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Regulation Of Leukotriene C4 Biosynthesis In Calcium Ionphore A23187-Challeneged August Rat Peritoneal Leukocytes, James M. Huebner

Masters Theses

Leukotriene (LT) C₄ is a potent myotropic product of arachidonic acid 5-lipoxygenation that is thought to play a role in the pathophysiology of immediate hypersensitivity reactions and inflammation. We designed the present study to evaluate the capacity of August (AUG) rat mixed peritoneal leukocytes to generate LTC₄ when challenged with different concentrations of the Ca²⁺ ionophore A23187 and to test the hypothesis that LTC₄ biosynthesis is regulated via a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent mechanism. The AUG rat, which has a spontaneously high number of peritoneal eosinophils that can be harvested by a simple lavage procedure, is …

Foodservice Conditions In Licensed Urban And Rural Child Care Centers: An Application Of The National Health And Safety Performance Standards, Todd Michael Kirkpatrick

Masters Theses

Objectives: To assess the degree to which child care centers in urban and rural counties met foodservice standards as documented in the National Health and Safety Performance Standards; to determine if a difference in foodservice conditions existed between these two groups; to determine if the foodservice conditions at child care centers are related to the directors' perception of existing foodservice conditions or the importance of maintaining safe foodservice conditions, or previous environmental health inspection scores; to identify child care staffing needs.

Subjects: 36 urban and 34 rural child care centers in east Tennessee

Design: On-site assessment …

Reverse Osmosis Treatment Of Deinking Effluents, Lei Zhao

Masters Theses

The application of the reverse osmosis process for treatment of preclarified deinking effluent was studied for its efficiency and capacity to remove the total suspended and dissolved solids. Seven coagulants and flocculents were studied in the pretreatment to determine the best coagulant. Two variables, temperature and coagulant dose, were studied to determine the optimum conditions. For the reverse osmosis treatment, two types of thin film composite membranes, sea water and brackish water were used in the research. A set of orthogonal experiments and regression analyses were conducted to study the effects of pressure, temperature, feed concentration, and feed pH on …

Identification Of An Insulin-Responsive Element In The Rat Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Gene, Sheri Lynn Holmen

Masters Theses

The expression of several genes has been shown to be either positively or negatively regulated by insulin at the transcriptional level, however no single insulin responsive DNA element has yet been identified. The transcription factors responsible for stimulation or inhibition of gene expression by insulin also remain to be identified. In recent years, expression of the gene for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) in primary rat hepatocytes has been found to be influenced by hormones such as insulin, dexamethosone, and glucagon. The molecular mechanism(s) however, underlying hormonal regulation of G6PDH gene transcription remains to be elucidated. The focus of this study was …

Crop Tree Management Of Upland Hardwoods In West Tennessee, David O'Neal

Masters Theses

A 40-year-old upland hardwood stand in west Tennessee was selected to test the effectiveness of crop tree management techniques. The stand consisted of 20 acres with each acre having the potential to contain 36 crop trees. Treatments consisted of: 1) a crown release, 2) fertilization (150 lbs. N and 35 lbs. P₂0₅ per acre) and 3) a combined release and fertilizer treatment.

A severe ice storm struck west Tennessee the winter following the study's initiation. Results indicated that release greatly increased a crop tree's susceptibility to severe ice damage and that black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) …

Gis Modeling Of Forest Cover Distributions In A Southern Appalachian Watershed, Daniel Thomas Rutledge

Masters Theses

This study develops a method to model forest cover distributions in the Little Tennessee River Watershed in Macon County, North Carolina using a geographic information system (GIS). The model employs common environmental variables, e.g. elevation, aspect, and slope, and a newly developed metric called a topographic index. The topographic index quantifies landscape form to reflect the degree of site convexity or concavity. To generate index values, the GIS sums relative aspect differences between all adjacent cells and the center cell in a neighborhood analysis. To determine predominant community types and their environmental ranges in the study area, I surveyed canopy …

Incidence And Life History Of Beech Scale, Initiator Of Beech Bark Disease, In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Robert Angelo Vance

Masters Theses

American beech, Fagus grandifolia Ehrlich, in eastern North America are currently threatened by the devastating beech bark disease. This disease is caused by the fungal pathogens, Nectria coccinea var. faginata Lohman, Watson and Ayers, and Nectria galligena Bres., which infect trees that are predisposed by infestations of beech scale, Cryptococcus fagisuga Lindinger. In 1993, beech bark disease was discovered in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP).

In 1994, a 2-year cooperative research project involving the National Park Service and the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station was initiated to study several aspects of beech bark disease in the GSMNP. …

An Assessment Of Nutrition Policies And Practices In Licensed Child Care Agencies In Tennessee, Nicole Anne Cunningham

Masters Theses

Objective Research was conducted to determine the extent to which a sample of licensed child care agencies in Tennessee met 31 nutrition and food service standards as contained in the National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs and to identify any significant differences by type of agency, USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) participation, and profit status.

Design A random sample of 300 licensed child care agencies stratified by type was surveyed by mailed questionnaire composed of 59 open and closed-ended items and five-point Likert-like scaled items. Three primary scores were calculated to …

Movement Ecology Of Black Bears In A Fragmented Bottomland Hardwood Habitat In Louisiana, Forrest B. Marchinton

Masters Theses

Twelve Louisiana black bears (Ursus americanus luteolus) were captured 18 times on a 350-km² study area in the Tensas River Basin in northeastern Louisiana during 1992 and 1993. The study area, owned by Deltic Farm and Timber Co., Inc., consisted of 4 bottomland hardwood habitat fragments, several smaller woodlots, and extensive agricultural fields.

A total of 3,748 locations were collected on 10 radio-collared bears (4 male, 6 female). Mean home ranges were 52.33 km² and 12.61 km² for males and females, respectively, and were largest during the fall. Home range overlap, particularly among females, suggested …

Effects Of Polymers On Pressure Water Retention And Binder Migration Of Aqueous Coatings, Arvind M. Singhal

Masters Theses

The effects of the molecular properties (degree of polymerization and degree of substitution) of water soluble polymers (containing carboxyl and hydroxyl groups on cellulosic backbone) on water retention under pressure and subsequent binder migration of coating colors are documented. It is concluded that no single mechanism can explain either water retention or binder migration. The dominant mechanisms of water penetration under dynamic pressure pulse are different from the mechanisms of water absorption under static pressure.

It is proposed that the molecular properties affect the rate of consolidation of the coating layer and thus greatly affect the water penetration under a …

A Repeatable, Visual Survey Of Three Rare Percina (Osteichthyes: Percidae) Fish In Little River, Blount County, Tennessee, Charles H. Heacock

Masters Theses

A recent apparent decline of the darter species in Little River, Blount County, Tennessee, suggested a deterioration on habitat quality was taking place. The objective of this study was to establish a baseline of the abundance and distribution of three large and easily recognized darter species (Percina aurantiaca, P. burtoni, and P. macrocephala) believed to be very pollution intolerant.

The study area included 27 river miles with 20 accessible sites which were determined by an area reconnaissance. Each site has been described, including diagrams and photographs, and was surveyed six times between July and October 1993. A review …

An Evaluation Of Nutrition Services Delivered To Wic High-Risk Prenatal Women By Three Nutrition Provider Types In A Regional Rural Health Department, Bonnie Lynn House

Masters Theses

Objective: To determine if differences existed in pregnancy outcomes and quality of nutrition care delivered to WIC high-risk prenatal women by three nutrition provider types.

Design: A seven month retrospective medical record audit

Subjects/Setting: WIC high-risk prenatal women who met the following criteria, underweight for height, enrolled in WIC ≤ 32 weeks gestation, no other primary certification codes, and could have iron deficiency anemia, were sampled from a 23 county regional rural health department (n=146). The women were divided into three groups based on the provider type classification during their prenatal WIC enrollment.

Main outcome measures: An audit tool was …

The Effects Of Repulping Variables On Deinking Of Flexographic Inks, Sylvia Ciampa

Masters Theses

The effects of repulping variables (pH, surfactant concentration, time, and temperature) on deinking paper printed with flexographic ink were studied. A series of alcohol ethoxylate surfactants was evaluated. The one with HLB= 11.8 was selected for the majority of the study.

pH was the variable that presented the greatest effect on repulping and deinking. The brightness after repulping and the final brightness after deinking was significantly higher at pH 5 than at pH 9.

Paper was repulped for 15, 25, and 40 minutes respectively. Highest brightness after repulping and highest gain in brightness by flotation was observed after 15 minutes …

Differential Distribution Of D4 And D2 Dopamine Receptors In Rat Brain: An Autoradiographic Study Using [3H]Ym-09151-2 And [3H]Raclopride, Nancy C. Stratman

Masters Theses

Extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) are associated with most antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia since these agents antagonize dopamine D₂ receptors in the nigrostriatal pathway, a brain system that regulates motor functions. Clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic agent in that it does not produce EPS, was found to be more selective for the D₄ than the D₂ receptor. The purpose of this study was to locate the D₄ receptor in rat brain by autoradiographic comparison studies with [³H]YM-09151-2, a D₂ , D₃, and D₄ radioligand, to [³H]raclopride, a D …

The Interaction Of Coated Paper Surfaces And Water- And Solvent-Based Rotogravure Printing Inks, Tanja M. Gnad

Masters Theses

The print quality of 24 different coating formulations was studied when printing with both water- and solvent-based rotogravure ink. Coating was done on a Cylindrical Laboratory Coater (CLC). The coated paper samples were supercalendered to achieve a smooth surface which is necessary when printing with rotogravure. The supercalendered coated paper samples where tested for optical and surface properties and also printed with water-based and solvent-based ink on a Moser Gravure Proof Press. The print quality of the printed samples was quantified by image analysis. The results showed that fine ground calcium carbonate gave the lowest percent bridging between ink dots, …

The Influence Of Ecological And Temporal Factors On Trap Response By Black Bears In Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Tennessee, Joel Alan Pedersen

Masters Theses

Estimates of population size and other demographic parameters may be biased if capture probability is not equal among all members of the population. However, differences in the capture probability of black bears (Ursus americanus) due to trapsite location and long-term mark-recapture studies have not been investigated. Thus, the focus of my research was to determine the influence of habitat characteristics on trap heterogeneity and determine the effects of long-term trapping on the trap response of black bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP).

Using existing geographical information system (GIS) habitat use models for black bears, I determined …

Population Dynamics Of Black Bears In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Alex Brandon Coley

Masters Theses

Previous estimates of black bear (Ursus americanus) population density from Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP or Park) were low to intermediate when compared to other populations throughout the range of the species. These estimates conflicted with other research on GSMNP bears that indicated a high-density population with consistent growth from the early 1970's to the late 1980's. Thus, the focus of my research was to calculate appropriate estimates of population size and density and evaluate them with respect to trapping regime, demographic data, and hard mast production.

I determined effective study area sizes by calculating the average …

Using Gis To Analyze The Precipitation Regime Of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tn/Nc, Thomas Bryan Coffey

Masters Theses

Studies or research conducted in remote areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) involving the use of precipitation data, have often resolved to utilizing the precipitation data from weather stations located in more easily accessible areas or from nearby towns and cities. This study was conducted to determine an accurate annual average precipitation value for the GSMNP and to develop an average annual precipitation database (coverage) for the park as a whole. Precipitation data from 51 weather stations in and around the GSMNP were placed into the geographic information system (GIS), ARC/INFO, and three methods were implemented to …

Diversity Of Arthropods On Dogwoods In Forest And Nursery Environments, David Scott Neitch

Masters Theses

In the last decade the flowering dogwood, Cornus florida Link., has become threatened by a fungal disease, dogwood anthracnose (caused by Discula destructive Redlin). Symptoms include leaf spots, twig blights, and limb/trunk cankers, which lead to the eventual death of the tree. Mortality of the flowering dogwood is extremely high in forested areas, such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where dogwood density has declined in recent years.

Little information is available about environmental conditions that may predispose a tree to conidia of D. destructiva, which is believed to be dispersed by wind or rain. Researchers have suggested that …

Characterization And Expression Of Pseudomonas Fluorescens L-Arabinose Dehydrogenase: Genetic Elements In Pseudomonas Putida, Carol M. Wierenga

Masters Theses

An assay based on the spectrophotometeric properties of NAD/NADH was developed to detect the degradation of L-arabinose to L-arabinolactone. This assay was used to determine the expression of the L-arabinose utilization genes contained in Pseudomonas fluorescens and in the plasmid, designated pPZ221, contained in Pseudomonas putida. The results from this assay, in conjunction with various growth kinetics, indicate that pPZ221 is inducible and repressible for L-arabinose utilization. Thus, the P. fluorescens chromosomal insert in pPZ221 for L-arabinose utilization does appear to contain the regulatory genes necessary for controlling the expression of an L-arabinose operon.

Normal Kinetic Patterns Of The Lower Extremities During Natural Walking In Children Aged Six To Ten, Thomas Ellexson, Christopher Nawrocki, Darrin Schober

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to initiate a normative pediatric three-dimensional lower extremity kinetic database specific to the Mary Free Bed Hospital/Grand Valley State University Center for Human Kinetic Studies. Twenty healthy children (eleven girls and nine boys) with a mean age of 7.9 years volunteered for this study. Lower extremity kinetic data were obtained using a computerized three-dimensional motion analysis system coupled with a force plate. Kinematic and kinetic data were pooled and mean/standard deviations at each one percent of the gait cycle were determined for the twenty normative children. Results of the pediatric kinetic data were similar …

The Relationship Among Isokinetic Knee Parameters And Three Functional Tests, Kristen Brinks, Ronda Delong, Tanya Stout

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between knee strength and endurance, as tested by the Biodex{dollar}\sp\circler{dollar} isokinetic system, and the lateral step-up, cross-over hop for distance, and triple hop for distance. Subjects included 20 males and 30 females aged 21-40 years with no history of low back, hip, knee, or ankle injury that was treated by a physician. Bilateral knee flexion and extension strength, power, and endurance was measured at 60, 180 and 300 degrees/second with the hip extended and flexed 115{dollar}\sp\circ{dollar}. Isokinetic data were normalized to body weight and correlated to hop distance which was …

The Effect Of Family Participation On The Outcome Of Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury In Rehabilitation, Grant Middleton, Brett Ransom

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between physical therapists' perceptions and institutional policies relating to family participation in rehabilitation and rehabilitation outcome of patients with traumatic brain injury. Utilizing surveys, we collected information about institutional policy from institutions that were members of the Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) in the Midwestern United States. Thirteen institutional surveys provided usable Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores for patients rehabilitated in 1993, which were used as the outcome measure. The therapists' perceptions survey (n = 104) gathered data about the belief of physical therapists relating to family involvement …

The Effects Of Partial Unweighting On Hemiplegic Gait, Natasha A. Creaser, Michael W. Jones

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effects of 30% body weight support on gait in two individuals with hemiplegia secondary to stroke. Two subjects with right hemiplegia were tested. Each completed four trials, two full weight bearing and two unweighted 30%, in random order. Each trial consisted of walking six meters on a treadmill at the subjects' self-selected speed. Temporal distance data were collected via Stride Analyzer footswitches. Subjects were also videotaped from the side during all trials. We expected velocity, cadence, stride length, uninvolved limb swing time, and involved limb stance time to increase with unweighting. Subjects 1's results agreed only …

Comparison Of Sweet Corn Vigor With Ions And Sugars In Seed Leachate Of Five Isolene Pairs With Two Endosperm Types, Marla K. Faver

Masters Theses

Supersweet corn contains more sugar and less starch than traditional sweet corn which increases the sweetness of the kernel. Supersweet corn has increased in consumer popularity due to its sweeter flavor and ability to retain this sweeter flavor longer than traditional sweet corn. Two sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. rugosa) endosperm types (traditional and shrunken-2) are popular with consumers. The problem growers face with supersweet cultivars (shrunken-2) is poor seed vigor as shown by low field emergence and non-uniform stands.

Field emergence of plants was compared to laboratory germination for 5 sweet corn isoline pairs (genetically identical except for …

Reproductive Success Of Grassland Birds At East-Central Illinois Airports, Eric L. Kershner

Masters Theses

We determined the densities and reproductive success of birds on airport grasslands in east-central Illinois. Seven airports were sampled between 10 April and 15 August 1994 in Clark, Coles, Crawford, Douglas, Edgar, Macon and Richland counties. Nineteen species were detected on the airport grasslands and 147 nests were found representing six different species. Eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) were the most abundant nesting species found; 105 out of the 147 nests (71%). Other nesting species included: grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and horned lark (Eremophilia alpestris). Overall nest success was …

A Comparison Of Two Isotonic Resistance Training Routines For Individuals With Above Average Strength, Craig L. Kruse

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if individuals, possessing above average strength in the bench press exercise, would improve their 1RM more by using an experimental resistance training program as compared to a program of a more traditional nature.

Seventeen male subjects between the age 18 and 26 years, mean age 21.8 years, who were considered to have an above average strength level in the bench press exercise (a bench press strength to body weight ratio, S/BW, greater than 1.00) participated in this study. The subjects had an average S/BW of 1.17. All the subjects trained three alternate …

Egg Removal By Brown-Headed Cowbirds: A Field Test Of The Host Incubation Efficiency Hypothesis, Douglas R. Wood

Masters Theses

Obligate brood parasites, like the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), lay their eggs in the nests of host species, usually to the detriment of the host's reproductive effort. In addition, Brown-headed Cowbirds often remove one or more host eggs near the time of parasitism. Although several hypotheses exist, the adaptive significance of egg removal has not been clearly established. Peer and Bollinger (in press) proposed the host incubation efficiency hypothesis which states that the number and size of host eggs influences the incubation efficiency of a parasitic egg. Thus, host egg removal by cowbirds should increase the parasitic egg's …

A Faunal Study Of The Mecoptera (Insecta) Of Rocky Branch Nature Preserve, Clark County, Illinois, Jimmie W. Griffiths

Masters Theses

The Mecoptera (Insecta) of the Rocky Branch Nature Preserve located near Clarksville, Clark County, Illinois are described. Specimens were collected by diurnal netting, Malaise traps, pitfall traps, and flight traps. Specimens from Rocky Branch in the collections of Eastern Illinois University, the Illinois Natural History Survey at Champaign-Urbana, and Hastings College, Nebraska, were also examined.

A total of 805 specimens from Rocky Branch were collected and/or examined. Nine species representing three families were identified: three Panorpidae (Panorpa speciosa, P. helena and P. banksi); five Bittacidae (Hylobittacus apicalis, Bittacus strigosus, B. stigmaterus, B. pilicornis …

Lichen Use By Larval Leucochrysa Pavida (Neuroptera:Chrysopidae), Penni Jo Wilson

Masters Theses

Leucochrysa pavida is a species of green lacewing (Neuroptera:Chrysopidae) that uses lichen fragments to build a larval debris "packet." The "packet" is eventually used to form a cocoon used during pupation. Only minute lichen fragments are harvested for formation of the packets which makes identification of the actual lichens utilized difficult using morphological characteristics. For this reason, thin-layer chromatography was employed. The thin-layer chromatographic process identifies acetone-soluble lichen chemicals that are formed in lichen thalli. By comparing the chemistry of lichen communities at Tower Rock Recreation Area in Hardin County, Illinois, with the chemicals identified during thin-layer chromatography of larval …