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A Comparison Of Three Populations Of The Plains Pocket Gophers, Geomys Bursarius Illinoensis, In Illinois, Frank P. Wray

Masters Theses

Morphometric and karyotypic analyses were performed on three Illinois populations of the Plains Pocket Gopher, Geomys bursarius illinoensis, to determine if any differences were present among the populations. Gophers were collected in three localities: 1) Iroquois and Kankakee Counties (IKC); McLean County (MC); and St. Clair and Madison counties (SMC). All three populations had the same kind and number of chromosomes (2n=72, FN=70). External measurements did not differ significantly among the three populations. Multivariate analysis of variance of the cranial characters showed that a significant (P<.05) difference existed in both males, F(78,1825)=1.65, and females, F(78,1961)=1.63, between the three regions. Duncan's multiple range tests of some cranial measurements showed a clinal increase going from east to west.

Growth Increments And Condition Factors Of Pomoxis Annularis (White Crappie) In The Years Following Completion Of The Pump Storage Reservoir At Lake Charleston, Charleston, Il, 1982-1988, Herbert Clinton Fairow

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to attempt to document any changes that may have occured due to the construction of a pump storage reservoir at Lake Charleston. The age I white crappie present in the new reservoir were observed to exhibit an increase in first year growth in 1982. This increase was observed in subsequent years but not to the same degree as was observed initially. The age II fish present in the new reservoir in 1982 exhibited a very large increase in growth for the first year of the new impoundment. In the years after 1982 the annual …

Cranial Variations And Skull Suture Obliterations As Related To Age In The Coyote (Canis Latrans), Kurt Daine

Masters Theses

Three criteria, skull size, development of the postorbital process, and cranial suture obliteration were examined to evaluate their effectiveness as possible age indicators in the coyote (Canis latrans). Two collections of coyote skulls were evaluated. The first was 130 skulls of known age, from Utah, which were used to compare the above characteristics to the age of the animal. The second was 151 Illinois Department of Conservation (DOC) skulls of unknown age, which were used in conjunction with the known age skulls to evaluate differences in skull size and observer and inter-observer subjectivity in the classification of suture …

Evolution/Creation Debate: A Rhetorical Analysis, James V. Miteff

Masters Theses

During the course of human history, many social issues have come and gone. One argument that caught the writer's eye is the argument about how man came to exist.

Purpose of Study

The purpose of this study is to analyze an evolution/creation debate that took place at Columbus College, Georgia, on May 6, 1981. Evolutionary theory was supported by Dr. Schwinner, a paleontologist from Columbus College. His partner was Dr. Frazier, a professor of geology at Columbus College. Creation theory was supported by Dr. Henry Morris, President of the Institute for Creation Research, San Diego, and Dr. Slusher, an astronomer …

An Analysis Of The Impacts Of The Illinois Board Of Higher Education' S Admission Requirements On Selected High Schools In East Central Illinois, Stephen C. Selle

Masters Theses

The Illinois Board of Higher Education in 1985 instituted mandatory subject admission requirements for all state universities beginning in the year 1990. Subsequent legislative action by the Illinois General Assembly has moved these requirements back to 1993. This field experience investigated the possible impacts of these requirements on rural schools of under 500 students in east central Illinois. A cover letter explaining the purpose of the study and a two page questionnaire were mailed to twenty- one schools. Sixteen schools in the counties of Vermillion, Ford, Iroquois, Kankakee, and Will responded and were the focus of the study. Enrollment patterns …

Facilitating The Nursing Process For The Nursing Diagnosis "Alteration In Thought Processes", Meridell Veen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if nurses who were given a tool to facilitate assessment of thought processes would collect more assessment data, diagnose "alteration in thought processes" more frequently, and include a care plan for this diagnosis more often. A quasi-experimental pre-treatment/post-treatment design was used. An inservice program about the Level of Cognitive Function Scale (LOCF) was the treatment.; Of the 40 randomly selected subjects from the 199 adult critical care nurses at a metropolitan hospital, 20 completed the study with pre-treatment and post-treatment data. Data were collected by scoring patient assessment/care plans pre-treatment and 4 …

Showering In Labor: An Effective Pain Management Alternative, Kathleen A. Austin

Masters Theses

Health care professionals continue to be concerned about the relief of pain and anxiety associated with childbirth. There are recent anecdotal reports in the literature which describe showering as an effective nonpharmaceutical alternative for labor pain management. The effectiveness of showering can most likely be explained physiologically by the "gate control" theory of pain.; The purpose of this descriptive-correlational study was to examine the labor patient's perception of the effectiveness of showering as a comfort measure and the relationship between showering in labor and outcome variables such as analgesia use, anesthesia use, and childbirth satisfaction. After approval by appropriate human …

River Birch (Betula Nigra L.) Forest Communities In Cass And Mason Counties, Illinois, Charles Anthony Uhlarik

Masters Theses

During the fall of 1988 and the spring of 1989, four stands of river birch (Betula nigra L.) were surveyed in Cass and Mason Counties, Illinois. All study areas were divided into quadrats 25 m on a side (0.154 acres) and the maximum number of quadrats were placed to completely survey each forest. The relative density, relative dominance, and importance value was calculated for each species (dbh greater than 10 cm) in each forest area. Also, seedlings (less than 2.5 cm dbh) and saplings (2.5-10.0 cm dbh) were recorded in each area. River birch is the dominant overstory …

The Ethnobotany Of Sweet Flag, Acorus Calamus L., Timothy J. Motley

Masters Theses

One of the more interesting and attractive components of aquatic ecosystems is sweet flag, Acorus calamus L., a herbaceous perennial belonging to the Araceae, a primarily tropical family. Sweet flag is one of the few extratropical members.

The primary purpose of this work is to present a compilation of the various traditional and contemporary uses of sweet flag by various cultures.

Information regarding the known ethnobotanical and economic uses of the rhizome and aromatic essential oil as a flavoring agent is given, as well as its medicinal uses and value as an insecticide. In addition, a discussion of the …

Effects Of New Science Textbooks On Selected Sixth And Eighth Grade Students At Crestwood Elementary School, Paris, Illinois, David R. Pruim

Masters Theses

This paper describes the results of a six-month field study to determine the effects of a newly adopted and implemented junior-high level science textbook series on student achievement. This study took place in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade science classrooms of Crestwood Elementary School, Paris, Illinois, from December 1988, until May of 1989. This study compared the science achievement of two groups of students in both their sixth and eighth grade years. The Normal Curve Equivalents or NCE's and letter grades as given by the junior-high level science teachers at Crestwood, were analyzed using non-independent t tests. Descriptive data …

The Relationship Of School Enrollment Size With Academic Achievement In Secondary Schools, Randy B. Steinkamp

Masters Theses

This investigation was designed to examine the relationship between school enrollment size and academic achievement. Fourteen schools in the East-Central region of Illinois formed the focus of this study. The schools were grouped according to the number of enrolled students: small-size (less than 300); mid-size (300-799); and large-size (over 800). Data for the study were obtained from the 1987 School Report Cards. Report Cards are documents that were completed by schools in the state of Illinois to review the status of their educational programs.

Data from the Report Cards included measures of academic achievement and also descriptive data on the …

Effects Of Methylxanthines On Newborn Rat Respiration, Craig Gatto

Masters Theses

Methylxanthines (MX), such as theophylline, are commonly used in the treatment of recurrent apnea due to their stimulant effects on the respiratory center. Structure-activity studies have demonstrated that substitution of alkyl groups on the 3-position of the xanthine nucleus results in increased bronchodilator potency, while substitution on the 1-position is important for adenosine antagonism and CNS stimulation. Three different alkylxanthines were studied to determine the structural requirements for respiratory stimulation. Respiratory rates and volumes were determined in 4- to 7-day-old rats using a volume displacement body plethysmograph. Measurements were made before and at 5 minute intervals after subcutaneous (s.c.) injection …

Effects Of Caffeine Consumption On Cardiovascular Reactivity To Social Stress, Suzanne L. Keller

Masters Theses

Several risk factors have been linked to cardiovascular diseases; among them are exposure to psychological stressors and caffeine consumption.

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of caffeine consumption on cardiovascular reactivity to role play simulations of social stressors. A double-blind alternating treatment design was employed. Eight subjects (five female and three male) received either caffeine-containing or placebo beverages. Each subject received four samples of each beverage over a total of eight sessions. The results include: (a) stressors increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure along with heart rate in baseline, placebo and drug conditions; (b) caffeine produced …

Gay Masquerade: Male Homosexuals In American Cities, 1910 To 1940, Steven L. Lewis

Masters Theses

Prior to 1900, American scientists struggled to formulate a sexual norm. Their categorization of sexuality ironically led to the creation of a label (homosexual) by which individuals created and expressed a sexual identity at variance with the newly created norm.

By 1910, the climate of moral reform (Progressivism) led to the discovery (and documentation) of a homosexual subculture in larger American cities. With Chicago and New York City as examples, the author documents the growth of this sexual underground in the period between 1910 and 1940. Using primary sources such as diaries, letters, autobiographies and novels, the world of the …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of An Educational Presentation In Increasing Chemically Dependent Males’ Report Of Sexual Abuse, Linda L. Hand

Masters Theses

Research has demonstrated several factors among sexually abused males such as males sexually abused as children becoming adult sexual abusers; one in four males reporting sexual abuse; and adult emotional trauma, drug abuse, and sexual dysfunction. To break this abuse pattern, we need to focus on increasing males' reports of sexual abuse and initiating treatment.

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of an oral educational presentation in increasing males' reports of sexual abuse. It also sought prevalence information and treatment needs. Subjects were 51 males from three chemical dependency treatment centers. One control and four experimental groups were used. The …

Productivity And Affective Responses To Work Tasks And Leisure Activities In Type A And Type B Individuals, Susan Jean Paske

Masters Theses

The Type A Personality Index, a measure of whether an individual tends to be a Type A or a Type B personality, was given to 30 male and 30 female college students who then participated in a planting activity, presented as either a work task or a leisure activity. Productivity was measured by number of pottings, and affective responses to the activity in the areas of evaluation, power, and action were determined by Osgood's 12-scale short form semantic differential (OSD). No significant correlations were found between personality type and productivity or OSD scores in either the work or leisure conditions. …

Receptor Localization And Distribution On Normal And Diabetic Cells By Electron Microscopy, Vance L. Kincaid

Masters Theses

The objective of this research was to evaluate receptor localization and distribution on normal and diabetic cells by electron microscopic analysis.

To achieve this objective, gold-adsorbed and ferritin-conjugated macromolecules were used to determine the location and concentration of specific receptor binding sites on the cells surfaces. To facilitate the use of these ultra-structural histocytochemical markers, normal and diabetic Chinese hamster and other nondiabetic cells were either grown in vitro on ultra thin plastic films or embedded in Lowicryl K4M and pre- or post-labelled with these marker molecules.

Analysis of the data obtained from electron micrographs of these labelled cells was …

Recidivism After Youth Imprisonment In Relationship To Criminal Career: A Twenty Year Follow Up Study, Helmut F. Janssen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of early biographical factors on the future development of the juveniles and focusses on recidivism and factors influencing the development of a criminal "career." It includes a twenty year follow-up period, studying 500 juveniles released from two juvenile prisons of West Germany in 1961.

From a data set originally created in 1966, which included 290 variables, 29 variables, including individual and social characteristics as well as variables dealing with prior experiences with sanctioning, were ultimately used for this study. In addition, some new variables were created from the variables of …

Crime And Delinquency In Haiti: A Study Of Crime In A Developing Country, Gerard Mauze

Masters Theses

The primary intent of this study was an attempt at describing, understanding and analyzing the most common types, incidences and forces that produce crime and delinquency in Haiti. A secondary concern of this work was to do the ground work which would enable the formulation of testable hypotheses about the causes of crime and delinquency in Haiti.

Even though a number of developing nations face a rapid growth in their crime and delinquency rates, Haiti appears to maintain a relatively low crime rate.

The law-abiding behavior of Haitian youths is due to a number of factors: (a) the strong family …

Synthesis And Study Of Novel Quinoxaline Di-N-Oxide And 3-Acyl-2-Methylquinoxaline Di-N-Oxides, Cyprian Okwara Ogbu

Masters Theses

This research project consists of two parts. The first involved the synthesis of a novel quininoxaline di-N-oxide via benzofuroxan. The second part was the use of this compound as a synthetic precursor.

It was assumed that 3,4-dimethylaniline would be successfully converted to 5,6-dimethybenzofurazan 1-oxide (5,6-dimethybenzofuroxan) through a sequence of reaction steps. Fortunately, this assumption was correct as the desired compound was produced. This compound was utilized in synthesizing the novel 3-acetyl-2,6,7-trimethylquinoxaline 1,4-dioxide. From the structure of this adduct, it is believed that it will take part in condensation reactions associated with methyl ketones without disrupting the quinoxaline di-N-oxide framework, and …

Synthesis And Reactions Of A-Diketones And Preparation Of Some New Benzimidazoles, Mohamad Reza Agharahimi

Masters Theses

This report will discuss the synthesis of 2,5-dl-(p-chlorophenyl)-3,4-dioxoadiponitrile and its reactions. This compound exists in the form of 4,4'- dichloropulvinic nitrile which is a precursor to 4,4'-dichk>rovulpinic acid. These compounds have been shown to have antiinflammatory activity in rats.

The benzimidazole and pyridazine derivatives of 4,4'-dichioropulvinic nitrile and the benzimidazole derivative of 4,4'-dichk>rovuipinic acid are another group of compounds that are also believed to have useful biological activities. The Pinner synthesis of imidates is used to make the intermediate to the benzimidazole derivative of 4,4'-dichloropulvinic nitrile.

This report will include the methodology of the reactions and …

Characteristics Of Binding Of Interleukin-1 To Yt.Nci Cells, Susan Catherine Speziale

Masters Theses

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) demonstrated a concentration dependent, specific binding to the human, large granular lymphocyte cell line, YT.NCI with a dissociation constant of 0.2 nM. There were approximately 500 IL-1 receptors/cell.

IL-1 binding to YT.NCI cells could be inhibited by unlabeled-IL-1 and the plant lectins, WGA and Con A. Lectin inhibition of IL-1 binding could be completely abrogated by exposing lectins to specific simple sugars prior to the addition of ligand.

Tunicamycin, an inhibitor of glycosylation, decreased IL-l binding to YT cells in a reversible, time- and concentration-dependent manner.

These observations suggest that glycosylation of cell surface proteins may be important …

Cyanogenesis In Dermatocarpon Miniatum (L.) Mann., Daniel Lee Bergman

Masters Theses

The lichen species Dermatocarpon miniatum (L.) Mann. was found to be cyanogenic. This umbilicate lichen, which is common on limestone and sandstone outcrops throughout the United States, is the first lichen to be reported as cyanogenic. This species were examined for cyanogenesis using population from within the confines of Kankakee River State Park, Kankakee and Will Counties, Illinois. Of the nine populations examined six of the population (testing 30 to 150 individuals in each population) were 100% strongly cyanogenic. In the three remaining population cyanogenesis ranged from 67% to 97%. In addition D. miniatum, two other lichen species also …

Quantitative Studies On Nodulation Competition Of Two Strains Of Bradyrhizobium Japonicum And Its Biological Control With A Bacteriophage, Jin Xiong

Masters Theses

Interstrain competition of Bradyrhizobium japonicum for nodulation of soybean (Glycine max) presents a serious problem to the field commercial inoculation practice. The more efficient, introduced strains are often outcompeted by the less efficient, indigenous strains. This study was conducted to determine if the competition could be effectively controlled by the massive introduction of a more efficient strain and/or the large scale reduction of a indigenous strain by the application of a bacteriophage specific to the indigenous one.

B. japonicum strain 61A123, common in Midwestern U.S. soils, and strain USDA110, representative of the strains used in commercial inocula, were chosen for …

The Development Of A School Emergency Plan For The Blue Ridge School District #18, Farmer City, Illinois, Robert D. Hooker

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to devise an emergency preparedness plan handbook for the Blue Ridge School District #18, Farmer City, Illinois. The handbook was designed to aid the school administration and staff by defining definite administrative action in carrying out the steps necessary to protect students and staff in the event of an emergency situation. A data base was formed from several sources. Information was received through a review of the literature; a review of organizational materials; a review of information from school districts through a questionnaire; interviews with individuals from professional agencies; and a review of school …

An Analysis Of Factors Associated With The Change In Graduation Requirements At Champaign Centennial High School, David H. Pike

Masters Theses

The graduation requirements for the students at Champaign Centennial High School, Champaign, Illinois, changed effective with the class of 1988. This field experience investigated the possible effects of the new and more stringent graduation requirements. A comparative analysis using students in the classes of 1985, 1986, and 1987 for the baseline data with the students in the classes of 1988 and 1989 was completed. Specifically, the evaluator designed a procedure to statistically study the students' American College Test and SRA Survey of Basic Skills Test scores. A two tailed t-test for the difference of the means at the .05 level …

Invertebrates Associated With The Pincushion Moss (Leucobryum Glaucum) And Underlying Soil, Timothy R. Leffler

Masters Theses

A faunal study of soil invertebrates collected from pincushion moss (Leucobryum glaucum) and underlying soil in a mixed deciduous forest of Charleston, Illinois, was performed because it was discovered that moss habitats have been largely overlooked by investigators.

The results from this study suggest that moss habitats provide a buffer area from the external physical environment, provide protection from predators, a place for oviposition and may be used as a food source. Twenty-seven orders of invertebrates were collected (66,023 individuals). Acarina (57.9%) and Collembola (37.9%) made up the majority of the invertebrate population. Three abiotic factors (temperature, moisture …

Fractals With Arbitrary Segment Lengths, Daniel Michael Doerer

Masters Theses

"Work in the area of fractal geometry has generally focused on a specific facet of the discipline at the expense of other interesting features. This approach often generates more questions than answers for the general audience due to the lack of unification across all views. It appears that a common thread to relate all aspects of fractal characteristics is missing. This paper addresses this question and presents some new and fascinating results. For example, in-depth mathematical analysis often defers to the intriguing and attractive graphical displays produced by mapping the complex plane to the pixel field on a CRT. Both …

Glass Formation And Properties In The Sm₂O₃·Al₂O₃·Sio₂ System, Erik M. Erbe

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this investigation was to develop a samarium containing aluminosilicate glass with properties suitable for use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Microspheres made from these compositions would be neutron activated to produce radioactive Sm-153 which has beta-particle energies suitable for treating rheumatoid arthritis as well as appropriate gamma-ray emission for nuclear imaging. The properties of Sm₂O₃ · AI₂O₃ · SiO₂ glasses containing 10 to 25 mole% Sm₂O₃ were evaluated as a function of composition. The density, refractive index, thermal expansion coefficient, and microhardness increased with increasing Sm …

Use Of Circadian Rhythms To Screen For Fever: A Replication, Michele S. Heckman

Masters Theses

There are inconsistent guidelines for, and consequently, inconsistent practice in the screening of hospitalized adults for fever. Using the predictive knowledge of circadian thermal rhythms, the purposes of this study were to identify (1) the hour of the day in which most fevers occurred and (2) the necessary frequency of measurement to detect fever. The sample consisted of 35 subjects, ages 22-62. Temperatures were measured at 6 p.m., 10 p.m., 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. for 24 hours. Eighteen (51.42%) of the 35 subjects had fevers during the 24-hour measurement period. Fourteen (77.78%) initial fevers were …