North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University: NC A&T SU Bluford Library's Aggie Digital Collections and ScholarshipNot a member yet
9765 research outputs found
Sort by
The Erasure and Confinement of Black Teenage Girlhood in Media
No full textThe media has shaped Black perception, rooting back to slavery, and continues to plague the Black community today, specifically Black teenage girls. Hollywood presents Black girls coming of age as a disappearance, especially now, erasing them from the screen and confining Black teenage girlhood to harmful tropification. Through the lens of Black Feminist theory and Black Girlhood Studies framework, I will examine the rise of the disposable Black girl trope, race swapping, and the token Black girl character since the 2010s to now versus the difference in the representation of Black girlhood on TV in the 90s and 2000s. This research will seek to understand the intersectionality of Black girlhood through mixed methods research, defining the common themes in the current state of Black girlhood in Hollywood. Thus far, the research in this field suggests that adultification, whitewashing, and neglecting of Black teenage girls attributes to this problem. Through my research, I hope to expand these ideas through specific case studies of Black sitcoms, erasure of the monoracial Black actress, and lack of effort toward these projects from their production companies.https://digital.library.ncat.edu/honorscollegesymposium25/1006/thumbnail.jp
Protein Content is Higher in Sickle Cell Mice Compared to Control Mice, Potentially Due to Mitochondrial Content Within the Soleus Muscle, Specifically in Sickle Males
No full textSickle Cell Disease (SCD) is characterized by restricted oxygen delivery to various tissues. Oxygen is crucial for ATP production in mitochondria, which is necessary for muscle contraction. This study aimed to compare protein and mitochondrial content in the soleus, extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles in sickle cell mice versus control mice, focusing on the potential impact of mitochondrial content on muscle function. Grip strength was measured in live mice using repeated trials while they gripped a platform. Protein content was assessed with a bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay, and mitochondrial content was evaluated using citrate synthase activity in muscle homogenates. Mitochondrial content in the soleus muscle correlated significantly with grip strength. Sickle mice exhibited higher protein content in the soleus, EDL, and TA muscles compared to controls, with statistically significant differences in the soleus (p=0.009) and EDL (p=0.036) muscles. Additionally, mitochondrial content was higher in sickle males compared to controls (p=0.039). The study suggests that increased mitochondrial content in sickle males, particularly in the soleus muscle, may be a compensatory response to metabolic demands imposed by SCD. These findings highlight the importance of mitochondrial adaptations in muscle performance and suggest potential therapeutic targets to address mitochondrial dysfunction in SCD.https://digital.library.ncat.edu/honorscollegesymposium25/1003/thumbnail.jp
Analyzing Healthcare Provider Availability and Chronic Disease Prevalence in Rural Areas
No full textRural community residents face significant healthcare disparities, particularly in chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Limited healthcare provider availability may contribute to these health challenges, potentially exacerbating poor health outcomes. This study analyzes healthcare provider availability and its relationship to chronic disease prevalence in rural vs. urban North Carolina and Alabama counties. Using data from outpatient facilities and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), this research examines disparities in healthcare provider density, diabetes rates, and obesity prevalence. Results show rural counties have lower provider availability per 10,000 residents and higher chronic disease rates. Diabetes prevalence is 11.1% in rural vs. 10.2% in urban areas, with greater variability in rural regions. Obesity follows a similar trend, with rural prevalence at 35.2% vs. 32.5% in urban areas. Alabama shows comparable disparities, with even higher obesity rates. Provider availability further underscores these gaps. Rural provider density is 0.00096 per 10,000 residents vs. 0.00289 in urban areas. This pattern persists in Alabama. This highlights the urgency of addressing healthcare access gaps. Future research will explore HIV and overdose rates, along with age distribution, unemployment, income, and broadband usage to understand socioeconomic influences on chronic disease. This study aims to inform policy discussions on improving healthcare access in underserved rural communities..https://digital.library.ncat.edu/honorscollegesymposium25/1036/thumbnail.jp
Damage Characterization of Thermoset Composite Using Acoustic Emission and Deep Learning
No full textThe vast application of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) in automotive, aerospace, and construction industries is advancing due to their excellent load-bearing capabilities, and durability. These incredible mechanical properties call for a thorough study of the flaws in CFRPs. Under quasi-static tensile loading until failure, thermoset CFRPs exhibit three primary failure modes-fiber breakage, matrix cracking, and delamination. Real-time transient waves emitted by the failure events are acquired as acoustic emission (AE) signals for analysis. Due to the numerous AE signals generated during experiments, effective classification of the failure modes through manual inspection of the waveforms has been challenging. Therefore, deep learning models were developed to study and classify the failure mechanisms efficiently and accurately. One-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) convolutional neural network (CNN) models were trained using the signal amplitudes and spectrogram images, respectively, as training data. A thorough data processing was done to remove any outliers that may impair the performance of the models. The performances of the two approaches were compared using model evaluation metrics. Although the 1-D CNN model yielded an accuracy of 97%, the 2-D CNN model outperformed the 1-D CNN model with a flawless accuracy of 100%. The 2-D CNN model exhibited a perfect discriminative capability as depicted in the confusion matrixhttps://digital.library.ncat.edu/gradresearchsymposium25/1113/thumbnail.jp
A Metagenomic Investigation of Temporal Changes in Wastewater Microbiome across North Carolina A&T State University Campus
No full textWastewater microbial communities are highly dynamic, exhibiting significant variation over time. We employed Next-Generation Sequencing to identify various SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, followed by a shotgun metagenomic approach to examine the relative abundance of pathogens in wastewater associated with SARS-CoV-2 across the North Carolina A&T State University campus. Biweekly grab samples were collected across the NCA&T State University campus between January 2021 and December 2023. RT-qPCR results revealed higher concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples from 2021-2022 compared to 2023. Targeted sequencing detected all major variants of concern, including Alpha, Delta, and Omicron, in 2021-2022 samples. Additionally, a shotgun metagenomic approach was used to investigate changes in wastewater microbial communities from a COVID-19 quarantine dormitory (Haley Hall) on campus, with samples collected each semester over a three-year period (2021-2023). Results showed a higher prevalence of healthy gut bacteria during the Spring semesters of 2021-2023, while pathogenic bacterial taxa were more prominent in Fall 2023, highlighting the impact of pathogens on the sewage microbiome. However, no significant temporal variation in the overall prokaryotic community composition was observed between or within Spring and Fall semesters from 2021 to 2023 using alpha and beta diversity indices (p \u3e0.05). These findings underscore the dynamic nature of the wastewater microbiomehttps://digital.library.ncat.edu/gradresearchsymposium25/1117/thumbnail.jp
Human Robot Interaction through Augmented Reality: Bridging Efficiency and Safety
No full textThroughout history, the relationship between humans and machines has been entwined, allowing humanity to prosper. Technology is constantly and drastically evolving, making it more important than ever to consider the human within the system. A human operator is still an invaluable asset within the industrial and militaristic settings due to their flexibility. As the field of robotics undergoes regular advancements, it is imperative to develop new technologies with the human part of the system given proper consideration. In systems engineering, finding the weak point is always the priority. We make the case that focusing on the human in the system will keep the human from becoming the weak point but also allows for the robotic technology in development to continue to prosper. We propose the implementation of augmented reality to bring both human and machine closer, raising efficiency and safety within the system.https://digital.library.ncat.edu/gradresearchsymposium25/1127/thumbnail.jp
Peanut Protein Hydrolysate: Its ACE-Inhibitory Activity and Secondary Structure as Affected by Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion
No full textHypertension is a global health concern, and food-derived bioactive peptides are being explored as safer alternatives to synthetic antihypertensive drugs. In our previous study, peanut protein hydrolysate (PPH), produced via Alcalase© hydrolysis, showed significant ACE- and renin-inhibitory activities, suggesting potential antihypertensive benefits. However, its bioactivity may be influenced by digestion. This study investigates the effects of simulated gastrointestinal digestion on PPH’s ACE-inhibitory activity and secondary structure. PPH was digested using pepsin and pancreatin separately or sequentially at varying enzyme concentrations and digestion times. The antihypertensive potential of the digests was evaluated by ACE-inhibitory activity, and structural changes were characterized by FTIR. Results indicated that longer digestion times and higher enzyme concentrations enhanced ACE inhibition, suggesting the formation of smaller bioactive peptides. SDS-PAGE revealed protein degradation and the presence of peptides resistant to digestion. FTIR spectra revealed significant changes in PPH’s secondary structure post-digestion, which may also contribute to enhanced bioactivity. These findings suggest that gastrointestinal digestion enhances PPH’s bioavailability and antihypertensive potential, highlighting the role of structural changes in bioactivity improvement. Thus, PPH may serve as a promising and safer alternative to conventional drugs for hypertension management.https://digital.library.ncat.edu/gradresearchsymposium25/1138/thumbnail.jp
A Pipeline for Immersive Data Visualization for CAVE System
No full textVirtual Reality (VR) has transformed data visualization by enabling immersive and interactive experiences. CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) systems provide a unique platform for exploring complex datasets in an intuitive, spatially immersive manner. However, a standardized pipeline for developing VR scripts tailored to CAVE-based data visualization remains underexplored. This paper presents a structured pipeline for creating and deploying immersive data visualization in CAVE systems, specifically using the WorldViz Prism CAVE environment. Our approach facilitates seamless integration of multi- dimensional datasets, enabling real-time interaction with 27 visual graphs within a single VR scene. The system allows dynamic graph manipulation, interactive exploration, and enhanced user engagement. By streamlining VR script development, this pipeline improves accessibility for researchers and practitioners, fostering a more intuitive understanding of complex datasets. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in enhancing data interpretability and decision-making.https://digital.library.ncat.edu/gradresearchsymposium25/1161/thumbnail.jp
Clean Energy Educational Technology with Virtual Technology
No full textThis project focuses on the development of an integrated system within a virtual reality to simulate the energy utilization of a house powered by a Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES =\u3e Solar Panels and Wind Turbine). The system is designed to demonstrate its functionality through a simulation displayed on ARC system screens. The VR environment currently features: A house with an exterior garage, 13 solar panels and 3 wind turbine installed in the backyard and 10 solar panels on the roof of the house. The next phase will include: Connecting the HRES to the house for energy collection, storage, and distribution. The key contribution: Connects the HRES to the house, enabling real-time energy flow, Implements energy storage mechanisms to store surplus energy for use during low/no sunlight conditions, Distributes energy efficiently to meet the house’s power demands, Simulates the entire process in a VR environment, allowing users to visualize and interact with the systems in real time. Using Unity and Unreal Engine, this project creates a more interactive and realistic simulation. The goal is to help users learn about sustainable energy by providing a visual and immersive experience of how HRSE is used.https://digital.library.ncat.edu/gradresearchsymposium25/1169/thumbnail.jp
Adapting NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 for Lightweight Security in Assistive Devices.
No full textAssistive devices, including smart glasses, wearable navigation aids, and voice-controlled assistants, enhance accessibility for visually impaired individuals but remain highly vulnerable to cybersecurity threats due to limited hardware capabilities. Risks such as unauthorized access, spyware, keylogging, and firmware exploits necessitate lightweight security solutions that balance protection with low-resource constraints. This research adapts NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 to assess and mitigate risks in assistive technologies. The study integrates ASCON, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), and ChaCha20 encryption to secure communication with minimal computational overhead. Additionally, voicebased multi-factor authentication (MFA), behavioral access control, and secure boot mechanisms are implemented to enhance device security. To validate the approach, cybersecurity datasets including IoT attack data, intrusion detection, and malware detection will be analyzed, with penetration testing and risk scoring models used for evaluation. By aligning NIST CSF 2.0 with lightweight security techniques, this research ensures assistive devices remain low-power, privacy-preserving, and cyber-resilient, supporting broader adoption in healthcare, mobility assistance, and smart environmentshttps://digital.library.ncat.edu/gradresearchsymposium25/1174/thumbnail.jp