Light spectra distributions were measured in two different montane forests: temperate and tropical. Spectral light measurements were made in different sized canopy gaps in the conifer forest at H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon, USA. Researchers at Oregon State University created these gaps of 20 m, 30 m, and 50 m in diameter. In the tropical cloud forest, spectral light measurements were made in two plots that were permanently established at La Mucuy Parque Nacional in Venezuela, in collaboration with researchers at Universidad de Los Andes. In both studies, spectra and distributions of physiologically active light were analyzed: red, far-red, R/FR ratio, and blue light.

The life history and case-building behavior of Molanna tryphena from two spring-fed tributaries in East Texas were studied from January 1997 to May 1998.

Spontaneous activity in neuronal networks in vitro is common and has been well documented. However, alteration of spontaneous activity in such networks via conditioning electrical stimulation has received much less experimental attention. Two different patterns of electrical stimulation were used to enhance or depress the level of spontaneous activity in spinal cord cultures. High-frequency stimulation (HFS), a method routinely shown to increase the efficacy of synaptic transmission, was employed to augment spontaneous activity. Low-frequency stimulation (LFS), the technique often applied to depress synaptic efficacy, was employed to decrease spontaneous activity. In addition, LFS was used to reverse the effect of HFS on spontaneous activity. Likewise, HFS was applied to counter the effect of LFS. Because these networks were grown on multi-microelectrode plates (MMEPs), this allowed the simultaneous stimulation of any combination of the 64 electrodes in the array. Thus, the possible differences in response to single versus multi-electrode stimulation were also addressed. Finally, test-pulses were delivered before and after the conditioning stimulation on the same stimulation electrode(s) in order to assess the change in mean evoked action potentials (MEAPs). Dissociated spinal tissue from embryonic mice was allowed to mature into self-organized networks that exhibited spontaneous bursting activity after two weeks …

Conflicting opinions about the effectiveness of H. pakistanae as a biological control agent for hydrilla prompt researchers to find a method for assessing the fly's success. Developing a physiological age-grading system for the fly using ovarian morphology to detect changes in reproductive activity is useful for evaluating reproductive status of the fly in field populations. Changes in the appearance of follicular relics in ovaries with oviposition provide a reliable method to estimate fecundity. Characteristics of follicular relics were used to develop a system with eight physiological age classes, three nulliparous and five parous. Changes that occur in the fat body were used to assist in classification of nulliparous females or those with low egg counts.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NP) are one of the most abundantly utilized nanomaterials in the world. Studies have demonstrated the mechanism of acute toxicity in TiO2-NP to be the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to oxidative stress and mortality in exposed organisms. It has also been demonstrated that the anatase crystalline conformation is capable of catalyzing the cleavage of water molecules to further increase the concentration of ROS in the presence of ultraviolet radiation. This photoenhanced toxicity significantly lowers the toxicity threshold of TiO2-NP to environmentally relevant concentrations (ppb). The goal of this study was to determine whether dietary uptake and accumulation of TiO2-NP in the aquatic filter feeder Daphnia magna resulted in photoenhanced toxicity. D. magna and S. caprincornatum were exposed to aqueous solutions of 20ppm and 200ppm TiO2-NP for 24hrs and then transferred to clean moderately hard water. Samples were taken at various time points, dried, and TiO2 quantified using ICP-MS. Toxicity assays were run on D. magna using three TiO2-NP (20ppm, 200ppm) exposure protocols and two ultraviolet radiation treatments. The first exposure group was exposed to aqueous solutions of TiO2-NP for the duration of the test. The second exposure group was exposed to TiO2-NP for an …

Biological diversity is a key component in assessing ecosystem health. Alteration, degradation and loss of habitat due to human influence is currently the primary stressor resulting in decreases in diversity. Reliable assessment of large areas in terms of biological integrity are needed for conservation and preservation efforts. Remotely sensed data provide an integrated view of reflected electromagnetic energy over large areas of the earth. These energy patterns provide unique spectral signatures which can be correlated to land cover and habitat. This research sought relationships between traditional ecological measures and information gathered from satellite digital imagery. Reliable interpretation of earth surface characteristics relies largely on accurate rectification to a map projection and subsequent thematic classification. Use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for rectification was superior than digitizing topographical maps. Differentially corrected GPS locations provided optimum rectification with SPOT satellite imagery while marginally better rectifications were obtained for Landsat MSS imagery using uncorrected GPS positions. SPOT imagery provided more accurate land cover classifications than did MSS. Detection of temporal land cover change using MSS imagery was hampered by confusion among intermediate successional classes. Confusion between upland and bottomland forest classes occurred with both SPOT and MSS. Landscape analyses using thematic maps …

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.

Investigations have shown that the hypothalamus and pituitary respond to decreases in body temperature by stimulating thyroid release of T_3 and T_4 . This study was designed to bypass the control of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland and investigate the direct effect of temperature on the thyroid gland. Hypothermia was by an in vivo isolated perfusion of the thyroid gland. Radio-immunoassay was used to measure T_3 and T_4 concentrations. Significant increases were observed in animals perfused between 36º and 25ºc. These results indicate that the thyroid gland is directly effected by decreased temperature and that it is capable of exerting control over body temperature independent of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Lower perfusion temperatures produced no significant increases.

In a minimal medium supplemented with glucose and yeast extract, the optimum pH for the growth of C. poinsettias was found to be 7.5. The organism requires thiamine, biotin, and pantothenic acid for growth. No absolute requirement was found for any amino acid, purine or pyrimidine although an amino acid mixture was stimulatory. Casamino acids could be substituted for the synthetic amino acid mixture. Yeast extract provided an additional factor(s) necessary for maximal growth. The results suggest that the unknown factor found in yeast extract might be purified by a combination of solvent extraction, and adsorption and elution from charcoal.

Tetramethylthiuram disulfide (42-S Thiram), a carbamate fungicide was studied for its mutagenic potential on the germ cell stages of wild-type male Drosophila melanogaster. The mutagenicity was tested using the sex-linked recessive lethal assay (SLRL). Any lethals induced in the F2 generation were evidenced by the absence of wild-type males. Although there was an increase in mutation rates in the 42-S Thiram treated wild-type males over the control wild-type males, it was not significantly higher. According to the laboratory conditions in this preliminary study, tetramethylthiuram disulfide failed to produce mutagenic effect.

The consequences of early embryonic insults and how they affect subsequent life reflects the emerging concept of "fetal programming". The aim of this project is to study the effects of embryonic insults as they subsequently manifest themselves in adults, with emphasis on the heart and vasculature. My experiments establish that fetal programming operates on the bobwhite quail inducing similar changes as those observed in mammalians and other birds. The quail's fast development provides reliable data in a short period of time than other avian models (e.g. domestic chicken). Data on quail showed a correlation between egg mass and hatchling mass; where small eggs produce small hatchlings but a high mortality made it impractical as a stressor for this study. Hypoxia was used as a stressor during embryonic incubation, where it induced a low hatching weight in quail that was not observable in adult birds. Morphological measurements demonstrated an increased ventricular collagen content and reduced ventricular lumen in birds in adults incubated in hypoxia consistent with hypertension. The hematological analyzes showed few differences indicating organ remodeling instead of hematopoietic compensation. The assessment of vascular reactivity pointed out an impaired endothelium dependent relaxation commonly associated to hypertension in birds and mammals. Fetal …

Geographic information systems (GIS) technology was used to analyze factors influencing habitat use by an endangered species, the red-cockaded woodpecker. The study area was the western part of the Raven Ranger District of the Sam Houston National Forest, Texas. The factors considered included both structural characteristics and spatial relationships among stands of trees in the habitat.

Dischargers to the Trinity River in North Texas were required to dechlorinate their effluents in 1990-91. Field surveys were conducted above and below an outfall to determine the response of resident immature insects and caged in situ juvenile Asiatic clams to chlorinated and dechlorinated effluent. Within six months after dechlorination began, insect community composition and C. fluminea survival significantly improved at stations below the outfall. Significantly lower clam growth within one mile below the dechlorinated effluent indicated the presence of non-chlorine toxicants. Effects from chlorinated and dechlorinated effluent exposure were comparable between Ceriodaphnia dubia lab tests and in situ C. fluminea.

Life history allocation of energy to growth and reproduction was determined for female gizzard shad. Absolute caloric energy allocated to eggs increased with age. The relative amount of production energy directed to reproduction increased with age up to 5 years and then decreased. Seasonal variation in lipids was studied. Quantitative changes occurred in ovarian lipids during the reproductive cycle. Carcass lipids varied seasonally. Age of sexual maturity was 3 years. Delayed maturity is attributed to high allocation of energy to growth enabling shad to outgrow intense competition and predation in pre-reproductive ages; there is little competition and predation in reproductive shad. Growth rates and condition factors indicated constant availability of food seasonally.

Mean salinity concentrations in the four reservoirs (Moss, Ray Hubbard, Texoma and Possum Kingdom) ranged from 0.2 ppt in Moss Lake to 2.01 ppt in Possum Kingdom Lake. Reservoir sodium and chloride concentrations were hypotonic to hypertonic to plasma levels in all species. Interspecific differences were seen in ionic concentrations within each reservoir. Total osmotic and sodium concentrations in carp, Cyprinus carpio, were correlated to their concentrations in the reservoirs. No such relationship was noted for chloride, potassium and calcium. A laboratory study indicated that fish collection by electroshock did not bias plasma ion concentrations. Exposures to wide variations in ionic concentrations did not appear to induce stress in the species studied.

Seven species of planktonic microcrustacea were identified from the North Texas State University Golf Course Pond. Total adult microcrustacean community density, biomass and biocontent, and seasonal cycles of each species were compared with northern populations. Species diversity and evenness indices were highest in summer and lowest in spring. Variations in microcrustacean density showed a positive correlation with density of phytoplankton. Temperature had a direct effect on metabolic rates of two species of copepods. Metabolic rates of pond species were lower at common temperatures than those of northern populations. An estimate of annual energy flow through the pond ecosystem showed cladocerans contributed the greater percentage of total energy to the next trophic level.

N^6,O^2' -Dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (Bt_2cAMP) was investigated for its effects on various tissue culture cells infected with temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant, LA31 and Bratislava 77 (B77), a wild-type Rous sarcoma virus. Specifically, known parameters of transformation were investigated and a possible site of action has been tenably proposed. The drug Bt_2cAMP was found to have little effect on the transformation related properties of primary chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) infected with either virus or normal rat kidney fibroblasts (NRK) infected with the wild-type B77-RSV. However, significant inhibition of the transforming properties in NRK infected with the ts mutant LA31 (LA31-NRK) were reported at the permissive temperature 33 degrees centigrade (33 C).

The purpose of this study was to focus attention on the physiology of the bdellovibrio-host interaction and to determine the metabolic requirements for this reaction. Since bdellovibrio is an aerobic organism, direct measurements of respiration, turbidity, and viable cell counts are reliable indications of the metabolic activity of the cells. It was determined that the metabolic requirements for the parasitic interaction are constituents from either metabolically active host cells or cells which are capable of at least some metabolic activity. The nutritional requirements of host-independent bdellovibrios suspended in buffer are not met by the presence or absence of viable or nonviable Enterobacter aegnes. Unlike the HD bdellovibrios, the HI bdellovibrios lack the ability to make economical use of their self-digesting processes.

Chick embryo fibroblasts and rat kidney cells infected in vitro with Rous Sarcoma viruses were treated with 3-deazaguanine (3-DG). The findings revealed that 3-DG inhibited virus-induced cellular transformation. Degree of inhibition is dependent on concentration and frequency of media change. 3-DG at the concentrations tested will not reverse transformed cells to the untransformed state and does not have marked effect on replication of viruses. Upon removal of 3-DG, its effect was shown to be reversible. Cell growth was generally retarded in medium containing 3-DG. When xanthosine and inosine were added to the medium, cell growth was unaffected, but it increased in guanosine.

An examination of the Desmodium canescens complex (D. canescens; D. tweedyi; D. illinoense) has resulted in the delimitation of a previously unreported alliance between D. canescens and D. tweedyi. The following points support this view: (a) morphological data taken from herbarium and garden specimens indicate that for many characters, the mean values of D. canescens and D. tweedy are not significantly different (b) breeding experiments have shown that artificial interspecific hybridization is possible between D. canescens and D. tweedyi (c) cytological studies have shown that D. canescens and D. tweedyi have a base number of x = 11, while D. illinoense has a base number of x = 10. A new combination is suggested: Desmodium canescens var. tweedyi (Britt.) Williams.

Absence of functional phenylalanine hydroxylase results in phenylketonuria (PKU). Viable treatments remain few, expensive and secondary conditions such as osteopenia occur in most PKU patients. Objective 1: Given the recently described roles of gut microbes to aid host digestion, an orally administered genetically engineered probiotic as the delivery vehicle for enzyme replacement therapy was created. The engineered probiotic, pHENOMMenal, produced phenylalanine ammonia lyase with significant production of trans-cinnamate (phenylalanine cleavage product) in vitro and resulted in a reduction of 515 μM in blood phenylalanine when fed to PKU animals for 14 days (from 2307µM ± 264µM to 1792µM ± 261µM, n = 6, P < 0.05). The control probiotic produced no change in blood phenylalanine. Thus, pHENOMMenal treatment in PKU mice demonstrated engineered microbes could compensate for a metabolic deficiency of the host. Objective 2: Evaluate the PAHenu2 mouse model of PKU for a genetic discrepancy causing ocular enlargement and delayed development observed only after the PAHenu2 mutation was crossed to the C57BL/6J mouse. When compared to healthy littermates, ELISA indicated a consistent but insignificant decrease in plasma IGF-1 and an increase in ocular IGF-1 in PKU animals. SNP screening demonstrated a differential inheritance of IGF-1 alleles in healthy and …

The effects of thermal discharges on the density, distribution, production, and drift of benthic organisms were studied at North Lake reservoir.

Observations of decreases in plasma volume, shifts in plasma and lymph protein concentrations, and increases in capillary permeability at high altitude have been reported in the literature by several investigators. This investigation was begun in an attempt to elucidate the possible significance of these phenomena in future space exploration, and because of the lack of knowledge concerning the underlying mechanisms. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of exposure to hypobaric pressures on the capillary permeability to the normal plasma and lymph proteins.

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.