Digital Commons Network^™

"In Some Ways They’Re The People Who Need It The Most": Mobilizing Queer Joy With Sex Ed Teachers In New Brunswick, Canada, Casey Burkholder, Melissa Keehn

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

Teaching about sexuality can be messy. What does it mean to incite queer joy as an educational language in sex education? In this article, we explore how queer joy can be used by teachers as a language to confront this messy work of sex education and teach in more pleasurable, joyful, and inclusive ways. In our analysis, we draw upon the conversations and visual data we created alongside 43 teacher-participants from New Brunswick, Canada in a series of participatory media-making workshops and describe how queer joy informs the artful praxis that transpired in these spaces. In these workshops, we observed …

Commonwealth Times 2024-01-17

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Pollinator Inventory On An Urban College Campus: The Impact And Necessity Of Native Plantings, Donata Kraskauskaite, Daniel Albrecht-Mallinger

Environmental Studies Publications

Abstract

The aim of this study was to measure pollinator abundance and diversity across Virginia Commonwealth University’s Monroe Park Campus in Richmond, Virginia, especially focusing on the impact of campus plantings on pollinators.

Methods

18 transects across VCU’s Monroe Park Campus, as well as 2 at the nearby Amelia Street School native meadow planting, were established and stratified by planting composition (native/invasive) and species diversity. Each transect was inventoried every other week for pollinators from April through July of 2023. Nonparametric and median-based linear models were used to test differences in pollinator abundance and morphospecies diversity across planting types.

Results …

The Mouse In The Museum, Maggie Colangelo, Bernard Means

Virtual Curation Lab's Comic Publications

Find out about America's first successful public museum of art and natural history from a unique perspective: a mouse! The museum mouse guides you through Charles Willson Peale's Philadelphia Museum from its founding in his own home to its eventual establishment in what is now called Independence Hall. You will encounter a killer bear, an eagle that has seen better days, and the massive bones of an extinct elephant: the mastodon. This gripping tale is brought to you by Maggie Colangelo and Bernard K. Means, co-creators of Founding Monsters, Founding Monsters Tales, Mystery of the Missing Megafauna, and Tales from …

Annum Arcanum (2024)

Annum Arcanum, 2024-

Annum Arcanum is "an atelier and annual anthology archiving arcane works." The organization of the same name was founded at VCU in the fall of 2023, and published its first collection in the spring of 2024. From the Letter from our Founder in vol. 0: "First, we seek to create spaces specifically catered to the showcasing of works that are experimental, niche, or otherwise outside of the mainstream in other words, the arcane...Beyond that, we strive to be a resource for students to develop their skills as artists."

Relationship Building Advice For Liaison Librarians: Putting It Into Practice And Troubleshooting, Bettina Peacemaker, Kelsey Cheshire, Janet M. Reid, Carla-Mae Crookendale, Julie Arendt, Sergio Chaparro, John Glover, Stephani Rodgers, Erin Carrillo

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Liaison librarians depend on communication and cooperation to be successful, so professional publications about liaison librarianship regularly include discussions of relationship building methods. As a department of experienced liaison librarians, we identified the relationship-building ideas from previous publications that were proactive in nature and had worked for us. Even though the advice has been helpful, we faced challenges or heard about challenges from other librarians when we discussed implementing the ideas. To improve on the published ideas, we have added tips for putting them into practice and answered troubleshooting questions based on our experiences. Adapting to and working around challenges …

Effects Of (2r,6r)-Hydroxynorketamine In Assays Of Acute Pain-Stimulated And Pain-Depressed Behaviors In Mice, Todd M. Hillhouse, Kaitlyn J. Partridge, Patrick I. Garrett, Sarah C. Honeycutt, Joseph H. Porter

Psychology Publications

Ketamine has been shown to produce analgesia in various acute and chronic pain states; however, abuse liability concerns have limited its utility. The ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK) has been shown to produce antidepressant-like effects similar to ketamine without abuse liability concerns. (2R,6R)-HNK produces sustained analgesia in models of chronic pain, but has yet to be evaluated in models of acute pain. The present study evaluated the efficacy of acute (2R,6R)-HNK administration (one injection) in assays of pain-stimulated (52- and 56-degree hot plate test and acetic acid writhing) and …

Small Airway-On-A-Chip Enables Analysis Of Human Lung Inflammation And Drug Responses In Vitro, Christina A. Fernandez

VCU's Medical Journal Club: The Work of Future Health Professionals

This presentation focuses on the development of the Small Airway-on-a-Chip, a microfluidic device meant to serve as a more accurate, human-relevant research model for lung inflammation-focused pharmaceutical testing, as described in Small Airway-on-a-Chip Enables Analysis of Human Lung Inflammation and Drug Responses in Vitro by Benam et al. Currently, there is no way to study organ-level complexities of human lung inflammation outside of the clinical setting. However, the human lung Small Airway-on-a-Chip demonstrated the ability to reconstitute a functional unit of the lung as well as model asthma, lung inflammation, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), suggesting that the device …

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin (2024), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Undergraduate bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2024-2025. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for undergraduate programs.

Human Neural Stem Cell Transplantation Improves Cognition In A Murine Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Loan Quynh Tran

VCU's Medical Journal Club: The Work of Future Health Professionals

This paper explores the potential of stem cell transplantation as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases, specifically Alzheimer’s. While previous clinical trials, including those for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, have demonstrated the safety of cellular therapies, identifying effective stem cell lines is crucial for advancing similar trials in Alzheimer’s. Using the APP/PS1 mouse model the study presents a pre-clinical proof-of-concept where human neural stem cells were transplanted into the fimbria fornix. Results showed significant cognitive improvements in hippocampal-dependent memory tasks at both 4 & 6 weeks post-transplantation. Interestingly, while the levels of synapse-associated proteins and cholinergic neurons remained unchanged, there was a …

Fentanyl And Methamphetamine Mixture Interactions On Drug Choice In Male And Female Sprague Dawley Rats, Voisava Bokciu, Nick Heslep, Allison Ortiz, Matthew L. Banks Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Silence Of Noise, Sasi Valiveti

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Trauma In Weird Literature: Weird Experiences And Neuropsychiatric Conditions, Mijin Cho

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

This study aims to explore the element of trauma or shock in weird fiction using H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Colour out of Space” as the focal text. I am interested in the cognitive estrangement and body disfigurement following encounters with the weird, which in this case would be the meteorite’s Colour, on the characters experiencing it in the story, including the Gardners and Ammi. The goal is to investigate our reactions to being pushed past our thresholds as human beings using analysis of characters, diction, and rhetoric in weird fiction stories and non-fiction patient narratives to better understand how weird …

A Three-Dimensional In Vitro Model Of Disease That Improves Preclinical Research By Incorporating Genetic Diversity And Increasing Physiological Accuracy, Akash Jagdeesh

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Biomedical research is essential for the discovery of new medications and treatments, and is built upon the cooperation of preclinical (in vitro/vivo) research and clinical trials. However, 85% of treatments successful in vitro/vivo fail in clinical trials, suggesting that in vitro models are poor indicators of clinical success. The issue lies in conventional “two-dimensional” in vitro models containing genetically identical cells grown on a flat plate, which lack the variety of cell types and cooperation/structure found in real tissue. Moreover, 2D in vitro models do not simulate humans’ genotypic variability, which affects both pathophysiology and treatment effectiveness. In contrast, 3D …

Catecholamine Signaling In Ca1 Correlates With Novelty, Movement, And Sleep State, Meenakshi Kakani

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) signaling in the hippocampus are important for normal learning and memory. Genetically-encoded fluorescent indicators of catecholamine binding allow for imaging real-time neurotransmitter dynamics. Previous microdialysis studies have found an increase in hippocampal catecholamines in response to novel environmental exposure or exercise. Since animals move in response to contextual novelty, it is unknown whether the changes in transmitter release are due to novelty or other changes in behavior or arousal. Outside of the hippocampus, arousal, novelty detection, reward, and sleep state are all related to catecholamine signaling. In this study, we use the fluorescent indicators GRAB-DA …

Disability Accommodation And Improving Accessibility In Public Transportation, Alexander Burdette

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

This paper addresses the need for accessibility in public transportation from a disabled perspective, focusing on four key areas wherein states can enact meaningful change. These areas as specified are physical accessibility, which concerns the built and engineered environment of public transit and surrounding areas; informational accessibility, which concerns the availability and clarity of information passengers need to navigate transit; management accessibility, which refers to the way information processing is handled by transit agencies when exchanging information with transit users; and social accessibility, which deals with the interpersonal environment that public transit creates and facilitates. Specific areas of attention are …

The G-Bdt (Good-Bad Drawings Test): Using Human Figure Drawings With Individuals Who Are Incarcerated, Institutionalized, And/Or In Special Education, George A. Giacobbe, John D. Dooley

Books and Book Chapters

The G-BDT (Good-Bad Drawings Test) is a variation of the psychological projective test known as the Draw-a-Person test (DAP). The DAP requests a drawer to make two drawings: one of a person, and when it is completed and removed, another drawing of a person who is the opposite sex of the person in the first drawing.

There are currently many variations of the DAP including requesting drawings of a person, a house and a tree, drawing a family, a mother and child, or even animals, such as drawing a dog.

The G-BDT requests the drawer draw a person who is …

Adaptive Multi-Label Classification On Drifting Data Streams, Martha Roseberry

Theses and Dissertations

Drifting data streams and multi-label data are both challenging problems. When multi-label data arrives as a stream, the challenges of both problems must be addressed along with additional challenges unique to the combined problem. Algorithms must be fast and flexible, able to match both the speed and evolving nature of the stream. We propose four methods for learning from multi-label drifting data streams. First, a multi-label k Nearest Neighbors with Self Adjusting Memory (ML-SAM-kNN) exploits short- and long-term memories to predict the current and evolving states of the data stream. Second, a punitive k nearest neighbors algorithm with a self-adjusting …

Investigation Of Brain Function And Structural Development As Risk Factors Of Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors, Yi Zhou

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Identifying risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially causal ones, will be imperative to improving screening and treatment interventions. To identify replicable brain-based risk factors, there is increasing evidence indicating the need for large sample sizes, in the hundreds to thousands, in order to achieve a sufficient level of statistical power to detect them. Furthermore, longitudinal studies of brain and behavioral factors will be essential to understanding how suicide develops, especially the transition from suicide ideation to attempt. While experimental studies may not be feasible or ethical, genetically informed methods for testing evidence for causation are an alternative …

Sphingosine Kinase 2 Depletion Dysregulates Hepatic Redox Metabolism And Enhances Inflammation In Early Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (Mash), Kaitlyn Georgene Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) currently affects one in three people worldwide; its prevalence is growing alongside other cardiometabolic disorders. Aberrations to redox and sphingolipid metabolism contribute to MASLD pathologic progression. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is an active lipid, meaning that S1P participates in biochemical processes within the cell. S1P is generated by two distinct isoenzymes, sphingosine kinase (SphK)1 and SphK2. The localization of the SphK enzyme dictates S1P function. While cytosolic SphK1-generated S1P is well-characterized, nuclear and mitochondrial SphK2-generated S1P is less known. Moreover, SphK2 depletion effects on cellular redox processes and inflammation are not well-defined.

This study defines the …

The Role Of Hdac6 In Periodontal Inflammation, Hannah S. Lohner

Theses and Dissertations

Periodontal disease is a polymicrobial infection-induced chronic inflammatory disease and results in irreversible tissue damage and bone loss. While bacteria play a large role in the initiation of this disease, excessive and prolonged inflammatory immune responses are fundamental for its progression, making host directed therapy (HDT) a possible and potentially valuable treatment. Histone Deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is an enzyme that removes acetyl groups from both histone and non-histone proteins, giving it a potential role in regulating inflammation initiated by pathogenic oral bacteria. Previous studies indicated that HDACs act as a bivalent regulator in inflammatory responses; however, the role that HDAC6 …

Plk1 Overexpression Drives Tumorigenesis In A Prostate Cancer Mouse Model, Emile Kachouh

Theses and Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men worldwide, and the development of resistance to existing treatments necessitates the exploration of new therapeutic strategies, including combination therapies. This study investigates the role of Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), located on chromosome 16p12.2, as an oncogene in prostate cancer. We generated a transgenic mouse model with prostate-specific overexpression of PLK1 to closely mimic human prostate cancer progression. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis was employed to characterize the molecular profile of PLK1, revealing its implication in multiple pathways. To further elucidate the functional consequences of PLK1 overexpression, we confirmed phenotypic progression …

A Retrospective Chart Review Of Avulsion Injuries Treated At Virginia Commonwealth University., Ryan Hediger

Theses and Dissertations

A RETROSPECTIVE CHART REVIEW OF AVULSION INJURIES TREATED AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY. By: Ryan Hediger, DMD

Objective: Outcomes related to healing following an avulsion injury are multifactorial. However, contemporary literature suggests that tooth survival can be enhanced after such injuries by promptly replanting the tooth and adhering to proper management guidelines. Despite the abundance of resources available, the actions taken immediately after the avulsion injury play a pivotal role in determining the fate of an avulsed tooth. The primary objective of the current investigation is to unveil prognostic factors associated with the survival of avulsed teeth.

Methods: A chart review …

A Critical Perspective On Supporting Parents In Facilitating Informal Steam Learning On Children's Early Literacy Development, Suzanne G. Alexandre

Theses and Dissertations

Considering that parents/caregivers and home environment play an influential role in a child’s school readiness and future academic success, this study sought to support parents in using facilitation strategies to engage their child in informal learning at home. In order to examine if access to support for parents of preschoolers influenced parents’ confidence in their ability to facilitate informal learning at home, the project used informal STEAM learning, for context. The study also examines the potential impact of informal STEAM learning on children's school readiness and early literacy skills and the intersections of parent involvement, STEAM, and school readiness through …

Notes On A Centrifugal Chiller: Listening And Breathing The Boundaries Of Circulatory Architecture, Chrystine Rayburn

Theses and Dissertations

"Notes on a Chiller" unfolds as a series of site responsive and performative exercises that activate, modulate, and translate the immense voice of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center water-cooled chiller, a climate control system that regulates the atmosphere of the university’s sports arena. Using individual and collective listening and sound-making practices to harness the building’s noisy system, the piece culminates in a multi-channel, audio-visual installation and performance that explores the multi-sensory exchange and entanglement of listening, breathing, and moving with a building’s circulatory system.

Biophilia: Developing A Taste For Care, Che'leah Shannon

Theses and Dissertations

People in materially developed cultures spend over 90% of their lives in buildings (Evans & McCoy, 1998). Commencing with the industrial revolution these materially developed cultures see most of their populus moving from the countryside to the city in search of work and better lives. The city, an urban and modern development of densely packed peoples, buildings, and infrastructure, has developed as an efficient solution to meet the needs of a cosmopolis.

The city has developed widely without a necessity or place for nature. The ground outside is paved with concrete, efficient and comfortable for travel, buildings are built high …

Threads Unbound, Yuan Xin

Theses and Dissertations

Threads Unbound investigated the formation of biased cognitive patterns within information ecosystems, examining the blend of reality and fiction in human perception. This project turns the 3 dimension space into an experimental field that prompts reflection on the mechanism of constructing narratives based on the subtle yet powerful forces of reading processes.

Moonshine Babies, Arghavan Heydareslam

Theses and Dissertations

Moonshine Babies is a two-screen film made of collage/cut-out stop-motion and live-action. It is a visual poem based on my journals from when I recently started living in the US as an outsider. The experience left me feeling divided between the empty present and memories of the past. suggesting that there are collective memories among a group of interconnected individuals that unite them within a single narrative.

There was a moment when I asked, "If you are your memories, what does it mean to be somewhere you have no memories of and no one has memories of you there?"

Memories …

The Role Of Notch1 Signaling In Regulating Neurogenesis In The Olfactory Bulb Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Sarah A. Baig

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, more than 20.5 million adults over the age of 40 suffer from olfactory dysfunction, with TBI attributing to 5-17% of all olfactory dysfunction cases. Although often initially undetected and less conspicuous than other cognitive and behavioral impairments, olfactory dysfunction may have a significant negative impact on patients' quality of life and ability to accomplish activities of daily living, therefore the pathophysiology of these disorders should be understood. The production of neural stem cells enhances the repair and regeneration of the injured brain following a TBI. One of the primary endogenous neural stem cell generation sites in …

Unfolding Remembrance: Folding Islamic Principles Into Pondering Machines, Hind Al Saad Al-Kuwari

Theses and Dissertations

Principles of early Islamic art can be surveyed as a precursor to Western computational art. Though produced in different historical and cultural contexts, Islamic art and computational art are connected by underlying structures—arithmetic, harmony, and the concept of the Infinite.

Islamic developments in knowledge, like algebra, contributed to mathematics and mechanics—the building blocks of contemporary technology. Returning to Islam’s traditional harmony between religion and science, my creative practice constructs machines as an act of worship (ʿibadah), folding Islamic principles into the medium of computation.

Selected verses from the Quran are used as the core of each automaton (self-operating machine). Their …