Digital Commons Network^™

A Murine Model Of Lyme Disease Demonstrates That Borrelia Burgdorferi Colonizes The Dura Mater And Induces Inflammation In The Central Nervous System, Timothy Casselli, Ali Divan, Yvonne Tourand, Heidi L. Pecoraro, Catherine A. Brissette

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Lyme disease, which is caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi and related species, can lead to inflammatory pathologies affecting the joints, heart, and nervous systems including the central nervous system (CNS). Inbred laboratory mice are effective models for characterizing B. burgdorferi infection kinetics and host immune responses in joints and heart tissues; however, similar studies are lacking in the CNS of these animals. Here we characterize the kinetics of B. burgdorferi colonization and associated immune responses in the CNS of infected C3H mice during early and subacute infection. B. burgdorferi colonized the dura mater following needle or tick challenge, and …

Deep Multilayer Brain Proteomics Identifies Molecular Networks In Alzheimer's Disease Progression, Bing Bai, Xusheng Wang, Yuxin Li, Ping-Chung Chen, Kaiwen Yu, Kaushik Kumar Dey, Jay M. Yarbro, Xian Han, Brianna M. Lutz, Shuquan Rao, Yun Jiao, Jeffrey M. Sifford, Jonghee Han, Minghui Wang, Haiyan Tan, Timothy I. Shaw, Ji-Hoon Cho, Suiping Zhou, Hong Wang, Mingming Niu, Ariana Mancieri, Kaitlynn A. Messler, Xiaojun Sun, Zhiping Wu, Vishwajeeth Pagala, Anthony A. High, Wenjian Bi, Hui Zhang, Hongbo Chi, Vahram Haroutunian, Bin Zhang, Thomas G. Beach, Gang Yu, Junmin Peng

Biology Faculty Publications

Alzheimer's disease (AD) displays a long asymptomatic stage before dementia. We characterize AD stage-associated molecular networks by profiling 14,513 proteins and 34,173 phosphosites in the human brain with mass spectrometry, highlighting 173 protein changes in 17 pathways. The altered proteins are validated in two independent cohorts, showing partial RNA dependency. Comparisons of brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid proteomes reveal biomarker candidates. Combining with 5xFAD mouse analysis, we determine 15 Aβ-correlated proteins (e.g., MDK, NTN1, SMOC1, SLIT2, and HTRA1). 5xFAD shows a proteomic signature similar to symptomatic AD but exhibits activation of autophagy and interferon response and lacks human-specific deleterious events, …

Sleeping Time Is Associated With Functional Limitations In A National Sample Of Older Americans, Brenda M. Vincent, Nathaniel Johnson, Grant R. Tomkinson, Ryan Mcgrath, Brian C. Clark, Bong-Jin Choi

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

Background: Engaging in healthy behaviors may help to preserve function during aging; however, it is not well understood how sleeping time is associated with functional capacity in older adults.

Aims: We sought to determine the association of sleeping time on functional limitation in a national sample of older Americans.

Methods: The analytical sample included 6,020 adults aged at least 65 years who participated in the 2007-2016 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Respondents indicated their hours of sleep/week night and were categorized as <5, 5-6.5, 7-8, 8.5-9, and >9 hours of sleep/week night. Ability to complete 19 functional tasks …

March 3, 2020, The Dakota Student

The Dakota Student

No abstract provided.

Volume 57, Number 27: February 26, 2020, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

January 28, 2020, The Dakota Student

The Dakota Student

No abstract provided.

Volume 57, Number 20: January 08, 2020, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Fostering Improvement In Occupational Performance Through Environment Modification In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Grant Baker, Erin Grensteiner, Rachel Lindemann

Critically Appraised Topics

First-year occupational therapy students at the University of North Dakota School of Medicines and Health Sciences completed this CAT. The general topic assigned was the completion of activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) by older adults in a skilled nursing facility (SNF). Students formed a focus question, a case scenario, and then researched and presented key findings. Students then presented implications for practice in occupational therapy with the evidence of scholarly research in the areas of theory, environment, population, and interventions. The intervention that was chosen for this CAT was the Green House Project. …

Datam: Digital Approaches To Teaching The Ancient Mediterranean, Sebastian Heath

Digital Press Books

DATAM: Digital Approaches to Teaching the Ancient Mediterranean provides a series of new critical studies that explore digital practices for teaching the Ancient Mediterranean world at a wide range of institutions and levels. These practical examples demonstrate how gaming, coding, immersive video, and 3D imaging can bridge the disciplinary and digital divide between the Ancient world and contemporary technology, information literacy, and student engagement. While the articles focus on Classics, Ancient History, and Mediterranean archaeology, the issues and approaches considered throughout this book are relevant for anyone who thinks critically and practically about the use of digital technology in the …

Sixty Years Of Boom And Bust: The Impact Of Oil In North Dakota, 1958-2018, Kyle Conway

Digital Press Books

In the 1950s, North Dakota experienced its first oil boom in the Williston Basin, on the western side of the state. The region experienced unprecedented social and economic changes, which were carefully documented in a 1958 report by four researchers at the University of North Dakota. Since then, western North Dakota has undergone two more booms, the most recent from 2008 to 2014. Sixty Years of Boom and Bust republishes the 1958 report and updates its analysis by describing the impact of the latest boom on the region’s physical geography, politics, economics, and social structure.

Sixty Years of Boom and …

Investigation Of The Neurological Manifestations Of Lyme Disease And The Impact Of Borrelia Burgdorferi On The Epigenetic Landscape Of Astrocytes, Derick Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States – with 30,000 cases being reported to the CDC annually, though it is estimated that 300,000 individuals are infected each year in the U.S [1–4]. Due to the medical treatment of the disease, this equates to an estimated $712 million - $1.3 billion in medical costs each year [5]. Conclusively, due to the continued geographical spread and increasing incidence rate, Lyme disease is becoming a greater public health threat throughout the world.

The symptoms of Lyme disease can range from …

Examining Perceived In-Group Similarity And Out-Group Dissimilarity As Predictors Of Religious Intergroup Bias, Richard Clark Grove

Theses and Dissertations

People tend to feel more favorably toward others who share their beliefs and values. Religion can provide a quick estimate of ideological similarity. The religious values conflict model (Brandt & Van Tongeren, 2017) proposes that people high and low in religiosity are both prejudiced toward groups with dissimilar values. However, the role of dissimilarity in predicting religious intergroup bias has not been directly tested. A pilot study (N = 326) tested whether Christians and nonreligious people would demonstrate the patterns of intergroup bias predicted by the religious values conflict model. Additionally, the respective roles of perceived in-group and out-group dissimilarity …

Twice-Exceptional College Students Narratives: When Giftedness And Mental Health Intersect, Emily Dubord Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Gifted college students often arrive at universities with high GPAs and/or ACT/SAT scores. Their achievements in extracurricular activities such as in the arts, athletics, service, and leadership are well beyond the average student. To admissions representatives and faculty, these students look well-adjusted and successful on paper. However, many of these gifted college students come with unique challenges that go misunderstood, ignored, and underserved during their years in higher education—specifically involving their mental health.

There are copious amounts of literature on gifted K-12 students and their mental health behaviors but very limited research done on the gifted college student population. Although …

Time-Dependent Plastic Deformation Of Mg Nanocomposites: Ambient And Elevated Temperature Assessments, Jiselle Thornby

Theses and Dissertations

Magnesium (Mg) nanocomposites are promising materials for many lightweight engineering applications. By adding a nanoparticle phase, like carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to a Mg matrix phase, new strengthening mechanisms are activated and enable the resulting nanocomposite to have better mechanical properties, e.g., strength and ductility, than unreinforced Mg. The viability of using Mg-CNT nanocomposites in lieu of heavier structural metals in industrial dimensions, especially those at high temperatures, cannot be assessed until these materials have been comprehensively characterized.

In the present project, the nanoindentation technique was used to assess the creep and hardness response of pure Mg and Mg reinforced with …

Critically Appraised Topic: Evidence For Mindfulness Therapies For Veterans With Ptsd, Hayley Blom, Julie Juracich, Sydnie Merriman

Critically Appraised Topics

The purpose of this critically appraised topic (CAT) is to explore the effectiveness of mindfulness therapies to assist veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with symptom management. Assisting veterans to purposely engage in rest, health management and social participation are areas of occupation that will increase overall quality of life, as these occupations are negatively impacted by PTSD symptoms (American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 2010; Barr, Davis, Diguiseppi, Keeling & Castro, 2019; Beck et al., 2017; Bormann et al., 2018; Cole et al., 2015; Cuellar, 2008; Cushing, Braun, Alden, Katz & Alden, 2018; Marchand, Yabko, Herrmann, Curtis, & Lackner, …

Critically Appraised Topic: Hippotherapy Intervention For School Age Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Jedekiah May, Delanie Vitosh, Karleen Vonkrosigk

Critically Appraised Topics

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has risen nearly 600 percent in the past two decades, with estimates suggesting that 1 in 68 children worldwide have a clinical diagnosis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014). Children with ASD experience resultant challenges in occupational functioning due to impairments in communication, social interaction, and sensory processing. Sensory modulation issues can cause negative impacts on physical and social functioning. Modulation allows filtering of irrelevant stimuli and maintenance of an optimal level of arousal that facilitates attention to environmental demands with longer engagement in tasks (Llambias, Magill-Evans, Smith, & Warren, 2016). …

Methamphetamine: Potential Risk Factor For Neurodegenerative Conditions, Katelyn Sarlette

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Methamphetamine use is a relevant problems in many communities. While it has many adverse health effects, it may also contribute to the development of the neurodegenerative conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson’s disease (PD).

• A literature review was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Clinical Key, and DynaMed. Literature found included high quality systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and meta-analysis.

• Literature supports that METH use has several major neurotoxic effects resulting in physical and cognitive deficits. There is minimal available evidence evaluating METH use as a risk factor for ALS although, they do share …

Predictive Ecology: Simulating Long-Term Changes In Forest Populations Responding To Various Reintroduction Methods Of The Bc3f3 American-Chinese Chestnut Tree., Shelby Dawn Young

Theses and Dissertations

Vida is an explicit biometric simulator tool used to predict multiple aspects of plant populations and community dynamics. Vida is a growth model combined with a reiterative algorithm. The software is written in Python and uses species-specific growth data to model virtual forest ensembles based on each species’ growth parameters. Biometric modeling tools like Vida are reliable because they are based on mathematically observed biological truths, of which scientists can use to enhance the predictive power of ecological approaches in different areas. These simulation outputs can be used to demonstrate the ways a forest grows over time. The user can …

On The Potential Of Lignin As A Sintering Aid And Binder For Designing Porous Foams, Grant Christian Ellis

Theses and Dissertations

Lignin, as an abundant source of bio-renewable material, has been a subject of investigation for many years. Due to its chemically heterogenous and recalcitrant nature, 98% of the material is discarded as waste [3]. Laboratory groups have been exploring lignin’s potential as a value-added ingredient to promote biocompatibility, biodegradation, and substitute toxic, petroleum-based materials [4,6]. In our laboratory, lignin has been utilized as precursor for carbon foam, yielding highly porous structures after pyrolysis [5], and has also been shown to be compatible with other bio-waste materials [8]. The next stage of research focusses on controlled additions of Cu or Distiller’s …

Auditory Consonant Trigrams: Construct And Criterion Validity Update, Katharine Elizabeth Lindberg

Theses and Dissertations

The Auditory Consonant Trigrams (ACT) has historically been used in research and clinical settings as a measure of working memory ability, though previous research has failed to identify the precise cognitive processes and abilities measured by the task. The ACT total score (ACT T) has been shown to be sensitive to numerous clinical neurological and psychological populations (i.e., TBI, ADHD, MS, MDD). Alternatively, little is known about the ACT perseveration score (ACT P), the current study aimed to identity the ACT T and ACT P’s relationships to other neuropsychological measures and their clinical utility within diverse clinical/neurological presentations. In a …

Culturally Responsive Care For American Indians And Alaskan Natives: An Online Training Module For Occupational Therapists, Dayton Bender, Penelope Yoosook

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The unique profession of occupational therapy (OT) values cultural aspects when working with clients, therefore it is crucial for practitioners to be aware of various cultural backgrounds to provide greater culturally sensitive and client-centered services. The objective of this scholarly project was to create an educational opportunity for occupational therapists (OTs) who work in communities with a notable population of American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) through the use of an e-learning module designed to increase culturally competent care. Currently, there is limited literature suggesting the existence of such educational materials regarding this population, including online learning modules. This project was the …

Occupational Therapy Best Practice Addressing Anxiety-Related Behaviors: Extending Strategies Into The Classroom, Hannah Burks, Kristen Kilian-Weides

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this project was to develop a product, created by occupational therapists, for teachers and support staff that offers behavioral management strategies for students demonstrating anxiety related behaviors in the classroom. Research conducted by Nash, Schlösser, and Scarr (2016) revealed that teachers reported feeling underprepared to not only identify anxiety presenting in the classroom, but also to manage these disruptive behaviors resulting from anxiety. Thus, the product, titled Tips for Teachers, was developed to address this need and to increase collaboration between occupational therapists, teachers, and support staff.

The hierarchical approach utilized in the current behavioral management system …

Exploring A Best-Practice Approach For Preventing Challenging Behavior In Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Mckenzie Ramsey Gehring, Kimberly Harmelink

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose This scholarly project was created to provide pediatric occupational therapists with a best-practice approach to address challenging behavior by focusing on its prevention while establishing consistency throughout the clinic.

Methodology An extensive literature review was performed using eight search databases and combinations of six primary search terms as well as original works by key scholars and researchers. The results of this literature review suggested the need for a best-practice approach to both protect occupational therapists and their clients during interventions related to challenging behavior and to provide guidance as to how to format a consistent approach toward challenging behavior …

Hand Therapy Outcomes: Therapists’ Perceptions Of Occupation-Based Interventions In Practice, Cheyenne Hanson, Molly Maudal

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: It is well known that hand therapists frequently use biomechanical-based interventions in their treatment of upper extremity injuries and pathologies. There is a push to return to the occupational therapy profession’s roots of occupation-based practice, which has recently been further reinforced with the introduction of the American Occupational Therapy’s (AOTA) Choosing WiselyⓇ Initiative (Gillen et al., 2019). Hand therapy is one area in which occupation-based practice could become more prevalent. This study will enhance the existing research on occupation-based hand therapy through the use of focus group interviews with occupational therapists who have a majority of their caseload classified …

Farmer And Rancher Suicide: Raising Awareness, Noelle Rivard, Krista Steinbeisser

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Suicide is death caused by self-directed, injurious behavior with the intent to die (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2019). This is a concerning public health issue, as it is the 10^th leading cause of death in the United States (U.S.) (Hedegaard, Curtin, & Warner, 2018). Suicide rates vary between different populations, with the occupational group of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry having a disproportionately higher suicide rate than the national average (Jared, 2019; Peterson et al., 2018). Farmers and ranchers in rural regions of the U.S. are not receiving appropriate mental health services due to a shortage of health …

Home Range And Habitat Selection Of Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus) On Red Lake Indian Reservation And Surrounding Areas, June Levin

Theses and Dissertations

Every animal requires space where they can perform activities to survive and reproduce. For land animals, components of space use include area and habitat. Because most land animals are living on a human dominated landscape, understanding home range area and habitat needs is critical to their conservation. This is particularly relevant for threatened or endangered species such as the gray wolf (Canis lupus). The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources estimates home ranges and habitat use of wolves in northwestern Minnesota; however, a subset of this population lives within the bounds of Red Lake Indian Reservation, where The Red Lake Band …

Scavenger Hunt: Zombie Tag, Karlene T. Clark

Librarian Publications

Zombie Tag was put together by the author with assistance from the Library’s outreach / activity committee, Zeineb Yousif (Digital Initiatives Librarian), and Kristen Borysewicz (Information Literacy Coordinator). This is an event that can be run after hours or later in the evening with a soft close, letting others know the building will be noisy. It indirectly introduces information literacy by having students find physical “resources” (cards such as housing, food, weapons, etc.) given to them by a librarian. The students need to avoid “zombies” while they seek out computers throughout the building designated at Centers for Disease Control (CDC) …

Comparative Scoping Study Report For The Extraction Of Microalgae Oils From Two Subspecies Of Chlorella Vulgaris, Jasmine Kreft, Eric Moe, Nicholas Garcia, Andrew Ross, Wayne Seames

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The production of microalgae as a fatty acid oil resource for use in biofuels production is a widespread research topic at the lab scale. Microalgae contain a higher lipid content on a dry-weight basis compared to oilseeds such as soybeans. Additionally, the growth and cultivation cycle of microalgae is 15 days, in comparison to soybeans, for which the cycle occurs once or twice annually. However, to date, it has been uneconomical to produce microalgae oils in a world-scale facility due to limitations in cultivating microalgae at commercial scales. Recent developments suggest that the use of heterotrophic microalgae may be economically …

Land Management And Plant Species Pattern Effects On Grassland Pollinator Services, Leslie Blaine Yellow Hammer

Theses and Dissertations

Invertebrate pollinator populations are widely recognized as declining because of anthropogenic activities that include changes in the amount and quality of available habitat, competition with introduced species, increased agricultural chemical use, and climate change. Because habitat and resource availability affect pollinator populations, land management may affect pollinator presence. My first aim was to determine if pollinator communities and habitat characteristics (available bare ground and floral resources) differed between grazed and idle grasslands within the Grand Forks County Grasslands of northeastern North Dakota, USA. Although available bare ground and plant species richness differed between grassland types, floral resources and pollinator communities …

Evaluating Mixed-Mode Survey Designs For Collecting Deer And Fall Turkey Hunter Harvest Data In North Dakota, Ethan James Kalinowski

Theses and Dissertations

Achieving state wildlife agency biological goals for deer (Odocoileus spp.) and turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) rely on high quality data collection via hunter harvest surveys. Concomitantly, better information is needed to optimize best survey methods. From 2017 to 2019, we surveyed North Dakota, USA, deer and fall turkey hunters using a self-administered mail control survey and 3 mixed-mode internet/mail surveys to gain a better understanding of alternative survey designs that may be used to estimate harvest of game populations and inform future management efforts. Our first objective was to measure response rates across various segments of deer and fall turkey hunters …