Digital Commons Network^™

Staphylococcal Enterotoxins G And I Elicit Long-Term Anti-Tumor Responses In Humanized Hla-Dq8Αβ Transgenic Mice, Peter Knopick

Theses and Dissertations

Immunotherapies have evolved into a collection of tools used clinically in the treatment of several pathologies. Staphylococcal enterotoxin G and I are potent T cell activators that drive multifaceted immune responses and have been implicated in antitumor responses. The addition of SEG and SEI as useful immunotherapies could be underappreciated as mice do not respond as humans would to superantigen stimulation. HLA-DQ8 mice with established B16-F10 tumors receiving 50μg each SEG and SEI 6 and 9 days post tumor implant resulted in 80% progression free survival >300 days. In comparison, allogeneic C57BL/6 mice did not benefit from SEG/SEI therapy. Remarkably, …

An Investigation Of Severe Weather Environments In Atmospheric Reanalyses, Austin Taylor King

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis performs an intercomparison of reanalysis datasets with the goal of determining their respective proficiency in representing severe weather environments capable of producing phenomena such as strong wind, large hail, and tornadoes. A select reanalyses is then used to investigate the climatology and trends in pertinent severe weather parameters over a three-decade period from 1986-2015.

The intercomparison is performed by comparing a peer-reviewed dataset of Rapid Update Cycle 2 (RUC-2) proximity soundings to collocated soundings derived from the nearest grid point in six different modern reanalyses. These soundings are compared via various parameters related to severe weather such as: …

The Case Of The Missing Girl: Exploring Sex-Selective Abortion Through Ethnodrama, Hamzat Amoussa Koriko

Theses and Dissertations

The study uses Ethnodrama to address sex-selective abortion in Armenia. Ethnodrama uses an ethnographic method of data collection, then presents the findings as a dramatic script or performance. The urgency and the sensitivity of the topic informed the choice of using Ethnodrama over conventional research methodologies. The study gathered data from three primary sources: government databases, international organizations working with non-governmental organizations, and ethnographic fieldwork. The fieldwork consisted of taking notes on daily observations during classroom activities, a personal journal on conversations and interaction with community members, stories from community members, informal questions and answers sessions, and a small ethnographic …

Yoga As An Intervention Among College Students: Measuring Changes In Body Dissatisfaction, Disordered Eating, Self-Compassion, Mindfulness, And Experiential Avoidance, Rachel A. Kramer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to elaborate and expand research examining the incorporation of yoga in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders in addition to the amelioration of body image and related factors through a two-study design. Study One recruited participants from a Midwestern psychology subject pool. One-hundred fifty women completed Study One. Results indicated that self-compassion, mindfulness, and body appreciation were negatively related to eating disorder pathology, body mass index (BMI), and experiential avoidance. BMI, eating disorder pathology, and experiential avoidance were all positively correlated with one another. Mediational analyses indicated the self-compassion was a significant mediator …

Amyloid Precursor Protein And Insulin Homeostasis, Joshua Kulas

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease in which the brain progressively deteriorates resulting in cognitive decline, language impairment, diminished spatial awareness, memory loss and ultimately, death. AD is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease and the number of people afflicted by AD is expected to more than double in the next 30 years. AD is characterized in part by the formation of amyloid plaque deposits in the brain. It is known that these plaques are composed of the peptide Aβ, which aggregates as a function of age and is produced locally within the brain by cleavage of the Amyloid precursor …

A Comparison Of Direct And Indirect Assessments Of Standing Lumbar Lordosis In Asymptomatic Adults, Nolan Adam Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Background: While lumbar lordosis is often indirectly (visually) assessed by practitioners to guide treatment, it is not clear how well direct and indirect assessments agree. The aims of this study were to (a) determine the intra- and inter-rater reliability of two indirect assessments (visual assessments of real and 3D body scanned people), and (b) determine the agreement between direct and indirect assessments (3D scan-extracted vs. visual assessments).

Methods: Fifty asymptomatic participants were physically landmarked and scanned with and without landmarks using the Vitus Smart 3D whole body scanner, after which 10 practitioners visually assessed the lumbar lordosis of each participant. …

The Impact Of Pre-Entry Attributes And College Experiences On Degree Attainment For Students In A Collegiate Flight Program, Andrew Leonard

Theses and Dissertations

The aviation industry is currently experiencing significant growth. While several challenges exist due to this increase in demand, a major issue facing the airlines is a lack of pilots. Today, collegiate aviation programs are one of the primary pipelines to train individuals seeking careers as commercial pilots. This study explored different variables that impact students' success or lack of success in graduating from a collegiate program. Furthermore, it looked at what collegiate flight programs can do to more effectively and efficiently train individuals seeking careers as commercial pilots.

It was determined that there is a significant relationship between certain attributes …

The Effects Of Overnight Work Travel On Working Mothers And Fathers, Natalie Martinson

Theses and Dissertations

Work-related travel has become more prevalent since the early 2000s due to the changing global economy (Jeong et al. 2013), and growth in job-related demands, such as traveling to meet customers, attend meetings, and participate in conferences (Gustafson 2006). Despite the benefits of overnight travel, there are drawbacks associated with traveling for work. Guided by role conflict theory and using secondary data from the 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce, a subset of data was studied consisting of professional, managerial, and executive working mothers (N = 241) and working fathers (N = 257). This thesis considers how overnight work-related …

Determining The Correlation Significance Between S-Type Asteroid Orbital Inclination And Albedo Attributable To Space Weathering, Benjamin Wright Mcgee

Theses and Dissertations

Recent research suggests that ion bombardment is more effective than micrometeoroid bombardment in albedo darkening of mature lunar soils, whereas micrometeoroid bombardment may act on longer timescales and is more effective in modifying the spectral features of a surface. This, in turn, may be extrapolated to suggest the following: 1) Increased intensities of ion bombardment would correlate negatively with the surface reflectivity of airless, silicate-bearing bodies known to express lunar-style space weathering, such as S-type asteroids, and 2) beyond that of sputtering and ion implantation, there is a gradient of potential interactions between the two weathering processes that may be …

Tactical Implementation Of Strategic Guidance During The American Revolutionary War: Pedagogical Application For Classroom Use, Ryan Menath

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force Academy is a specialized institution of higher learning dedicated to producing military officers in the U.S. Air Force. Specialized graduation requirements, like a required Military History course, present the opportunity for the implementation of unique pedagogical methodologies. Further, as a technologically forward-looking branch of service designed to control air, space, and cyberspace in a contested environment, the Air Force places a premium on twenty- and twenty-first century military history. Unfortunately, pre-airpower American military history gets overshadowed compared to later conflicts to the point where cadets attending the Air Force Academy get relatively little exposure to …

A 3d Geomechanical Model Of Blue Buttes Field In Williston Basin, North Dakota, Rehan Ali Mohammed

Theses and Dissertations

Minimizing the costs and risks of drilling and achieving a maximum production rate are

technically and economically challenging, this becomes more crucial when drilling in tight

shale formations, an in-depth investigation of geomechanical behavior of the reservoir,

including elastic properties, and the in-situ stresses also known as Mechanical Earth Model

(MEM) is inevitable, which is studied by concept of Mechanical Earth Model (MEM). In this

thesis, the concept of the MEM is used to determine rock strength and elastic properties of the

wells in the Blue Buttes Field, Williston Basin, North Dakota. Blue Buttes is one of the major

oil …

Depending On The Weather And Other Stories, Benjamin Morris

Theses and Dissertations

Depending on the Weather and Other Stories is a collection of short stories set in the rural and small town communities of contemporary America. The problem my characters address is their changing relationship with the American Dream. While my baby boomer characters tend to believe the Dream is alive and achievable, their children are growing more disenchanted and skeptical of the Dream. The disconnections between these generations are largely due to a credibility gap and a shifting set of generational values. These values have shifted for the younger generation because of an evolving (or devolving) American culture.

My stories are …

A Grounded Theory Approach To Defining Emotional Infidelity Among Mid-Career Women In Monogamous, Cross-Sex Relationships, Lindsey Morrissey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine what factors are involved in defining emotional infidelity among professional women who are in monogamous, cross-sex, romantic relationships. Constructivist grounded theory (CGT; Charmaz, 2014) was the qualitative methodology used within this study to capture participants’ lived experiences, perspectives, and worldviews. Eight partnered, self-identified women, between the ages of 30 and 50, who were established in their careers engaged in semi-structured initial interviews and follow-up interviews. Seven participants identified as heterosexual and one participant identified as bisexual. Race and ethnicity represented included White (6), Latino (1), and Black (1).

During the interviews, …

Dead End Body Component Inspections With Convolutional Neural Networks Using Uas Imagery, Ian Edward Nordeng

Theses and Dissertations

This work presents a novel system utilizing previously developed convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures to aid in automating maintenance inspections of the dead-end body component (DEBC) from high-tension power lines. To maximize resolution of inspection images gathered via unmanned aerial systems (UAS), two different CNNs were developed. One to detect and crop the DEBC from an image. The second to classify the likelihood the component in question contains a crack. The DEBC detection CNN utilized a Python implementation of Faster R-CNN fine-tuned for three classes via 270 inspection photos collected during UAS inspection, alongside 111 images from provided simulated imagery. …

The Long-Term Effects Of Parental Military Deployment On Perceived Parent/Child Relationship Quality, Timothy Patrick Pagano

Theses and Dissertations

The lived experiences of children who go through parental military deployment remain largely unexamined. Although the literature surrounding this population continues to expand, there remains a paucity of research surrounding the potential long-term effects of a parent's military deployment. The following study aimed to develop a deeper understanding of the possible long-term effects of parental deployment on the parent/child relationship. The study makes several noteworthy contributions to the knowledge base. Utilizing Bronfenbrenner's (1979) Ecological Systems Theory, this study provides insight regarding how this population views their past and current parental relationships, the factors impacting the relationship with their formerly deployed …

Plate Vibration Dispalcement Curve Measurement Using Pvdf, Aniket Nandkumar Pinjan

Theses and Dissertations

Beam and plate dynamics are often measured using accelerometers and in some cases laserbased systems. Natural frequencies, mode shapes, and deflections are then derived from these measurements. The work presented here describes a method to directly measure the deflection curve of a vibrating beam and plate using piezoelectric films. The sensor consists of constant shape segment of PolyVinyliDene Fluoride (PVDF) films bonded to the surface of the structure. We show in here that each segment of the sensor measures the deflection slope at its particular location. The overall lateral displacement curve of the structure (beam/plate) is calculated from these slopes …

The Relationship Between Perceived Competence Levels Of Student Affairs Professionals And Their Job Satisfaction, Alexander Pokornowski

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between perceived competence levels of student affairs professionals and their level of job satisfaction is the central question in this study. The study explores this question through utilizing a non-experimental survey design. Participants in the study include student affairs professionals from participating institutions. The study utilizes an instrument combining the Job Satisfaction Survey developed by Spector (1985) and an adjusted version of National Survey of Student Affairs Professionals developed by Sriram (2014). The study examines the relationship between perceived assessment, evaluation, and research; leadership; and organizational and human resources competence and overall job satisfaction. The study found a …

Examining Rural To Urban Migration, Crime And Characteristics Of Rural Migrants Offenders -- An Exploratory Study On The Relationship Between Rural Migration And Criminal Offenses Utilizing The Online Judicial Dataset In Guangdong Province, Ziwei Qi

Theses and Dissertations

China has experienced massive internal migration in the past three decades. The rapidly growing urban population, especially the rural to urban migrant population, is the primary social concern with respect to public health and social stability that China is facing in recent decades. Both the public and private sectors have hastened to respond to the emerging needs of this socially, economically and politically marginalized group. In the current dissertation, the author utilizes judicial decisions from the Intermediate Level Courts in the Guangdong province, China, in order to examine the characteristics of rural migrant offenders, and to explore the relationship between …

Study Of Physical And Chemical Properties Of Iridium Modified Nanostructures Formed On Silicon (110) Surface, Rasika Mohottige

Theses and Dissertations

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy (STM/STS), Transmission Electron

Microscopy (TEM), and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) studies were performed to

characterize the morphology, electronic properties, and chemical properties of the Iridium

(Ir) induced nano-structures formed on clean Si (110) surface. It was found that the

deposition of Ir in the sub-monolayer and monolayer (ML) regime on clean Si (110) ``16 × 2’’

surface produces Ir-silicide nano-structures, as this surface is suitable for growing

nanostructures because of its inherent structural asymmetry. STM shows that nanowires

with an average length and width of 100 nm and 21 nm, respectively, were grown on clean …

American Indian Biculturalism Inventory - Pueblo, Royleen J. Ross

Theses and Dissertations

A time in American history existed when Native Americans were not allowed to express, much less retain their traditions, culture, language, and livelihood. Today, Natives are thriving in various fields at many different professional levels and have not only mastered majority culture’s ways, but have integrated them, on their own terms, into their lives. Warfare was declared upon Native Americans in the educational arena beginning in the late 1800’s, resulting in many indigenous individuals not only meeting the educational challenge posed to them, but excelled beyond expectation. Thus, in contemporary society, many Native Americans have retained their traditional ways and …

No Additional Benefit Of Foam Rolling Or Dynamic Stretching To Vertical Jump Performance Beyond A General Aerobic Warm-Up In Collegiate Athletes, Benjamin Saaribovre

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of four warm-up protocols on explosive strength in a vertical jump performance in collegiate athletes. Fifty-two NCAA Division 1 athletes (aged 20.3 ± 1.53 years, range: 18-23 years, Height 183.83 cm. ± 11.49 cm., Weight 81.85 kg. ± 17.56 kg., BMI 24.18 ± 3.64) performed each of the four randomly ordered warm-up protocols prior to performing both the squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) tests, with each warm-up and subsequent jump tests performed at the same time of day spaced 1-week apart. The four warm-up protocols were: (a) general aerobic (run/walk) (AERO); …

Evaluation Of Movements And Habitat Use Of Suburban Striped Skunks (Mephitis Mephitis) In The Northern Great Plains To Inform Rabies Management, Anna Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have investigated the ecology of urban striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) despite their role as a primary rabies vector species paired with an ability to thrive in these landscapes. Our aim was to obtain baseline ecological information with an emphasis on spatial ecology of urban striped skunks in the Northern Great Plains region that is missing in the literature. This information, such as home range, nightly movements, habitat selection, and denning behavior is important for informing rabies management decisions such as the placement of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits. We used radio telemetry equipment to track 22 (4M, 18 …

The Effects Of 27-Hydroxycholesterol And Palmitic Acid On Parkinson's Disease-Like Pathology, Jared Schommer

Theses and Dissertations

Synucleinopathies is the overarching term used to describe a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by aggregates of α-synuclein (α-syn) protein in the cytoplasm of neurons, nerve fibers, and glial cells. The cause(s) for synucleinopathies are likely multi-factorial with genetic predisposition and environmental factors participating in the pathogenesis of the diseases. Dietary factors including dyslipidemia of cholesterol, its metabolites, and fatty acids have shown conflicting results as risk factors in recent years. Our overarching hypothesis is that dietary factors including 27-Hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC) and Palmitic Acid (PA) can affect key proteins involved in synucleinopathies.

Findings regarding risk related specifically to dietary cholesterol …

Implementation Of Computational Resources Focusing On Forecast Model Access For Universities, Timothy Wayne See Jr

Theses and Dissertations

This research combines recent technological advances (i.e. Docker software containers, and cloud computing) in conjunction with the WRF model to create a portable NWP educational module. Incorporating the educational module into a senior level numerical methods course at the University of North Dakota allowed for analysis of the economic, policy, and privacy issues associated with using new software/tools. It also allowed for documentation of the benefits of tool usage within the classroom, both positive and negative. Use of these new tools also allowed for greater computational power to be accessed within the university computer labs. While the university labs were …

Plastic Properties Of High Performance Self-Compacting Concrete, Kyle Seidler

Theses and Dissertations

As the world becomes more complex and people become more evolved the desire to build taller building and design more complex structures is on the rise. The major problem that occurs with larger structures are the forces associated with building bigger. One way to help solve the problem of large stresses in concrete structures is to include more reinforcing steel and design more complex reinforcing configurations. The down side to increasing the amount of reinforcing steel is that the steel creates smaller gaps for the concrete to flow through. This problem was realized in the early 1980’s and the concept …

Synthesis Of Cyclic And Linear Poly(Hydroxybutyrates) By Ring-Opening Polymerization Of Β-Butyrolactone With Amido-Oxazolinate Zinc Catalysts, Muneer Shaik

Theses and Dissertations

A series of amido-oxazolinate zinc complexes have been employed for the ring opening polymerization of β-butyrolactone (BBL). Experimental results show that these complexes efficiently catalyze the reactions, yielding cyclic poly(hydroxybutyrate)s (PHBs) with high molecular weights (Mn up to 196 kg/mol) and low dispersity. In contrast, in the presence of alcohol co-catalysts, the zinc-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization (ROP) reactions lead to the formation of linear PHBs end-capped by the alcohol initiator and hydroxylbutyrate. A possible mechanism for cyclic PHBs is proposed, in which the zinc catalysts function as a loose Lewis pair at elevated temperature, followed by a fast propagation through a …

Heat Transfer And Pressure Drop Measurements In A High-Solidity Pin-Fin Array With Variable Hole Size Incremental Impingements, Abdulqadir Sheikhmohamed

Theses and Dissertations

Gas turbines play a very critical role in the current energy sector in both power generation and in propulsion for almost the entire commercial and military aviation industry. Higher efficiencies can be developed from gas turbines, either land based or aero-propulsion by raising both the pressure and the temperature of combustion gases which discharge into the turbine section, which is also known as the Turbine Entry Temperature (TET). Turbine blade materials simply cannot operate safely at current TET’s of 3000 °F without implementing comprehensive cooling schemes developed in the industry over the years. Normally some of the compressed air is …

Automatic Approach To Morphological Classification Of Galaxies With Analysis Of Galaxy Populations In Clusters, Madina Renatovna Sultanova

Theses and Dissertations

The classification of galaxies based on their morphology (i.e. structural properties) is a field in astrophysics that aims to understand galaxy formation and evolution based on their physical differences. Whether structural differences are due to internal factors or a result of local environment, the dominate mechanism that determines galaxy type needs to be robustly quantified in order to have a thorough grasp of the origin of the different types of galaxies (e.g., elliptical, S0, spiral, and irregular). The main subject of this thesis is to explore the use of computers to automatically analyze and classify large numbers of galaxies based …

The Impact Of Stellar Convection Criteria On Population Iii Supernovae Nucleosynthesis, Jacob Teffs

Theses and Dissertations

Population III stars are the first stars formed after the Big Bang, comprised of primarily

hydrogen and helium and lack heavy elements from previous generations. Using the

one-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamics code BOOM, a grid of eighteen stellar models

with masses of 15-80 solar masses , are exploded under a low and high explosion energy criteria.

Three types of central compact remnants are considered. The 3208 isotope TORCH nuclear

reaction network is used to calculate the nucleosynthesis that occurs during the

supernovae. The two convection criteria, Ledoux and Scharzschild, produce vastly

different stellar structures and thus produce different nucleosynthetic trends. When

comparing …

Reliability Of Trimp And Training Effect In Collegiate Ice-Hockey Players, Jason Ulmer

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the unique demands of ice hockey and limited reliability data, the utility of the heart rate derived variables TRIMP and Training Effect for assessing internal training load in ice hockey players is not clear. Having a reliable measure of internal training load with the capability of quantifying and detecting meaningful change, especially between on-ice training sessions, would help coaches program exercise training. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of TRIMP and Training Effect during on-ice training sessions in ice hockey players. Twenty-two Division I collegiate male ice hockey players (aged 18-23 years) wore …