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Panic Development Mechanisms And Preventive Methods Analysis, Inga Wuerges

Theses and Dissertations

Panic Development (PD) is one of the most important areas of Human Factors research due to its debilitating effects during high stress operating conditions in extreme environments. High levels of anxiety and panic evoke incidents that are a real threat to mission success and may result in fatalities. A delicate balance of crew selection, training, and systems' design is critical for mission success and human survival.

This research investigates possible panic development profiles and methods for preventing panic through realistic training. This research focuses on realistic training scenarios during the intense military flying exercise Red-Flag Alaska at Eielson AFB, AK. …

Miniaturized Antenna Design For Wireless Biomedical Sensors, Mohannad M. Alharbi

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is focused on the design and simulation of miniaturized antennas for wireless biomedical sensors. The motivation of the work was to provide a solution for wireless systems that are embedded or placed on the body. Currently, small antennas are on demand to be implanted inside the body or placed closely to the body. The performance of such antennas, gain and efficiency, is affected by the lossy tissues that surround them. The goal of this work was to design antennas that are placed on a living body and integrated with a sensor system implanted in living tissue, to measure …

The Combined Effects Of Copper Sulfate And Hypoxia Stress On The Swim Performance Of Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis Macrochirus), Dustin D. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Copper (Cu) is a component of several aquatic pesticides often used to target noxious algae, but at high concentrations may elicit toxic effects on non-target organisms such as fish. The severity of Cu toxicity varies widely by fish species, Cu concentration, duration of exposure, and water quality. Hypoxia is a widely occurring aquatic stressor that is also a potential side effect of Cu application due to increased oxygen demand from algae decay. Because Cu and hypoxia stress may occur in concert, it is important to understand and quantify their combined effects. Critical swimming speed (Ucrit) tests are an efficient and …

Does Attractiveness Matter For Sex Offenders? An Examination Of Defendant Attractiveness, Defendant Gender, And Crime Severity, Adam Charles Austin

Theses and Dissertations

There has been an abundance of research showcasing an attraction-leniency bias that benefits attractive defendants of various crimes. However, this bias tends to diminish if the crime is deemed serious or if the defendant uses his or her attractiveness to commit the crime (i.e., swindle). The purpose of the current study is to investigate judgments made about a defendant being accused of a sexual offense. The study represents a 2 (gender of defendant) x 3 (attractiveness of defendant: attractive, unattractive, no picture) x 3 (crime severity: low, medium, high) factorial design. Participants (N = 686) were asked to report their …

Removal Efficiency Of Water Quality Pollutants In A Wet Detention Basin In Grand Forks, Nd, Abbie Marie Beaudry

Theses and Dissertations

It is hypothesized that the applied sampling techniques, water quality analysis, and statistical analysis predict pollutant removal efficiencies of the project site. Current practices in urban stormwater runoff are the design of systems that limit the developed peak discharge to less than or equal to the peak discharge of the pre-developed conditions. This is many times accomplished with the installation of stormwater retention, detention, or attenuation facilities that store the generated runoff from the drainage area. These are commonly known as structural Best Management Practices (BMPs). The City of Grand Forks, ND (City) implements BMPs into the stormwater management plans …

Impacts Of Gas And Oil Development On Sharp-Tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus Phasianellus) Nest Success And Predator Dynamics In Western North Dakota, Paul Curtis Burr

Theses and Dissertations

Recent advancements in extraction technologies are resulting in rapid increases of gas and oil development in western North Dakota. This expansion of energy development may have unknown effects on local wildlife populations and the ecological interactions within and among species. Sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) are a popular upland game bird species that rely on grassland habitat found throughout the state. Potential impacts of gas and oil development on the nest success of sharp-tailed grouse is an area of particular interest as it is an important factor in avian reproduction. Similarly, it is equally important to understand the impacts …

Regulation Of Proline-Directed Phosphorylation Site, Threonine 53 On Dopamine Transporter, Sathyavathi Challasivakanaka

Theses and Dissertations

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a plasma membrane protein that clears extraneuronal dopamine (DA) and thus controls the spatio-temporal dynamics of dopaminergic neurotransmission. Also, DAT is the major target for psychostimulant substrates, amphetamine (AMPH) and methamphetamine (METH), and psychostimulant uptake blocker, cocaine (COC). DAT is a phosphoprotein with both the N- and C-termini facing toward the cytosol, with multiple phosphorylation sites on the N-terminus. DAT has a closely spaced 6-serine cluster on the distal N-terminus that is phosphorylated in a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent manner and a recently identified proline-directed site, Thr (T) 53, that is phosphorylated in vitro by …

Development And Applications Of Gold-Silica Nanohybrids For Bioanalysis, Jiao Chen

Theses and Dissertations

In the first project, both non-spherical and spherical silica nanomateirals with hollow interiors were synthesized by a one-step soft-templating method. By simply changing the applied solvent from ethanol to 1-propanol, or 1-pentanol, three different shapes of nanomaterials, including nanosphere, nanowire, and nanotadpole, could be obtained, respectively. The effects of other factors on morphology were also systematically studied to propose a growth mechanism. It was found that the PVP-water droplet was the crucial factor on the formation of hollow interiors. Without the addition of PVP, only solid silica nanomaterials, such as solid nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanowires, were synthesized. This developed method …

Common Core State Standards: Beware The Trojan Horse, Yee Han Chu

Theses and Dissertations

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) represent a promise by general education that all students can be college and career ready through the acquisition of essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. These essential elements will be rigorous, supporting the higher-order and independent thinking skills typically associated with the achievement of excellence. CCSS, in short, promises excellence in all students. The needs of those students who demonstrate high ability do not receive any separate mention: (1) how has the concept of excellence been incorporated into the CCSS; and (2) what is the potential impact on high ability students?

These questions are examined …

Mental Illness Stigma, Mental Health Literacy, And Psychological Help-Seeking In A Rural Population, Astrid Shanthi D'Cunha

Theses and Dissertations

This study assessed relationships between mental illness stigma (public stigma (Vogel, Wade & Ascheman, 2009) and private stigma (Vogel, Wade & Haake, 2006)), mental health literacy (Mental Health Literacy Survey (MHLS; Epps et al. 2007) and Symptom Recognition Scale, (SRS)), and psychological help-seeking (Attitudes towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale and Intentions via LSHS) in a rural population. Two-hundred three adults living in rural and urbanized counties within a rural Midwestern state completed paper and online surveys. Stepwise hierarchical regression analyses showed that private stigma, mental health literacy, and previous help-seeking behavior predicted attitudes towards seeking professional help while symptom …

Subsyndromal Delirium And Postoperative Pain In Older Adults, Dawn L. Denny

Theses and Dissertations

Study Purpose and Design: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between subsyndromal delirium and pain in older adults following major elective orthopedic surgery. The design of this correlational study was based on Inouye and Charpentier's (1996) multifactorial model of delirium.

Methods: Delirium assessments of 62 older adults were completed at 24, 48, and 72 hours following major elective orthopedic surgery. Study measures included: a) the Iowa Pain Thermometer (0-10) pain intensity scale; and b) the Confusion Assessment Method (short form). Data were analyzed for relationships among delirium symptoms and pain, and secondarily, 24-hour opioid intake controlling …

A Ten-Year Study Of Earned Income Tax Credit Utilization In Western South Dakota: Where You Live Matters, Lizabeth Ann Diers

Theses and Dissertations

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is one of the largest government anti-poverty programs, helping low-income families to build and maintain economic security. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine if where taxpayers live in western South Dakota impacts the utilization of EITC. Results of analysis of tax return information, higher education accounting programs, and interview records were combined to answer the study questions.

Ten years of data (tax return averages) were retrieved from the Brookings Institution and were analyzed to determine if geography was a predictor of the likelihood of filing for EITC and the amount …

Trauma Experiences And Symptoms Reported By American Indian And Caucasian Sex Offenders, Regina Sioux Ertz

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) people are known to have a history of man-made trauma that corresponds to the colonization of the Americans. Trauma experienced by AI/AN sex offenders has not been evaluated in the research as it relates to their treatment planning. The lack of data reflecting intervention needs for AI/AN sex offenders is problematic. The current study hypothesized that American Indian sex offenders would report a greater number of trauma experiences, endorse increased symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), display more traumatic cognitions, and endorse higher dissociative experiences than Caucasian sex offenders. Statistical results yielded did not support the …

Grade Level Retention: A Comparative Study Of Beliefs And Practices In North Dakota And Surrey, Kim Englund

Theses and Dissertations

Many regions of the United States retain students who are not performing at grade level, yet a large body of research shows the ineffectiveness of having students repeat an academic year. The United Kingdom practices social promotion rather than retention. This comparative study sought to better understand the practices in these two countries and the research surrounding retention. First, it compared the interventions before and alternatives to retention used by both a North Dakota school district in the United States and two schools in Surrey, England. Second, it outlined a plan for teachers, parents, school administrators, and school policy makers …

The Aging Workforce And Their Impact On Workplace Injuries, James D. Feske

Theses and Dissertations

Workplace safety is critical for any organization. Creating a culture of safe behavior and developing safe surroundings can take a lot of time and effort, so it is important for firms to fully understand their risk exposures and their areas of focus for reducing or eliminating those risks. This analysis focuses on the aging American workforce and the impact on injury frequency rates. The aging workforce has been the focus of many analyses, but this analysis differs in that it focuses solely on their effects, if any, on injuries reported to the Occupation Safety and Health Association (OSHA).

Over time, …

Goose-Derived Igy: A Potential Therapeutic Antibody For The Treatment Of Infectious Disease, Ashley Louisa Fink

Theses and Dissertations

IgY, the predominate avian antibody isotype, has biochemical properties that make it attractive for a human immunotherapy: IgY does not bind to mammalian Fc receptor (FcR) or rheumatoid factor; IgY does not activate the mammalian complement; and IgY has no heteroagglutinins. Anseriformes (waterfowl, e.g. ducks and geese) produce 2 isoforms of IgY, full length IgY and alternatively spliced IgY lacking the Fc region and a stable equivalent to mammalian F(ab')2 fragment, and the predominate isoform following hyperimmunization. We, and others, have demonstrated that egg-derived avian polyclonal antibodies are prophylactic or therapeutic for a variety of different infectious agents including bacteria, …

Understanding Somali Women Refugee Students' Lives And Program Decisions At Two-Year Colleges: A Narrative Approach, Mary Fontes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore Somali women refugee students' lives and to identify what factors influenced their program decisions at two-year colleges in the Midwest. Refugees have been admitted to the United States (U. S.) as early as 1948 under the Displaced Persons Act. Some states have experienced a greater influx of refugees than others. Employment and economic self-sufficiency are emphasized as quickly as possible after arrival in the United States. Some foreign-born individuals, who aren't prepared for employment, pursue education. Somali women refugees who pursue education may be doing so unprepared or counter to cultural norms …

An Analysis Of Abortion Demand In Pennsylvania 2000 - 2010, Guido Giuntini

Theses and Dissertations

In this paper I expand on previous research of the determinants of abortion demand to examine the demand for abortion in the specific case of Pennsylvania, where precise statistics are available for each county. The data considered is for the years 2000 and 2010, and allows for cross sectional and panel data analysis, specifically, first-difference permitting to look at the effect of changes over time of specific explanatory variables. Careful attention is placed on variable selection techniques to avoid the use of low significance variables. The analysis allows controlling for price, as it is considered to be constant across the …

Multiple Baseline Study Of The Effects Of Left Visual Field Stimulation During Emotion Recognition Training Among Four Male Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Rachelle Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by social deficits in emotional comprehension. Research has demonstrated that for the neurotypical population, recognizing, and reacting to facial emotions improve when using the left visual field by employing the right brain hemisphere's configural processes. Behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging findings suggest an opposite pattern within the autistic population - left hemisphere activation contributing to a right visual field preference for analyzing and assessing facial affect. The present study attempted to activate and strengthen the right hemispheric neural pathway responsible for emotion recognition using modified eyewear to contrive left visual field stimulation during an empirically …

Differentiated Instruction For Responsive Teaching In Elementary Education Student Teachers' Classrooms, Laurie Dillon Guy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore what differentiated instruction looked like in three student teachers' classrooms. I sought to understand the challenges and successes these student teachers experienced with differentiation, the conditions they were able to control or not control, and how the relationship with the cooperating teacher impacted their capacities to practice differentiation as a method for responsive teaching. Methods included observation, interviews, and collecting student teaching artifacts. Data analyses were completed through Atlas ti, a computer program that supports qualitative research synthesis.

The theoretical framework underpinning this study was Tharp and Gallimore's neo-Vygotskian learning …

Impact Of Reverse Ethnocentrism On Competence Regarding Food Related Behaviors As A Function Of Attachment Style, Ethnic Identity, And Locus Of Control, Sheryl Holter Vogel

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated associations between attachment styles, locus of control (LOC), ethnic identity, and competence regarding food-related behavior (competence) among 168 White and 61 American Indian participants. An experimental manipulation was also conducted in which the concept of reverse ethnocentrism was tested. Attachment style accounted for the most significant variance of competence at 9% followed by ethnicity at 2%. Ethnic identity and LOC accounted for nonsignificant variance at 4% and less than 1% respectively. Prior to the experimental manipulation, results found competence was significantly negatively associated with low anxiety and high avoidance (dismissing attachment style), and American Indian participants …

Homicides And The American Dream: An Empirical Application Of Institutional Anomie Theory At The Census Tract Level, Stacie Jergenson

Theses and Dissertations

Guided by the Institutional Anomie Theory (IAT) of Steven F. Messner and Richard Rosenfeld (2007), this study examines the strength and interaction of social institutions (economy, education, family and polity) in relationship to homicides occurring in Minneapolis, Minnesota between 2007 and 2011. It utilizes census tracts as the units of analysis, an attempt to extend IAT from the cross-national to the local level. Rather than focusing on specific offenders, it explores broader cultural and structural characteristics employing exploratory, ordinary least squares (OLS), and geographically weighted regressions (GWR). Although interactions did not reach statistical significance, relationships were found between homicides rates …

Effect Of Bronsted And Lewis Acids On Biochemical Conversion Of Various Lignocellulosic Feedstocks Into Biofuels And Chemicals, Srinivas Reddy Kamireddy

Theses and Dissertations

A biochemical process was investigated in the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels and value added chemicals. Kenaf, two species of sorghum (brown mid rib (BMR) & non brown mid rib (NBMR)), sunn hemp, sunflower hulls, and cornstover were used as feedstocks in this study.

Lignocellulosic biomass primarily consists of three different components, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. In order to separate different fractions, and acid pretreatment is generally employed. This was achieved by using a 300 ml internal volume batch reactor. The heating source used was steam. During acid pretreatment most of the hemicellulose is hydrolyzed into the liquid fraction. …

A Remote Sensing Analysis Of The Effects Of Watershed Disturbance And Riparian Integrity On Stream Fish Communities In The Red River Of The North Basin, Nicholas Kludt

Theses and Dissertations

The relationships between fish species guilds, riparian cover, and vegetation disturbances in the surrounding landscape were examined across the 11 western tributaries of the Red River of the North. Archival stream sampling data, collected from 1993-2011 by North Dakota state agencies, were analyzed relative to temporally-appropriate land-cover predictors generated from National Land Cover Database and National Agricultural Imagery Program products.

The 0-30 m riparian cover width was the most influential landscape predictor influencing fish structure. The 0-30 m riparian cover displayed interactive effects with 30-50 m riparian cover width and watershed land-cover disturbance. These riparian scales were identified by a …

Depression, Negative Self-Disclosure, And The Response Of Others On Facebook, Daniel Barrett Landauer

Theses and Dissertations

Depression has a number of deleterious effects on the interpersonal functioning of adolescents and emerging adults. The interpersonal theory of depression posits that depression is developed and maintained by both the behaviors of the individual and the responses of others to the individual. Adolescents and emerging adults are spending a significant amount of time interacting on social networking sites, such as Facebook, yet few studies have looked at the interpersonal behavior of depressed youth in the context of the interpersonal theory of depression. This study examined the interpersonal behavior of 328 emerging adult college students on Facebook using questionnaires related …

Treatment Of Infectious Mastitis, Elizabeth Sandberg,

Theses and Dissertations

Mastitis is a complication of breast feeding encountered often by primary care providers. The goal of treating mastitis is not only resolution of the infection, but also the continuation of lactation so that both mother and child may continue to enjoy the innumerable health benefits of breastfeeding. The patient discussed in this case study is a first time mother who is exclusively breastfeeding, but whose planned change in feeding schedules places her at risk for developing mastitis as a result of engorgement or plugged milk ducts. This case report examines current recommendations and evidence for treatment of infectious mastitis. Attention …

Case Report: Elder Mistreatment, Eric Lutzwick

Theses and Dissertations

Elder maltreatment is a widespread and growing healthcare problem in the United States. The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) defines elder mistreatment as "intentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who stands in a trust relationship to the elder. This includes failure by a caregiver to satisfy the eider's basic needs or to protect the elder from harm". This paper is going to examine a case report highlighting the difficulties that healthcare providers must overcome in order to diagnose elder maltreatment as well as …

Volume 51, Number 19: December 25, 2013, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Winter Commencement: December 20, 2013, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Winter Commencement program from December 20, 2013.

Volume 51, Number 18: December 18, 2013, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.