produced were strongly fluorescent. A simple fluorometric assay was developed which employed PPO as the substrate and which measured constitutive activity more efficiently than similar assays using benzo(a)pyrene as the substrate. Quantitation of both basal and induced lymphocyte AHH metabolism of PPO may be applicable to human population studies and may provide a tool to determine possible genetic variables with respect to carcinogen metabolism related to cancer risk.
The Vegetation and Habitat Factors of Red River County, Texas
The aim of this study has been to measure some of the ecological factors in a series of plant habitats and their relation to the existing vegetation in selected twenty soil types of Red River County, Texas.
A Study of the Bacterial Flora of Food Utensils in Hardin College Cafeteria and Twenty-Five Eating Establishments in Wichita Falls, Texas
The problem of this thesis consists primarily of a bacteriological survey of the eating utensils of Hardin College Cafeteria and twenty-five other eating establishments in the city of Wichita Falls, Texas. This investigation was made primarily with reference to a determination of the possible presence of typhoid and related organisms, and secondarily to an investigation of the actual presence of those bacterial organisms associated with the more common outbreaks of food poisoning.
Some Effects of X-Irradiaion on the Adrenal Response to Hypothalamic Stimulation in Rats
Exactly where in the hypothalamus is the adrenal-pituitary response to X-irradiation "triggered" or initiated? Moreover, does ionizing radiation act directly on specific centers in the brain or does it act indirectly via the production of some humoral agents? Finally, what role does the hypothalamus play in the radiation-syndrome? The purpose of the present study was to attempt to answer these questions by determining the effects of two stressor agents, X-irradiation and electrical stimulation applied either singly or together, on the activity of the adrenal-pituitary axis. The parameters measured were changes in plasma corticosterone, in circulating eosinopihils, and in adrenal gland weight.
Effects of X-irradiation on Ion Flux in Desheathed Toad Sciatic Nerves
The purpose of this thesis is to determine the effects of x-irradiation on the efflux of potassium, sodium and calcium ions from stimulated and unstimulated desheathed sciatic nerves.
Food Habits and Dietary Overlap of Four Species of Rodents from the Mesquite Plains of Texas
The coexistence of Dipodomys ordii and Perognathus hispidus with Peromyscus maniculatus and Reithrodontomys montanus was studied in a grassland association of central Texas. The food habits of these species were compared with information from habitat vegetation analysis in an effort to determine food selectivity and the amount and importance of niche overlap and competition among these rodents.
Pressure-Flow Relationships in the Isolated Cerebral Circulation of the Dog
The purpose of this investigation is to determine the pressure-flow relationships in the isolated canine cerebral vascular bed. These relationships in vessels which supply an organ surrounded by bone are theoretically influenced by limiting factors which are not present in those vessels surrounded by soft tissue. An evaluation of the extent of these limitations is essential to thorough understanding of the dynamics of the cerebral vascular bed.
Genetic Analysis of Medicago truncatula Plants with a Defective MtIRE Gene
Leguminous plants are able to fix nitrogen by establishing a symbiotic relationship with soil dwelling bacteria, called rhizobia. The model plant Medicago truncatula forms a partnership with Sinorhizobium meliloti whereby the plant gains bioavailable nitrogen and in exchange the bacteria gains carbohydrates. This process occurs within nodules, which are structures produced on the roots of the plants within which nitrogen is fixed. M. truncatula incomplete root elongation (MtIRE) was localized to the infection zone, which is zone II of indeterminate nodules. It was shown to encode a signaling kinase so it was anticipated to play a role in nodulation. Mutants of MtIRE in the R108 background, mutagenized with the Tnt1 retrotransposon, were obtained from reverse screen, and were assessed to determine if a disrupted MtIRE gene was the cause of nitrogen fixation defective nodules. Mutant line NF1320, having a mutant phenotype, showed typical Mendelian segregation of 3:1 when backcrossed to R108. Experimental results show that MtIRE gene is not the cause of the mutant phenotype, but was linked to the causative locus. MtIRE co-segregated with the mutant phenotype 83%. Southern blot and the first version of the M. truncatula genome (version 3.5) reported a single MtIRE gene and this was shown to be on chromosome 5 but the latest version of the M. truncatula genome (version 4.0) showed a second copy of the gene on chromosome 4. The genome sequence is based on the A17 reference genome. Both genes are 99% identical. Genetic markers that originate from flanking sequence tags (FSTs) on both chromosome 4 and 5 were tested in an attempt to find an FST that co-segregated with the mutant phenotype 100%. An FST derived from a Tnt1 insertion in Medtr4g060930 (24F) co-segregated with the mutant phenotype closely, with 76% co-segregation. Medtr4g060930 (24F) is on chromosome 4, making it …
Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of Aldolase from Human Heart
Aldolase from human heart has been purified 128-fold to a final specific activity of 11.52 units per mg. The purification procedure employed column chromatography on phosphocellulose.
Microbiotic Cycles in Lake Hefner
The purposes of this paper are 1) to determine the microbiotic cycles which occur in Lake Hefner in order to form a basis for ascertaining the effects of future additions of evaporation control chemicals on the biological life of this reservoir, and 2) to make a generalization as to the microbiotic cycles which might occur in Southwestern reservoirs.
Callibaetis Floridanus (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) Life History and Production in a West Texas Playa
A life history study of Callibaetis floridanus was conducted over the wet cycle of a playa on the Southern High Plains of Texas from June through September 1995.
A Comparative Study of Four Genealogies to Determine Predisposition to Cancer
This study was made in an effort first, to determine the mode of transmission of the inheritance of a predisposition to cancer as revealed through the analyses of four separate human genealogies, and second, to make a comparative study of the genealogies to determine whether the mode of transmission is the same.
Characterization of the OCT Plasmid-Encoded Mercury Resistance Genetic Locus in Pseudomonas putida
A 17.1 Kb genetic element encoding for mercury resistance (OCT-Hg^r) was shown to translocate from its original location on the OCT plasmid to the resistance plasmid, RPl, in Pseudomonas putida. Analysis of RPl-Hg^r recombinant plasmids revealed that insertion of mercury resistance genes into RPl could occur at a variety of sites, with all recombinants having common EcoRI restriction fragments of 9.4, 3.8, 2.3, and 1.6 Kb, derived from the insertion. Hybridization analysis suggested the existence of extensive homology between this insertion and the prototypic mercury resistance transposon, Tn501, as well as the location of a similar merA sequence. Although the overall size was shown to be quite different from Tn501, striking physical similarities are shared between these two elements.
Evaluation of a Constructed Wetland to Reduce Toxicity from Diazinon at the Pecan Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, Denton, TX
The City of Denton Pecan Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility has periodically failed effluent toxicity testing. A Toxicity Identification Evaluation has determined that Diazinon in the effluent is contributing to the observed toxicity. Chlorpyrifos is also implicated as a factor. The City of Denton constructed a half acre experimental wetland to remove Diazinon related toxicity. Results from spiking and microcosm experiments indicate that the wetland can reduce the Diazinon.
A Study of the Phytoplankton Population of Lake Dallas
The limnological investigation of any body of water is undertaken in order to secure more accurate information concerning the factors which play an important role in fish production or sanitation. This study shows the qualitative and quantitative planktonic algae in Lake Dallas, for the year 1937-38.
The Isolation, Cultivation and Testing of Organisms Anatagonistic to a Streptomycin Resistant Strain of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
The problem of finding an efficient antibiotic against Pseudomonas aeruginosa which can be used in the clinical treatment of genito-urinary tract infections resistant to treatment by streptomycin has not yet been solved. Therefore, this problem has consisted of first, the acquisition of possible inhibitors of the streptomycin resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; second, the selection and identification of those which show a marked antagonism toward this organism; third, the determination of the antibiotic spectra of the inhibitors; fourth, the determination of whether the streptomycin resistant strain could also acquire a resistance to the antibiotic produced by its inhibitors; and last, an attempt to evaluate the therapeutic possibilities of the antibiotics demonstrated.
The Use of Similarity Indicies to Assess the Spatial Differences of the Phytoplankton Communities in Lake Ray Roberts, Texas
A study of the phytoplankton communities of Lake Ray Roberts was conducted at three sampling sites on two sampling dates during the summer of 1995, assessing both community structure and chlorophyll a concentrations. Eight similarity indices were then used to characterize and compare the communities of these sites. Both community similarity and chlorophyll a concentrations were evaluated using a minimum detectable difference equation to determine the amount of change that must occur in these parameters in order to be deemed statistically significant. The Bray-Curtis Index was shown to be the most adequate index evaluated, and was subsequently used in conjunction with bootstrap analysis to determine the similarity between the three sampling sites.
A Comparative Study of Egg Media in the Primary Isolation of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
The primary purpose of this investigation is not only to improve the present technique of culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but also to make a comparative study of the media use, namely, Veterans Administration modification of Trudeau's medium, Lowenstein's egg medium, and that developed by the author, in order to find which, if any, of these will most easily and effectively meet the needs of the hospital laboratory.
Bacterial Survey of Representative Wells of Canyon, Texas, with Special Emphasis on Sanitation
The problem of this thesis consists of a bacterial analysis of twenty-five representative wells within a radius of thirty miles of Canyon, Texas. An attempt has been made to determine the possible presence of the typhoid organism in these wells.
The Effect of Geosmin on the Growth of Bacillus cereus
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of varying concentrations of geosmin on the growth of Bacillus cereus.
Degradation of Homologous Polymerized Deoxyribonucleic Acid by Azotobacter Vinelandii ATCC 12837
The purpose of this study was twofold. The first was to isolate, purify, and characterize the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of Azotobacter vinelandii ATCO 12837. The second was to determine if there was irreversible binding of homologous 32P labeled DNA to recipient A. vinelandii cells.
A Study of a Selected Group of Science Related Characteristics of Non-Science Majors
The purpose of this study is to gather information related to the characteristics of two groups of undergraduate non-science majors; namely, those students who once considered science as a career and subsequently changed to a non-science major and those who have never considered a career in science. It is frequently observed that children in the elementary school have an intense interest in science. One of the principal concerns of this study is how and for what reasons has the interest in science changed between elementary school and college? It is also the purpose of this study to gather information related to the attitudes of these college students toward the science courses they have had in high school and toward their science teachers. In attempting to arrive at an answer, the group who once considered a science career and those who have never considered an occupational choice in a field of science will be compared in the following areas: 1. General information such as sex, age, size of high school attended, rank within their graduating classes, college classification and military experiences. 2. Occupations and hobbies of parents. 3. Experiences which may influence attitudes toward science such as elementary school science, high school science courses, high school science teachers, attitudes toward science requirements, high school courses liked most, high school courses liked least, and membership in science clubs. 4. College science courses completed. 5. Extent of the interviewees' present interest in science, Finally, the circumstances surrounding the tentative choice of a science career by those who once considered such a career will be discussed.
The Effect of Sodium Salicylate on the Ultrastructure of Trypanosoma lewisi
This study examines ultrastructural changes occurring in seven- and fourteen-day populations of Trypanosorfa lewisi when 60 mg sodium salicylate is administered to the host. These changes were related to the host-immune response. Seven-day trypanosomes showed approximately 10 posterior volutin granules. Seven-day trypanosomes whose host had received salicylate exhibited. 30 to 40 volutin granules, and their posterior tip exhibited volutin granules in high numbers sometimes excluding other cellular elements. Fourteen-day trypanosones showed fewer volutin granules than seven-day, salicylate-treated ones. Salicylate treatment caused no additional ultrastructural alterations. Thus the volutin granules are not linked to the reproduction inhibiting antibody (ablast in) but may be involved in the formation of the trypanocidal antibodies.
Some Physiological Effects of Chlorine upon Two Chlorine Resistant Algae
This research is concerned specifically with the growth of two selected algae found surviving in chlorinated water in outdoor swimming pools. Unialgal cultures were used to determine the free chlorine residuals that these algae were able to tolerate.
The Adaptability and Present Status of Andropogon Ischaemum L. in Denton County, Texas
This investigation has been made with reference to the adaptability of Andropogon ischaemum, King Ranch bluestem, to various soils, various slopes, and various erosion conditions in Denton County.
A Preliminary Report on the Effect of Roentgen Rays on the Formed Elements of Avian Blood
This problem consists primarily in determining the numerical value of the leukocytes after different amounts of roentgen rays had been applied to the subjects. The Atomic Energy Commission set up a problem concerning the effects of roentgen rays on the fertility in chickens, and grants were given to two institutions to study this. The blood work in this paper was an off-shoot from one of these five fertility grants.
Assessment of Changes in Aquatic Macrophyte Occurrence Following Introduction of Triploid Grass Carp in a North Texas Reservoir
The objectives of this project were to measure changes in frequency of occurrence of submerged macrophytes over the first two growing seasons following stocking with triploid grass carp at two fish per acre and to measure differences in macrophyte biomass between areas excluded from herbivory and adjacent control sites after 16 months following establishment of exclosures. The project also seeks to measure concentrations of fluridone following the herbicide treatment, and to compare two methods of aquatic vegetation sampling.
The Response of Amphibia and Rodents to Fish Gonadotropins
The purpose of this research is, first, to determine by laboratory methods, that species specificity does not exist in closely allied taxonomic animals; second, to determine a unit of activity for the gonadotropic hormone. For this purpose a quantitative method for determining potency is necessary to ascertain the seasonal production of the gonadotropic factor in fish. A further aim in this investigation is to demonstrate that the diversity of the gonadotropic factor, in relation to phylogenetic variations, is not as ineffectual as previously reported.
The Effects of Heparin on the Development of Resistance to Antibiotics by Staphylococcus Aureus
Since heparin combines with some antibiotics to decrease the toxicity of the antibiotic to the patient, the purpose of this investigation is to determine whether it has any effect upon the development of resistance to antibiotics by Staphylococcus aureus.
Parasites of the Cricket Frog, Acris Crepitans, of Denton County, Texas
The purpose of this study was threefold. The literature concerning parasites of A. crepitans was to be brought up to date. Contributions to the general body of knowledge pertaining to the parasitic fauna of host specimens of A. crepitans and specifically those found in Denton County, Texas, were to be made. Finally, specimens found parasitizing host specimens of A. crepitans were to be preserved and classified.
Chronic Acceleration and Osteogenesis
The effect of excess gravity on bone-forming elements of the growing perichondrial shaft of embryonic chicks was investigated through the use of the transmission electron microscope and various cytochemical techniques.
Responses to Diets High in Phenylalanine Compounds as Genetic Parameters in Mice
The induction of phenylketonuria in mice through the use of excess dietary phenylalanine is an area in which limited research has been done. This study intends to pursue further work in this area, more specifically, to study the effects of excess dietary phenylalanine and the phenylalanine analogue A.P.B.A. (2-amino-3-phenyl butanoic acid) (7) on brain serotonin and brain norepinephrine. In addition, the effects of these two compounds on the incidence of audiogenic seizures will be explored.
A Study of Selected Factors Influencing Science Majors Toward Science Careers
"The purpose of this study is to gather information concerning some factors which may have operated to influence science majors in North Texas State College toward science careers."--4.
A New LC Column for the Separation and the Quantitation of Nucleotides
A new column, Dionex AS4A, (polystyrenedivinylbenzene matrix) used for the separation of ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides for the first time, and previously used for ion analysis was found superior to conventional silica columns because it separates ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides. Resolution of dGTP was not possible with the Dionex column and CTP and GDP often co-eluted. Using conventional silica columns, monophosphates separated from diphosphates and diphosphates from triphosphates. Using the new Dionex column resolves all three simultaneously. The Dionex column resolved nucleotides with sharper peaks than silica columns, and the longer its retention time the better was the resolution. This Dionex column is stable, with 80 runs possible without cleaning while resolving ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides to the picomole level.
A Bio-Chemical Comparative Study of the Plankton in Lake Dallas and Pecan Creek
The purpose of this investigation is to compare the dissolved and suspended organic material in Lake Dallas to that coming into the lake through Pecan Creek.
An Investigation of Methods for the Concentration of Chemical Compounds Produced by Actinomycetes and Their Relation to Tastes and Odors in Municipal Water Supplies
It is the purpose of this investigation to improve upon techniques to enhance the taste of municipal water and attempt to devise one that could desorb the compounds from carbon in an unaltered state. It was decided that the odor character would be the criterion used to decide if the eluted compounds were the same as those in the raw water.
Cytoplasmic Antigen Relationships among Streptomyces Species
The present study was concerned with the testing of antigenic material derived from a number of streptomycetes in an effort to establish an auxiliary taxonomic scheme based upon cytoplasmic antigen relationships among these organisms.
Pleomorphism in Selected Genera of Algae
It is the purpose of this study to ascertain what environmental factors might cause morphological changes exhibited by certain algae, also to determine if this variation in morphology is vegetative, reproductive, or artifactual in nature, and to show what effects these changes in morpohology might have on classification of the organisms in question.
Sanitary Aspects of Milk and Dairy Products Dispensed in Sherman, Texas
The aim of this investigation is to determine whether there is a correlation between the sanitary condition of milk and dairy products dispensed in Sherman, Texas, and the plate counts, the morphology, and the Gram stain reaction of the organisms in predominant colonies from these.
Lactate Dehydrogenase of Hymenolepis Diminuta: Isolation and Characterization
Lactate dehydrogenase was isolated in pure form from crude extract of the cestode Hymenoleois diminuta by heat treatment and column chromatography. The purified enzyme has a specific activity of 106 units per mg protein. The molecular weight of the purified protein was 75,000 as determined by Sephadex gel filtration and analytical ultracentrifugation. An equilibrium ultracentrifugation study suggests a subunit molecular weight of 39,000. From these data, a dimer form of the native enzyme is proposed.
Effects of Nutrient Media on Growth and Morphology of Azotobacter Vinelandii
The work described in this thesis was undertaken to study the reasons why Azotobacter vinelandii ATCC 12837 after incubation in Burk's nitrogen-free liquid will not form as many colonies when plated on Difco Tryptic Soy Agar as when planted on Burk's nitrogen-free agar. The difference in growth of A. vinelandii on the two agars was established by performing viable cell-plate counts. The difference in growth was most apparent at 24-hours incubation of the Burk's liquid-media cultures. Phase contrast microscopic observations of Tryptic Soy media cultures of A. vinelandii disclosed the regular formation of fungoid cells at early stages of growth of the bacteria, 18 to 24 hours.
The Production of Fragile Cysts by an Aberrant Strain of Azotobacter Chroococcum Isolated from Soil
The purpose of this study is to determine if a strain of Azotobacter chroococcum isolated from the soil in northern Louisiana produces cysts which are as resistant to deleterious agents as those produced by previously reported strains os Azotobacter.
Geographic Variation in Chromosomes and Morphology of Peromyscus Maniculatus in Texas and Oklahoma
This study was initiated after finding two chromosomal types of Peromyscus maniculatus north and south of the Red River in Texas and Oklahoma. The problem was to explain the chromosomal variations and their implications to the systematics of the grassland subspecies of P. maniculatus in this region.
Presence of Krebs Cycle Intermediates in Primary Mycelia of an Actinomycete
The purpose of this study is to determine the presence or absence of a typical Krebs cycle metabolism in the primary mycelia of an aquatic streptomycete.
Studies of Odor-Producing Actinomycete Response to Selected Geosmin Concentrations
The purpose of this investigation was to explore how geosmin, an odorous compound produced by certain algae and actinomycetes, may affect the growth of a selected, odor producing actinomycete of the genus Streptomyces.
Phosphorus Metabolism in Atypical Mycobacteria
The design for this study was tri-phasic: 1) to establish growth time patterns for each group of atypical mycobacteria, 2) to demonstrate the dynamic state of phosphorus in the various fractions by determining its incorporation and turnover, 3) to determine quantitatively the amount of phosphorus in each fraction.
Opthalmic Use Of Sodium Cephalothin: An In Vivo Comparison
A rabbit keratoconjunctivities model was used to evaluate ophthalmic formulations containing 1 percent sodium cephalothin in silicon oil, a 1 percent sodium cephalothin aqueous solution, and a 0.3 percent gentamicin sulfate solution. Rabit eyes were inoculated intracorneally with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus pneumoniae, After topical treatment, none of the antibiotic formulations were effective in the P. aeruginosa model; all three showed good activity against S. aureus, and against S. pneumoniae, the caphalothin formulations were more effective than gentamicin.In a related stability study, the cephalothin potency of the silicon formulation was maintained for 16 weeks at 4, 25, and 450 C These studies suggest that sodium cephalothin can be formulated as an effective and stable ophthalmic dosage form.
Factors Affecting Pigment Production in Mycobacterium rhodocrous
This study was undertaken in order to isolate and identify the pigment, if possible, and to determine the effect of substrate, substrate concentration, light exposure, and pH on pigment production in this organism.
Back to Top of Screen