Forefront Cares is one of services provided by Forefront Suicide Prevention, a center at the University of Washington School of Social Work. Suicide loss survivors receive care packages and have the opportunity to be connected to mentors, who are also suicide loss survivors and are specially trained to provide support to new loss survivors. The goals of Forefront Cares are to offer support to suicide loss survivors and to help them find resources that are appropriate for their individual needs. The purpose of this study was to examine participants’ perceptions of Forefront Cares, including what is helpful and what could be improved, through an online satisfaction survey which I created. I then sent e-mails to individuals who received a Forefront Cares package between January 2013 and December 2017, inviting them to participate in the study. Those who participated completed a brief anonymous online survey, which involved rating experiences with Forefront Cares. Questions addressed how helpful they found the package they received and what they found most or least helpful. Participants who had a Forefront Cares mentor were asked to rate how helpful that experience was. The data collection ended in mid-April, and I analyzed data with assistance from my mentor. Results will help determine what participants found more and less useful, as well as the acceptability of the Forefront Cares package and mentor process. It is expected that findings will indicate the importance of community support in the grief journey of newly bereaved suicide loss survivors. The creation of the satisfaction survey was intended to be a starting point in establishing ongoing analysis of Forefront Cares, as Forefront currently lacks permanent evaluation tool to assess their services. Information obtained will help improve the Forefront Cares process for future participants.

According to a January 2017 Point-in-Time count, there were over 11,000 individuals experiencing homelessness in the Seattle/King County region, with approximately 30% of those individuals under the age of 25. The University District of Seattle has been designated as an area needing special attention and increased funding to support homeless youth and young adults. Our proposal is to create an urban community café (The Doorway Café) to bridge the strengths of the University District with the social, legal, and health care needs of local homeless and food insecure youth in one centralized location. We predict that the creation of a navigation center/café will allow for an improved system of integrated services, ultimately leading to housing security and improved health outcomes. We conducted a qualitative study consisting of twenty in-depth, semi-structured interviews with homeless youth in the University District. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed to highlight data pertaining to personal lived experiences of homelessness, basic needs, and services to integrate into The Doorway Café. Preliminary thematic analysis suggests that having stable housing is a necessary prerequisite for youth and young adults to care for their other basic needs, such as health care. Interviewees expressed that the most successful café would feel safe and the resources offered would be low-barrier. The results of our research inform the services The Doorway Café should offer based on the responses of local homeless youth. Future research should explore the role that The Doorway Café has in continuity of services and in increasing housing stability among youth in the University District.

Nationwide older adults experiencing homelessness is on the rise. In Seattle, over 11,000 individuals are homeless and over 20% are over the age of 50. People experiencing homelessness face a variety of barriers in attaining and maintaining physical and mental health. These barriers are often insurmountable for older adults. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the facilitators and barriers to wellbeing in a sample of male adults over age 50 who are homeless and utilizing a night shelter in Seattle. We used an interpretive phenomenological approach with a photovoice methodology. Participants were asked to take photos that captured their response to the questions, "What supports your wellbeing and what are barriers to your wellbeing?" Additionally, we collected demographic variables such as age, gender, duration of homelessness, and age first homeless. Following the collection of photographs, we held two semi-structured focus groups approximately three weeks apart. At the first meeting, we discussed the meanings captured by their photos. The meeting was audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and themes were extracted utilizing Dedoose software. We anticipate that older adults have unique unmet needs. A lack of established services tailored to this population, coupled with recent cuts to services has impacted access to programs that foster good mental and physical health. These findings have important implications for nursing practice, gerontology, and public health. Information gained from this project can serve as a tool to inform policy change towards efficacious person-centered solutions for older adults experiencing homelessness.

Increased specialization within the forestry industry has led to the rise of a distinct industry known as forestry services. Whereas logging historically encompassed this work, a separate population increasingly participates in the remote grooming and tree planting of forest lands. Physically demanding, dangerously hazardous, and low paying, forestry services work in the Pacific Northwest predominantly employs Mexican and Central American immigrants. As an extension of my honors project at the UW School of Nursing, I examined how occupational injury among this group of workers with correlates with attitudes that workers and employers hold about their work environments. Performing a secondary analysis using survey interview data collected by the UW Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety & Health Center, and the Northwest Forest Worker Center, I identified top risk perceptions and barriers to workplace safety as reported by workers, as well as by a set of employers and supervisors. Not only was there variation in the prevalence of worker injury between different employers, there was also variation in the perceived attitudes about workplace safety. In future research, it will be possible to link the experiences of workers with the attitudes and policies of those who employ them.

Under Washington State law, nurse delegation is a process in which a registered nurse, known as a nurse delegator, provides training and management for delegated care tasks to be performed by long-term care workers (LTCWs) within in-home or community-based care settings. State law requires that clients who receive care through nurse delegation must be in a stable and predictable condition (SPC). In our previous study, we determined that nurse delegators need more specific criteria than the definition in Washington State law to assess SPC. The purpose of this project is to provide additional clarification to the determination of SPC by developing an instrument for nurse delegators to use for comprehensive assessment of SPC and describing the instrument’s utility and applicability. Methods to reach those goals included: 1) reviewing published literature and policy reviews of federal and state-by-state laws on potential alternative definitions for SPC; 2) consultation with nurse delegation content experts (two Washington State Nurse Delegation Program Managers and a nurse researcher, whose work helped establish state regulations for nurse delegation in Washington State) regarding the clinical applicability of a SPC assessment instrument; 3) development of the instrument based on relevant clinical evaluation guidelines and instruments content expert feedback; and 4) collection and analysis (via phone interviews and qualitative content analysis, respectively) of feedback from nurse delegators on the utility and applicability of the developed instrument. We hypothesize that nurse delegators will view the instrument as a useful clinical resource for determining SPC within the nurse delegation process. The results of this study can be used to implement the instrument independently or in conjunction with other evaluation methods, as standardized practice to assess SPC and effectively meet this state requirement for clients to receive care under nurse delegation.

Insulin is a medication that requires training, safety, and care in administration due to potential serious outcomes if administered incorrectly. Under Washington State Law, long-term care workers (LTCW) are permitted to administer insulin in community-based and in-home care settings with the oversight of a nurse delegator, a registered nurse who is responsible for the nursing care of a client and supervises an unlicensed person to perform selected tasks for that client. The current model of training for LTCWs lacks a standardized method to assess their competency in administering insulin. The purpose of this research study is to explore methods of assessment to inform the development of a standardized, comprehensive tool for evaluating competency in insulin administration. The aims of this study are to determine the utility and feasibility of this tool. I developed the “Insulin Delegation: Competency Evaluation Tool” by researching methods of training and evaluation and through student-mentor collaboration. The tool incorporates entrustment scores, reflection, and competency-based education. Prior to testing, the tool was reviewed by content experts, including Washington State Nurse Delegation Program Managers and a nurse researcher who helped develop and evaluate nurse delegation regulations in Washington State. The tool was tested in the field by nurse delegators contracted with the Department of Social and Health Services to assess delegated LTCW competency of insulin administration. After that testing period, feedback on the utility and feasibility of the tool was obtained by an online survey with Likert-type scale and free-text items. I expect to find that the tool is effective in assessing competency in insulin administration and applicable to the workflow of nurse delegators. This tool has potential use as a standard resource for nurse delegation training and an ongoing safety and quality measure in community-based and in-home care practice.

Every year, approximately 18,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer in the United States, and many of these diagnosed children will have siblings. Some studies indicate that siblings suffer from high rates of post-traumatic stress reactions, school absenteeism, behavioral problems, and declines in academic performance. Preliminary results from “Parenting in the Face of Cancer: Non-ill Child and Parent Relationships" indicate that children have misconceptions about the cause of cancer and contagion. They are also reluctant to share their feelings and concerns with their parents, and wonder what their role is in helping their sibling with cancer. The aim of this study is to develop a children’s book to facilitate communication between parents and their non-ill children. We reviewed the published literature about the effects of cancer on school-age non-ill siblings, and conducted interviews with child life specialists who work in cancer care. We also analyzed interviews of school age (7-12 years) non-ill siblings of children with cancer. Analysis focused on sibling’s perspectives of what caused the cancer, contagion, worries and concerns, and the perceived availability of their parents. The siblings’ perspectives and misconceptions were used to develop a story that provides a simple description of cancer, addresses the siblings’ misconceptions and concerns, encourages them to share their feelings and concerns with their parents, and suggests ways they can play an active role in their sibling’s treatment. A future study will be designed to evaluate whether this interactive children’s book alone, or the book with a short nurse coaching session, will improve emotional and behavior outcomes in non-ill siblings of children with cancer.

The population of refugee and immigrant families in Seattle's Lake City neighborhood has grown significantly in the last decade.  Despite the health challenges these families often face, no one has performed a systematic assessment of the health needs specific to this population.  Our project aims to provide preliminary data about the health needs of refugee and immigrant children and families in the Lake City neighborhood, as well as resources available to assist them.  This analysis is timely and relevant for community stakeholders, such as the non-profit Refugee Women's Alliance (ReWA), who are currently expanding services for refugee and immigrant children in Lake City.  We used mixed methods to assess the health and health-related resources relevant to preschool age children of refugee and immigrant groups in the Lake City neighborhood.  These methods included key informant interviews with individuals knowledgeable about the health of refugee and immigrant families in Lake City, as well as analysis of publicly available secondary data.  Interpreting the interviews using relevant secondary data provides a holistic initial picture of the physical, socio-economic, educational, cultural, and community factors contributing to the health and wellbeing of refugee and immigrant children and their families in Lake City.  We anticipate our research findings will reveal a culturally diverse community with distinct needs, as well as many existing community resources—assertions confirmed by preliminary results.  The results of this study will both inform ReWA's early childhood education programming, and give healthcare providers and community organizations in the area a more comprehensive understanding of refugee and immigrant needs.  Because this project has stimulated community interest in further research relating to these populations, this study can also serve as a platform for future work in the area. 

Homelessness among youth in Seattle’s University District has become a crisis that has been overlooked and neglected by our community. The lack of accessible resources and poor educational opportunities, have made it difficult for this population to have their basic needs met. A major resource homeless youth lack is a solid support system. This research project is part of a larger community project that is looking at the barriers that are inhibiting homeless youth from meeting their needs and escaping homelessness. The purpose of this study is to describe, from the youth’s perspective, the resources and support that are needed to help them achieve overall health. The larger study will design and implement a sustainable community café for homeless youth and youth at risk for homelessness in the University District that provides services and support. For this study, we applied a digital storytelling methodology, which is used as a community based participatory approach, to gain better understanding of youth homelessness and their needs in their own words. Digital storytelling is typically a short video 3-5 minutes long. The interviews were guided by questions as well as open conversation for the participant’s to share their story of homelessness. We conducted three interviews and created three digital stories. This study did not contain random sampling and was conducted strictly by a volunteer basis. After the interviews were conducted we used digital images with voice-over narrative to create the digital story. The aim was to analyze these videos to shed light on the specific needs the youth have. It also served to give researchers more information on the particular barriers homeless youth are currently facing and guided activities within the community café. These will also help suggest legal and policy reform in the homeless youth community as well as bring greater awareness to the community.

The use of Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIM) in elderly is common and can lead to increasing risks for adverse drug events, morbidity, and increased utilization of health care resources. Early identification of PIM can improve the quality of care in elders and reduce hospitalizations. This study aims to identify PIM in a sample of N=60 people living with dementia who recently experienced a hospitalization and to evaluate what PIM are most common. We also aim to evaluate correlations between PIM and the number of patient’s chronic conditions and the total number of medications. Our hypothesis is that patients with higher burden of illness (more conditions and medications) can have higher number of PIM. We identified PIMs by evaluating medical records using the STOPP/START criteria. The STOPP/START criteria classify inappropriate medications that should be stopped as well as the appropriate medications that should be started instead.Descriptive statistics was used to describe the sample and the prevalence of PMI, chronic conditions and medications. Correlation analyses was used to explore relationships between the variables. Study findings will inform healthcare providers about the prevalence of PIM and help identify patients who are at higher risk of PIM.

Osteoarthritis and disturbed sleep negatively impact the daily life of many older adults (65+) in the United States. While previous research shows that physical activation can improve osteoarthritis and sleep disturbances, it is often a challenge to motivate older adults to engage in daily physical activity. Walking is the most common and affordable form of physical activity and therefore provides a practical target for health behavioral interventions. The objective of this study is to examine if, in older adults with osteoarthritis and sleep problems, a wearable wrist-worn device (Fitbit) combined with infrequent motivational text messages and phone calls targeting physical activity improve participants step count and sleep. To examine this question, we recruited 20 older adults over the age of 65 who have clinically diagnosed osteoarthritis, have a sleep deficiency (defined by a score greater than or equal to 12 on the Insomnia Severity Index) and were judged to be underactive (doing physical activity less than 30 minutes a day). This data is then analyzed to see if there is a change in participants step count and the effect of this change on their sleep symptoms. Preliminary results show that step count improved over time such that there was almost a 400 step increase per day between baseline and week 14. Ultimately, this work will increase our understanding of mobile interventions and their potential effectiveness in helping patients to engage in more physical activity as a cost-effective way of improving sleep.

Childhood asthma accounts for 571,000 ER visits, 136,000 hospitalizations, and $10 billion in healthcare costs annually in the United States. Fewer than 50% of children with asthma are adherent to their treatment regimen, leading to worse health outcomes. The purpose of this study is to develop and test the usability and acceptability of the symptom monitoring and response module of the Child Asthma Management Program (CHAMP), a new web-based, tailored asthma shared management health application for 7 to 11-year-old children with persistent asthma and their parents. A user-friendly and visually engaging module was developed with content focused on asthma symptom identification, monitoring, and response. Using a human-centered design framework, dyads of children and parents were recruited to participate in two rounds of design and usability sessions with prototypes of the module. Additionally, dyads completed the Asthma Responsibility Questionnaire, CHAMP acceptability questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview following the sessions. Thematic analysis using an investigator-developed coding frame was used to code all interview data using ATLAS.ti software and quantitative data from the acceptability survey was transferred to SPSS 24 for analysis. Results from both design and usability sessions will inform final revisions to the module. The final version of this module will guide dyads in improving their asthma shared management. This module meets a considerable need for effective asthma management interventions and represents a step towards better tools for improved chronic disease management for pediatric patients.

Sleep is crucial for producing higher levels of concentration, performance, and overall health and safety. Yet, teens, a vulnerable population, get far less sleep than the recommended 8-10 hours and continuously incur a sleep debt that negatively impacts their health. This troubling issue led to a national public health initiative to delay high school start times to benefit teens’ health. Though the Seattle school district recently accepted and implemented this initiative, it remains to be seen if the time change had the expected impact on the teens’ sleep quantity and therefore overall performance and health. The purpose of our research was to explore any correlation between the later school start time and positive outcomes of improved sleep, health and performance. In order to address this question, we created a 22-item survey which asks questions regarding quantity of sleep, self-reported measurements of mood and mental health, academic and extracurricular activity performance. We used convenience sampling and recruited from the community, specifically high schoolers within the Seattle school district who experienced the time change, to complete this survey. We expect to find that the later school start time increased the quantity of sleep high schoolers obtained, contributing to improved overall health and performance. If we obtain our expected results, we hope the data can be used to encourage other school districts to also adopt the time change and promote the health of the teen population.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) afflicts people of all ages, with older adults having the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths among all age groups. Many of the issues and complications that TBI patients face are mediated by the immune response. Aging is a complex process which results in a decline of the immune system due to the altering of cellular production, proliferation and function resulting in an overall decline of immunocompetence. Injury sets off a chain reaction of immune cellular responses, the cell of interest in this project is TH2 cells, which have been shown to play a role in chronic inflammation. The purpose of this study was to explore if the age of an individual influences the TH2 cellular response in relation to traumatic brain injury. The TH2 cells used in the study were collected from younger (aged 21-64) and older (aged 65+) adult participants at < 24hours following mild/moderate TBI and at 3 months post injury. TH2 cells were stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and anti-CD3 and then incubated overnight. They were then analyzed for IL-5 production using the ELISpot assay. The number of cells producing IL-5 were counted, in triplicate, and the mean was taken to determine cellular response when stressed. The results were compared to determine if there is a difference between cytokine release amongst younger and older adults who experience TBI. By having a better understanding of how TH2 cell function is affected by age, we are exploring if overall outcomes following traumatic brain injuries are related to differential immune responses. This knowledge can potentially assist in identifying strategies to improve clinical outcomes.

Inpatient hypoglycemic events less than 50 mg/dL are prevalent among hospitalized patients and can lead to poor health outcomes, including increased mortality. Some studies indicate that among hospitalized patients, older individuals, patients with co-morbidities, and those who are admitted to intensive care units are the most common inpatient populations to suffer from hypoglycemic events. Studies also suggest that inpatient hypoglycemic events are more often medication attributable in contrast to physiologic causes. The aims of this quantitative study are to: 1) determine the root causes that lead to hypoglycemic events in the hospital setting, 2) describe patterns in chart documentation related to hypoglycemic events, and 3) identify measures to attain effective prevention of hypoglycemia. Specifically, this study examines the time range between the hypoglycemic event measurement and the blood glucose measurement prior to the event to determine if tighter glycemic control results in improved patient outcomes, the use and documentation of rescue medications after a hypoglycemic event, and the presence of dietary intake charting in the medical record prior to the hypoglycemic event. We collaborated with the glycemic team at a local medical center to collect data drawn from patient medical records. Patient medical records were selected if they had experienced a hypoglycemic event less than 50 mg/dL between March 2017 and June 2017. Analysis used descriptive measures to identify patterns and inconsistencies in the data derived from the medical charts related to potential root causes of hypoglycemia. Using a systematic approach to identify the root cause of inpatient hypoglycemia informs future development of tools and policies to reduce the incidence of inpatient hypoglycemia in the future and improve patient outcomes. The expected results of this study attributes the hypoglyemic events to infrequent and inaccurate diet intake documentation, and longer time intervals between blood glucose monitoring. 

The recent launch of bike-share programs in Seattle has brought to light a pertinent issue in public health that will continue to grow as their distribution increases across the city. While bike-shares promote physical activity and provide an alternative commute option, they also seem to be associated with decreased helmet use, which is associated with an increased risk of head injuries. The purpose of this study is to explore the issue of helmet use among bike-share riders on the University of Washington campus. By implementing a campus-wide cross-sectional survey, I gained important information about how Seattle's unique bike-share and helmet issue can be addressed on UW campus in the future. Participants in this study included UW students, faculty, and staff who were recruited by convenience sampling through email distribution. The survey was written with Catalyst WebQ online and had 21 questions evaluating participants general bike and helmet utilization habits on campus, barriers to helmet use with bike-shares, and awareness of Seattle's mandatory helmet law. I anticipate results to confirm a decrease in helmet use among bike-share users and reveal several barriers to wearing a helmet with bike-share bicycles. I will utilize the information from this research study to create a targeted helmet promotion campaign on UW campus in the Spring. In addition, this valuable information will be shared with local public health officials to inform health promotion endeavors over the coming years as bike-share programs continue to expand in the Seattle area.

A consequence of the rising opioid epidemic in the United States is the dramatic increase in the number of infants born with a drug dependency known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Treating NAS often requires lengthy hospital admissions and presents a range of challenges to both nurses and mothers caring for these newborns. While the nurse-mother partnership carries great potential to improve treatment outcomes for the infants, it is frequently hindered by stigma and poor maternal engagement. The purpose of this study is to better understand the nursing and maternal-level factors that affect the nurse-mother relationship and to identify the needs of both parties to partner in infant caregiving. We collected data through surveys given to nurses and mothers at Swedish Medical Center First Hill and Ballard campuses. Data analysis of the nurse surveys focused on the relationships among knowledge and comfort with NAS, stigma, and compassion while analysis of the mother surveys focused on the relationship among trauma history, parenting confidence, and maternal engagement. We hypothesized that greater knowledge and comfort with NAS among nurses was associated with decreased stigma and increased compassion towards families affected by this syndrome. We also predicted that extensive trauma history and lack of parenting confidence was negatively associated with the mother's ability to engage with her infant. In creating a better understanding of the nurse-mother relationship, we hope to guide future research on developing interventions that will improve the nursing care and maternal engagement in families affected by NAS.

There is currently a lack of research in how transgender adolescent populations are affected by sleep and depressive symptoms. Sleep is incredibly important for teens, and there are links between depression and negative sleep outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine correlations between gender, depression, and sleep in adolescents. I am using all data from a previous study that was comparing sleep and obesity in 100 cis-gendered adolescents aged 12 to 18. I am using this data to determine if a significant correlation exists between gender, objective sleep measures including total sleep time, sleep onset, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency (measured via Actigraphy), and depressive symptoms (measured via Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, with scores of 16 or higher considered positive for significant depressive symptoms). An ANOVA test is being used to analyze for a significant correlation between gender, mean sleep time in minutes, and the presence or absence of depressive symptoms. The analysis of this data determines whether or not gender has a role in sleep and depressive outcomes, thereby determining the need for a further study of sleep and depressive symptoms in transgender adolescent populations.

The research question for our study is, “Is a component of a multilevel intervention effective in promoting awareness of cardiovascular health and decreasing weight?” Within King County, an almost 10-year-difference in life expectancy exists between low- and high-income areas. While many factors may contribute to this disparity, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are the leading causes of mortality. Obesity and metabolic syndrome are major risk factors for both cancer and CVD, and disproportionally affects lower income populations. The Women Take Heart (WTH) study is part of a multilevel intervention that spans school, family, and individual levels, aimed at promoting awareness of positive health behaviors. The WTH intervention focuses on teaching women in the Renton community physical and nutritional health information. We hypothesize that targeted, weekly teachings by experts on complex health behaviors will increase health knowledge and decrease participant weight. We will assess the efficacy of WTH through quantitative methods. These include examining pre- and post-intervention values of physical and metabolic measurements, as well as pre- and post-questionnaire responses. We anticipate the results of our study will show increased health empowerment, increased knowledge of positive health behaviors, and decreased biologic markers of metabolic syndrome. If this intervention is effective, it could be implemented to address the high rates of obesity in low-income communities, which in turn could lower rates of cancer and CVD.

Homeless service providers often provide care and support to homeless individuals and families with experiences of trauma. Through hearing their client’s trauma stories and witnessing the pain, fear, and suffering that their clients endure, homeless service providers may be at risk for developing secondary trauma. Secondary trauma occurs when a helping professional develops symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder through empathetic engagement with someone who has firsthand trauma experiences. A recent study revealed that 25% of homeless service providers reported high levels of vicarious traumatization. Amid a growing homelessness crisis and the challenges of ongoing budget cuts that homeless service agencies face, the percentage of homeless service providers with secondary trauma is likely to increase. The purpose of this investigation is to gain a better understanding about homeless service providers’ exposure and experiences of secondary trauma in their work environment. Participants of this study are homeless service providers that were recruited through convenience sampling from a large homeless service organization in King County. Participants completed demographic questions, a highly validated scale measuring Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL), and open-ended focus questions that explored occupational health challenges as well as personal level protective health factors. All measures were collected using an online survey application. We anticipate to find associations between secondary trauma among homeless service providers and high cumulative exposure to working with survivors of trauma, low engagement with self-care practices, a perceived lack of social and organizational support, and high work-related stress. Information gained through this research may be used to identifying ways to protect, sustain, and empower homeless service providers so that they can provide safe and quality care for their clients. The results of this investigation will be used to support occupational health policies and guidelines that promote the health and wellbeing of frontline workers in the homeless sector.

Plasma, the fourth state of matter, is created by introducing a gas - in this case, helium - to an electric field. This field ionizes the helium atoms, which in turn ionize other molecules, creating a wide variety of highly reactive species. Previous work at Edmonds Community College demonstrated the efficacy of an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) in killing endospores of Bacillus atrophaeus for the purpose of spacecraft sterilization for NASA (Bernard et al., 2017). With increasing rates of antibiotic resistance, there is interest in using an APPJ in healthcare settings to eliminate harmful pathogens and therefore promote wound healing. However, given its destruction of endospores, it is unclear if the APPJ would damage living tissue. The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of an APPJ on multicellular eukaryotic organisms. The impact of different exposure times of the APPJ upon both germinated and ungerminated Zinnia elegans seeds, and the effects on plant growth, was studied. The optimal exposure time for germinated seeds was between one and two minutes, while treatments greater than 2 minutes may increase germination rate.

The purpose of this study was to explore the interrelationship between two major DNA repair systems--photoreactivation, with blue light as an energy source, and excision repair, which uses ATP as an energy source--of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a single-celled algae, by studying the in vivo efficiency of photoreactivation when the excision repair system was suppressed. Working with a mutant which was completely lacking in excision repair, we found that this strain was also deficient in photoreactivation, as compared to wild-type, at low levels of post-UV visible light treatment, measured by killing on plates. We hypothesized that the level of light intensity might have an impact on the efficiency of the photoreactivating enzyme. Using alkaline agarose gel electrophoresis analysis, we quantitatively evaluated the extent of repair of DNA damage over 24 hours under two different light intensities. We found less damage removal in the mutant under low light intensity, suggesting that a positive correlation does indeed exist between the flux of visible light used in our experiments and the amount of photoreactivation for the mutant. This correlation was not observed in the wildtype. Our work is interesting in the context of human-caused changes to Earth’s atmosphere; both photoreactivation and excision repair of DNA damage are present in virtually all organisms studied, including bacteria, fungi, plants and most animals (although not in placental mammals). With the weakening of the stratospheric ozone layer, there is the possibility of increasing solar UV flux to the surface of Earth, with possible negative downstream effects on biological systems. Understanding the functional relationship between these two DNA repair systems could provide information of fundamental importance to ecological and agricultural problems arising from increased solar UV flux to Earth.

Past research on sleep has primarily been focused on adolescents and adults, but there is limited research on sleep in preschoolers. Therefore, our population of focus are preschoolers with a specific focus on the effects of light and noise pollution on sleep. Before beginning to investigate these relationships we found a lack of detailed instructions to find and record light and noise pollution, so we created protocols to address this issue. We began with finding databases that record environmental noise and light pollution. Through the use of online resources, we located two maps: the Light Pollution Map made using data from NOAA and the National Transportation Noise Map that provide public noise and light information. From there we developed protocols for researchers to easily and uniformly navigate these sites for data collection. Our work thus far has resulted in light and noise pollution protocols. The light pollution protocol directs users to visit the online link to the map, to check the correct filter, where to input the address and how to find the correct radiance value to enter. For the noise pollution protocol, users are directed to an online link, where to enter the address, and how to read the colors associated with each noise decibel value. Our next step includes the pairing of the light and noise pollution data with the addresses of preschoolers from the Sleep Health in Preschoolers study (SHIP) from Seattle Children’s Research Institute. This will be done in order to find a relationship between quality of sleep and light and noise pollution. The protocols we have created will not only be useful for our future work with sleep, but also for studies looking to efficiently analyze light and noise pollution data.