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Lenses of Understanding: Socially Constructed Meaning Making in Education Abroad
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to explore meaning making in the context of education abroad. This was conducted through three articles exploring elements of this process, including how programs may be framed through marketing and advising practices; the foundational importance of social and geographic place; the dialectical interactions between embodied experience with conceptual schema, figurative language, and narratives; and the role of student agency within these processes.The first article explored the relationship between virtual delivery and student development as mediated by embodied experience. Through this analysis, concerns about the possibility for the creation of a simulacrum of education abroad were identified as well as opportunities for deliberate curriculum construction. The second article was a metaphoric analysis of marketing language used by education abroad program providers, exploring common figurative language constructions used to frame understanding of education abroad programs. One form of the journey metaphor and three variations of a container metaphor were identified and analyzed, and implications for practice were outlined. The third article is the outline for a proposed model for analyzing meaning making: the Kaleidoscope Model. This includes elements of affect, embodied experiences, physical and social place, schema, figurative language such as metaphors, the Social Construction of Reality model, narrative, and the context of reality and virtuality modalities. This disquisition concludes with an analysis of the insights each article provides into the research questions, implications for practice, and opportunities for future study
Facial Expression Recognition in People with Differing Levels of Eating Disorder Symptoms
Get PDFPrevious studies of emotion categorization abilities of people with eating disorders used accuracy and reaction time to identify performance deficits for these individuals. The conclusions from this literature have been mixed, due in part to low sample sizes and inconsistent assessment of comorbid diagnoses. The current study re-examined eating disorder symptom severity as a function of emotion categorization abilities, using visual cognition paradigms that offer insights into how emotional faces may be categorized, as opposed to how well these faces are categorized. This relationship was examined while controlling for anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and emotion regulation. Visual information use, emotion representation fidelity, and categorization accuracy were unrelated to eating disorder symptom severity in a sub-clinical sample of undergraduate students. Future research may benefit from the visual cognition tasks validated in this study. More complex designs are needed to test mediational pathways through which recognition deficits may operate
The Effects of Greater Dietary Protein Spread and Quality on Muscle Health in Healthy Adults
Get PDFSkeletal muscle is critically important, but is often overlooked, not getting the respect or attention the tissue demands. Muscle is responsible for locomotion and physical performance, uses large amount of energy preventing gains in fat mass, and acts as an amino acid reservoir during trauma. Nonetheless, as individuals age, they lose muscle and to a greater extent strength. Maintaining muscle mass and strength is paramount for preventing disability and mortality. There are many aspects of diet that affect muscle tissue, but dietary protein directly activates muscle protein synthesis, so is important to consider as part of a balanced diet. Research regarding dietary protein intake has focused on the amount of protein consumed, but the quality and distribution of dietary protein also determines the body?s anabolic response. Two different cross-sectional studies were completed to determine the associations between dietary protein intake and muscular performance. Dietary intake was measured using three-day food diaries. Isokinetic dynamometry determined lower-body strength and endurance. Handgrip strength measured upper-body strength. Dual x-ray absorptiometry evaluated lean body mass. Thirty-second chair stand and six-meter gait speed tests determined functional ability. Self-reported age and moderate-to-vigorous physical activty, assessed via accelerometry, were included in all models as covariates. Increased intake of higher quality proteins from animal sources was positively associated with lower-body strength (? ? S.E.; 65.874?19.855, p =0.001), lower-body endurance (549.944?232.478, p =0.020), and handgrip strength (0.349?0.171, p = 0.045) in the cross-sectional sample of 91 middle-aged men (n=41) and women (n=50) when controlling for relative energy intake and percent energy from the macronutrients. Using another sample of 192 women 18 to 79 years, achieving intakes of at 25 grams per meal was positively associated with lean mass (1.067?0.273 kg, p<0.001) and upper-body (3.274?0.737 kg, p<0.001) and lower-body strength (22.858?7.918 Nm, p=0.004) controlling for relative energy intake and percent of energy from protein. In a subgroup of this sample aged 61-79, animal-based protein intake was related to increased lower-body strength (14.834?7.287 Nm, p=0.049) and faster gait speed (-0.177?0.087 s, p=0.049). To benefit muscle and performance, people should strive to consume enough high-quality protein at each meal
The Genomic Alteration Landscape of Pancreatic Duct Adenocarcinoma
Get PDFBy 2030, PDAC is projected to be the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the US. PDAC is a multifactorial disease driven by genomic alterations. Understanding this alteration landscape will both refine the knowledge of disease etiology and enhance disease stratifications, drug design, and targeted treatment.
This study aimed to identify novel genetic alterations that are associated with pancreatic cancer biology and prognosis to further refine the genetic focus for therapy development, disease subtyping, and risk assessment in PDAC.
To this end, SNV, CNV, and clinical data for PDAC patients were downloaded from the ICGC data portal and analyzed for somatic mutations and recurrent copy number variations.
This study showed that KRAS, TP53, and TTN are not only highly mutated but also associated with poor survival in PDAC. Also, this study showed that CN-LOH TP53, KRAS, SMAD4, and RYR3 were associated with reduced risk of death from PDAC
A Field Study on LiDAR Sensor for Unmanned Ground Vehicle Navigation Application in Precision Agriculture
No full textLiDAR sensor?s mapping and detection abilities make these sensors an important tool for research on navigation and object detection for robots and vehicles. This study used a ground robot and LiDAR sensor to collect navigational data sets from North Dakota State University Research Extension Center agricultural test plots in Carrington, ND. Three different height and angle combinations were used to study the factors that could potentially affect object detection. Three trials were run for each sensor placement and recorded the distance the laser pulse traveled and the intensity of the laser. The analysis results showed that the data did not have a normal distribution. However, statistical analysis showed a relationship between the return intensity of the laser pulse from the sensor and the distance the object was from the sensor. Thus, this study showed that LiDAR sensors could be a navigation tool for UGV applications in precision agriculture
Activism Challenges Faced by Black Student-Athletes at Predominantly White Institutions
Get PDFFor decades, black athletes have used sports as a stage to spread awareness of the injustices that are overlooked in our country. Black student-athletes are treated as ambassadors of the predominantly white universities they represent in their sports. However, they still endure prejudice from students, faculty, and local community members who are supposed to be their supporters. In this study, I investigated the factors influencing black student-athletes? willingness to speak out on social issues. Through interviews with ten black student-athletes at NDSU, I found the concerning factors, identity issues, and levels of comfortability that black student athletes experience at this predominantly white institution. I argue that inconsistencies of support from the athletic department and fan base make it harder for black student-athletes to engage in activism. I recommend that student-athletes collaborate with athletic departments and local organizations in their activism to improve their communities
Lattice Gas and Lattice Boltzmann Methods for Fluctuating Systems, Barrier Coatings, and Overrelaxation
Get PDFIn the field of computational fluid dynamics, lattice gas and lattice Boltzmann methods are powerful simulation methods derived from kinetic theory. These methods are renowned for their simplicity of implementation and computational speed. In recent years, lattice Boltzmann has risen in popularity for modeling hydrodynamic flows, diffusion, and more. However, a limitation of these methods is the lack of fluctuations due to the continuous nature of the model. Fluctuations arise from the discreteness found in nature, so including fluctuations presents difficulties. This dissertation explores new and novel ways of improving lattice Boltzmann and lattice gas methods.
First, we present a new derivation for a fluctuating lattice Boltzmann method in a diffusive system. Fluctuations are absent lattice Boltzmann since they were derived as a Boltzmann average of discrete lattice gases. This lattice Boltzmann method is exact and includes density dependent noise which models fluctuations to high accuracy.
Second, we extend diffusive lattice Boltzmann methods to apply to physical systems for diffusion through barrier coatings. We found that these models were able to reproduce the behavior from previous experiments and provided a simple tool for analyzing such systems. Higher order corrections to lattice Boltzmann methods are explored for extending the range for successful lattice Boltzmann implementations.
Recently, the implementation of an integer lattice gas with a Monte Carlo collision operator by Blommel et al. provided a template for incorporating fluctuations through the discrete nature of lattice gases. A sampling collision operator for integer lattice gases by Seekins et al. was able to reproduce the fluctuating diffusion equation in the Boltzmann limit similar to the diffusive fluctuating lattice Boltzmann. However, lattice gases have a more limited range of transport coefficients than lattice Boltzmann methods, since lattice Boltzmann collisions are deterministic and allow for the implementation of over-relaxation and lattice gas collisions are probabilistic and overrelaxation in a lattice gas requires a probability greater than 1.
The final section of this dissertation presents a simple method for including overrelaxation into an integer lattice gas using the sampling collision operator. It will be shown that this is possible through a permutation of occupation numbers
Surface Modifying Amphiphilic Additives for the Improvement of Fouling-Release Properties of Siloxane-Polyurethane Coatings
Get PDFSince mankind has navigated the world?s oceans, marine biofouling has been a persistent problem with several negative economic and environmental consequences. In modern times, the buildup of biofouling causes a significant reduction in vessel speed, leading to increased power consumption, higher costs of operation, and an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Two of the most widely used protection strategies to combat this highly complex and dynamic phenomenon include the application of biocide containing anti-fouling (AF), or more environmentally friendly non-toxic fouling-release (FR) coatings. Traditional FR coatings utilize low surface energy components such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), but often suffer mechanical failure and poor adhesion to the substrate.
Recently, the development of a self-stratifying siloxane-polyurethane (SiPU) FR coating combined the desirable FR properties of PDMS containing materials, with the mechanically durable and tough attributes of a polyurethane. Several methods to improve on the FR properties of these coating systems involved the incorporation of hydrophilic moieties like polyethylene glycol (PEG), zwitterionic polymers, or carboxylic acid containing groups into the SiPU network, producing a heterogenous, amphiphilic surface. These types of amphiphilic surfaces have great potential to become a major component of the next generation of highly performing FR coatings.
In this work, the use of non-reactive surface modifying amphiphilic additives (SMAAs) consisting of PDMS and PEG was explored as a viable method for further improvement of FR properties of SiPU coatings, while also maintaining coating integrity in marine environments. Additives with varying amounts of PDMS and PEG content were incorporated at several concentrations in both hydrophobic, and inherently amphiphilic SiPU FR coating systems. It was shown that these additives significantly alter the surface properties and morphology, producing surfaces that improve AF/FR performance against several model marine fouling organisms. The methodologies used for these types of coatings were also applied to a non-FR, polyurethane coating. This allowed for a more fundamental investigation into how these SMAAs are distributed throughout a coating system, and how FR properties arise. Lastly, commonly used FR coatings, including SiPUs, were applied to oil boom fabrics to observe their effect on FR properties and cleanability
The Fluidity of Gender Roles on the Northern Great Plains 1890-1950
No full textThe relative infancy of the Northern Great Plains social environment compared to the well-established social systems of the United States east of the Mississippi fostered growth and allowed the redefinition of women?s gender roles. Without the strict social policing of women?s roles within the frontier society, women could redefine their gender roles. Women not only redefined their gender roles but made independent decisions based on their current situations and navigated within the already assigned societal gender roles. In this instance, women, often oppressed and constrained by societal expectations and obligations, simultaneously possessed the choice to navigate and make decisions within the established framework of their gendered society. Defined gender roles in the Northern Great Plains do not exist. Instead, gender roles on the Northern Great Plains have been and are ever-evolving and fluid
Using Electronic Handgrip Dynamometry to Determine Human Performance in Master's Aged Cyclists and Triathletes
Get PDFPurpose: This dissertation study sought to examine the correlations of maximal handgrip strength (HGS), rate of HGS force development, and HGS fatigability on lean body mass, peak power, functional threshold power, and aerobic capacity in master?s aged cyclists and triathletes. Methods: A cross-sectional design was utilized and the analytic sample included n=31 master?s aged cyclists and triathletes (age: 49.1?10.4 years). Achievement motivation was self-reported with a Situational Motivation Scale Questionnaire. A stationary bicycle trainer and metabolic cart was used to evaluate peak power and aerobic capacity with standardized protocols. Whole body bioelectrical impedance measured lean body mass. An electronic handgrip dynamometer examined maximal HGS, rate of HGS force development, and HGS fatigability. Results: Maximal HGS was moderately correlated with peak power (r=0.46; p<0.01), lean body mass was moderately correlated with peak power (r=0.48; p<0.01) and negligibly correlated with aerobic capacity (r=0.37; p=0.04). Rate of HGS force development was also moderately correlated with peak power (r=0.36; p=0.04). Maximal HGS was moderately correlated with rate of HGS force development (r=0.63; p<0.01). Moreover, after ranking the measures, maximal HGS was moderately correlated with peak power (r=0.40; p=0.02) and lean body mass was moderately correlated with peak power (r=0.50; p<0.01). Conclusions: The findings from this dissertation study suggests that maximal HGS and rate of HGS force development share a signal with peak power in master?s aged cyclists and triathletes. Further, increased lean body mass is related to greater peak power. Maximal HGS and rate of HGS force development show promise for being utilized in a single protocol as a correlate for peak power when exhaustive testing is not possible, and maintaining lean mass is also advised for human performance in older endurance athletes