Digital Commons Network^™

Multiphysics Modeling And Simulation Process To Develop Thin Piezoelectric Film Sensors To Measure The Vibration Of Structures With Complex Shapes And Boundary Conditions., Md. Razib Rahim

Theses and Dissertations

Piezoelectricity was discovered in 1880 by Jacques and Pierre Curie. Its application has since been extended to actuators and sensors, widely used in industry, automotive, and aerospace applications. The last two decades have seen intensive research in piezoelectric theory in an effort to effectively capture and control the distinctive coupling of electricity and elasticity. However, due to the complexity of the theory involved, finite element and numerical methods are often used in the process. Limited analytical exact solutions are also found in literature. The objective of this work is to devise a multiphysics modeling and simulation process to develop thin …

Neuroglial Mechanisms Involved In The Anti-Inflammatory Effect Of Acetate Supplementation, Mahmoud Lotfy Soliman

Theses and Dissertations

Acetate supplementation increases brain acetyl-CoA and attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation in vivo. To explain the anti-inflammatory effect of acetate treatment, we proposed that acetate treatment disrupts inflammatory signaling in microglia and astrocytes, and induces histone hyperacetylation known to be correlated with anti-inflammatory properties. To test this hypothesis, we measured the effects that LPS and acetate treatment had on histone acetylation, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and eicosanoid signaling. A single oral dose of acetate treatment (6 g/kg) in normal animals induced a time- and site-specific pattern of histone hyperacetylation, associated with reduction of histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity …

Investigating Elevated Aqua Modis Aerosol Optical Depth Retrievals Over The Mid-Latitude Southern Oceans, Travis Toth

Theses and Dissertations

A band of elevated aerosol optical depth (AOD) over the mid-latitude Southern Oceans has been identified in some passive satellite-based aerosol datasets such as Moderate Resolution Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MODIS) and Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) products. In this study, Aqua MODIS (AM) aerosol products in this zonal region are investigated in detail to assess retrieval accuracy. This is done through multiple data sets, including spatially and temporally collocated cloud and aerosol products produced by the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) project for investigating AM AOD in this region with respect to lidar profiling of cloud presence. Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) …

Factors Impacting Clinical And Counseling Psychology Students Conducting Research With Lgbt Populations, Daniel Walinsky

Theses and Dissertations

Although a large body of literature exists on training clinical and counseling psychology researchers, scant empirical work has been published that looks at the unique needs of students working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations. This study explores researcher development experiences of those students.

Two hypotheses are tested with a sample of 59 doctoral students in APA-accredited clinical and counseling psychology program. The first hypothesis posits that Exploration and Commitment Factors of the Measure of Sexual Identity Exploration and Commitment (MoSIEC) will account for variance on the Research Outcome Expectations Questionnaire (ROEQ) beyond that accounted for by social …

Non-Traditional Distance Learners: Student Persistence In A Rural Remote Community, Paula Ann Sundet Wolf

Theses and Dissertations

Cook County Higher Education (CCHE), a non-profit distance education resource center located in rural northeastern Minnesota, has student completion rates of 90% and higher. CCHE has attributed the student persistence to its external support services, such as mentoring, technology support, study skills, attitude, and financial resources. With the national call for increased degrees per capita, there is also increased incentive for higher education institutions to become more creative in offering external support services to their non-traditional distance learning students. This grounded theory method research project explored rural students' perceptions of what motivates them to persist in distance learning programs. Thick, …

An Evidence Based Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Continuous In-Service Police Pursuit Training In Minnesota, David Seyfried

Theses and Dissertations

Minnesota passed a law in 1999 requiring continuous in-service training in police pursuits for all licensed peace officers in the state. The purpose of this study is to conduct an evidence based program evaluation of the effectiveness of this law. This study examines the literature and presents the findings of previous research on police pursuits, including a discussion of the implementation of police pursuit policies and the usual approach taken by most police agencies to address police pursuits. The history of events that led Minnesota to take a unique approach to the problem by adopting this specific law is described. …

Parenting To Posthumous: A Grounded Theory Of Aging And Parenting An Adult Who Is Mentally Ill, Roxanne Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to generate a grounded theory that explains the main concerns of aging parents of adult mentally ill children and how they cope with those concerns. The methodology used was Classic Grounded Theory. Findings included the development of a substantive grounded theory titled, Parenting to Posthumous. Strategies to address this basic social process include complicated caring, shifting, examining, transitioning and messaging. Nursing implications include increased understanding of the dimensions of parenting as a process within aging.

Narratives Of Nigerian Educated Women Pursuing Higher Education Degrees In Western Universities, Vincent Hassan Bulus

Theses and Dissertations

The impetus for conducting this research is near and dear to my heart along with desiring to make a change for the better. In conducting interviews of Nigerian women's experiences, struggles and accessibility to secondary education, the research shows significant barriers to secondary education in their narrative experiences that their male counterparts do not experience. Specifically, the experiences of these selected Nigerian women who have shared their aspirations, goals and accomplishments through narrative form can be generalized to the women of Nigeria as a whole. The cultural background is an overwhelming obstacle which, although seems to be slowly eroding, the …

College Women And Social Networking Sites: Reasons For Use And Related Mental Health Constructs, Jo Michelle Ellison

Theses and Dissertations

Existing research on use of social networking sites (SNSs) suggests that the hours of use and the impact of use on mood is staggering, especially among the university population. The present study builds off of an exploratory analysis of factors that influence individuals' usage of SNSs. In the initial study female university students demonstrated a clearer structure of such factors than did male university students. The present study sought to replicate the factor structure of these influences on SNS use. Existing research has explored little in terms of the relationship between personality factors and SNS use. The extant literature is …

Juvenile Male Sex Offenders: The Impact Of Family Involvement In Treatment, Irene Arande Guya-Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Factors that relate to the recidivism of adolescents who commit sexual crimes have received minimal attention in the literature. This study examined the impact of family involvement in treatment variables for adolescent male sex offenders as well as the relationships between family involvement and other treatment variables. The independent variables included a) family environment b) family status c) socioeconomic status d) living status e) levels of offense f) criminal records and g) family involvement in treatment. The dependent measure was recidivism. Data was collected from archival records provided by Hennepin County Home School in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The results indicated that …

Peer Mentoring And Empathy, Ronald Wayne Hochstatter

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impacts of mentoring training, empathy training and sex difference on peer mentoring relationships. Mentoring training was conducted by the investigator and empathy training was provided by the University of North Dakota's Conflict Resolution Center. A total of 174 participants enrolled in an eight-week peer mentoring program. Participants were randomly selected and placed in four groups, no training, mentoring training, empathy training and both mentoring and empathy training. Mentors were asked to complete the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the Prosocial Personality Battery. Protégés were asked to complete the Protégé Satisfaction Scale and the Relational Assessment Scale. Findings …

Development Of A High Strength Laminate Repair System, Andrew Garrett Onken

Theses and Dissertations

Composite manufacturing often requires repairs at some point during the life of the part. Working with LM Wind Power, the Chemical and Mechanical Engineering Departments at the University of North Dakota worked to develop a new laminate repair system to be used in composite repairs. Both chemical and mechanical test methods were explored to analyze various resins in an attempt to increase the interface toughness between the parent laminate and repair laminate. A total of six resins from four suppliers were tested. Differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical rheological testing were performed to analyze the curing kinetics of each resin …

Portraying The Role Of Giuseppe Zangara In Sondheim's Assassins, Casey Paradies

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a look at the process an actor goes through in creating a fictional character based on a historical person. It is not intended to be a guide for other actors but instead a look at the work of one particular actor in portraying Giuseppe Zangara in Sondheim and Weidman's Assassins. This thesis consists of historical research, character and script analysis, as well as a personal reflection of the performance.

Genetic Relationships Of Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) In The United States: Geographic Origins And Genotypic Distribution Of The Species With Implications For Management, Blake Eugene Mccann

Theses and Dissertations

Wild pigs are a damaging invasive species with a long history in the United States. However, during the last 30 years wild pigs have drastically expanded their invasive range and are now present in 44 U.S. states. Though historic records provide insights regarding original introduction histories in areas where pigs are long-established, little is known regarding sources for new populations. To develop a better understanding of recent invasions, I utilized an array of molecular markers (mitochondrial DNA sequence, nuclear microsatellites, and nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms) to evaluate both the evolutionary history of introduced pigs and gene flow between populations indicative …

Mining Aircraft Telemetry Data With Evolutionary Algorithms, Kirk Anders Ogaard

Theses and Dissertations

The Ganged Phased Array Radar - Risk Mitigation System (GPAR-RMS) was a

mobile ground-based sense-and-avoid system for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)

operations developed by the University of North Dakota. GPAR-RMS detected proximate

aircraft with various sensor systems, including a 2D radar and an Automatic Dependent

Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) receiver. Information about those aircraft was then

displayed to UAS operators via visualization software developed by the University of

North Dakota. The Risk Mitigation (RM) subsystem for GPAR-RMS was designed to

estimate the current risk of midair collision, between the Unmanned Aircraft (UA) and a

General Aviation (GA) aircraft flying under …

The Cost-Effectiveness Of Devils Lake Flood Decision-Making: An Economic Case Study Of A Climate Driven Wicked Problem, David Andrew Barta

Theses and Dissertations

The Devils Lake flood is the longest, most expensive terminal lake flood in the history of the United States. In 1993, the Lake had a surface elevation of 433.9 m (1423.7 ft.) above mean sea level. Since that time it has risen 9.3 m (30.6 ft.), inundated 58,275 ha (144,000 acres) of land, and caused an estimated $1.6 billion (2011 USD) in total cumulative economic losses to the region. As a terminal lake in the Devils Lake sub-basin of the Red River Valley Basin, it has no natural outlet below 444.4 m (1458 ft.) and significantly poorer water quality than …

Educating And Communicating Through Sociolinguistic Registers: Adolescent Client, Chanaé Jones, Brittany Mayer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

PROBLEM: Currently tests such as the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) and ACT (American College Testing), as well as employment use what is identified as formal sociolinguistic register (Joos, 1967 & Payne, 2005). Payne (2005) built upon Joos’ (1967) definition and presented five registers: frozen, formal, consultative, casual, and intimates. Formal register is defined as; one-way participation, no interruption such as is seen with introductions between stangers. Technical vocabulary; “fuzzy semantics" or exact definitions are important. Montano-Harmon (1991) found that many minority and poor students do not have access to formal register at home but rather tend to rely primarily in …

An Occupation-Based Protocol Designed For Women With Cardiac Conditions, Erika Swirzcki, Andrea Young

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in women worldwide as well as the number one cause of death in the United States (American Heart Association [AHA], 2010). Women are not adequately represented when entering phase II of cardiac rehabilitation due to the numerous barriers that they may experience. The purpose of this scholarly project is to help meet women’s unique needs and facilitate their return to meaningful life roles and occupations after experiencing a cardiac event. This protocol provides guidelines for occupational therapists to use during phase II of cardiac rehabilitation and addresses the implementation of occupation-based …

Developing An Occupational Therapy Community/Client Wellness Program, Lindsey Sauer, Lindsey Wolsky

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Health promotion is gaining more recognition with the increase of chronic diseases worldwide and the growing elderly population in the United States. The World Health Organization (2011) places a particular emphasis on health promotion as well as preventative care. The role of occupational therapy fits directly with this emphasis. The American Occupational Therapy Association (2008) identified occupational therapy's roles to include promotion of healthy lifestyle, use of occupation as a means to improve health and provide services to both individuals and populations.

Problem: Although health promotion and prevention is well within the realm of occupational therapy, Flannery and Barry (2003) …

Students' Experience Of Learning To Use Occupation As Intervention On Fieldwork In Medical Settings, Kelli Atkinson, Nicole Knutson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

There are few studies that focus on students’ experiences of fieldwork; specifically, investigating how students learn to use occupation. In addition, there is limited research regarding the students’ learning to use occupation-based interventions in medical settings. The purpose of this independent study was to explore students’ experience of learning to use occupation as intervention on fieldwork in medical settings and specific strategies used by students and fieldwork educators for learning to use occupation as intervention. A phenomenological, qualitative research design was used with this study. Participants were recruited through the use of the University of North Dakota occupational therapy department …

Bringing Occupation To Long-Term-Care Setting, Danielle Shepers, Stephanie Blonigen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

As a person enters a long-term-care (LTC) facility, they lose their home, independence, possessions and routine (O'Sullivanm, 2004). Adopting a meaningful occupational or social role may improve psychological well-being in elders (Keung Yuen, Huang, Burik, & Smith, 2008). There is a need for resources to support the use of occupations as treatment modalities in LTC setting. The purpose of this scholarly project is to address this need.

A literature review was conducted using AOTA, AJOT, OT Practice, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and PubMed on topics relating to the populations served in LTC, and types of OT intervention used in LTC. Issues concerning …

A Community-Based Occupational Therapy Wellness Program For Adult Clients With Traumatic Brain Injury, Cody Link, Amanda Myklebust

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Each year in the United States, over 1.5 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). TBI can cause a variety of long-term problems with thinking, sensation, language, sensorimotor, and emotions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). These lead to long-term problems in areas of social participation, emotional wellness, work and volunteer participation, community integration, leisure participation, and healthy life balance. This indicates the need for continuing occupational therapy to address these problem areas. Communitybased interventions provide a service to promote health in an individual’s natural environment and can focus on a …

An Occupational Therapy-Based Education Program For Caregivers Of Individuals With Cerebral Palsy: A Culturally Conscious Perspective, Allison L. Kalb, Diana L. Huettl

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) are able to lead functional, productive, and fulfilling lives when provided the opportunity. In the country of Ghana, the prevalence of CP is estimated to be one out of every 300 births (Purple Field Productions [PFP], 2011), however, a lack of education about CP and other disabilities, limited access to healthcare services, and scarce resources hamper the Ghanaian people’s opportunities for habilitation (Reynolds, 2010; Tinney, Chiodo, Haig, & Wiredu, 2007). In addition, cultural beliefs and societal attitudes toward people with disabilities in Ghana pose a barrier for those individuals to fully participate in occupation. …

Growing Occupational Identity: The Use Of Agricultural Entrepreneurship For Young Adults With Disabilities To Successfully Enter, Adapt, Or Inhabit The Role Of Worker, Nicole Likewise, Theresa Podio

Occupational Therapy Capstones

“We know what we are, but not what we may be.” – William Shakespeare

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to develop a grant proposal in order to obtain funding for the development of an entrepreneurial program for young adults with disabilities transitioning into adulthood in rural Wyoming. Through participation in the program young adults would have the opportunity to pursue entrepreneurship in sustainable agriculture while concurrently developing an occupational identity.

Methods: A selected literature review was conducted to identify the scope of the problem and identify what, if any, programs are currently being offered to assist youth transition …

A Guide For Teachers And Paraprofessionals Working With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lesley Fettig

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project was to create a resource for occupational therapists in the public school system to provide a guide to educators and paraprofessionals working with children with autism spectrum disorder. The resulting guide for the occupational therapist provides the necessary materials to develop child specific guides for the educator and paraprofessional. The product provides education and guidance to optimize the educator and paraprofessional's ability to provide for the needs of a child with autism spectrum disorder in the school environment.

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine current best practice and treatment guidelines for autism …

Sexuality: The Missing Activity Of Daily Living: A Pilot Study, Lindsay Farkas, Elizabeth Reynolds

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the comfort level of occupational therapists addressing sexuality with clients in physical disability clinical settings in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. A secondary intention of this study was to explore why or why not OTs are addressing sexual issues with their clients, and if therapists are addressing sexual issues, what resources are utilized.

Methods: A non-experimental design pilot study was conducted to explore the comfort level of occupational therapists addressing sexual issues with clients in physical disability settings. A mixed-methods, triangulation survey design was used to gather data …

A Physical Wellness Program For The Transition Into A Wheelchair, Christa Haas, Meghan Lyle

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Based on the information from the literature reviewed in Chapter II, individuals may experience secondary medical complications and disruption to engagement in meaningful occupations once confined to a wheelchair for mobility. According to Matuska, Giles-Heinz, Flinn, Neighbor, & Bass-Haugen (2003) education through wellness programming has lasting benefits on participation in meaningful occupations and prevention of occupational limitations. The product of this scholarly project, A Physical Wellness Program for the Transition into a Wheelchair, was designed with a holistic approach to promote health and wellness in clients' transitioning to wheelchairs; the wellness program was designed to facilitate a healthy lifestyle and …

Resource Manual For Occupational Therapists: Providing Transportation Related Resources To The Elderly Living In Poverty In North Dakota, Amanda Ralston, Lukas Wavra

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Between the ages of 65 and 74, 9% of elderly individuals live in poverty in the United States (Forum, 2010). This poverty rate increases to 11% in elderly individuals who are 75 years of age or older (Forum, 2010). In rural areas, the effects of poverty may be even more pronounced than in urban areas secondary to the societal limitations that exist within some small rural communities; rural areas in North Dakota routinely face both the effects of poverty and the societal limitations. These limitations may include a lack of public transportation or services available to the general public. Due …

Developing Fine Motor Skills In Preschool Age Children, Linnea Starkey

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Based on the findings of the literature review, fine motor skills are an important skill to develop during the preschool years. Marr, Cermak, Cohan and Henderson (2003) described the importance of fine motor skills to engage in valued occupations in addition to educational activities. A child's occupations that demand fine motor skills may be dressing, tying shoes, play, among other daily tasks. If a child has difficulty with fine motor skills it could have a negative outcome on their daily lives and how they perform in school. Children who have difficulty coordinating the small muscle groups in their hands have …

Motivation: An Occupational Therapists Guide For Motivating Young Male Clients With Spinal Cord Injuries, Michael A. Nelson, Elizabeth M. Schleicher

Occupational Therapy Capstones

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2010), males account for approximately 80% of those who endure a spinal cord injury (SCI). Most newly diagnosed clients with spinal cord injuries are between the ages of 15-35 years (50%-70%) (CDC, 2010). Occupational therapists often work with clients who have sustained a SCI. It is in the best interest of the profession and our clients to address the psychosocial impact motivation can have on clients' recovery.

According to authors of research, a major problem to participation in treatment with clients who had a spinal cord injury was a lack of …