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Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Stuart Kuchel M.S., Otr/L, Michael Black, Ariel Campbell

Oral History Student Papers

Objective. This qualitative life history was completed as part of a larger sample of 29 participants aimed to gather information about the history and evolution of occupational therapy practice in North Dakota and Wyoming through life histories of individuals who have been influential in developing occupational therapy in these two states and/or nationally.

Method. The participant was assigned by the project directors through purposive sampling. A semi-structured phone interview was conducted with the interviewer and two primary researchers. Data was coded and analyzed, which was then collapsed into categories, themes and a final assertion.

Results. The predominate categories representing the …

Aerocom: Winter 2017, John D. Odegard School Of Aerospace Sciences

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

No abstract provided.

Relationships Between The Second To Fourth Digit Ratio (2d:4d) And Game-Related Statistics In Semi-Professional Female Basketball Players, Makailah Janae Dyer

Theses and Dissertations

Digit ratio (2D:4D) is a negative correlate of sports performance, although this relationship may be weak in open-skill sports. This study aimed to quantify relationships between 2D:4D and game-related statistics in female basketball players, and to quantify differences in mean 2D:4Ds between starters and reserves. Sixty-four female basketball players were measured for height, mass, and 2D:4D, with game-related statistics collected end-season. Partial correlations (adjusted for age and BMI) quantified relationships between 2D:4Ds and game- related statistics. Unpaired t-tests quantified differences in mean 2D:4Ds between starters and reserves. This study found that 2D:4D was a substantial negative correlate of blocks, rebounds, …

Parents Of Adolescent Children With Mental Illness: A Qualitative Exploration Of The Lived Experience, Lindsay Yates

Theses and Dissertations

The current exploratory study aimed to understand the experience of parents whose children have severe and persistent mental illness. It was hypothesized that themes developed from parents’ responses to interview questions would indicate the presence of a) grief, b) trauma, c) subjective burden, and d) objective burden. Participants were 13 parents, comprised of conveniently sampled biological parents and legal guardians. Each parent was independently interviewed using a semi-structured protocol. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed by the principal investigator. Transcripts were analyzed using consensual qualitative analysis. An in-depth analysis of each transcript and cross analysis of transcripts yielded seven domains: …

Demographic Differences In The Causal Effects Of Obesity Status On Child Academic Achievement, Yoshie Hayasaka Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Many studies have found a negative correlation between obesity and academic achievement; however, determining and reaching a consensus about the nature of causality between these two variables have posed a challenge for scholars and researchers. If obesity does indeed have a negative causal effect on academic achievement, it has significant policy implications as it affects human capital investment. In this paper, I use the National Longitudinal Study of Youth-1979, Child and Young Adult data and estimate OLS, FE, traditional IV, and Lewbel IV models for children ages 5-12, stratified by race and gender. Under an individual fixed-effects model, I find …

An Evaluation Of Elk Home Range Variation In North Dakota, Jacqueline Marie Amor

Theses and Dissertations

In North Dakota, dispersing elk (Cervus elaphus) were colonizing areas of suitable habitat in Turtle Mountain, Pembina Hills, and Porcupine Hills, ND, USA. Although these 3 elk herds were small (~100–250 individuals each), they had been responsible for crop depredation in these areas. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGF) had little information on these elk herds. In cooperation with Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and Manitoba Department of Sustainable Development, NDGF contracted with the University of North Dakota (UND) to collect and analyze critical baseline information to better manage these elk herds. The objectives of this study were to …

Training Convolutional Neural Networks Using An Automated Feedback Loop To Estimate The Population Of Avian Species, Connor Ryan Bowley

Theses and Dissertations

Using automated processes to detect wildlife in uncontrolled outdoor imagery in the field of wildlife ecology is challenging task. This is especially true in imagery provided by an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), where the relative size of wildlife is small and visually similar to its background. In the UAS imagery collected by the Wildlife@Home project, the data is also extremely unbalanced, with less than 1% of area in the imagery being of wildlife. To tackle these challenges, the Wildlife@Home project has employed citizen scientists and trained experts to go through collected UAS imagery and classify it. Classified data are used …

Biodegradation And Biomodification Of Lignocellulose With A Main Focus On Lignin, Ivana Brzonova

Theses and Dissertations

Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer, and the first most abundant source of phenolic structures, on Earth. Recent research has focused on lignin monomers as replacements for phenolic monomers derived from nonrenewable resources. Biological decomposition and conversion may be one way to accomplish this objective. In this study, the effects of two basidiomycetous fungi (Coriolus versicolor and Trametes gallica) and two actinobacteria strains (Microbacterium sp. and Streptomyces sp.) and their combination on lignocellulose (kenaf) decomposition was evaluated.

The results showed that after 8 weeks of incubation up to 34 wt. % of the kenaf biomass was degraded, and the …

An Investigation Of The Latent Structure Of Eating Disorder Behaviors And Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (Nssi), Erica Goodman Goodman

Theses and Dissertations

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI; deliberate harm to the self) and eating disorders frequently co-occur, and both place an individual at increased risk for suicide. Individuals who report NSSI are similar to those that report eating disorder behaviors on emotion regulation, impulsivity, and pain tolerance. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate how the relationship between NSSI and eating disorder behaviors is best understood, based on the intent of the behavior (e.g., “to hurt myself”) or the function (e.g., “I became less angry”). Participants were 493 undergraduate students (80% female; 90% white) who completed an online survey regarding lifetime NSSI and eating …

Developmental Factors And Maladjustment Indicators Of Specific Sexual Interests, Victoria Charlotte Mary-Rose Pocknell

Theses and Dissertations

Human sexual expression appears to be freer to vary past the need to procreate. This study explores the variability in the cues that elicit sexual arousal in the general population. It aims to better understand the developmental factors and negative outcomes of having a specific sexual interest. A sample (N = 1069) was gathered using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk in which participants indicated sexual interests based on themes: Age, Physical Appearance, Clothing, Power, Risk, and Extrapersonal. The results suggest significant effects of sex, age, and hypersexuality on sexual interests. Therefore, analyses were run separately for men and women and age and …

Inner Strength In Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Oral Histories, Jennifer Weathersbee Steinberg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this oral history study was to describe the lived experiences of mothers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and to further inform the Theory of Inner Strength in Women (TIS) (Dingley & Roux, 2014). Postmodern feminist oral history methods were used to answer the research questions which included: 1) What are the lived experiences of mothers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? and 2) How do these experiences further inform TIS?

Interviews were manually coded directly onto the digital audio files using NVivo11Plus qualitative data management software. Three chronologic phases were identified among …

Impacts Of Cattail Management Techniques On Plant, Bird, Amphibian, And Invertebrate Communities In Shallow Wetlands Of Northwestern Minnesota, Joshua John Bruggman

Theses and Dissertations

Wetlands in the United States have been considered both an impediment to progress and a valuable asset for ecosystem services. As a result, rapid loss and degradation of wetlands has occurred and many attempts to protect and restore wetlands are now occurring. However, invasive species continue to challenge wetland management efforts. Cattails (Typha spp.) are invasive plants that can dominate a wetland once they become established. There are two species of cattails in the Northern Great Plains, broad-leaf (Typha latifolia) and narrow-leaf (Typha angustifolia) cattail. These two species can cross to produce a robust, hybrid cattail (Typha x glauca) that …

A Comparison Of Starting Techniques Out Of An Athletic Stance Position, Aaron Schwenzfeier Schwenzfeier

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the false step (FS) to the straight out step (SOS) out of a parallel athletic stance (PAS) in Division I college athletes. 30 Division I college athletes from football, baseball, softball, and volleyball performed three repetitions each of the FS and SOS. Each trial was timed at 5 and 10 yards using the TC Brower Timing System as well filmed from two vantage points for kinematic data collection using the Ariel Performance Analysis System (APAS). From this, the velocity of the center of mass (VCM), projection angle of the center of mass …

Attitudes And Beliefs Of North Dakota Early Childhood Educators Toward Gender Constructs, Janelle Jean Ferderer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the attitudes and beliefs about gender and gender diversity held by certified practicing early childhood teachers in North Dakota Department of Public Instruction approved preschool programs. Selected children’s books were used to elicit qualitative responses that provided insight into teachers’ beliefs, attitudes, and practices regarding gender.

The theoretical framework for the study was based on Vygotsky’s theories on the Zones of Proximal Development (ZPD) and the More Knowledgeable Other (MKO), which focus on the importance of the role of educators’ influence in the social development of young children. The methodology for …

Using The Expectancy-Value Theory To Understand Why Women Persist Or Leave Collegiate Stem Programs: A Mixed Methods Study, Joseph Appianing

Theses and Dissertations

Concerns have been raised about the ability of the U.S. to maintain its global technological competitive advantage in the future because of American college students’ attitudes—particularly women—toward STEM programs and careers (Chen, 2013; Ehrenberg, 2010; Palmer & Wood, 2013). Many female students graduate from high school academically well-prepared to pursue STEM majors, and many choose to pursue STEM majors in college, yet many also leave those majors (Chen, 2015; Hill, Corbett, & Rose, 2010). Theories such as perceived value and expectations for success (Eccles et al., 1983), self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977, 1986), and self-determination (Deci & Ryan, 1985) have been advanced …

Amphetamine Exposure During Embryogenesis Leads To Long-Term And Transgenerational Increase In Behavioral Response And Decrease In Dopamine Uptake, Talus J. Mccowan

Theses and Dissertations

Amphetamine (AMPH) is widely prescribed for the treatment of ADHD and a highly abused substance in society, yet little is known about the long-term effects of the drug. Here, we used Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to establish a model for the long-term and transgenerational effects of AMPH exposure on behavior. Furthermore, experiments were conducted to explore the molecular mechanisms of AMPH that were altered by embryonic AMPH exposure.

C. elegans have a well characterized behavioral response to AMPH known as Swimming Induced Paralysis (SWIP). For the SWIP test, animals are placed in fluid, which normally induces a thrashing behavior. However, …

Novel Approaches In Lignomics Employing Liquid Chromatography And Mass Spectrometry, Anastasia Alekseyevna Andrianova

Theses and Dissertations

Characterization of lignin and its degradation products, more specifically determination of their molecular weight (MW) distribution, is essential for assessment and applications of these potentially renewable phenolics. In this dissertation a suite of lignomics approaches allowing for comprehensive and accurate characterization of lignin focusing on the low and high MW species was developed. These methods may be used either in combination or independently. The methods were validated and applied to characterizing lignin and the products of its transformation.

Several size exclusion chromatography (SEC) systems were previously deemed to be suitable for MW-based separations and thus are frequently used for lignin …

Examining Deer Hunter Demographics, Perceptions, And Factors Influencing Satisfaction And Success During A Time Of Statewide Deer Population Decline, Kristen Elizabeth Black

Theses and Dissertations

North Dakota’s white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (O. hemionus) populations have declined significantly since their peak in 2008-2009. This may be due to heavy harvest pressure in an effort to reduce deer depredation on agricultural crops, a series of harsh winters, habitat fragmentation or loss, predation, and disease. In 2009, about 144,400 deer gun hunting licenses were allocated through a lottery system by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGF). Interest in deer hunting in North Dakota is high, with more than 69,700 resident and non-resident hunters applying for the 43,275 licenses available for the 2015 deer-gun …

Intergenerational Effects Of Embryonic Cocaine Exposure In Zebrafish, Cody Adam Boyle

Theses and Dissertations

Cocaine addiction has both genetic and environmentally driven components. Relatively recently several groups have suggested that epigenetic regulation of gene expression might be the mechanism linking environmental influence and inheritance in drug addiction. We have shown previously that embryonic cocaine exposure increases physiological and behavioral sensitivity to the drug in longitudinal adults. In this study, we provide evidence that the effects of embryonic pre-exposure to cocaine are intergenerational in zebrafish. In addition, we show how gene expression in the zebrafish telencephalon, which includes the teleost equivalent of the nucleus accumbens, changes during acute cocaine treatment during behavioral testing. These experiments …

A Comparison Study Of American Indian And Caucasian Sex Offenders On Trauma And Selected Trauma Effects, Regina Sioux Ertz

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) have a long history of documented trauma experiences. In addition, AI/AN individuals are likely to have fewer economic resources and are faced with increased traumatic experiences in comparison to the general population. Further, the American Indian population is also affected by overrepresentation with incarceration rates in federal and state government detention centers. These data support the need to address non-sexual recidivism issues in the American Indian population. Little research has examined trauma experiences, selected trauma effects, and unique differences for American Indian sex offenders. Treatment employed for American Indian sex offenders is conducted based on data …

Impact Of Wetlands Loss On The Long-Term Flood Risks Of Devils Lake In A Changing Climate, Sergey Gulbin

Theses and Dissertations

Endorheic (terminal) lakes with no water outlets are sensitive indicators of changes in climate and land cover in the watershed. Since 1990 Devils Lake watershed in North Dakota experienced a dramatic change of local climate: wet phase. This change yielded in a 10-m water level rise in just two decades. The Lake’s water level increase caused flooding of adjacent areas, including towns, agriculture fields and houses of Native Americans, costing over $1 billion in mitigation.

While the climate change contribution to flooding has been established, the role of large scale land conversion to agriculture has not been researched. The purpose …

Precipitation Of Synthetic Dolomite At Low Tempearures With The Influence Of Microbes, Sreeram Jambulapati

Theses and Dissertations

New approaches in carbonate geochemistry are aiding geoscientists in

understanding dolomite formation. Dolomite is largely absent in modern depositional

environments but is present in ancient rocks. The current problem is the inability to

synthesize it under low-temperature conditions in the laboratory. Until recently

laboratory preparation of dolomite required elevated temperatures (<100oC) to overcome

kinetic barriers. One novel approach involves using bacteria to overcome the kinetic

barriers that have frustrated efforts to synthesize dolomite at near surface temperatures.

This study presents preliminary results of experiments in which three strains of bacteria

were used to inoculate a magnesium deficient amorphous calcium carbonate (Mg-ACC)

medium …

Mechanistic Insights Into Neutrophil Turnover During Gram-Negative Pneumonic Sepsis, Christopher Jondle

Theses and Dissertations

Sepsis is one of the oldest and most elusive syndromes in medicine. It is characterized by a systemic inflammatory response leading to acute organ dysfunction. In the United States alone there are over 750,000 cases of sepsis each year, with a mortality rate between 20-50%. Sepsis is the second leading cause of death in the ICU and the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States. Over half of all ICU resources are consumed in the treatment of sepsis. There are currently no effective therapies available against sepsis, all attempts to develop an effective therapy have failed. Respiratory …

Functionalization Of Cyclopalladated Ligands Using Secondary Phosphines And Meta-Chloroperoxybenzoic Acid, Jonathan Kukowski

Theses and Dissertations

Cyclopalladation of organic ligands followed by reactions at the C–Pd bond with MPR2 (M = Li, K, or H) or other reagents (e.g. oxidants) is a desirable strategy for the synthesis of hemilabile bidentate ligands due to the large library of known cyclopalladated complexes (CPCs). This dissertation is composed of three projects on the functionalization of cyclopalladated ligands.

In the first study, a new method for (sp3)C–P bond formation using diphenylphosphine was studied. Conditions for the synthesis of aminophosphines were optimized for the reactions of dinuclear chloro-bridged (sp3)C–Pd CPCs and HPPh2. The best yields were obtained with 9 equivalents of …

Contextual Factors Related To Stereotype Threat And Student Success In Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Education: A Mixed Methods Study, Lindsey Leker

Theses and Dissertations

Stereotype threat is a widely researched phenomenon shown to impact performance in testing and evaluation situations (Katz, Roberts, & Robinson, 1965; Steele & Aronson, 1995). When related to gender, stereotype threat can lead women to score lower than men on standardized math exams (Spencer, Steele, & Quinn, 1999). Stereotype threat may be one reason women have lower enrollment in most science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, hold a smaller number of STEM careers than men, and have a higher attrition rate in STEM professions (Hill, Corbet, & Rose, 2010; Picho & Brown 2011; Sorby & Baartmans, 2000). Most research …

The Impact Of The 340b Drug Pricing Program On Post-Launch Drug Prices, Bryan Temples Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Government mandated drug-pricing policies are an understudied—but potentially significant—factor in the price of drugs. The 340B program is one of the more controversial government-mandated prescription drug discount programs. Proponents argue that the program helps health care systems cover the cost of care they provide for low-income patients. Critics argue that the program unfairly benefits certain health care systems by assuring them lower drug prices, drives consolidation and reduces competition in the health care market, and drives up the cost of drugs. Despite this last claim, there is very little evidence that the 340B program actually impacts post-launch drug prices (i.e., …

The Role Of Α-Synuclein In Brain Lipid Metabolism And Inflammation, Drew R. Seeger

Theses and Dissertations

Alpha-synuclein (Snca) is a small cytosolic protein that is ubiquitously expressed in the nervous system and comprises 0.5-1% of all cytosolic protein, but its biological function is poorly understood. Although Snca function has been studied in lipid metabolism, the function of Snca in brain lipid metabolism under inflammatory conditions is yet to be elucidated. We utilized several model systems including primary cultured astrocytes and microglia, Snca deficient and mutant knock-in mice, and a radiolabeled free fatty acid steady state-kinetic mouse model to determine Snca role in neuroinflammation. Herein, we have determined several major roles of Snca during inflammation: (i) dBcAMP …

Epigenetic Remodeling As A Mediator Of Environmental Toxicant Exposure In The Brain, Christopher David Walden

Theses and Dissertations

Natural toxins and artificial toxicants are abundant throughout our environment and may play an integral role in remodeling our epigenome and in the development of neural diseases. Exposure to heavy metals and organic pollutants, such as DDT and its derivatives, have been linked to neural disease. Additionally, there are links between direct exposure, in both adults and children, to short-lived pesticides and neural diseases. While the link has been established, understanding the root cause has yet to be elucidated. One increasingly relevant field offering promise in achieving this goal is epigenetics. Epigenetic remodeling is one potential mechanism by which environmental …

The Interaction Network Ontology-Supported Modeling And Mining Of Complex Interactions Represented With Multiple Keywords In Biomedical Literature, Arzucan Ozgur, Junguk Hur, Yongqun He

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: The Interaction Network Ontology (INO) logically represents biological interactions, pathways, and networks. INO has been demonstrated to be valuable in providing a set of structured ontological terms and associated keywords to support literature mining of gene-gene interactions from biomedical literature. However, previous work using INO focused on single keyword matching, while many interactions are represented with two or more interaction keywords used in combination.

Methods: This paper reports our extension of INO to include combinatory patterns of two or more literature mining keywords co-existing in one sentence to represent specific INO interaction classes. Such keyword combinations and related INO …

Winter Commencement: December 15-16, 2016, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Winter Commencement program from December 15-16, 2016.