Volume 6 - 2018 - The Brown Lady

Vol. 6 • 2018

The Brown Lady

2018

Published by:

Honors College Student Association Poets, Inc. Printed by the Wm. A. Krueger School of Graphic Communications

Welcome Welcome to the 6th edition of The Brown Lady, an academic and creative magazine that proudly showcases some of the finest work created by Chowan University students over the past year! I invite you to explore and celebrate the impressive variety of brilliant writing and artistic creations in this issue. I’m also proud to announce that this year’s edition is the first one to be free of specific sections or categories. This should help emphasize even more the fascinating connections that can be made across the various works featured in this year’s issue.

Opening and closing this year’s issue are a number of fine poems. Samara Hardiman starts us off with a powerful message to women of color in “Nature’s Love Letter to Dark-Skinned Girls.” Grace Arredondo captures two formidable emotions in her poems “Telepathy” and “Anticipation”: the worry that “it’s all been done before” and there’s no true originality—and the wonderful worry that sometimes leads to joy in life and love. Terrance Duffy captures the images of a typical day and dreams for the future in “Environment.”

Dominique Weldon creates a polite but menacing Renaissance aristocrat in her Robert Browning-inspired poem “An (In)decent Proposal.” And Sean Timmons honors a lost friend in “The Place: A Sestina for a Friend.” Closing out this year’s issue are two poems of quiet contentment: GermaNa Farrior’s “Sabbath” and Deja Christopher’s “Golden Hour.” In addition, we also feature two impressive short prose pieces. Samantha Pulliam’s “flash fiction” piece “Neverending” explores the everyday challenges faced by its anxious narrator, and Sean Timmons’s nonfiction work “I’m Trying” tells about his childhood friend’s “permanent adventure” and his own way of moving forward with his life.

As always, we’re also thrilled to feature a variety of tremendous works of visual art. Olivia Borer’s photograph “Unplugged” captures sunlight at play on the ocean’s surface, while Paula Keeter’s photograph “Cabin in the Woods” juxtaposes the rugged wood of a log cabin with the beautiful fall colors of the trees surrounding it. Dontae Greer as well as Darren Peoples and Evelyn Walker offer striking portraits of two powerful young women in “Evolving” and “Don’t Listen to Them” (the latter featured on our cover). Later in the issue, Samantha Reece and Ashlyn Smith show their mastery of design, with Samantha presenting an “old-school” digital illustration celebrating a well-known font in “Helvetica: Can’t Live Without It!” and Ashlyn using bold colors to capture a slice of life in her mixed media piece “It’s All About Perspective.” We also see bold colors at work in Shelby Griffis’s soothing painting “Blue Moon” and Melany Garcia Lopez’s striking photograph “Dandelion.” And, at the center of this year’s issue, we feature two works by Kyasia Morgan, the strong lines and bold colors of “The Art of Kintsukuroi” and the dynamic portrayal of a young man in “Jo-Jo.” Finally, we’re proud to showcase two academic essays in this year’s issue, both from recent graduates in biology. Brittany Beltrami’s “Keep Calm and Beam On” offers an important investigation of the best cancer treatments available to patients today. And Wrenn Woodard’s “Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles,” based on live research, explores another important question about the effects of climate change on North Carolina wildlife.

On behalf of this year’s editorial board, I invite you to consider each of these exceptional works. I hope you are as proud of these brilliant students as we are. Enjoy…and, as always, be sure to congratulate this year’s contributors!

Dr. Tim Hayes Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Board Timothy Hayes Editor-in-Chief Assistant Professor of English Whitney Parker Assistant to the Editor English

GermaNa Farrior Assistant to the Editor English

David Ballew Associate Professor of History

Chris Stagl Associate Professor of Graphic Design

Danny B. Moore Professor of History

Mikaela Crutchfield-Collins Poets, Inc. Criminal Justice

Jennifer Raha Newhouse Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Rachel R. Phillips Assistant Professor of Psychology Jennifer Groves Newton Assistant Professor of Graphic Communications R. Lauren Rodil Assistant Director of Printing Production

Katrina Hodge Honors College Student Association Psychology Qeashaunda Johnson Honors College Student Association Business Administration/Accounting Loricia Martin Honors College Student Association Psychology

Table of Contents Nature’s Love Letter to Dark-Skinned Girls Samara Hardiman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Telepathy Grace Arredondo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

An (In)decent Proposal Dominique Weldon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11

The Place: A Sestina for a Friend Sean Timmons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12

Environment Terrance Duffy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13

Anticipation Grace Arredondo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Unplugged Olivia Borer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15

Evolving Dontae Greer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Don’t Listen to Them (featured on the cover) Evelyn Walker and Darren Peoples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Cabin in the Woods Paula Keeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18

Water Dominique Weldon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

The Art of Kintsukuroi Kyasia Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30

Jo-Jo Kyasia Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

31

Keep Calm and Beam On: The Effects and Benefits of Proton and Photon Therapy Among Patients with Head and Neck Tumors Brittany Beltrami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

32

I’m Trying Sean Timmons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

40

Neverending Samantha Pulliam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 8

Table of Contents continued Helvetica: Can’t Live Without It! Samantha Reece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Blue Moon Shelby Griffis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Dandelion Melany Garcia Lopez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

It’s All About Perspective Ashlyn Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Sabbath GermaNa Farrior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Golden Hour Deja Christopher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9

58

Nature’s Love Letter to Dark-Skinned Girls Samara Hardiman

The letter reads as follows: Dear Dark-skinned Girls, with heavy thighs, Full lips, rounded cheeks, broad noses, Thick hair, and wide eyes.

You are beautiful.

Not that anyone wants You to know this.

All your life You have been called dark.

Dark-haired, dark-skinned, dark-eyed, The color of dirt and mud, The color of filth.

Mislabeled again and again, as simply dark, Ugly…

When you are none of those things.

Your dark hair is not unsightly nor is it unruly, but the twisting night sky of a Van Gogh, Painting a vast celestial canvas tangled with galaxies, Displaying strands of stardust curled into supernovas, Unraveling new marvels, in a waterfall of thick roots And glossy black sheen.

Dark eyes are not dull.

They are honey against copper, and, when they water, They shine brilliantly, Two perfect, luminescent orbs set high on your face.

Umber hues lit in a summer glow To show the world that nature Blooms from you.

Simply wooded areas, covered in blossoms Guarding your heart, protecting with all their might An ecosystem of love and life.

There had to have been a time before the world Got ahold of you, Broke and molded you, A time when you thought You were beautiful.

A time before others would deny, with words that whisper Sharp, shallow, and softly spoken, That beauty is only snow white lilies, only blue skies and deep seas, only wheat fields and spun gold.

That beauty cannot be copper and chocolate, Cannot be onyx and obsidian, Cannot be black diamonds Mixed with a hint of brown sugar.

However, Nature made you From blood and soil, stone and root, From stars and suns, and Earth with her many shades, Made you so that you cannot be explained Through science and numbers, Or theory alone, But through eyes that appreciate The nature of you.

Your skin? Holds all of life’s secrets inside of it.

It is the earth come alive with smooth soil, with which you grow outwards and onwards, Your rib cage and collar bones 10

Telepathy Grace Arredondo

This is the composition of my thoughts turned to ideas, pen scratchings transformed into typed letters, my feelings given life through sentences.

But I’m certain every meticulous effort to choose the “right” words merely brings me one keystroke closer to Carpal tunnel.

Humanity has felt and known them all before.

Every brain is wired differently, no iris holds the same shade, and every fingerprint betrays only one criminal.

Despite our uniqueness, few can conjure original thoughts.

Those who can are dubbed philosophers, innovators, and inventors.

But what could I suggest that generations before me have not already proposed?

I presumed my thoughts were the most private part of myself, yet trillions have burned my flickering bulbs before God even formed my fetus.

It feels invasive.

The world stole my journal, put it to script, and portrayed it as a satire.

“I know how you feel.”

No, you don’t. You can’t!

But…they do.

There is no quiet room nor lonely bed for solace.

The whole world is in my bed.

They’re handing me tissues, stroking my hair, saying how my woes remind them of “that time when…”

“All the ones who have gone before, their experiences will aid you in your troubles.”

That is the biggest lie the universe has told me.

Yes, they might know… but they could never understand.

11

An (In)decent Proposal (after Robert Browning) Dominique Weldon Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to Make an announcement. First, it would be my Pleasure in thanking our most gracious host For an evening in memory of our Beloved friend and ex-compatriot.

To lighten the mood, I would like to ask Every one of you to join me in drink.

To your health, sir!

And now I would like to take this chance to Humbly inquire about your most precious possession: Your beautiful Marie’s hand in marriage.

Oh, two months is hardly a short amount Of time when one is in love, sir! What more Needs explaining? I have already said In passing that I intend to marry Your beautiful daughter. With your permission, of course.

Sir, I assure you my intentions are strictly honorable.

You mustn’t believe rumors. Lies! All of them!

You shake your head. Hmm. Well, if you were to Say no to our arrangement, I would be Very disappointed. And I would have To turn to a less honorable approach.

12

The Place: A Sestina for a Friend Sean Timmons

Memories were created in this place.

I can read all day surrounded by the combination of sky and water, With the stories and my thoughts where I would nearly drown.

Doyle and Lewis quickly became close friends And, when there was a twist, I had to strengthen my hold, As if the main ideas would slip away.

Finally, the roaring abyss decided it was time to drown.

As I worked toward my goals, he fell to his end.

He never slipped! But, I guess he couldn’t keep his hold.

As he searched for new paths, he accidentally ran away.

He found a place That is farther down than any depth of water.

This place is where I could run away.

It’s not perfect, but I mean, it’s a place.

That smell? It’s just the result of the bay water, But don’t worry too much, or else you may drown.

But just like me, you can get lost in the stories, friend.

It’s amazing how many narratives a place can hold.

He slipped through my hand faster than the water.

Even though it was him, I felt like the one drowning.

And, out of nowhere, he had so many friends That wanted to be there to hold Him again. But, just like that, they had all gone away And left me alone in a hell-bent place.

I had one friend who was holding, Holding on to anything so they wouldn’t sway away.

They visited THIS place, And they looked over the dark, deep water.

So deep, that it wasn’t hard to imagine someone drowning.

What is scary is that it could be a friend.

Yes, he knew this place, the place with deep water, Where many will drown, including close friends.

Better grab tight, get a hold! Or else they’ll slip away.

I used to go out on the bay with an old friend.

Kayaks, sailboats, etc. I would fall a lot. He joked I kept getting “hulled.”

He would usually take the lead, trying to find a way To get to new places.

Sometimes, he would dive underwater So long I would worry that he would drown.

13

Environment Terrance Duffy

Heads down. Headphones. Loud music.

Singin’ and dancin’. Androids and iPhones.

Pairs and groups. Convos and laughs.

Elevators and stairs.

Handshakes, hugs, and kisses. Smoke.

Cigarette butts and black tips. Blacktop and bricks.

Bookbags and purses. Keychains and lanyards.

Sundresses, shorts, sweatpants, jeans, t-shirts, jackets, and sweaters.

Cars. Skateboards.

Eyes forward. People. Personalities.

Potential. Careers. Futures. Visions.

14

Anticipation Grace Arredondo

What is this feeling of breathlessness?…angst??

Mind racing, heart exploding, wanting to look away but staring nonetheless with manic eyes.

Why do we love surprises but despise the suspense?

It’s a closed fist around the heart, an elephant resting comfortably on the chest, that pestering swarm of wretched butterflies in the pit of the stomach.

Chug chug chugging up the ride’s eternal assent.

Sealed envelope sits patiently between thumb and index.

Phone in hand, opened to a text, watching the ellipses…

It’s grappling with the moment before THE MOMENT. Thoughts are reeling, wheels start turning, figuring out the possible outcomes.

Excitement teetering towards nausea, here it comes…here it comes…

Down you go, screaming like a banshee, crashing from the clouds in wild ecstasy.

Getting the job after camping out in the unemployment office for three months.

Ding. Message received: I love you too.

And all at once…

The grip relaxes, the elephant stands up, and the monarchs take flight.

But the wait for their return is almost unbearable.

15

Unplugged Olivia Borer Photograph

16

Evolving Dontae Greer Photograph

17

Don’t Listen to Them Evelyn Walker and Darren Peoples Photograph Featured on the cover

18

Cabin in the Woods Paula Keeter Photograph

19

Water Dominique Weldon

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”

-Franklin D. Roosevelt It was dark and clammy. The floor was cold and hard, and it hurt her bare feet.

“Where am I?” No answer. Suddenly, light and air overwhelmed her as the rough burlap sack was removed from her head. In front of her was an intimidating stone door. The solid guard grabbed her tiny shoulders and squeezed until she whimpered.

“Listen very carefully, little girl. When I open this door, you are to walk and say nothing. When I stop, you stop and say nothing. When the Council addresses you, you are to bow and say nothing. And if they ask you anything, you are to tell the truth and then say nothing. Understand?”

“How can I answer and say nothing?”

TTHAAPP! The guard rewarded her question with a hard slap on the side of her face. It stung like the heat of the sun. ”None of that, little girl. Speak when addressed. Understood?”

She nodded, eyes wet with unshed tears, hand pressed against her still throbbing cheek. The guard straightened and opened the door with ease.

“Now…” The first thing she noticed was a tall, solitary figure with his back towards her. She only knew one person in the entire world who was so tall.

“Master Gavin!”

The tall man whipped around so fast that everyone froze. The guards, reorienting themselves, grabbed the girl’s tiny arms as she threw curled fists into the air in a futile attempt to reach the tall man.

“Leave her alone! She’s just a child! Please!”

Gavin was pleading with an impassive Council.

“ENOUGH!” The Council all stood in unison, freezing everyone in the room with their booming voices echoing in the stone chamber.

20

Water Dominique Weldon “We will take custody of the child and teach her civility. As for you, Gavin Ptolemy, you are banished. You are never to return west of the river on pain of death. Take him away.” The Council’s words hit her like a 20-foot wave crashing against the shore, destroying everything in its path.

“Master Gavin! Master Gavin!” The guards restrained her with ease as she fought with all her ten-year-old might. The stone door opened, and in swarmed an army of guards surrounding Gavin as he uselessly struggled.

“Don’t worry, little one, We’ll see each other again…I promise.” She saw the guards drag Gavin out of the Council chamber.

The loud yellow walls were distracting as the girl tried to focus on what the Lady in front of her was saying. The girl was brushing her long, fire-red hair and trying to at least pretend she was interested in what the Lady was saying.

“-don’t you think, Cindy? Cindy! Are you listening to me?”

It took the girl a moment to realize that she was talking to her, partly because she was not listening and also because her name was not really Cindy. The Lady, who was vain for an unattractive woman, made it up for her when the Lady’s husband hired the girl. The girl’s real name was Alia, but the Lady felt that it was too “foreign.” Alia did not know what that meant but just went along with it, because she needed a job. She thought of Cindy as her work name. Sometimes, she found herself acting like Cindy at home. When she turned sixteen, the baker insisted that she get a job or get married. He mumbled the last part, and she was pretty sure he didn’t think she heard him. Alia would have told him where to shove marriage, but Cindy just went out the next day to find a job. The Lady’s husband, whom the baker’s wife called a natural idiot, worked for the Council, so he was always away from home. One day, he just showed up and offered Alia a job, no questions asked. She suspected the baker had something to do with it, but she didn’t know how. He didn’t associate with important people. And this man was either very important or wanted people to think he was.

He dressed like he was going to a ceremony everyday, with his wrinkle-free light blue robe and ornate silver shoulder detailing. He dressed like a prince, so what a picture it must have been, a richly dressed prince with a disheveled brown blur trailing behind him. He had no children, only an expensive wife who didn’t seem to mind that he was away all the time.

Alia had no family to speak of, and the only reason she knew her real name was because it was engraved on a simple gold ring that the girl had had for longer than she could remember.

“Why yes, ma’am, of course.”

“Good. Well, anyway, hurry up. I do not want to be late for the festival.”

“Right away, ma’am.”

Alia rolled her eyes. She could not stand these festivals. They were just an excuse for rich people to show off their wealth. The Flower Festival was held every year before All Hallows’ Eve. Everyone was supposed to bring flowers to the fountain in the middle of the town as a way of celebrating before the dark seasons descend. This tradition, however, ended up being a competition to see who could bring the most flowers, and not only the most, but the rarest and most beautiful flowers and arrangements. While this meant a 21

Water Dominique Weldon great time for the rich, filled with three days of dancing, drinking, and gorging themselves, this meant hell for the working class. Bouquets had to be made, and all the florists in town were booked months in advance.

Tailors were running out of materials daily, markets were always overrun with people, and the streets had to be constantly swept because of all the foot traffic. But worst of all were the crowds. Alia hated the hordes of people in the street. There was never even any room to wiggle a toe, let alone turn around without hitting someone. The only thing about the festival that Alia found to be a relief was the lack of staring. She had stopped noticing the stares after a while, but, when she was a teenager running errands for the local baker, her caretaker at the time, she was acutely aware of them, and it made her uncomfortable. She was a grain of sand surrounded by salt. When the baker first saw her, he tried to brush off what he thought was dirt on her face. She would never forget the look of shock and disgust that came across his face when he discovered it was her skin color. The baker and his family were good enough people, simple folk. They threw themselves into a dull routine and seemed content to do so, but not her.

“Have a care, Cindy!” the Lady shrieked.

Alia had not realized that she was brushing the woman’s hair so hard that her dangling gold earrings were jumping and swinging back and forth. Alia hated when the Lady wore those earrings. They were originally hers, but the Lady felt they were too nice for her. Other than the clothes on her back, and the ring, the earrings were the only thing she had that was truly hers. She found it odd that she owned such jewelry; they weren’t overly extravagant, but they were precious in their simplicity, and they seemed old. Not dirty and run-down, but ancient and noble. Alia sometimes imagined they were a part of a treasure hoard.

“Sorry, ma’am.”

“Cindy…I think I can manage the rest.” Alia deliberately removed her hands from the Lady’s hair, bowed, and stood back impatiently, waiting to be dismissed. The Lady sighed, annoyed.

“Well, you’re no use to me now! I suppose you can leave. Take the rest of the day off, and do whatever it is poor people do.”

Cindy ignored the last comment, but Alia wanted to rip the Lady’s hair out.

“Thank you, ma’am!”

Cindy bowed again and left the Lady’s nauseating yellow room and headed down the long, dark corridor.

Once, she was amazed and intimidated by the towering ceilings and larger-than-life columns that were on either side of the hall. Now, she felt these columns were prison bars. As soon as she was sure no one could see her, she ran out of the mansion and into the warm sunlight.

Alia made her way towards her friend Jerrod’s floral shop to see if he needed any help. She was interrupted in this search about halfway there by her friend Damon, the baker’s son. Damon made her life at the baker’s house bearable. He was like an older brother, and he always looked after her when he could.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the world’s greatest hairbrush!” Damon cackled at his own joke and slapped her on the back.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the world’s worst baker.” Alia knew Damon didn’t want to be a baker like his father, so he was determined to be terrible at it. His motto was “Don’t be good at something you don’t want to do.”

22

Water Dominique Weldon “So, what brings you around this way so close to festival time? I would have thought you would be hard at work battling the ferocious red beast.”

“No, the ferocious beast gave me the rest of the day off. So, I’m going to go see if Jerrod needs my help at the shop.”

Damon started walking backwards in front of Alia.

“Oh, you’re going to see Jerrod, huh? In that case, I think I’ll tag along.”

“No! Last time you came with me, you got him in trouble.”

“It wasn’t my fault! How was I supposed to know it was poisono-” Damon ran into the back of someone and mumbled an apology. When the man would not move, Damon became impatient.

“Hey! What the -” The man snapped.

“There’s a crowd! Damn this festival!”

Alia and Damon tried to weave their way through, but the crowd moved as one strong, steady current, pushing against them.

“You’re tall. Can’t you see what’s happening?”

Damon stood on his tiptoes.

“Oh, wow! There’s a fight!”

“Really?”

“No, I can’t see. There’s too many-” Suddenly, a piercing shriek was heard, and everything went silent and still. Then, in an instant, chaos.

Women were shrieking. Children were crying. Men were shouting obscenities and shoving. Alia was knocked off her feet by a fleeing, hysterical woman. She tried to get up, but, every time she did, she was pushed back down. She felt like she was drowning. In the confusion, she lost sight of Damon. Everything moved in slow motion. Mothers covered their children’s eyes. Husbands shielded their wives. The crowd split in half and allowed the source of their anger to pass through. A line of caravans crawled through the crowd. In the window, Alia could make out two young, brown faces with wide, amazed eyes. Alia never saw anyone that looked so much like her. Their raven black heads were adorned with strange gold headdresses. Their hair was in one long braid, like how the Lady wears hers to bed, with strings of gold braided into it. She stared at them as they passed. In the next caravan was a giant of a man who was so tall he had to duck his head to look through the window. When Alia saw him, she instantly felt like she knew him but could not remember from where. She caught the man’s eye, and he looked stunned. His eyes watered. He made a gesture and spoke a strange language, and the caravan slowed to a stop. Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands pull her back. It was Damon.

23

Water Dominique Weldon “There you are! We’ve gotta get outta here!”

“Wait!”

“No! Come on! Something tells me this is not gonna go well.”

“Why? Who are-” Damon wasn’t listening. He was just dragging her away from the crowd and into the nearby wheat field.

He did not turn around until they had made it a safe distance away from the crowd.

“Why’d you do that?”

Damon did not face her.

“Look at me!”

Damon whirled around. He was strangely calm. He was silent, as if contemplating what he should do.

“If I tell you, will you promise me something?”

“Depends what it is.”

“No, you have to promise you won’t do anything stupid first. Seriously, swear.”

“I don’t swear, and I don’t do anything stupid.”

“I beg to differ, but either swear now or I won’t tell.”

“Fine, fine, fine. I swear, now out with it! Who was that back there?”

Damon sighed, clenched and unclenched his fists.

“They are from the East.”

“People live in the East? Your father said there was nothing but animals in the East.”

“Don’t you know anything? No, that’s just what he said to get you to stop asking questions. He would get in trouble if you asked too many questions.”

“What questions? And why would he get in trouble for me asking questions? And with who?”

“See, I never should have said anything.”

“No, it’s too late. Now talk!”

“Fine. You know how people always stare at you because of your, well, your everything.”

“Yeah, great way to put it.”

“Shut up. Anyway, people aren’t staring at you because of that. They stare at you because you’re an Easterner.”

24

Water Dominique Weldon “Yeah, right. I’ve been here as long as I can remember! Why would you say that?”

“I heard mother and father arguing about it.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Alia backed away from Damon.

“Alia, don’t be upset. I just thought you should know.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I didn’t think I would ever have to, but the Easterners came, and I couldn’t just leave you in the dark when they looked so much like you.”

“Who else knows?”

“Well…everyone…sort of.”

“So, everyone’s been lying to me.”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Even you.”

“Yea- wait, no. I just told you! Wait! Come back! Alia!”

Alia ran away from Damon as hard as she could through the field. She heard Damon running after her.

As she increased the distance between them, she heard Damon yelling her name in the distance, and then silence. She stopped running and broke down crying. After a while, she laid down among the wheat and felt lost, lifeless, floating aimlessly.

Alia did not know how long she was out there, but eventually Damon found her.

“Hey. I didn’t mean to upset you, but…it’s complicated.”

Alia did not understand how he knew but never told her. They told each other everything.

“If it makes you feel any better, everyone in town just thinks you’re half Eastern.”

“Why would that make me feel any better? Anyway, the fact remains that you lied to me!”

Damon made quelling motions with his hands, so she assumed she was yelling.

“Alright, look. L-l-let me explain.”

Alia looked skeptical. “How can I trust anything you say? You’ve been lying to me for years!”

“Technically not years. I only found out last month, but that’s besides the-” “WHAT?!”

25

Water Dominique Weldon “Okay, calm down! Tell you what, ask me any questions you have, and I promise I will tell you the complete truth. Okay?”

Blood is Thicker Than Water Alia thought about this. What was he going to do—lie to her face again? Why would he? It wouldn’t matter. She would ask the baker and his wife about it later and see if their stories matched.

“Fine.”

“Great. Where to begin?”

“First, who were those people in the market earlier, and how-” “Uh uh uh! One question, then one answer. I can’t answer them all at the same time.”

“Ugh! Fine, who were those people?”

Damon clenched and unclenched his fists.

“The truth, Damon. You promised.”

Damon sighed.

“Fine. From what I understand, they are your siblings, and they’re twins. I’ve never seen twins before…”

“Damon, please focus. The tall man…who’s he?”

“You didn’t recognize him? I doubt that one would be hard to forget. Father said he was the tallest man he had ever seen, which leads to his very creative name, Gavin the Tall.”

Alia went silent as Damon rambled on.

“He seemed…familiar somehow, but I don’t know how. Am I supposed to know him?”

“Well, I would think so. Father said that he saved you.”

“How? From what?”

“He didn’t say. He just said that you probably would’ve died without him.”

They were both silent for a moment.

Damon got up. “It’s getting dark. We should head back.”

Alia slowly got up, unaware of her actions. She was too busy thinking about this Gavin the Tall. Who was he? And how did he save her, and from what?

Alia decided that she needed to be cautious around her foster parents. She was not sure she wanted them to know that she knew they had been lying to her for so long, but, at the same time, she needed 26

Water Dominique Weldon answers. She also wasn’t sure they could be trusted. She could not believe that the same people who clothed and fed her, who comforted her when the other kids teased her about her curly hair, or who scolded her for getting into fights, could lie to her face for so long. Night had fallen by the time she and Damon returned home. Alia could see the glow of the candles through the wooden shutters. Alia’s stomach started turning as if she’d drunk some sour milk. She was not looking forward to this. Damon knocked and unlocked the front door. As soon as he opened the door, the baker and his wife were storming towards the door and giving them a lecture.

“Damon William Greenbriar! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LATE IT IS?!” the baker boomed. The baker’s wife, Belinda, a small, fragile-looking woman who was anything but, added, “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Damon was surprisingly calm and replied in a small voice.

“She knows.”

The baker and Belinda exchanged confused glances.

“What are you talking about?”

The baker was breathing heavily, still trying to calm down.

“She knows about Gavin.”

When the pair still looked confused, he elaborated.

“We were in the square this afternoon.”

The pair exchanged knowing glances, and the baker sighed. Alia had stayed silent and vigilant the whole time. She’d seen their looks but said nothing. She did not know what would come out of her mouth if she opened it.

Belinda went pale. “Oh, I see.”

All stayed silent for a beat until Damon broke it. He looked at Alia. Her face was emotionless, and she looked like a statue, so he figured he would have to talk for her.

“She wants to know-” “Everything.”

Alia interrupted, with more strength than she felt.

Belinda looked helplessly at her husband, and the baker just closed his eyes for a moment and nodded as if he had come to a decision.

“She has a right to know, Belinda. Go get the letters.”

His voice was barely above a whisper.

Belinda was hesitant.

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Water Dominique Weldon “But what will she-” “Belinda. Go. Get. The letters.”

His voice was still low but more forceful. Belinda looked as if she was going to burst into tears, but she complied. The house was silent. The only noise was that of the sizable hearth on the far side of the room, the breath of three people, and quiet sobs. Papers ruffled as Belinda came back more quickly than expected.

She was visibly distressed and holding a simple, large, mahogany vest in her arms that could fit a newborn baby. Indeed, she treated it as such, cradling the chest in her arms and hesitating to part with it when her husband reached for it. The baker had to pry it from her, and she wrapped her arms around herself after he took it away. Part of Alia wanted to comfort her. After all, this woman was the closest thing to a mother she had ever known. But she needed answers, and she was hurt.

“Alia, we were instructed to never show this to you until instructed to do so. I understand you must be feeling confused and hurt, but you must allow us to explain. Come, let us sit down.”

He signaled everyone into the next space where the dining table was and sat down. He patted the wooden seat next to him for Alia to take. He set the chest down in front of her and took a small key out of his pocket. Belinda sat on the other side of Alia and produced another key from her apron. They both inserted their keys into their respective keyholes on the chest and turned them simultaneously. Alia leaned forward in her chair. The baker opened the chest and took out a pile of official-looking letters. It was not until he turned them over as he closed the chest that she saw the strange seal on the letters and gasped.

There was a crowned sun as red as blood on the letter. Eastern seals. More than that, royal Eastern seals. She had no idea where this was going and could not have imagined that it had anything to do with royalty. The baker began to open the first letter but stopped.

“Before I read these, you must understand something.” He started to say something but seemed as if he did not know how to say it.

Alia finally spoke.

“Read the letters,” she said softly. She felt sick.

The baker stared at her, looking hurt, but said nothing. He broke the seal, unfolded the letter, and began to read.

The Letter My darling Alia, I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. If you are reading this, Gavin has fulfilled his promise, and peace will reign over the kingdom. I have no doubt that you will have questions regarding our separation and upbringing. I will attempt to answer all your questions in this letter and many more to come. In case the unthinkable happens, and I never see your sweet face again. You will notice that only I write to you. This is because your father has been missing. Before I tell you of your father, a little background is required. I am not sure how much you know about the war, so I will relate some details of that story. On one side, there were the conquerors, the Westerners. On the other side was us, the first people, what the Council calls “barbarians,” the Easterners.

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Water Dominique Weldon What the Council fails to mention, and what so many Westerners conveniently forget, is that we saved them. The river used to be undrinkable; it was us who taught them how to cleanse the water. For many years, the East and the West lived together peacefully, but that changed when the people of the West became greedy. They wanted more water, more land, more resources than was agreed upon. No one really knows how the War started, but everyone knows why and who started it.

Contrary to popular belief, not everyone in the West supported the War. We have had reports that the poor and some of the working class were against the War initially. They were content with the way things were, and some more radical individuals saw the War as an excuse to invade and steal from the East. However, the upper class, or what are known as “the People,” did not desire to see it this way. Instead, they chose fear. What was once a benevolent and private people became savages plotting to take over the River and then the West. The first generation to hear these lies recognized them as just that, lies. But when the Great Famine struck, people became desperate. The Famine only affected the West, as they had grown distrustful of our advice. Because the Famine did not affect us in the East, it became our fault. It was not long before the War became inevitable. We did everything in our power to prevent bloodshed. We used every diplomatic approach possible, but it was in vain. The West had their war. In the end, it was a stalemate. After countless losses on both sides, after five years of relentless fighting, there was a treaty. This treaty was organized by the Lords of the South, a well-respected group from the Southern Islands that had to intervene to end the war. The Treaty of the South would grow to be unpopular in later years, but it was essential in stopping further bloodshed. You must understand that, after I received word of your father’s disappearance, I believed him to be dead. As king, he led many assaults in the West. I was devastated. I wanted nothing more than for this war to be over. There were three main conditions: first, that both sides were to disband their armies and stop production of deadly weapons. Second, that the River was to be split: the Northern half was for us and the Southern half for the West. Finally, and most distressing of all, was that each side had to give the other their firstborn child as a show of good faith and to ensure that there would be no more war. If not for the ingenuity of the court advisors, we would still be at war, for I refused to give up any of my children and did not even consider doing so. The advisors concocted a plan to offer the West an orphan child and pass them off as the first born. When the Western emissaries arrived to collect the child, they immediately suspected foul play. However, with some persuading, they accepted the child and left. There was still a problem, though. The real royal child could not stay. Word would get out, so a plan was devised that a trustworthy family friend would take care of the child.

The care of the child was placed with an old friend, Gavin Ptolemy, a Southern lord who immigrated to the East and whose mother was an Eastern lady and best friends with my mother. In the war, Gavin sailed secretly from the South and sent aid to the East. It was rumored that he fought in many battles beside the king himself, but he has never talked of the war. Gavin decided that the child needed to be taken outside the city limits and into the South. I was sent letters regularly after Gavin landed about how the child fared, what the weather was like in the South—just regular updates. I missed my child very much but was happy to hear that Gavin and the child were safe and happy. On the child’s tenth birthday, Gavin sent word that they were traveling here to celebrate.

Gavin was sure that the child would be safe and unrecognizable. They were expected on the first day of summer.

I sent guards disguised as sailors to the harbor to collect them on this day, but no one came. Instead, a letter was received one week later with the next trade ship. This letter from Gavin was written on The Council’s stationery and in a code that his mother and my mother made up as children. Once decoded, the letter stated my worst fears.

Before the pair had reached the harbor, they were both attacked by a band of men dressed as fishermen. Gavin writes that they were kidnapped by The Council’s spies and sent before them. He was not sure whether they knew who the child was, only that they were obviously Eastern and therefore “a threat to that state.” But they knew him and resented his choosing sides in the war. Because of this, and a supposed crime of harboring a fugitive, he was imprisoned indefinitely, and the child was taken into custody by the Council. I was inconsolable. I called my most 29

Water Dominique Weldon trusted advisors to come up with a plan, but they could not do so without admitting that we had never honored the treaty. I could do nothing until Gavin was freed, because only he had any idea of what the Council had done with the child. I did not eat or sleep. I withdrew from court life. All I could think about was this child. This child was you.

Seven years passed from Gavin’s last letter. I did not receive another. Eventually, Gavin himself returned, looking frailer and more tired than I had ever seen him. When he entered the throne room where I was sulking, I was overjoyed to see him, but, when he came closer, I wept. He was so haggard and thin that his rib cage was exposed.

The barbarians had starved him and probably worse! As soon as he walked in, he explained how he had a plan to bring you back home. He still blamed himself for your kidnapping and was eager to put his plan into action. My advisors begged me to reconsider, but I had no other option, and I trusted that Gavin would not fail me again. If you are reading this now, then he did not fail.

From the moment I birthed you, I have never stopped loving you or thinking of you. Never forget that. Never forget who you are. You are Princess Alia Aasha Baraz, heir to the throne of the Sun, Crown of the East.

I know you have faced many difficulties and might not understand everything that has happened to you. But please know that, since our separation, I have never stopped thinking of you. Even the twins, who were too young to understand what was happening, feel your absence. The whole kingdom does. There is a moment of silent prayer every morning that I have dedicated to your safe return. The anniversary of your kidnapping is a day of mourning throughout the kingdom. I miss you constantly and pray for the day when we will be reunited.

With all my love and hope, Your mother Amina Nahkti Baraz, King of the Sun, Crown of the East Belinda stumbled while reading over the name, but it didn’t matter. I was already out the door.

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The Art of Kintsukuroi Kyasia Morgan Marker & Colored Pencil

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Jo-Jo Kyasia Morgan Ink & Oil Pastel

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Keep Calm and Beam On The effects and benefits of proton and photon therapy among patients with head and neck tumors Brittany Beltrami Abstract Cancer is an uncontrollable division of cells that form growths called tumors. It is known as the second leading cause of death in the United States alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) estimate that there will be 1,685,210 new cases of cancer and 595,690 cancer-related fatalities in 2016 (Siegel et al., 2016). With so many treatments available, patients may not be receiving the necessary information to determine which treatment to seek. A relatively new method available is proton therapy. Proton therapy is credited with treating cancer-related tumors without damaging healthy tissue and organs like radiation treatments do. I hypothesized that proton therapy will be more advantageous than photon therapy for patients by preserving critical organs and healthy tissue. Another factor I considered is the risk of secondary cancer among the treatments, but this was not my primary goal. I selected four peer-reviewed, primary literature articles using Google Scholar and ScienceDirect. I evaluated these articles to conclude that proton therapy is superior to photons by preserving organs and healthy tissue. Through its use, secondary cancer risks are also decreased and life expectancy increased.

Introduction In the United States alone, cancer is the second leading cause of death. Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells within the body. The cells bunch together to form a tumor. Annually, the American Cancer Society releases predictions regarding the mortality and new cases of cancer. New cancer data is collected via the Surveillance, Epidemiology (the study of diseases), and End Results (SEER) Program by the National Cancer Institute (Siegel et al., 2016). The CDC and the NAACCR collect data on mortality rates by cancer through their registry data (Siegel et al., 2016). Together, the companies predict that, in 2016, there will be 1,685,210 new cases of cancer and 595,690 cancer-related deaths (Siegel et al., 2016). The trend among genders shows a stable rate among women but a decreasing rate among men (Siegel et al., 2016). Because of this, there has been a decline in cancer mortality by 23% from 1991 to 2012 (Siegel et al., 2016). However, in 21 states, cancer has upgraded to a primary cause of death. For a positive downward trend to occur, cancer prevention awareness and further investment in cancer research must be provided (Siegel et al., 2016).

Notable advances in cancer treatment include various treatments available to patients. Originally, patients only had the option to receive radiation therapy. However, there are multiple options today. In this paper, I will discuss a trending treatment called proton therapy and what benefits it has over photon beam radiation therapy.

Proton therapy uses proton beams to target tumor cells directly. The idea of proton therapy first came about in 1946. Robert Wilson proposed the idea (Raju et al., 1996). Although it was pursued by a few interested companies, the financial backing could not be provided because of the treatment’s historical alignment with the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Raju et al., 1996). However, two years later, the first cyclotron machine was built at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (Raju et al., 1996). Wilson’s paper inspired a team dedicated to the study of protons, deuterons, and helium ions (Raju et al., 1996). Lawrence, Anger, and Tobias examined not only the physical properties of these ions but also the required localization and dosing the human body could handle (Raju et al., 1996). The idea of proton therapy was first used for 33

Keep Calm and Beam On Brittany Beltrami pituitary treatments instead of cancer treatment (Raju et al., 1996). The team did not feel confident in their ability to differentiate tumor and normal cell margins (Raju et al., 1996). Cell margins must be identified so that proton beams are applied directly to the infected cell instead of healthy cells. Without pinpointing a location, the application of radiation to a tumor may miss the tumor altogether. By 1970, proton therapy was utilized by research facilities (Smith et al., 2009). Hospitals adopted the practice by 1990 (Smith et al., 2009).

Proton therapy is administered through two methods: passive scattering and spot scanning techniques (Smith et al., 2009). The first method, passive scattering, uses either a double- or single-scatter nozzle, depending on the tumor size (Smith et al., 2009). The lateral spreading of the beam and ridge filter team up to create a Bragg peak, which sets a perimeter and depth for the targeted area of the patient (Smith et al., 2009). This creates a vacuum-like suction for the scattered particles and ensures that normal tissue is not damaged (Smith et al., 2009). The second method is called spot scanning. Spot scanning is carried out through the combined use of a Bragg peak, scanning magnets, and energy changes (Smith et al., 2009). The cyclotron, a proton therapy machine, alters the energy levels of a tumor (Smith et al., 2009). The scanning magnets pick up on the energy changes, and Bragg peaks are placed within the targeted area (Smith et al., 2009). Due to the changing energy levels, multiple Bragg peaks are added to theoretically cage in protons (Smith et al., 2009). Proton therapy is considered a non-invasive, low side-effect treatment for cancer patients. It is widely spreading as an accepted choice because healthy cells are not damaged in the process, unlike photon beam radiation therapy.

Photon beam radiation therapy came about in building blocks. For photon beam radiation to take place, an X-ray machine or linear accelerators must be accessible (Slater et al., 2011). The X-ray machine is used to determine the tumor location, and the linear accelerator transfers the radiation through the body to the tumor (Slater et al., 2011). X-ray machines were first discovered in 1895. A year later, they were used to treat skin lesions without any knowledge of the damage associated with this treatment (Slater et al., 2011).

By the 1950s, treatment of varying magnitudes was being explored with X-rays (Slater et al., 2011). Photon therapy treats visible and non-visible parts of the body using light energy or photons (Zuylen et al., 2001).

The light energy generates a photochemical and photobiological reaction in organic tissue (Zuylen et al., 2001). Photon therapy administers this light energy through tracking tumor motion, rotational intensity modulation, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during treatment delivery (Paganetti et al., 2016). With a variety of dosing options, photon therapy has advantages to reaching tumors throughout the body. A technique exclusive to photon therapy is the application of multiple doses to tumors of varying sizes or depths. A high-risk tumor will require higher doses of radiation for longer periods of time (Slater et al., 2011). As the depth of the tumor increases, the energy levels decrease (Paganetti et al., 2016). According to Talcott et al. (2010), prostate cancer is improved by increasing radiation, but nearby healthy tissue is also damaged by increased toxicity levels. Unlike proton therapy, photon therapy patients are more likely to experience negative side effects and re-occurrence of cancer from this therapy.

I hypothesize that proton therapy will have a more positive success rate in eliminating tumors than photon therapy because proton therapy allows the normal tissue to remain intact. I also hypothesize that patients who undergo proton therapy are less likely to see a re-occurrence of the same type of cancer or a new cancer than those selected for photon therapy.

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Keep Calm and Beam On Brittany Beltrami Methods I began considering a topic for my senior paper in early July. The databases I used to search for my peerreviewed articles were Google Scholar and ScienceDirect. My chosen topic was a comparison of proton treatment for cancer with another treatment technique. When searching for my articles on August 12, I used words such as “proton therapy,” “proton therapy cancer,” and “proton therapy suggested.” However, I was not sure what path to take in my research. I could talk about proton therapy itself, but I wanted to compare it to the treatment options that are currently available. With cancer, there are so many forms of treatment.

I selected radiation therapy, but it is such a broad term. I wanted to be as specific as possible. I used the keywords “radiation therapy vs. proton therapy” to browse the titles and summaries of articles. I came across an article discussing charged particles for radiation therapy. One of the papers discussed photon therapy, which is a category under radiation therapy. I selected this as a comparative source against proton therapy. I used keywords such as “proton therapy,” “proton therapy methods,” “proton therapy history,” “Photon therapy,” “photon therapy history,” “photon therapy methods,” “photon therapy instruments,” and “proton therapy vs photon.” When I found an interesting article, especially with the last keyword, I looked under the paper’s works cited and identified related articles for more information. Out of all my searches, this was the most reliable source for information.

Results While doing my research, I selected and analyzed four primary peer-reviewed articles. The articles focus on the concept of proton therapy vs. photon therapy with pros and cons for each type. I then tested my hypotheses versus the subject of study presented by the researchers. A summary of the articles is included below.

Cozzi et al., 2001 Cozzi et al. (2001) compared 3D conformal therapy, intensity-modulated (IM) photons, and protons (passively scattered and spot scanned) among five patients with advanced head and neck tumors. Each patient contained stage III-IV squamous cell carcinomas that had been previously treated with 3D conformal therapy. The researchers selected the above techniques to test because IM photons and protons were just being discovered as a method to treat cancer. They wanted to see if a new method was superior to the existing methods available. The control in this study included patients with squamous cell carcinoma who were being treated previously with 3D conformal therapy. The independent variable was the radiation technique being used. During the study, organs at risk and healthy tissue, target coverage, and dose volumes were the dependent variables considered when determining which treatment method would be most beneficial. The organs at risk for this study included the spinal cord, parotid glands (salivary glands located behind the jawbone), and the apexes of the lungs. The variables were outlined using a CT scan. In addition to a CT scan, the researchers used dose volume histograms to calculate the survival of cancer and regular cells when treated with radiation. Dose volume histograms provide an image of the target volume (the tumor) and the dose levels of radiation, not only in the target area but in healthy tissue as well. The researchers hypothesized that proton therapy would be more beneficial than photon therapy because the tumors are deep within the body.

The results of the study concluded proton therapy to be superior to all other techniques in terms of organ and tissue preservation. In terms of the dependent variables considered, target coverage showed proton treatment to be superior because of its ability to maintain radiation within a target parameter. By 35

Keep Calm and Beam On Brittany Beltrami going outside of this target area, healthy tissue and organs are exposed to more radiation, therefore putting them at risk. Each organ has an estimated dose tolerance calculation by doctors. This means that, if an organ is exposed to radiation dose levels above the tolerance level, the organ can receive functionality damage.

Proton plans also supported radiation levels tolerable for the organs at risk. The dose volumes among the different techniques are similar; however, the dose volume histograms show differentiation among the techniques. Even at maximum dosage, proton plans still provide the best benefits at sparing healthy tissues.

Overall, the dependent variables tested by 3D conformal therapy, IM photons, and protons suggested patients treated with proton therapy may have a longer life expectancy. Life expectancy is extended due to organs at risk being spared, target volume dosage remaining within the confined area, and low levels of dose volume reaching healthy tissue.

Steneker et al., 2006 Steneker et al. (2006) followed up the findings from Cozzi et al. (2001) but added new components to consider. The researchers focused on the potential for secondary cancer to arise within the patients as well as the superiority among techniques when the radiation beams are optimized to their fullest potential and adjusting the spot size as seen fit. By optimizing radiation beams, organs at risk receive the maximum tolerated dose of radiation they can withstand. This is achieved by broadening the width of the radiation beam, widening the delivery nozzle, and adding more fields. Fields are used to determine where radiation needs to be delivered for a target. The researchers used different numbers of fields to match the best optimized beam results. Similarly, the researchers focused on dose distribution and target coverage compared with the dose to organs at risk. The new, additional dependent variable of focus was the possibility of a second cancer. As with Cozzi et al. (2001), the controls are the patients having squamous cell carcinoma and being treated previously with 3D conformal therapy. The independent variable is the radiation technique being used. The dependent variables are the organs at risk and healthy tissue, target coverage, and dose volumes. The researchers hypothesized that proton therapy would be superior based on their previous findings but wanted to compare photon therapy in an optimized setting.

The results concluded that IM proton therapy preserves organs better than IM photon therapy when both choices are tested against the same standards. IM proton therapy spared organs better than IM photon plans because the dose remained consistent to the tumor target. The results for IM photon plans showed the radiation dose infecting nearby organs and tissue.

Bolsi et al., 2003 Bolsi et al. (2003) compared three benign tumor types when attempting to determine if proton therapy or photon therapy would be superior for cancer treatment. For this study, proton therapy treatment techniques used were either passive scattered proton beams (Psp) or spot scanning (Ssp). This data was compared against the photon techniques 3D Conformal Radiotherapy (3DCRT), stereotactic arc therapy (SRS/T), and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). The three types of tumors were meningiomas, acoustic neurinomas, and pituitary adenomas. Patients who had these tumors were selected because of the ability to study long-term effects and the low number receiving radiation treatment. Toxicity and local control would be observed in a better light. Twelve patients were selected for this study. Of the twelve selected, five acoustic neurinomas, five meningiomas, and two pituitary adenomas were present. The research team

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Keep Calm and Beam On Brittany Beltrami obtained data about the organs at risk and presented their planned target volume via a CT scan. The organs at risk for this study included the brain stem, optic chiasm, optic nerve, and eye. The healthy brain was considered a tissue as opposed to an organ due to its sensitivity. The dependent variables considered were dose distributions, target coverage, organs at risk, and healthy tissue. The control was twelve patients and their independent tumor type. The independent variable was the proton or photon technique applied to the patient. The researchers hypothesized that 3DCRT, both proton treatment techniques, and IMRT would provide better alternatives to the SRS/T used in clinical trials.

The data collected by the researchers found that protons were more effective than photons in terms of target coverage, minimal radiation to healthy tissue, and preserving organs at risk. Among the photon techniques, SRS/T had the poorest target coverage but excelled at conserving organs at risk. IM photons and 3DCRT provided the worst results, particularly for the brain stem, by providing high levels of radiation that almost matched tolerance levels of the organs. As for healthy tissue, all the photon techniques gave similar results. Despite these trends among photon techniques, they still could not compare to the overall low dose felt by healthy tissue and organs at risk by proton techniques. Proton techniques also maintained the parameter of target volume radiation better than photons, which ultimately caused less damage to healthy tissue and organs.

Lomax et al., 2003 Lomax et al. (2003) wanted to investigate the possibility of IM X-ray therapy photon plans matching the benefits provided by proton therapy plans if the photon plans ignored dose constraints. In other words, when a patient receives radiation, there is a mathematically calculated radiation dose that is expected to provide the best results. This is referred to as the optimized plan. Lomax et al. (2003) challenged that by creating what they believed to be a better plan. This plan tightens the limitations of photons by applying calculations believed to match proton plans’ dominant dose distributions among the tumor as opposed to outside the targeted tumor. This potentially eliminates the biological benefits of protons by forcing the photon dose to remain “trapped” inside the target area. Ultimately, this would prevent organs at risk from receiving dangerous levels of radiation. One of the common issues among proton plans is the radiation to organs at risk. The researchers looked at one patient who had a paranasal tumor. The tumor location provided the best results due to the lack of neighboring organs at risk. However, organs at risk were still present and included the eyeballs, brain stem, chiasm, and optic nerves. The dependent variables tested were target dose levels, dose volume constraints, normal tissue, and organs at risk. The researchers hypothesized that photon plans can match proton plans when the technique is carried out in the same biological way as proton plans.

The data collected by the researchers concluded that photon plans with stricter constraints matched proton plans in terms of target volume coverage but only spared critical structures at select radiation dose strengths. However, the photon plan proposed by the researchers could not spare healthy tissue nor match proton plans’ ability to spare critical structures at every radiation dose subjected.

Discussion I selected four articles that compared various proton and photon techniques among patients with head and neck tumors to determine which is superior in terms of healthy tissue and organ preservation and reduction of secondary cancer occurrences. My primary interest, though, was healthy tissue and organ preservation. All four of my papers supported my primary hypothesis that proton therapy is superior to 37

Keep Calm and Beam On Brittany Beltrami photon therapy in terms of sparing critical organs and normal tissue. My secondary hypothesis stated that proton therapy would also show a reduction in the chance that secondary cancer occurs. Although only one article, Steneker et al. (2006), focuses on this issue, my hypothesis was also supported. Below, I will discuss how the papers I selected supported my hypothesis.

Cozzi et al. (2001) determined that proton therapy confines radiation dosage to a target area more effectively than photon therapy. By doing so, healthy tissue and organs are spared the damaging effects of radiation. The researchers deduced this by looking at the dose volume histograms taken of the spinal cord and parotid glands. For these sensitive structures, radiation levels did not reach a dangerous level for protons like they did for photons. Much of the radiation felt during proton therapy is by the tumor itself. Therefore, proton therapy can improve the quality of life by sparing critical organs and healthy tissue. This paper supports my hypothesis that proton therapy will spare organs and healthy tissue better than photon therapy.

Steneker et al. (2006) acted as a follow-up study to Cozzi et al. (2001) but with an extension of the work.

The researchers focused on preserving organs at risk while keeping the dosing between IM proton and photon therapy identical. The researchers also considered the formation of secondary cancer. Overall, IM proton therapy proved to be better at preserving organs at risk and also created a reduced chance for a reoccurrence of cancer at the same dosage as photon therapy. I selected this article as evidence that, even if the criteria for both treatment options match, proton therapy is still superior. This article supports both of my hypotheses.

Bolsi et al. (2003) selected twelve patients with benign tumors to test five different radiation techniques.

The techniques included 3D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), stereotactic arc therapy (SRS/T), intensity modulated radiotherapy with photons (IMRT), and radiotherapy using protons with spot scanning (SSp) or passive scattering (PSp). Patients with benign tumors were selected because of their long life expectancy.

Of the techniques, protons proved to be better at maintaining standard behavior and sparing organs at risk.

I selected this study because it provided even more challenges to my hypothesis. It also compared multiple techniques for proton and photon therapies. This article also supported my hypothesis by providing data and tissue analysis of proton superiority.

Lomax et al. (2003) attempted to match the superiority of IM proton therapy to IM photon therapy by tweaking the photon plans. This study was important for my hypothesis because the researcher was not comparing the two methods to see which was better but instead attempting to match the better source (proton therapy) with a resource already available for cancer treatment (photon therapy). The paranasal sinus was the area of comparability because of its restricted effects on vital organs. Additional constraints and beam optimizations were applied to make photons comparable with protons. The constraints prevented the radiation from seeping out of the target area and into primary organs. Even though the results showed comparable distributions among the target volume and avoidance of vital structure damage, the trend could not continue among each dose for the researchers to fully accept their hypothesis. Thus, my hypothesis was supported because proton therapy can maintain a confined radiation target even at high doses.

Although my hypotheses were ultimately supported, there are some variables to be considered for future study. The sample size for each paper was relatively small. Although the subject was head and neck cancers, which advance easily and are fatal, the sample size was still small. For example, Lomax et al. (2003) only had one patient for their sample size. This hurts the accuracy of their results. Also, the researchers for Lomax et al. (2003) were not concerned about radiating healthy tissue to see photons’ potential. Despite considering this, they still accepted proton therapy as being superior. Even though secondary cancer was not my primary 38

Keep Calm and Beam On Brittany Beltrami focus, I should have collected more articles testing this concept as well. To obtain a better consensus about proton therapy and photon therapy, I think more extensive research needs to be performed. However, I also think it is important for patients to educate themselves about proton therapy. Despite the flaws by the researchers, they all still agreed that proton therapy preserves healthy tissue and organs better. It also has a decreased risk of a secondary cancer forming. These factors can improve life expectancy for patients with cancer and ultimately provide a healthier alternative to dangerous radiation doses.

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Keep Calm and Beam On Brittany Beltrami Literature Cited Bolsi, Alessandra, Antonella Fogliata, Luca Cozzi. 2003. Radiotherapy of small intracranial tumors with different advanced techniques using photon and proton beams: a treatment planning study.

Radiotherapy and Oncology, 68 (1): 1-14.

Cozzi, Luca, Antonella Fogliata, Antony Lomax, Alessandra Bolsi. 2001. A treatment planning comparison of 3D conformal therapy, intensity modulated photon therapy and proton therapy for treatment of advanced head and neck tumors. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 61 (3): 287-297.

Lomax, Antony J., Michael Goitein, Judy Adams. 2003. Intensity modulation in radiotherapy: photons versus protons in the paranasal sinus. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 66 (1): 11-18.

Paganetti, Harald. 2016. Proton Therapy Physics. Florida: CRC Press. 114 p.

Paganetti, Harald, Cedric X. Yu, Colin G. Orton. 2016. Photon radiotherapy has reached its limit in terms of catching up dosimetrically with proton therapy. The International Journal of Medical Physics Research and Practice, 43 (8): 4470.

Raju, M. R. 1996. Particle Radiotherapy: Historical Developments and Current Status. Radiation Research, 145 (4): 391-407.

Siegel, Rebecca L., Kimberly D. Miller, Ahmedin Jemal. 2016. Cancer Statistics, 2016. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 66 (1): 7-30.

Slater, James M. 2011. Ion Beam Therapy: Fundamentals, Technology, Clinical Applications. New York: Springer Science & Business Media. 181 p.

Smith, Alfred R. 2009. Vision 20/20: Proton Therapy. The International Journal of Medical Physics Research and Principles, 36 (2): 556.

Steneker, Marloes, Antony Lomax, Uwe Schneider. 2006. Intensity Modulated Photon and Proton Therapy for the Treatment of Head and Neck Tumors. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 80 (2): 263-267.

Talcott, James A., Carl Rossi, William U. Shipley, Jack A. Clark, Jerry D. Slater, Andrzej Niemierko, Anthony L. Zietman. 2010. Patient-Reported Long-term Outcomes After Conventional and High-Dose Combined Proton and Photon Radiation for Early Prostate Cancer. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 303 (11): 287.

Zuylen, Jeffrey V., Fred Kahn, Iain Campbell, Christopher L. M. Stoute. 2001. Method and apparatus for photon therapy. United States Patent 6221095.

40

I’m Trying Sean Timmons

When I was 20 years old, I finally became a middle and high school student minister. It was the age that I started working at a church as well as serving as a Bible study leader for a summer camp. It’s what I wanted to do as my career, so, of course, getting paid to do what I love was exciting! I love working with youth because they’re full of adventure, interesting plans, and ideas.

As I began working with the youth and their near infinite amount of energy, I began to think of Triston.

He was a childhood best friend, and he and I did everything together as if we were brothers. We would ride bikes, kayak, play airsoft in the woods, and do whatever else we felt like. He always said that the woods made him feel free. He knew every path, every tree, every leaf. He would do whatever he wanted in those woods, and who was going to stop him? Honestly, he was an adventure in and of himself. He was the type of guy that would set up a ramp on his roof and ride his bike down and off it as if the law of gravity was meaningless. He once built a mini bike out of a Tecumseh, a chain, a throttle, brakes, and a few other parts he found at a garage sale. Triston’s neighbors complained about his pellet gun being too loud, so he made a suppressor out of PVC pipe so the only sound that would be heard was the supersonic speed of the pellet hitting the pie plate.

Usually, our days together would start with him having an idea, followed by my resistance. I swear Triston’s plans revolved around determining what made me squirm. I didn’t like going to new places? “Let’s go across the river, on our own.” I felt awkward around girls? “We need to hang out with people. What about so and so?”

He would push me to get out of my comfort zone, and I would always tell him, “I’m trying, Triston!”

Triston did a lot of the things he did because he got bored easily. He grew up with his dad and sister, without ever knowing his mom. But, Triston being Triston, he was able to find his mom, using some Sherlockian techniques, I’m sure. He decided that life was too boring in our little town, so he moved in with his mom roughly eleven hours away in Georgia. Our last time hanging out in person, he told me that we were like brothers. I remember it, because it was the only time he acknowledged it with words. After the move, he and I talked from time to time, but it was difficult seeing each other, as we were states apart. He made new friends and got into drinking and smoking. They were new adventures to him, although I was worried. While Triston was doing that, I nervously tried to find new adventures within the youth group at church. We went out and did different sorts of service projects and outings, but the best part was the friends I ended up making. One day, we were working at an older lady’s home, painting her wheelchair ramp.

That’s when I got the call.

“Triston is umm…he, well…he’s gone.” His mom had found him hanging in his room early in the morning.

He was 16 years old. It wasn’t possible. He couldn’t have been gone. He was depressed. He was drunk. He was high. He was bullied. He was lonely. The words people blamed for his death were endless. It made no sense, and, unfortunately, it didn’t have to. I felt so guilty but didn’t understand why. What if I had called him more? Maybe I should have visited him. I’m sure I could have come up with the money. Why didn’t I beg him to stay with his dad? There are millions, maybe even billions of electrons that fly through the human brain in a millisecond, yet the moment I found out about Triston felt like—feels like—it was years in the making.

At the same time, everything flew by at the speed of light. The funeral that was states away that I couldn’t attend. The memorial service in my town that allowed me to attend something. Moving away to college. First 41

I’m Trying Sean Timmons year of school gone. Working at the summer camp. Getting hired by the church. Second year of school. And here I am, sitting in my room, wishing that the ink I’m using will somehow be the antidote to heal Triston of his permanent adventure.

I’m going to work another year of summer camp and continue to be the youth minister at the church. Of course, there are some easy days and some terrible days. There are times when I feel like I can do anything, and other days when I look around and have no idea what I should be doing. I was worried about going into youth ministry in general, and Triston’s death didn’t help those feelings. But I’ve found a sense of freedom working with my students that I didn’t expect. They remind me to be adventurous and have fun with life.

They remind me to find solutions to problems. They remind me to be creative. They remind me of Triston.

Every once in a while, I swear he speaks through them. Like one time, one of the youth informed me that I was like a brother to him. I normally don’t cry in front of the youth, but, that time, I said through teary eyes, “I’m trying.”

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Neverending Samantha Pulliam

Everyone acts like they’re so scared to go to Hell, but not me. I wake up there every day. There’s barely a moment’s peace before I’m plagued with an incessant buzzing in my head. Questions. “What do I need to do today what did I forget last night what if I don’t get it all done whatifwhatifwhatif?” It doesn’t stop. I just have to find a way to make it be quiet. The correct balance of Zoloft and whiskey escapes me most nights.

I know exactly what I’m going to wear today. I thought about it last night. If I don’t have everything planned ahead of time, I feel like I can’t get enough air in my lungs. I slide on the denim shorts easily; I’ve been losing weight. My pink bra isn’t clean. Go figure. Okay, breathe. There are others. I reach for the gray one, catch the hooks, and fish for a specific black shirt in a drawer full of darkness. This isn’t it. Not this one, either. Of course, it’s at the bottom and, of course, my bed is covered with dark shirts. I’ll clean it up tonight. Just don’t think about it now.

I brush my hair. I check it. I check it again. Slowly putting on my makeup. It’s too much. It’s too dark it’s not perfect it’swrongdammitit’swrong. I re-do it. I check it. I check it again. I don’t want any attention, good or bad.

It’s another balance that’s hard to find. I turn up my stereo while I’m looking for the right shoes. The birds are bothering me. What might be beautiful to some feels like screeching to me. I’m not in control of this sound, but I am in control of what music fills my room. Today, it’s Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. “Sherry, can you come out tonight?” No, she doesn’t want to. She’s got generalized anxiety, too, I bet.

I check my outfit again and drag the brush through my knots before deciding a ponytail is easier. I wish I could be invisible. It’s a short drive to the grocery store, but there are a lot of cars in the parking lot. I can’t put off the trip any longer, though. I don’t have anything to eat in the cabinets. I came up here yesterday, but, as soon as I walked through those loud double doors, I tripped on the threshold, so I just went home.

I fumble with my list. I wrote down exactly what I needed three times, in case I forgot or lost the paper. I make a lot of lists. I need to clean up those shirts when I get home. I write it down. I look at the list again as I pick a cart that doesn’t have squeaky wheels. It’s not too crowded, so I should be able to get everything. But, regardless, I put the most important things on top like toilet paper and stuff to make sandwiches. As my cart approaches full, I walk up and down the rows of cash registers. Who looks the least intimidating?

I choose an elderly woman with a kind smile. She rings up my items slowly and asks if I am having a gettogether. I guess it’s because I have so much food in my cart. I say yes, because it’s easier than explaining I’m too nervous to come here for a whole week.

On my ride home, I think about how glad I am to not be having a get-together. I’d need six months to prepare. Maybe a year. As soon as I get home, I turn the music back on and sing along to the rest of Frankie Valli’s hits while I neatly put away the groceries. And those black shirts. Tea. A warm cup of tea and a collection of short stories would be a perfect way to wind down from the stress of going out. The kettle whistles, letting me know the water’s warm. I drop a tea bag in my cup. Where’s the honey?

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Helvetica: Can’t Live Without It! Samantha Reece Digital Illustration

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Blue Moon Shelby Griffis Painting

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Dandelion Melany Garcia Lopez Photograph

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It’s All About Perspective Ashlyn Smith Mixed Media

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Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard Abstract Currently, sea levels in North Carolina are higher than they have ever been and are still rising (Kopp et al., 2015). Rising sea levels can increase the salinity levels in nearby freshwater habitats after major storm events. These freshwater habitats are essential for frogs to lay their eggs. Increases in salinization of these areas act as a stressor and could influence the growth and development of the tadpoles. Physiological and behavioral development could be affected as well. Because of these impacts on the tadpoles, rising sea levels could contribute to the global amphibian decline. It was hypothesized in this research that increased salinity levels would adversely affect the physiology and behavior of developing tadpoles. In this study, African clawed tadpoles were placed in freshwater, low salinity, and high salinity treatments. During their development, each week the Gosner stage of development, snout-to-vent length, total length, and mass of each tadpole was measured. Activity levels were measured at pre-metamorphic and pro-metamorphic stages of development. The results from this study indicated that, as salinity levels increased, total length, mass, time to metamorphosis, activity levels, and survivability were adversely affected. Because these specimens are freshwater animals, they are not adept at handling high salinity levels like other species. Therefore, it is evident that their ability to survive would decline as salinity increases. This was supported by the data collected from this research, which was all found significant. These findings would then suggest that there could be a rise in the global amphibian decline if salinity levels continue to rise in freshwater estuaries.

Introduction Currently, sea levels in North Carolina are higher than they ever have been and are still rising (Kopp et al., 2015). This can also be seen in Figure 1 below from the National Climate Assessment website (Paris et al., 2014). As it stands now, sea levels are almost one foot higher than they were in the late 1800s. Similarly, sea levels are about 0.5 feet higher than they were in the early 1900s. This data also projects that, by the year 2050, we can expect to see an additional half-foot rise in sea levels (Paris et al., 2014).

This is concerning because, as sea levels rise, the salinity levels in nearby freshwater habitats could increase (Michener et al., 1997). These freshwater habitats are essential for frogs to lay their eggs. Increases in salinization of these areas act as a stressor and could influence the growth and development, physiology, and behavior of these tadpoles. Because of these impacts on the tadpoles, rising sea levels could contribute to the global amphibian decline.

The species of frogs/tadpoles used in this research, Xenopus laevis, are naturally occurring species in southern Africa. However, substantial introduced populations have been seen in California, Chile, and Great Britain (Garvey, 2000). Xenopus laevis has been shown to be capable of tolerating wide variations in pH; however, the presence of metal ions has been seen to be toxic. This species thrives in temperatures between 15.6 and 26.7 degrees Celsius (60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit). Xenopus laevis is an almost totally aquatic species and only leaves the water when forced to migrate (Garvey, 2000). Xenopus laevis can breed up to 4 times each year. Breeding can take place during any time of the year but is most common in the spring. Generally, the full development of these tadpoles into adult frogs takes 56 to 60 days, which totals 66 different stages of development. The tadpoles of this species are exclusively filter feeders. Due to its transparent embryos, which are easy to observe during development, this species has been used extensively in laboratory research (Garvey, 2000).

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Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard

Figure 1 above shows the past sea level rise since the 1800s and the predicted rise until the year 2100 (http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/our-changing-climate/sea-level-rise).

Numerous studies, similar to this one, have shown that increased salinity levels can have negative impacts on amphibians by decreasing their abundance and distribution (Rios-Lopez, 2008; Woolrich-Pina et al., 2015), slowing growth and development (Alexander et al., 2012; Kearney et al., 2014), and decreasing survivorship (Brown and Walls, 2012). For instance, Rios-Lopez studied frogs in Puerto Rico developing in high salinities (2008). He found that there was higher mortality, decreased mass, and increased number of developmental abnormalities in the tadpoles in these high salinities (Rios-Lopez, 2008). However, little research has been done to understand the effects of salinity on locomotor activity.

Another research article involving salinity levels and tadpole growth found that amphibian populations worldwide are declining due to many factors, including habitat destruction, climate change, disease, introduction of non-native species, and environmental contamination. In this article, the researchers wanted to determine at what salinity level hatching and metamorphosis would be negatively impacted and also to see how salinity levels would affect developmental characteristics that contribute to adult activity (Alexander et al., 2012). They found that, at 6 parts per thousand (ppt), about 74.4% of the embryos hatched successfully and, at 8-10 ppt, none of the embryos successfully hatched. Therefore, the researchers concluded that, as salinity increases, hatching success, larval survival, and adult activity levels decreased (Alexander et al., 2012). This article was very beneficial, because it shows that, even at low salinity levels, such as those being used in this research, there were still adverse effects to tadpole growth, development, and behavior.

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Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard Understanding how stress affects the anatomy and physiology of these tadpoles, and using knowledge from previous research, it was hypothesized that increased salinity levels would negatively affect the growth, development, and locomotor activity of developing Xenopus laevis tadpoles. It was predicted that tadpoles exposed to higher salinity levels would show the greatest decline in growth, meaning shorter length, lower mass, and larger time frame for complete metamorphosis.

Methods Experimental Design The Xenopus laevis tadpoles used for this research were ordered from Carolina Biological and were shipped as embryos. Each container came with about 200 embryos. This species of tadpole was used because of the vast amount of information that can be found about them and also because they are model organisms. Xenopus laevis tadpoles were placed in one of three treatments, which represented naturally occurring salinity levels: freshwater (approximately 0 g NaCl/L), 0.5 ppt saltwater (0.499 g NaCl/L), and 1.25 ppt saltwater (1.246 g NaCl/L). The following variables were measured over the 42-day lifespan of the tadpoles being studied: mass, total length, Gosner stage of development, and locomotor activity. Every week, the Gosner stage of development, total length, and mass of each tadpole were measured. Locomotor activity was measured twice during this research, with two weeks in between measurements. Data collected from the saltwater tadpoles was then compared to the freshwater control to determine the effects.

Tadpole Care Ten five-gallon buckets were filled with tap water from the faucet, and the water was treated with a de-chlorinator (Aqua Safe). Each bucket was treated with 2.5 mL of Aqua Safe as the instructions on the bottle indicated for 18.9 liters of water. The buckets of water were then allowed to sit overnight so that the de-chlorinator could take full effect. The saltwater was made in increments of 3.5 liters at a time. The measurements for the two treatment types were as follows: 0.5 ppt saltwater was 0.499 g NaCl/L and 1.25 ppt saltwater was 1.246 g NaCl/L. Containers used in this research consisted of 60 two-liter plastic storage containers. The 60 containers were divided between the three treatment types, 20 containers for each treatment. The containers were filled with the treatment water and labeled with which water was inside as follows: freshwater was labeled “FW”, 0.5 ppt was labeled “LS” for low salinity, and 1.25 ppt was labeled “HS” for high salinity. In order for the water to be adequately oxygenated, the containers each received an air stone. Once the tadpoles were acclimated to their treatment types, each container received two tadpoles. Therefore, 20 containers for each treatment meant 40 tadpoles for each treatment, totaling 120 tadpoles for this research.

In order to simulate a light-to-dark cycle, like the tadpoles would experience in nature, two timers and lamps were set up in the room. The timers were set to turn the lamps on at 06:30 and then turn the lamps off at 18:30. The lamps in the room were positioned so that each end of the room received the same amount of light.

In order to acclimate the tadpoles to their treatment types, they were left in the small containers they were shipped in. There were three containers of tadpoles, and each container was designated for one of the three treatment types. Every 10 minutes, approximately 15 mL of water was removed from these containers. The 15 mL of water was then replaced with an equivalent amount of the container’s designated 50

Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard treatment type of water. This process was repeated over a one-hour time period.

Because there was no natural food source for the tadpoles in their containers, a source of food was needed. The food was a mixture of 1 tablespoon of ground fish food, 7 grams of gelatin, 1 tablespoon of spirulina powder, and 200 mL of deionized (DI) water. First, the gelatin was mixed with 100 mL of DI water in a large, 500 mL beaker. This solution was then microwaved until the gelatin was completely dissolved. In a separate beaker, the fish food, spirulina powder, and 100 mL of DI water were mixed. After this solution was mixed well, it was poured into the heated gelatin solution and stirred in. This new solution was then poured into a small, 2-liter container and placed in the refrigerator to solidify overnight. After this time period, the food was ready to be given to the tadpoles. The tadpoles were fed twice a week, once on Friday and then again on Tuesday.

Measuring Total Length & Gosner Stage In order to measure Gosner stage, each tadpole was removed from its container and placed in a small petri dish. The petri dish contained just enough water so that the tadpoles could still breathe but not enough for them to swim around. The petri dish was then placed under a dissecting microscope so that all the features of the tadpole could be clearly observed. Using xenbase.org’s chart on Gosner stages, each tadpole’s stage of development could be accurately determined (Karpinka et al., 2015).

Gosner stage of development is a numerical value placed on each stage of development for tadpoles.

Physical characteristics of the tadpoles, such as how long the tail is or whether the tadpole has developed limbs yet, identify each stage. Also, internal anatomy plays a role in stage identification. For instance, some stages look very similar in external anatomy, but the intestines on the inside may have a different configuration.

After the tadpole was staged, total length was measured. Total length was determined by placing the tadpole in the palm of a human hand. Then, using a metric ruler, total length was measured to the closest millimeter. After the tadpole’s Gosner stage and total length were determined, the tadpole was then returned to its home container. Gosner stage of development and total length were measured on Friday of every week.

Measuring Total Mass Total mass was also measured on the same day as length and Gosner stage. The mass of each tadpole was measured to the nearest thousandth of a gram. After the mass was recorded, the tadpole was then returned to its home container. In order to determine the actual mass of the tadpole, the initial mass of the preweighed container was subtracted from the final mass.

Measuring Locomotor Activity Locomotor activity was measured twice during the course of this research. In order to quantify locomotor activity, one tadpole from each container was used. The tadpole was placed in a separate container with its designated treatment water. The container was visually separated into a back, middle, and front section and also a left and right section. The position of the tadpole in the container was noted for one second every

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Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard minute for one hour. The data was quantified such that one movement meant that the tadpole was in a different quadrant than the previous position noted.

Data Analysis For each week, all the data collected for each treatment was averaged for each of the variables being measured. Once the data for each variable was averaged, a standard deviation was then found in order to calculate the standard error of the mean for each week. Each variable being measured was then placed into a graph comparing each treatment to the others over each week of measurements.

Results

Figure 2 above shows the mean mass (with standard error bars) for each treatment over the 38-day lifespan of the tadpoles.

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Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard

Figure 3 above shows the mean total length (with standard error bars) for each treatment over the 38-day lifespan of the tadpoles.

Figure 4 above shows the mean Gosner stage (with standard error bars) for each treatment over the 38day lifespan of the tadpoles.

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Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard

Figure 5 above shows the mean movements per hour (with standard error bars) at day 14 and 29 of tadpole development.

Figure 6 shows the percent survival of each treatment type over the 38-day lifespan of the tadpoles.

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Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard As seen in Figure 2 above, mean mass between the treatment levels was significant until day 32. On day 32, the mean masses of the tadpoles became equal to each other, and this persisted until the tadpoles died.

Figure 3 and Figure 4 show similar results that mean total length and mean Gosner stage development were significantly different between the treatments until day 32. Once again, on day 32, the mean total lengths and mean Gosner stages became equal to each other and persisted until the tadpoles died. Figure 5 shows the activity levels measured on day 14 and day 29. This graph shows that there was a significant difference in activity levels between each treatment type. Figure 6 is a graph of survivability over time for each treatment type. The graph ends at day 38, because this was the last day measurements were taken before all the tadpoles died. However, the graph still shows that there was a significant difference in survivability for the high salinity group.

Discussion For this study, the hypothesis that salinity alters growth, development, and behavior in tadpoles was supported. This can be seen in Figures 1, 2, and 3 above. Each of these graphs shows that there was a significant difference between each treatment type as the research progressed. However, at day 38, unfortunately the remainder of the tadpoles died and never reached full metamorphosis. Also, it can be noted that in Figures 1, 2, and 3, on day 32 the treatment types began to even out all at the same mass, length, and Gosner stage. This could be due to the same reason that all the tadpoles eventually died; however, other researchers did not experience this result, and no exact conclusion can be made. Even without seeing the full metamorphosis, though, the first three weeks of data collected for mass, length, and Gosner stage were all significant for each treatment type.

Similar to other studies (Brown and Walls, 2012), increased salinity levels decreased survivorship in the tadpoles, as was predicted in this study. This is likely due to the negative impact of salinity on the physiology of these freshwater organisms. The saline in the water likely caused the tadpoles to have issues with osmoregulation and could be the reason so many of the tadpoles died as the research progressed (Shoemaker and Nagy, 1977). This can be seen in Figure 5, which shows that, even before the tadpoles could be measured, 90% of the high salinity tadpoles died. Also, at day 25, an additional 5% of the high salinity tadpoles was lost.

In regards to locomotor activity, as hypothesized, the high salinity tadpoles were less active than the low salinity tadpoles, and the low salinity tadpoles were less active than the freshwater control group. This can be seen in Figure 4, which shows that, on both occasions that activity was measured, there was a significant difference between all treatment types. These results were similar to other studies in which saline conditions reduced activity levels in amphibians (DenoĂŤl et al., 2012). Due to these findings, it is likely that reduced locomotor activity could leave these animals vulnerable to predation and reduce their ability to compete for resources. Since these tadpoles are less active, they act as an easy target for predators.

Though Xenopus laevis is an ideal organism to use in lab settings, since it is a model organism, it does not truly show the affects salinity would have on amphibians local to North Carolina. Similar research into the effects of salinity in early development of tadpoles has revealed that salinity affects growth and development (Alexander et al., 2012; Kearney et al., 2014). However, according to other research, salinity tolerance depends on species (Brown and Walls, 2013) and timing of exposure (Kearney et al., 2014). Therefore, if this research were duplicated, we could try to use a species more local to North Carolina to better understand how salinity levels would affect native amphibians. That being said, this research can be applied to other states as well. Many states use salt brine solutions as a means to keep their roads from icing during the cold 55

Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard winter months. However, as the salt solution washes off the roads, the newly salinized water is then carried into lakes and streams, where the salinity of these systems is then increased (Novotny et al., 2008).

Another perspective to consider for expanding this research is to conduct a more pulsatile treatment of salinity levels. In nature, these tadpoles experience a rise and fall in salinity, not a constant level of salinity like what they experienced in this research. These rises and falls are caused by natural events such as rainstorms and droughts (Alexander et al., 2012). By conducting a pulsatile treatment experiment, we could simulate this rise and fall in salinity levels. This might then give us a better understanding of how the tadpoles would react to salinity levels in nature.

In conclusion, all the findings from this research would suggest that amphibian populations inhabiting coastal areas are vulnerable if sea levels continue to rise and impact freshwater estuaries. This would mean that, if sea levels continue to rise, we could see a continuation of the global amphibian decline.

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Salinity Alters Growth, Development, and Behavior in Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Wrenn Woodard References Alexander, L. G., Lailvaux, S. P., Pechmann, J. H., and DeVries, P. J., 2012. Effects of salinity on early life stages of the Gulf Coast toad, Incilius nebulifer (Anura: Bufonidae). Copeia, 2012 (1), 106-114.

Brown, M. E., and Walls, S. C., 2013. Variation in salinity tolerance among larval anurans: Implications for community composition and the spread of an invasive, non-native species. Copeia, 2013(3), 543-551.

Denoël, M., D’Hooghe, B., Ficetola, G. F., Brasseur, C., De Pauw, E., Thomé, J. P., and Kestemont, P., 2012. Using sets of behavioral biomarkers to assess short-term effects of pesticide: a study case with endosulfan on frog tadpoles. Ecotoxicology, 21(4), 1240-1250.

Garvey, Nathan, 2000. Xenopus laevis (African Clawed Frog). Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.

Karpinka, J. B., Fortriede, J. D., Burns, K. A., James-Zorn, C., Ponferrada, V. G., Lee, J., ... & Vize, P. D. (2015).

Xenbase, the Xenopus model organism database; new virtualized system, data types and genomes. Nucleic acids research, 43(D1), D756-D763. http://www.xenbase.org/anatomy/alldev.do Kearney, B. D., Pell, R. J., Byrne, P. G., and Reina, R. D., 2014. Anuran larval developmental plasticity and survival in response to variable salinity of ecologically relevant timing and magnitude. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology, 321(10), 541-549.

Kopp, R. E., Horton, B. P., Kemp, A. C., and Tebaldi, C., 2015. Past and future sea-level rise along the coast of North Carolina, USA. Climatic Change, 132(4), 693-707.

Michener, W. K., Blood, E. R., Bildstein, K. L., Brinson, M. M., and Gardner, L. R., 1997. Climate change, hurricanes and tropical storms, and rising sea level in coastal wetlands. Ecological Applications, 7(3), 770-801.

Novotny, E. V., Murphy, D., and Stefan, H. G., 2008. Increase of urban lake salinity by road deicing salt. Science of the Total Environment, 406(1), 131-144.

Paris, Adam, Peter D. Bromirski, Virginia Burkett, Daniel R. Cayan, Mary Culver, John A. Hall, Radley Horton, Kevin Knuuti, Richard Moss, Jayantha Obeysekera, Abby Sallanger, and Jeremy L. Weiss, Jan. 1, 2014.

Global Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the United States National Climate Assessment. Global Change Information System. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://nca2014.globalchange. gov/report/our-changing-climate/sea-level-rise Shoemaker, V., and Nagy, K. A., 1977. Osmoregulation in amphibians and reptiles. Annual Review of Physiology, 39(1), 449-471.

Woolrich-Piña, G. A., Smith, G. R., and Lemos-Espinal, J. A., 2015. Effects of salinity and density on tadpoles of two anurans from the Rio Salado, Puebla, Mexico. Journal of Herpetology, 49(1), 17-22.

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Sabbath GermaNa Farrior

My Sabbath is kept holy with early rising and unlimited pecks of unconditional love.

No physical labor to be done, but the spirit is buzzing with anticipation.

Pleasing to the soul, the Sun cascades in as he repositions himself.

Eagerness arises— the day of fellowship and divine assembly, the sense of connection to the one who created me and the one he created for me, you.

This excites and inspires the most important relationship of all.

Like a soft kiss by a warm breeze, I am reminded to remember the days of rest and keep them sacred.

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Golden Hour Deja Christopher

Now, when I think of you, I see you in the soft white light That was shining through the window.

Light that’s been washed by a thin layer of clouds.

The type of light that slides through my blinds, Late morning on slow Sundays.

A light that is fragile porcelain, Queen Anne’s lace.

Yet you are the warm, golden rays that flood in right before sunset.

The type of light that makes you shield your eyes, because it’s too bright.

The gold flowers that grow on the side of the road, solidago, marigold.

I think about you in this empty space, Waiting for you to brighten up the mottled gray of my life.

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Contributors Grace K. Arredondo, English (‘21). I hope to be a writer whose words positively inspire readers and a person whose actions profoundly impact the world.

Brittany Beltrami, Biology (‘17).

Olivia R. Borer, Graphic Design (‘19). I feel that living in and appreciating moments is essential to my personal happiness. My photography in general is an attempt to capture and express those beautiful moments. I aspire to create art that inspires respect for the world around us and its preservation.

Deja R. Christopher, Interdisciplinary Studies (‘18). I aspire to be a physician’s assistant, a philanthropist, and some day an adult. My hobbies include being a hopeless romantic, a lover of the arts, a know-it-all, and answering my roommate’s existential questions at one in the morning.

Terrance Duffy, Sport Management.

GermaNa Farrior, English (‘18).

Melany Garcia Lopez, Graphic Design (‘19). I hope to work with a great Graphic Design company to grow and learn more to one day be able to open my own design company. That, one day, my artwork can inspire and help people around the world.

Dontae Greer, Graphic Design (‘19).

Shelby Griffis, Biology (‘18).

Samara L. Hardiman, Graphic Design (‘17). I normally fixate on random things: art, video games, mythology, my obscure comic book obsession. I’m sure my (admittedly, very sleep deprived) roommate would like me to spare the exhaustive details of when and how I get inspired.

Paula Keeter, History.

Kyasia Morgan, Studio Art (‘19).

Darren Peoples, Business Administration.

Samantha Pulliam, English (‘17).

Samantha Reece, Graphic Design (‘18). My hobbies include drawing, reading, cooking, listening to music, story writing, comic making, painting, walking, and voice acting. I hope to become an animator, a voice actor, and write my own successful story one day!

Ashlyn R. Smith, English (‘21). I have a deep passion for creative writing, literature, and making my own art. I am from St. George, Utah, where I grew up dancing in the Southwest Dance Company my grandmother started and playing soccer, which I continue to do at Chowan. I really enjoy connecting and having meaningful conversations with people. My favorite food is strawberries, and there is no greater movie in the world than Disney’s Tangled!

Sean M. Timmons, Religion (‘19). I want to have a career in youth ministry, but I also enjoy writing. I usually write about personal friends and experiences because I know those stories the best!

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Evelyn H. Walker, Graphic Design (‘18). I would describe my essence as “when you walk outside in nature and smell something nice.” I love God, and I love art. I especially enjoy making art that causes the viewer to ask questions because I, as a student, ask a lot of questions.

Dominique Weldon, English (‘17). I’m a writer (maybe if I say it enough, it will come true). My hobbies include listening to music, reading, overthinking, sleeping, and, of course, writing.

Lewis Wrenn Woodard, Biology (‘17). I currently work at the University of Michigan Hospital as a Research Laboratory Lead for the Michigan Clinical Research Unit. Though the research I conducted is not clinical in nature, it definitely jumpstarted my career in the research field. Therefore, I thank all the tadpoles I used in this research and my professors.

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Cover Photo “Don’t Listen to Them”

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