Enallagma civile (Odonata: Coengrionidae) life history and production in a west Texas playa (open access)

Enallagma civile (Odonata: Coengrionidae) life history and production in a west Texas playa

A life history and productivity study of Enallagma civile was conducted in a playa that was located in the southern High Plains of Texas. Other odonates were also studies to identify their contributions to the habitat.
Date: May 2002
Creator: Booker, Jennifer Suzanne
Object Type: Thesis or Dissertation
System: The UNT Digital Library

A Multimedia Atlas of Dissection for Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates

Access: Use of this item is restricted to the UNT Community
This interactive multimedia content is part of a Master's thesis regarding how traditional methods of teaching the laboratory course for Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates could be improved by applying current computer technology to construct an interactive, multimedial atlas of dissection. Five specimens used in comparative anatomy courses at most institutions were chosen as representative members of the Phylum Chordata: amphioxus, lamprey, dogfish shark, mud puppy, and cat. Specimens were dissected according to the modified method of Wischnitzer, 1993, and each stage was photographed with a Kodak DC120 digital zoom camera. These images were processed on a Power Macintosh 7600 computer with Adobe Photoshop v. 5.0. The atlas was constructed from these images using Macromedia Authorware v. 4.0.3. Each image contains a series of interactive objects that display a highlight and descriptive text as the cursor passes over each object.
Date: August 1999
Creator: Curran, Anthony A., Jr.
Object Type: Interactive Resource
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dissolved Organic Carbon Assessment on Selected Creeks and Rivers within the Elmfork Subwatersheds of Denton, Texas (open access)

Dissolved Organic Carbon Assessment on Selected Creeks and Rivers within the Elmfork Subwatersheds of Denton, Texas

The primary focus of the study was to compare dissolved organic carbon (DOC) at baseline stream flow to DOC at a higher post-rain stream flow, with a secondary focus on comparison of DOC between sites. Comparisons were also done on suspended solids at baseline flow to those of the higher post-rain flow, as well as suspended solids between sites. Significant differences did exist between DOC sampled at baseline flow and DOC in samples taken at peak flow. The study found no difference in suspended solids among sites neither on either baseflow sampling nor on the post rain event sampling.
Date: May 2004
Creator: Jackson, Pamela J.
Object Type: Thesis or Dissertation
System: The UNT Digital Library

Adherence and Haemagglutination of Moraxella Catarrhalis.

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M. catarrhalis is a gram-negative diplococci frequently associated with infections of the upper respiratory tract. During the past decade, some preliminary studies have attempted to elucidate mechanisms of adherence and haemagglutination of M. catarrhalis. These studies have reported, in many cases, inconsistent results. There are two purposes of this research. First, identify mechanisms that may potentially be associated with the adherence and haemagglutination of M. catarrhalis. Second, suggest research directions that may be fruitful in clarifying these mechanisms.
Date: August 2000
Creator: Kosterman, Edward, III
Object Type: Thesis or Dissertation
System: The UNT Digital Library

Animal Contribution to Human Medicine

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The use of animal models in research has led to a fierce debate between animal rights activists and scientists. The former claim that little useful information is gained from animal studies and the suffering of animals does not preclude any treatments which may be used to treat human illnesses. Yet, research scientists claim that in vivo animal models are of absolute necessity to developing treatments and cures to disease. To determine the necessity of animal use, one must examine the models currently in research. Have the animal models for disorders such as cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy given scientists enough information to develop effective treatments? This paper will examine the role of animal subjects in several disease research protocols, as well as the applicability of the research.
Date: May 2001
Creator: Kvernes, Kayce
Object Type: Thesis or Dissertation
System: The UNT Digital Library

Inherent Problems Associated with the Identification of Genes Responsible for Allowing B. cepacia to Adhere to Human Lung Carcinoma A549 Cells

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In this project a bacteria's ability to bind to human lung tissue was investigated. To carry out this study Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Eschericia coli and Burkholderia cepacia were used. B. cepacia served as the bacterium of interest. Isolating the gene which confers upon this bacterium the ability to bind to lung tissue was the main objective of this study. P. aeruginosa has been identified as being the bacteria most responsible for causing serious lung infections that can result in cystic fibrosis. This bacterium therefore served as the positive control in this study. On the contrary, E. coli does not possess this binding ability and served as the negative control. This paper gives a detailed outline of the different procedures necessary for the successful completion of this project. Firstly, a broad guideline of the important steps involved are explored. This is followed by a discussion on potential problems and possible solutions. Throughout the document, illustrations of expected results are indicated so as to further guide the researcher.
Date: May 2001
Creator: Nesty, Gilda S.
Object Type: Thesis or Dissertation
System: The UNT Digital Library
Analysis and expression of the cotton gene for the D-12 fatty acid desaturases 2-4 (FAD2-4) (open access)

Analysis and expression of the cotton gene for the D-12 fatty acid desaturases 2-4 (FAD2-4)

A genomic clone containing a 16.9-kb segment of cotton DNA was found to encompass a D-12 fatty acid desaturases (FAD2-4) gene. The FAD2-4 gene has a single, large intron of 2,780 bp in its 5'-untranslated region, just 12 bp upstream from the ATG initiation codon of the FAD2-4 opening reading frame. A number of prospective promoter elements, including several light-responsive sequences, occur in the 5'-flanking region. The coding region of the gene is 1155 bp with no introns, and would encode a FAD2-4 polypeptide of 384 amino acids. The putative protein had four membrane-spanning helices, hallmarks of an integral membrane protein, and would probably be located in the endoplasmic reticulum. The FAD2-4 gene is indeed a functional gene, since yeast cells transformed with a plasmid containing the coding region of the gene synthesize an appreciable amount of linoleic acid (18:2), not normally made in wild-type yeast cells. The FAD2-4 gene has many structural similarities to the cotton FAD2-3 gene that was also analyzed in this laboratory.
Date: August 2003
Creator: Park, Stacy J.
Object Type: Thesis or Dissertation
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bioreactor Landfill Cell Feasibility Study ' Reference to City of Denton Subtitle-D Permit #1590A Landfill (open access)

Bioreactor Landfill Cell Feasibility Study ' Reference to City of Denton Subtitle-D Permit #1590A Landfill

The City of Denton Landfill, Permit #1590A, utilizes “Dry-Tomb” techniques for disposal and promotion of municipal solid waste stabilization, as described by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) prohibition in 40 CFR. Bioreactor research suggests re-circulating leachate increases biodegradation rates and reduces long-term monitoring from fifty years to less than ten years. Current procedures that are followed at Denton's landfill, literature review and the use of the Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) model, suggest that a bioreactor landfill cell is worthy of further research. Re-circulating leachate and augmenting it with additional liquid will increase biodegradation and the need to design and build a landfill gas collection system to capture methane for energy recovery uses.
Date: May 2002
Creator: Roberts, Elizabeth
Object Type: Thesis or Dissertation
System: The UNT Digital Library
The aquatic insect communities of Holbrook Creek and Cochetopa Creek in Colorado. (open access)

The aquatic insect communities of Holbrook Creek and Cochetopa Creek in Colorado.

The first objective for this problem in lieu of thesis project was to gather, identify to the lowest practical taxonomic level and organize all available aquatic insects collected from high altitude Colorado aquatic systems during the summers of 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2002 for the University of North Texas Environmental Science Field Course (BIOL 5650). The curated collection will be housed in the Elm Fork Natural History Museum, located at the University of North Texas. The second objective was to provide a summary and discussion of the occurrence and distribution of the aquatic insects collected from Mt. Blanca in 1994, 1996, and 1998 and to create a taxa list of aquatic insects collected from Cochetopa Creek during the summer of 2002.
Date: December 2003
Creator: Wallace, Mark Allen
Object Type: Thesis or Dissertation
System: The UNT Digital Library