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The Effects Of Urbanization On A Portion Of The Portage Creek Watershed: A Case Study On Surface Water And Groundwater Quality, Susan E. Rezek

Masters Theses

The surface water and groundwater quality in the study area of the Portage Creek watershed was analyzed to determine the possible effects of urbanization. Dry weather and wet weather surface water and groundwater samples were collected from June 1986 to November 1986 at selected stations in the watershed.

Water samples were analyzed for 26 inorganic and organic parameters. Most concentrations were below analytic method detection limits. The analytical data indicate that sodium and chloride are the principal contaminants resulting from urbanization. The probable source of the contamination is deicing salt applied to the City of Portage, Michigan streets.

Overall, the …

Frames, Brains, And Chinese Rooms: Problems In Artificial Intelligence, Jeffrey David Koperski

Masters Theses

Advocates of strong artificial intelligence believe that properly programmed computers can go beyond the simulation of intelligent acts so as to instantiate and exhibit true intelligence, that is, intelligence equivalent to that of man. In this thesis, I consider three problems for strong-AI.

First, John Searle's well-known thought experiment of the "Chinese Room" is used to reestablish the syntax-semantics distinction and to show how this distinction applies to computer programs. I review the Chinese Room, consider a variety of objections to it, and then expand on the key points in Searle's work.

Second, I examine the Frame Problem in artificial …

Frames, Brains, And Chinese Rooms: Problems In Artificial Intelligence, Jeffrey Koperski

Masters Theses

Advocates of strong artificial intelligence believe

that properly programmed computers can go beyond the

simulation of intelligent acts so as to instantiate and

exhibit true intelligence, that is, intelligence equivalent

to that of man. In this thesis, I consider three problems

for Searle.

First, John Searle's well-known thought experiment of

the "Chinese Room" is used to reestablish the syntax-semantics

distinction and to show how this distinction

applies to computer programs. I review the Chinese Room,

consider a variety of objections to it, and then expand on

the key points in Searle's work.

Second, 1 examine the Frame Problem in artificial …

Effects Of Communication Apprehension, Biological Gender, And Gender Stereotypes On Non-Occasion Greeting Card Sending, Elizabeth E. Adams

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Periphyton, Sediment And Diatom Community Structure As Monitors Of Heavy Metal Pollution In The Embarras River And Brushy Fork, David L. Vaultonburg

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate periphyton (diatom) and sediment heavy metal content and diatom community structure as potential monitors of heavy metal pollution in the upper reaches of the Embarras River system. The study was initiated due to recent industrialization in the area which could potentially contribute to the present heavy metal burden of Brushy Fork and the Embarras River. These streams are already subject to agricultural runoff, wastewater plant effluent, landfill leachate and other miscellaneous urban and highway runoff. The Embarras River system drains an area of approximately 2800 square miles in 11 east-central Illinois counties …

How Potassium Affects Emergence Of Five Supersweet Corn (Zea Mays L. Var. Rugosa) Cultivars With Low Temperatures, Nombasa Tsengwa

Masters Theses

Supersweet types of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var rugosa) are sensitive to low temperature during emergence and thus have difficulty in establishing stands in early spring. This study investigated how banded potash affected establishment of five supersweet cultivars of sweet corn in fields and growth chambers.

In the field, sweet corn cultivars were planted near Urbana, Il on April 18 and July 22, 1991 with three levels of potash (0, 45 and 90 kg/ha) banded at planting. Several parameters of growth and development were measured approximately 2, 4 and 6 weeks after planting. No significant effect of potash was …

Mmpi Profiles Of Sexual Perpetrators, Steven G. Vaupel

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare MMPI scores of 60 men referred for assessment and/or counseling at community mental health facilities. No MMPI protocols were excluded due to elevated validity configurations (70T or above). Forty of the referrals were referred for suspected child sexual abuse. Twenty of the referrals admitted (Admitter) to sexually abusing a child at the time of referral and twenty did not admit (Nonadmitter) to sexually abusing a child when referred. A control group of the remaining twenty subjects were referred for various offenses, none of which included sexual offenses against children. Significant differences were …

Direct Immunofluorescence Detection Of Giardia Spp. In Selected Mammals In Central Illinois, Using Anti-Giardia Polyclonal And Monoclonal Antibodies, Jeanette Aba Ackon Brown

Masters Theses

Giardia species occur in many kinds of mammals, and some of these hosts have been postulated as potential reservoirs for human infections. A study was initiated in fall 1990 to determine the distribution and frequency of giardiasis in populations of selected wild animals in 12 counties in Illinois. Fecal samples from 64 white-tailed deer, 13 coyotes, 9 muskrats, 6 raccoons, and 5 badgers were examined for the presence of Giardia spp. and specifically for G. lamblia. Anti-Giardia lamblia cysts polyclonal (PAb) and monoclonal (MAb), FITC-labeled antibody solutions were used for the direct immunofluorescence detection of Giardia cysts in …

Factors Affecting Parental Investment Strategies In Male Waterbugs, Scott Kight

Masters Theses

Male giant waterbugs (Belostoma flumineum Say) brood eggs oviposited on their dorsi by conspecific females. Preliminary observations indicate that viable egg pads are sometimes discarded before hatching. Theory predicts that such behavior should occur only if costs incurred by brooding exceed benefits of hatching the egg pad. The amount of paternal investment per pad should be similar for both large and small pad sizes, but as egg pads become smaller, investment per egg increases. Thus, smaller pads should be more likely to be discarded unhatched than larger ones. Similarly, egg pads containing inviable eggs should also be more frequently …

Bedtime Routines And Sleep Patterns Of Hospitalized Elderly, Marie E. Vander Kooi

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine whether performance of a familiar bedtime routine was related to the self-reported nocturnal sleep pattern quality of the hospitalized elderly. A descriptive correlational design was used to analyze data collected on a convenience sample of 30 elderly patients. The Bedtime Routine Questionnaire was used to describe the bedtime routine at home and measure to what extent it was maintained in the hospital. The nocturnal sleep pattern quality was measured using the Richards Campbell Sleep Questionnaire. The most common bedtime routine activities of the elderly were found to be: going to the bathroom; …

Factors Influencing Distribution And Abundance Of The Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius Ludovicianus Migrans) In South-Central Illinois, Eric Lantz Smith

Masters Theses

The loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) is listed as a threatened species in Illinois as a result of population declines that have occurred since approximately 1900. Although Graber et al. (1973) reported that this species had been largely extirpated from the northern two-thirds of Illinois by 1965, there has been no research on shrike distribution or abundance in the state since that time. Consequently, a roadside survey was completed in 32 south-central Illinois counties to delineate the abundance of loggerhead shrikes in the study area and attempt to relate their abundance to land-use patterns among counties surveyed.

Two hundred and eleven …

The Effect Of Various Plant Growth Regulators On Rough Turf At Coles County Airport, Jay C. A. Harnack

Masters Theses

A field test was conducted to determine the effectiveness of various concentrations of selected plant growth regulators. All PGR's were applied at various rates and combinations on rough turf at Coles County Airport, Charleston, Illinois.

The dominant grasses in the test site were bluegrass (Poa pratensis Huds.) and fescue (Poa pratensis L.).

The plant growth regulators were evaluated at regular intervals for the reduction of biomass, reduction of height, seedhead suppression, and color relative to control.

One third ounce per acre Escort in combination with 4 ounces per acre Embark was the most effective in reducing biomass accumulation followed by …

The Bryophytes Of Knox County, Illinois, Kurtis J. Cecil

Masters Theses

Field and herbarium studies conducted over an eleven month period found 84 taxa of bryophytes in Knox County. Included in this list are one hornwort (Class Anthocerotae), 15 liverworts (Class Hepaticae), and 68 mosses (Class Musci). Eighty-two species are new county records. Six previously unreported taxa produced during herbarium studies and one previous report were not relocated in the field. An annotated list provides collection data, location of voucher, and frequency of those species located in Knox County. A presettlement vegetation map is included to illustrate the location of collection sites.

Maintaining A High School Elective/Vocational Program With The Increase In College Entrance Requirements, Clyde W. Frankie

Masters Theses

This field experience examines how 21 selected Illinois unit district high schools have maintained their elective/vocational enrollments with the 1985 increase in college admission requirements. The 21 high schools identified had a student population between 700 and 1000. A questionnaire was sent to each school requesting information regarding their master schedule. Questions specifically requested data on number of class periods, length of class periods, number of graduation units, faculty teaching load, class maximums and minimums, and percent of college-bound students in respective schools. This data was analyzed through comparative data tables to identify potential solutions or trends high schools are …

Nursing Care Of The Elderly In The Acute Care Setting: An Investigation Of Powerlessness, Dorothy De Boer Zylstra

Masters Theses

This study's purpose was to identify whether persons 65 years of age or older hospitalized with congestive heart failure perceive personal powerlessness. Cognitive competence of the subjects was determined by the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. A Powerlessness Interview Schedule (PIVS) was used to identify subjects' perceptions of personal powerlessness.; Perceived powerlessness was not conclusively apparent in the fifty-one subjects of this study. No subjects received a score of 38 or below. Ten of fifty-one subjects received scores ranging from 46 to 56 which may place them at risk for perceived personal powerlessness. Forty-nine subjects had areas of limited feelings …

Determinants Of Health Promotion In The Elderly, Victoria Ann Merren

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to look at determinants of health promotion in the elderly. Pender's (1982) Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile, Wallston & Wallston's (1979) Health Locus of Control Scale, and demographic variables were included on a questionnaire given to a convenience sample of 47 adults, ages ranged from 60-89. All subjects were Caucasian and 65% were female.; The theoretical framework that was used in this descriptive study was Pender's (1987) Health Promotion Model. Standardized z-scores for the Health Locus of Control subscales classified subjects as either "internal" or "external" locus of control. Thirty-five percent were internal.; Forward Regression …

An Examination Of The Effectiveness Of Teaching Nonverbal Sensitivity To Students In An Occupational Therapy Curriculum, Darla Kathleen Schurmeier

Masters Theses

The effectiveness of teaching nonverbal communication skills to undergraduate students in an occupational therapy curriculum at Western Michigan University was explored by testing students just entering the program and students leaving the campus for their fieldwork experiences. A control group was made up of undergraduate students from curricula that did not purposely teach sensitivity to nonverbal cues. The 50 subjects were tested using the Profile of Nonverbal Sensitivity (PONS; Rosenthal, Hall, DiMatteo, Rogers, & Archer, 1979). Comparisons were made between PONS scores and the subject's area of study, length of time in the program, gender and age. Results showed that …

An Examination Of The Irrelevance Of The Term Neoconservative As Used In American Ideological Debates, Mark C. Stanczak

Masters Theses

This study compared, by analysis of their publications, various people who are considered to be part of the neoconservative movement in the United States. A definition was developed, and a sample of neoconservatives was examined to see if they adhered to the definition. The examination centered around these people's individual views, as published, on economics and the Welfare State; the scope of government in a society; the Cold War and its effect on community; religion; and stability, the state and social justice.

The analysis of their publications leads to the conclusion that there is no cohesive movement that can be …

Differences In Values And Goals Of Occupational Therapy Students, Margaret A. Danka

Masters Theses

This study compared professional values and goals of three levels of occupational therapy students: (1) seniors in baccalaureate programs (n = 337), (2) students in professional master's programs (n = 95), and (3) students in post-professional master's programs (n = 62). Demographic characteristics and factors influencing career choice were also examined.

Significant differences were found among the three student groups for three professional goals: (1) contributing to theory, (2) doing research, and (3) educating occupational therapy students, and four professional values: (1) intellectual stimulation, (2) exciting life, (3) comfortable life, and (4) helpfulness. The demographic differences among the three student …

Effect Of Therapist-Initiated Versus Self-Initiated Vestibular Stimulation On Vocalization In Children With Autism, Carol L. Maddox

Masters Theses

Therapist-initiated vestibular stimulation was compared to self-initiated stimulation to determine their relative effects on vocalization in children with autism. Vocalizations produced during table-top activities were also compared to those produced during vestibular stimulation. Two children with autism participated in the study. Vestibular stimulation was provided by a hammock swing. All vocalizations were recorded during a total of thirteen 15-minute test sessions.

Results indicated that in this study: (a) There was no significant difference in quantity of vocalizations produced during self-initiated versus therapist-initiated vestibular stimulation, and (b) there was a significant increase in vocalizations during vestibular stimulation as compared to during …

A Hydrogeological And Hydrogeochemical Investigation Of Groundwater At A Landfill For Sludge From The Kalamazoo Wastewater Treatment Plant, Richard Howard Christensen

Masters Theses

Major cations and anions were analyzed to determine groundwater chemistry at a site used for the disposal of municipal sludge in the late 1960s and contaminated Portage Creek sedimem dredged in the late 1970s. The disposal site consists of five unlined basins constructed over 50 to 100 feet of stratified sand and gravel outwash underlain by silt and clay. Groundwater in the outwash is unconfined and flows from east to west. A groundwater divide in the center of the site produces local divergent flow to the northwest and southwest. Measurements of chemical constituents indicate that three factors influence groundwater chemistry …

Research And Theory On The Housing And Care Of Laboratory Pigeons And Rats, Dylan David Schmorrow

Masters Theses

This study was an experimental analysis of: (a) housing preference of laboratory pigeons and, (b) the effects of housing on laboratory rat health. Pigeon preference between containment cages and fly cages was determined on the basis of exit time from the containment cage to the fly cage. Rat health was determined by the departmental veterinarian. The rats were exposed to traditional and alternative methods of housing.

The findings from this study indicate that (a) on the basis of pigeons' preferences concerning size, it may be more appropriate to house pigeons in fly cages; and (b) alternative methods of care and …

Kinematic Considerations Of Elite Alpine Slalom Ski Racers, David Andrew Goodwin

Masters Theses

This study described specific kinematic parameters associated with success on the international level in alpine slalom ski racing. Sixteen male athletes representing twelve countries comprised the subject pool. Subject selection was based on finish position in the men's special slalom at the 1989 World Alpine Ski Championships in Vail, Colorado. Cinematographical records were analyzed by a method known as direct linear transformation.

The findings of the study indicated that: (a) hip and knee joint angles of the turning leg must approximate 1.80 to 1.83 radians and 1.82 to 2.21 radians, respectively, for efficiency in this turn; (b) a decrease in …

Progressive Muscle Relaxation As An Adjunctive Treatment For Moderate Asthmatics, Kellye Hutton Slaggert

Masters Theses

This study examined the effects of parent assisted progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) training on moderate asthmatics. Three children between the ages of 7 and 12 participated in the study. After 3 weeks of PMR training and daily practice, the parents became involved in prompting their children to use PMR when an attack appeared likely.

The findings from this study suggest that parental prompting of PMR was instrumental in decreasing the frequency of attacks, increasing peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) values, and decreasing the severity of attacks for 2 of the 3 subjects. The long term implications for using PMR as …

A Comparison Of Outcome Reinforcement Contingencies And Process Reinforcement Contingencies Using Concurrent Training With The Severely Mentally Impaired, Nancy Lonsberry

Masters Theses

This study compared the effectiveness of Outcome and Process reinforcement contingencies using concurrent training to teach severely mentally impaired students to perform component tasks. Each student was trained to assemble a four-piece apparatus using either the Outcome contingency or the Process contingency. The Outcome method was defined as a contingency where the final outcome of a component task has been achieved and a reinforcer is delivered contingent upon that outcome. The Process method was defined as a contingency where reinforcement occurs after the performance of each step in the sequence and when the final outcome of the task has been …

Pathophysiology Of Hemorrhagic Shock And The Protective Effects Of Antioxidants, Annette Elizabeth Fleckenstein

Masters Theses

Considerable attention has focused on the role of free radicals in the pathophysiology of hemorrhagic shock. In this study, four pharmacological mechanisms for antagonizing free radical generation or reactions were compared in terms of their efficacy in attenuating post-hemorrhage (post-reinfusion) cardiovascular collapse. These included blocking arachidonic acid oxidation by cyclooxygenase (eg; ibuprofen), inhibiting superoxide radical production by xanthine oxidase (eg; oxypurinol), chelating iron (eg; desferal), and inhibiting lipid peroxidation (eg; U74006F and U78517G, Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan).

Cardiovascular function, cerebral blood flow, arterial blood gases, serum glucose, and plasma vitamin E were examined in a hemorrhage/reperfusion model using urethane-anesthetized rats. …

Witches Every Month? The Social Construction Of Premenstrual Syndrome, Suzanne Latham

Masters Theses

Premenstrual syndrome was first reported in 1931, but it was not until the early 1980s that it received widespread attention in the medical literature and the popular press. This thesis is a sociological analysis of how physicians and others were able to define premenstrual problems as an illness. The thesis uses a phenomenological approach, referred to as social constructionism, to explore how medical researchers, physicians, pharmaceutical companies, feminists, various entrepreneurs, and others have attempted to define premenstrual problems to promote their own interests. The analytic method is documentary analysis. The thesis argues that physicians were able to make powerful claims, …

Kinetics Of The Metal-Exchange Reaction Between Ortho-Phospho-Dl -Serinenickelate(Ii) And Copper(Ii), Jeffrey M. Peterman

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Michigan Apple Pest Identifier And Manager Expert System, James R. Schalk

Masters Theses

The Michigan Apple Pest Identifier and Management System (MAPI) is a knowledge- based consultation software system. MAPI was designed to provide the user with the ability to identify insects which may harm the apples of Michigan orchards and to project occurrences of maximum adult emergence. A discussion of standard entomological and expert system concepts and the application of these concepts to the processing of information by the Michigan Apple Pest Identifier and Management System is presented. Future possible expansions of the system are suggested.

Effects Of Lake Management On Chemical, Physical, And Phycological Characteristics Of A Hypereutrophic Reservoir, Kaye J. Surratt

Masters Theses

Lake Charleston is a 1.1 billion gallon capacity side channel reservoir which was constructed in 1982 as a public drinking water supply for the City of Charleston in Coles County, Illinois. Past studies of the lake indicated an increase in eutrophication and the capacity to support large algal populations. Recent lake management practices include copper sulfate applications as an algicide and aeration to reduce flavor and odor.

In order to assess present lake status and to evaluate the effectiveness of lake management practices, two lake sites were sampled on a weekly basis from May to October, 1989. Chemical, physical, and …