Digital Commons Network^™

Ot Is The Missing Link In Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction, Hope Schuster, Michaela Mayhood

Occupational Therapy Capstones

PURPOSE: The purpose of this scholarly project was to examine research regarding postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). As there is no current literature regarding POCD and occupational therapy, this project serves to be the first of its kind to address the role. Within this scholarly project, the literature reviewed served to generate an article for OT Practice, highlighting the role of occupational therapy and education about POCD.

Ketamine In Refractory Asthma Exacerbations, Stephanie Frentzel

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Asthma is a chronic, non-curable respiratory disease that has multi-factorial effects on the bronchial mucosa. Despite optimal prevention and standardized first line asthma care the symptoms can deteriorate leading into an asthma exacerbation which is a medical emergency. Purpose:

• To determine the efficacy of ketamine use as an adjunctive medication for acutes severe asthma exacerbations that had failed standard guideline directed treatments. Methods: • Relevant databases were searched looking for ketamine use in asthma exacerbations.

• The inclusion material consists of pediatric and adult populations in available systematic reviews, randomized control trials, meta-analysis, pilot studies, case reports, and peer-reviewed …

Aerocom: Winter 2021, John D. Odegard School Of Aerospace Sciences

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

No abstract provided.

Developing Computer Aided Algorithms For Automatic Assessment Of Psoriasis Disease Severity Using Digital Images, Intisar Rizwan I Haque

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the research work was to develop image processing algorithms for automatic and objective assessment of psoriasis to aid in more effective management and treatment of patient symptoms. For this purpose, multiple classical machine learning-based unsupervised approaches are proposed which achieve a maximum average accuracy of ~94% on a dataset of 45 images of various resolutions. This accuracy improves performance by 14% in comparison to existing approaches reported in the literature on the same dataset of images. An alternative deep learning neural network-based approach was proposed that achieves an average accuracy of ~87% for the same set of …

Mapping Of Debris Covered Ice Masses; Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica, Miranda Noel Shanks

Theses and Dissertations

Global climate change threatens glacial ice, which contains vital information on paleoclimate, paleo-atmosphere, and ancient organisms due to rising temperatures and CO2 levels (IPCC, 2014). Throughout the Transantarctic Mountain Range, a minimal number of buried ice masses have been previously discovered which have the potential to contain ice that exceed the ages of most glaciers on Earth. These ice masses are buried under < 1 meter of till, which thermally shields them and limits sublimation, thus preserving the ice. An example of such buried ice mass is found in Ong Valley, Antarctica where a sublimation till completely covers the ice and is dated at > 1.1 Ma years old, consequently making it one of the oldest known ice masses on Earth.In addition to two published locations, no systematic effort has been made to map such ice masses in Antarctica. This research is …

Participatory Action Research: Managing Smartphones In The Secondary Classroom, Andrea Simon

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores potential benefits and challenges associated with smartphone use amongst students in the high school classroom and policy considerations for the management of these devices. Managing student usage of smartphones in the classroom can be a complex challenge. Outside influences have infiltrated the learning space like never before, and student access to resources and distractions multiplies daily. Students need support and guidance in learning how to effectively manage their devices as they face life in the age of technology. Likewise, teachers need support in creating and applying effective policies and strategies to manage these devices in the classroom. …

Accurate Threshold Estimation For Electronic Control Unit (Ecu) Signatures In Vehicular Environments, Niroop Sugunaraj

Theses and Dissertations

Rapid digitization of modern vehicles using electronic control units (ECUs) has made the modern automobile to realize autonomous operations. ECUs within a vehicle are capable of handling multiple functions within the vehicle pertaining to vehicular control, infotainment system, or electronic control of mirrors, wipers, and seats. Such data are relayed through various communication buses within a vehicle that allows for wired communication between multiple ECUs when referring to in-vehicle communication or wireless communication between a vehicle's ECUs and other vehicles and/or roadside infrastructure. Though network traffic can be intercepted from these communication buses, identifying an ECU responsible for a particular …

An Assessment Of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Training Methods And Measures, Zachary Waller

Theses and Dissertations

The collegiate aviation programs of higher education are seeking to adapt their capabilities and expertise toward educating a generation of airmen who will operate Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The collection of studies presented in this dissertation address this interest as higher education programs investigate the value of modalities and pedagogies, tune the application of instructional aids, and assess novel measurements for how students interact with their training. Three studies were completed in building this program of research. Study I, Waller et al. (2016), was published in a peer-reviewed journal and is adapted for reprint with permission. Study I established the …

Assessment Of Goes-16 Satellite And High-Resolution Rapid Refresh Model Data For Blowing Snow Impact-Based Decision Support Services, Elizabeth Sims

Theses and Dissertations

Regions of the globe, including the Northern Great Plains, are subject to adverse conditions during the wintertime. Among these conditions is blowing snow, which can cause significant societal and economic impacts by reducing visibility. The lack of this process in numerical weather prediction models creates a forecasting challenge for the region. In recent years, however, forecasters have gained access to a variety of National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) modeling and satellite tools such as the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) that may improve Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS) goals for blowing snow. This project …

Development Of Metal-Containing Nanoparticles For Chemical Analysis And Bioanalysis, Juan Han

Theses and Dissertations

Metal-containing nanoparticles (MCPs) have been applied in fields ranging from environmental monitoring to biomedicine. This breadth is due to the outstanding behavior of MCPs as catalysts and imaging agents, and the ease with which nanoparticle morphology, composition, and reactivity (such as agglomeration) can be controlled. The work described in this dissertation will have two fundamentally different foci that are both essential for further development of MCPs as tools for chemical and bioanalysis. The first focus is on particle-by-particle characterization MCPs and the second focus is on creation of new composite MCPs. A total of four projects are included in this …

North Dakota Elementary School Counseling Programs: Implications For Policy And Practice, Holly Larson

Theses and Dissertations

The study’s purpose was to explore social emotional supports in place at the time of this study through North Dakota public elementary school counseling programs, to give attention to the North Dakota Multi-Tiered System of Supports in Social Emotional Learning (NDMTSS-SEL) initiative’s implementation, and to understand perspectives on early social emotional learning needs and interventions. Education in North Dakota is guided by the North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) Title 15.1 statutes. In October of 2019, the North Dakota Legislative Interim Education Committee discussed a need to review and revise these statutes (North Dakota Legislative Branch, 2019). Within the North Dakota …

Eating Disorder Symptoms On Female Collegiate-Level Athletes And Non-Athletes, Kennedy Victoria Kidd

Theses and Dissertations

In previous research, it found that the risk of developing an eating disorder (ED) is much higher in females compared to males (Dunca, Ziobrowski & Nicol, 2017; Raevuori, Keski-Rahkonen, & Hoek, 2014; Lewinsohn, Seeley, Moerk, & Striegel-Moore, 2002). Similarly, research has shown that the prevalence of EDs is much higher in female athletes compared to male athletes (Johnson, Powers, & Dick, 1999). Despite the risk of developing an ED being higher in females, research has not provided a strong understanding of the prevalence of EDs comparing female student-athletes and female student non-athletes. There is research that shows that athletes may …

Test Of A Partial Sexual Minority Stress Model With Bisexual Adolescents, Marisa Mango

Theses and Dissertations

Research conducted on sexual minority stress for adolescents has contributed to bisexual invisibility by collectively sampling and analyzing data from lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations, despite recent studies acknowledging statistical differences between bisexual and lesbian/gay experiences (Conlin et al., 2017; Frost et al., 2015; Mason & Lewis, 2016; Mohr & Sarno, 2016). We examined the temporal relations within Meyers (2003) Sexual Minority Stress model of sexual minority processes related to proximal and distal stressors in a sample of 306 bisexual adolescents. They completed measures of sexual minority stress, LGB specific coping, anxiety, and depression. Using path analytic analyses, the findings …

Concentration-Streamflow Relationship In The Red River To North Near Grand Forks, North Dakota, Kabamba Nancy Ngoyi

Theses and Dissertations

For the last 15 years, the nutrient concentrations have fluctuated in both particulate and dis-solved forms. The increasing concentration of sulfate and chloride in the North Great Plain Basin impose threats to water quality in the Basin. During this spring snowmelt season of 2021, water samples were collected three times daily in the Red River at Grand Forks, North Dakota to de-velop a concentration streamflow relationship for sulfate, nitrate, chloride, and fluoride. The 2020-2021 winter was very dry as a result the snowmelt streamflow was very low, the rising limb period was short, but the streamflow increased rapidly from 75 …

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, …

Numerical Investigation Of Aerodynamic Effects On Ash Impaction And Outside Ash Deposition Rates During Second Generation Atmospheric Pressure Oxy-Coal Combustion, Monika Kuznia

Theses and Dissertations

Oxy-combustion is one of the most competitive technologies for retrofitting existing pulverized coal-fired power plants to facilitate carbon capture and sequestration processes to reduce fossil fuel-derived carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. However, one of the obstacles hindering the widespread commercialization of this technology is the need to recirculate large volumes of flue gas to the boiler. Second generation atmospheric pressure oxy-combustion technologies have been developed to reduce the volume of recirculated flue gas by using high oxygen concentrations in the inlet oxidizer streams. However, recent experiments have shown that an increased ash deposition propensity is associated with these oxygen-enriched …

An Examination Of Rural Help-Seeking Behaviors Related To Sexual Violence And Mental Health And Well-Being Outcomes, Dacia Kay Oberhelman

Theses and Dissertations

Those who experience sexual violence face numerous barriers in gaining access to resources. Additionally, choosing to seek help following an unwanted sexual experience is a difficult decision that is impacted by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. The Theory of Planned Behavior addresses how these variables can help explain one’s intent to seek help following an unwanted sexual experience. Seeking help following an unwanted sexual experience has also been suggested to be increasingly difficult for those in rural communities due to additional barriers such as: fear of community and family backlash, lack of anonymity, fear of perpetrator(s) discovering services …

Investigation Of Factors That Affect Site Selection For Geothermal Energy Extraction In North Dakota, Ogonna Obinwa

Theses and Dissertations

Geothermal energy is independent renewable energy extracted from deep and shallow subsurface to provide electricity and heat for many applications. At shallow depths of about 3000 feet (914 meters), temperatures as high as 70 degrees Celcius could be extracted and used for domestic and commercial heating systems. Deeper and hotter resources are usually available at depths greater than 10000 feet (3048 meters). The hotter the extracted fluid temperature, the better it is suited for electricity generation. New technologies such as binary cycle systems have made it possible to use moderately hot liquids for electricity generation. However, specific conditions must be …

Characerization, Depolymerization And Fractionation Of Alkali Lignin, Audrey Lynn Lavallie

Theses and Dissertations

Lignin may serve as a potential source of renewable chemicals and as a possible wealth of materials for replacement of petroleum-based fuel and petrochemicals. Lignin is a plant component that constitutes the second most common natural polymer on earth, behind only cellulose, and is the most common natural polymer with an aromatic network. Technical lignins (isolated from chemical processing of raw lignin) are produced as waste in the papermaking and biorefinery industries; an estimation of U.S. waste lignin is about 24 million tons yearly, more than the estimated 10.5 million tons of plastics discarded annually. The exact structures of natural …

Visible Light Communication Cyber Security Vulnerabilities For Indoor And Outdoor Vehicle-To-Vehicle Communication, Rana Shaaban

Theses and Dissertations

Light fidelity (Li-Fi), developed from the approach of Visible Light Communication (VLC), is a great replacement or complement to existing radio frequency-based (RF) networks. Li-Fi is expected to be deployed in various environments were, due to Wi-Fi congestion and health limitations, RF should not be used. Moreover, VLC can provide the future fifth generation (5G) wireless technology with higher data rates for device connectivity which will alleviate the traffic demand. 5G is playing a vital role in encouraging the modern applications. In 2023, the deployment of all the cellular networks will reach more than 5 billion users globally. As a …

Synthesis Of A Gemini Monomer And Cyclobutane-Containing Bifunctional Building Blocks For Novel Materials, Rahul Kumar Shahni

Theses and Dissertations

Gemini monomer, a new monomeric class that consists of two monomeric units connected by a covalent linker, can offer a highly dense polymeric framework. Moreover, their ability to form twice the number of covalent bonds than the conventional monomer can afford polymers with high thermal and mechanical strength. The desired Gemini monomer, ethylene 1,2-bis (2,4-pentadienoate) (EBP), was synthesized in two steps. First, an acid precursor 2,4-pentadienoic acid was synthesized by the condensation of malonic acid and acrolein. Second, ethylene glycol was used to connect two 2,4-pentadienoic acid units to obtain the monomer. Later, EBP was polymerized in ambient and solvent-free …

Social Cognitive Well-Being Model With Native American Students: Exploring Racial Identity And Internalized Racial Oppression, Megan Kay Smith

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, Lent’s (2004) social cognitive model of well-being (SCWB) was employed to examine the academic and social domain of satisfaction and life satisfaction with 121 Native American college students. They completed measures of positive affect, Native American identity, internalized racial oppression, and life satisfaction along with domain-specific (i.e., academic and social) self-efficacy, goal progress, and satisfaction. Using path analytic techniques, results indicated that the academic SCWB model was a close fit to data and the social SCWB model was a good fit to data. For both models, the relations among constructs accounted for large portions of variance for …

Teacher Perceptions Of Parent-Teacher Communications And Practice, Misty Rose Tomchuk

Theses and Dissertations

It has been established in prior research that parent involvement and school-family partnerships have the potential to positively impact student achievement; however, creating and maintaining positive and productive parent-teacher communication can be difficult. Since teachers function as the link between school and the home, there is an increased need to study the perspectives and experiences of teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teacher perceptions of parent-teacher relationships, teacher conversation competence, and teacher communication frequency with parents.

This study involved an online survey distributed to 234 participants via Amazon Mechanical Turk. The following results were …

Snail As A Dual Dna/Rna Binding Transcription Factor, Smruthi Rudraraju

Theses and Dissertations

Transcription factors (TFs) are a class of proteins that recognize and bind to specific DNA sequences to regulate gene transcription. This process often involves the recruitment of other proteins, including chromatin remodelers and RNA polymerase. Because of their crucial role in gene expression, transcription factor activity is generally tightly controlled. Aberrant transcription factor activity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of most diseases. Techniques such as chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing have helped researchers determine which genomic sites are bound by TFs.Experimentally determined TF binding sites are much fewer than the total number of predicted DNA binding sites present in …

Transcriptomic And Pharmacological Characterization Of A Murine Line Harboring An Antidepressant-Insensitive Serotonin Transporter, Meghan Alicia Rodriquez

Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal depression is a complex mood disorder often treated with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, which block the serotonin transporter (SERT) and alter synaptic serotonin concentrations. The serotonergic system is highly plastic and serotonin regulates the growth and maturation of neurons and signaling systems from conception through end of life. Notably, interference with serotonin levels during an SSRI sensitive window (SSW) of development in humans and rodents has been linked to neurovegetative effects which increase susceptibility for the manifestation of anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and can be persistent throughout life. We hypothesize the persistent behavioral perturbations resulting from acute …

Traffic Mitigation And Congestion In Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria: Causes And Solutions, Adetoye Olusanmi Adeniyi

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on how technology has transformed road traffic congestion between road users by examining the relationship between government, businesses, and road users through the application of traffic management in many cities in four regions of the world. It analyzes the connections between political decisions of traffic management, how users are made knowledgeable and the new modes of transportation as they relate to the roles of public and private users. The dissertation examines current literatures of twenty two (23) different countries: North America (United States of America and Canada), Europe (Poland, United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands and Sweden), Asia (Russia, …

Role Of Schlafen 12 In Lung Adenocarcinoma And Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Sarmad Al-Marsoummi

Theses and Dissertations

Schlafens are a family of genes expressed in a wide range of mammals, including rodents and humans. Schlafens are grouped based on molecular structure and size into the short, intermediate, and long Schlafen families. Mice express all three families of Schlafens; in contrast, humans express only long and intermediate Schlafens. Schlafens have diverse functions, including cell proliferation, cell differentiation, immune cell growth and maturation, viral replication, cancer cell biology, and chemosensitivity. Our studies have focused on Schlafen 12 (SLFN12). SLFN12 is an intermediate Schlafen, it is expressed in humans but not in rodents, and is localized to the cytoplasm. SLFN12 …

Transcriptomic Analysis Of Young Regenerating Magnocellular Neurons (Mcns) Vs Mature Non- Regenerating Mcns, Malak Alzidaneen

Theses and Dissertations

Mature mammalian CNS neurons do not regenerate or recover following injuries. Different transcription factors have been linked to axonal growth and survival, and regulation changes in these transcription factors will affect the expression levels of genes involved in axonal regeneration. A robust collateral sprouting response within the distant terminal field of magnocellular neurons, the neurohypophysis, arising from the contralateral non-injured supraoptic neurons have been shown in response to unilateral denervation of MCNs tracts. This response peaked at age 35 days then it was followed by a complete loss of the regenerative capacity between 35 days and 125 days of age. …

North Dakota Administrators' And Teachers' Perception On School Calendars: Academic And Social-Emotional Learning, Jacqueline Gaye Bye

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this qualitative flexible design research study was to discover if North Dakota should revise North Dakota PK-12 school calendar requirements for the academic and social-emotional development of students. Innovative reforms that might be beneficial in revising the North Dakota school calendar were researched. A literature review was completed which included relevant, and current (at the time of this study), research about school calendar revisions both nationally and internationally. This research may be a useful guideline of what would be an appropriate amount of time students should spend in school to benefit students both academically and socially-emotionally. Data …

Space Occupancy Mapping With Path Planning For Suas Navigation In Indoor Environments, Tarek M. Elderini

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) has been actively deployed in search and rescue mission,surveillance, and many other applications [1, 2]. To realize UASs fully autonomous, it is essential that Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are equipped with collision avoidance techniques. One of the major challenges for autonomous UAV is that there is a high degree of uncertainty when interacting with moving objects; thus, increasing the likelihood of a collision. This dissertation aims to address these challenges through the following two objectives: 1. Minimize collision scenarios for indoor navigation through a Bayesian network topology. 2. Reduce the costs of path planning in 2D/3D …