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Never Too Late The Importance of Adequate Physical Activity and Exercise in Senior-Aged Adults
No full textExercise for older adults is significant and valuable for many reasons. Regular exercise helps older adults maintain muscle strength, joint flexibility, and cardiovascular health. This can reduce the risk of falls, fractures, and other injuries. Exercise can help prevent or manage chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis. It can also improve immune function, reducing the risk of infections. Physical activity is linked to improved mood and mental well-being. It can help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhance cognitive function, and promote better sleep. By improving strength, balance, and mobility, exercise can help older adults maintain their independence and perform activities of daily living for longer. Research suggests that regular exercise is associated with a longer lifespan and a higher quality of life in older adults. Weight-bearing exercises and resistance training can help maintain bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Overall, exercise is crucial in promoting health and well-being in older adults, helping them live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives
Evaluation of Flood Control and Treatment of Total Suspended Solids by Dry Detention Basins in Greenville, NC
No full textUrban development has increased the total impervious area in human settlements, which has disrupted natural hydrology resulting in increased nuisance flooding and water quality degradation from storms. Over the past several decades, stormwater management has become an integral component of urban planning to mitigate damage through use of stormwater control measures (SCMs). Dry detention basins (DDBs) are a commonly used SCM designed to mitigate peak flow volumes by capturing and storing runoff that is slowly released into the existing stormwater infrastructure. The goal of this study was to characterize functionality and evaluate flood control and treatment of total suspended solids (TSS) by 4 DDBs located in Greenville, NC. Of the 4 DDBs, 2 are within potentially underserved communities according to NC DEQ designation. Onset HOBO pressure transducers were installed in the Winter of 2023 to measure water levels during storms. Water level data will be used to evaluate storm hydrology to assess flood control by DDBs. Additionally, samples were collected from the inlet and outlet of DDBs for a total of three storms to assess the reduction of TSS concentration. Discharge entering and exiting were also measured during the storms to estimate mass inputs and exports of TSS
Type 2 Diabetes & the Family
No full textAs a nutrition and dietetics student who works with type 2 diabetes patients and is the child of a type 2 diabetic, I see first-hand the need for education about this disease. Whether it be from family members or close loved ones, there is also an overwhelming need for diabetic patients to have support when learning to live with type 2 diabetes
THE TRILLION DOLLAR STUDENT LOAN CRISIS: ADDRESSING THE RACIAL WEALTH DIVIDE WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN BORROWERS AT DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY, an ACTION RESEARCH STUDY
Get PDFThe trillion-dollar student loan crisis has intensified financial instability for students across the United States, with African American borrowers facing disproportionate burdens due to systemic racial wealth inequalities. This qualitative action research study explored the intersection of student loan indebtedness and the racial wealth divide among African American
students at Delaware State University (DSU). In collaboration with the DSU Office of Student Success, Sallie Mae, the DSU Writing Lab, the U.S. Department of Education, and various university departments, this study aimed to implement and assess an intervention designed to
increase scholarship awareness and reduce reliance on loans among DSU’s African American students.
The intervention involved the creation of a targeted scholarship writing lab that provided tailored guidance in scholarship application processes, financial literacy, and loan management. Data collection included pre- and post-intervention scholarship application rates, the number of
scholarships awarded, and documented reductions in student borrowing. Initial findings revealed significant barriers in scholarship access and application completion due to limited financial literacy, lack of resources, and systemic inequities. The scholarship writing lab proved to be a promising model, increasing student engagement with scholarship opportunities, and reducing
average loan amounts by promoting alternative funding sources.
This study highlighted the need for culturally responsive financial literacy programs and scholarship support mechanisms that specifically address the unique challenges African American students face in higher education. By examining these outcomes, this research contributed to the broader conversation on closing the racial wealth gap, offering evidence-based
recommendations for institutional policy changes to mitigate the impact of loan indebtedness on African American students at DSU and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Findings from this study suggested that targeted interventions are vital to empowering students with the resources and knowledge needed to navigate higher education more equitably,
enhancing their financial well-being post-graduation
Completing College Writing: Improving Student Success in First-Year Composition
Get PDFThis study attempted to improve student performance in First Year Composition (FYC) courses at Barton College by implementing a set of interventions grounded in Tinto’s (2012a) framework for institutional action. These interventions consisted of a standard syllabus for FYC courses, a requirement that underperforming students visit the campus Writing Center, individual conferences between students and their FYC instructors, and a greater opportunity for students to draw on personal experience when completing major writing assignments. A quasi-experimental design was used to determine the factors that influenced student performance and to assess the impact of this set of interventions via an analysis of course attempts made during 2023-24 versus a historical cohort control group. Data sources included final grade rosters, course evaluation results, archived course syllabi, and Writing Center visit logs.
Although the interventions did not have a statistically significant impact on student performance, the study successfully identified the factors that influenced student success in FYC courses in general, which were ethnicity and repeat attempts. Gender, student perceptions of instruction, course consistency, and Writing Center use, however, did not have an appreciable impact. These insights may be of use to instructors and administrators at Barton College and at other institutions as they strive to improve their FYC programs in the future
Voices of Resistance: Using Indigenous Young Adult Literature as a Pathway for Decolonization
Get PDFThis thesis explores the role of Indigenous futurism and Indigenous Young Adult Literature (IYAL) in decolonizing academic and creative spaces that are dominated by Euro-American control. The Marrow Thieves, by Cherie Dimaline, To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose, and Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger are all powerful stories of Indigenous resistance that subvert traditional colonial power structures through their depictions of Indigenous epistemologies, knowledge, tribalography, and agency. This thesis utilizes an Indigenous conceptual framework that is centered around the following questions: Is settler colonialism ethical? How does settler colonialism harm Indigenous agency and epistemologies? How do Indigenous epistemologies empower Indigenous agency? IYAL is a powerful tool that allows authors to write back against colonization. This study will further analyze how canonical YA, science fiction, and fantasy perpetuate themes of settler colonialism that seek to eliminate or omit the Native. IYAL allows both Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers to confront colonialism utilizing tools discussed in this thesis, like syncretic multiculturalism and Tribal Critical Race Theory
IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING: SUPPORTING ADULT WOMEN LEARNERS’ PERSISTENCE IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Get PDFABSTRACT
This study explores the impact of a grassroots intervention on the persistence of adult women learners in North Carolina community colleges, with a focus on pre-nursing students. Recognizing the unique challenges these students face—balancing work, family, and academics—the intervention revised the student success coaching model to provide tailored support. Using a qualitative research design, the study engaged institutional stakeholders through semi-structured interviews using a photovoice method with a poster exhibit to identify barriers and effective interventions. Findings revealed pre-nursing students experienced limited faculty interaction outside of advising, highlighting the need for early relationship-building, proactive coaching, and holistic support. Participants emphasized the importance of caring, accessible faculty, advisors, and emotional support in overcoming barriers to success. Findings also indicated that success coaching fostered strong relationships, provided individualized guidance, and bridged gaps between faculty and student services. The revised model introduced a dedicated pre-nursing success coach and advisor. The study recommends integrating success coaching as a standard practice in community colleges, with an emphasis on faculty collaboration and early exposure to campus resources. Future research should explore the long-term impact of success coaching across diverse community college contexts and examine how institutional culture influences the persistence and success of adult women learners
CTRL + ©
Get PDFCopyright law pervades the decision making of all creative mediums in the contemporary global economy. Rather than existing as a mechanism for protecting individual creators, this current system of copyright priviledges large corporations and effectively flattens the cultural landscape by enclosing upon the public domain, restricts free cultural exchange, and narrows creative decision making. This paper and exhibition makes the argument for a critical evaluation of the current global system of copyright, primarily as driven by U.S. copyright law, and discusses the design theories and research methods behind the creation of the exhibition: CTRL + ©
Executive Summary: Increasing Awareness of and Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy in the Primary Care Setting
Get PDFThis executive summary presents a Doctor of Nursing Practice project aimed at improving awareness of and screening rates or diabetic retinopathy. The project focused on developing and implementing a patient-centered educational tool to distribute to patients during appointment preparation with the goal of increasing patient knowledge and engagement in preventative eye care, specifically diabetic retinopathy.D.N.P
B CELL ACTIVATING FACTOR AND MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE-2 AS NOVEL MODULATORS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE AND GLUCOSE UTILIZATION
Get PDFObesity and insulin resistance are accompanied by chronic low-grade inflammation within the adipose tissue mediated by the infiltration of immune cells. In recent years, many studies have highlighted the importance of understanding the interplay between the body's metabolic state and the activation of the immune system in type 2 diabetes. Here, we identify novel roles for B cell-activating factor (BAFF) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) in the progression of insulin resistance and glucose utilization, respectively.
BAFF is a critical TNF-family cytokine that regulates homeostasis and peripheral tolerance of B2 cells. BAFF overproduction promotes autoantibody generation and autoimmune diseases. During obesity, BAFF is predominantly produced by white adipose tissue (WAT), and IgG autoantibodies against adipocytes are identified in the WAT of obese humans. However, it remains to be determined if the autoantibodies formed during obesity affect WAT remodeling and systemic insulin resistance. Here, we show that IgG autoantibodies are generated in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice that bind to apoptotic adipocytes and promote their phagocytosis by macrophages. Using murine models of obesity in which the gonadal WAT undergoes remodeling, we found that BAFF neutralization depleted IgG autoantibodies, increased the number of dead adipocytes, and exacerbated WAT inflammation and insulin resistance. RNA sequencing of the stromal vascular fraction from the WAT of BAFF-neutralized mice revealed decreased expression of immunoglobulin light-chain and heavy-chain variable genes and impaired B cell activation and phagocytosis pathways. In vitro, plasma IgG fractions from BAFF-neutralized mice reduced the phagocytic clearance of apoptotic adipocytes. Altogether, our study suggests that IgG autoantibodies developed during obesity dampen WAT inflammation and systemic insulin resistance.
Glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) expression on white adipocytes is critical for absorbing excess blood glucose, failure of which promotes hyperglycemia. MMPs play a crucial role in remodeling the white adipose tissue (WAT) during obesity. MMPs have multiple protein substrates, and surprisingly, it is unknown if they can directly target GLUT4 on the adipocyte surface and impair glucose absorption. We identified MMP2 as the highly active gelatinase, a class of MMP, in the gonadal WAT of HFD-induced obese mice. In vitro, metabolic studies in 3T3-L1 adipocytes revealed MMP2 attenuated glucose absorption and glycolysis, which were recovered by an MMP2 inhibitor. In silico structural analysis using AlphaFold identified a putative MMP2 cleavage site on the extracellular domain of GLUT4. Further, in a substrate competition assay, a peptide mimicking the MMP2 cleavage site on GLUT4 attenuated the cleavage of an MMP substrate by MMP2. Altogether, our results suggest a novel mechanism of impaired glucose absorption by adipocytes, which may contribute to hyperglycemia during obesity