Life Sciences Commons^™

Antibiotic Effects On Coliform Enumeration, Keith Leonard Wozniak

Masters Theses

The inhibitory effects of Bacillus polymyxa on Escherichia coli were studied. Significant coliform inhibition was observed. The inhibitory agent (presumably polymyxin) was active against coliforms after a one hour holding time. Different suspending menstrua were analyzed for their effects on coliform inhibition. It was observed that Peptone water provided the highest recovery of coliforms while phosphate buffer provided less protection. Two methods of enumeration were also studied as to their ability to quantify coliforms inhibited by B. polymyxa. Comparable inhibition was shown using both methods. No significant differences exist between the Standard Plate Count and Membrane Filter techniques. Overall, …

Some Potential Evolutionary Costs Associated With Paternal Care In The Water Bug Belostoma Flumineum Say, Larry Johnson

Masters Theses

Female water bugs (Belostoma flumineum) deposit eggs in a mucilaginous cement on the back of conspecific males, who then brood these eggs until hatching. Sex role reversal, in which females compete for males and males are discriminating, is predicted in this species because males provide parental care exclusively, and represent a limited resource. Presumably the advantage of this paternal behavior is increased survival of young. However, the potential exists for this egg-brooding behavior to incur evolutionary costs, and quantifying some of these costs was the thrust of this study.

One cost, a loss of polygynous opportunity, was investigated …

Diet And Activity Patterns Of The Common Snapping Turtle, Chelydraserpentina, (Lineaus), At Chain O' Lakes State Park, Lake County, Illinois, Jennifer Budhabhatti

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Seasonal And Daily Activity In A Population Of Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea Blandingi) In Northern Illinois, John W. Rowe

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Xanthine Analogs On Neonatal Rat And Adult Mouse Respiration, Susan M. Reynolds

Masters Theses

Apnea, a prolonged cessation of breathing, is commonly seen in premature infants. This condition, in its severest form, can be lethal and is a suspected cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Sometimes referred to as apnea of prematurity, recurrent apnea is presently being treated with respiratory stimulants known as methylxanthines (MX) such as theophylline and caffeine. The benefits of MXs are accompanied by central nervous system stimulation and cardiostimulation which may be detrimental to a premature infant. Theophylline (1,3-diMX) has been shown to produce some of its effects by antagonizing endogenous adenosine. Another xanthine, enprofylline (3-propylxanthine), is presently being …

Cyanogenic Plants Of Illinois, Kevin E. Aikman

Masters Theses

Cyanogenesis in 50 species of vascular plants collected from east central Illinois was studied by examining 10 populations of each species. Each population consisted of 30 individuals, which gave an over all sample size of 300 plants per species. Herbarium specimens from the Stover Herbarium of Eastern Illinois University (EIU) were also tested for the presence of cyanide. More than 20,000 specimens were tested for this study which included cultivated plants, introduced weeds, and native plant species. The speed and degree of the HCN reaction as well as the specific plant part tested were included to give a more specific …

The Effects Of Xanthine And Adenosine Analogs On Rat Pup Diaphragmatic Contractility, Liam C. Farrell

Masters Theses

Methylxanthines are commonly used in the treatment of respiratory disorders such as asthma, apnea of prematurity and Cheyne-Stokes respiration. Recently, certain methylxanthines have been found to potentiate the contraction of the diaphragm and increase contraction strength of the fatigued diaphragm. The mechanism of action of the methylxanthines is unknown. Three theories have been proposed but each has its supportive and negative points. One theory is that methylxanthines inhibit cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) which facilitates contraction by increasing cyclic AMP levels in the cell. Another theory is that methylxanthines antagonize adenosine, thus blocking the adenosine-induced inhibition of contraction. The third theory …

Medicinal Herbs Of Central Illinois, James E. Hefley

Masters Theses

A survey of the medicinal plants of central Illinois was conducted from fall of 1985 to the summer of 1987. This study concentrated on those herbaceous plants which have a scientific basis for their medicinal value. The study range included the following counties: Coles, Moultrie, Shelby, Fayette, Christian, and Montgomery.

In this paper, 58 species were considered, representing 33 families. A description of external morphology is included for each specimen, as well as folknames and habitat preferences. In addition, the medicinal qualities and active constituents are included for each specimen, as well as comments about their scientific and folknames.

In …

Yeast Mannans: Use As A Transport Vehicle For Peptides, Jacqueline Cesario Lee

Masters Theses

Yeast mannans are phosphorylated glycopeptides found in various species of yeast. Their similarity to the mannose-phosphate signal for intracellular lysosomal uptake led mannans to be considered as a possible vehicle for increasing cellular affinity for peptides. Insulin was used as a model peptide and was conjugated to mannans by two coupling methods. The conjugated mannan-insulins were compared to insulin on the basis of cellular binding and ability to induce typical insulin biological effects.

Strain Differences And Mutagen Treatment Influence Lectin Binding To Mouse Germ Cells, Marilyn Schmalz Holm

Masters Theses

Carbohydrate moieties on mouse germ cell surfaces were characterized by investigating the binding of FITC-labeled lectins to sperm and testis cells. Differences in lectin binding between different mouse strains, including T/t mice, were found. However, there was no evidence for the involvement of sialic acid or L-fucose in the T/t locus antigens. Antiserum to the t⁰, t⁶ haplotype was equally reactive to both ICR and T/t mouse testis cells in both immunofluorescence and cytotoxicity assays. Trypsinization of testis cells increased binding of soybean agglutinin and decreased binding of wheat germ agglutinin.

A method was developed for flow …

The Ethnobotany Of The Pawpaw, Asimina Triloba (L.) Dunal, Brian Douglas Compton

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Bluegill (Lepomis Macrochirus) Population Of Lake Charleston, Coles Co. Illinois, Dale Douglas Lyon

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Hold-Release Mechanism In The Family Crotalidae, Ronald K. Easter

Masters Theses

Strike/release vs. strike/hold feeding behavior was observed for 5 Crotalus atrox and 5 Agkistrodon piscivorous. Two sizes of warm blooded prey were offered to the rattlesnakes on alternate weeks. Cottonmouths were offered, alternately, fish or mice of equal size. Although data varied among individual subjects, cottonmouths offered fish demonstrated the strike/hold behavior significantly more often than the strike/release behavior; cottonmouths offered mice struck and released significantly more often than they struck and held. It is concluded that the strike/hold strategy in sreponse to fish is adventageous because the danger of holding such prey is minimal and the release of …

Illustrations Of Fox Ridge State Park Mosses, Coles County, Illinois, Jamaliah Ahmad

Masters Theses

This thesis is a continuation of a study done by Dave A. Breen, B. S., M.S. in Botany (1985). Breen studied and collected the bryophytes of Fox Ridge State Park which is located aproximately 8 miles south of Charleston, Illinois in Coles County (Sec. 11, 12 and 13, T11N, R9E.). Breen found sixty eight species of mosses, one species new to Illinois and nine species new to Coles County. This additional illustrative work covers Breen's general taxonomic study. It is to be utilized in the identification of those mosses of the Fox Ridge State Park. Techniques used in illustrations were …

An Understory Survey Of Baber Woods, Edgar County, Illinois, Amy Jo Burns

Masters Theses

Several vegetation studies have been undertaken in Baber Woods, Edgar County, Illinois, in the past 20 years. After looking at the data of these studies it was decided that an additional study was needed to determine if the increasing importance value (IV) of Acer saccharum was indeed important. It appears that this species is starting to take over the native oak-hickory woods as well as decreasing the diversity of the herbaceous understory (Ebinger, 1986). The present study was undertaken to determine of Acer saccharum has increased enough to justify implementation of some type of forest management.

Environmental parameters at the …

The Effects Of Various Adenosine And Xanthine Analogues On Mammalian Sperm Motility, Daniel Joseph Cushing

Masters Theses

Caffeine, theophylline, and a number of other xanthine analogues have been shown to stimulate the motility of mammalian spermatozoa. The mechanism by which these compounds act was assumed to be cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibition. However, it has recently been shown that many of the responses elicited by alkylxanthines and their analogues in various tissues are not the result of cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibition but by antagonism of endogenous adenosine. Using the recently described transmembrane migration method this study observed the effect of a number of xanthine and adenosine analogues on mammalian sperm motility. The hypothesis to be tested was that the increase …

Factors Affecting The Predator-Prey Relationship Between Predaceous Diving Beetle Larvae (Dytiscus Fasciventris) And Two Anuran Tadpole Species (Bufo Americanus And Hyla Crucifer), Todd S. Campbell

Masters Theses

It has previously been demonstrated that American toad (Bufo americanus) tadpoles are more vulnerable to predation by diving beetle larvae (Dytiscus fasciventris) than are spring peeper (Hyla crucifer) tadpoles. A laboratory study was undertaken to further delineate factors that contribute to the differential vulnerability observed. Beetle larvae are more effective tadpole predators in shallow, than in deep, water and appear to prefer to adopt a "sit-and-wait" predator strategy while clinging to emergent vegetation. Depth preference experiments in the laboratory indicated that both tadpole species prefer deep areas to shallow areas irrespective of whether a …

Mating Behavior Of The Giant Waterbug Belostoma Flumineum Say, Janet E. Ruppert

Masters Theses

Sexual selection theory predicts that in the few species where males make a larger parental investment than females and limit female reproduction, females should court and compete for males (i.e. we should observe "sex-role reversal"--Trivers, 1972). These predictions were tested in the laboratory with the giant waterbug Belostoma flumineum Say (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) . Males of this species characteristically carry and brood eggs on their dorsa, thus making a substantial parental investment.

The courtship sequence in "one male:one female" pairings began with the male "pumping" (rapidly raising and lowering his abdomen at the water's surface). This presumably attracted the female, …

An Analysis Of Waterfowl Hunter Activity And Harvest On Selected Public Hunting Areas In Illinois, Gary E. Potts

Masters Theses

Hunter activity and waterfowl harvest were studied on 11 public waterfowl hunting areas (PHA) in Illinois which utilized 1, 2, or 3-year duck blind allocation systems from 1979-1983. The number of individual hunters, man-days, and average man-days hunted per season varied for each area in each year. The average man-days hunted per season for all study areas was 5.7 with a range of 4.4 to 6.4. Highly significant correlations existed between blind-days and man-days (r=.99), blind-days and man-hours (r=.97), and man-days and man-hours (r=.98) suggesting that the three variables are equally valid for evaluating hunter activity. On 1-year duck blind …

The Relationship Between Moist-Soil Plant Seed Production And Drawdown Date In An East-Central Illinois Subimpoundment Managed For Waterfowl Hunting, Jeffrey M. Ver Steeg

Masters Theses

Faced with increasing costs and decreasing federal funds, wildlife managers are turning towards more energy effecient and economical methods of attracting fall migrating waterfowl. The production of food by natural moist-soil plants can be encouraged in low lying areas by timely dewatering and reflooding. This study was designed to determine which of two drawdown dates would result in the greatest seed production by plants known to be valuable waterfowl foods.

A late July 1984 drawdown in an east-central Illinois subimpoundment produced significantly more smartweed (Polygonum spp.) and pigweed (Amaranthus tamariscinus) seed than did a late March 1985 drawdown. …

Spotted Owls In Harvested Areas, Kathleen R. Nickell

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of A Bacteriophage On The Competition Of Rhizobium Japonicum Strains For Nodulation Of Glycine Max (L.) Merr, Lori Kelley

Masters Theses

The symbiotic relationship between Rhizobium japonicum (Kir.) Buch. and Glycine max (L.) Merr. was the concern of this thesis. This relationship occurs naturally in soybean fields. In the field there are many different strains of Rhizobium. Some of these strains fix atmospheric nitrogen more efficiently than others resulting in a higher crop yield. The problem is the more efficient nitrogen fixers are out-competed by less efficient nitrogen fixers. In order to solve this problem the more competitive strains have to be controlled. There are two main ways to do this. One is to increase the number of the desired …

Ectoparasites Of Geomys Bursarius Illinoensis, Rick L. Miller

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to determine what ectoparasitic organisms are found on the pairie pocket gophers, Geomys burasrius, occurring in an isolated population in northeastern Illinois. The study area was a five hectare grassland community composed predominately of sandy soil, located in northeastern Iriquois Co., two miles north and three miles east of Beaverville, IL.

A total of 19 pocket gophers were captured from October 2 to November 17, 1983. Blood was collected and smears were made in the field. Hosts were examined for ectoparasites in the laboratory. Six hundred and nine ectoparasitic organisms were isolated representing a mean …

Analysis Of The Charleston, Illinois Water Supply For The Presence Of Organic Mutagens Utilizing The Ames Salmonella/Microsome Assay, Steven Lee Washburn

Masters Theses

Water samples from the Charleston, Illinois water supply and selected agricultural run-off areas were tested for the presence of organic mutagenic chemicals. The Ames Salmonella/microsome mutagenicity assay utilizing strains TA98 and TA100 was used to analyze concentrated water samples. A special set of samples was exposed to the S9 activation system coupled with the TA98 strain to simulate the mammalian metabolic system.

No mutagens were detected in any of the samples tested. Several positive and negative control systems were included in the testing system. Negative control systems were used to determine the average spontaneous reversion rates for each strain for …

Stress And Anxiety Levels Of Exercising Versus Sedentary Male Adults, Michael James Hanley

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare stress and anxiety levels of exercising and sedentary male adults at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.

Forty-four male adults were selected as subjects for the study. Thirty-two subjects were chosen from an Adult Fitness group and comprised the exercising group. The sedentary group, chosen at random, consisted of twelve staff members who were not currently in a regular exercise program.

The Anxiety Scale Questionnaire developed by the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing (IPAT) was used. Using a provided answer key, a raw score was obtained for each participant. Raw scores …

Microencapsulation As An Alternative To Emulsification For Preparing As A For Use In Papermaking, William J. Corriveau

Masters Theses

The sizing chemical ASA is emulsified to make i t compatible with the papermaking process. Unfortunately, emulsified ASA is chemically reactive with water at the elevated temperatures found in papermaking systems. As an alternative, encapsulated ASA was made and investigated for its stability towards water at elevated temperatures.

A handsheet procedure was developed to analyze emulsified and encapsulated ASA. It was concluded that the procedure gave statistically reproducible results. Investigations with the procedure revealed important variables concerning the laboratory and m ill application of ASA. Evidence indicated that retention of ASA was critical to sizing development.

Encapsulated ASA made for …

The Use Of Motor Coordination Endpoints In The F1 Generation To Evaluate For Effects Of Ethylmethanesulfonate On Pre- And Post-Meiotic Sperm Cells Of Male Mice, Lee Goldner

Masters Theses

Groups of 5 male HA(ICR) mice were injected intraperitoneally with 60, 150, 300, or 600 mg/kg body weight of ethylmethanesulfonate or with a saline control. Each male was mated to two untreated females at two weeks after treatment and then again at five weeks after treatment. The treatment groups were labelled post-meiotic and pre-meiotic relative to the stage of spermatogenesis at time of treatment. Progeny were evaluated by observations of litter size, body weight, negative geotactic response, swimming patterns, limb use, water escape time and open field motor coordination activity. Body weight, geotactic response, limb use and open field motor …

The Trend In Canopy Composition In A Young Mesic Forest, Zhenchang Li

Masters Theses

Brewer Woods, a young disturbed mesic sugar maple-beech (Acer saccharum-Fagus grandifolia) forest in Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, was investigated by point-quarter and transition matrix methods. The results indicate that this forest is dominated by sugar maple in both canopy and understory composition. Beech is the second most important species. Fourteen species were found as canopy trees or replacements. The hypothesis that a young forest is more diverse than comparable climax forests such as Warren Woods and Hueston Woods was supported. Its successional trend is that sugar maple will become more abundant at the expense of the other species. Beech is a …

A Study Of Cell-Mediated Immunity During A Primary Infection With Pseudorabies Virus, John George Chosay

Masters Theses

This research defines the role and sequence of cell-mediated immune events in an in vivo virus infection. Pseudorabies virus infected CF1 mice lungs, were assessed by his to logical or immunohistochemical means. Using fluorescein isothiocyanate Tabled anti-T lymphocyte (ATG) and lissamine rhodamineB200 labeled anti-macrophage globulins (AMG), the number of lymphocytes and macrophages were determined. An early increase in T cells (four hours post-innoculation) was followed by an increase in macrophages (15 hours post-innoculation). Thereafter tissue levels of T cells and macrophages remained constant. Thymus dependent lymphocyte; failed to show increase macrophages clustering as pathology progressed. The first pathological changes in …

Response Of A Nitrifying Biofilm To Copper, Denise Moldroski Mott

Masters Theses

In pure cultures of Nitrosomonas, copper is known to cause a stimulation of nitrification at low levels (≤ 0.03 mg Cu⁺²/1) and an inhibition affect at higher levels (≥ 0.05 mg Cu⁺²/1). Nitrifying activated sludges are much more tolerant of copper showing only 75% inhibition at 150mg Cu⁺²/1. The purpose of this paper was to determine the copper sensitivity of a nitrifying biofilm grown in a continuous flow trickling filter system.

A continuous flow trickling filter system was built using limestone chips for the biofilm substrate. The biofilm was established from secondary effluent. …