The neurohypophysial peptide system is involved in modulating a
variety of physiological, neurological, and behavioral responses in
vertebrates. The principal forms of these peptides in non-mammalian
tetrapods are vasotocin (VT) and mesotocin (MT). The studies described
in this thesis used pharmacological, molecular, and biochemical
techniques, along with phylogenetic analyses, to...
The present research sought to investigate the effect of acquaintance on the accuracy of personality judgments and extend results to groups resembling families. Participants were college students ranging from 18 to 54 years of age enrolled in a ten week long "Psychological Assessment" research practicum. The study was designed to...
In addition to the well-characterized genomic mechanism of steroid action that uses
intracellular receptors, steroid hormones also signal through nongenomic processes
that use membrane receptors. A membrane receptor for corticosterone (CORT) has
been described in brains of the roughskin newt (Taricha granulosa). This receptor is
believed to be a G-protein...
These studies examined the role of perinatal androgen
in the development of neuroendocrine and behavioral
characteristics of gray-tailed voles, Microtus
canicaudus. When mature, females exhibited alternating
vaginal smear patterns or persistent vaginal
cornification; estrogen and progesterone concentrations
were not correlated with vaginal smear patterns. Corpora
lutea were not observed in...
The main objectives of the current study were to obtain the complete cDNA sequence of an opioid-like receptor from an amphibian, the roughskin newt, Taricha granulosa, and investigate the receptor's tissue distribution and regulation following chronic exposure to the glucocorticoid corticosterone (CORT). Degenerate primers designed in highly conserved regions of...
One hypothesis proposed to explain how the endocrine
system controls reproductive cycles in seasonally breeding
animals is that the hypothalamus undergoes seasonal
changes in sensitivity to negative feedback by gonadal
steroids. The result is seasonal changes in the secretion
of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) and
gonadotropin secretion. The present experiments...
Fungi play critical roles in ecosystem processes and interact with plant communities in mutualistic, pathogenic, and commensal ways. Fungal communities are thought to be influenced by both associated tree communities and soil properties. However, the relative importance of the biotic and abiotic drivers of soil fungal community structure and diversity...
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Frank Andrew Jones
Fungi play critical roles in ecosystem processes and interact with
A study was conducted to determine the quantity and distribution
of bark debris resulting from log rafting. Three distinct problems were
studied: (I) the quantity of bark dislodged from the logs while being
placed in the rivers and during transport in log rafts; (2) the percentage
of the bark that...
Characterization of the enzymatic activity of the ionocyte
(mitochondria-rich cell) in the gill epithelium of Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha was explored.
1. A method for estimating the enzymatic activity per cell for
tissues is described.
2. The DNA content per cell for nucleated erythrocytes (O. tshawytscha) was determined to be 9.47 x...
Four species of euryhaline teleosts (chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha, Walbaum; staghorn sculpin, Leptocottus armatus,
Girard; starry flounder, Platichthys stellatus, Pallas; shiner perch
Cymatogaster aggregata, Gibbons) were exposed to x-rays. The irradiated
animals were maintained in either of two different environments.
The effects of x-radiation were determined by observing the
percent...
A study on the cellular differentiation of the gill structure in
juvenile coho salmon (O. kisutch) with emphasis on the excretion of
monovalent ions was performed upon animals maintained under both
seawater and freshwater environments.
1. The excretion rate of sodium-24 was observed to be higher
for animals adapted to...
To determine whether a homologous neurohormone, arginine
vasotocin (AVT), can elevate the occurrence of clasping behavior in
male rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa), intact, sexually inactive
males were injected with either AVT or saline. The incidence
of courtship was elevated in the group of males injected with AVT,
but not in...
A 1.5 ha mixed conifer stand in the Blue Mountains of Oregon
was intensively examined to assess the impact of logging disturbance
on soils and herbaceous vegetation. Sampling was conducted six
years after much of the timber overstory was removed in a
shelterwood cut and yarded by crawler tractor. A...
The coagulation of effluent from the kraft pulping and
papermaking process was investigated. The amount of material
coagulated from saline mixtures of the effluent is determined
as a function of time, salinity, kraft effluent
concentration, and mixture pH. Individual sources of salinity
include sea water and several different solutions of...
The endocrine mechanisms involved in the initiation of sperm release
from the vertebrate testis have not been elucidated. A seasonally
breeding anuran amphibian, Hyla regilla, was selected as a model for
testing the hypothesis that steroid action is involved in gonadotropin-stimulated
sperm release. Experiments were carried out in vivo and...
Agricultural tile drainage is one of the major causes of increasing nitrate (NO3-) concentrations in surface water bodies thanks to the usage of nitrogen fertilizers and manure. Denitrifying bioreactors are constructed at the edge of agricultural lands in order to remove NO3- from drainage water through labile carbon substrates intended...
During a 13-month period starting in October of 1976, adult
male rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) were collected periodically
to study seasonal changes in reproductive status. Plasma
androgen concentration, measured by radioimmunoassay, is elevated
during autumn and spring (about 50 ng/ml). Winter and summer levels
are considerably lower (less than 10...
Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic bacteria with the capability of dissimilatory metal reduction. The ability of the organism to reduce a wide range of solid metal-oxides during anaerobic respiration makes it an ideal candidate for the powering of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which capture the electrons discharged...
In nature, animals survive threats by responding physiologically and behaviorally in ways that are appropriate to the situation. Which responses are appropriate depend on the animals' surroundings and current physiological and behavioral state. This dissertation investigated the neuroendocrine mechanisms that control context-dependent behavioral responses to stress by focusing on the...
The main focus was on developing an algorithm and supporting computer programs for use by extension personel to counsel farm managers on problems of enterprise choice. Investigation was initiated from the complete certainty viewpoint of linear programming. Upon introducing uncertainty, ramifications of changing expected income, variance and the correlation coefficient...
Denitrifying bioreactors are an edge-of-field treatment technology particularly well suited for nitrate removal from subsurface (tile) drainage effluent of agricultural lands. The effectiveness of a proposed denitrifying bioreactor is site-specific and depends upon the complicated interplay of field and environmental parameters controlling discharge events, nitrate concentrations, subsurface temperatures, dissolved oxygen...
In the wild, when an animal is exposed to predators or harsh conditions, the stress
response is often associated with fleeing behaviors, which are seen as increased
locomotor behavior. Handling-stress procedures and intracerebroventricular (icy)
injection of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) have both been shown to cause an
increase in locomotor activity...
An ancient pheromonal signal is found in aquatic courting salamandrids and terrestrial courting plethodontids, two highly divergent salamander families. In the aquatic courting salamandrids Cynops pyrrhogaster and C. ensicauda, the decapeptide sodefrin is cleaved from a larger 189 amino acid Sodefrin Precursor Factor (SPF) protein and released from a gland...
This study was made to present any evidence as to differences
in the frequency of occurrence of corticolous lichens from east to
west in the Willamette Valley on a bark substrate of Quercus Garryana.
Twenty-four species of lichens were observed to be present
within the grid area of the 100...
The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) purports to assess emotional intelligence, which includes the ability to successfully identify and manage emotions. To test the validity of this claim, 21 students took the MSCIET along with a several other performance measures and personality scales, and their scores were correlated. The MSCEIT...
Dipterans of the family Ephydridae (shore and brine flies) are well
known for their ability to tolerate and thrive in a wide variety of
physically harsh circumstances. The immature stages of one such species
of this family, Ephydra hians, are characteristically limited in
distribution as benthic inhabitants of highly alkaline...
The treatability of waters from four log ponds in Oregon by
physical and chemical treatment methods
was investigated.
Treatment processes included sand filtration, activated carbon contact and
coagulation with aluminum sulfate.
Preliminary studies were made at each log pond to determine
the homogeneity of the pond water for sampling
purposes...
study investigated the validity of the Perceiving Emotions branch of the Mayer-Salovey-
Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). This was conducted through a correlational analysis with
three previously validated measures of nonverbal communication proficiency; The Profile of Nonverbal
Communication (PONS), the Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy-2 (DANVA2), and the Affective
Communication...
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices enable people who cannot speak to communicate with others. Unfortunately, they are tedious to use and are believed to lower the satisfaction of interacting with others. This thesis attempted to document the impact that AAC devices have on social interactions, in the hope of...
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices are designed to enable individuals with limited communication abilities to communicate effectively with others. One of the most commonly used AAC devices converts a text input into a vocalized message for the user. These types of AAC devices can be difficult to use and...
In an attempt to understand the phase equilibria and petrogenesis of MORB anorthitic plagioclase, Cr-spinel commonly hosted within anorthitic plagioclase has been investigated petrographically and compositionally. Based on spinel-anorthite relationships from three samples of plagioclase ultra-phyric basalt (PUB; Southeast Indian Ridge, Axial Seamount and West Valley Segment, Juan de Fuca...