Digital Commons Network^™

Alpha Lipoic Acid: A Potential Therapeutic Option For Painful Peripheral Neuropathies, Jessica Curcio

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a major public health concern.

• There are many etiologies for PN including injury, infection, toxicity, genetics, metabolic disease and nutritional deficiencies.

• Alpha lipoic acid (ALA), also known as thioctic acid, is a potent antioxidant and cofactor in many cellular metabolic processes.

• Oxidative damage plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of both diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).

• Because of the antioxidant capability ALA has been studied for its potential benefit in preventing and treating PN

Implementing Animal Therapy Into Current Medicinal Practices, Jenna Schiefelbein

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• The purpose of this study was to explore an unconventional intervention of medicine; specifically the integration of animals into current healthcare practices.

• The review of literature evaluated the implementation of animal therapy in medicine, both in the past and present.

• It was demonstrated that incorporating animal-assistance therapy into modern day medicine had a positive correlation with overall patient health, pain control, and disposition.

The Da Vinci Robotic Surgical Systems In Atrial Septal Defect Repair, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft And Mitral Valve Repair, Randy Yergenson

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Historically, these cardiac interventions have been performed using partial or complete open sternotomy.
1. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
2. Atrial septal defect (ASD) repair,
3. Mitral valve repair and/or replacement

In 2000, the Federal Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System. Less invasive surgical option.

Avoiding Extinction, Preserving Culture: Sustainable, Sovereignty-Centered Tribal Citizenship Requirements, Michael D. Oeser

North Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Unacknowledged Legislators: The Contemporary Poetry Community’S Quasi-Regime Of Intellectual Property, Evan Nelson

North Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

The War With The Sioux, Karl Jakob Skarstein

Digital Press Books

Translated Melissa Gjellstad and Danielle Skjelver With contributions from Dakota Goodhouse and Richard Rothaus

The Dakota War (1862-1864) ranks among the most overlooked conflicts in American History. Contemporary with the American Civil War, the Dakota War featured significant fighting, tactical brilliance, and strategic savvy set in the open landscape of the Northern Plains in Minnesota and North Dakota.

Karl Jakob Starstein’s The War with the Sioux tells the story of the Norwegian immigrants, American soldiers, and Lakota and Dakota Indians as they sought to protect their ways of life. Translated from Norwegian and supplemented with new introductions by Melissa Gjellstad, …

Characterization And Catalytic Cracking Of Tar Obtained In Coal / Biomass / Municipal Solid Waste Gasification: The Use Of Basic Mineral Catalysts And Miscibility, Properties, And Corrosivity Of Petroleum-Biofuel Oils And Blends For Application In Oil-Fired Power Stations, Stacy Joan Bjorgaard

Theses and Dissertations

To meet the metrics set forth by the Clean Power Plan, industry can use gasification or replacement of petroleum with biofuels. However, tars formed in gasification are difficult to remove, and biofuel-petroleum blends may have issues with fuel stability, corrosion, and miscibility.

Tar cracking was studied in both a laboratory-scale updraft gasifier, with a municipal solid waste feedstock, and tar cracking reactor system and in a bench-scale tar cracking reactor. The laboratory-scale system demonstrated that the optimal temperature was at least 800°C, that thermal cracking accounted for 85% of tar destruction, and that metal-based catalysts were the most promising. The …

Alpha1a Adrenergic Receptor Influences On Adult Neurogenesis, Cell Fate, Mood, Learning, Memory, Lifespan, And Cancer Incidence, Katie Collette

Theses and Dissertations

Norepinephrine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter that signals through the adrenergic receptors (ARs), α1, α2, and β, each with three subtypes. There is little research on the function of α1AR subtypes, α1A- and α1BARs, in the brain. By using α1AR agonists, antagonists, and transgenic activation there appears to be a role for the subtypes in learning, memory, mood, adult neurogenesis, and cancer.

α1AAR activation enhances learning and memory in the adult mouse. In the current study, we used α1A- or α1BAR knockout mice (α1AAR or α1BAR-KO mice) and behavioral testing to examine learning, memory, depression, and anxiety. We found that KO …

Ixodes Scapularis In North Dakota: Phenology, Population Genetics, And Local Host Reservoir Competency In An Emerging Vector Population, Michael Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

Tick surveillance in eastern North Dakota has revealed the presence of established I. scapularis populations in fragmented forest habitats previously regarded as unsuitable for this species. Understanding I. scapularis phenology, the reservoir competency of local vertebrate hosts, and population structure of blacklegged ticks in this region is essential to determining potential human risk of Lyme disease. Tick surveys were conducted throughout North Dakota by flagging and small mammal trapping. 1,701 ticks were collected, including 297 I. scapularis exhibiting a relatively low Borrelia burgdorferi infection rate (ca. 3-5%). Seasonal abundance varied greatly among life stages, with adult I. scapularis being most …

The N-Terminus Of Type Iii Secretion Needle Protein Yscf From Yersinia Pestis Functions To Modulate Innate Immune Responses, Patrick Osei-Owusu

Theses and Dissertations

The type III secretion system is employed by many pathogens, including the genera Yersinia, Shigella, Pseudomonas, and Salmonella, to deliver effector proteins into eukaryotic cells. The injectisome needle is formed by the polymerization of a single protein, e.g., YscF (Yersinia pestis), PscF (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), PrgI (Salmonella enterica SPI-1), SsaG (Salmonella enterica SPI-2), or MxiH (Shigella flexneri). In this study, we demonstrated that the N termini of some needle proteins, particularly the N terminus of YscF from Yersinia pestis, influences host immune responses. The N termini of several needle proteins were truncated and tested for the ability to induce inflammatory responses …

Visualization And Mining Of Phasor Data From Optimally Placed Synchrophasors In A Smart-Grid, Ranganath Vallakati

Theses and Dissertations

Synchrophasors, or also known as Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs), are the state- of-the-art measurement sensor that gather key sensor parameters such as voltage, frequency (f), current (i), and phase angle (ϕ) to monitor the state of an electric grid. The significant feature of a synchrophasor is in its ability to provide real-time streaming data from smart grid. The sampling rate of PMUs ranges from 30 samples to a maximum of 120 samples per second. With such large date-rate, the operations of the power-grid is known with high granularity. However, utilities face certain challenges with synchrophasor measurements. One of the common …

Development Of Molecular Biosensors And Multifunctional Graphene-Based Nanomaterials, Xu Wu

Theses and Dissertations

In the first project, a simple, rapid, and reversible fluorescent DNA INHIBIT logic gate has been developed for sensing mercury (Hg2+) and iodide (I-) ions based on a molecular beacon (MB). In this logic gate, a mercury ion was introduced as the first input into the MB logic gate system to assist in the hybridization of the MB with an assistant DNA probe through the thymine–Hg2+–thymine interaction, which eventually restored the fluorescence of MB as the output. With this signal-on process, mercury ions can be detected with a limit of detection as low as 7.9 nM. Furthermore, when iodide ions …

The Role Of Atg7 In The Host Defense Against Bacterial Infection, Yan Ye

Theses and Dissertations

Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause serious infections in humans. Autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7) has been involved in certain bacterial infections; however, the role of Atg7 in macrophage-mediated immunity against Kp infection has not been elucidated. To gain a better understanding of Kp-host interaction which may provide insight into the design of novel and effective therapeutics for this infection, we set out to investigate the potential immune role for autophagy in Kp infection in vitro and in vivo. We found that Atg7 was significantly induced in murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S) upon Kp infection, indicating that Atg7 …

Disaggregating Tree And Grass Phenology In Tropical Savannas, Qiang Zhou

Theses and Dissertations

Savannas are mixed tree-grass systems and as one of the world’s largest biomes represent an important component of the Earth system affecting water and energy balances, carbon sequestration and biodiversity as well as supporting large human populations. Savanna vegetation structure and its distribution, however, may change because of major anthropogenic disturbances from climate change, wildfire, agriculture, and livestock production. The overstory and understory may have different water use strategies, different nutrient requirements and have different responses to fire and climate variation. The accurate measurement of the spatial distribution and structure of the overstory and understory are essential for understanding the …

Tamworth Conservatism And The Repeal Of The Corn Laws: The Foundation Of Modern Conservative Political Discourse, Jonathan James Hedeen

Theses and Dissertations

In the early morning hours of May 16th, 1846 Parliament gathered for the final reading to repeal the Corn Laws. While the Corn Laws had been a highly contested topic within Britain for over two decades, it was at this juncture that the Conservative party of Sir Robert Peel fractured. As this study shall demonstrate, the Corn Law crisis of 1846 did not destroy Peel’s version of Conservativism as has often been argued, but rather put it into a state of suspended animation. The division of the party only twelve years after its formation has long been a topic of …

Perceptions Of Computer-Generated Child Pornography, Beth Catherine Kliethermes

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined public perceptions of computer-generated child pornography (CGCP) and its association with pornographic material acceptance, usage, and sexual interests, as well as attitudes regarding children and sexual activities. Moral Foundations Theory was utilized to interpret these findings from a morality perspective. Additionally, the study explored public perceptions regarding the use of computer-generated child pornography in treatment and its effect on risk of contact offending. Participants included a community sample recruited using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Results indicated that participants had significantly lower support for illegality of computer-generated child pornography when compared to child pornography; however, support for illegality …

Prevalence, Statistical Trends And Phylogenetics Of Blood Parasites (Haemosporidia: Haemoproteus, Plasmodium And Leucocytozoon) In Songbird Passerines From Grasslands Of Northwest Minnesota, Danielle Kvasager

Theses and Dissertations

Passerine birds that primarily use grassland habitats are rarely the focus of a parasite study. With many rapidly declining bird populations that breed at even faster decreasing grassland habitat, it is important to know the potential risks to the birds posed by blood parasites. During the breeding seasons of 2009-2011, 150 samples from 148 individual birds (fourteen species) were collected from five grassland sites in northwest Minnesota, USA and surveyed for blood parasites using microscopy and molecular methods. Eighty-five (56.67%) of the 150 samples were infected with at least one of three haemosporidian genera: Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon. Seventy (46.67%) …

Regulation Of Vectorial Active Transport In Human Proximal Tubule Cells By Mt-3: The Role Of The C-Terminal Domain On E-And N-Cadherin Expression And The Confirmation Of Protein-Protein Interactions, Andrea Marie Nore

Theses and Dissertations

The proximal tubule of the kidney is particularly susceptible to toxicant-induced damage and cell cultures of human proximal tubule cells are widely utilized to study the role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in renal disease. Cadmium is a toxic metal ion that is known to produce renal tubular necrosis and accumulate in the proximal tubule. This metal binds to a family of cysteine rich metal binding proteins known as metallothioneins (MT) that are found in abundance in the kidney. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that the third isoform of metallothionein (MT-3) is expressed in the epithelial cells of the …

Survey Of Southern Amazonian Bird Helminths, Kaylyn Patitucci

Theses and Dissertations

Very little is known about the diversity, distribution, and host associations of avian helminths in southern Amazonia. The majority of avian species, families and even orders in the region have not been examined for parasitic worms so far. At the same time, the expected helminth diversity is high, given that Amazonian birds are extremely diverse and their fauna is characterized by a high level of endemism. In this work, we studied helminth fauna of birds from the westernmost region of endemism, Inambari and from the easternmost region, Belém. Two hundred and thirty-four birds belonging to 9 orders were examined for …

The Relationship Between A Series Of Vitamin D Levels And A Blood Glucose Level In Pregnant Women In The Upper Midwest, Jeanine Louise Senti

Theses and Dissertations

Hyperglycemia during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes for both mother and offspring. In order to facilitate glucose delivery to the fetus, insulin resistance increases as gestation progresses which results in hyperglycemia if the mother’s body is unable to compensate by producing adequate insulin in response to these changes in glucose metabolism. Evidence suggests that calcidiol (vitamin D) influences insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in the non-pregnant population yet there are inconsistent findings on the effects of calcidiol on maternal glucose levels during pregnancy. A secondary analysis was completed on a de-identified data set. The original prospective study included a …

Influence Of A Physical Activity Intervention On Perceived Barriers And Benefits In Women, Kathryn Elizabeth Lundberg

Theses and Dissertations

Young adults face the opportunity to make an abundance of behavior choices when entering college. One important decision is to regularly participate in physical activity. Common barriers to physical activity may hinder an individual’s decision to make healthy behavior choices, such as physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a women’s physical activity intervention on perceived benefits and barriers, body composition, and energy expenditure. This study took place at the University of North Dakota in the fall of 2014 using a non-randomized experimental design between two groups (n=50) of college-aged women. The first group …

A Protocol For Animal Assisted Therapy In A Midwestern Hospital, Alexie J. Traiser, Katie J. Huot

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) has been shown to improve physiological, psychological, social, and physical aspects of clients (Miller & Ingram, 2000; Diefenbeck, Bouffard, Matukaitis, Hastings & Coble, 2010). AAT increases an individual’s strength, cognition, range of motion, and balance (Miller & Ingram, 2000). The use of animals within therapy also decreases anxiety, heart rate, blood pressure, and pain while also improving attention and social participation (Diefenbeck et al., 2010). The role of animals within AAT provides the therapist with a unique tool to utilize in various aspects of therapy. Depending on the treatment plan, the therapist can utilize the animal …

Developing A Heterotypic Cell Culture Model To Determine Vegf Action Of Neural Stem Cell Fate Choice, Stephanie Snyder

Theses and Dissertations

Brain development requires tight cell and molecular regulation for proper neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation and differentiation. Increasing interest in NSCs has arisen due to the flexibility inherent within their proliferative capacity and their ability to generate multiple neuronal cell types. Our main focus is on the cortex, the primary integrator for higher order brain function. Cortical NSC proliferation and differentiation occur in concert with blood vessel ingression into the primitive cortex to vascularize the neuroepithelium. One potential influence derived from vascular cells is Vascular endothelial growth factor A (Vegf). Vegf has the ability to regulate both neurogenesis and angiogenesis …

Process To Incorporate A Therapy Service Dog In An Occupational Therapy Educational Program, Hanna Eickenbrock, Marlee Wheelhouse

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of the scholarly project is to incorporate a therapy/service dog within the occupational therapy department at the University of North Dakota (UND). The therapy/service dog will be utilized as a support system for student’s and faculty’s health and well-being and as an educational tool for enhancing student learning. The authors completed the process of implementation by progressing through the hierarchical process of UND gatekeepers. Through the development of a legality and safety protocol, loan agreement, and purpose proposal, the authors obtained official approval to implement a therapy/service dog in the UND Occupational Therapy program.

Facilitating Play Amongst Siblings When One Is Diagnosed With Asd: Guide, Anne Lee, Kasie Parker

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Aerocom: Winter 2015, John D. Odegard School Of Aerospace Sciences

Aerocom: John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences Alumni Magazine

No abstract provided.

Utilizing Novice Teachers' Perceptions And Voices To Make Recommendations For Improving Teacher Preparation For Inclusive Education: A Mixed Methods Study, Keri Lynne Desutter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to examine novice elementary teachers' perceptions of preparedness and competence for teaching in inclusive classrooms in relation to experiences during undergraduate teacher preparation. Factors that correlate with, identify differences between, or predict perceptions of preparation and competence for teaching in inclusive classrooms were examined. A pragmatic framework guided this study.

The responses from eighty-four novice teachers from the state of Minnesota were utilized during the quantitative phase of the study. During this phase participants completed an online survey containing items related to Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice, Inclusive Beliefs, Preparation …

Effects Of A1aar And A1bar Knockout On Anxiety And Depression, Erin Krueger

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Epigenetic Changes Associated With Amphetamine Use In C. Elegans, Michelle Patregnani

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Nest Defense And Attendance Patterns Of Piping Plovers (Charadrius Melodus) On The Upper Missouri River In North Dakota, Leila Mohsenian

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.