Application of the Method Cell Biology

Summer 2024, Application of the Method Cell Biology Students in the Fall 2023 semester Mechanisms of Disease Course were given a practical assignment that in turn allowed for discussion on gathering data on orphan diseases and covering what the disease is, how the disease progresses, who is affected by the disease, and what is the effect of the disease on their life

‘Monday Matters’ Session Discusses DACA, Dreamers

Two groups of students and faculty members gathered to discuss the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in Tucker Student Center earlier this week as a part of the IMPACT Center’s Monday Matters program.https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/gwu-today/1498/thumbnail.jp

Homecoming Court Election Closes, Results To Be Announced

Homecoming is an exciting time of year for all Gardner-Webb students, but for the Homecoming Queen nominees, it isn’t just exciting—it’s an honor.https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/gwu-today/1488/thumbnail.jp

Application of the Method Cell Biology

Summer 2024, Application of the Method Cell Biology Students in the Fall 2023 semester Mechanisms of Disease Course were given a practical assignment that in turn allowed for discussion on gathering data on orphan diseases and covering what the disease is, how the disease progresses, who is affected by the disease, and what is the effect of the disease on their life

Applying the Self-Determination Theory to Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease

Problem: Congenital heart defects are structural abnormalities that exist at birth and often require surgery and medical management from infancy through adulthood. There has been a substantial increase in life expectancy over recent decades with approximately 85-90% of children born with congenital heart disease (CHD) surviving into adulthood. However, despite improvements in life expectancy, many surgeries for moderate to complex CHD include palliative procedures, and these individuals face lifelong cardiac monitoring, self-management of care, and adherence to treatment regimens than may affect their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). There is empirical support that the three innate needs of the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), autonomy, relatedness, and competence, are related to self-management of care and adherence to treatment for adolescents with chronic illnesses. Also, self-management of care and adherence to treatment is necessary for a successful transition into adulthood and improved HRQOL for adolescents with CHD because of the complexity of care. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship among the three innate needs of SDT, self-management of care and adherence to treatment, and its relationship to HRQOL for adolescents with CHD. Methods: A non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational design was conducted in a sample of 92 participants, ages 13 to 18 years. Five instruments were used to measure each of the following major variables: Autonomy (Autonomy subscale of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale), Relatedness (Relatedness subscale of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale and the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale), Competence (Competence subscale of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale and the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale), Self-Management and Treatment Adherence (UNC TRxANSITION Scale), and HRQOL (Pediatric Quality of Life 4.0 Generic Core Scale). For data analysis, Pearson’s correlations were used to explore associations between variables, and the hypotheses were tested using multiple linear regression. An exploratory analysis was conducted to test for a mediating relationship among variables using the bootstrap method. Results: Demographic and clinical data were collected. Participants were an average of 15 years of age (SD=1.6), with 59% male. Participants self-reported race-ethnicity as follows: White, non-Hispanic, 65.2%; Black or African-American, 15.2%; Hispanic, 12%; multi-racial, 4.3%; Asian, 2.2%; and American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.1%. For CHD severity, 43.5% had mild CHD, 31.5% had moderate CHD, and 25% had severe CHD. After controlling for covariates, regression analyses revealed relatedness (β=.64) and competence (β=.79) contributed significant variance to HRQOL, R²=.56, p Conclusion: This study found that relatedness and competence were significantly associated with HRQOL in adolescents with CHD. Autonomy and self-management of care and adherence to treatment did not significantly influence HRQOL. These findings demonstrate the importance of further examining relatedness and competence in adolescents with CHD

University Community Reflects On Campus Shooting

As some time has passed, faculty, staff and students at Gardner-Webb have been able to reflect on the shooting that occurred on campus Sept. 27, and analyze what things were done well and what things need improvement in the case of another emergency situation.https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/gwu-today/1496/thumbnail.jp

Longwood College: A pioneer in both private and public education

This history is reprinted from The Iron Worker, Autumn 1955, published by the Lynchburg Foundry Company, Lynchburg, Virginia. It has been revised slightly for this printing, dated January 1957https://digitalcommons.longwood.edu/spec_luhistories/1002/thumbnail.jp

WebbConnect Access Issue Resolved

Gardner-Webb’s Technology Services has identified and resolved a glitch affecting graduating seniors’ ability to access Blackboard, email and folders through WebbConnect. Measures are in place to prevent the glitch from occurring again.https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/gwu-today/1459/thumbnail.jp

Development of an EQCM-based sensor for metal ions

A series of fundamental studies are presented of the components of a prototypical electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM)-based sensor for metal ions. Designed for use in the nuclear industry, the sensor consists of a gold (Au) piezoelectrode modified by a Nafion® polymer layer impregnated with a cationic hydroxainic acid (HA), a ligand showing oxidation state specific selectivity towards actinide 4+ ions and a non-radioactive demonstrator ion, Fe3+ In its final configuration, the polymer layer will also contain a redox mediator, methylene blue (MB), to facilitate electrochemical conditioning of the analyte. The following results have been obtained from EQCM and microelectrode voltammetry studies of each of the component parts. The Gold Piezoelectrode - The dissolution and redeposition processes of Au in HNO3 solution at pH I & 0 were investigated as a function of sweep rate (v). At pH I and v +1.00 V (vs. SCE), a process that, at v ≤ 10 mV s-1, is kinetically hindered with respect to under potential deposition (UPD) of OH surface sublattices and subsequent 2-D-phase oxide formation. The inhibition arises from a closed packed layer of nitrate ions at the gold surface, although the layer is disrupted and the inhibition removed by the gold dissolution and reprecipitation processes that occur during potential cycling at low v. The Hydroxamic Acid Ligand - Study of the oxidation of acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) in nitric acid revealed that three processes occur at Au electrodes at potentials in the vicinity of AHA oxidation at pH 0 & I: (a) oxidation of the Au surface; (b) oxidation of the AHA; (c) complexation of the AHA with electrogenerated Au3+ . The last process inhibits oxide formation and associated electrode passivation, so promoting the occurrence of the first two. The two current peaks associated with AHA oxidation show no associated mass change, indicating that AHA oxidation is controlled by semi-infinite diffusion. The waves correspond to I and 2 electron processes with current onsets of +0.55 V and ̴̴̴+0.80 V (vs. SCE) respectively. Oxidation of AHA appears to be irreversible and blocked at electrodes with minimal microscopic roughness by close packing of nitrate ions at the surface. The Polymer Layer and the Demonstrator Ion, Fe 3+ - Microelectrogravimetric studies of the Fe2+/3+ couple were conducted at bare Au, Nafion® modified Au and Nafion® modified Au impregnated with the hydrophobic cationic HA ligand, desferrioximine (DFA+) electrode. In background nitric acid (pH 1 & 0), the electrochemistry of Nafion ® layer partitioned Fe 2+/3+ ions exhibits thin layer cell behaviour with the polymer layer increasing in mass during reduction of Fe(III) due to an influx of highly hydrated H+ ions necessary to maintain electroneutrality. Studies on Nafion® layers impregnated with DFA+ and Fe3+ show that while Fe3+ complexes with DFA+, Fe2+ does not and that, upon reduction of the complexed ferric ion, the resultant Fe(II)-DFA+ complex dissociates suggesting that electrochemical expulsion of the analyte is possible. The Redox Mediator - At pH 7.9, the reduction of methylene blue (MB) to leucomethylene blue (LMB), occurs in two steps: (i) a reversible net 1.5 e transfer to form a solid charge transfer complex (LMB/LMB+) (ii) an irreversible reduction of LMB/LMB+ to LMB, the onset of which can be directly observed as an inflection in the voltamassogram, the first time that this has been reported. The reversibility of the MB to LMB reduction within the context of charge transfer complex electrogeneration suggests that MB may be a suitable mediator for actinide cation reduction within the polymer layer of the proposed sensor. It is known that the pendular amino-groups of LMB are protonated below pH 1, so rendering the resultant LMBH22+ soluble in aqueous solution. This means (a) difficulties associated with the irreversibile reoxidation of the solid LMB generated at pH 7.9 will be obviated at pH I; and (b) being a large cation, we could expect LMBH22+ to be retained within the Nafion® layer