Digital Commons Network^™

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Paula Kramer, Phd, Otr/L, Faota, Shelby Wittenberg, Lexie Coalwell

Oral History Posters

Objective: The purpose of this study is to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history and how occupational therapy practice has evolved from its inception to current practice through the life history stories of occupational therapists who have held leadership roles at the national level and beyond. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way to gather this information.

Method: A life history qualitative approach was used by conducting two, 60-minutes semi-structured interviews at the University of North Dakota’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The interviews …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Suzanne Peloquin, Phd, Otr, Faota, Alexandra Grosser, Kelsey Knutson

Oral History Posters

Objective: This life history of Dr. Suzanne Peloquin is one of 30 life history interviews, which are part of a larger project. The purpose of study is to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history and how occupational therapy practice has evolved from its inception to current practice through the life history stories of occupational therapists who have held leadership roles at the national level and beyond.

Method: A two-hour, semi-structured interview was conducted via Zoom video conferencing technology. The interview was video and audio recorded and later transcribed. The transcription was analyzed …

The Use Of Dhea In The Treatment Of Depression, Bryan Tipton

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated ester (DHEA-S) are important pre-hormones that also have direct neurohormonal effects on the central nervous system. Over the last twenty years, data have revealed that serum DHEA peaks in a person’s mid-20s and steadily declines throughout their lifetime. In addition, women tend to have lower values than men. This is of note because lower serum values tend to be correlated with increased risk of depression, worse depressive symptoms, and increased risk of relapse into depression. A review of literature concerning DHEA’s age related values, its association with depression, and its use in the treatment of …

Embolus Prevention: Anticoagulant Therapy In Comparison To Watchman’S Procedure In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation, Erik Fladmo

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Atrial fibrillation or A-fib is a common cardiac disease that occurs as individuals get older.

• A risk factor of atrial fibrillation is blood clot formation and dislodgement or ‘embolus’ in the left atrium.

• Current treatment methods to prevent clot formation include anticoagulants, as well as a left atrial appendage closure device, The Watchman’s device is the only FDA approved left atrial appendage closure device.

• Study results confirm the rising efficacy and cost effectiveness of Watchman’s device versus long term anticoagulant therapy as well as their adverse effects regarding placement and post procedure; however further randomized control …

Comparing Rates Of Macrosomia And Neonatal Hypoglycemia Of Differing Treatment Modalities Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Ashleigh Milbrath

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a known potential complication that can occur during pregnancy. Unmanaged GDM can result in maternal hyperglycemia, which can cause increased neonatal complications, two of which are macrosomia and neonatal hypoglycemia. To prevent maternal hyperglycemia, treatment of GDM typically begins with dietary changes, home glucose monitoring, increased exercise patterns and other lifestyle modifications. However, if maternal hyperglycemia persists after two weeks of maternal lifestyle modifications, there are not current best practice guidelines established for the treatment of GDM. Historically, subcutaneous multiple daily dosed insulin (MDI) has been the gold standard for treatment after lifestyle modification. However, …

Managing Anxiety With Pharmacogenomic Testing, Ashley Pommer

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Anxiety affects approximately three to seven percent of the United States population, and nearly 50% of the diagnosed patients fail to respond to first line treatment regimens (Boland, Duffy, & Meyer 2018). Traditional first line treatments include medication therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or the combination of both. With such a high initial failure rate, recent studies indicate promising results in managing anxiety with pharmacogenomic testing. Pharmacogenomic testing is allowing providers to prescribe medication based on individual genetic makeup, focusing on how each patient metabolizes certain medications. The purpose of this literature review was to determine if first line methods …

Fertility Options For Women With Endometriosis: In Vitro Fertilization Versus Surgical Excision Or Ablation, Jenny Brown

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Endometriosis negatively affects the fertility of many women of reproductive age worldwide. Some women with endometriosis are able to conceive without reproduction assistance, while others require medical intervention. In vitro fertilization and surgical management are available and widely used in the treatment of endometriosis associated infertility. In vitro fertilization has been found to be effective in women with stages I-IV endometriosis, with varying degrees of success at each stage. These varying results may be due to oocyte quality and availability as well as endometriosis location. Surgical excision and/or surgical ablation of endometriosis/endometriomas may also improve chance of successful pregnancy but …

Efficacy And Effectiveness Of Treatment Studies, Manish Rami

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

Professionals in the discipline of communication sciences and disorders primarily assess and treat speech, language, and hearing disorders. Speech–language pathologists and audiologists are the two professions. These professionals constantly search for ways to improve services for people who have speech, language, or hearing disorders. To do so, these professionals conduct research to figure out the best treatment options for their clients. Two types of research methods, efficacy of treatment studies (efficacy studies) and effectiveness of treatment studies (effectiveness studies), help establish the certainty and practicality of new treatment approaches. Evidence from such studies advances the discipline of communication sciences and …

Developing Innovative Strategies For Aviation Education And Participation, Stephanie Ward, Courtney Beard, Sondra Retzlaff, Maria Muia, Paul Snyder, Leslie Martin, Kim Kenville, Dave Gordon

Aviation Faculty Publications

Resources to help promote interest in aviation among younger populations ranging from 10 years old to 25 years old are detailed in TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 202.

The report is designed to help educators and aviation enthusiasts understand the need for encouraging interest in aviation. It offers guidance on developing a program of activities to fit particular needs and provides activities for developing a program that can be scaled and tailored for various age groups and resource availability.

Curators Of Place: Farmers' Narratives Of Sense Of Place And Learning, Matthew Alan Berosik

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation brings forth the idea that our attachment to place and the meanings behind those attachments could be well suited for implementation within formal agricultural education. The focus of this dissertation brings to light multi-generational family farmer’s attachment to the places they grew up and work on, as well as prepare their children and grandchildren to take on the role of ‘curator of place’. Throughout this dissertation, I lay the groundwork for inclusion of sense of place within formalized agricultural education by highlight just what sense of place is and the missing areas within current agricultural education. For this …

Applications Of An Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle And Remote Cameras For Studying A Sub-Arctic Ecosystem, Andrew Barnas

Theses and Dissertations

The midcontinent population of lesser snow geese (Anser caerulescens caerulescens) has increased dramatically since the 1960’s due to changing agricultural practices in their southern wintering areas. The destructive foraging and continued population growth of lesser snow geese has resulted in cascading negative impacts on northern ecosystems. Studying remote sub-Arctic ecosystems is logistically challenging, but the advent of remote sensing technologies (such as drones and remote cameras) may assist ecologists in understanding snow goose ecology. Before these tools can be integrated into snow goose research programs, precursor “proof-of-concept” studies are required to validate tool use. The objectives of this study were …

The Impact Of Historical Trauma On Alcohol Use And Academic Outcomes In American Indian College Students, Elizabeth Luger

Theses and Dissertations

Issues regarding substance use, particularly alcohol use, and academic outcomes are two factors that are vital to examine when researching the quality of life and academic success of American Indian (AI) college students. Because AI college students comprise a relatively small percentage of the general college population, the majority of research conducted using college student samples tends to focus on Caucasian (CA) subjects or all ethnicities combined – neither of which directly pertain to furthering understanding surrounding issues specific to AI college students. One factor that has been shown to predict alcohol use among AIs is historical trauma, which is …

Development Of Graphene And Polymer Based Nanomaterials For Analytical And Biological Applications, Xiao Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Graphene-based nanomaterials are novel emerging materials with their superior physical, chemical and mechanical features that have applications in a broad diversity of fields. Their excellent properties include: 1) Superior biocompatibility compared to the traditional QDs because they are free from toxic heavy metals. 2) Large surface area and easy covalent/chemical modification which makes them convenient as drug delivery carriers, in comparison with liposomes. 3) High light absorption in the near infrared (NIR) region. Compared to metal nanoparticles, which gives them better photothermal properties. 4) Strong quenching efficiency; graphene-based nanomaterials were able to quench various fluorophores through fluorescence resonance energy transfer …

Ethnic Bias Within The Nesarc Personality Disorders Using Item Response Theory, Susan Tara Scoullar

Theses and Dissertations

Racial bias within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5th Edition, or DSM5, has been recognized in studies of personality disorder diagnoses. Item Response Theory Differential Functioning of Items and Tests (IRT DIF and DTF) was used to examine the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s (NIAAA) National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) Wave 1 and 2 data. A review of prevalence information by gender and ethnicity was undertaken. Hypotheses included that bias would be present in the items and total scores of personality diagnostic scales. In particular, items and scales which rely on cultural comparisons, and …

Effects Of Locomotion Methods Under Simulated Reduced Gravity Conditions On Muscles And Joints Of The Leg, Sophie Orr

Theses and Dissertations

Past research efforts have focused on the energy difference between altered locomotion methods in fractional gravity at different speeds, suggesting that skipping is energetically more efficient than walking and running in these environments. While skipping may be more beneficial from an energy standpoint, the full range of reasons behind the gait transition and locomotion selection have not been researched. This includes damage to the muscles of the leg, which is partially prevented by a transition from walking to running. In a space environment, these factors will play a role in astronaut health and injury prevention. For this study, participants walked, …

Characterization Of Dopamine Transporter Amino Terminal Palmitoylation And Neurotoxic Substrate Activity, Daniel Jacob Stanislowski

Theses and Dissertations

The projects described in this dissertation revolve around the functional consequences experienced by the transport protein for the neurotransmitter dopamine resulting from alterations to its palmitoylation condition or exposure to Parkinson disease-inducing transport substrates. This membrane-resident transport protein, pragmatically termed the dopamine transporter, relocates dopamine from extracellular areas of receptor sites of action to intracellular sequestration; the dopamine transporter is a powerful mediator of dopamine signaling. As such, genetic, toxicant, or chronic breakdown of dopamine transporter function is associated with multiple psychological abnormalities. Biomedical research has produced several pharmacotherapies for maladies like depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and addiction, some of …

The Impact Of Flipped Learning On Student Academic Performance And Perceptions, Mark J. Dusenbury, Myrna R. Olson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to explore if flipped learning has an impact on aviation students perceptions and academic performance in a human factors course. A total of 81 students from a large Midwestern university participated. The Course Evaluation Survey (CES) was used to measure student perceptions, while course exams were used to measure academic performance. To analyze the data, the researchers use paired sample t-tests, independent sample t-tests, and a MANCOVA. Findings show students in the flipped classroom did not perform better than the lecture classroom. In addition, students in the lecture group had significantly higher overall course …

Presence And Characterization Of Microplastics In Drinking (Tap/Bottled) Water And Soft Drinks, Mansurat Golden Abdulmalik Ali

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the presence of microplastics in human consumable products using 33 samples; Fifteen tap water samples, nine bottled water and nine soft drink samples, collected and purchased in Grand Forks, ND.

Tap water analysis confirm all samples contain microplastics, majority of which were fibres and fragments with 48.6% and 41.8% abundance. The average concentration was 182 mpp/L (range 66 mpp/L – 472 mpp/L) with 2.5 µm – 3 mm size range. Bottled water and soft drinks were also contaminated with microplastics with an average of 101 mpp/L (range 49 mpp/L – 166 mpp/L) and particle size ranging from …

Welcome To The Neighborhood: Communities Of Practice And Identity Development Of Athletic Training Students, Alicia Dionne Champagne

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical education is a large component of athletic training education and is centered on social learning. Students learn how an athletic trainer functions through exposure to a community of practice. As students transition towards full participants in the clinical environment, they get to practice their skills and begin developing their professional identity. As the profession prepares to transition to solely entry-level master’s degrees in 2022, many athletic training programs will need to alter and re-evaluate the clinical experiences available for students. This phenomenological study explored social learning within the clinical environment with an emphasis on how interactions within these communities …

Impact Of A Billing Strategy On Degree Completion Rates At A North Dakota Tribal College, Wanda Lee Laducer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are different outcomes for students on the two tuition models that were used in a tribal college in the state of North Dakota. Did financial aid play a role in the outcomes with the two tuition models that were used?

In an attempt to establish the relationship, the investigation considered whether the student was a full time or part time students, grade point average for each term enrolled, cumulative grade point average for each semester enrolled and length in time to departure. These factors were determined by the researcher and …

Disparity Between The Real And The Ideal: How Do Different Health Profession Students View Effective Clinical Preceptors?, Steven Bradley Westereng

Theses and Dissertations

Preceptors overseeing health care students during clinical education are critical to the overall learning experience of the student. Although research has been conducted surrounding the characteristics of effective clinical preceptors from the students’ perspective within specific professions, little research has been done across health care disciplines. Research across health care professions is important because of the increased attention by academic programs on interprofessional education. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a difference amongst health care education students’ perceptions as to the characteristics of effective clinical preceptors. This study included participants from six different health …

Determination Of Maximum Scour Depth For Spur Dikes Based On A Validated Two-Dimensional Hec-Ras Model, Mathew Lee Cox

Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of spur dikes into a river flow field can have many far-reaching positive effects on the stability of a river channel. While the flow velocity directly at the spur dike tip or crest may increase, a large embayment area downstream of the spur dike will form with reduced flow velocities. Due to the increase in flow velocity at the spur dike, a scour hole will form. Scour is the leading cause of failure of hydraulic structures. In the past many hydraulic structures were tested by building scale prototype models, this method is very costly and hard to model …

United States Coast Guard Aviation Safety: Relationship Between The Safety Survey And The Extent Of Hazard Reporting, James Cooley

Theses and Dissertations

Aviation safety outcomes, such as mishaps, are a product of an aviation organization’s safety culture (Reason, 2008; Reiman & Pietikäinen, 2012). Safety cultures should be assessed in order to improve an organization’s state of safety (Adjekum et al., 2015; Cooper, Collins, Bernard, Schwann, & Knox, 2019; Wiegmann, Zhang, von Thaden, Sharma, & Gibbons, 2004). Questionnaires are one of the best ways of obtaining information about an organization’s safety culture (Wiegmann et al., 2004; Wald, Gray, & Eatough, 2018). Additionally, the extent to which aviation hazards are reported (hazreps) serve as an indicator of the health of an aviation Safety Management …

A Systematic Analysis Of Temporal Trends In The Sit-Ups Performance Of 9,939,289 Children And Adolescents Between 1964 And 2017 Representing 31 Countries, Tori Kaster

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To estimate national and international temporal trends in the sit-ups

performance of children and adolescents, and to examine relationships between trends in sit-ups performance and trends in health-related and sociodemographic indicators. Methods: Data were obtained in three ways: (a) through a systematic electronic database search of studies reporting on temporal trends in the handgrip strength of apparently healthy 9–17 year-olds, (b) by pearling reference lists, topical systematic reviews and personal libraries, and (c) by examining large country-level fitness datasets suitable to temporal trends analysis. Sample-weighted temporal trends (expressed as percent and standardized trends) were estimated at the country-sex-age level …

Use Of Landsat Satellite Imagery To Identify The Salinization Of Soil Due To Brine Spills In Northwestern North Dakota, Neha Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Oil and gas development in northwestern North Dakota, has resulted in the drilling of more than 32,000 wells and produced large volumes of salt water (brine). Brine spills can have negative impacts on plant and water resources. This research evaluated the detection of brine spills in Bottineau County, North Dakota using Landsat imagery and the Canopy Response Salinity Index (CRSI). The CRSI uses ratios of near-infrared and infrared bands from Landsat imagery. Spill data for Bottineau County from 1975 to 2017 were collected from the North Dakota Department of Health for analysis of spill volume, number of spills, and timing …

A Presidential Leadership Process For Higher Education In Small, Rural Institutions And Settings, Teresa Caplinger Spaeth

Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative research study was conducted to explore leadership competencies of presidents of public universities with enrollments of less than 7,000, located in small rural communities and distant locations in the Upper Midwest. The context of higher education is constantly evolving. Internal pressures from faculty and students, as well as external factors such as finances, new technologies, and stakeholder demands play a role in determining the future of academic institutions and the success of their leadership.

Much literature has been written regarding higher education leadership, best practices for success, and future changes that should be made to maintain sustainable institutions, …

Predicting Mental Health Court Program Outcomes Based On Individual Characteristics In Participant Profiles, Melissa M. De La Luz

Theses and Dissertations

Mentally ill offenders are overrepresented in the criminal justice system and experience increased risks of cyclic incarceration and recidivism following release. Mental health court programs were introduced to offer court ordered treatment regimens and a team of legal and behavioral health professionals as an alternative to incarceration. The goal of mental health court research is to improve graduation rates and decrease post-program recidivism by identifying participant characteristics that significantly contribute to successful program completion. This study proposed an examination of the association between characteristics of mental health court program participants and their influence on the likelihood of graduation, termination, and …

Risk-Taking Behaviors As Predicted By (Mal)Adaptive Functioning In College Students: A Look Into Emotional Adjustment, Hillary Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Risk-taking behaviors emerge, increase, and peak during adolescence and have shown to continue into late adolescence. Research has begun to explore how some forms of risk-taking may be normative and adaptive. The aim of this study is to look at how social, academic, and occupational functioning are related to risk-behaviors, as measured by risk-favorability and reported risk-taking history, and emotional adjustment in a college sample (N=314). Risk was assessed using self-report and an implicit task, both of which were moderately correlated. Both risk measures were negatively correlated with self-report measures of adaptive functioning and emotional adjustment.A series of mediation analyses …

Endolysosome Dysfunction And Inter-Organellar Signalling: An 'Iron-Ic' Story, Peter Halcrow

Theses and Dissertations

Endosomes and lysosomes (endolysosomes) are acidic organelles that are important both physiologically and pathologically. Implicated in the physiological and pathophysiological processes regulated by endolysosomes are readily releasable stores of cations including ferrous iron (Fe2+); an essential cofactor for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In determining the extent to which and mechanisms by which Fe2+ released from endolysosomes affects cellular functions it was important to determine levels of Fe2+ in endolysosomes. In some cells and by other researchers, FeRhoNox-1 was found to detect Fe2+ in acidic organelles known as Golgi. Here, using U87MG astrocytoma cells and primary cultures of …

The Relationship Of Physical Activity And Perceived Fatigue In Men Receiving External Beam Radiation Therapy For Non-Metastatic Prostate Cancer, Timothy Charles Flory Fuss

Theses and Dissertations

Nature of the Problem/Study

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men in the United States, with 2.9 million men diagnosed with prostate cancer alive today (American Cancer Society, 2017). Given the rate of survival and substantial number of men living with prostate cancer, addressing symptoms and quality of life in these men is increasingly important.

Fatigue is reported to be the most distressing side effect of radiation therapy (RT), negatively effecting physical function and quality of life (Minton et al., 2013). Finding measures to predict, treat and help prevent fatigue can improve long term outcomes in cancer …