Bioculture Journal
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Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health and well-being of museum volunteers
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2023The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound and multidimensional impact on museums in the United States, but there has been little research into the perspectives of volunteers during this crisis, and less into the impacts it has had on their mental health. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of volunteers working in small history museums during the pandemic and to examine the impacts on their mental health and well-being. Participants included nine adult volunteers who were recruited from three small history museums in Washington state. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, informed by the PERMA model of workplace well-being. Findings suggest that volunteers regarded their work in museums as having both positive and negative impacts on their well-being during the pandemic. Participants felt that volunteering provided them with needed mental stimulation, social connection, and presented an opportunity for museum leadership to focus on regrouping and strategic planning; volunteers also reported feeling burned out from the stress of increased workload and pressure to rapidly recover amidst a global pandemic
Leveraging Open Microfluidic Patterning and Home Blood Sampling and Stabilization to Advance Tissue Engineering and Translational Research
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2023Engineered systems and microfluidic devices have long been used to gain insight into a range of disciplines in the medical sciences, from three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting to home biofluid sampling devices. This dissertation explores engineering tools and the use of open microfluidics to further develop tissue engineering and translational medicine. Chapter 1 introduces the field of open microfluidics and provides background into existing technologies for 3D tissue patterning and home sampling of biological fluids. Chapter 2 outlines a novel, additive technique for the fabrication of complex 3D hydrogel structures using removable open microfluidic patterning devices. This technique takes advantage of surface tension and capillary forces to drive flow and define the shape of the hydrogel structure, allowing for the use of native hydrogels (e.g., collagen, fibrin, and Matrigel) as well as engineered dynamic hydrogels. Chapter 3 expands upon open microfluidic tissue patterning in which a suspended removable open microfluidic channel is used to generate spatially patterned multi-component suspended engineered tissues. Chapter 4 introduces homeRNA: a kit comprising a commercially available lancet-based blood sampling device from Tasso and a custom engineered fluidic tube for delivery of a stabilizer solution to a self-collected blood sample. homeRNA enables fully remote user-directed blood sampling and RNA stabilization. Chapter 5 further explores the use of homeRNA in high temperature settings via two pilot studies conducted in the summer months in western US and in Doha, Qatar. Chapter 6 describes a study investigating the use of homeRNA to evaluate the systemic inflammatory response to wildfire smoke in the Western US by utilizing a remote and flexible study design; the results show that homeRNA is feasible for collecting biological samples in challenging environments, including unpredictable natural disasters such as wildfires. Finally, Chapter 7 provides an overarching summary of the technologies presented in this dissertation for home-sampling and tissue engineering applications. Chapter 7 also outlines future outlooks and current directions for these technologies. This dissertation leverages open microfluidics principles to advance tissue engineering, allowing for additional 3D control over a range of materials to study dynamic and structurally relevant engineered tissues. Looking beyond in vitro engineered tissue modelling, this work also presents technology to expand the study of human health outside of the laboratory and into the home – exploring the use of home-sampling and stabilization technologies to enable fully remote translational research
Information Content and Analysis of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and X-ray Emission Spectroscopy Using Machine Learning
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2023Data science and machine learning (ML) methods are revolutionizing scientific analysis and data processing. As a case in point, ML applied to X-ray spectroscopies has recently exploded, showcasing its effectiveness in fields such as electrical energy storage and chemical catalysis. Here, I include comprehensive computational studies of ML techniques applied to X-ray spectra, including X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and valence-to-core X-ray emission spectra (VtC-XES). First, I utilize unsupervised ML to extract import chemical fingerprints and information content in sulforganics and phosphorganics, elucidating important and sometimes surprising correlations between spectral content and elemental coordination or electronic structure. In this work, I compare different unsupervised ML techniques, namely principal component analysis (PCA), variational autoencoder (VAE), t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), and uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP), and I find important benefits from the added flexibility of similarity-based manifold mappings. Additionally, I help develop open-source tools for future researchers to utilize, including an API that interacts with PubChem to efficiently download and store metadata. Next, I use ML to improve the reliability of data analysis and decrease computational time in the context of XANES imaging experiments. To do so, I utilize dimensionality reduction and clustering to perform image segmentation and then identified phase composition using linear combination fitting. By decoupling the domain identification from the phase identification, I provide a more robust way to handle noise that was not reliant on obtaining appropriate linear combination fitting results. Moreover, my pipeline is flexible enough to uniquely incorporate auxiliary data or multimodal characterization measurements. Finally, I use feature selection to accelerate high-throughput experimental design. Specifically, I use Recursive Feature Elimination to select the most important energies in XANES spectra to measure in the context of a reference library. This approach is validated by appropriate analysis on these reduced-energy spectra using a nano-XANES image. All these approaches and tools are broadly applicable to X-ray spectroscopy on other chemical systems or and are also likely to find use in other spectroscopy techniques
Beyond the Curtain
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2023Beyond the Curtain is a work of hybrid autofiction that explores the facets of performance through dance in the studio and stage, as well as in everyday life. The speaker in the work navigates how her identity is shaped by not only how she sees herself, but also by the perceptions of others. There is often pressure for more reserved and quiet people to “fill the space” and the idea that this identity both places them in a box as and is one to break free from (finding one’s voice and confidence). Identity within this work has been inspired by my own life by incorporating different writing forms and visual texts to construct memories from my childhood experiences as a dancer and student. Through this process, Beyond the Curtain explores what it means to be seen and unseen, brave and fearful, heard and silenced, and how these characteristics make coming of age a continuous process of discovery and opportunity
Development of Novel Biochar-Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Composites for Targeted Adsorption of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Treatment Applications
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2023Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of emerging contaminants which have received considerable research and regulatory attention in the last decade because of their toxicity, persistence, and prevalence in environmental and human reservoirs. Adsorption by activated carbon is the industry standard for PFAS removal from water; however, biochar produced from agricultural food waste has recently been explored as a sustainable, cost-effective alternative for PFAS treatment. For example, a novel spent coffee grounds biochar (“SCGKOH”) produced and tested herein possessed perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) removal capabilities (43.4 mg/g maximum adsorption capacity) comparable to a commercially available Filtrasorb® F300 activated carbon (55.7 mg/g) and a wood-based fly ash char (79.5 mg/g). PFOS adsorption increased in the presence of divalent cations but decreased when simulated effluent organic matter was added. This phenomenon has been observed in a number of studies which have shown that PFAS removal by biochar and activated carbon decreases significantly in matrices with high concentrations of organic matter or competing organic and inorganic species. Thus, there is a need for a more selective PFAS removal method for water treatment. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) possess high selectivity for a template compound used to create adsorption binding sites with tailored size, shape, and affinity; however, MIP morphology hinders deployment in water treatment. In this study, the aforementioned SCGKOH was modified with a MIP coating to facilitate targeted PFAS adsorption in (waste)water. Waste derived biochar presents a low cost, widely available, easily tunable, and high surface area substrate ideal for MIP functionalization. Amine groups (either native or functionalized on the biochar) served as attachment points for MIP during thermally activated radical initiated polymerization. A quaternary nitrogen-containing monomer was chosen to confer positive surface charge over a wide pH range—an important characteristic for effective PFAS adsorption. Initial synthesis of a PFOS-templated biochar-MIP (BC@MIP) composite demonstrated adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) comparable to unmodified biochar in ultrapure water (0.043 and 0.039 mg PFAA/g*g/m2, respectively), and increased adsorptive removal (by 0.012 mg PFAA/g*g/m2) in synthetic wastewater due to reduced MIP swelling and non-specific binding. However, the high selectivity of the BC@MIP (Kselectivity of 4.52 for perfluorobutanesulfonate [PFBS] and 3.76 for perfluorooctanoic acid [PFOA]) resulted in lower removal of non-template PFAS which is not ideal for water treatment. In particular, good removal of short chain PFAS compounds—which are replacing longer chain PFAS in manufacturing applications and have shown similar toxic end points to their longer chain counterparts—is a requirement for high performing PFAS adsorbents. To overcome this challenge, a multi-template BC@mMIP was synthesized via simultaneous templating with 6:2-fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2-FTS), perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS), and perfluoropentanoate (PFPeA). The BC@mMIP adsorbent was capable of treating PFOA, PFBS, and perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) to below their proposed US EPA MCL in ultrapure water containing nine PFAS at (waste)water-relevant concentrations. Column testing in real wastewater effluent revealed competition between total dissolved solids (TDS) species and PFAS; thus, this material is recommended for use in water treatment with low TDS or used in series with a pre-treatment like ion exchange for optimal performance These BC@MIP materials present a novel, cost-effective option for targeted removal of PFAS from (waste)waters
An Initial Transportation and Mobility Needs Assessment for the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2023The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe is facing extremely rapid erosion, rising sea levels, and a plausible earthquake and tsunami inundation that together threaten their community and future. In response, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe is now in the planning stage to develop housing and services at nearby higher elevations above inundation levels . The Tribe calls this initiative the 'upland expansion' instead of ‘relocation’, a term tied to deep historical trauma for Tribes across the United States. Upland expansion is as much an effort to meet current housing needs for members on and off reservation as it is a preparation for hazards-driven relocation in the future. Just as an earthquake or tsunami hazard may present the need for a safety tower and uphill assembly area, it also presents transportation and mobility challenges. Using community engagement, secondary data analysis, and a community survey, this thesis identifies the Tribe’s transportation needs and challenges; some of the immediate, short and long-term transportation-related opportunities that will contribute to Tribal goals and values, specifically as related to upland expansion; and how the Tribe may enhance mobility and transportation to support hazards resilience, self-reliance, regional accessibility, and economic development. The data, information and insights from these methods will inform a transportation and mobility needs assessment report for the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe. Based on the findings, the research intends to provide language, data, and tailored recommendations for the Tribe as it continues to seek consensus among members, technical assistance, and funding
University Supervisor Feedback to Preservice Teachers: Influential Factors and the Role of Subject Matter
No full textThesis (Ed.D.)--University of Washington, 2023Teacher education programs have the responsibility of preparing future educators to teach in ways that support student learning and foster deep understanding of subject matter. For this reason, it is important teacher education programs support preservice teachers’ development of subject-matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. One of the most valued and potentially powerful settings for developing these understandings and practices is the field-based practicum in which lessons are observed and debriefed with a knowledgeable other. Although university supervisors may be ideally positioned to provide subject-matter feedback during post-observation conferences, supervision is complex and many factors can potentially influence this type of feedback and the development of subject-matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Yet, studies examining the nature of post-observation conferences at the elementary level are limited. This study examined post-observation conferences to look closely at the complexities and influences through the question: What factors influence if, and to what extent, university supervisors bring subject-matter knowledge to bear when providing feedback to preservice teachers during post-observation conferences? I examined this question through a qualitative multiple-case study, comprised of two cases, with each case consisting of one university supervisor and one preservice teacher. The findings suggest that three factors influenced the nature of the feedback the supervisors provided: (1) the observation protocol, (2) the supervisors’ approaches to supervision, and (3) the supervisors’ experiences and interests. The factors interacted in ways that prioritized social justice and equity discussions while, at the same time, minimized subject-matter feedback. Because both social justice and subject-matter knowledge are imperative in preservice teacher education, I conclude that teacher education programs must work toward ways to help supervisors and preservice teachers integrate these two priorities during instruction. Recommendations include revising university-based observation protocols, providing professional development opportunities for university supervisors, and engaging in ongoing review and evaluation of progress toward integration
Effects of Ocean Acidification on Lottia scutum Settlement
No full textThe effects of ocean acidification on calcifying marine organisms are becoming more
pronounced as atmospheric CO2 levels have increased due to anthropogenic carbon emissions
(Etheridge et al., 1996). Studies on these effects have also increased over time. Ocean acidification
(OA) has been shown to affect the feeding behavior and metabolic rates of larvae in a number of
species (Vargas et al., 2013; Pan et al., 2015). Metabolic changes can significantly influence
developmental rates, but little is still known about consequences of OA for non-feeding marine
invertebrate larvae. In this study, we focus on the effects of OA conditions on the larval stage of
Lottia scutum, a Pacific rocky intertidal limpet species that ranges from Alaska to southern
California. Larvae were exposed to OA conditions (pH 7.3) at competency stage and monitored
for settlement behavior and metamorphosis. Our results indicate that L. scutum larvae were able
to successfully settle in OA and ambient seawater treatments. We did not find a negative effect of
the specific OA conditions used in this study on the settlement of L. scutum. These findings provide
insight into how environmental stress might affect early life stages, as well as how marine
invertebrate larvae from regularly low pH environments fare in OA conditions
Post-Diagnosis Statin Use and Survival Among Patients with Cancer
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2023Statins are widely used cholesterol-lowering medications. Evidence from preclinical and observational studies suggest that statins use may improve cancer survival in patients with cancer, while findings from clinical trials have been mixed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between post-diagnosis statin use and cancer outcomes in seven common cancers. In this retrospective cohort study, we identified all individuals aged 66 years or older who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) from 2008 through 2017 from the linked SEER-Medicare database. Statin use was assessed based on prescription fills from the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Event data. We used multivariable Cox regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of post-diagnosis statin use with cancer-specific mortality for all seven cancers and with cancer recurrence for breast cancer. Statin use post-diagnosis was associated with a reduction in cancer-specific mortality risk in breast cancer (HR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.75–0.96), lung cancer (HR=0.81, 95% CI: 0.74–0.88) and pancreatic cancer (HR=0.72, 95% CI: 0.59–0.87). No significant association with risk of breast cancer recurrence, or with risk of cancer-specific mortality in prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, or NHL was observed. We found evidence that suggests enhanced cancer survival associated with statin use after cancer diagnosis in patients with breast cancer, lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. These findings should be confirmed in large randomized trials of statins in patients with these cancers
Art in Situ: Exploring Art in Public Places
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2023The Washington State Art Collection’s Art in Public Places program (AIPP) acquires and cares for artworks throughout state buildings, colleges, universities, and schools where people study, work, and live. UW Seattle is home to 135 artworks in 39 locations. Art in Situ: Exploring Art in Public Places is a holistic document that not only serves as an educational tool also but as a guide to designing more tools related to educating, engaging, and experiencing public art. The deliverables seek to not only educate the public about the public art on UW Seattle's campus but also offer some insight into the commission, acquisition and selection of artworks, artists, and buildings. The final deliverables are divided into two main components; an interpretation guide, and a public programming toolkit. Understanding Art in Public Places, an Interpretation Guide contains 26 artwork sets that include context about the artwork, the artist's general practice, information about the location, and keywords related to the artwork's themes. Experiencing Art in Public Place, a Programming Toolkit contains a list of things to consider when creating public programs for young cosmopolitans, examples of programs, a framework for new programs, and evaluation instrument. The programs developed for this project seek to engage a specific audience with connections to the campus. Through the combination of all the components of this project, the public will have ample tools to explore and connect with the Art in Public Places program. The deliverables are informed by research about understanding contemporary public space, the bonds between these spaces and audiences, and the importance of context. The interpretive content was collected from ArtsWa's database, records, and selection paperwork as well as independent research