Digital Commons Network^™

Antennas And Wave Propagation In Wireless Body Area Networks: Design And Evaluation Techniques, Ala Alemaryeen

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, fabrication of miniature electronic devices that can be used for wireless connectivity becomes of great interest in many applications. This has resulted in many small and compact wireless devices that are either implantable or wearable. As these devices are small, the space for the antenna is limited. An antenna is the part of the wireless device that receives and transmits a wireless signal. Implantable and wearable antennas are very susceptible to harmful performance degradation caused by the human body and very difficult to integrate, if not designed properly. A designer need to minimize unwanted radiation absorption by the human …

Sparc, A Matricellular Protein, In A Cell Culture Model Of Heavy Metal Cadmium Induced Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma, Emily Rae Biggane

Theses and Dissertations

Bladder cancer, the most common urinary tract malignancy, has environmental toxicant exposure as one of its biggest risk factors. This lab examines potential biomarkers employing an in vitro model of urothelial carcinoma using a normal bladder cell line and its malignantly transformed cells transformed counterpart, transformed by exposure to long term, low doses of cadmium (Cd2+). Initial microarray analysis determined that Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) was the most repressed gene across all transformed cell lines compared to its normal counterpart (Garrett et al., 2014, Larson et al., 2010).

SPARC, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, functions by regulating …

Temporal Trends In The Grip Strength Of Children And Adolescents, Faith Lavoy Dooley

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To estimate national and international temporal trends in the handgrip strength of children and adolescents, and to examine relationships between trends in handgrip strength and trends in health-related and sociodemographic indicators.

Methods: Data were obtained in two ways: (a) through a systematic electronic database search for studies reporting on temporal trends in the handgrip strength of apparently healthy 9–17-year-olds, (b) pearling reference lists, topical systematic reviews and personal libraries, and (c) by examining large national fitness datasets suitable to temporal trends analysis. Sample-weighted temporal trends were estimated using best-fitting regression models relating the year of testing to mean handgrip …

Integrating Best Practice Into Fieldwork: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Level Ii Experiences Of Occupational Therapy Students, Cherie Graves

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore occupational therapy student’s experiences with integrating best practice professional ideals during Level II fieldwork. Occupational therapy students in the United States complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork prior to graduation. Students transition from the classroom setting where they are prepared with knowledge about the professions best practice ideals, to the fieldwork setting where many factors impact the learning experience. Using qualitative research, a narrative inquiry was undertaken to explore the experiences of four occupational therapy students during their Level II fieldwork experiences. I interviewed each student on five occasions throughout the …

A Consensual Qualitative Review Exploring Mental Health Stigma And Its Impact On Psychological Help-Seeking Among Fundamentally Religious Individuals, Teresa Huff-Pomstra

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the wide range and availability of mental health (MH) treatment and resources, individuals with MH concerns often do not seek out treatment, with stigma presenting as a significant barrier to help-seeking. Various multicultural factors may interact with stigma, such as race or gender, and together may impact the HS process. One factor in particular, one’s religious beliefs, may be influential in how someone goes about addressing their MH. Religious faith holds an important place for many Americans, with 77% professing identification with some religion (Pew Research Center, 2014). The goal of this Consensual Qualitative Research project was to explore …

Melnet: A Deep Learning Based Model For Melanoma Detection, Shudipto Sekhar Roy

Theses and Dissertations

Melanoma is identified as the deadliest in the skin cancer category. However, early-stage detection may enhance the treatment result. In this research, a deep learning-based model, named “melNET”, has been developed to detect melanoma in both dermoscopic and digital images. melNET uses the Inception-v3 architecture to handle the deep learning part. To ensure quality optimization, the architectural aspects of Inception-v3 were designed using the Hebbian principle as well as taking the intuition of multi-scale processing. This architecture takes advantage of parallel computing across multiple GPUs to employ RMSprop as the optimizer. While going through the training phase, melNET uses the …

Alpha1a-Adrenergic Receptor Modulation Of Epileptiform Activity And Seizures, Joseph Patrick Biggane

Theses and Dissertations

The research herein aimed to increase our understanding about potential roles of adrenergic receptor subtypes in epileptic seizures and seizure-like (epileptiform) phenomena. Previous observations in our laboratory led us to hypothesize that the alpha1A-adrenergic receptor is a critical component of the modulatory role of the alpha1-adrenergic receptor, and more broadly, norepinephrine, on epileptiform and seizure activity. We utilized a combination of genetic and pharmacological manipulation to elucidate specific effects of the alpha1A-adrenergic receptor subtype on altering hyperactivity in models of epilepsy, both in slice and in vivo. This research sought to address three main research questions: (1) What are the …

An Evaluation Of Remote Sensing Methods For Ecological Management In Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Jenna Folluo

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is comprised of four chapters that examine various aspects of remote sensing for ecological management in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Chapter one reviews the use of remote sensing as a management tool and discusses its applications in TRNP. Chapter two describes the application of multiple remote sensing methods and how well they can detect and map invasive vegetation, particularly leafy spurge. Chapter three provides a study on defining and mapping vegetation communities in TRNP at varying spatial scales. Chapter four explores the use of remote sensing techniques to detect prairie dog mounds and map colonies.

The Involvement Of Progesterone In Glial Cell Viability, Tracee L. Guthrie

Theses and Dissertations

We studied the effects of ethynodiol diacetate on the viability of hydrogen peroxide stressed glial cells. We wanted to determine the extent in which varying concentration of ethynodiol diacetate affect cell viability of cultured glial cells from hydrogen peroxide toxicity. Based on previous studies, we predicted that the viability of hydrogen peroxide-stressed cells will increase with the presence of the progesterone, ethynodiol diacetate, and that cell viability will increase with increasing concentration of ethynodiol diacetate. Glial cells of 1x10° cells/well were introduced into a 96-well plate and allowed to grow for 24 hours in an incubator at 37°C and 5% …

A Dietary Analysis On Panamanian Bat Species, John C. Waller

Theses and Dissertations

Bats are found all over the world, and they are the most diverse group of mammals in the tropics. They are a key component in all ecosystems as predators, pollinators, or seed dispersers. As a conservation tool, dietary studies show what different bat species need to survive. Through metabarcoding, the diet can be accurately assessed. This method involves the DNA extraction of material from the feces of the individual being studied. PCR is used to amplify the DNA and next generation sequencing is used to identify, separate, and align the DNA that was extracted. By comparing the results from different …

The Effects Of Ethynodiol Diacetate On Epinephrine-Treated Glial-Derived Cells, Jesse D. Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

Neuroprotective agents, including specific hormones, may play a role in preventing cellular damage following an ischemic event or brain injury. Astrocytes are specialized glial cells within the central nervous system that play roles in synapse development, blood flow regulation, extracellular homeostasis, synapse function, energy and metabolism (Sofroniew and Vinters, 2009). Research using astrocytes in cell viability studies can be beneficial in deepening our understanding of specific neuroprotective effects of various steroid hormones including progesterone. Progesterone has been shown to have neuroprotective capabilities in the central nervous system (Scarpin et ah, 2009). Although progesterone shows great therapeutic potential, effects of the …

Development Of An E-Textile Debugging Module To Increase Computational Thinking Among Graduate Education Students, Victoria Herbst Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The increased presence of technology in all aspects of daily life makes computational thinking a necessary skill. Predictions say that the rising need for computational thinkers will be unmet by computer science graduates. An e-textile learning module, based on principles of constructionism, was designed as a method to develop computation thinking skills and encourage interest and confidence in the computing fields in both male and female graduate education students. The module leveraged the affordances of the LilyPad Arduino, a technology that allows for the creation of projects that integrate textiles and electronics without soldering. The creation of the learning module …

Avian Igy As An Immunotherapy For Flaviviral Infections, Kyle O'Donnell

Theses and Dissertations

Flaviviruses compose a group of positive single strand RNA viruses. This group possess 70 individual viruses that cause disease in humans and animals. This group contains the most prevalent arbovirus dengue virus (DENV) and a recently emerging arbovirus zika virus (ZIKV). Both DENV and ZIKV represent significant world health threats and both viruses, at the moment, are contained to tropical and sub tropical regions due to vector habitat restrictions. DENV can cause severe hemorrhagic fever termed dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome depending on the extent of vascular permeability. The disease burden attributed to dengue infection is approximately 390 …

Application Of Social Capital Theory To Examine The Relationship Between It-Business Alignment And Organizational Performance Outcomes In Health Care, Michael David Seagraves

Theses and Dissertations

Health care organizations are facing increasing challenges as they strive to keep pace with evolving service delivery and reimbursement models. In this context, the effective use of Information Technology (IT) is widely acknowledged as a critical factor for achieving the quadruple aim of health care: better outcomes, lower cost, improved patient experience, and improved clinician experience. Even so, health care organizations have struggled to develop effective working relationships between IT and business units and there remains a dearth of research on the impact that the quality of the relationship between IT and business employees has on organizational performance outcomes. Applying …

Linking Communicative Interaction To Cognitive Functioning: Implications For Older Adults, Denise Calhoun

Theses and Dissertations

As the percentage of older adults within the U.S. steadily increases, long-term care options are being impacted with growing numbers of seniors to provide for. The reality of these elevated numbers have sparked an interest in researchers to conduct studies on human development, plasticity in the brain, and training and intervention programs in search for ways to halt or lessen the cognitive and communicative decline, in older adults. As an alternative path to help older adults maintain quality of life, this study proposes to examine the link between communicative interaction and cognitive functioning to educate family members and healthcare providers …

Digital Image Processing And Metabolic Parameter Linearity To Noninvasively Detect Analyte Concentration, Joseph Allen Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Spectroscopy is the scientific technique of quantifying and measuring electromagnetic, or light, reflectance or absorption. Atoms emit and/or absorb light when light passes through. The excitations provide specific energy signatures that relate to the element that is emitting or absorbing the light. Non-invasive biosensors monitor physical health properties such as heart rate, oxygen saturation, and tissue blood flow as a result of spectroscopy. Several attempts have been made to non-invasively detect metabolic chemical, or analyte, concentration with various spectroscopic techniques. The primary limitation is due to signal-to-noise ratio. This research focuses on a unique method that combines emission spectroscopy and …

Method Development And Optimization For The Recovery Of Carbohydrates From A Microalga Species Of Chlorella Vulgaris By Combined Physical And Chemical Pre-Treatments, William Richard Hammann

Theses and Dissertations

A key focus of microalgae-based fuels/chemicals research and development has been on the lipids that many strains generate, but recent studies show that solely recovering these lipids may not be cost competitive with fossil-derived processes. However, if the carbohydrates can also be recovered and ultimately converted into useful chemical intermediates, this may improve the economics for microalgae-based sustainable product technologies.

In the present work, physical and chemical pre-treatments were performed on the Chlorella vulgaris microalgae strain to recover the carbohydrates from the biomass. A central composite design approach was used to optimize hydrolysis conditions including temperature, acid concentration, microalgae solid-to-liquid …

Curators Of Place: Farmers' Narratives Of Sense Of Place And Learning, Matthew Alan Berosik

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation brings forth the idea that our attachment to place and the meanings behind those attachments could be well suited for implementation within formal agricultural education. The focus of this dissertation brings to light multi-generational family farmer’s attachment to the places they grew up and work on, as well as prepare their children and grandchildren to take on the role of ‘curator of place’. Throughout this dissertation, I lay the groundwork for inclusion of sense of place within formalized agricultural education by highlight just what sense of place is and the missing areas within current agricultural education. For this …

Interplay Between Environmental Signals And Chromatin Remodeling During The Process Of Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition (Emt), Atrayee Bhattacharya

Theses and Dissertations

The process of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), in which epithelial cells assume a mesenchymal cell phenotype with enhanced migratory capacity plays an integral role in development and wound healing but also contributes pathologically to fibrosis and cancer progression. This switch in cell differentiation and behavior is mediated by key transcription factors like SNAI1 (SNAIL) and SNAI2 (SLUG) in response to several signaling pathways like TGF-β and EGF. There are three key events that occur during TGF-β induced EMT, namely extracellular cues that must be transmitted to the nucleus to elicit activation of SNAI1 transcription, recruitment of transcription factors (TFs) …

Applications Of An Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle And Remote Cameras For Studying A Sub-Arctic Ecosystem, Andrew Barnas

Theses and Dissertations

The midcontinent population of lesser snow geese (Anser caerulescens caerulescens) has increased dramatically since the 1960’s due to changing agricultural practices in their southern wintering areas. The destructive foraging and continued population growth of lesser snow geese has resulted in cascading negative impacts on northern ecosystems. Studying remote sub-Arctic ecosystems is logistically challenging, but the advent of remote sensing technologies (such as drones and remote cameras) may assist ecologists in understanding snow goose ecology. Before these tools can be integrated into snow goose research programs, precursor “proof-of-concept” studies are required to validate tool use. The objectives of this study were …

Tissue Specific Gene Expression In Chelydra Serpentina, Jasmine Carly Kasanke

Theses and Dissertations

Epigenetic regulation has been studied in mammals, but research in reptiles is lacking. Knowing where specific genes are expressed is the first step to examining epigenetic regulation of tissue specific and cell-type specific gene expression. Differences in gene expression allude to differences in gene regulation and gene function and will require further study. In order to address the question of tissue specific gene expression, we review literature on embryonic development, sex determination, and specific genes that display tissue specific or cell-type specific expression patterns. Next, we review what is known about regulation of gene expression in reptiles. We then outline …

The Impact Of Historical Trauma On Alcohol Use And Academic Outcomes In American Indian College Students, Elizabeth Luger

Theses and Dissertations

Issues regarding substance use, particularly alcohol use, and academic outcomes are two factors that are vital to examine when researching the quality of life and academic success of American Indian (AI) college students. Because AI college students comprise a relatively small percentage of the general college population, the majority of research conducted using college student samples tends to focus on Caucasian (CA) subjects or all ethnicities combined – neither of which directly pertain to furthering understanding surrounding issues specific to AI college students. One factor that has been shown to predict alcohol use among AIs is historical trauma, which is …

Development Of Graphene And Polymer Based Nanomaterials For Analytical And Biological Applications, Xiao Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Graphene-based nanomaterials are novel emerging materials with their superior physical, chemical and mechanical features that have applications in a broad diversity of fields. Their excellent properties include: 1) Superior biocompatibility compared to the traditional QDs because they are free from toxic heavy metals. 2) Large surface area and easy covalent/chemical modification which makes them convenient as drug delivery carriers, in comparison with liposomes. 3) High light absorption in the near infrared (NIR) region. Compared to metal nanoparticles, which gives them better photothermal properties. 4) Strong quenching efficiency; graphene-based nanomaterials were able to quench various fluorophores through fluorescence resonance energy transfer …

Evolutionary Ecology Of Ribosomal Rna Copy Number: Studies In Soil Prokaryote And Nematode Communities, Mark R. Williamson

Theses and Dissertations

Enrichment of ecosystems with excess nutrients often results in microbial communities with an overabundance of just one or a few species, such as algae in eutrophic waters, or micro- invertebrates in organically amended soils. To explain this, the Growth Rate Hypothesis postulates that rapid growth rates are constrained by cellular ribosome concentrations and that nitrogen and phosphorous act as limiting nutrients. However, the genetic mechanism to the Growth Rate Hypothesis has not been clearly identified. The objective of this work is to test the hypothesis that rRNA copy number variance is the causative genetic mechanism of the Growth Rate Hypothesis …

Effects Of Locomotion Methods Under Simulated Reduced Gravity Conditions On Muscles And Joints Of The Leg, Sophie Orr

Theses and Dissertations

Past research efforts have focused on the energy difference between altered locomotion methods in fractional gravity at different speeds, suggesting that skipping is energetically more efficient than walking and running in these environments. While skipping may be more beneficial from an energy standpoint, the full range of reasons behind the gait transition and locomotion selection have not been researched. This includes damage to the muscles of the leg, which is partially prevented by a transition from walking to running. In a space environment, these factors will play a role in astronaut health and injury prevention. For this study, participants walked, …

On Satyrs: Brutes, Monsters, And Demons: Of Their Nature And Worship: François Hédelin's Des Satyres As A Defense Of God And Humankind, Danielle Skjelver

Theses and Dissertations

Best known for his 1657 La Pratique du Theatre, François Hédelin was a cleric with a keen interest in the stage. As the abbé d’Aubignac, he wrangled in debate with the most respected scholars of his day, and Hédelin’s contacts extended to the crown itself. His Des Satyres, brutes, monstres et démons is an attempt to do with a species what he did with the stage - to bring disorder and immorality to heel.

This dissertation provides historical context, analysis, and translation of François Hédelin’s 1627 Des Satyres, brutes, monstres et démons. De leur nature et adoration Contre l'opinion de …

Paleoecology Of Northern Great Plains Bison: Inferences From Stable Isotopes And Dental Calculus, Gaimi Lynn Davies

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to infer Northern Great Plains bison (Bison bison) paleoecology through the analysis of stable isotopes and dental calculus from bison skeletal remains. Bison used to roam in the millions throughout most of North America but today they are primarily kept in confined and isolated populations. Little is known about their ancestral ecology. The abundance of bison in the archeological record provides a unique opportunity to study their remains on a broad temporal and spatial scale. This research uses the archeological record of bison in North Dakota to study bison diet and environment from the …

An Examination On The Progression Of Students Assigned To Developmental Or College Level Math At A Tribal Community College, Rhonda Blanche Gustafson

Theses and Dissertations

It has been agreed that postsecondary credentials are critical in contributing to the economic and global demand that the U.S. produces well-educated and credentialed citizens in or to ensure that the country remains economically competitive in the world. The problem is when admitted and after being assessed, older students and far too many graduating high school students are arriving underprepared for college-level work, and college readiness can often be the greatest obstacle to students’ success, in particular mathematics. With high dropout or stop-out rates in conjunction with low retention and graduation rates, American Indian student success is threatened.

Various explanations …

Characterization Of Dopamine Transporter Amino Terminal Palmitoylation And Neurotoxic Substrate Activity, Daniel Jacob Stanislowski

Theses and Dissertations

The projects described in this dissertation revolve around the functional consequences experienced by the transport protein for the neurotransmitter dopamine resulting from alterations to its palmitoylation condition or exposure to Parkinson disease-inducing transport substrates. This membrane-resident transport protein, pragmatically termed the dopamine transporter, relocates dopamine from extracellular areas of receptor sites of action to intracellular sequestration; the dopamine transporter is a powerful mediator of dopamine signaling. As such, genetic, toxicant, or chronic breakdown of dopamine transporter function is associated with multiple psychological abnormalities. Biomedical research has produced several pharmacotherapies for maladies like depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and addiction, some of …

Manganese Catalysis In The Activation Of Si-H And B-H Bonds And Synthesis Of Degradable Poly(Silylether)S From Renewable Resources, Srikanth Vijjamarri

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, significant efforts have been made regarding the development and synthesis of degradable and thermally stable polymers from renewable feedstock due to the sustainability concerns caused by petroleum-based chemicals and materials. The present dissertation describes the synthesis, structural studies, degradation, and thermal stabilities of various poly(silylether)s prepared from biomass-based chemicals.

An air-stable manganese salen nitrido complex [MnVN(salen-3,5-tBu2)] (Mn-1) was found to be an effective catalyst for the synthesis of poly(silylether)s via dehydrogenative coupling and hydrosilylation reactions. The catalytic activity of the manganese catalyst was initially examined in the protection of hydroxyl and carboxylic groups of alcohols and carboxylic …