Novel mucosal vaccines (LL-M2e, LL-HAe, SG-HAe) were constructed from live, non-pathogenic Lactococcus lactis or Streptococcus gordonii that express conserved regions of HA or M2 antigens from avian influenza virus (AIV) A. All three vaccines evoked antigen-specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses in vaccinated chickens. The addition of the adjuvant cholera...
In this thesis, we examined the effects of the exposures to anthropogenic pollutants on the fish, primarily juvenile chinook salmon, immune system using newly and recently developed immune assays. In addition, we developed a new assay for measuring immunocompetence of fish. In the first chapter, the Alamar Blue assay was...
Dibenzo[def,p]chrysene (DBC) is a highly potent, but less prevalent, environmental carcinogen belonging to a class of compounds known as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). They are highly ubiquitous and arise as a byproduct of natural and anthropogenic combustion processes. Previous studies have documented carcinogenic effects upon in utero exposure of PAHs....
The vitamin B₁₂ concentrations in both the water and sediments
of Klamath Lake were found to vary significantly during a
one-year period. The patterns of B₁₂ distribution were remarkably
similar among the three main sites. In all cases there was an extremely
sharp gradation in concentration in relation to depth...
The immune toxicity of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has been studied for over 35 years, but only recently has the profound immune suppression associated with TCDD exposure been linked to induction of regulatory T cells (Tregs). The effects of TCDD are mediated through binding the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription...
The genes coding for the expression of a ropy exopolysaccharide responsible for commercially desirable textural and rhealogical traits in fermented milk products by a natural lactococcal ropy isolate were sought. Using a transposon mutagenesis vector, pGh9:ISS1, three mutants lacking expression of the ropy exopolysaccharide were isolated. One of the mutants...
The ferlin protein family regulates membrane trafficking events for a wide range of cellular and physiological processes in eukaryotic organisms. Structurally, ferlins are distinguished by containing five to seven C2 domains with a single-pass transmembrane domain at the C-terminus. In mammals, there are 6 ferlin genes, including Fer1L6, which confer...
Post-harvest open field burning of straw has been a common
practice of waste disposal and field sanitation for the grass seed
industries in the Willamette Valley for over 20 years. This practice
has resulted in excessive air pollution. Acceptable new techniques
are needed for disposal and or utilization of straw....
The dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis of annual rye grass (Lolium
multiflorum) straw was investigated. The straw was hydrolyzed in a
stainless steel pressure bomb at 121° C, 135° C, and 150° C with
0.5 to 3.0 percent sulfuric acid for time periods up to 40 minutes.
These conditions resulted in...
Members of the family Chlamydiae cause a wide range of diseases. Chlamydia trachomatis and C. pneumoniae are most commonly associated with human disease. C. psittaci and C. pecorum are largely animal pathogens, although C. psittaci can cause pneumonia in the elderly and immunocompromised. A vaccine against these pathogens is desirable,...