Digital Commons Network^™

Culture-Dependent Characterization Of Microbial Succession And Persistence In The Integrated Lunar/Martian Analog Habitat (Ilmah), Haley Olivia Boles

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines culture-dependent microbial monitoring in a closed lunar/Martian analog habitat, focusing on viable community dynamics relevant to long-duration missions. A standardized sampling and cultivation pipeline was implemented in ILMAH to track microbial succession and persistence under realistic operational conditions. Surface samples were collected across eight habitat zones at five mission timepoints (Days 0, 5, 10, 15, 20) during a 21-day crewed mission. Samples were concentrated post-collection and plated on chromogenic film media to quantify total aerobic bacteria (AC-R), fungi (YM-R), E. coli (EC), and S. aureus (SA). Plates were imaged and enumerated digitally; representative colonies were isolated and …

Ai And Concerns On Bias And Correctness In Engineering, Stacy Bjorgaard

AI Assignment Library

This is a two-part assignment. In the first part, students discuss various scenarios relating to use of AI and potential issues of bias in class. In the second part, students examine the answers AI gives to basic questions in several engineering fields and compare these to expert answers for correctness.

Natural Fractals And Facial Emotion Recognition, Nathaniel Joseph Pagel

Theses and Dissertations

The psychological benefits that come from visually processing natural imagery have been widely studied. The components of natural imagery that provoke positive responses are not fully understood. This study uses a mixed design approach to identify if the acute exposure to statistical fractal imagery, of both a high-range or mid-range complexity, affects cognitive workload, physiological arousal, and gaze patterns in the recognition and identification of emotions through facial expressions. Participants were undergraduate students fulfilling a partial course requirement (N = 87). Eye-tracking metrics were used to compare exposure to fractal complexities. Participants were randomly assigned to either be exposed to …

Effects Of Hiv-1 Gp120 On Intracellular Levels Of Iron And Reactive Oxygen Species: Implications For Lysosomal Stress, Koffi L. Lakpa

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S.A are living with HIV-1. The development of antiretroviral therapeutics has increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). Yet, there is a growing concern for aging HIV-positive individuals because about 50% of PLWH develop neurological impairments, termed HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). There are no treatments for HAND and the mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis remain unclear. Several factors are implicated in HAND pathogenesis, such as HIV-1 coat protein gp120, endolysosome and mitochondrial dysfunction, and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Endolysosomes are acidic organelles that contain readily releasable stores of cations, …

Examining College Students’ Emotions And Alcohol Usage On A College Campus: Student Chemical Assessment And Review Program (Scarp), Thomas William Solem

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use and abuse is an important issue amongst college students, and the totality of impacts are still misunderstood. Identification of high-risk alcohol abuse problems leads universities to intervene; however, the emotional, personal, and academic impacts of such mandated intervention programs is unclear. Helping universities understand students’ alcohol abuse challenges can aid appropriate interventions, as well as improve student well-being and academic success.

The purpose of this study is to examine the Student Chemical Assessment Review Program (SCARP), specifically to explore its impacts on student variables (university motivation, readiness/importance of confidence to change, self-esteem, guilt, shame, depression, anxiety, and resiliency) …

Physiological Approach To Characterize Drowsiness In Simulated Flight Operations During Window Of Circadian Low, Bijay Guragain

Theses and Dissertations

Drowsiness is a psycho-physiological transition from awake towards falling sleep and its detection is crucial in aviation industries. It is a common cause for pilot’s error due to unpredictable work hours, longer flight periods, circadian disruption, and insufficient sleep. The pilots’ are prone towards higher level of drowsiness during window of circadian low (2:00 am- 6:00 am). Airplanes require complex operations and lack of alertness increases accidents. Aviation accidents are much disastrous and early drowsiness detection helps to reduce such accidents. This thesis studied physiological signals during drowsiness from 18 commercially-rated pilots in flight simulator. The major aim of the …

Harald Von Beckh, Pioneer Of Microgravity Medical Research, Pablo De Leon

Space Studies Faculty Publications

Harald Von Beckh was born in Vienna, Austria, on November 17, 1917. He graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from the Vienna University Faculty of Medicine in 1940. He began working at the Academy of Aviation Medicine in Berlin where he helped in the development of the concept of the Keplerian trajectory to obtain periods of microgravity while collaborating with Dr. Heinz von Diringshofen. In 1941 he was appointed as a faculty member at the Academy of Medicine of the Luftwaffe.

At the end of the war, without any possibility to continue his research in Germany, Von Beckh made contacts …

Comparison Of Autonomic Control Of Blood Pressure During Standing And Artificial Gravity Induced Via Short-Arm Human Centrifuge, Ajay K. Verma, Da Xu, Michelle Bruner, Amanmeet Garg, Nandu Goswami, Andrew P. Blaber, Kouhyar Tavakolian

Electrical Engineering Faculty Publications

Autonomic control of blood pressure is essential toward maintenance of cerebral perfusion during standing, failure of which could lead to fainting. Long-term exposure to microgravity deteriorates autonomic control of blood pressure. Consequently, astronauts experience orthostatic intolerance on their return to gravitational environment. Ground-based studies suggest sporadic training in artificial hypergravity can mitigate spaceflight deconditioning. In this regard, short-arm human centrifuge (SAHC), capable of creating artificial hypergravity of different g-loads, provides an auspicious training tool. Here, we compare autonomic control of blood pressure during centrifugation creating 1-g and 2-g at feet with standing in natural gravity. Continuous blood pressure was acquired …

Non-Pharmacological Treatment Options For Quality Sleep In Elderly, Kamilla Gundersen

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

Quantifying Extravehicular Activity Performance Degradation Due To Sustenance Deprivation, Eryn Beisner

Theses and Dissertations

Modern EVAs (spacewalks) performed onboard the International Space Station require astronauts to endure up to twelve hours of intense mental and physical exertion without food, as they do not stop to eat nor do they currently have the capabilities to consume sustenance in their spacesuits. With the future of space exploration taking aim at the Moon, Mars, and beyond, EVAs are expected to become more demanding than ever. This is a pilot study to attempt to quantify astronaut performance during an EVA to determine if there is significant performance degradation because of acute starvation. Astronauts conducting EVA training at NASA’s …

Fatigue Mitigation Effects Of En-Route Napping On Commercial Airline Pilots Flying International Routes, Thomas Bunting

Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of ultra-long range commercial aircraft and the evolution of the commercial airline industry has provided new opportunities for air carriers to fly longer range international route segments while deregulation, industry consolidation, and the constant drive to reduce costs wherever possible has pressured airline managements to seek more productivity from their pilots. At the same time, advancements in the understanding of human physiology have begun to make their way into flight and duty time regulations and airline scheduling practices. In this complex and ever changing operating environment, there remains an essential need to better understand how these developments, and …

February 4, 2016, University Of North Dakota

University Senate Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the February 4, 2016, meeting of the University Senate. 22 pages

Volume 53, Number 24: January 27, 2016, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Curriculum Development For Occupational Therapy Education: Integrating Collaboration And The Use Of Simulation Laboratories, Janine Albert, Danielle Nielsen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The Scholarly Project titled Curriculum Development for Occupational Therapy Education: Integrating Collaboration and the Use of Simulation Laboratories by Janine Albert and Danielle Nielsen and advised by Nicole Harris, MOTR/L and Breann Lamborn, MPA was developed to meet the demands of collaborative education in the field of occupational therapy. A literature review was completed to determine the need of collaborative education between Occupational Therapy education and Occupational Therapy Assistant education and the use of simulation laboratories. From the literature review there was a gap found linking the use of simulation laboratories, the occupational therapy process and occupational therapy education. Following …

Hybrid Enhanced Epidermal Spacesuit Design Approaches, Joseph M. Jessup

Theses and Dissertations

A Space suit that does not rely on gas pressurization is a multi-faceted problem

that requires major stability controls to be incorporated during design and construction.The concept of Hybrid Epidermal Enhancement space suit

integrates evolved human anthropomorphic and physiological adaptations into its functionality, using commercially available bio-medical technologies to address shortcomings of conventional gas pressure suits, and the impracticalities of MCP suits. The prototype HEE Space Suit explored

integumentary homeostasis, thermal control and mobility using advanced bio-medical materials technology and construction concepts. The goal was a space suit that functions as an enhanced, multi-functional bio-mimic of the human epidermal layer …

The Effects Of Caffeine Supplementation On Vertical Jump Performance, Lucas Paul Bloms

Theses and Dissertations

The Effects of Caffeine Supplementation on Vertical Jump Performance. Introduction: Caffeine enhances performance of many types of exercise, but its effects on vertical jump are unclear. Purpose: To investigate the effects of caffeine on vertical jump tests on a force platform. Methods: The study was a single-blind, randomized, crossover design. Participants consumed either caffeine (5 mg/kg body weight) or placebo. After a sixty-minute waiting period participants performed three squat jumps and three countermovement jumps separated by 30 seconds each while standing on a force platform. There were two minutes of rest between the two different types of jumps. Results: In …

Volume 51, Number 29: March 05, 2014, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Volume 51, Number 27: February 19, 2014, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Marijuana Consumption And The Perception Of Harm, David Ruggeri

Theses and Dissertations

Drug use is a public health issue with one-third of the United States population having reported consuming marijuana at some point in their lifetime. This paper examines how the perception of risk (both health and criminal sanctions) affects consumption behavior. This study examined marijuana consumption for the age ranges of 12-17, 18-25, and 26 and older during the years of 1999-2007.

Perceptions of health risk of marijuana vary from by age groups (12-17, 18-25, and 26 years of age and up). Persons age 26 and older perceive the health risks to be the greatest for occasional marijuana consumption, trailed by …

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. …

A Mixed Method Approach To Collegiate Aviation Self-Assessment Of G-Load On Landing: Pilot Perception Versus Reality, Karin Louise Hensellek

Theses and Dissertations

Because there is no universal definition of a hard landing, pilots themselves must determine if a landing was hard enough to require an unscheduled maintenance inspection. Large, transport category aircraft are equipped with flight data monitoring (FDM) as a secondary data source that can help pilots determine if a hard landing occurred, but FDM is not commonplace in general aviation. It is important for a pilot to be able to differentiate between a firm landing that does not cause damage to the aircraft and hard landing that potentially could cause damage to the aircraft by means of vestibular, visual, and …

Spring 2013, University Of North Dakota Alumni Association

ALL: UND Alumni Review Master List

Spring 2013 issue of "The University of North Dakota Alumni Review." 49 pages

Volume 96, Number 1

Muscle Activity In Lower Extremity During Single-Leg Squat: Role Of Supination And Pronation, Brett J. Debele

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Introduction: Literature has consistently reported a high prevalence of ACL injury rates. A correlation between excessive subtalar joint pronation and ACL injury rates has been noted but research into plausible reasons for this relationship is limited. The purpose of this study was to establish potential cause-and-effect relationships between foot position and ACL injury risk.

Methods: This study used single leg squats with simulated foot positions and examined resulting knee joint forces from motion and lower extremity muscle activation patterns that may cause ACL injury risk. Methods: This study recruited male and female participants aged 18 to 30 from campus at …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Cognitive Apprenticeship Within A Simulation-Based Learning Environment On Emergency Medical Technician (Emt) Students' Development Of Diagnostic Reasoning Skills, Sherman A. Syverson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Fatigue And Self-Reported Countermeasures Used By Regional Airline Pilots Conducting Continuous Duty Overnight, Andrew Laventure

Theses and Dissertations

Fatigue poses a significant risk to commercial aviation. When pilots become fatigued they are more likely to make errors and in some instances those errors have been causal factors in accidents. Research not only tells us how the human body is affected by fatigue but also what can be done to temporarily reduce its negative impact on performance. However, relatively little data is available pertaining to one specific type of flight operation, the Continuous Duty Overnight (CDO). They are frequently conducted by regional airlines within the United States and typically resemble schedules for workers on a 3rd shift, otherwise known …

A Taxonomy And Framework For Designing Educational Games To Promote Problem Solving, Richard Van Eck, Woei Hung

Teaching, Leadership & Professional Practice Faculty Publications

Problem solving is often discussed as one of the benefits of games and game-based learning, yet little empirical research exists to support this assertion. It will be critical to establish and validate models of problem solving in games, but this will be difficult if not impossible without a better understanding of problem solving than currently exists in the field of serious games. Problem solving and problem-based learning (PBL) have been studied intensely in both Europe and the United States for more than 75 years. Any models and research on the relation of games and problem solving must build on the …

The Adl Of Sexuality: A Guide For Occupational Therapists For Elderly Clients, Autumn Edmundson, Amber Lafrenz

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a guide that would address the assessments, treatment/interventions, and discharge planning process regarding sexual health/sexuality with an elderly client. Through the use of the guide and accompanying resources it is assumed that occupational therapists will have an increased level of comfort, knowledge, and competence. This is important as Couloumbis and Miller (1994) study indicated that occupational therapists that received formal education (academically or clinical practice) addressed sexuality in the elderly 27.8% more than occupational therapists who did not have any educational experience.

Methodology: An in depth literature review was conducted …

University Of North Dakota Division Of Sports Medicine: Historical Perpective, University Of North Dakota

UND Departmental Histories

This departmental history was written on the occasion of the UND Quasquicentennial in 2008.

Advancements In Selenium Speciation, Fast Gas Analysis And Sample Preparation Procedures For The Chemical Analysis Of Real-World Samples., Mark Timothy Roberge

Theses and Dissertations

The Pulsed Discharge Helium Ionization Detector (PDHID) was compared to the Flame Ionization Detector (FID) and the Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD) for High Speed Gas Chromatography (HSGC). It was shown that the PDHID is as sensitive as the FID but can be less reproducible. Moreover, the PDHID is more sensitive and more universal than the TCD. The prospect of a portable PDHID was explored but, a required helium purifier uses more power than is feasible for portability. The PDHID was used to detect hydrogen and methane separated from the matrix components of breath samples with over an order of magnitude …

Molecular Characterization Of Dopamine Transporter Phosphorylation And Regulation, Balachandra Kumar Gorentla

Theses and Dissertations

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a presynaptic membrane phosphoprotein that terminates dopaminergic synaptic transmission by clearing dopamine (DA) back into presynaptic neuron by a reuptake process. DAT is also a molecular target for psychostimulants such as cocaine, amphetamine (AMPH) and methamphetamine (METH) that increase DA synaptic levels either by blocking reuptake or by inducing DA efflux. DAT phosphorylation and transport down regulation are best demonstrated with the treatment of Protein kinase C (PKC) activators such as (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) PMA. Serine(s) and threonine(s) are known to be involved in DAT phosphorylation.

Pretreatment with psychostimulant substrates such as AMPH and METH …