Life Sciences Commons^™

The Identification And Characterization Of Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase Gene Family Members In Glycine Max, Erin Kathleen Pringle

Masters Theses

"Gene families are collections of genes with similar functions. Studying gene families is important for understanding the evolution of genes and manipulating genes. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) is an enzyme found in plants. It catalyzes the deamination of phenylalanine to produce cinnamic acid. Genes for PAL have been identified in many different plant species. This project used the known sequence for the PAL1 gene in Glycine max to find other PAL genes in Glycine max"--Abstract, page iii.

Role Of Microtubules In Budding Yeast Cytokinesis, Su Young Park

Masters Theses

"Cytokinesis is an important step to finish cell cycle events and separate into two daughter cells. This event is driven by actomyosin ring contraction. In budding yeast, the mitotic exit network (MEN) controls completion of ana/telophase by signaling events. Bub2 is a mitotic exit network regulator and binds to Tem1p which is an important component in MEN. Mad2 is a component of a separate spindle checkpoint. Mad2 dependent pathway prevents the metaphase to anaphase transition under spindle damage. Because yeast cells have cell walls, septum formation follows actin ring contraction. Here it was investigated how microtubule defects affect cytokinesis in …

Influence Of Fluvial Geomorphology On Fish Assemblage Structure Within An Agriculturally Impacted Watershed, Jeffrey D. Fore

Masters Theses

Warmwater stream fish assemblages are often considered limited by instream habitat availability. Thus, much current research has focused on determining habitat features that limit the abundance and persistence of stream fishes. These studies provide valuable information to managers who are concerned with increasing species abundance and persistence, but they may not provide information on the processes structuring the stream fish community. To address this issue, we hypothesized that stream geomorphology differed among stream sizes and types (i.e., channelized vs. unchannelized streams) and that the fish assemblages associated with each geomorphic type would be unique. Fish assemblages were sampled and geomorphic …

Long-Term Functional Trait Dynamics In Abandoned Agricultural Fields, Timothy A. Rye

Masters Theses

A fundamental question of plant succession is whether species within different successional stages differ in terms of functional traits as changes in community-level traits reflect changes in plant strategies over time. Although there are many studies that focus on that question, researchers have not studied the long-term dynamics of those traits within plant communities in depth. We used data from a 49-year study of old-field succession (the Buell-Small Succession Study) to assess the dynamics of important functional traits (height, seed mass, specific leaf area) and compared their dynamics among life forms and between native and non-native species. We assessed communitylevel …

Foraging Site Selection In Prairie Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis C. Calligaster): An Experimental Approach, Angela M. Fornell

Masters Theses

A critical component to a predator’s survival is the choice of foraging sites that yield enough predatory success to meet energetic demands. To elucidate cues used to select foraging sites, I examined foraging site selection in Prairie Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis c. calligaster), a generalist species whose foraging mode is flexible. My objectives were to determine: the pattern of foraging site selection; the importance of certain cues that kingsnakes use when selecting foraging sites; and, whether or not kingsnakes adjust their foraging patterns in response to alterations in the microhabitat. I tested subjects in a large experimental arena under several treatment conditions …

Terrestrial Macrofungi Of Old-Growth Prairie Groves, Vincent P. Hustad

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and contrast the communities of terrestrial macrofungi of Brownfield and Trelease Woods, Champaign Co., IL; old-growth prairie groves isolated for> 120 years. This study represents the first known analysis of fungal communities in old-growth prairie grove ecosystems in the Midwestern United States, and provides an excellent opportunity to characterize the fungal biodiversity of established old-growth reference communities for comparisons with other sites, both local and distant. Fungal communities were sampled during the fall fruiting seasons of 2006 and 2007 using a plot frequency study of fungal abundance. Several estimators of species richness …

Correlating Phytoplankton Assemblages With Water Quality In Illinois Lakes And Reservoirs: Validating Models Based On Historical Data, Jason D. Allen

Masters Theses

In the last two decades management and monitoring efforts in freshwater systems has shifted from point source pollutants to non-point source pollutants and environmental modification. Long term, large scale sampling projects necessitated by such a shift often are infeasible due to logistical, cost, and time constraints.

In recent years fish and benthic macroinvertebrate indices of biological integrity (IBI's) have been used to survey the quality of flowing (lotic) water systems, which have drastically reduced sampling time and facilitated large scale monitoring projects. However, it is unlikely that these could be adapted to lentic systems. This study was undertaken in an …

The Impact Of Climate On The Leaf Characteristics Of Genus Fraxinus, Brian W. Craven

Masters Theses

Fraxinus (ash) has six species across eastern North America, five of which are found in Illinois (F. americana, F. pennsylvanica, F. nigra, F. quadrangulata, F. profimda). It is also threatened by the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) (BAB). Are climate differences across a north-south distance of 600 km great enough to create differences in the morphological characteristics of Fraxinus species? Studying latitudinal variation in the species of Fraxinus would reveal the impact of climate on the leaf characteristics of a genus of trees which extend over a considerable portion of the continent. The objectives of this study were to determine …

Evaluation Of The Oxalate-Consuming Activities Of Probiotic Microorganisms, Alexandra E.C. Baluka

Masters Theses

This study identifies the oxalate-consuming capabilities of mixtures of probiotic microorganisms, present as commercial probiotics, as well as in seventeen pure cultures of probiotic microorganisms. Probiotics are sold commercially as powders, tablets, and supplements of live microorganisms that, when taken in large amounts, confer a health benefit to the host. Increased levels of urinary oxalate coincide with the formation of kidney stones, so this study sought to identify organisms capable of oxalate consumption that could potentially be manufactured for those suffering from calcium oxalate kidney stones. This study determined that consumption of oxalate was not directly tied to active growth …

Mating Bias In The Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis Invicta, Kendra Carroll

Masters Theses

The two social forms in the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, are believed to be governed by the expression of one specific gene. This gene, known as Gp-9, is responsible for the production of general protein-9, thought to be a pheromone binding protein. Among the social aspects thought to be controlled by this locus is reproduction. Many aspects of breeding within and between the two colonial forms have been investigated over the past years since in introduction of this species to the United States. In this study, several features of the currently accepted model were examined. Newlymated queens were …

Evaluating The Illinois Stream Valley Segment Model As An Effective Management Tool, Stephen S. Warrner

Masters Theses

Stream habitat assessment procedures have been used to monitor logical potential, habitat restoration, and determine anthropogenic impacts on streams. In the past, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) have determined which stream reaches to sample habitat quality based on historical data, accessibility, and whether or not a reach is representative of an area. To develop a consistent and unbiased procedure for choosing sampling locations, the IDNR and INHS have proposed a technique by which watersheds are divided into homogeneous stream segments called valley segments. Valley segments within each watershed are determined by …

Spatial And Ecological Patterns Of Tent Location In The Eastern Tent Caterpillar, Malacosoma Americana (Lepidoptera:Lasiocampidae), Jennifer Pleasant

Masters Theses

The eastern tent caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) is a widely studied social caterpillar. The nests (i.e. tents) of the tent caterpillar are most frequently found on Black Cherry trees (Prunus serotina). However, dispersions of tents are often clumped with one cherry tree having five or more tent caterpillar nests in it and another cherry tree 3 meters away having only one nest, or none at all. I tried to determine why this happens. Because of the short field season, much of the research on the caterpillars has been done in the laboratory. I tried to determine host selection …

A Survey Of Carrion And Burying Beetles (Coleoptera:Silphidae) In Mchenry County, Illinois, David Suhrbur

Masters Theses

This study compared the occurrence of beetles in the family Silphidae using historical collection records with that of field collections from five different sites within McHenry County. The five sites include: Glacial Park, Woodstock, Silver Creek, Rush Creek, and Coral Woods. Historically, 11 known silphid species have been found in McHenry County, compared with seven species found during this study' collection period.

Percentages of silphid species at each site was calculated, as well as total number of individuals sampled, and two indices of diversity (Shannon-Weiner and Simpson's) were applied to both current and historical collection data. The historical collection (when …

Modulatory Efferent Morphology And Target Allocation With Co-Innervating Leech Motor Neurons, James Melchior

Masters Theses

The leech, Hirudo, has two efferents that converge upon the heart tube (HT) muscle; the segmentally iterated heart excitor motor neurons (HE), and the modulatory heart accessory neurons (HA). Using intracellular dye injections and antibody labeling, we were able to visualize and distinguish the morphologies of these two efferents. We found that HA(5) provides dense coverage of the anterior segments of heart tube muscle and extends along the HT into the posterior segments 6 and 7, while HA(6) projects centrally for several segments before extending into the periphery. HA(5) and HA(6) homologs show little or no overlap on HT …

Cross Platforms Display Calibration And Profiling Mac Os And Windows, Reem El Asaleh

Masters Theses

The monitor is an important part in many digital applications including graphic design, digital photography and prepress proofing. In fact, designers and prepress personnel rely on their monitor for good color decision for a printed job.

The aim of this research is to achieve a consistent color across platform using the same hardware (CPU, monitor video controller, etc.). Also to describe the main issue that affects the accuracy of monitor profiles. ICC profiles were generated for monitor in Windows and Mac OS platform using GretagMacbeth ProfileMaker Pro version 5.0 and X-Rite MonacoPROFILER ICC profiling softwares. In the laboratory environment, we …

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Deinking And Dewaxing, Suraboon Hoontrakool

Masters Theses

The main purpose of this project is to study how the supercritical carbon dioxide (ScCO₂) fluid can be used to extract sticky compounds and commercial printing inks. This study will focus on the upscale unit operation that Western Michigan University had recently installed supercritical fluid extraction system. This also includes determination of extraction efficiency, optimizing operating condition, the effect of ScCO₂ on the fiber tensile strength for recycling paper after the sticky compounds are removed and the effect of ScCO₂ to the fiber physical strength property at different temperatures.

The investigation of supercritical fluid extraction equipment …

Borate Autocasting: Kinetics Model And Effect Of Carbon Dioxide On Reaction Rate, Ali Zuhair Fadhel

Masters Theses

Borate autocausticizing is a promising approach to the operational and environmental improvement of Kraft pulping and its chemical recovery. Its advantages include partial or total elimination of the lime cycle, pulp strength improvement, and energy savings. Borate autocausticizing involves the use of an amphoteric salt, sodium metaborate, to de-carbonize sodium carbonate and produces trisodium borate, the reaction occurs at high temperatures. Tran and Cameron (1999) suggest that the reaction follows the path below.

NaBO₂ + Na₂CO₃ → Na₃BO₃ + CO₂

This thesis systematically analyzes the reaction kinetics of borate autocausticizing. The uniqueness …

Screening New Cytokinesis Genes And Investigation Of Regulation Of Hof1 In Cytokinesis, Jung Eun Park

Masters Theses

"In 1996, a complete sequence of the budding yeast genome was completed and numerous studies begun to discover the function of genes. A primary concern of this study was to identify genes that may function in cytokinesis. Seven candidate genes were chosen, which were previously shown to localize to the bud neck, the site of cytokinesis, or interact with a protein that is involved in cytokinesis. Six of those uncharacterized genes, YHR149C, YLR187W, YOL070C, YMR124W, YPL158C, and YOR304C-A, were identified by data generated by GFP tagging of the yeast proteome. Data from a large-scale two-hybrid screen was used to identify …

Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Total Heterotroph And Fecal Coliform Bacteria In An Urban Stream, Heather R. English

Masters Theses

Total heterotroph bacteria populations in the Sangamon River in east central Illinois, U.S.A. were monitored during a period between June and October in 2003 and 2004. Fecal coliforms (FC) were also monitored during this period in 2004. The four sites monitored were upstream and downstream of the Sanitary District of Decatur (SOD). All areas ofthe river monitored showed similar populations ofboth total heterotrophs and FCs. No correlations could be made between increases in populations of total heterotrophs or FC in relation to flow rate, dissolved oxygen, or total solids. Most sites were found to exceed the recommended amount ofFC for …

Long Term Population Dynamics For Rosa Multiflora In A Successional System, Stephen Eugene Banasiak

Masters Theses

There is a real need for long term studies of invasions to develop a more complete understanding of the factors that influence species spread. Rosa multiflora was chosen to study to address this issue due to its pervasiveness throughout the study site's successional history. The study-site was composed of 10 abandoned agricultural fields near an old growth forest with fifty years of annual vegetation data collection. R. multiflora colonization and extinction rates were examined along with frequency and coefficient of variance since field abandonment. Environmental factors such as rainfall, tree cover, and common species and their effects on R. multiflora …

The Influence Of Extreme Hydrologic Events On Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages In The Sangamon River, Decatur, Illinois, Catherine E. Ciak

Masters Theses

One of the most extreme disturbances to aquatic systems is river impoundment. Dams alter a river's ecological processes by changing the flow of water, nutrients, sediment, biota and energy. Anthropogenic flow variability can lead to changes in natural seasonal variation, which has subsequent effects on biological assemblages within the ecosystem. This study investigated the influence of extreme hydrologic events on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages within the Sangamon River in Decatur, Illinois. Four sites were sampled from June-August 2006 using the EPA 20 jab method. Samples were processed and macroinvertebrates were identified to family or lowest identifiable taxonomic group. Primer 6.1.6 was …

Antimicrobial Activities Of Aldehydes And Ketones Produced During Rapid Volatilization Of Biogenic Oils, Aruna Lamba

Masters Theses

"The overall objective of the research presented in this thesis was to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of commercially available neat compounds in order to validate the analytes which were found in the smoke generated during rapid volatilization of biogenic oil esters and mineral oils. To attain this objective various analytes were selected from the analytical data provided for the smoke, and neat compounds were purchased. A special desiccator was designed to conduct experiments. Simultaneously vapor phase concentration of the neat compounds was determined to establish relation between neat compounds and the analytes found in smoke. Other part of the thesis …

Cell Signaling Pathways In Lps-Mediated Apoptosis Of Dedifferentiated Hepatoma Cells, Michael Ryan Reidy

Masters Theses

Using liver tumor cells and their dedifferentiated cell lines, mechanisms underlying tissue specific gene expression can be studied. We have derived cell lines, from liver tumor cells, which fail to express liver genes. These cells are termed "dedifferentiated cells". One significant observation made was that cells which fail to express liver genes also rapidly undergo programmed cell death (known as apoptosis) under the influence of the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Understanding the mechanism of how liver function relates to cell apoptosis is the goal of this study.

Apoptosis is known to play a critical role in development and homeostasis, yet …

Comparison Of Avian Nest Success Among Linear Wooded Habitats In An Agricultural Landscape, Terri J.E. Thompson

Masters Theses

In the Midwest, urban expansion and more intensive agricultural practices have reduced habitat available to most species of breeding birds. Linear wooded habitats including fencerows and riparian strips are a common habitat feature in many agricultural landscapes. Changes in agricultural practices and the subsequent reduction in grasslands and fencerows have lead to greater breeding densities in species that use the remaining fencerows as nest sites. This may lead to a lower nesting success due to factors such as higher predation risk. Specifically, it is not known how such linear habitats currently contribute to avian populations in central Illinois.

We monitored …

Effects Of Food Deprivation, Body Size, And Egg Load On The Mating Behavior Of Female Japanese Beetles, Popillia Japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Natasha Tigreros

Masters Theses

Female condition may play an important role in the mating frequency of species that mate at foraging areas. For example, in species where feeding females are more easily encountered or less resistant to mating than females that are performing other activities, low energy levels could increase mating activity. We studied the relationship between female condition and mating activity in the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in a laboratory study. We altered condition by depriving some females of food for one day and comparing their mating behavior to well-fed females. Our results showed that the effect of condition on mating …

Red Squirrel Distribution And Habitat Use In Illinois, Corinna Hanson

Masters Theses

The North American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is a species of special concern in Illinois due to its restricted geographic range and low numbers. This species occupies a broad geographic range in North America and is usually associated with the boreal forests of Canada and coniferous forests in the Rocky Mountain range. The squirrels also occupy deciduous and mixed deciduous-coniferous forests in the eastern U.S. In Illinois, available habitat is suboptimal, and limited to pine plantations and small tracts of deciduous forest embedded in an agricultural matrix landscapе. Information on the spatial distribution of red squirrels in northeastern Illinois was …

Mating, Kinship, And Population Structure In Illinois Beaver Populations, Joanne C. Crawford

Masters Theses

The North American beaver, Castor canadensis, is an important wildlife species for a variety of reasons. As a furbearer, it provides income and recreation to trappers throughout the state. As a wetland engineer, it helps maintain functioning ecosystems (Naiman et al. 1986, McKinstry and Anderson 2002). Finally, the beaver serves as a model organism for studies of mating and kinship, as it has beed reported to be almost exclusively monogamous (Sun 2003).

Monogamy in mammals is generally restricted to the primates, canids, and rodents, and is defined as a mating system in which a pair remains together for at least …

Classification Of Illinois Lakes And Reservoirs And Evaluation Of The Potential Use Of Phytoplankton As Biocriteria, Jessica A. Rasmussen

Masters Theses

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Habitat Use And Overwintering Ecology Of The Northern Watersnake (Nerodia Sipedon) On An Artificial Levee In Central Illinois, Melanie J. Olds

Masters Theses

Several reptile species have populations that are in decline, and anthropogenic habitat loss and alteration are arguably the factors having the greatest impact on these species. More attention has been paid to understanding the activity season habitat needs in snakes than on the habitat requirements for overwintering. I examined the patterns of both activity season and overwintering habitat use by a population of northern watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) that inhabit an artificial levee in central Illinois. My research objectives were to determine how a population of northern watersnakes uses an artificial levee during the activity season and to determine what type …

Influence Of Fish Presence And Removal On Woodland Pond Breeding Amphibians, J. Brian Towey

Masters Theses

Predatory fish can have devastating effects on populations of amphibians, many of which are already declining around the world. Land managers seeking to restore disturbed woodland ponds to more historically-accurate conditions may consider removing fish, a potentially difficult or costly process. I report on the effects of introduced sunfish (Lepomis spp.) and black bullhead catfish (Ameiurus melas), and their removal, on the reproductive efforts of three species of amphibians: smallmouth salamanders (Ambystoma texanum), American toads (Bufo americanus) and wood frogs (Rana sylvatica). Using drift fences and pitfall traps around four woodland ponds, amphibians were monitored for one year prior to …