The work presented here is the culmination of efforts in describing complex chemical systems with statistical methods, thereby providing relatively simple quantitative models and easily comprehensible qualitative insights. The following investigations have various goals, such as development of new methods, fundamental understanding, molecular control of chemical species, and advancement of...
In this report, three studies are presented that utilize computations to predict transformations, identities, and properties of environmental organic molecules. Each study shows how computations can lead to models of chemical behavior. The importance of this research is rooted in the need for understanding how human behavior and health intersect...
In this dissertation, the process of computational modeling of amorphous oxide materials is studied. Amorphous oxides have random atomic arrangements with no long-range structural order which makes it difficult to study structure-property relationships. Despite the difficulties, amorphous oxides have great uses as semiconductors and dielectrics in thin-film transistors. The ability...
My work has focused on investigating synthetic organic reactions using applied computational methods. Non-covalent interactions are critical to catalysis, mechanism, and stereoselectivity, with the most prominent interaction for isothioureas being the S···O contact between the catalyst sulfur atom and the oxygen of the acyl group. A comprehensive joint experimental and...
Complex organic transformations, such as the addition of pyrrole to ketene using planar chiral organocatalyst (*PPY), the four-component anhydride- Manniach reactions, and the site-selective desymmetrization of meso-1,2-diol, are remarkable synthetic reactions that provide high yield and high selectivity. However, the exact mechanism and origins of stereocontrol for theses synthetic organic...
In an attempt to find a laboratory species which develops an
experimental myopathy similar to white muscle disease (WMD) in
lambs, comparative studies of nutritional muscular dystrophy of
chicks were initiated. This condition was grossly visible as white
striations running parallel with the fibers of the pectoral muscles and
was...
White muscle disease or muscular dystrophy of sheep is a selenium
responsive malady common to many areas with an inherent natural
deficiency of selenium in the forage. The disease can be prevented in
lambs by adding trace amounts (approximately 0.1 ppm) of selenium to
the otherwise selenium deficient, forage fed...
Copper in blood and liver can be divided into several fractions.
Copper in blood is about evenly divided between erythrocytes and
plasma. Normal concentrations for most species range between one and
two parts per million. Plasma copper is mainly a copper protein,
ceruloplasmin and a loosely bound form, reacting directly...
The purpose of this thesis was (1) to determine a dietary regimen which would produce the greatest incidence of cardiac calcification in the cotton rat and (2) to determine the fatty acid composition of heart tissue.
Maximum incidence of cardiac calcification occurred from feeding torula yeast ration supplemented with 0.5%...
One hundred and fifty-one weanling rats of both sexes were fed
control diets or diets containing 160 ppm diethylnitrosamine (DEN) or
150 ppm N-2-fluorenyl-acetamide (FAA). The carcinogen level was
calculated so that the LD₅₀ should be achieved at about 17 weeks.
Each carcinogen treatment was incorporated with three different diet...
Selenomethionine and methionine have been postulated to be similarly
involved in protein synthesis. This thesis has evaluated this
hypothesis from a molecular and genetic approach. Selenomethionine
and methionine were incorporated into rabbit reticulocyte hemoglobin
at the same rates and in equal quantities. Each methionine demonstrated
competitive inhibition for its analog...
The Enterobacter are often found in the feces of man and
other warm blooded animals but have limited use as indicators
of fecal contamination of foods and water since they are also
often found as natural flora of non-fecal environments such
as water and plants. This study proposes a method...
This investigation was designed to study the possible effects of
the electrical stimulation of beef muscle on microorganisms present on
the meat surface during and after treatment. The effect of electric
current on microorganisms in minimal media suspension was also studied.
Cell viability before and after electrical treatment or exposure...
The effect of cycling temperatures on production of aflatoxin
by Aspergillus flavus (V3734-10) when grown upon various substrates
was studied. The parameters of temperature and time were selected
to simulate environmental conditions in Oregon during harvest of
filberts and walnuts. The heat input required for aflatoxin synthesis
in terms of...
Phenols from defatted walnuts were extracted with absolute methanol. The phenols were divided into four groups on the basis of molecular size. The antagonism of each group towards Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Aspergillus flavus was determined. Small polymers were the best antagonists of E_„ coli and Staph. aureus followed...
Many substances in the plant kingdom and in man's diet occur
as glycosides. Recent studies have indicated that many glycosides
that are not mutagenic in tests such as the Salmonella/microsome
test become mutagenic upon hydrolysis of the glycosidic linkages.
The Salmonella/microsome test utilizes a liver homogenate to approximate
mammalian metabolism...
A set of 119 study trees was identified in a 65 year-old Douglas-fir stand after a thinning operation conducted seven years ago using pre-planned skid trails and groundbased machinery. Some of the trails were tilled using a winged subsoiler after this operation in order to alleviate the effect of compaction...
Soils and other resource programs in both public land management agencies and private industry are continually being adapted to the challenges of evolving knowledge and experience in the field of forestry. This dissertation explores new ways of thinking about and using soils information in forest planning and management, with a...
The Nearctic leafhoppers placed in the genus Sorhoanus Ribaut
by Oman (1949) were found to belong to several genera, some of
which are Holarctic in distribution. None is properly placed in
Sorhoanus as presently defined. The genera Sorhoanus, Zelenius
Emel'yanov, Boreotettix Lindberg, Lebradea Remane, and Acharis
Emel'yanov are redefined and...
Of 109 aquatic birnaviruses (AB) belonging to 9 serogroup A, all replicated and produced rapid and extensive cytopathology in CHSE-214 and RTG-2 cells, whereas only half produced significant levels of cytopathological effect (CPE) in two nonsalmonid cell lines tested (EPC and FHM). In many instances it was found that although...
Three closely related isolates belonging to the A₁ serotype of infectious pancreatic
necrosis virus (IPNV) were selected for comparison, to provide insight into the nature of
variation in the virulence of IPN viruses. Brook trout fry (Salvelinus fontinalis) were
experimentally infected with the three isolates by immersion. Cumulative mortalities over...
Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is an acute, contagious disease of trout fry
and fingerlings caused by viruses of the family birnaviridae. IPN disease usually results
in mortality that is inversely proportional to the age of the fish. While many studies
have been carried out to increase our understanding of IPN,...
The characteristics of an inhibitor of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV)
found in normal rainbow trout serum (RTS) were studied. The serum inhibitor had a
molecular weight of approximately 150 kDa and was dependent on divalent cations,
either Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺. It was stable at temperatures up to 50°C and...
A series of experiments with Aeromonas salmonicida and infectious
hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) were carried out to determine dynamics of the
spread of infection in chinook salmon (1.2-1.98g) and rainbow trout (1.2-3.1g). It was
found in experiments with A. salmonicida that fish infected by bath immersion became
infectious at 4...
Disseminated neoplasia (DN) is a proliferative cell disorder that occurs in the
circulatory system of bivalves. The condition is progressive and lethal. At least 15
species of bivalves over a wide range of geographic locations have been reported to
contract DN. Prevalence levels of disseminated neoplasia can reach up to...
Investigations into the phylogeny, genome size, and karyotype of microsporidian Nadeispora canceri were initiated to further characterize the organism. Isolates of N. canceri spores were obtained from both Dungeness (Cancer magisrer) and red rock crabs (Cancer productus). Analysis of the ssu rDNA sequence from spore isolates of the two crab...
This study was initiated to make some preliminary
evaluations of the effects of red alder (Alnus rubra,
Bong.) leaf fall on stream water quality, particularly
water color. Laboratory tests were also conducted
to better understand the effects of leaf loading, duration
of leaf leaching, and type of leaching on
changes...
This study assessed implementation of the 1994 Water Protection Rules in the Oregon Forest Practices Act from the perspective of Rule users and post-harvest riparian conditions. A 1993 evaluation found that under the previous rules over half of riparian conifers were removed during harvest, prompting concerns about future sources of...
Rainfall, discharge, traffic, and suspended sediment
were monitored for a period of 4.5 months at three
locations on a secondary haul road at Polk Inlet, Alaska to
determine the important processes and variables involved in
surface road erosion for this area. Three sites all less
than 500m² and within 5...
This paper introduces an alternative technique for the development of
microfluidic systems for biotechnology based on mechanical machining and
ultrasonic welding. Advantages of this approach over existing prototyping
approaches involving the rapid development of tooling include: (a) short cycle
time, (b) design flexibility, and (c) low cost manufacturing. In addition,...
The overall objective of this study is to address questions concerning the long-term
mechanical strength of the lithosphere across the equatorial margin of Brazil. The
approach used in this study consists of calculating the frequency response function
estimates, also called admittance, using gravity and bathymetry data. These
experimental estimates are...