Digital Commons Network^™

Insights From Father-Toddler Communication Via Tiktok, Joy Lee Hernandez, Abha Gupta

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This qualitative study investigates the characteristics of interactions between fathers and toddlers, as well as their influence on language development. By utilizing video clips from the social media platform TikTok, this research observes and analyses fathers' responses and interactions with their toddlers. The findings indicate that fathers play a crucial role in supporting language development by engaging in conversations, expanding vocabulary, and providing emotional support. The study underscores the significance of fathers' involvement in nurturing language skills during early childhood. However, further longitudinal research is necessary to establish a definitive link between fathers' language input and toddlers' language development. Overall, …

A Dynamical Systems Approach For Modeling Malware Propagating Through A Network And Potential Solutions Towards Mitigating Spread, James Johnson

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Many people draw close parallels between malware propagating through a network and an epidemic spreading through a population. Epidemics are often modeled by a Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) model, in which a similar system of equations can model the spread of a virus through a computer network, and can be simplified when making assumptions about the network itself and its fixed number of nodes and edges. In this instance, malware propagating in a network also should reflect the network it is propagating through, in which the dynamical system will factor in the nodes of the network and their properties. The system itself …

Agenda/Program: Frank Reidy Research Center For Bioelectrics Retreat 2024, Frank Reidy Research Center For Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University

2024 Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics Retreat

Agenda and condensed program for the 2024 Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics Retreat held on November 7, 2024 at the ODU Priority Club in Norfolk, VA.

An Introduction To The Time-Independent Schrödinger Equation And Methods To Solve It, Vu Giang, Alex Gnech

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

The Time-Independent Schrödinger Equation is a linear elliptic PDE that describes quantum-mechanical systems. Its significance in the science of submicroscopic phenomena, particularly quantum mechanics, is as central as Newton’s laws of motion are to classical mechanics. This study uses various methods, including novel neural networks and finite difference schemes, to solve the one-dimensional two-body equation.

Instructional Systems Design: The Diffusion And Adoption Of Technology: (Volume 2), Cassandra Celaya (Author), Pamela J. Downing (Author), Jessica Shifflett (Author), Debbie Gdula (Author), Tracie Barr (Author), Miguel Ramlatchan (Author & Editor)

University Administration Bookshelf

Instructional designers, instructional systems designers, and other educational technologists are, by their nature, innovators. These professionals apply and extend the applied science of learning, systems, communication, and instructional design theory to help students learn. Technology in some capacity is used to make the connections between subject matter experts, teachers, instructors, and their learners. It is common for instructional designers to seek new tools, techniques, and innovations for the improvement of learning, access, quality, and student satisfaction. However, the adoption and diffusion of new educational technology and innovation is a complex process that depends on many variables. Understanding these processes and …

Resource Selection Of The Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) In The Coastal Plain Of Virginia, Marissa H. Guill, Jesse L. De La Cruz, K. Marc Puckett, W. Mark Ford

Virginia Journal of Science

The southern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger niger) is a subspecies of fox squirrel that ranges from southeastern Virginia to northern Florida. Throughout its Southeastern range, southern fox squirrel habitat of natural mixed pine-hardwood forests has been fragmented by agriculture and short-rotation pine plantations. In Virginia, remaining habitat has been transformed by fire suppression on the landscape and has in turn resulted in small, disjunct populations of southern fox squirrels. We sought to identify the home range and resource utilization of southern fox squirrels in the southern Coastal Plain of Virginia. From established nest boxes, we captured, radio collared …

Network Analysis Of Virginia’S Mineralogical Systems, Cadence M. Boucher, Ahmed M. Eleish, Robert M. Hazen, Shaunna M. Morrison

Virginia Journal of Science

The principal objective of this study was to use network analysis to identify spatial, geomorphic, physical, and chemical patterns in Virginia’s mineralogical systems. Mineralogical and locality data from mindat.org were visualized as a bipartite force- directed network of the minerals and the counties of Virginia in which they occur. Mineral nodes were sized to represent the number of counties the minerals are found in (i.e., frequency of occurrence) and county nodes were sized to represent the number of minerals found in that county (i.e., mineral diversity). Furthermore, the nodes were colored to display selected attributes of the mineral-county data. County …

Eco-Friendly Packaging: Changing The Norm, Victoria C. Hoffmann, Mujde Erten-Unal

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Packaging is an essential aspect of our daily life routines and is integral in preserving, protecting, informing, and selling the products we rely on. The advent of plastic packaging has allowed us to meet the rising consumer demand for efficient and economical packaging solutions. However, plastic packaging has also emerged as a significant contributor to environmental degradation. This review highlights the growing need for eco-friendly packaging alternatives, given the harmful impact of current packaging practices. It delves into several proposed sustainable packaging solutions and their limitations, and outlines strategic initiatives for safer packaging. As a society, it is critical to …

Program: Virginia Academy Of Science 102nd Annual Meeting, 2024, Virginia Academy Of Science

Virginia Journal of Science

Full program of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science produced by the VAS. The meeting took place on May 16, 2024, at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

The Phenomenology Of Experiencing Critical Thinking In Vocational Higher Education, Sean Castleberry

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the role of critical thinking in vocational education within the Virginia Community College System by examining the lived experience of administrators, faculty, and students who are associated with vocational education. To complete this task, the researcher employed a phenomenological methodology primarily based on the philosophy of Martin Heidegger and other phenomenological philosophers including Edmund Husserl, Mark D. Vagle, and Karin Dahlberg. The goal of the research was to serve as a beginning and help close the gap in knowledge concerning how critical thinking is defined in vocational education, why it is seen as an important part of …

Unveiling Resilience And Motivation Through Testimonios: Exploring The Influence Of Trio Student Services On Motivation And College Completion, Emily Leonard Garrison

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO SSS) on the motivation and college completion rates of first-generation rural community college students. Utilizing a qualitative approach centered on testimonios, this research captures the lived experiences of students at a rural community college in North Carolina, focusing on how TRIO SSS influences their educational journeys.

Through narrative inquiry, the study documents the personal stories of TRIO SSS graduates, highlighting the program's pivotal role in enhancing student retention and success. The findings demonstrate that TRIO SSS is essential in providing targeted support that aligns with the students' unique challenges …

Refinement Of Alphafold-Predicted Models Using Cryo-Em Density Maps And Enhancement Of Protein Secondary Structure Topologies With Residue Contacts, Maytha Naif Alshammari

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Proteins play an important role in almost every biological process. Understanding the mechanism of protein function requires knowledge of three-dimensional (3D) structures. Traditionally, the determination of 3D structures has presented significant challenges. However, Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM) has revolutionized the field of structural biology, providing a powerful technique for atomic structure determination. This dissertation delves into the potential of cryoEM in two ways. First, this dissertation presents a new flexible fitting approach, utilizing Normal Mode Analysis (NMA) and Elastic Network Models (ENMs) to refine AlphaFold-predicted models by optimizing the structures to match cryo-EM density maps. This approach identifies the optimal mode …

The Anaerobic Rose Chamber (Arc): Novel Applications For Probing Clostridioides Difficile Dynamics, Tatiana Zvonareva

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is an urgent public health threat with a high rate of recurrence and limited treatment options. Caused by the anaerobic intestinal pathogen C. difficile, this disease affects up to 500,000 Americans annually. Despite progress in our understanding of CDI pathophysiology, the lack of effective and accessible experimental platforms compatible with obligate anaerobe physiology hinders the advancement of treatment therapy. The application of in vivo models has been indispensable in understanding CDI pathophysiology, probing the complexity of the host response to the microbe, and establishing treatment protocols, and it continues to be essential in preclinical testing. …

Monarch, Victoria Bourne (Editor)

Monarch Magazine

Fall 2024 issue of Monarch, the Old Dominion University Magazine.

Subtitled: Forward-Focused: ODU & EVMS Make History

Symbolic Regression For Data-Driven Equation Discovery: A Physics-Informed Approach, Anusha Reddy Singireddy

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Symbolic Regression (SR) is a cutting-edge machine learning technique that discovers mathematical expressions representing the underlying patterns in data. Unlike traditional regression, SR explores a wide range of mathematical models, allowing for flexible and interpretable solutions. We utilize PySR, a highly customizable symbolic regression package, which combines genetic programming and modern optimization methods to efficiently search for interpretable equations. PySR balances model complexity with performance by penalizing overly complex expressions while optimizing accuracy. In this thesis, we apply Physics-informed Symbolic Regression through PySR to model the x and t dependence of the flavor isovector combination H_u − d( …

Feasibility Study Of Oyster Shell Filtration Media For Stormwater Pollutants Removal, Sadiq Omer

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The depletion of resources has raised interest in reusing or incorporating by-products into alternative materials. In the effort for net zero emissions, waste reduction, and a circular economy, it is crucial to reinvent the alternative utilization strategy for by-products as construction materials sustainably. This research examines the alternative utilization strategy for oyster shell by-products in regular stormwater pollutant removal best management practices (BMPs).

Numerous research has examined the utilization of oyster shell waste as a construction material in Asia and Europe, specifically focusing on the physical properties of crushed oyster shells as alternatives for aggregates. No studies have been identified …

Intercellular Mitochondrial Transfer Contributes To Microenvironmental Fate Redirection Of Mammary Cancer Cells, Julie Sofie Bjerring

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The dynamic cellular microenvironment, made up of resident cells and various macromolecules, differs markedly across tissues in the body. The multidirectional signals that cells receive from this microenvironment, along with the signaling they send back, heavily influence their physiology and behavior. Recent important findings have further validated this notion as the mammary microenvironment has been shown to suppress tumor progression by redirecting cancer cells to adopt a normal mammary epithelial progenitor fate in vivo. However, the mechanism(s) driving changes in metabolic reprogramming and cancer fate redirection is understudied. The work presented in this dissertation focuses on exploring the impact of …

Investigating The Effects Of Empathy On Implicit Race Bias, Macy Kisiel

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Over the years there have been changes to social norms, which now discourage expressions of prejudice, and changes in many people’s self-reported attitudes, but prejudice is still a major issue in present-day American society. One important step toward addressing prejudice and social injustices is to understand the psychological processes that underlie and strengthen them. The current study aimed to use an empathy passage to positively prime the schema about a minority person of color and manipulate regulation of implicit bias. The study utilized a mixed 2 × 2 design. Sixty-four participants (Mage = 20.88 years, SD = 4.75 years) were …

Does Job Satisfaction Take A Hit? The Relationships Between Employee Cannabis Use, Job Satisfaction, And Absenteeism, Caroline Jordan Moughan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Despite the frequency of cannabis use, limited research has examined how employees’ cannabis use relates to job attitudes and behaviors. This study responds to calls to examine the effects of employee cannabis use on work-relevant outcomes by exploring how employee cannabis use relates to job satisfaction and voluntary absenteeism by analyzing a sample of 526 employed young adults from the most recent three waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) Child and Young Adult Cohort. Through estimating cross-lagged panel models, this study clarifies the direction of relationships between employee cannabis use and job satisfaction, and how these relate …

Pedestrian-Motorist Self-Reported Behavioral Intentions Toward Using Alternative And Standard Safety Infrastructure, Emma Sunshine Hood

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The increasing trend in pedestrian-motorist incidents on American roadways warrants a novel solution for improving roadway safety. Alternative crosswalk designs have piqued communities both in the United States and abroad. Designs range from slight changes in colors to extravagant illusions of the roadway falling beneath users. These crosswalk designs are not novel, literature on their efficacy as safety infrastructure is modest with mixed results. The purpose of the study was to expand the current literature on alternative crosswalk designs. The author hypothesized that the differences in behavioral intentions at alternative and standard safety infrastructure would be greater for younger male …

The Role Of Policy Entrepreneurs In Understanding Oral Health Care Policy: A Case Study Approach Analyzing Multiple Streams Framework In Nc Oral Health Policy, Lori Gordon Hendrick

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

The United States Surgeon General has defined oral diseases as a “silent epidemic” that affects the most vulnerable citizens. More often, this includes those from low socio-economic backgrounds, children, elderly, and many members of ethnic minority groups. Although preventative and treatment modalities have improved over the past fifty years, some Americans continue to have little to no access to educational and preventative programs. The lack of access to dental care for all ages and oral health care literacy remains one of the largest health concerns for American citizens making it a “wicked problem”. Historically, raising Medicaid enrollment has failed to …

A Theoretical Framework For Resilience In Complex System Governance (Csg), Susan A. Caskey

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation addresses a critical gap in resilience research within complex systems by developing a theoretical framework for governance resilience—an underexplored area despite governance's crucial role in maintaining system resilience. Using the Complex System Governance (CSG) framework (Keating, Katina, Chesterman, et al., 2022; Keating & Katina, 2019), resilience is conceptualized as a system's ability to absorb disturbances while sustaining performance and enabling adaptive transformation. This involves three main capabilities: persistence, adaptability, and transformation in response to both internal and external pressures.

Through a constructivist grounded theory approach involving iterative coding, memoing, and theory development, this study inductively constructs a governance …

A Dendrochronological Analysis Of Longleaf And Associated Pines From The Blackwater Ecological Preserve In Southeastern Virginia, Sarah Durham

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The field of dendrochronology utilizes annual tree ring growth data to create chronologies, which function as proxies to measure the effect of climate on radial growth. In the southeastern United States, dendrochronological studies involving the effect of climate on the growth of Pinus species exist, but significant gaps persist. For this study, I: 1) created chronologies of earlywood, latewood, and total ring-width growth for longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.), loblolly pine (P. taeda L.), and pond pine (P. serotina Michx.) and 2) conducted a climate analysis on each species to determine how climatic factors affected radial …

Career Pathways Program Annual Report For Ay 2023/24, Wie Yusuf

Career Pathways

Career Pathways was launched in August 2017 as the university-wide initiative to provide professional development to graduate students. It encompasses the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) and the Preparing Future Professionals (PFP) Certificates. The Career Pathways program prepares graduate students for successful transition into thriving careers by serving as a gateway to resources, programs, events, and planning tools for ODU graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. With the increased emphasis on recruiting and supporting post-doctoral scholars at ODU, Career Pathways has also focused on connecting post-doctoral scholars with the program and supplementing their training with career development programming.

For AY 2023/24, Career …

Testing A Model Of Ethnic/Racial Discrimination, Ethnic Identity, And Adult Attachment In College Students, Kenneth L. Ayers

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Ethnic/racial minoritized Americans encounter a disproportionate amount of discrimination throughout their lifetime that often has negative effects on their well-being and mental health. Although the impact of discrimination on symptoms of depression and substance use has been widely studied, understanding of the mechanisms through which these associations exist are still largely unknown. From the perspective of the Cultural Development and Psychopathology Framework, the effects of discrimination on psychopathology (i.e., depression symptoms and alcohol use) are likely mitigated by normative developmental processes. One such developmental outcome that has been determined to partially mediate the impact of cultural stressors (i.e., ethnic/racial discrimination) …

A Comparison Of Specialized And General Orientation Courses For Community College Students, Heather R. Sorrell

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the effect of specialized orientation courses on community college student academic achievement and retention. The study utilized a quantitative design and compared the outcomes of specialized orientation courses to a more generalized orientation course. Due to the lack of previous research, there was little to suggest either a positive or a negative influence on student success measures for a targeted, specialized version of orientation courses. The study found that achievement outcomes did not differ between specialized orientation courses and general orientation courses. The study did find retention differences based on the type of orientation course completed. Students …

Use Of Cobalt(Iii) And Copper(Ii) Complexes With Thiosemicarbazone Ligands And Berberine Chloride As Anti-Cancer Agents Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Duaa Rashad Alajroush

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

It is a worrying fact that chemotherapeutic options for treating triple negative breast cancer are limited in nature, including the use of inorganic pharmaceuticals such as cisplatin and its analogues. It has been reported that cisplatin has undesirable side effects when used as a chemotherapeutic drug. As such, there is a need to use non-platinum-containing complexes as chemotherapeutic agents. Based on that issue, it has been reported by our research group and others that cobalt- and copper-containing complexes have shown great potential in anti-cancer properties when compared to cisplatin. In this research project, the cytotoxic effects of the following complexes: …

Medical Practice As Rhetorical Art Functional Medicine’S Therapeutic Partnership, Cristina Elena De León-Menjivar

English Theses & Dissertations

The current rates of provider burnout are at an all-time high, and our healthcare system is currently seeing numerous providers leave the system. The U.S. Surgeon General has deemed burnout rates at crisis levels, creating an exigency for research and work to help ameliorate this issue. One main issue at the heart of provider burnout is the idea of meaning and purpose in one’s professional life, and Functional Medicine methodology argues that it provides the means by which it can mitigate burnout while improving professional fulfillment and joy through deeper connections with patients. Their methodology is rooted in a concept …

First Through The Black Glass Ceiling: Towards Understanding The Communication Of Successful “First” Black Women Of Martinsville, Dasha L. Dillard

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

The present study investigated the communication Black women ‘firsts’ of Martinsville, Virginia received and how resilience is communicated throughout one’s lives. Seven Black women who once worked or lived in Martinsville, Virginia were interviewed to discover the resilience themes through their professional lives and how resilience was a factor in how these women became ‘firsts’ in their respective fields. The study's findings show that certain personality and communication traits define and equip Black women to succeed and overcome adversities in today’s society. Furthermore, women who exhibited personality qualities such as assertiveness, faith, rebellion, and self-preservation and communication qualities such as …

Crisis In The Coalfields: State/Corporate Violence, Historical Trauma, & Concentrated Substance Misuse And Harm, Brooke Baker

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

What we frame as "the problem" in our society shapes our responses, which also shapes how and where we spend our resources. The prevailing narratives surrounding drug issues in rural coalfields, West Virginia, the Appalachian region, and arguably throughout the U.S. often mischaracterize the problem. This research explored the relationship between state/corporate violence, historical trauma, and concentrated substance misuse and harm in the rural, central Appalachian coalfields. This study employs a trauma-informed, critical ethnographic approach by utilizing participant observation and photo-elicitation interviewing to collect the data, and a critical qualitative framework to analyze it. The main findings of this research …