Life Sciences Commons^™

Small Mammal Community Structure In Restored Prairies, Kathleen A. Falout

Masters Theses

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources currently manages approximately 4,000 hectares of natural prairie. High human impacts coupled with small patch size result in challenging management decisions for prairie conservation. The ideal restored prairie would consist of a mosaic of habitats varying in vegetation from forb-grass dominated areas to oak savannas, with concurrent stages of vegetative succession occurring across the habitats. A study was conducted at the Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area located in Vermillion County, IL, to analyze small mammal diversity and community composition among three different stages of prairie restoration.

The three treatment categories were: fallow …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Aerobic Dance To Water Aerobic Training On Maximal Oxygen Consumption, Terri L. Bedford, Tamara A. Dusterwinkle, Darcy J. Hoppman

Masters Theses

Water aerobics is one mode of exercise that is gaining popularity. Water aerobics allows adults who participate in an exercise program to improve their cardiorespiratory fitness. The purpose of this study was to determine if water aerobic training is as effective as land dance aerobic training in improving cardiorespiratory fitness in sedentary healthy adults. Eighteen subjects participated in this study; nine in dance aerobics and nine in water aerobics. Before and after eight weeks of training, subjects performed a graded maximal exercise test on a Schwinn Air-Dyne while maximal oxygen uptake was measured via a Beckman Metabolic Cart. ANCOVA was …

Reverse Osmosis Treatment Of Deinking Effluents, Lei Zhao

Masters Theses

The application of the reverse osmosis process for treatment of preclarified deinking effluent was studied for its efficiency and capacity to remove the total suspended and dissolved solids. Seven coagulants and flocculents were studied in the pretreatment to determine the best coagulant. Two variables, temperature and coagulant dose, were studied to determine the optimum conditions. For the reverse osmosis treatment, two types of thin film composite membranes, sea water and brackish water were used in the research. A set of orthogonal experiments and regression analyses were conducted to study the effects of pressure, temperature, feed concentration, and feed pH on …

Regulation Of Leukotriene C4 Biosynthesis In Calcium Ionophore A23187-Challeneged August Rat Peritoneal Leukocytes, James M. Huebner

Masters Theses

Leukotriene (LT) C₄ is a potent myotropic product of arachidonic acid 5-lipoxygenation that is thought to play a role in the pathophysiology of immediate hypersensitivity reactions and inflammation. We designed the present study to evaluate the capacity of August (AUG) rat mixed peritoneal leukocytes to generate LTC₄ when challenged with different concentrations of the Ca²⁺ ionophore A23187 and to test the hypothesis that LTC₄ biosynthesis is regulated via a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent mechanism. The AUG rat, which has a spontaneously high number of peritoneal eosinophils that can be harvested by a simple lavage procedure, is …

Identification Of An Insulin-Responsive Element In The Rat Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Gene, Sheri Lynn Holmen

Masters Theses

The expression of several genes has been shown to be either positively or negatively regulated by insulin at the transcriptional level, however no single insulin responsive DNA element has yet been identified. The transcription factors responsible for stimulation or inhibition of gene expression by insulin also remain to be identified. In recent years, expression of the gene for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) in primary rat hepatocytes has been found to be influenced by hormones such as insulin, dexamethosone, and glucagon. The molecular mechanism(s) however, underlying hormonal regulation of G6PDH gene transcription remains to be elucidated. The focus of this study was …

Effects Of Polymers On Pressure Water Retention And Binder Migration Of Aqueous Coatings, Arvind M. Singhal

Masters Theses

The effects of the molecular properties (degree of polymerization and degree of substitution) of water soluble polymers (containing carboxyl and hydroxyl groups on cellulosic backbone) on water retention under pressure and subsequent binder migration of coating colors are documented. It is concluded that no single mechanism can explain either water retention or binder migration. The dominant mechanisms of water penetration under dynamic pressure pulse are different from the mechanisms of water absorption under static pressure.

It is proposed that the molecular properties affect the rate of consolidation of the coating layer and thus greatly affect the water penetration under a …

The Effects Of Repulping Variables On Deinking Of Flexographic Inks, Sylvia Ciampa

Masters Theses

The effects of repulping variables (pH, surfactant concentration, time, and temperature) on deinking paper printed with flexographic ink were studied. A series of alcohol ethoxylate surfactants was evaluated. The one with HLB= 11.8 was selected for the majority of the study.

pH was the variable that presented the greatest effect on repulping and deinking. The brightness after repulping and the final brightness after deinking was significantly higher at pH 5 than at pH 9.

Paper was repulped for 15, 25, and 40 minutes respectively. Highest brightness after repulping and highest gain in brightness by flotation was observed after 15 minutes …

The Interaction Of Coated Paper Surfaces And Water- And Solvent-Based Rotogravure Printing Inks, Tanja M. Gnad

Masters Theses

The print quality of 24 different coating formulations was studied when printing with both water- and solvent-based rotogravure ink. Coating was done on a Cylindrical Laboratory Coater (CLC). The coated paper samples were supercalendered to achieve a smooth surface which is necessary when printing with rotogravure. The supercalendered coated paper samples where tested for optical and surface properties and also printed with water-based and solvent-based ink on a Moser Gravure Proof Press. The print quality of the printed samples was quantified by image analysis. The results showed that fine ground calcium carbonate gave the lowest percent bridging between ink dots, …

Differential Distribution Of D4 And D2 Dopamine Receptors In Rat Brain: An Autoradiographic Study Using [3H]Ym-09151-2 And [3H]Raclopride, Nancy C. Stratman

Masters Theses

Extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) are associated with most antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia since these agents antagonize dopamine D₂ receptors in the nigrostriatal pathway, a brain system that regulates motor functions. Clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic agent in that it does not produce EPS, was found to be more selective for the D₄ than the D₂ receptor. The purpose of this study was to locate the D₄ receptor in rat brain by autoradiographic comparison studies with [³H]YM-09151-2, a D₂ , D₃, and D₄ radioligand, to [³H]raclopride, a D …

Characterization And Expression Of Pseudomonas Fluorescens L-Arabinose Dehydrogenase: Genetic Elements In Pseudomonas Putida, Carol M. Wierenga

Masters Theses

An assay based on the spectrophotometeric properties of NAD/NADH was developed to detect the degradation of L-arabinose to L-arabinolactone. This assay was used to determine the expression of the L-arabinose utilization genes contained in Pseudomonas fluorescens and in the plasmid, designated pPZ221, contained in Pseudomonas putida. The results from this assay, in conjunction with various growth kinetics, indicate that pPZ221 is inducible and repressible for L-arabinose utilization. Thus, the P. fluorescens chromosomal insert in pPZ221 for L-arabinose utilization does appear to contain the regulatory genes necessary for controlling the expression of an L-arabinose operon.

Comparison Of Sweet Corn Vigor With Ions And Sugars In Seed Leachate Of Five Isolene Pairs With Two Endosperm Types, Marla K. Faver

Masters Theses

Supersweet corn contains more sugar and less starch than traditional sweet corn which increases the sweetness of the kernel. Supersweet corn has increased in consumer popularity due to its sweeter flavor and ability to retain this sweeter flavor longer than traditional sweet corn. Two sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. rugosa) endosperm types (traditional and shrunken-2) are popular with consumers. The problem growers face with supersweet cultivars (shrunken-2) is poor seed vigor as shown by low field emergence and non-uniform stands.

Field emergence of plants was compared to laboratory germination for 5 sweet corn isoline pairs (genetically identical except for …

Lichen Use By Larval Leucochrysa Pavida (Neuroptera:Chrysopidae), Penni Jo Wilson

Masters Theses

Leucochrysa pavida is a species of green lacewing (Neuroptera:Chrysopidae) that uses lichen fragments to build a larval debris "packet." The "packet" is eventually used to form a cocoon used during pupation. Only minute lichen fragments are harvested for formation of the packets which makes identification of the actual lichens utilized difficult using morphological characteristics. For this reason, thin-layer chromatography was employed. The thin-layer chromatographic process identifies acetone-soluble lichen chemicals that are formed in lichen thalli. By comparing the chemistry of lichen communities at Tower Rock Recreation Area in Hardin County, Illinois, with the chemicals identified during thin-layer chromatography of larval …

Egg Removal By Brown-Headed Cowbirds: A Field Test Of The Host Incubation Efficiency Hypothesis, Douglas R. Wood

Masters Theses

Obligate brood parasites, like the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), lay their eggs in the nests of host species, usually to the detriment of the host's reproductive effort. In addition, Brown-headed Cowbirds often remove one or more host eggs near the time of parasitism. Although several hypotheses exist, the adaptive significance of egg removal has not been clearly established. Peer and Bollinger (in press) proposed the host incubation efficiency hypothesis which states that the number and size of host eggs influences the incubation efficiency of a parasitic egg. Thus, host egg removal by cowbirds should increase the parasitic egg's …

Reproductive Success Of Grassland Birds At East-Central Illinois Airports, Eric L. Kershner

Masters Theses

We determined the densities and reproductive success of birds on airport grasslands in east-central Illinois. Seven airports were sampled between 10 April and 15 August 1994 in Clark, Coles, Crawford, Douglas, Edgar, Macon and Richland counties. Nineteen species were detected on the airport grasslands and 147 nests were found representing six different species. Eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) were the most abundant nesting species found; 105 out of the 147 nests (71%). Other nesting species included: grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and horned lark (Eremophilia alpestris). Overall nest success was …

The Relationship Among Isokinetic Knee Parameters And Three Functional Tests, Kristen Brinks, Ronda Delong, Tanya Stout

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between knee strength and endurance, as tested by the Biodex{dollar}\sp\circler{dollar} isokinetic system, and the lateral step-up, cross-over hop for distance, and triple hop for distance. Subjects included 20 males and 30 females aged 21-40 years with no history of low back, hip, knee, or ankle injury that was treated by a physician. Bilateral knee flexion and extension strength, power, and endurance was measured at 60, 180 and 300 degrees/second with the hip extended and flexed 115{dollar}\sp\circ{dollar}. Isokinetic data were normalized to body weight and correlated to hop distance which was …

A Faunal Study Of The Mecoptera (Insecta) Of Rocky Branch Nature Preserve, Clark County, Illinois, Jimmie W. Griffiths

Masters Theses

The Mecoptera (Insecta) of the Rocky Branch Nature Preserve located near Clarksville, Clark County, Illinois are described. Specimens were collected by diurnal netting, Malaise traps, pitfall traps, and flight traps. Specimens from Rocky Branch in the collections of Eastern Illinois University, the Illinois Natural History Survey at Champaign-Urbana, and Hastings College, Nebraska, were also examined.

A total of 805 specimens from Rocky Branch were collected and/or examined. Nine species representing three families were identified: three Panorpidae (Panorpa speciosa, P. helena and P. banksi); five Bittacidae (Hylobittacus apicalis, Bittacus strigosus, B. stigmaterus, B. pilicornis …

A Comparison Of Two Isotonic Resistance Training Routines For Individuals With Above Average Strength, Craig L. Kruse

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if individuals, possessing above average strength in the bench press exercise, would improve their 1RM more by using an experimental resistance training program as compared to a program of a more traditional nature.

Seventeen male subjects between the age 18 and 26 years, mean age 21.8 years, who were considered to have an above average strength level in the bench press exercise (a bench press strength to body weight ratio, S/BW, greater than 1.00) participated in this study. The subjects had an average S/BW of 1.17. All the subjects trained three alternate …

Effects Of Ozone During Soybean Seed Development On Seed Vigor, Karen A. Gerlach

Masters Theses

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv 'Essex', 'Forrest' and 'Clark') seed were obtained from Dr. Mulchi of the University of Maryland. Seed from 1989 and 1990 were from plants which were exposed to three regimes of ozone during seed development including charcoal-filtered (no ozone), non-filtered (ambient ozone), and non-filtered + 40 n11^-1 O₃. Seed from 1994 were developed with four pollutant regimes of ozone during seed development including charcoal-filtered (no ozone), non-filtered (ambient ozone), non-filtered + 40 n11^-1, and non-filtered + 500 u11^-1 CO₂. The objective of this study was to assess …

Normal Kinetic Patterns Of The Lower Extremities During Natural Walking In Children Aged Six To Ten, Thomas Ellexson, Christopher Nawrocki, Darrin Schober

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to initiate a normative pediatric three-dimensional lower extremity kinetic database specific to the Mary Free Bed Hospital/Grand Valley State University Center for Human Kinetic Studies. Twenty healthy children (eleven girls and nine boys) with a mean age of 7.9 years volunteered for this study. Lower extremity kinetic data were obtained using a computerized three-dimensional motion analysis system coupled with a force plate. Kinematic and kinetic data were pooled and mean/standard deviations at each one percent of the gait cycle were determined for the twenty normative children. Results of the pediatric kinetic data were similar …

The Effects Of Partial Unweighting On Hemiplegic Gait, Natasha A. Creaser, Michael W. Jones

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effects of 30% body weight support on gait in two individuals with hemiplegia secondary to stroke. Two subjects with right hemiplegia were tested. Each completed four trials, two full weight bearing and two unweighted 30%, in random order. Each trial consisted of walking six meters on a treadmill at the subjects' self-selected speed. Temporal distance data were collected via Stride Analyzer footswitches. Subjects were also videotaped from the side during all trials. We expected velocity, cadence, stride length, uninvolved limb swing time, and involved limb stance time to increase with unweighting. Subjects 1's results agreed only …

The Effect Of Family Participation On The Outcome Of Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury In Rehabilitation, Grant Middleton, Brett Ransom

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between physical therapists' perceptions and institutional policies relating to family participation in rehabilitation and rehabilitation outcome of patients with traumatic brain injury. Utilizing surveys, we collected information about institutional policy from institutions that were members of the Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) in the Midwestern United States. Thirteen institutional surveys provided usable Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores for patients rehabilitated in 1993, which were used as the outcome measure. The therapists' perceptions survey (n = 104) gathered data about the belief of physical therapists relating to family involvement …

Estrogen Induced Eosinophil Migration Into The August Rat Uterus Is Associated With Intercellular Adhesion Molecule Expression, Daniel R. Orcutt

Masters Theses

Estrogen causes an influx of eosinophils into the uterus in female rats. The diapedesis of eosinophils out of the vasculature has also been observed in allergic reactions, parasitic infections, and atopic dermatitis, and has been associated with cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs). Antibody blocking studies against ICAM-1/ LFA-1 and VCAM-1/VLA-4 have suggested that both ligand/receptor sets of CAMs are involved in the selective recruitment of eosinophils out of the vasculature. ICAM- 1 is expressed on the vascular endothelium and decreases in expression when IL-4 is introduced. VLA-4 is present on eosinophils and is suspected to allow selective migration of eosinophils out …

Physical And Optical Properties Of Steam Exploded Laser Printed Paper, Arvind Kumar Sharma

Masters Theses

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of steam explosion on the optical properties of recycled fibers, i.e., brightness, opacity, scattering and absorption coefficients, and to find out whether explosive discharge caused fiber damage and affected fiber bonding ability.

Laser printed paper was pulped by the steam explosion process. Addition of two different chemicals, residence time, pressure, and dispersant level were varied during the steam explosion experiments. All factors were kept at two levels.

Full factorial design and regression analysis were applied to determine the effect of different factors on steam explosion pulp. The data indicate …

Rheology Of Coating Colors Containing Water-Soluble Polymers And Their Effect On The Runnability Of The Clc Blade Coater, Harish K. Narasimhamurthy

Masters Theses

Four different classes of commercial rheology modifiers (thickeners) e.g., Polyacrylate (PA), Associative Cellulosic Thickener (ACT), Associative Synthetic Thickener (AST) and CMC were used in a simplified coating formulation to study their effects on rheological and viscoelastic properties of the coating colors. An attempt was also made to study their effect on runnability using the Cylindrical Laboratory Coater (CLC). A series of coatings were prepared using number one clay and styrene-butadiene latex. The thickeners were added to these at several levels. The coatings were evaluated for rheological and viscoelastic properties. The coatings were also applied onto paper using the CLC at …

Expression Of Integrated And Methylated Hiv-Ltr In Human T-Cells And Monkey Kidney Cells By Frog Virus 3 Infection, Celene M. Spangler

Masters Theses

DNA methylation has been implicated in the suppression of transcription of a large spectrum of eukaryotic genes. Frog virus 3 (FV3) contains genomic DNA that is the most extensively methylated of all known animal viruses. However, FV3 gene expression is tightly regulated in a sequential fashion in infected cells. Therefore, FV3 must have evolved mechanism(s) to overcome the inhibitory effects of DNA methylation. FV3 has been shown to induce expression of methylated foreign genes in transient transfections. This study was designed to establish if this FV3 induced expression of methylated genes could be demonstrated in stable cell lines which contain …

The Effect Of Insulin Mimetics On Enzymes Of Fatty Acid Biosynthesis, Eric A. Berg

Masters Theses

Fatty acid biosynthesis, an insulin regulated pathway, is the process of producing fatty acid chains from 2 and 3 carbon units. Two enzymes in this pathway that insulin affects are glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and fatty acid synthase (FAS). Sodium vanadate and sodium selenate have demonstrated insulin-like effects in several tissue and cell types. These mimetic effects include increasing glucose transport, regulating glycolytic enzymes, normalizing plasma glucose levels and activities of insulin regulated enzymes in diabetic rats. Our goal was to examine effects of sodium vanadate and sodium selenate on fatty acid biosynthesis in two insulin responsive systems: Isolated rat hepatocytes …

Effect Of Poly Acrylate Addition On Coating Color Rheology, Water Retention And Coating Performance, Shambhu Nath

Masters Theses

Five polyacrylate samples were used to study their effects on coating color rheology, water holding and runnability. The Cylindrical Laboratory Coater was used to apply the coatings and study the runnability of the coating colors. The healing tendencies of the coatings were studied by inducing a scratch under the blade. The higher acid level and degree of crosslinking of the polyacrylate gave higher viscosity and the higher acid level also gave higher water retention. Coating colors containing polyacrylates were less prone to dilatancy at high shear. The addition of polyacrylate reduced the healing of coating colors, but for the same …

Effects Of Alkaline Internal Sizing On Rotogravure Print Quality Using Waterbased Inks, Michael L. Busche

Masters Theses

The effect of alkaline internal sizing in improving paper smoothness and ink gloss in waterbased rotogravure printing was investigated. Papers were internally sized with alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) under alkaline conditions from slack-sized to hard-sized. Papers were printed with waterbased inks on a web gravure press. A major problem with waterbased inks is increased surface roughening of paper and a low ink gloss. Temporal surface roughening was reduced by increased AKD internal sizing with a concomitant significant increase of up to 400% in ink gloss. Surface properties were correlated with print quality. The print quality improved with increased hydrophobicity of …

Evidence For Dna Methylation-Sensitive Transactivator Mediated Regulation Of The Expression Of An Epstein-Barr Virus Neutralizing Antigen, Sridhar Chalasani

Masters Theses

DNA methylation has a profound effect on the expression of a number of eukaryotic genes. This study demonstrates that an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positive Burkitt's lymphoma cell line, Raji, contains the gene encoding gp350/220 but is not expressed. Frog virus 3 (FV3), an iridovirus, has the ability to overcome the inhibitory effect of DNA methylation. Fusion of FV3-infected cells with Raji cells resulted in expression of gp350/220, suggesting that gp350/220 is regulated by DNA methylation. Further evidence for this hypothesis was obtained by transfecting B95.8 cells with HpaII/HhaI methylated plasmid pLATE-CAT, containing the gp350/220 promoter. Southern blot analyses and a …

Sugar Maple Succession In A Central Illinois Forest, Baber Woods, Rodney W. Davis

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.