University Honors Program Senior Project.
Many times the study of the behavior of an algorithm can be inhibited by the inability to actually see exactly what the algorithm does. Static diagrams and verbal descriptions are often not enough to provide real insight into the behavior of an algorithm. It would...
Leaves of healthy strawberry plants were inoculated with either vinclozolin-sensitive or vinclozolin-resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea at one of three concentrations: 5x104, 1x105, and 5x105 conidia/ml. One week following inoculation, representative leaves were harvested and cut into 9mm2 leaf pieces. Some pieces were immediately plated onto selective Botrytis medium while...
Lamprey eel harvesting has systematically and periodically occurred along the Siletz River and its tributaries for as many as hundreds, or thousands, or tens of thousands of years that human families and lamprey eel populations have coexisted in the Siletz Valley ecosystem. Historical, cultural, and biological information for the twentieth...
Separation and isolation of organic analytes from environmental matrices such as soils,
water, plant, or animal tissue has traditionally involved the use of liquid solvent extractions.
Solvent-based extraction methods are often time-consuming, difficult to automate, and use
expensive solvents that generate hazardous waste and working conditions. The need for a...
Rapid and accurate analytical methods are needed to assess the impacts of agricultural chemicals on soil and water resources. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) was evaluated as an alternative method to conventional liquid-liquid extraction for the quantitative analysis of the herbicide DCPA and its metabolites in ground waters. Strong anion exchange (SAX)...
The curriculum of technical degrees at higher education institutions in the United States needs to continuously adapt to ever changing technologies. One way to accomplish this is to adopt a more dynamic approach that separates the practical and theoretical components of the university education, and where the student concentrates on...
Contamination of water sources due to the use of agricultural chemicals can be minimized through understanding the transport relationships for organic chemicals in soil environments. In this study we evaluated seven non-hazardous dyes that have properties which were consistent with application as surrogates to organic agro-chemicals to assess mobility through...
Surfactants, or surface active agents, are the active ingredients in detergents used for
domestic cleaning applications, such as dish washing and laundering. They are effective cleaning
agents by concentrating at interfacial regions, lowering the surface tension of water, and forming
micelles that solubilize oils (West, 1992). Surfactants are amphiphilic, because...
Squash varieties of Golden Delicious and Squash Hybrid NK 530 were grown in disk-till, strip-till, and no-till conservation tillage systems following a cover crop of'Monida' oats (Avena sativa L.) and common vetch (Vicia sativa L.). Tillage systems were evaluated for effects on squash emergence and yield, weed density and biomass,...
As in other species, it is possible that a homozygous red leafed (= redleaf) hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) tree would have brighter red coloration than a heterozygote and thus be more desirable as an ornamental. However, 'Fusco Rubra' and `Rode Zeller' both carry incompatibility allele S6 (thus cross-incompatible) and are...
Nitrosomonas europaea is an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizer that has been found to cometabolize various halogenated hydrocarbons. This ability to cometabolize various compounds (many of which are considered contaminants) has caused N. europaea to be considered a potential bioremediational organism. However, ifN. europaea is to be used for bioremediation purposes, it will...
The purpose of this study is to develop an analytical framework for identifying and evaluating conditions that precipitate currency devaluation like those experienced by Mexico in 1994. This study develops a framework of financial and macroenvironmental indicators that point to potential currency devaluation in the future. Some of these indicators...
This report examines the feasibility of using the bivalve Corbicula flumina as a biomarker for environmental contaminants in the Willamette River. Compounds such as DDT, dioxins, furans, and PCBs persist in the environment, pose health related concerns, and due to their lipophilic nature accumulate in biological organisms. The success of...
This study examined the management situation for the Columbiaroot-knot nematode (Meloidogyne chitwoodi) in potato, using an approach with systems thinking and interactive meetings. The focus of current research for control of this nematode was evaluated. Control practices include crop rotation, and this study also evaluated popcorn cultivars for their potential...
Much interest has recently been shown in using fecal samples to monitor
hormone concentrations in free-roaming animal populations. This process is noninvasive
and, therefore, provides easy sample collection and assures no stress-related,
physiological responses that might alter the hormonal data. Concerns have been
expressed, however, that the hormone concentrations detected...
Using a spectrometer and photomultiplier tube, I measured the electromagnetic radiation transmittance properties of three types of tissue-- ventral skin, cardiac muscle, and liver tissue--in the red-sided garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis between the wavelengths of 450 and 850 nanometers (nm). Control readings were taken using a 10⁻² neutral density...
Pole-sized, live western larch Larix occidentalis Nutt.) were inoculated with Ophiostoma pseudotsugae(Rumb.) von Arx or Leptographium abietinum (Peck) Wingf., two blue stain fungi associated with the Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonous pseudotsugae Hopkins), to assess their pathogenicity. Inoculation with O. pseudotsugae resulted in a significantly greater percentage of necrotic phloem compared to...
South American waterweed, Elodea densa (Planch.) Casp., and Coontail Ceratophyllum demersum L., were studied for their potential to take up chromium and zinc and as a possible indicator of arsenic, cadmium, copper, and lead pollution. Plants were collected from the Willamette River in Oregon and exposed for 48 hours to...
Ontogenetic niche shifts are critical times in a fish's life that need to be passed for
survival, growth and recruitment (Gerking 1994, Osenberg et al. 1994). These niche
shifts are identified by a change in feeding from one prey type to another. These shifts in
feeding occur throughout growth and...
Saturated soils undergo reduced conditions as microorganisms consume oxygen and require other terminal electron accepting processes for the mineralization of soil organic carbon. Currently, the soil redox potential has not been considered as important when sampling these soils for Fe, Mn, and P04. Since Fe- and Mn-oxides are electron sinks...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of usually planar
compounds consisting of fused aromatic rings that are formed by the incomplete
combustion of organic materials. PAHs are ubiquitous in the environment, coming from
a number of sources, such as cigarette smoke, the burning of wood for residential heating,
and...
Eight studies from a meta-analysis on St. John's wort by Klaus et. al. (1996) were analyzed according to the severity of depression manifest by their patients. The studies were chosen according to inclusion criteria: 1) the study was random, 2) the study compared St. John's wort to a placebo or...
An important by-product of the kraft pulping process, black liquor is currently used in most pulp mills to produce steam in a recovery boiler. Two important black liquor characteristics are viscosity and burning (firing) characteristics, which determine the operating efficiency of the recovery boiler. Kraft black liquor is a complicated...
Legislation to reduce the annual limit of field burning in Oregon has led to increased study of
alternative non-thermal grass-seed management methods. Of these methods, non-thermal residue
management, in combination with crop rotations and different tillage practices, offer potential to
equal or exceed crop production of conventional thermal production systems....
Interest in organizational culture has grown enormously over the last twenty years and much
effort has gone into investigating the relationship between organizational culture and
performance. Because most research to date has focused on large organizations, we chose to
investigate the culture in a community bank undergoing a cultural transformation....
Seasonal reducing conditions play an important role in the cycling of nutrients and soil pore water chemical constituents in the Willamette Valley. Long periods of soil saturation lead microorganisms utilizing organic matter as their carbon source to find alternative electron acceptors other than oxygen. Once oxygen has been depleted microorganisms...
A broad range of factors influence wine grape quality and manipulation of these factors has stimulated interest among grape growers, wine makers, and research scientists alike. One such factor affecting wine grape quality is crop level, particularly for Pinot noir. Since the capacity of a vine to ripen fruit depends...
Evaporative loss rates of pesticides, following application to turfgrass, were measured using the Backward-Time Lagrangian stochastic Dispersion model (Flesch, Wilson, Journal of Applied Meteorology, 34, pp. 1320-1332. All pesticides were applied to a 22.8 m x 22.8 m orchard ryegrass turf plot near Corvallis, Oregon. Solar radiation, ambient temperature, surface...
Biological control is the action of predators, parasitoids, or pathogens to maintain
a pest organism's population at lower numbers than would occur in the absence of the
agent. Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents for insect
pests. These nematodes infect insects and release a toxic bacterium that...
The development of winter 6-row malting barley varieties is an objective of the OSU program. The program's winter germplasm is quite susceptible to Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV). The program recently released the spring 2-row variety Orca, which carries the Yd2 gene for BYDV resistance. The objective of this project...
Various mollusks, including small bivalves and gastropod snails, are a common food source for intertidal crabs. Prey opening techniques used on hard-shell prey are dependent on claw size and morphology. For example, large, strong claws can crush a snail outright while smaller, weaker claws leave characteristic peels, pulls and upper...
Kincaid's lupine (Lupinus sulphureus ssp. kincaidii [Smith] Phillips) is a federally listed Threatened plant of Willamette Valley prairies. Both low reproduction, due to seed coat dormancy, and competition from invasive plants may threaten the longterm viability of this species. In separate studies, I investigated seed germination and an invasive species...
Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens with a unique biphasic life cycle that consists of an infectious but non-dividing form, called elementary bodies (EB), and a noninfectious but metabolically active form, called reticulate bodies (RB). Chlamydia has an unusual process of cell division of which still remains uncharacterized subject matter;...
Various vineyard practices influence the quality of a wine. In 1999, three levels of nitrogen (N), two levels of tillage and two levels of irrigation were applied to Pinot noir grape cultivars at Benton Lane Vineyards in the Southern Willamette Valley. N treatments were zero, soil and foliar applications. Every...
In this project we measure the neutron capture cross section of ²⁰⁸Pb. We began by calibrating our silicon detector with ²⁰⁴Tl. Two experiments were then performed, the first in December of 1999 and the second in March of 2000. Both experiments were performed in the nuclear reactor of the Radiation...
Indole-3-carbinol (13C), a metabolite of glucobrassicin, is found in cruciferous vegetables. It is able to act as an inhibitor or promoter of carcinogenesis depending on the species, the carcinogen and when it is given in relation to the carcinogen. This is probably due to the fact that it reacts in...
The diageotropica (dgt) mutation has been proposed to affect either auxin
perception or responsiveness in tomato plants. Auxins and cytokinins are plant
growth regulators known to interact with each other via a variety of mechanisms.
Here, we report the interactions of auxins and cytokinins in VFN8 wild-type and
dgt mutant...
Crystallizing a virus can be difficult and not always successful. Forty-eight salts, buffers, and precipitating agents were used in the hanging drop preparations in attempts to crystallize the San Miguel sea lion virus type 5 (SMSV-5). The first attempt resulted in 22 of the 48 solutions forming a precipitate. The...
Deforestation, intensive agriculture and chemical use all can cause long-lastingn negative impacts on soil health. With all the vital functions that soils perform and the potential for further soil degradation, it is important that standards of soil quality or soil health be implemented. Soil aggregation is considered to be a...
Relationships among soil pH, redox potential, and ferrous iron content data obtained from
various field and lab methods were determined, with the following 4 objectives:
1.) Compare pH values obtained in the field to those obtained in the lab
2.) Evaluate different methods to measure pH in field
3.) Determine...
Riparian areas are an integral component of fluvial ecosystems. The management of Oregon's riparian areas has come under greater scrutiny since that latest revision of the Oregon Forest Practices Act (1994). Many riparian areas lie within forested areas. Riparian management issues such as anadromous fish population decline and large woody...
An organisms' genotype may not be reflected in its phenotype. For example, epistasis - the interaction of non-allelic genes can cause deviations from expected phenotypic ratios. The epistatic interaction between the hooded (Kap) and short-awned (lks2) loci in barley (Hordeum vulgare) precludes the localization of the Kap locus, based on...
Cell lines deficient in certain genes of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system show a marked resistance to the cell killing or apoptotic effects of DNA alkylating agents. The molecular mechanism for this resistance is not yet understood, but is currently of great interest because of the recent use of...
Llama reproductive physiology is unique when compared with other livestock species. Llamas carry 95-98% of all pregnancies in the left uterine horn. It is believed that there is a physiological difference between the uterine horns that contributes to this phenomenon. This study examined the uterine environment for protease and protease...
Northwest cherry cultivars including Prunus avium 'Bing', Prunus avium 'Rainier', Prunus avium 'Royal Anne' and Prunus cerasus 'Montmorency' were separated into epidermal tissue, flesh and pit and cryogenically milled with liquid nitrogen. These samples as well as whole samples from each variety were extracted with acetone followed by a chloroform...
The timber and Christmas tree industries are important components of the Pacific Northwest economy. A goal of both industries is to produce high quality trees with high growth rates. Accomplishing this requires increased genetic quality of the trees grown. Tissue culture provides the most promise for propagating these superior genotypes....
COUP-TF interacting protein 1 (CTIP1) is a novel C2H2 zinc finger protein that mediates transcriptional repression of ARP1, a member of the COUP-TF subfamily of orphan nuclear receptors [1]. Here we show that CTIP1 interacts with heterochromatin-associated protein 1 (HP1) in vitro and in cells. This
interaction suggests the existence...
Grain protein concentration of wheat is influenced by numerous factors. When determining a wheat variety's ability to produce protein, the plant's ability to uptake and translocate nitrogen is critical. A greenhouse study was conducted to assess differences in nitrogen use among different wheat varieties. The objective was to determine if...
The purpose of this project was to investigate play and our cultural assumptions as to its usefulness or lack there of. The concepts of hard work versus hard play were explored in order to discover when human beings are operating at their best. In terms of innovation and productivity in...
Age-related decline in the capacity of endogenous antioxidant systems
complicates pharmaceutical use by the elderly by potentially increasing the toxicity of
some compounds. Of particular interest is chemical detoxification via glutathione (GSH)
and attendant GSH-requiring detoxification enzymes, e.g. GSH peroxidases (GPX) and
GSH S-transferase (GST). These enzymes have been shown...
Organophosphate insecticides may produce sublethal, adverse effects on salmonid
growth, reproduction, maturation, swimming, and feeding. Chlorpyrifos, an
organophosphate insecticide, was detected by the Oregon Department of Environmental
Quality in the Hood River and tributaries during March 1999 at levels exceeding state
water quality standards in the range of 0.011-0.482 μg/L....
Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem in many species of bacteria today, with pathogens an important focus. Fecal contamination of shellfish is already a concern due to potential pathogens. This report examines the possibility of resistance gene transfer between microbes, due to fecal bacteria, within the oyster. In this study,...
The following paper is an objective view on the viability of growing the truffle Tuber melanosporum in the Willamette Valley. Included in this study are the history of the truffle, biological cycle, habitat description, method of cultivation and an enterprise budget for commercial production in the Willamette Valley. The truffle,...
While previous experiments on the physiological activity of primary and secondary cyanolichens have been done, an analysis of photomorphs has never been attempted. Photomorphs of Peltigera britannica (Gyelnik) Hotan-Hartw. & Tonsberg were studied to compare the physiological response of a primary cyanolichen to an additional symbiotic partner (green algea) while...
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to examine trace element concentration in treerings over three and half centuries to assess macro-trends of environmental change. Tree-rings of a 350+ year old mammoth ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) were analyzed for element concentration and evaluated versus local and global historical events....
The prey consumption rates of two estuarine crab species were compared: the introduced Carcinus maenas and the native Cancer magister. Similar sized crabs of each species were placed into individual perforated plastic boxes and then placed in a seawater table. Each crab was offered 50 Mytilus trossulus mussels (15-25mm) per...
Soil CO2 efflux is a major contributor of CO2 to the atmosphere. The rate that CO2 is respired out of the soil is called the soil flux (Fs). Many variables alter Fs. These variables differ drastically in the variety of ecosystems found on the earth. It is important to understand...
Cucurbits are grown in production agriculture in Oregon as well as in smallholder agriculture in tropical South America. Experimental research was performed at the OSU Research Farm in 2001 with direct-seeded cucurbits, and literature reviews were conducted to develop a characterization of smallholder farming in tropical South America. The two...
Regression testing is a common and necessary task carried out by software practitioners to validate the quality of evolving software systems. Unfortunately, regression testing is often an expensive, time-consuming process, particularly when applied to large software systems. Consequently, practitioners may wish to prioritize the test cases in their regression test...
Hispanics in Hood River County, Oregon account for roughly 25% of the population, with many employed in agriculture. A community health survey was carried out in Hood River County during the winter months of 2001 with the purpose of evaluating the health conditions, needs, and barriers to access of needed...
This project calculates the value of β for ice particles based on wavelength dependent values of their refractive and absorptive indices. β is the ratio of the force due to radiation to the force due to gravity acting on a particle in the solar system. This parameter can later be...
Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) infects red raspberry and black raspberry worldwide. Infection causes reduced vigor and drupelet abortion leading to crumbly fruit and reduced yields. While this crumbly fruit can still be used in juice, jam, and preserves, it cannot be used for the more valuable fresh and individually...
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) depend on the fir-dominated forest ecosystem in the states of Michoacán and Mexico for shelter during their winter hibernation. Since 1980, the Mexican government has sought to protect this natural phenomenon by designating their overwintering habitat as the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR). According to the...
The end of the Cold War brought about changes within international political relations that resulted in expanded interest in global civil society. Such developments, like globalization and democratization, have encouraged the growth of social and political organizations. Political scientists have found that these inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations have a significant...
Previous research suggests a link between litter size in ewes and differential excretion of fecal hormones. An accurate test for fetal number would be useful to sheep producers and a fecal hormone response could be utilized in such a test. Fifteen previously categorized fecal hormones were analyzed within fecal samples...
The optical characterization of transparent conductive thin films is demonstrated. The basics of transparency and conductivity, as they relate to transparent conductor research, are explained. A functional model of the reflectance and transmittance of a sample film, including interference fringes, is derived from the Fresnel electric field amplitude coefficients. The...
Auxin and ethylene regulate many important aspects of plant growth and development and are
essential to the plants survival. They help regulate such diverse processes as cell elongation,
growth of adventitious roots, fruit growth, germination, and a variety of other processes. Few
studies have examined how the hormones auxin and...
The acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is among the most common primary cavity nesters of the Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) woodlands. Understanding their selection of granary sites is important in evaluating habitat quality and management actions. I hypothesized that granary locations would be consistent with the optimal foraging theory. Site...
One method of fabricating intermetallic nickel-aluminum MECS devices involves diffusion bonding together pre-patterned elemental foils of nickel and aluminum. This process shows good potential for the mass-production of NiAl devices, but several quality issues remain. Of large concern is the deformation of internal features during the bonding process. This research...
A genetic selection study to determine the effects on egg hatchability and subsequent chick performance of Japanese quail eggs incubated at a 38.9° C (102° F) dry bulb temperature (Selected, S) when compared to 37.8 C (100°F) (Control, C) was conducted for four consecutive generations. Eggs from a randomly mated...
Gaps in the forest canopy allow more light to reach the understory. Since
light in the understory is heterogeneous, understanding the physiological
processes in gaps and non-gaps will improve estimates of carbon balance. This
research outlines an approach for defining carbon balance for Salal (Gaultheria
shallon Pursh.), a dominant understory...
Wireless technologies advance rapidly in the recent time. The maJor initiative is the realization of the third generation wireless network that provides high bandwidth access to digital data on the Internet. Moreover, recent improvements in computer and embedded systems have enabled portable devices with sufficiently high computing capability.
The combination...
To understand human social environments and interaction, it is often necessary to examine them in creative and metaphorical terms. In this thesis, a model of chemical interaction, atomic and molecular bonding, and the role of electrons, nuclei, and other chemical principles are used to describe the social environment of human...
The psychoactive component of marijuana, A9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is known
to have effects in humans that are mediated by the cannabinoid receptor (CB 1). Although a great deal of research has been done to confirm the interaction of exogenous cannabinoids with the CB 1 receptor, little is known about the receptor's...
Saturated hydraulid conductivity (Ks) is a central soil physical property in determining water movement and contaminant transport through soils; hence modeling this system requires an accurate determination of K. Decimeter-scale KS measurements employing cores or infiltrometers are used frequently, but field-scale KS values are required to encompass the full range...
A series of seven magnesium-doped copper scandium oxide films were made by radio frequency sputtering, and intercalated at various oxygen pressures to create different oxygen concentrations in each film. The objectives of this study were to verify the p-type nature of these transparent conductive thin films, to determine the correlation...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are common pollutants of aquatic systems in urban environments. Due to their lipophilicity, persistence, toxicity and carcinogenicity, they are chemicals of considerable concern. The Portland Harbor includes a large industrial section with numerous current and historic sources for PAH contamination. Runoff from a large metropolitan area...
Plasminogen activators (PAs) have been implicated in: ovulation, oocyte maturation, fertilization, implantation, and many other reproductive activities. Three pathways have been implicated in the activation of the PA regulatory system. These include the conventional PKC and cAMP-dependent signaling pathways, and also an independent pathway thought to be regulated by protein...
A lexicon to define the sensory properties of melted Cheddar cheese was created
using a trained descriptive panel. The lexicon characterized appearance (surface rupture,
meltedness, oiliness, and edge browning) and texture (stringiness, stretchiness,
springiness, firmness, toothpull, smoothness, cohesiveness, denseness, and chewiness).
Three brands of commercially available shredded Cheddar cheese were...
Little is known about Frankia, a gram-positive, nitrogen-fixing bacterium, because of the difficulty associated with isolating pure cultures. This nitrogen-fixing symbiosis involves Frankia and the roots of actinorhizal host plants belonging to eight plant families and 25 genera. These plants are important pioneer species traditionally found in nitrogen-poor soils and....
Sarcocystis neurona is the 1responsible for the disease Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). Exposure rates to S. neurona across the United States is about 50%, yet only about 2% of exposed horses develop EPM. The cell-mediated immune (CMI) response is hypothesized to be important for protective immunity against this disease. The...
A set of flour samples with protein content ranging from 9.7 - 13.3 % was used for this study to evaluate the effectiveness of HMW-GS, SEHPLC and mixograph characteristics as screening tools for noodle texture. The sample set had a large variation in HMW-GS composition with Payne score ranging from...
Keywords: tree ring chronology; climate; forest development; dendrochronology; otolith time series; Sebastes diploproa; Sebastes pinniger; Douglas Fir; Pseudotsuga menziesii
When a nucleus is in an excited state, it will decay to lower energy by emitting photons. Often there are several intermediate stages in a decay cascade. Occasionally the photons in a cascade will be emitted in coincidence. This will be resolved by the detector not as two distinct photons,...
Horticultural and nursery crops are the leading agricultural commodity in Oregon. Among currently grown nursery plants, Verbena x hybrida is a staple ornamental. It is grown and shipped worldwide, thus requiring a high level of certainty concerning the plants’ health and potential viability. V. x hybrida cultivars have been infected...
The cabbage maggot, Delia radicum (L.) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) is a serious
pest of cruciferous crops (i.e. broccoli, cabbage, turnip, rutabaga) in North America and
Europe (Coaker and Finch, 1971; Whistlecraft et al., 1985). The adult flies lay eggs
around the base and in cracks at the soil surface around wild...