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Reclamation of Monotony
No full textIn a culture shaped by instant gratification and overstimulation, where attention spans are increasingly fragmented, the act of making becomes a form of resistance. Reclamation of Monotony is a body of metalwork that explores the meditative potential of repetition through the use of Russian filigree, wire wrapping, and enameling techniques. These practices are slow, methodical, and often monotonous. The process of coiling wires, wrapping and binding forms, filling cells with enamel, firing, and finishing requires sustained concentration and presence. Rather than viewing monotony as a creative limitation, this work embraces it as a site of depth, ritual, and focus.
This thesis frames my studio process as an embodied rebellion against the pace and pressure of contemporary digital life. Through intentional slowness and attention to detail, each piece asserts the value of patience, presence, and the handmade. The resulting work becomes both a record of time spent and a counterpoint to the disembodied immediacy of modern consumption. By foregrounding the tactile, the repetitive, and the unhurried, this project seeks to reclaim monotony not as boredom, but as devotion
Effects of maternal exercise type and metrics on maternal and infant body composition and blood biomarkers
No full textObesity is a growing global health concern, particularly among reproductive-aged women, posing critical risks during pregnancy. Excess adiposity can lead to complications like gestational diabetes, hypertension, and preeclampsia, negatively impacting maternal and fetal health. Additionally, maternal obesity may have long-term consequences for both mother and child, highlighting the need for early intervention.
A key metabolic concern in obese pregnancies is lipid and glucose dysregulation, which can affect fetal development. While cholesterol is essential for cellular functions, excess levels increase cardiovascular risks and oxidative stress. Elevated lactate levels suggest metabolic inflexibility, potentially leading to insulin resistance. During pregnancy, insulin resistance naturally progresses to support fetal glucose supply but is often amplified in obesity, increasing the risk of gestational diabetes. HOMA-IR assessments highlight these elevated risks.
Body composition plays a crucial role in pregnancy outcomes, with greater muscle mass and lower fat levels enhancing insulin sensitivity and energy levels. Lifestyle interventions, particularly regular exercise, promote healthy body composition, optimize maternal health, and improve outcomes for mother and child. Exercise helps regulate lipid profiles, reduce lactate production, and enhance insulin sensitivity, mitigating obesity-related risks.
Childhood obesity is closely linked to metabolic disorders like dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, increasing risks for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. These challenges often stem from early developmental influences, including maternal health and behaviors during pregnancy. Regular maternal exercise improves glucose regulation, reduces gestational diabetes risk, and supports healthier lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity in offspring. Exercise-induced metabolic improvements influence fetal epigenetics, shaping long-term resistance to obesity and cardiometabolic diseases.
Emerging research highlights maternal exercise's role in reducing systemic inflammation and promoting optimal fetal growth, preventing early-life metabolic disorders. This research paper examines how maternal exercise during pregnancy influences infant body composition and metabolic biomarkers associated with obesity risk. Identifying early-life interventions is crucial given rising childhood obesity rates. This study explores how prenatal exercise affects infant adiposity and metabolic health, focusing on insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles. We hypothesize that prenatal exercise, particularly aerobic, will reduce infant adiposity and improve metabolic biomarkers compared to non-exercise-exposed infants.
To address this gap, we recruited healthy females <16 weeks’ gestation, and randomized them to supervised moderate-intensity exercise (aerobic, resistance, or combination) or a control group, for the duration of their pregnancy. To investigate the impact of maternal exercise metrics on maternal and infant body composition we collected skinfold thicknesses, circumferences, and for maternal only, BodPod. To address the effects of maternal exercise metrics on maternal and infant blood biomarkers of obesity, we performed blood draw. In aim one of this dissertation, we show that various maternal FITT-V metrics were linked to specific maternal health outcomes. Higher weekly exercise volume correlated with lower body weight at 36 weeks, while longer exercise duration reduced adverse maternal blood biomarkers. Increased exercise frequency was associated with lower lactate levels and waist-to-hip ratio. These effects varied by exercise type, with aerobic exercise (AE) showing stronger associations than resistance exercise (RE) or combined aerobic and resistance exercise (AERE), particularly for lactate, insulin, and HOMA-IR. These findings emphasize the importance of individualized and structured exercise regimens during pregnancy, as specific combinations of frequency, intensity, and type of exercise can optimize maternal health outcomes.
In aim two and three of the dissertation, we show that various maternal exercise metrics significantly influenced infant body composition and cholesterol levels, with aerobic and resistance exercises offering distinct benefits. These changes optimize the intrauterine environment, shaping fetal lipid metabolism and reducing the risk of high cholesterol and metabolic disorders. Aerobic exercise lowered non-HDL cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol in 1-month-old infants, while resistance exercise reduced LDL cholesterol and had no change to HDL-cholesterol.
Exercise frequency and duration were strongly associated with improved infant lipid profiles, mirroring adult studies linking consistent physical activity to better cardiovascular health. Higher exercise intensity correlated with lower infant BMI, while greater exercise volume was linked to increased infant length, suggesting prenatal exercise supports early growth and metabolic efficiency. Aerobic exercise showed the strongest associations with improved infant body composition and cholesterol levels, reinforcing its role in promoting long-term metabolic health. These results support the idea that maternal exercise FITT-V influences infant health in ways that mirror adult exercise research, emphasizing the importance of structured physical activity during pregnancy as a means of promoting optimal early-life health outcomes
A Ship for Every Season: A Reconstruction and Analysis of the Double-Ended Steamer Waccamaw (1861-present) (Eagles Island, North Carolina)
No full textBuilt on the foot of 10th St. in Manhattan in 1861 by shipbuilder John Englis, the double-ended steamer Waccamaw (ex. Nuestra Señora de Regla, ex. Commodore Hull) existed in a turbulent time in United States history. Amidst technological advances, bloody warfare, and a difficult reconstruction period, the face of the United States would dramatically from the middle to the end of the 19th century. Waccamaw was a product of these times, being used and reused to suit the needs and aspirations of individuals whose actions reflected the uncertainty of the day. This thesis endeavors to explain the processes which formed the Waccamaw site as it exists today on the bank of Eagles Island, North Carolina and by doing so provide insight into the behaviors of those who interacted with the vessel and its archaeological remains. This study is made up of four key elements to accomplish this task: the application of behavioral archaeological concepts of site formation theory, the consideration of environmental circumstances and broader historical trends, the digital reconstruction of the vessel in each stage of its life via the modeling software Rhinoceros® 3D, and the investigation of the site to collect the data necessary to complete a scaled photogrammetric model via Agisoft Metashape®
Perspectives of Refugees from Ukraine on Culture and Healthcare Experiences During US Resettlement
No full textMillions of Ukrainians have been displaced since Russia’s invasion over three years ago. Maintaining cultural identity in refugees can increase resilience, but its influence in the context of healthcare experiences in unclear. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation research was to explore the cultural identity of refugees from Ukraine and how it influences healthcare experiences and nursing care. Two studies were conducted: A pilot focused ethnography with semi-structured interviews, observations/field notes, and public documents/artwork; and an interpretive description study using focus group discussions (FGD). Thematic content analysis was employed for case comparison and themes were inductively derived using a variable-oriented strategy for both studies. Six Ukrainian nurses who lived/worked in the US before the current war were included in the pilot focused ethnography and three themes were: A sanctuary of help, Who am I here?, and Unstable underpinnings. Twelve Ukrainian adult refugees who experienced forced migration after February 22, 2022 were included in the interpretive description study and two themes were: Troubled partnerships and Embedded preventive practices. This research adds to the science with knowledge of Ukrainian refugee cultural identity and healthcare experiences and may help improve refugee-clinician collaboration
ONE-SESSION MINDFULNESS MEDITATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON ACADEMIC STRESS
No full textThis study explores one-session mindfulness and its effects on academic stress. Studies
mindfulness meditation practices look to improve mental health, reduce stress, and improve cognitive and emotional regulation across diverse populations. The purpose of this study was to find out if a singular session of mindfulness helped reduce academic stress in the present moment. Using guided audio recordings, the Sham Mindfulness group was presented with a generic meditation script while the Mindfulness Meditation group was presented the an in-depth mindfulness practice. They were then measured in the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale- State (MAAS-State), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Perceived Academic Stress (PAS). Results indicated that there was a significant effect in reducing perceived stress, but not a significant effect in improving state mindfulness or reducing academic stress. These findings suggest that a singular session of mindfulness meditation practices can lower general stress. Regarding state mindfulness and academic stress, there needs to be further research done on the effects of one-session mindfulness
Investigating the Molecular Defects Contributing to Skin Fragility in Two Ectodermal Dysplasias
No full textAnkyloblepharon ectodermal dysplasia and cleft lip/palate (AEC) and ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia cleft lip/palate syndrome (EEC) are rare genetic skin disorders caused by missense mutations in TP63. AEC is caused by mutations to the sterile alpha motif domain of TP63, while EEC is caused by mutations in the DNA binding domain. TP63 is an essential component in epidermal and epidermal appendage development and maintenance. Mutations to TP63 cause a wide variety of ectodermal defects, including abnormal development to the skin, hair, nails, and limbs. The most severe manifestations are extensive skin erosions that can be life-threatening and decrease the patient's quality of life. Additionally, these erosions have no therapeutic options. To develop novel therapies, we need to first understand how TP63 mutations lead to skin erosions. Our laboratory aims to uncover the pathological mechanisms that contribute to the devastating skin fragility in AEC and EEC. To investigate this, we have generated complementary in vitro model systems. First, we have generated patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) which can be differentiated into keratinocytes (iPSC-K), one of the cell types affected in AEC and EEC. Additionally, with CRISPR/Cas we have corrected the disease-causing mutation, generating conisogenic pairs of keratinocytes. This is an ideal model as they have the same genetic background as the patients and only differ in the presence or absence of the single point mutation. Additionally, using the commercially available immortalized keratinocyte line, NTERT, and lentiviral constructs harboring AEC- or EEC-mutant TP63, we generated an additional disease-relevant model (AEC-NTERT and EEC-NTERT). RNA sequencing was performed with subsequent in silico pathway analysis on the conisogenic AEC iPSC-K and EEC iPSC-K pairs. A comparison of AEC iPSC-K to their respective gene-corrected (GC) iPSC-K showed “integrin cell surface receptors” and “cell adhesion genes” as abnormally expressed. However, EEC iPSC-K, compared to their GC iPSC-K, had “epidermal differentiation” as a significant defect, suggesting different pathological mechanisms. AEC iPSC-K RNA and protein analyses show reduced expression of several cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion structures, including the desmosome, hemidesmosome, and focal adhesion. Additionally, AEC-NTERT keratinocytes revealed significantly reduced adhesion and migration on several ECMs. The inability to adhere and migrate over ECMs could explain long-lasting wounds in AEC patients, suggesting wound healing might be impaired. AEC patient skin samples validated focal downregulation of several cell adhesion structures. However, EEC iPSC-K did not show abnormalities to hemidesmsosmal or focal adhesion genes. Instead, we observed inappropriate expression of genes associated with epidermal terminal differentiation in keratinocytes cultured under proliferating conditions. Further, 3D epidermal equivalents generated from EEC-NTERT showed increased differentiation programs which was validated in EEC patient skin. Altogether, our data suggests that skin fragility in AEC and EEC is due to different molecular mechanisms. AEC epidermal defects can be at least in part attributed to the cooperative downregulation of cell-cell and cell-ECM components while EEC epidermal defects show accelerated terminal differentiation. Further understanding these molecular mechanisms may eventually lead to the development of novel therapies for these patient populations and improve patient quality of life
Exploring the Adverse Effects of Anesthesia and how Nurses can Alleviate It
No full textExploring the Adverse Effects of Anesthesia and how Nurses can Alleviate It, Sydney J. Rogers, Dr. Shannon B. Powell, and Mrs. Claudia Kitchin, Department of Nursing, Greenville, NC, 27858
Anesthesia is widely used in various medical procedures, including surgeries, screenings, tests, and dental treatments. However, its extensive use also carries the risk of unintended complications and adverse effects. It is crucial for nurses to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to manage patients experiencing these adverse events and to know the most effective interventions preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively. This systematic literature review includes studies on anesthesia-related complications and the nursing interventions designed to address them. The analysis of 20 selected studies including case studies, clinical trials, and literature reviews, demonstrates a clear connection between specific nursing interventions and antidotes for managing anesthesia complications. This integrative review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The inclusion criteria included being publish in English, internationally, and within hospital settings trials. The exclusion criteria were published older than ten years, non-English publications, theses and dissertations and nonacademic settings. The findings suggest that IV lipid infusion, oxygen administration, fluid management, position changes, and early symptoms recognition significantly reduce anesthesia-related adverse effects. This research will contribute to the advancement of nursing practice by enhancing postoperative care for patients who have undergone anesthesia. By equipping nurses with targeted strategies to manage anesthesia related complications, the recovery process can be accelerated, leading to shorter hospital stays and reducing the likelihood of long-term issues
The Role of Response Regulators in Gram-Negative Bacterial Resistance
No full textSince their beginning, antibiotics have been hailed as a miracle of modern medicine. And while their discovery brought about exciting advances across a multitude of industries, the ubiquity of their use has paved the path leading towards the current resistance crisis and the dawn of a post-antibiotic era. As resistant bacteria have emerged steadily over time, updated methods of treating infections have developed. From double treatments using two antibiotics or recycling older antibiotics, these changes have come about in hopes to delay resistance and prolong the lifespan of the antibiotics currently in use. Included in the older classes of antibiotics is polymyxins, their usage gone to wayside due to their innate nephro and neuro-toxic characteristics. The use of polymyxins has now been reconsidered to overcome highly resistant pathogens typically found in healthcare settings. And while the side effects of polymyxin treatment can be deleterious it is a more preferable outcome than succumbing to a fatal infection.
Nosocomial infection have become more and more prevalent, threatening patients within ICUs and under long term care. Some of the major contributors of the most concerning nosocomial infections are the E.S.K.A.P.E. pathogens, these are (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species). Named for their ability to escape treatment, they are notorious for causing dangerous infections and rapidly developing resistance characteristics. Globally recognized institutions such as the World Health Organization have declared a state of emergency and have issued a call to action to academic institutions, pharmaceutical developers, and government agencies to come together to prevent the reality of a world overrun with untreatable infections. In response, there has been extensive work done to understand the variety and nuance of resistance mechanisms. Additionally, strides have been made towards newer methods of ameliorating resistance through the use of small molecule antibiotic adjuvants.
Adjuvants work in tandem with drugs to improve their efficacy. The following body of work explores the mechanisms and application of two such adjuvants, 2-aminoimidazole compounds and several salicylanilide kinase inhibitors. Both of these compounds target separate components of systems found in most bacteria and are responsible for regulating the expression of resistance inducing genes. Two-component systems (TCSs) are present in most bacteria, playing a crucial role in how they sense and respond to environmental signals. TCSs have been an attractive drug target since their roles in a wide variety of cellular processes, such as nutrient uptake, motility and virulence, have been elucidated. Conveniently they appear to have no mammalian homolog, making then an ideal candidate for intervention.
As their name would suggest, TCSs have two distinct components, a membrane-bound sensor kinase and a response regulator that is responsible for directly binding DNA and altering expression levels. Working as a unit, the histidine kinase responds to environmental signals by autophosphorylating and transferring the phosphoryl group to the response regulator to activate its regulatory function. While not every TCS works in this way, this is a typical example and is the most common mechanism. The TCS responsible for polymyxin resistance in species such as K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, E. coli and numerous others is the PmrAB system.
The histidine kinase, PmrB, and its cognate response regulator, PmrA, have been implicated as the mechanism responsible for inducing changes to the outer membrane of the aforementioned bacteria, these changes alter the normal charge of the outer membrane. Polymyxins are cationic and in susceptible populations of bacteria have an affinity for the negatively charged outer membrane. However, due to the PmrAB system resistant strains are able to decorate lipid-A molecules located on the outer membrane with functional groups that change the charge of the membrane as whole. The cross talk between these two molecules is subtle but complex. We have found through investigations of point mutations in highly resistant strains of A. baumannii that a single amino acid substitution can alter this signaling cascade in profound ways to increase the bacteria’s ability to survive treatments. These alterations were shown to affect PmrA’s ability to accept the phosphoryl group from PmrB in one of two ways, either by altering regions necessary for kinase recognition or perturbing the binding pocket. And while we originally hypothesized the point mutations would exert a noticeable effect of DNA-binding affinity we found that the mutants were slower to activate, lessening the energy exerted by the cell and prolonging the lifetime of the activation signal.
The goal of developing small molecule adjuvants to target the PmrAB system is to interrupt the system on both sides. IMD-0354 has shown an ability to bind and inhibit the proper functioning of sensor kinase, PmrB, while 2-aminoimidazole compounds bind and inhibit the response regulator in a similar fashion. Both compounds have a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) lowering effect, however because polymyxins are highly toxic our goal evolved into bringing down the necessary concentration of polymyxin even lower. We performed minimum inhibitory concentration experiments to test if these two compounds can be used congruently with colistin to break the resistance mechanisms and make bacteria susceptible to treatment once again. Our endeavor was ultimately successful, bringing down the colistin MIC in resistant A. baumannii strain AB4106 to 10 µg/mL and under, a 200-fold decrease. Our goal is to apply this method to other TCSs and displace other organisms from their status as resistant pathogens
The Effect of Semantic Interference of Babble Maskers on the Perception of AzBio Sentences
No full textSpeech in noise testing is conducted to evaluate speech perception in everyday listening conditions. Speech in noise testing involves speech recognition in the presence of noise or talker babble. A babble masker contains semantic (meaningful) information that may affect the results of the speech perception test. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of semantic masker content on speech perception. Semantic interference is a phenomenon in which semantic content of the background babble interferes with intelligibility of the target speech.
In the present study, AzBio sentences were used to measure speech perception ability. The maskers for this study included 4-talker babble and 10-talker babble presented forward and reversed. Semantic interference was calculated as the AzBio score for the reversed babble condition minus the score for the forward babble condition. It was hypothesized that semantic interference would be greater for the 4-talker babble than for the 10-talker babble listening condition. Poorer speech perception ability was found in the presence of forward babble than in reversed babble for each talker condition. Semantic interference for the 4-talker babble condition was 19.69 percentage points, and it was greater than the semantic interference for the 10-talker condition, which was 9.88 percentage points. The difference in semantic interference between these conditions was 9.81 percentage points, which was statistically significant (p < 0.01).
The secondary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between pure-tone threshold averages vs. AzBio performances for the four listening conditions. It was hypothesized that a weak and statistically non-significant relationship would be found between these two variables. There was no statistically significant relationship found between bilateral pure-tone averages and AzBio scores.
It was concluded that it is more difficult to perceive speech when there is semantic content in the background babble than when there is not. It was also concluded that speech recognition in noise (SRN) ability cannot be predicted by pure-tone thresholds. This study can be applied clinically, as speech in noise testing can provide audiologists with information about a patient's hearing ability that is unavailable from the standard pure-tone threshold testing. Detecting the amount of semantic interference and understanding how it may impact a patient’s hearing allows for more useful interpretations of test results and provides for proper counseling and recommendations for hearing disorders
Monitoring Health Deprivation in North Carolina Counties
No full textAs an honors student at East Carolina University (ECU), I am working on a Signature Honors Project (SHP) alongside my mentor, Dr. Lester Zeager, a professor in the Department of
Economics. Together, we are working on a project to develop an online multidimensional poverty (deprivation) dashboard for the 100 counties of North Carolina. Until recent years, economists have treated poverty as one-dimensional. Poverty was exclusively measured as
income deprivation, either in an absolute sense characterized by insufficient income to afford basic necessities such as food and shelter, or in a relative sense characterized as exclusion from the mainstream of society. Over the past few years, economists and other scholars have broadened their perception of deprivation to incorporate non-income dimensions of welfare, including health (public, oral, and mental) which connects most closely with my interests as a
biology major and aspiring dentist