Middle Tennessee Division of the
Tennessee Academy of Science
- Collegiate Division -
2000 Meeting
Links
Call for Student Papers - 2000
Schedule of Talks - 2000
Student Presentations - 2000
Table of Colleges/Universities Presenting Papers -
2000
Abstracts of Papers - 2000
Best Paper Awards - 2000
Pictures - 2000
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Meeting
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Date - Saturday, April 15, 2000
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Place - Austin Peay State University
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Time - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (approximate ending time)
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Presentations
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Subjects - Undergraduate research in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer
science, engineering, geography, geology, history of science, mathematics,
medical sciences, physics, science teaching (either presenter or research
advisor must hold current TAS
membership)
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Length - Individual talks are limited to 10 minutes
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Titles
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Information Required - Title with authors, department, and university
names required, indicate speaker(s) using asterisk (*)
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Submission Deadline - Monday, April 3, 2000
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Submission format - Preferably submit via email using TAS
Form provided
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Alternate submission formats
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E-mail - matthewsf@apsu.edu
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Mail - Dr. Fred J. Matthews, Dept of Chemistry, APSU, Clarksville TN 37044
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FAX - (931)221-6261
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Phone - (931)221-7622
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Abstracts
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Deadline - Friday, April 14, 2000
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Format - See J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 1997, 72 (3-4), 73-84
or 1999 Abstracts (1999 Abstracts
at www.apsu.edu/~matthewsf/tas1999.htm#abstracts)
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Submission - Preferably submit via email using TAS
Form provided
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Alternate submission formats
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E-mail - matthewsf@apsu.edu (NO
ATTACHMENTS!)
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Mail - Dr. Fred J. Matthews, Dept of Chemistry, APSU, Clarksville TN 37044
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FAX - (931)221-6261
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Schedule of Talks - 2000
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Website Posting - Friday, April 7, 2000
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Mail Date - Hard copies to be mailed Friday, April 7, 2000
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Mail Recipients - All presenters and research directors (others may request
hard copies; request via email, phone, FAX, or mail)
SECTION I - 2000
Todd Lafrenz, Presiding
McCord Building, Room 101
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10:15 - Silver Recovery from Silver Chloride Laboratory
Wastes. Lisa Baker* and Todd Lafrenz, Chemistry Department, Austin Peay
State University, Clarksville, TN.
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10:30 - The Effect of Stereotype Primes on Attributions
of Responsibility of Stereotyped Group Members. Natasha D. Watkins* and
Elliott Hammer, Psychology Department, Tennessee State University, Nashville,
TN.
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10:45 - Using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) as a Novel Biocatalyst
in Organic Synthesis. Patrizia Lemma-Gray* and Xiao-Chuan Liu, Chemistry
Department, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN.
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11:00 - Break
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11:15 - Relating cpg15 Induction and Seizure Severity in
Adult Mice. Corey Harwell* and Fu-Ming Chen, Chemistry Department, Tennessee
State University, Nashville, TN.
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11:30 - Fuel Cell Catalysts. Kristy Reece* and Todd
Lafrenz, Chemistry Department, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville,
TN.
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11:45 - Examination of Plant Extracts on Cancer Cells.
Clifton Randell, Crystal Barbee, D. Long, C. Caudle, and E. Lewis Myles,
Biology Department, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
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12:00- Closing Session
Back to
Schedule of Talks - 2000
Student Presentations - 2000
SECTION II - 2000
Wayne Chester, Presiding
McCord Building, Room 102
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10:15 - Cadmium Enhanced Mitogen-Activated Protien Kinase
Activity In Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells of Hypertensive Phenotype. Shuntae
Williams*, JiDong Li, and Benny Washington, Biology Department, Tennessee
State University, Nashville, TN.
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10:30 - An Analysis of Patterson Woods, an Old Growth Forest
Remnant in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Stephanie M. Gunn* and Edward
W. Chester, Biology Department, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville,
TN.
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10:45 - Characterization of the Repressor Region of Myc.
Jamil B. Scott* and Philip Ganter, Biology Department, Tennessee State
University, Nashville, TN.
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11:00 - Break
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11:15 - Hemicholinium - 3 Inhibition of [3H] Choline Transport
in Limulus polyphemus Brain. Kistreia Marche' Martin* and Michael
Ivy, Biology Department, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
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11:30 - Cortical and Sub-Cortical Mechanisms of Epileptic
Seizures: An In-Vitro Study Using the Brain Slice Technique. Bryan Fisher*
and Hal Blumenfeld, Biology Department, Tennessee State University, Nashville,
TN.
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11:45 - Effect of Acclimatization to Summer and Winter
Conditions on Metabolic Enzyme Activities in the Eastern Red Spotted Newt
(Notophthalamus viridescens viridescens). Emmanuel P. Bessay*
and Nancy J. Berner, Biology Department, University of the South, Sewanee,
TN.
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12:00 - Relationships Between Primary Photochemistry and
Primary Production in Streams with Differing Water Qualities. Alex S.
Flynt, Rebecca A. Houtman, Candace M. Loreant, and Jefferson G. Lebkuecher,
Biology Department, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN.
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12:15 - Closing Session
Back to
Schedule of Talks - 2000
Student Presentations - 2000
| Name |
Total |
Biology |
Chemistry |
Psychology |
APSU |
5 |
2 |
3 |
- |
Sewanee |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
| TSU |
7 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
| Totals |
13 |
8 |
4 |
1 |
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Silver Recovery from Silver Chloride Laboratory Wastes.
Lisa Baker* and Todd Lafrenz, Chemistry Department, Austin Peay State
University, Clarksville, TN. Silver chloride is a waste product of analytical
determination experiments; therefore, each semester significant waste consisting
of silver chloride mixed with other metal salts and filter media is produced
by undergraduate, analytical laboratories. This waste is currently a hazard
and a cost to the chemistry department for storage and disposal. However,
it can be converted into silver nitrate or solid silver by relatively inexpensive
means. From the several processes found throughout the literature, two processes
were evaluated: oxidation-reduction with copper metal, and ion exchange.
These will be compared and contrasted experimentally to determine the most
efficient, cost-effective method of silver recovery from silver chloride
laboratory wastes.
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The Effect of Stereotype Primes on Attributions of
Responsibility of Stereotyped Group Members. Natasha D. Watkins* and
Elliott Hammer, Psychology Department, Tennessee State University, Nashville,
TN. The effects of priming on stereotypes have been the basis of much
research in recent years. Researchers have studied the effect of negative
priming on the automatic process of stereotyping, however little research
has been done using positive primes and further, the effects of both positive
and negative primes on minority populations. This research examined the effect
of priming negative stereotypic and positive counter-stereotypic depictions
of African Americans on attributions of responsibility in real life media
events. Eighty participants from a Southern Historically Black University
received either a stereotypic or counter-stereotypic prime as well as two
newspaper articles. One article highlighted a positive or negative scenario
concerning Rodney King and the other article did the same concerning Magic
Johnson. The valence and target of each article was counterbalanced. Based
on the content in each article, participants answered a questionnaire regarding
their feelings about the respective target. Our results showed that the
counter-stereotypic prime elicited more sympathy; however, this was shown
for Rodney King, not Magic Johnson. In reference to personal responsibility,
participants judged Magic Johnson to be more responsible for his negative
situation, yet Rodney King was thought to be more responsible for his positive
situation. Based on these findings, we suggest that stereotypes may have
a different effect on African Americans when evaluating their own in-group
members. Stereotypes may serve as expectations for behavior and when another
member's behavior is not congruent with this expectation, one feels let down
and less sympathetic to the situation. Some results also may be interpreted
in terms of the contrast effect, such that the positive prime aroused high
expectations for the in-group, which were especially disappointed by the
negative Magic Johnson scenario.
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Using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) as a Novel Biocatalyst
in Organic Synthesis. Patrizia Lemma-Gray* and Xiao-Chuan Liu, Chemistry
Department, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN. The catalytic
properties of bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been studied extensively. The
protein has successfully catalyzed a variety of reactions, different in nature.
However, there seem to be no reports of reactions catalyzed in organic media.
Thus, in this experiment, the catalytic properties of BSA in organic media
were studied by monitoring its effect on the isomerization of 1,2 benzisoxazole
in acetonitrile. Time based readings were taken by using a spectrophotometer,
at a 330-nm wavelength. Readings were taken for solutions containing different
concentrations of the benzisoxazole, so that a double-reciprocal plot could
be constructed. The protein catalyzed the reaction of 1,2-benzisoxazole with
a catalytic efficiency of 0.9180 M-1x s-1. Considering the low cost and high
availability of the protein, and the advantages deriving from the use of
organic solvents in industrial applications, the results obtained from these
studies indicate that BSA potential for biocatalysis is worth of further
exploration.
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Relating cpg15 Induction and Seizure Severity in Adult
Mice. Corey Harwell* and Fu-Ming Chen, Chemistry Department, Tennessee
State University, Nashville, TN. The capacity of the central nervous
system (CNS) to modify neuronal connections as a result of activity is termed
plasticity. Activity in the brain induces certain candidate plasticity genes
(CPGs) which may play an important role in generating plasticity of CNS neurons.
Seizure paradigms in rats have been used extensively in the study of CPGs.
In order to study the function of CPGs using transgenic and 'knockout' mice
it would bve useful to have a well characterized protocol for CPG induction
in this species. To this purpose we tested the correlation between kainate
induced seizure behavior and induction level of a specific CPG, cpg15. Kainate
amounts of 10-30 mg/kg were injected intraperitoneally into C57/BL6 male
mice, a strain often used in the creation of transgenic or knockout animals.
Induction of cpg15 was assayed by in situ hybridization. We found a correlation
between the level of seizure activity and the level of cpg15 induction, where
cpg15 induction levels increase with increased seizure severity. To determine
the optimal time of cpg15 induction after kainate injection animals were
sacrificed at time points of 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours. Our findings show
that cpg15 induction is highest 4 hours after treatment. This protocol can
be used on genetically manipulated animals to help elucidate the relation
of one gene to another in the cascade of molecular genetic events that lead
up to neuronal plasticity. For example, a seizure paradigm would not induce
cpg15 in plasticity gene knockout animals if the deleted genes preceded cpg15
in the molecular pathway.
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Fuel Cell Catalysts. Kristy Reece* and Todd Lafrenz,
Chemistry Department, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN.
The cost of platinum and other noble metals as catalysts for PEM fuel cells
has driven research towards design and synthesis of the most efficient usage
of these metals. Complicating this is the poisoning effect of carbon monoxide,
a by-product of methanol oxidation and contaminant in gaseous hydrogen. A
detailed analysis of X-ray diffraction patterns and lattice parameters has
been done to help develop a better understanding of high surface area metal
alloy catalysts. Specifically, a series of binary catalysts of different
atom percents of platinum and ruthenium have been considered. The crystal
structures of platinum and ruthenium were identified, as well as the structure
that their various alloys create. X-ray diffraction patterns of the alloys
were found to contain one crystalline, face-centered cubic (fcc) phase,
characteristic of pure Pt. The lattice parameters of various compositions
showed a relationship related to Vegard's law. However, since pure Ru is
hexagonal closest-packed (hcp), a modified approach had to be identified
to model the lattice parameter data. The development of these relationships
allowed for the verification and quantification of an amorphous phase, which
is likely to have a direct impact on catalyst activity.
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Examination of Plant Extracts on Cancer Cells. Clifton
Randell, Crystal Barbee, D. Long, C. Caudle, and E. Lewis Myles, Biology
Department, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN. Many higher plants
produce economically important organic compounds such as oils, resins, tannins,
natural rubber, gums, waxes, dyes, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceuticals,
and pesticides. However, most species of higher plants have never been described,
much less surveyed for chemical or biologically active constituents, and
new sources of commercially valuable materials remain to be discovered. Advances
in biotechnology, particularly methods for culturing plant cells and tissues,
should provide new means for the commercial processing of even rare plants
and the chemicals they produce. These new technologies will extend and enhance
the usefulness of plants as renewable resources of valuable chemicals. In
the future, biologically active plant-derived chemicals can be expected to
play an increasingly significant role in the commercial development of new
products for controlling microorganisms and cancer. Many higher plants accumulate
extractable organic substances in quantities sufficient to be economically
useful as chemical feed-stocks or raw materials for various scientific,
technological, and commercial applications. Natural substances are employed,
either directly or indirectly, by a large number of industries, and natural
plant products (phyto-chemicals) figure prominently in several of these.
Economically important plants serve as sources of industrial oils, resins,
tannins, saponins, natural rubber, gums, waxes, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and
many specialty products.
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Cadmium Enhanced Mitogen-Activated Protien Kinase Activity
In Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells of Hypertensive Phenotype. Shuntae
Williams* , JiDong Li, and Benny Washington, Biology Department, Tennessee
State University, Nashville, TN. Cadmium is widely used in industry,
causing exposure of workers and environmental pollution because of its
persistence in the biosystems. Its very long half-life in the human organism
causes its accumulation over the lifetime in liver and kidneys. Cadmium is
a heavy metal and in the body cadmium, as well as other heavy metals, such
as zinc and mercury, can have adverse effects. It has been reported that
cadmium does not have a specific uptake mechanism in the body as, for example,
iron or copper. It seems that cadmium ions are taken up through the calcium
channels in the duodenum, liver, kidney, and brain. Our preliminary results
indicate that cadmium affects mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate
in both normaltensive and hypertensive rats. We hypothesized that cadmium
alters the calcium transient mechanism, thus, affecting blood pressure and
heart rate in rats. To investigate this hypothesis we exposed primary cultures
of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to increased concentrations of cadmium
(1-8 µg/ml) to determine its effect on cell viability and Mitogen-Activated
Protein Kinase (MAPK) production. The results indicate that cadmium reduces
cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and induces MAPK production in
vascular smooth muscle cells from both normaltensive and hypertensive rats.
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An Analysis of Patterson Woods, an Old Growth Forest Remnant
in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Stephanie M. Gunn* and Edward W.
Chester, Biology Department, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN.
Patterson Woods is an 8.09 ha (20 ac) parcel in the Dotsonville Community,
western Montgomery County, Tennessee. It is one mile north of the Cumberland
River and adjacent to and south of Outlaw Branch, a tributary of Blooming
Grove Creek, which flows into the River. Various hardwoods dominate the slope
forest with individuals up to 102.11 cm (40.2 in) diameter breast height
(dbh). The forest has received little disturbance in the past 50 years; large
trees, standing snags, dead wood on ground, random canopy distribution, and
a rich herbaceous flora all indicate old growth conditions. The forest was
sampled with fifteen 0.04 ha circular plots in 1999. A total of 592 stems
with a dbh >2.54 cm (1 in) were measured; 235 stems were >10.16 cm
(4 in) and 357 were between 2.54- 0.15 cm (1- 3.99 in). The average dbh for
stems was 29.05 cm (11.44 in). Oaks (Quercus) dominated the canopy
with a cumulative importance value of 138.18 (max. 300), or 46.07% of the
total IV. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) (21.69 % of canopy IV) dominated
the subcanopy (50.86% of IV) and seedling layer (21% of IV). American beech
(Fagus grandifolia) also was more significant in the lower strata;
oaks were poorly represented as seedlings. Thus, it appears that canopy
domination by oaks may change to more mesophytic species such as sugar maple
and American beech as natural succession occurs.
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Characterization of the Transcriptional Repressor Region
of Myc. Jamil B. Scott*, Philip Ganter, and William
Tansey, Biology Department, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
Structural and functional studies of Myc have shown that several highly conserved
domains of the Myc protein are necessary for its transforming activity.
Association of Miz and Max also play an integral role in Myc biological activity.
Previous studies have identified a novel repressor activity within the C-terminus
of Myc. The aim of this research is to characterize the region in Myc that
represses transcription. Mutants that disrupt Miz and Max binding and a series
of scanning deletions, (JSD1, JSD2, JSD3, and JSD4), were made within the
C-terminus of Myc. These mutants were generated using site-directed mutagenesis
and were then transiently expressed in HeLa cells and assayed for their
transcriptional activity. Results indicate that the mutants that disrupt
Miz and Max binding both retain their ability to repress transcription, as
well as mutants JSD1 and JSD4. Future work would require the generation of
additional mutants to delineate the sequence sufficient for transcriptional
repression by Myc. (Supported by MARC Grant 5 T34 GMO7663).
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Hemicholinium - 3 Inhibition of [3H] Choline Transport in
Limulus polyphemus Brain. Kistreia Marche' Martin* and Michael
Ivy, Biology Department, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
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Cortical and Sub-Cortical Mechanisms of Epileptic Seizures:
An In-Vitro Study Using the Brain Slice Technique. Bryan Fisher* and
Hal Blumenfeld, Biology Department, Tennessee State University, Nashville,
TN.
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Effect of Acclimatization to Summer and Winter Conditions
on Metabolic Enzyme Activities in the Eastern Red Spotted Newt
(Notophthalamus viridescens viridescens). Emmanuel P. Bessay*
and Nancy J. Berner, Biology Department, University of the South, Sewanee,
TN. Eastern red spotted newts acclimatized to winter and summer conditions
were collected from Lake Cheston, in Sewanee (Franklin Co. TN) in July, 1999,
and January, 2000. Metabolic enzymes of liver and skeletal muscle tissues
were determined in order to ascertain the metabolic adaptation of these animals
to the significant seasonal temperature changes that occur on the Mountain.
The enzymes assayed included cytochrome C oxidase (CCO), lactate dehydrogenase
(LDH), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT),
citrate synthase (CS) and b-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (HOAD). The activities
of these enzymes were determined spectrophotometrically at both winter and
summer temperatures (8°C and 25°C, respectively) in all samples.
We found that for both muscle and liver tissue CCO and CPT appeared to be
completely temperature compensated: the activity for winter acclimatized
animals at an assay temperature of 8°C was the same as the activity
for summer acclimatized animals at an assay temperature of 25°C. The
activity of the other enzymes (muscle: CS, HOAD and GDH; liver: CS, GDH 8°C
and LDH) showed no compensation at all: no change in activity between seasons
at the same assay temperature. These enzymes usually had significantly higher
activity at 25°C than at 8°C for animals acclimatized to the same
seasonal conditions for both tissues. There were a few cases where the activity
of an enzyme from a winter animal was significantly higher than the activity
of that enzyme from a summer animal at the same assay temperature: CCO from
muscle at 8 and 25°C; CCO from liver at 8°C; and HOAD from liver
at 8 and 25°C. There was very little CPT activity in muscle except in
winter animals assayed at 8°C while CPT activity was more evident in
liver tissue homogenates. This may indicate a difference in major energy
source between these two tissues and/or that muscle switches to fatty acid
metabolism in the winter.
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Relationships Between Primary Photochemistry and Primary
Production in Streams with Differing Water Qualities. Alex S. Flynt,
Rebecca A. Houtman, Candace M. Loreant, and Jefferson G. Lebkuecher, Biology
Department, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN. Growth and
primary photochemistry of a pollution-intolerant alga and primary production
of natural photoautotrophic periphyton communities were evaluated in streams
with poor and good water qualities. In the stream with poor water quality,
photoautotrophic periphyton production was significantly greater, yet following
in situ growth of the pollution- intolerant alga Selenastrum
capricornutum, S. capricornutum photosystem-II synthesis,
photosystem-II photochemical efficiency, and reproduction rate were significantly
decreased. The results demonstrate the importance of evaluating physiological
properties of pollution-intolerant algae in addition to community primary
production when examining the effects of water quality on photoautotrophs.
Links to
1999 Meeting
1998 Meeting
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Fred J. Matthews
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