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A Study Of Ground-Water Quality In A Priority Agricultural And Livestock Watershed, Cass County, Michigan, Matthew Alan Stuk

Masters Theses

A study of ground-water contamination in a shallow, sandy, glacial drift aquifer was performed in a watershed dominated by swine feedlots and crop fields in Cass County, Michigan. Monitoring wells were installed and sampled to study the flow pattern, chemistry, and contamination of ground water.

Results of chemical analyses show contamination from fertilizers and other soil-applied chemicals as well as the infiltration of breakdown products from pig waste. Shallow wells in impacted areas show potassium and nitrate from the breakdown of fertilizers, calcium from field application of lime, and additional nitrate from pig waste. Elevated calcium, potassium, and nitrate concentrations …

The Effects Of An Integrated Environment On Specific Target Behaviors In Severely Impaired Young Children, Rosemarie R. Smith

Masters Theses

Four severely impaired children, ages four to seven, were integrated in a non-handicapped preschool setting during a free play period. A multiple baseline design was used to study the environment's effect on specific target behaviors. No intervention, other than the classroom setting, was implemented to effect levels of these behaviors. The results were mixed with one student showing a marked increased in the desired behavior from.136 occurrences per minute to 1.73 occurrences per minute. However, a second subject's desired behavior decreased from 2.0 occurrences per minute to.194 occurrences per minute. The target behaviors of the remaining two subjects remained unchanged. …

A Survey Of A Number Of Megalithic Grave Complexes In Tamil Nadu, South India, David K. Mcconkey

Masters Theses

This study compares and contrasts a number of Megalithic cemeteries from South India. The project involved the mapping of a number of cemeteries from the Lower Moyar Shelf. I then compared and contrasted them to the cemeteries of the upper Nilgiris.

Some have suggested that these two regions had very limited contact with one another. From the evidence that I have gathered I now believe that they were wrong. There is a strong continuity in grave types between the lower regions and the upper Nilgiris, which I believe demonstrates some degree of contact. I also believe that based on the …

An Analysis Of The Artifacts From The Historic Components Of The Elam Site (20ae195), Allegan County, Michigan, Mary Lynn Jeakle

Masters Theses

This study involved the analysis of the historic artifacts recovered from the excavation of the Elam site (20AE195) during the 1978, 1983, 1985, and 1987 field seasons, conducted by Western Michigan University.

The results of the analysis indicate that there were at least two pre-twentieth century historic occupations of the site. The first dates between A.D. 1680-1770, and was a transient and probably repeated usage of the site by Potawatomi Indians. The second dating to approximately A.D. 1840, is possibly the short term, temporary residence of an unknown fur trader, prior to settlement of the area by Americans.

Interest Group Influence On U.S. Congressional Committees: A Case Study Of The United States-Canada Free Trade Agreement, Laurel L. Hoffman

Masters Theses

The impact of special interests on Congress has long been a matter for concern. A content analysis of testimony presented at 14 Congressional committee hearings on the United States-Canada Free Trade Agreement revealed that three broad categories of witnesses participated: business, government, and non-business. Total testimony for business and government were comparable, while non-business had fewer witnesses and less testimony. Government supplied more testimony in oral form, which was interpreted as a higher degree of participation than written testimony, predominantly supplied by business. There was little evidence of lobbying coalitions as measured by crossreferencing; witnesses rarely referred to anything but …

Identification And Characterization Of Possible Multiple Binding Sites For ((3)H)8-Oh-Dpat In The Hippocampus, Dawna Lea Evans

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Laser Doppler Velocimetry Research Of The Blowby Gas Characteristics In An Internal Combustion Engine, Mark Kevin Coffill

Masters Theses

The project was designed to measure a reciprocating engine fluid flow (blowby gases past the piston rings) using a laser doppler velocimeter (LDV). Blowby gases were obtained by introducing compressed air into an engine cylinder (piston held at TDC) to simulate engine combustion pressures. Beginning the proposed research included starting an LDV/reciprocating engine laboratory at Western Michigan University and determining the limits of the measurement devices (LDV system in particular).

The limitations which were found in the LDV system only allowed for limited results of in cylinder optical measurements. The results obtained were for cylinder pressures below 0.6 kPa gauge …

Expositeo Attonis Episcopivercellensis In Epistolam Sancti Pauli Ad Romanos: Introduction And Partial Text, Steven R. Cartwright

Masters Theses

Manuscripts of the commentary of Atto of Vercelli on the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans were transcribed and collated, and a critical edition of the commentary, from the Prologue to Atto’s comments on chapter two, verse thirteen of the biblical text, was produced, noting textual variants, Scriptural quotations, and Patristic sources. This edition was compared with previous editions of the commentary, and variants were listed. A comparison was made with manuscripts of another commentary on Romans which was paraphrased from Atto’s, and similarities and differences were noted.

Microfilms of two manuscripts were used in the transcription: Vercelli Biblioteca …

Use Of Geology And Petrophysics In The Characterization Of St. Peter Sandstone Reservoirs, Rusli Bin Adam

Masters Theses

Core samples and petrophysical data from three reservoir intervals within the Middle Ordovician St. Peter Sandstone in the Michigan basin were utilized to assess the reservoir performance. Each reservoir interval coincides with major sedimentary facies which are in gradational contact with one another vertically and laterally throughout the basin. Reservoirs in the lower portions of the formation (reservoir type 1) are dominated by meso-intercrystalline porosity. This predominantly quartz cemented reservoir rock type is characterized by low porosity with high permeability, moderate pore apertures, and moderate irreducible water saturation. Reservoirs at the top of the formation (reservoir type 3) are dominated …

Construction Of A Lithium Vapor Oven For Electron Capture And Multiple Ionization Experiments, Oliver Woitke

Masters Theses

A Li vapor oven, to be used as a source of Li target atoms in electron capture and multiple ionization experiments, was designed and installed in the beamline of the Van de Graaff accelerator at Western Michigan University. The oven was tested using two different projectile beams, protons and He+. The test results indicate that Li evaporated from the oven in the form of a cloud rather than as a jet spray. For He+ colliding with Li it was found that the projectile single-electron loss yield is about three orders of magnitude larger than the single-electron capture yield, as expected …

A Study Of The Transfer Matrix Method For The Classical Statistical Mechanics Of One Dimensional Systems, Dietmar R.A. Johlen

Masters Theses

Two formalisms using the transfer matrix technique, the first one by Gupta and Sutherland (1976) and the second one by Guyer and Miller (1979), are investigated and a proof is given for their equivalence.

Furthermore, it is pointed out that previous studies neglected the difficulties that arise from nonhermitian pseudo Hamiltonian. This work proves that the same results are obtained by taking into account the nonhermiticity of the pseudo Hamiltonian.

Thus, the transfer integral technique is extended to nonhermitian pseudo Hamiltonians.

The R Value At Vo2 Max During Maximal Graded Exercise Treadmill Tests Of Coronary Artery Diseased And Nondiseased Subjects, Sherry S. Williams

Masters Theses

This study examined the R value at VO2 max during maximal graded treadmill exercise tests to determine if it was a reliable indicator of VO2 max and could therefore be used as a test termination criterion. The subjects in this study were 160 coronary artery diseased (CAD) patients and 170 nondiseased individuals. Data were collected from existing stress test records. The R value was also analyzed to determine if proportions of diseased and nondiseased subjects were the same. The time it took 100 CAD patients to reach VO2 max and exhaustion once R rose above 1.00 was also examined.

The …

Isolation And Characterization Of The Triiodothyronine Regulatory Region Of The Fatty Acid Synthase Gene In Avian Species, Delfina Rivera Valencia

Masters Theses

Fatty acids are utilized for energy storage in the form of triglycerides or neutral fats. One way to regulate fatty acid biosynthesis is to regulate the activity of fatty acid synthase (FAS), the enzyme that catalyzes the reaction. Previous studies have shown that regulation of FAS activity and synthesis is regulated by the hormone triiodothyronine, T₃, at the level of transcription. Thus, isolation and characterization of the promoter region o f the FAS gene will enable the identification of the thyroid hormone response elements (TREs). This study could shed light on the mechanisms on how this gene can …

The Effectiveness Of Special Education Placement And Services: A Descriptive Study, Michelle D. Lewis

Masters Theses

This descriptive study evaluated the effectiveness of special education placement and services over a three year period o f time. The files of seventeen students were chosen for the study. The study took place in two school districts in Southwestern Michigan.

The findings from this study indicate that: (a) there was an increase in test scores in the area of Performance IQ, and (b) there was a significant decrease in test scores in the area o f Math Calculation. There was a general trend, although not significant, of a decrease in scores in all areas of ability and achievement except …

The Diffusion Of Management Practices In The United States, Fumie Murase

Masters Theses

The study of diffusion of Japanese management practices in the United States is required by growing Japanese investment in the United States and the need of United States manufacturing to become more efficient. This thesis is based on a qualitative analysis of five case studies of automobile assembly plants in the United States utilizing cultural diffusion theory.

Most of Japanese production practices and some of their labor management policies were originally transferred to Japan from the United States. After being modified in Japan some of these policies are coming back to the United States with the transplants. Other Japanese management …

Political Action Committees In The State Of Michigan, Keeley I. Taylor

Masters Theses

A survey was conducted of all political action committees (PACs) registered with the Secretary of State's Office in Michigan for the 1986 and 1990 Statewide elections. A portrait of the structure of the organization, decision making criteria, and solicitation techniques of Michigan PACs has been developed from the survey data.

Most PACs in Michigan tend to be infant organizations because they are cyclical in nature, forming and dissolving around election periods. They tend to form around economic issues; have no specific PAC office; no permanent staff; have little or no office budget; fund their activities through direct mail solicitation; focus …

Fixed-Ratio Size As A Determinant Of The Development Of Tolerance To Morphine, Mark J. Nickel

Masters Theses

The acute and chronic effects of morphine were examined in pigeons exposed to a multiple schedule with fixed ratio 5, 25, and 125 components. Acute exposure to morphine (0.56-10.0 mg/kg) resulted in rate reductions under each component when the dose was 1 mg/kg or higher. With chronic exposure to 5.6 mg/kg, tolerance to the rate-reducing effects of morphine was evident under each fixed ratio component. The development of tolerance was determined to some extent by fixed-ratio size, a result similar to earlier findings with cocaine.

The Effect Of Public Posting And Supervisor Recognition On Treatment Team Performance In A Mental Health Institution, Susan Mencarelli

Masters Theses

This study compared the effects of public posting and supervisor recognition on the performance of professional staff in a mental health institution. Eleven indicators of successful performance in the writing of patient treatment plans were established after an analysis of existing standards. Seven treatment teams comprised the subjects of the study and included psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, activity therapists, and residential care aides. Group performance data were used. The measurement and scoring systems which were developed proved to be highly reliable.

Neither form of performance feedback resulted in consistent improvement in performance on any of the eleven indicators. This …

Mdma And Memory: The Acute And Chronic Effects Of Mdma In Pigeons Performing Under A Delayed-Matching-To-Sample Procedure, Mark Lesage

Masters Theses

The physiological effects of (+) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) have been studied extensively. The behavioral effects of MDMA, however, have not been examined in detail. In an attempt to gain further information about its behavioral effects, the acute and chronic effects of MDMA were examined in pigeons responding under a delayed-matching-to-sample procedure with 0-, 3-, and 6-s delays. In the absence of drug, accuracy (percentage o f correct responses) was inversely related to delay length. When administered pre-chronically, MDMA (0.32 to 5.6 mg/kg) decreased accuracy and response rates at higher doses. Tolerance developed following chronic exposure to 3.2 mg/kg. Performance did not …

Assessment Of The Relationship Between Regular Fitness Activity And Sexual Functioning In Women, Joanne Kolean-Burley

Masters Theses

This study assessed differences between female aerobic exercisers and nonexercisers in sexual functioning and arousability. Fourteen exercisers and 6 nonexercisers between the ages of 19 and 52 participated in the study. All subjects were involved in an ongoing sexual relationship with a duration of at least 3 months. Sexual functioning, satisfaction, and arousability were assessed through two self-report measures, the Sexual Interaction Inventory (LoPiccolo & Steger, 1978) and the Sexual Arousability Inventory (Hoon, Hoon, & Wincze, 1976); sexual arousability also was assessed through two extragenital physiological measures during exposure to erotic stimuli under laboratory conditions.

The results indicated that there …

Charge Conservation In The Incommensurate-Commensurate Transition Of Charge Density Waves, Jörg Kastrup

Masters Theses

W ith the complex continuation method, introduced by Gupta and Sutherland (1976), the grand partition function for the sine-Gordon model of charge density waves may be calculated without violation of charge conservation. Contrary to previous works by Okwamoto, Takayama and Shiba (1979) and Turkevich and Doniach (1982) the chemical potential becomes temperature dependent. By direct comparison of numerical results with those of the above mentioned authors it is shown that the incommensurate-commensurate transition does not occur in the previously predicted temperature range.

The Effects Of Public-Posted Feedback On The Use Of A Photocopy Machine By Faculty In An Academic Department, Shijing Hu

Masters Theses

This study assessed the effects of a public-posting intervention on photocopy machine use by faculty members in an academic department. Public posting included posting of a chart that displayed number of copies made each week by individual faculty members along with the average cumulative rate of copying for previous weeks for each person. The intervention was applied in an A-B-A reversal design where data were collected prior to the intervention under usual conditions (A), during public posting (B), and after the public posting intervention was removed and usual conditions were restored (A). The results indicated that: (1) number of copies …

Mate Choice: Investigation Of Mating Preference For Siblings Versus Nonsiblings In The Solitary Vespid Wasp Euodynerus Foraminatus, Omoury A. Chambegga

Masters Theses

Caged wasps of Euodynerus foraminatus were given a choice of a sibling or a nonsibling for mates. Two types of experiments were conducted: female choice and male choice. For female choice experiments one female, a sibling male, and an unrelated male were introduced into an observation cage. For male choice experiments one male, a sibling female, and an unrelated female were introduced into an observation cage. Females preferred to mate with siblings, but males mated randomly with regard to family relationship.

Localization Of Light In One Dimensional Randomly Disordered Dielectric Medium, K. Balaji

Masters Theses

The concept of localization of electrons in semiconductors has been known ever since the 1960's when P. W. Anderson and N. F. Mott made detail investigations on the transport properties of alloys. At the end of the last decade, however, physicist started looking for localization in other systems. Specifically, they looked at the localization of light and acoustic waves in disordered systems. Localization is a property which arises for all wavelike excitations in disordered media.

In this study we analyze the localization of light in one dimensional randomly disordered dielectric medium using computer simulation (numerical integration method) technique. The results …

Double Differential Cross Sections For State-Selective Electron Capture By Low-Energy Ar4+ And Ar5+ Ions From He And Ar, Serefettin Yaltkaya

Masters Theses

Doubly differential cross sections, in angle and energy, for state-selective single-electron capture from He and Ar by Ar⁴⁺ and Ar⁵⁺ ions have been studied experimentally at laboratory impact energies of 25q, 50q, and lOOq eV (q = 4 and 5, where q is the ion charge state) and at laboratory scattering angles between 0° and 5.5°, by means of translational energy spectroscopy. The translational energy-gain spectra show that only a few final states are selectively populated. Final-state transition probabilities were found to depend strongly on the charge state of the projectile ion and the ionization potential of the …

Prediction Of Paper Color: A Process Simulation Approach, Mayank Chaturvedi

Masters Theses

A simulation model was developed for a dye mixing process and for the prediction of the optical properties of the paper. The model was integrated with the MAPPS (Modular Analysis of Pulp and Paper Systems) simulation software package. The model was validated using dyed handsheets made in a laboratory and dyed paper made on a pilot papermachine. Validation comprised of prediction of the optical properties of the handsheets and the machine-made paper which contained various combinations of three non-fluorescent dyes. Sheet reflectances were predicted at 20 nanometer intervals for discrete light wavelength range of 400 to 700 nanometers and verified …

Sequential And Parallel Discrete Event Simulation On Computer Communication Networks, Tao Zhou

Masters Theses

This thesis presents the discrete event simulation technique on the network design, focusing on the methodology, modeling and implementation. The developed technique is suitable for the analysis of any store-and-forward computer communication networks with any level of complexity. The proposed generic simulation model can be used to test the architectures and protocols of existing networks and networks being designed. In implementation of the sequential discrete event simulation, an object-oriented programming strategy is applied to the network simulation using the C++ language. The parallel discrete event simulation is introduced to solve the problem of long time execution of the sequential simulation …

A Study Of The Effect Of Water-Soluble Polymers On Water Holding And Binder Migration Tendencies Of Coatings, Joginder S. Malik

Masters Theses

Water-soluble polymers are being used in the paper coating industry for a variety of purposes including the development of water holding, viscosity control, structure and binder migration control. This study was designed to evaluate the degree that selected types of water-soluble polymers (carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium alginate, polyvinyl alcohol and a polyacrylate) influence these properties. The methodology comprised of recently developed techniques in which water holding, immobilization solids and binder migration could all be measured for similar coatings applied on a paper-like porous substrate. The results illustrated that watersoluble polymers affect both the water-loss rate and binder migration, but reduce the …

Effects Of Strengthening The Stabilizing Muscles Of The Hip Joint On Strength Gain Of The Hamstring Group, Tina M. Wilson

Masters Theses

The problem under investigation was to determine if strengthening the abductor and adductor muscle groups of the hip would increase hamstring flexion strength. Forty females from aerobic classes were put into two groups, control and treatment, after being pretested on the Cybex II Dynamometer. The control group participated only in aerobics, while the treatment group participated in the aerobics and treatment program. The treatment consisted of four exercises working abduction and adduction of the thigh with SPRI's Xercise Band.

After six weeks all subjects were posttested on the Cybex II Dynamometer. Both groups had significant increases in hamstring strength. These …

The Differential Effects Of Performance Monitoring And Performance Contingent Consequences In A Laboratory Setting, Julie A. Glasser

Masters Theses

A simulated work task, consisting of paper and pencil quality control inspection, was used to examine the effects of performance monitoring and performance-contingent feedback on the quality and quantity of work produced. Six subjects were exposed to two treatment conditions. During monitoring only, a supervisor checked performance by asking subjects about their progress. During performance-contingent feedback, a supervisor informed subjects of the number of correct inspections completed on a sample page and summarized the quality of their work in a brief statement. Performance was measured in terms of error detection accuracy (errors missed and false error detections) and rate of …