Protein microcapsules (PM) were developed as a tool for investigating aspects of dietary protein utilization by mussels, Mytilus edulis trossulus. Digestion of PM in vitro by protease, trypsin, amylase and extracts from the gut of mussels varied significantly depending on the type of protein encapsulated or whether carbohydrates were added...
Due to an interest in the evolutionary origins of
vertebrate mechanisms of immunorecognition, researchers
have frequently turned to deuterostome invertebrates as
model organisms. The purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus
purpuratus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea), was selected for
this study of putative immunorecognition molecules in a
deuterostome invertebrate.
Hemagglutinins, molecules which agglutinate red blood...
The freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata serves as the intermediate host of the
blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni. Previous studies using the 13-16-R1 strain of B.
glabrata demonstrated an association between the gene encoding Cu/Zn superoxide
dismutase (SOD1) and susceptibility/resistance to the parasite. This association is
assumed to involve a polymorphism that...
The host snail Biomphalaria glabrata and the parasitic trematode
Schistosoma mansoni are valuable subjects for studies evaluating and
defining immunological parameters that determine the outcome of
individual host-parasite encounters. In this thesis, both soluble and
cellular components of the snail's hemolymph were examined to gain
insight into the basis for...
Assembly time estimation is a key factor in evaluating the performance of the assembly process in an automated assembly process. The overall goal of this study is to develop an efficient assembly time estimation method by generating the prediction model from an experimental design. In order to estimate these times,...
The acute phase response (APR) includes an early response of the innate immune
system to an inflammatory agent. Acute phase proteins (APP) are produced at
increased rates in the liver during this response. The APR has been well
characterized in mammals, but it is unclear to what degree teleosts mount...
There are several chemical treatments for paper to
Improve its strength properties. Durable press treatment is
usually used as a textile chemical finishing; however, there
is little information available on the application of durable
press treatment for paper. The durable press treatment was
applied to bleached softwood kraft handsheets using...
It has long been observed that stress can increase our
susceptibility to infectious diseases and cancers. Recent
experimental evidence suggests that this increased susceptibility is
due to suppression of immunity. A variety of neuroendocrine products
are released during periods of stress, and a large number of these
are now known...