‘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

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

Preferred Instructional Design Strategies for Preparation of Pre-Service Teachers of Integrated STEM Education

The purpose of this study was to identify the preferred instructional design strategies for the preparation of pre-service teachers who will deliver integrated STEM lessons. The research objectives were threefold and included identifying a preferred definition of integrated STEM education, developing its purpose statement, and creating a list of instructional design strategies that could be used for designing, planning, delivering, and assessing integrated STEM instruction. The Delphi method was selected as the optimum approach for data collection, since STEM education is still a growing phenomenon lacking consensus in its interpretations of meaning and practice. Gaining group consensus from expert teacher educators regarding the preferred instructional design strategies for implementing integrated STEM instruction will offer guidance for developing pre-service teacher education courses. Four rounds of surveys were conducted, which resulted in a proposed definition for integrated STEM education, a proposed purpose statement, and nine instructional design strategies—Plan an integrated STEM lesson, Select design challenges which integrate STEM content, Create solutions to problems using the engineering design process, Develop a project-based lesson, Develop an argument supported by STEM knowledge integration, Support an experiential-learning environment, Choose multiple examples to demonstrate STEM concepts and connections, Assess student understanding of STEM relationships, and Arrange collaborations to solve problems applying STEM concepts. This study\u27s results should aid teacher preparation programs in the development of future STEM teachers who are capable of designing, planning, delivering, and assessing instruction that will strengthen student\u27s learning through integrated content and processes needed to solve complex societal problems

Lifecycle of the Antibacterial Triclosan

With the rise of liquid soaps, and consumers becoming more environmentally conscious manufacturers have two duties of care; one being to ensure adequate bug inhibition and the other to ensure that an excessive burden is not placed on the environment by any benefit agent.[1,2] Recently there have been concerns about the excessive use of certain benefit agents.[3] It is key to deliver the right amount of Triclosan (TC) to the right place at the right time so that at least the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration is delivered but not to over deliver which causes waste. The antibacterial TC has been studied as a model active ingredient in surfactant systems and on its own to contribute to the understanding of the lifecycle of active ingredients when used in soap formulations. The effect of TC in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and sodium laurate (SL) systems has been investigated using a range of physical chemistry techniques including UV-Vis and NMR to determine the increased solubility of TC in surfactant micelles. The effect of TC on the size and shape of SDS micelles has been examined using small angle neutron scattering. The surface tension of TC/ surfactant mixtures was studied to find the effects of TC on the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the surfactant solutions: TC decreases the CMC of SDS and the effect is pH dependant. The partitioning of the poorly water soluble TC is dependent on pH as well as the concentration of surfactant. It is important to understand the partitioning in these soap system to understand factors such as bioavailability and deposition. I have proposed a model for partitioning between free TC and TC in micelles, and between anionic and neutral forms based on an NMR study. The phenol form of TC partitions much more strongly into micelles than the phenolate: when there is 1% SDS, there is 700 times more phenol in the micelles than in the bulk, whereas the proportion of phenolate in bulk and micelles is nearly the same. The partitioning of TC into supported lipid bilayers as models for cell membranes has been investigated by Total Internal Reflection Raman spectroscopy. In these experiments, TC was inserted into the bilayer at high pH and rinsed with low pH buffer. In these conditions TC is very resistant to rinsing from the bilayer. When bilayers with mixtures of lipids close to those found in bacterial cells were treated with TC, the bilayers were removed from the surface. The work described in this thesis has contributed to the investigation of surfactant systems in combination with TC and can be applied to other active ingredients in similar formulations as part of product development. I have investigated the state of the active ingredient TC in surfactant formulations through dilution and to delivery to one of the sites of action using appropriate physical chemistry techniques for each stage of the investigation. (1) FDA. Safety and Effectiveness of Consumer Antiseptics; Topical Antimicrobial Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use; Proposed Amendment of the Tentative Final Monograph; Reopening of Administrative Record https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/12/17/2013-29814/safety-and-effectivenessof-consumer-antiseptics-topical-antimicrobial-drug-products-for (accessed Dec 17, 2013). (2) Unilever Sustainability Plan; 2012. (3) Shaw, C. House Passes Triclosan Retail Ban http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=5284 (accessed Sep 15, 2014)