Digital Commons Network^™

Regulation Of Telomerase Expression In Stem Cell Reprogramming, Patrick Sachs

Theses and Dissertations

A great need exists for an abundant, easily accessible source of patient-specific cells that will function for use in regenerative medicine. One promising source is the adult stem cell derived from adipose tissue (ASCs). Isolated from waste lipoaspiration, these cells could serve as a readily available source for the regeneration of damaged tissues. To further define the biology of ASCs, we have isolated multiple cell strains from different adipose tissue sources, indicating wide-spread distribution in the body. We find that a widely used set of cell surface markers fail to distinguish ASCs from normal fibroblasts. However, our ASC isolations are …

Virtual Reality In Art Education, Sohhyoun Yoon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project presents possible uses of Virtual Reality for art education. To understand VR, this thesis reviews the history of using technology in educational environments and explores the concepts, definitions, and characteristics of VR in general. Then, it shows diverse purposes of VR for education and art educational environments. For an art class, the units present the use of Teen Second Life, which is a free on-line virtual world. The units demonstrate how art educators may use Teen Second life for high school art classes to build students’ understandings of their identities by creating their avatars, clothing, objects and …

The Effect Of Implicit Stereotypes On The Physical Performance In Older Adults, Gabriele R. Moriello

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how stereotypes affect physical performance in older adults. A multigroup pretest post test design was utilized to determine whether implicit activation of positive or negative stereotypes has an effect on physical performance. Ninety six community dwelling older adults 65 years of age or older were included in the sample. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: exposure to positive stereotypes of aging, exposure to negative stereotypes of aging, or a control condition. In order to simulate how older adults are exposed to stereotypes in real world settings, participants were primed …

Representing Multi-Parent Organizational Structures For Use In High Performance Computing Resource Scheduling Algorithms, Lloyd T. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, organizational structures of many universities and corporations have followed a strictly tree-based, hierarchical model. These organizations are defined with no more than one parent organization, and typically resource requirements for the organization could be derived from the parent organization. In recent years, however, many institutions have created interdisciplinary research groups which incorporate multiple fields of research across multiple campus organizations. For example, at Brigham Young University, there exists a biophysics research group, a child organization of both the Department of Biology and the Department of Physics, making it unclear how to define its resource requirements in the context of …

Attributional Style, Presenting Symptoms, And Readiness To Change In Female Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors, Eric Ford Kebker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the effect that attribution style and presenting symptoms has on the self-reported readiness to change of female survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The aim was to demonstrate that the stages of change are a useful concept in understanding how to approach treatment with female child sexual abuse survivors seeking psychotherapy.

One factor that influences the effectiveness of psychotherapy is a client's degree of motivation. The concept of "stage of change" has been used as a measure of client motivation. Stage of change consists of four basic stages; precontemplative, …

The Relationship Between The Wechsler Intelligence Scale For Children-Fourth Edition And The Woodcock-Johnson Iii Tests Of Cognitive Abilities In A Clinically Referred Pediatric Population, Lindsay Anne Shaw

Theses and Dissertations

This research involves an investigation of the construct validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-; Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) when compared to the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ III COG) to provide evidence for the utility of using the WISC-IV in assessing cognitive abilities according to the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory. The study was conducted using archival data consisting of 92 children and adolescents between the ages of 6 years and 16 years, 11 months referred for a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at a university-affiliated assessment center. Data for all participants were collected following administration of a battery of measures …

Assessing Burnout In Mental Health Providers Of Chronic Clients: An Exploration Of Predictors, Jessica Karle

Theses and Dissertations

Working in health care professions involves many emotional and interpersonal job stressors. Difficulties in handing such stressors commonly lead to a distinctive combination of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and reduced personal accomplishment (RPA), a syndrome known as burnout. Although most helping professionals contend with similar demands, mental health workers are faced with many unique pressures. The problem addressed by the proposed research was burnout of mental health providers. More specifically, the current study sought to identify organizational and individual factors that may lead to less--or more--burnout in providers who report having a majority of clients with long-term mental illness …

The Effects Of Pet Ownership On Physical Well-Being In Older Adults, Tami Pohnert

Theses and Dissertations

A large percentage of Americans own pets which may impact their health. This study examines pet ownership’s effect on well being in older adults looking at race/ethnicity. A sample of 6,565 older adults (>60) was selected from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey. Pet owners comprised 28.3% of the sample. The theories of symbolic interaction and social integration were used to examine pet ownership’s effect on physical components of well-being. The descriptive results showed statistically significant differences in age, education, income, and marital status between pet owners and non-pet owners. Pet owners were younger, more educate, higher income …

Patients' Perspectives On Eating Disorder Treatment: A Resource For Practitioners, Danielle L. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

The need for improved treatment for patients with eating disorders is indicated from outcome studies and clinicians' reports. In order to understand the patient's motivation to engage actively in treatment, as well as the factors that contribute to successful outcome, it is important to attend to patients' perspectives on treatment. The author critically reviewed studies on patients' views and 10 key treatment elements were identified: the therapeutic relationship, provision of social support, collaborative treatment, focus on emotions, focus on underlying issues, inclusion of psychoeducation, therapist's knowledge of EDs, behavioral interventions, appropriate use of medication, and therapist's competence in family dynamics. …

Family Experiences With Accessing Information, Social, And Resource Supports As Participants In Services For Their Special Needs Child Over Three Years Of Age, Joannie Busillo-Aguayo

Theses and Dissertations

Families of children with special needs often experience substantial stress and an increased need for informational, social, or resource support throughout their child's growth and development. However, supports for families of children older than three often report a severe shortage of supports and difficulty accessing and utilizing them. Using purposive sampling techniques, this phenomenological and mixed methods study recruited 6 mothers of children over the age of 3 years diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder to participate in a single 2-hour focus group. Qualitative data was collected using open-ended and semi-structured questions to gain a deeper understanding of parent's lived experiences …

Latina University Professors, Insights Into The Journeys Of Those Who Strive To Leadership Within Academia, Sandra Jeannette Vasquez-Guignard

Theses and Dissertations

The statistics on Latinas who hold positions as professors and leaders in higher education are grim. Although there are more Latinas going to college, only 1% of professors in the U.S. are Latina. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 4 Latina professors to learn about their journeys to secure positions as professors at a major university in Southern California. The researcher desired to gain insight into Latinas who have overcome the odds. The goal was to determine if there were any common themes, experiences, or contributing factors in these women's journeys, as well …

Cultural Diversity In The Expression And Experience Of Positive Well-Being Among Homeless Men Enrolled In A Residential Treatment Facility, Pernilla Anne Nathan

Theses and Dissertations

What is happiness? What creates or leads to the experience of happiness? Questions like these are fundamental in understanding human functioning in terms of strengths, psychological resiliency, positive emotions, and well-being. However, many question whether current definitions of well-being are shaped by Western Euro-centric perspectives of happiness, negating "other" patterns of well-being (Ryff, Keyes, & Hughes, 2003). Well-being has been considered a critical component in understanding optimal functioning (Ryan & Deci, 2001). However, relatively little qualitative research has been conducted examining how well-being is expressed and experienced in the context of life adversity and racial/ethnic minority status. The purpose of …

The Role Of The Ca2+-Dependent Protein Kinase, Camk-Ii, In Heart And Kidney Development In The Zebrafish, Danio Rerio, Sarah Rothschild

Theses and Dissertations

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II (CaMK-II) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase that is ubiquitously expressed throughout the lifespan of metazoans. Mammals encode four genes (α, β, γ, δ) that generate over forty splice-variants. CaMK-II is important in a myriad of functions, including ion channel regulation, cell-cycle progression, and long term potentiation. In adults, alterations in activation of CaMK-II induce cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. Developmental roles for CaMK-II are not as well understood since mouse knockouts are embryonic lethal. Therefore the identification of other vertebrate CaMK-II genes will add to our understanding of development. Zebrafish encode seven catalytically active CaMK-II …

Biochemical Characterization Of Suppressor Of Ikk-Ε And Nak-Associated Protein 1, Jonathan Forbes

Theses and Dissertations

Innate immunity provides the first line of defense against invading pathogen by recognizing and mounting a response to the pathogenic challenge. Among the cellular mechanisms of the innate immune response, Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) recognizes viral dsRNA and signals subsequent production of type-I interferon. The TLR3:interferon signaling cascades contains a kinase complex composed of two kinases and a scaffold protein, NAK-associated protein 1 (NAP1). The role of NAP1 in modulating kinase activation or regulation is unknown. A key inhibitory protein identified in the TLR3:interferon pathway, silencer of inhibitor of κBα kinase ε (SIKE), blocks the activity of this kinase complex …

Role Of Oxidative Reactive Species And Antioxidants In Metabolism And Transport Of Therapeutic Drugs, Svetlana Verenich

Theses and Dissertations

Oxidative stress (OS) is a frequent complication of various disease conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, atherosclerosis, preeclampsia, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes including gestational diabetes, etc. OS is defined as an imbalance between the production of reactive species and the ability of an organism to detoxify the reactive intermediates and repair the damage. As a result of OS, the excess of reactive species such as oxygen superoxide (O2-), hydroxyl radical (OH), peroxynitrite (ONOO−), 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE), etc., have a tendency to react with nearby proteins/nucleic acids/lipids changing their functionality or inactivating them completely. The organism has many ways to protect itself …

P53 Mediated Cell Motility In H1299 Lung Cancer Cells, Mi-Yon Choi

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that gain-of- function mutant p53, AKT, and NFκB promote invasion and metastasis in tumor cells. Signals transduced by AKT and p53 are integrated via negative feedback between the two pathways. Tumor derived p53 was also indicated to induce NFκB gene expression. Due to the close relationship between p53/AKT and p53/NFκB, we hypothesized that AKT and NFκB can enhance motility in cells expressing mutant p53. Effects on cell motility were determined by scratch assays. CXCL5- chemokine is also known to induce cell motility. We hypothesized that enhanced cell motility by AKT and NFκB is mediated, in part, by …

Autotaxin: A Regulator Of Oligodendrocyte Differentiation, Larra Yuelling

Theses and Dissertations

In order for oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) to differentiate into fully mature, myelinating oligodendrocytes, they must be specified at the correct times and undergo coordinated changes in both gene expression and morphology. As oligodendrocytes differentiate, they transition from a bipolar morphology into a morphology characterized by a complex network of multiple processes, which will eventually generate membranous structures necessary for myelination of axonal segments. As changes are observed in cellular morphology, oligodendrocytes also undergo changes in their gene expression profile and express genes necessary for both early and later stages of development such as olig1 and myelin basic protein (mbp), …

They're Just Kids : Role Conflict And Emerging Adulthood Among College Students, Ashley Rae Peltier

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Responses To Childhood Trauma And Suicidal Behavior Among Northern Plains American Indians And Caucasians, Stephanie Parisien

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Video-Based Education Versus Self-Disclosure Education On The Social Acceptability Of Adults With Tourette's Syndrome, Erin L. Olufs

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Phylogeny Of The Tiger Moth Genus Phoenicoprocta Druce (Noctuidae: Arctiinae: Euchromiina) For Use In Examining The Evolution Of Courtship Systems, Janna Lee Mabey

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Examination Of Embryonic Cardiovascular Regulation In The Cananda Goose (Branta Canadensis) And Domestic Goose (Anser Anser Domesticus), Justin C. Swart

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Climatological Analysis Of Soil Frost Depth At Fargo, North Dakota, Usa : 1981-2001, Brian Torborg

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Synthetic Approaches To (+)-Bakuchiol And Terpiodiene, Joseph Paul Bequette

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Landscape Utilization Of Four Anuran Species In Northeastern North Dakota, Kyna M. Hogg

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Ecosystem Services Assessment Of Grand Forks County, Hom J. Adhikari

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Stigmatization Of Women With Hiv/Aids Among College Students, Alex R. Parkhouse

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Gender Role Stereotypes In Children's Literature : A Content Analysis Of Award Winning Children's Books, Mary A. Woinarowicz

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Klebsiella Pneumoniae Induces Dna Damage In Lung Cells And The Potential Role Of Dna Repair Pathways In Klebsiella Pneumonia, Huang Huang

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Education For Sustainable Development In Universities In Costa Rica: Implications For Latin America And The Caribbean, Jairo H. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Higher Education is a key factor for social change influencing future decision-makers in business, education, politics and science. As such, sustainable development requires creating awareness amongst these decision-makers of their responsibilities and opportunities in this area. Higher education for sustainable development is championed in developed countries, but in developing countries it is just beginning to become an element of interest for the international community. The purpose of this study was to perform an assessment of the extent to which universities in Costa Rica are including education for sustainable development in their programs and curriculum, research and scholarship, faculty and staff …