Digital Commons Network^™

Analysis Of Yscf And Associated Homologs And The Presence Of An Inflammatory Molecular Pattern, William Andrew Roughead

Theses and Dissertations

Gram-negative pathogen, Yersinia pestis, expresses a type three secretion system to accomplish its virulence. The YscF needle protein provides a conduit of effectors from bacterium to eukaryote and is exposed to the host immune system. This thesis explores YscF and its associated needle homologs and the possibility of recognition as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) by macrophage tissue culture. Interestingly, Salmonella homologs PrgI and SsaG are inflammatory suggesting conservation of the inflammatory pattern in the T3SS needle protein.

The Urotsa Bladder Cell Model For Heavy Metal Carcinogenesis: Characterization With Respect To The Role Of Beclin-1 And Sparc Expression, Jennifer Larson

Theses and Dissertations

The development of bladder cancer is known to have a strong association with environmental toxins. This laboratory employs the human Urotsa cell line model to explore the relationship between As+3 and Cd+2 exposure and the development of urothelial cancer.

The parental Urotsa cells and their As+3 and Cd+2 transformed counterparts have been used to define the mechanism of cell death (apoptosis and/or necrosis). A third mechanism of cell death, autophagy, has not yet been investigated. The hypothesis for the current study is that the autophagy pathway involving beclin-1plays a role in Urotsa cell death mechanisms. A combination of real time …

Intimate Relationships Of Adults Raised In Same-Sex Families, Thomas Roskos

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the close relationship experiences of adults raised by sexual minority parents. The study used a Grounded Theory (GT) method. Seven individuals that were either born to sexual minority parents or found out their parents were sexual minorities later in life participated in this present study. Each participant completed an over the phone, semi-structured interview. Specifically, questions were asked regarding their family history, relationships with their parents, peers, romantic partners, and others, their experiences with heterosexism, their experiences coming out, and their perspectives on sexuality and gender.

In accordance with GT, the data …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Self-Assembly Of Bi-Carbamates And Tri-Carbamates, Rajiv Kumar Singh

Theses and Dissertations

Recent decades have witnessed the discovery of a wide variety of nanomaterials. These nanomaterials vary from zero-dimensional nanodots to three-dimensional nanoflowers. However the properties of these nanomaterials have not been fully explored. A majority of the nonmaterials discovered so far are inorganic. There is little information about nanomaterials which are entirely based on organic compounds. Therefore this thesis focuses on the synthesis of two-dimensional nanosheets based on organic frameworks.

In this study, a number of two-armed and three-armed carboxamides and carbamates have been synthesized, characterized and self-assembly process was studied. The self-assembly of these amides and carbamates were studied in …

Professional Behaviors, Sense Of Belonging, And Professional Socialization Of Early Career Clinical Laboratory Scientists, Janna Marie Schill

Theses and Dissertations

Professional socialization is a process that individuals experience as members of a profession and consists of the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences that influence and shape their professional identity. The process of professional socialization has not been studied in the clinical laboratory science profession. Clinical laboratory science is an allied health profession that is faced by a workforce shortage that has been caused by a decrease in new graduates, decreased retention of qualified professionals, and increased retirements. Other allied health professions such as nursing, athletic training, and pharmacy have studied professional socialization as a way to identify factors that may influence …

Role Of Gravin In Endothelial Wound Healing, Bhaskar Roy

Theses and Dissertations

Gravin (AKAP12), a 300 kDa AKAP, is widely distributed in cells and binds to several signaling molecules including PKA-RII subunits, PKCα, PDE4, β2 adrenoreceptor and actin cytoskeleton. Initial characterization of gravin has revealed that this protein is undetectable in endothelia in vivo but expressed at the periphery of cultured endothelial cell (EC). Although the precise role of gravin in human ECs is not yet known, the cortical distribution of gravin in EC suggests that it may be involved in cAMP regulation by targeting PKA and PDE4 to plasma membrane. Several studies indicate that localization of PKA activity by A-kinase anchoring …

Experiences Of Female Faculty With Maternity Leave At Four-Year Universities In An Upper Midwest State, Audra Dawn Myerchin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore female faculty members' experiences with maternity leave, while working as a career academic in higher education. Participants consisted of women currently employed in an upper Midwest state at six four-year institutions. An online survey was completed by 121 women, and 30 of these women also participated in face-to-face or telephone interviews. Survey participants completed both open and closed-ended questions. Face-to-face interviews were audio recorded and transcribed, then analyzed for codes, categories, and themes.

Four themes emerged from the analysis of the data: there was a lack of information on maternity …

Desire And Influence: Male Self-Realization And Film Progression Due To The Influential Women In The Films Of Wes Anderson, Erin Ann Meiers

Theses and Dissertations

My thesis is an analysis arguing that the roles of women in three of Wes Anderson's films, Rushmore (1996), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), and The Life Aquatic(2004), are vital in influencing the men that surround them to come to a self-realization and in the progression of the film as each character finds closure, despite critic's claims. Critics Jesse Mayshark and Greg Carlson examine Anderson's films to be basically about men stuck in arrested development that as they rival each other they grow and mature, and discount the roles of women as simply a side note. I build upon their analysis …

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 …

Sex Determination And Differentiation In The Common Snapping Turtle - A Reptile With Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination, Anthony Loren Schroeder

Theses and Dissertations

Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) was first discovered in an African lizard over 40 years ago. TSD has since been shown to be exhibited by many vertebrates including some fish and amphibians, numerous lizards, turtles, and all crocodilians studied to date. Although numerous questions surround TSD, a major question focuses on understanding the genetic, physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying this process. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying TSD are not well known and the gene(s) that transduces a signal for ovary or testis development is not known in any species. Furthermore, it is well established that sex steroid hormones, androgens and estrogens, …

Theoretical Circular Dichroism Of Lysozyme, Myoglobin And Collagen And Experimental Circular Dichroism Of Myoglobin And Pea Lectin, Boris Anyangwa Sango

Theses and Dissertations

The need to understand protein structure and interaction is ever-growing and this has led to scientist and investigators utilizing numerous different techniques in order to obtain substantial insights and explanation to these structures and their interactions. Circular dichroism (CD), which is one of these techniques, is a powerful structural biology technique used to study protein and nucleic acid structures and their dynamics. This technique is important because it identifies the secondary, tertiary and even quaternary structures in proteins and can be used to study folding patterns in proteins. Theoretical and experimental methods are used to better understand and teach the …

Roles Of Ccaat/Enhancer-Binding Protein [Beta] And [-Delta] In Immunoglobulin G Immune Complex-Induced Inflammation, Chunguang Yan

Theses and Dissertations

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) &beta and C/EBP&delta are known to participate in the regulation of many genes associated with inflammation. However, little is known about the activation and function of C/EBP&beta and -&delta in inflammatory responses elicited by Fc&gamma receptor (Fc&gammaR) activation. Here I showed that C/EBP&beta and -&delta activation were induced in immunoglobulin G immune complex (IgG IC)-treated macrophages by using gel shift assays. The increased expression of C/EBP&beta and -&delta occurred at both mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, induction of C/EBP&beta and -&delta was mediated, to a large extent, by activating Fc&gammaRs. Using small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown as …

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 …

Winter Commencement: December 16, 2011, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Winter Commencement program from December 16, 2011.

Essential Analytical Parameters In The Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Analyses Of Complex Materials: Biofuels And Fungicide Treated Wood, Jana St'avova

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate analytical methods are needed to evaluate the quality of newly developed biofuels. In this dissertation, a method employing gas chromatography with simultaneous flame ionization and mass spectrometry detection (GC-FID/MS) was developed for detailed characterization of complex biofuel intermediates generated upon crop oil pyrolysis. An efficient separation of individual compounds was achieved using a cryogenic cooling and single temperature gradient of 2.5°C min-1. Two standard mixtures were designed for accurate identification. A programmed temperature vaporizer and a designed calibration standard (20 representative components) minimized the compound discrimination, and thus enabled accurate quantification of over 250 species. Besides hydrocarbons, the unidentified …

Adrenergic Receptor Modulation Of Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Inflammatory Responses, Laurel A. Grisanti

Theses and Dissertations

The adrenergic receptor (AR) family is a group of G protein-coupled receptors activated by the endogenous catcholamines epinephrine (Epi) and norepinephrine (NE). There are nine different AR subtypes that are differentially expressed throughout the body including on immune cells. Levels of Epi and NE are known to influence immune responses however, the AR subtype expression and function are not well characterized. The purpose of this study was to: 1) characterize the AR subtype expression profile on monocytes and macrophages; 2) elucidate how AR activation regulates cytokine/chemokine production; and 3) determine the mechanism(s) by which individual AR subtypes modulate cytokine production. …

Volume 49, Number 16: December 07, 2011, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

"The Course Fit Us": Differentiated Instruction In The College Classroom, Mary Volesky Dosch

Theses and Dissertations

Differentiated instruction is a learner-centered philosophy of teaching based on Tomlinson’s research, but stems from a constructivist belief espoused by Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky. Through consideration of three diagnostic areas: readiness, interests, and learning profiles, a teacher differentiates how diverse students access the material (content), how students make sense of the material (process), and how students demonstrate their learning (product).

Differentiated instruction has been used successfully at the elementary, middle, and high school levels showing quantitative improvements for diverse students. A limited number of qualitative studies on differentiated instruction exist at the college level, with even fewer quantitative studies.

The …

Implications Of Fatigue And Sleep Loss On Medical Professionals And Countermeasures To Prevent Fatigue, Tracie J. Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

The number of hours worked per individual has long been limited by the law in many professional industries. Recent increases in the incidence of medical and diagnostic errors related to fatigue has led to an increased interest in health care worker fatigue. For human beings, functioning on a 24-hour basis poses unique physiological challenges. Acknowledging and managing these challenges can promote performance, productivity, and safety in 24-hour operations. Ignoring these factors can lead to decrements in human capability and to the potential for incidents and accidents that can result in tremendous societal and individual costs. Long duty hours, reduced sleep …

Treatment Of Opiate Abuse: Increasing Patient Self-Efficacy And Engagement In Treatment Through Education Of Providers, Kimberly Wight

Theses and Dissertations

Opiate abuse is one of the fastest growing public health concerns in the United States and has far reaching ramifications that effect individual patients and their families, communities, and the healthcare system (U.S. Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center, 2010). It has been shown that there is significant gap in knowledge among healthcare providers surrounding the topic of opiate abuse and dependence as well as the available pharmacologic treatments that are available to help relieve withdrawal as well as help maintain heal truer lifestyles. In addition to this lack in knowledge there appears to be a gap in recognizing …

The Role Of The School Nurse In Advocating For Comprehensive Sex Education In Schools, Heather Weaver

Theses and Dissertations

Despite recent decreases in teen pregnancy rates, teen pregnancy remains a significant public health problem. In the past two decades, funding has been available supporting sex education; however, many of these programs have not been effective in reducing teen pregnancy rates. Research supports the use of comprehensive sex education as effective tools in delaying sexual initiation and preventing teen pregnancy. School nurses are essential in the advocacy of policy change at the federal, state, and local levels. School nurses serve in leadership roles for health policies and programs. This article aims at describing research based advocacy programs that may assist …

Emergence Delirium: Modifying Risk Factors In Pediatric Patients, Sara J. Skatvold

Theses and Dissertations

Emergence Delirium: Modifying risk factors in pediatric patients

Emergence delirium is a known post-operative phenomenon that is more prevalent in the pediatric population, especially preschool children (Chen, Li, Hu, & Wang, 2010). According to Scott and Gold (2006), "Emergence delirium is a clinical condition in which patients are "awake" but experience alterations in disorientation and other mental status changes that range from confusion and lethargy to violent and harmful behavior" (p. 100). The underlying cause of emergence delirium is not fully understood. Knowledge of risk factors that may lead to emergence delirium will assist anesthesia providers in offering an anesthetic …

Volume 49, Number 15: November 30, 2011, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Volume 49, Number 14: November 23, 2011, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Volume 49, Number 13: November 16, 2011, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Volume 49, Number 12: November 09, 2011, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

November 3, 2011, University Of North Dakota

University Senate Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the November 3, 2011, meeting of the University Senate. 10 pages

Volume 49, Number 11: November 02, 2011, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Volume 49, Number 10: October 26, 2011, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Volume 49, Number 8: October 12, 2011, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.