Honors College
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Item Restricted Combating bacterial biofilms: Functional characterization of the Vibrio fischeri biofilm regulatory protein SypE(East Carolina University, 2023-12-15) Abhulimen, Ehime Noah; Milton, Morgan E; Biomedical ScienceAntibiotic resistance represents a notable and increasing threat to healthcare and its economics. Biofilms are directly associated with bacterial tolerance to antibiotics. These biofilms are tightly regulated communities of matrix-associated bacteria and are a major component of bacterial pathogenesis including drug tolerance. Approximately 80% of chronic and recurrent microbial infections within the human body are due to bacterial biofilms (Sharma et al., 2019). This makes it imperative to understand how biofilms are made. In this proposal, I begin to reveal the molecular mechanism of an unusual regulatory protein essential for controlling biofilm formation, SypE, from the model organism Vibrio fischeri. SypE regulates the synthesis of a component of the biofilm matrix necessary for host infection. Based on previous findings, SypE has atypical functions compared to well characterized homologs. My fundamental hypothesis is that understanding the function and mechanism of SypE can be used to control the production of the biofilm matrix. My hypothesis will be addressed through two specific aims: 1) probing the SypE’s function using biochemical and structural characterization studies, and 2) modeling the structure of SypE through artificial intelligence methodologies. The performed research is innovative because it focuses on a system that is crucial for biofilm formation and serves as a pioneer for an investigation that has only been previously explored using cellular and genetic approaches. SypE also resides in a critical and conserved signaling pathway that regulates host-relevant biofilms. Ultimately, the structure-function approach presented here will provide information to fill our knowledge gaps and answer key questions related to the molecular mechanisms of SypE. Learning how proteins like SypE function will ultimately allow us to develop ways to combat biofilm induced antimicrobial tolerance and reduce bacterial infections in hospital patients, medical devices, and healthcare workers.Item Restricted Saxophone Works of the Early-Mid 20th Century(East Carolina University, 2023-12-15) Rochelle, Elijah Mason; Bair, Jeffery; MusicFor my Signature Honors Project I have studied four works for classical saxophone and performed three of them. I have played saxophone for ten years as well as a variety of other instruments. I have developed a complicated relationship with the instrument, often switching quickly from love to frustration and back again throughout the years. One thing that I have learned to appreciate about the saxophone is its versatility and its ability to create such an array of characters. Saxophones have been around for less than two hundred years and at the beginning of that history, they were barely used. Even with the relatively short history of the instrument, saxophones are seen in classical music, jazz music, blues, parades, soul, funk, and almost any other genre you can think of. My signature honors project studied and showcased just one section of one genre of the saxophone’s history, only twenty-five years of classical saxophone.Item Restricted Influence of Exercise Types during Pregnancy on Maternal Cardiometabolic Profiles(East Carolina University, 2023-12-15) Biancofiore, Grace Nicole; May, Linda; KinesiologyPregnant women can follow exercise recommendations posted by the American College of Sports Medicine for the general population. Various studies demonstrate that exercise during pregnancy is safe for the pregnant woman and the fetus and can have positive effects on maternal cardiometabolic health. For example, maternal exercise during pregnancy is known to lower SBP, moderate weight gain, and lower total cholesterol levels during pregnancy. While current research explores exercise effects on various cardiometabolic factors, there is a gap in knowledge when comparing specific exercise types and when comparing effects between healthy and overweight/obese populations. Based on current research it is expected that combination exercise with both aerobic and resistance training will decrease GWG, blood lipids, and body fat percentage, while increasing HDL cholesterol. To address this gap in knowledge, healthy, singleton pregnancy women between 13-16 weeks gestation were recruited and placed in one of four exercise intervention groups: aerobic, resistance, combination, and attention-control. With a significance level of p<0.05, ANOVA tests were conducted to determine significant differences between groups. All participants were analyzed before and after controlling for attendance, and then participants were analyzed based on their pre-pregnancy BMI. Major findings included that exercise is beneficial for SBP, LDL, and triglyceride levels, and the overall CMR decreased for each exercise group as compared to the control. However, when analyzed based on their pre-pregnancy classifications, CMR decreased for women with a healthy pre-pregnancy, but CMR increased for women who were overweight/obese pre-pregnancy, except for those in the resistance group. Further study is thus needed to evaluate this change in CMR across pregnancies in a large, diverse population.Item Restricted ANALYZING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY IN ONLINE VERSUS IN-PERSON CLASSROOMS(East Carolina University, 2023-12-04) Dawson, Jeremy; O'Reilly, Dennis; FinanceAcademic dishonesty is prevalent in many colleges and universities across the country. While cheating has been around for a while, the introduction of online courses has brought new methods of cheating to light. Research on the frequency and methods of academic dishonesty has been conducted at many different colleges and universities. This research is important because it provides higher education institutions with a better understanding of academic dishonesty and how to prevent it in order to maintain the value of a college degree.Item Restricted Bridging the Gap for Special Operations Medics Pursuing a Nursing Career When Transitioning Out of the Military(East Carolina University, 2023-12-04) Kaperonis, Kennedy Faith; Forbes, Thompson; NursingMedic to Nurse: Developing a Pipeline for Special Forces Medics When transitioning from the military, many factors affect Special Forces medics' transition to a civilian career. Career paths that allow them to transfer their prior training, field experience, and education are limited. This study aimed to understand the factors that may contribute to a more effective bridge for Special Forces medics pursuing a nursing career. Furthermore, we focus on the academic factors that may impede the transition from the military and explore how to make a career in nursing a more realistic and obtainable goal. This study used a quantitative survey with the addition of two open-ended questions to determine the interest of Special Forces medics in a proposed curriculum when they transition out of the military and what previous training they may have obtained. Using this data and field work to understand Special Forces medic training, this study provides a better understanding of the qualifications these medics have already accomplished, field experience, and previous education they may bring to an academic nursing program. Participants were primarily located on the East Coast of the United States; however, responses were dispersed from across the country. Additionally, several international responses were collected from the United Kingdom, Germany, Niger, and Iraq. No demographic data was collected from participants. Two major categories developed from the data analysis: Positive Interest in a Civilian Nursing Pathway and Acknowledging Academic and Experiential Preparation. While military medics do not initially consider a career in nursing after military service, the development of programs that acknowledge and value their education and experience greatly enhances considerations for pursuing a nursing career. The findings from this study provide a better understanding of interest, preparedness, and suggestions for future program improvement.Item Restricted Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Anticipatory Speech Anxiety(East Carolina University, 2023-12-06) Hawthorne, Haley; Thornton, Kendell; PsychologyOftentimes as a student, students are faced with the possibility of having to give a speech or presentation in front of a group of people. More so than not, this may bring up performance anxiety as public speaking is one of the most commonly feared social situations for people, whether they have social anxiety or not. The practice of mindfulness meditation is currently receiving a great deal of attention due to its possible benefits of alleviating stress. However, what is not known is if one session of practicing mindfulness meditation can have the same effects in decreasing stress and anxiety, often faced by college students. The hypothesis is that participants who receive a session of mindfulness meditation will report lower anxiety scores than those who did not receive the session of meditation. This research is designed to test the effectiveness that a single session of mindfulness meditation can have on reducing stress and anxiety that could result from the anticipation of having to give a speech.Item Restricted Investigating Fraud and Strategies to Decrease Fraud within Youth Sports Organizations(East Carolina University, 2023-12-06) Hudnall, Mason; Reisch, John; AccountingOccupation fraud is one of the most common financial crimes. Occupational fraud is defined as fraud committed by individuals against the organization that employs them. Most people that commit occupational fraud have access to the organization’s accounts. There are 3 common forms of occupational fraud but the most common is asset misappropriation. According to the Report to the Nations, in 2020 86% of all occupational fraud cases were asset misappropriation. Asset misappropriation involves the theft of assets, fraudulent disbursement of funds, and misuse of assets. Youth sports organizations are a big part of every community. These youth sports organizations are normally non-profit organizations that rely heavily on parents and other volunteers to help. This study investigates occupational fraud within youth sports organizations. Using the Fraud Triangle Theory which shows the leading indicators for fraud. The main indicators for fraud are motivation (i.e. financial struggles), opportunity (i.e. accessibility to financial accounts), and rationalization (i.e. self-justification). The findings indicate that age, position within an organization, and time period of fraud play a large role in determining who is most likely to commit occupational fraud within youth sports organizations. This study also goes into various fraud prevention methods and training that should be in place for youth sports organizations.Item Restricted USING FILM TO ADDRESS THE AFFECTIVE DOMAIN OF LEARNING RELATED TO THE NURSING EDUCATION OF CARING FOR THE LGBTQ+ PATIENT(East Carolina University, 2023-12-15) Wilkerson , Sydney; Hand, Mark; NursingAbstract Background: Appropriate and adequate care for LGBTQ+ patients and other special populations by nurses begins with receiving proper education and a strong background in personalized patient care. Due to the lack of preparedness felt by some new graduate nurses, there is even more emphasis on the need to improve this understanding and the educational resources used to prepare for the care of some patients. Understanding what academic resources are best suited to reach an adequate knowledge for care and providing this care with emotional intelligence is important and vital to the role that nurses play in patient care of special populations such as the LGBTQ+ community. Methods: A literature search was conducted by utilizing online databases that included PubMed, and a significant impact in research resulting from Elsevier and Evolve. Study quality was assessed prior to inclusion to provide the best quantitative and qualitative research available that was deemed relevant to this research conduction. Findings from these studies were analyzed and resulted in a synthesis of conclusions from each resource to provide an integrated literature review regarding the topic. Results: Twelve studies were included in this review from over a thousand that were retrieved in the initial search. It was identified which resources supported the research of this topic and which resources showed the gap in this research that should be further conducted. This research showed that overall, there is very limited resources exploring the effects of using film in nursing education and which academic resources provide the most successful emotional connection regarding certain topics. Conclusion: After reviewing the literature, it is evident that limited research has been done on the most effective teaching pedagogy for nursing education and should be further explored. However, in the literature that has been provided on teaching through film and documentaries in nursing curriculum, it has been proven to be extremely effective in the knowledge base and emotional connection to specific patient populations that is provided. The success in certain areas of nursing education through alternative formats needs to be further explored to determine the overall effectiveness compared to traditional teaching platforms in the same curriculum areas.Item Restricted The roles of the Ferlin Family in Human T-cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Infection(East Carolina University, 2023-12-04) Fruge, Abigail J; Lemasson, Isabelle M.; BiologyOver 20 million people are infected with Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus type 1 (HTLV-1). HTLV-1 infection can cause diseases like aggressive Adult T-Cell leukemia and HTLV-1 associated myelopathy. These diseases are resistant to numerous forms of treatment; meaning those who develop these complications have a poor prognosis. Our laboratory has focused its research in understanding how HTLV-1 spread within the infected host to hopefully design therapeutic to suppress it. The CD4+ T-cell are the main target of HTLV-1. HTLV-1 infection between T-cells requires a cell-to-cell contact between the infected and healthy cells. This cell-to-cell contact allows the HTLV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) and the other viral structural proteins to move to the cell-to-cell juncture and form a virion. Env plays a vital role in the infection in mediating the entry of the virion to the non-infected cell. Our laboratory recently reported that HBZ, a protein encoded by HTLV-1, plays a role in HTLV-1 infection. We found that HBZ activates transcription of a cellular gene called MYOF. This gene encodes myoferlin, which functions in membrane sorting and endosomal trafficking in muscle cells. HBZ activates transcription of MYOF by forming a complex at the enhancer sites inside of the MYOF gene that recruits cellular coactivator, activating transcription. We found that MYOF is abnormally overexpressed in HTLV-1 infected T-cells due to HBZ expression. We have identified MYOF as having a role in HTLV-1 infection by stabilizing the Env protein levels. Using the drug WJ460, which inhibits myoferlin function, we found that reduced expression of myoferlin in HTLV-1 infected T-cells inhibits viral infection of new cells. Reduction of myoferlin was also shown to reduce the Env expression in the cells. My project has been to determine whether other members of the Ferlin family, otoferlin (OTO) and dysferlin (DYSF), are also expressed in HTLV-1 infected cells and have similar roles than myoferlin. Using quantitative real-time PCR, I found that DYSF mRNA is expressed in HTLV-1 infected T-cells while OTO mRNA is not. We have obtained preliminary results showing that dysferlin expression does not seem to stabilize Env level. Looking into the future of this project we hope to identify what role dysferlin plays in HTLV-1 infection.Item Restricted Soul FOOD: An Examination on the Physical Activity of Black Women(East Carolina University, 2023-12-15) Walker, Jalen; Das, Bhibha M; BiologyOverweight and obesity diseases lead to various critical health issues, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. These diseases severely and disproportionately affect the Black female population as obesity rates are increasing at an alarming rate. Studies show that 80.6% of African-American women ages 20+ are overweight or obese and African American women have the highest rates of physical inactivity in comparison to other gender/ethnic groups. With African American women having the highest rates of overweight and obesity-related diseases and physical inactivity, it is a public health priority to develop and promote a program to develop and promote weight loss strategies for this underserved population. Intensive Lifestyle Interventions are used as a framework to combat obesity by providing increased physical activity recommendations, reduced caloric intake, and behavior therapy. These interventions have shown success in primarily White populations, but there has yet to be a feasible option provided specifically to the Black female community. Intervention guidelines such as physical activity recommendations and a reduced-calorie diet must be presented in a different manner than the traditional way. We have developed a program that not only provides an intervention that is feasible and attractive to the African-American female community but also creates a community amongst this population to continue to promote physical activity and healthier diet choices within the African-American female population. While ILIs incorporate behavioral counseling, they lack individualized tailored health coaching and the support for “how” to make the change. Focus group data collected in the Fall of 2021 provided data to develop a physical activity and nutrition program for Black women by Black women. This program was delivered virtually, due to COVID-19, to Black women to examine the impact of a tailored physical activity and nutrition program. Each week, Black women engaged in health behavior classes, social media groups, buddy programs, and either a physical activity or nutrition class. Women were provided with a Garmin physical activity tracker throughout the duration of the study and were asked to log their physical activity levels. We will examine physical activity data from the project to determine the impact the Soul FOOD intervention had on Black women’s physical activity levels.Item Restricted School-Based Mental Health Services: Disparities for Youth with ASD(East Carolina University, 2023-05-03) Ringgold, Alicia; Golden, Jeannie; PsychologyAs children’s mental health needs are increasing across the United States, mental health treatment services are becoming more readily available. School-based mental health services (SBMHS) are widely accepted as an efficient and effective way to deliver mental health services to students, but youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are continuously overlooked in these programs (Dickson et al., 2021). In order to better understand the disparities in delivering SBMHS to students with ASD, we have developed a survey for the teachers, administrators, and student support staff in two counties in Eastern North Carolina. This survey will assess their knowledge of mental health needs of students with ASD and their willingness to participate in training about mental health conditions and services in this population.Item Restricted Mindfulness Meditation and its Effects on Stereotype Threat Induced Test Anxiety(East Carolina University, 2023-12-06) Kendall, Anna Caroline; Thornton, Kendell; PsychologyThere has been research regarding both the topic of mindfulness meditation and its effects generally, topic of stereotype threat which can impact many different groups of people, as well as the topic of test anxiety. As a broad subject, stereotype threat takes place when a person within a certain demographic of some kind is faced with a scenario in which a stereotype that may be placed on someone within that said demographic is inflicted upon them causing them to fall into that and submit to this preconceived idea. The focus of the study surrounded how these things intertwined, primarily on how test anxiety caused by stereotype threat is affected by a brief session of mindfulness meditation. The study consisted of four conditions where different variations of stereotype threat or mindfulness was implemented. The study unfortunately did not find any significant different between responses from the participants from each group. There are a variety of reasons for why this could have taken place such as not using the best materials or scales, lack of size in group, and more.Item Restricted MentalEaseKit(East Carolina University, 2023-12-06) Davenport, Zoe; Pulido, Corey; PsychologyMentalEaseKit is a business built on the idea of providing college students with a possible solution to mental health disparities. Our solution is to provide students with a “tool kit” that will provide them not only with tangible products to help them destress but also resources for students to use when or if they need them.Item Open Access Application of Concrete Crack Sealant in Infrastructure Repairs(East Carolina University, 2023-12-15) Messer, Caleb Lane; Akhnoukh, Amin; Construction ManagementThe infrastructure condition in the United States has been deterioration over the past few decades. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers Infrastructure Report Card, the overall rating of US infrastructure projects is C-. Severe deterioration is attributed to the inability of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to sufficiently maintain and/or replace deteriorated elements due to lack of funding. In this research, maintenance of concrete cracking through the application of sealant is addressed. In order to determine the most effective sealant types in crack repairs, literature review is conducted, and specifications of several State Departments of Transportation are reviewed. The analysis of crack sealant effectiveness considered the type of crack, the type of sealant used, concrete surface preparation, sealant application, curing procedure and associated quality control methods. Finally, the appropriate testing procedures for sealant are determined. The outcome of this research will provide State DOTs personnel with efficient methodology to select and apply the appropriate types of sealants to different infrastructure project cracks to attain optimized and most-economic maintenance outcomes.Item Open Access INTERSECTIONALITY AND BURNOUT IN MEDICAL RESIDENCY PROGRAMS: NARRATIVES ACROSS THE NATION(East Carolina University, 2023-12-15) Johnson, Kassidy; Lamson, Angela; Human Development and Family ScienceBurnout impacts up to 75% of medical residents in the United States. Although nearly half of active medical residents in the U.S. identify as individuals with intersecting underrepresented identities including racial, ethnic minority and sexual orientation, very little is known about their unique needs and factors that help retain them throughout medical residency. This article aims to begin filling the gap in the literature regarding how medical residents with intersecting underrepresented identities experience burnout during their residency education in the US and begin exploring protective factors that alleviate burnout rates. The data for this study came from 27 participants who were selected for qualitative interviews and the following themes emerged as having influence on how medical residents with intersecting underrepresented identities experienced burnout: Healthcare culture, additive stress, the role of exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy and the influence of discrimination. Additionally, nine subthemes emerged from these themes. Medical residency programs and hospital systems should consider the ways in which their discrimination policies, wellness programs, and diverse leadership structure or the lack thereof impacts burnout rates in medical residents with multiple intersecting underrepresented identities.Item Open Access Item Open Access Health Coaching Course Data Analysis and Evaluation(East Carolina University, 2023-12-14) Cowan, Maya Bethany; Das, Bhibha M; KinesiologyBackground: The same knowledge and skills that make a great health coach, also make a quality healthcare provider. Currently, East Carolina University offers no course which trains pre-healthcare related majors in hands-on experiential health coaching skills. Objective: The overarching goal is to evaluate the quality and feasibility of this health coaching course to maximize the impact it could have on students and their abilities to inflict positive behavior change and demonstrate the value it offers to our university. Methods: East Carolina University undergraduate students majoring in kinesiology, nutrition, and other health science majors (N=15) participated in a health coaching course and completed self-assessments, evaluating their knowledge, skills, and confidence about health coaching. Descriptive statistics, T-test, and content analysis were utilized. Results: Students completed self-assessments of their content knowledge prior to and after the completion of the health coaching course. Through analytical evaluation these questionnaires reflect the high quality of the health coparticipants’ and the positive impact it has on the participants knowledge and skills. Conclusions: Based on the data, the course grant could/should be renewed for further continuity of instruction due to the long-term positive impact it can have on the health science majors at ECU and their future health care careers.Item Open Access Case Study Activities to Explore Biases in Mathematics Education and Special Education(East Carolina University, 2023-12-14) Lozner, Alexis; Gonzalez, Monica; Special Education, Foundations, & ResearchUsing a case study and a series of activities given over the course of a semester, preservice teachers answered discussion based questions to uncover implicit biases. This study was done to help preservice teachers begin to talk about the impact of racial biases in special education. The case study is about a Black boy named Tay who engaged in a counting collections task in a kindergarten classroom. The responses were coded using the FAIR framework (Louie et al., 2021) in order to categorize the preservice teachers’ noticings. Class discussions and practicum experiences occurred over the course of these activities to see how noticings would change based on these. Modifications for future studies are included to look further into how to guide preservice teachers to anti-deficit noticings.Item Open Access Impact of the HNRS 2000/3000 Course Sequence(East Carolina University, 2023-12-04) Lee, Taylor; Das, Bhibha M; CommunicationMany students within the Honors College do not immediately realize the true impact of the mandatory HNRS 2000 and 3000 course sequence on their personal and professional development. For this reason, it is imperative that we identify what common themes are prevalent amongst student reflections to ensure that these course sequences generate a positive impact on the student population. The aim of this study was to analyze first-year student reflections to determine the impact the HNRS 2000/3000 sequence had on Honors College students’ personal and professional development.Item Open Access Gender Differences in Spending Habits in Young Adults with ADHD: A Pilot Study(East Carolina University, 2023-12-06) Sartain, Caroline; Walcott, Christy; PsychologyThis study was conducted to determine whether there is a significant relationship between ADHD symptoms and impulsive spending habits between men and women. The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale was used to evaluate participants’ ADHD symptoms and the Buying Impulsiveness Scale was used to evaluate spending impulsivity. Participants were also asked demographic questions, including whether they are currently diagnosed with and/or medicated for ADHD. The results showed that participants with self-reported ADHD diagnoses showed significantly higher spending impulsivity than those without self-reported ADHD. However, participants who scored higher on the ASRS showed higher, but not significantly higher, scores on the BIS. There were no significant gender differences detected in this sample. Future research should leave data collection open for a longer time frame to collect more responses and should advertise to more diverse populations.