Digital Commons Network^™

Palindromic Products, Jamie Shive

Theses and Dissertations

We investigate a number of open problems related to products of palindromic graphs. The notion of a palindromic graph was defined by Robert Beeler. A graph G on n vertices is palindromic if there is a vertex-labeling bijection f:V(G) -> {1,..,n} with the property that for any edge vw in E(G), there is an edge xy in E(G) for which f(x)=n-f(v)+1 and f(y)=n-f(w)+1.

Imaging Potential In Saturation Recovery Methods For Sarcoidosis Patients With Medical Devices, Samantha Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is a preferred imaging methodology due to its lack of ionizing radiation and ability to detect myocardial inflammation and fibrosis using quantitative T1 mapping techniques. Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is characterized as the formation of granulomas in the myocardium. Current methods for detection include measuring non-cardiac specific C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, or PET imaging, which uses ionizing radiation, therefore CMR would make an ideal imaging option. However, many CS patients have implanted cardiac devices which can cause degradation in image. The modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) method is widely used in quantitative T1 mapping with high …

Overcoming Mechanisms Of Acquired And Innate Doxorubicin Resistance Using Nanomedicine And Tumor-Associated Macrophage Immunotherapy, Rashed M. Almuqbil

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Overcoming Mechanisms of Acquired and Innate Doxorubicin Resistance Using Nanomedicine and Tumor-Associated Macrophage Immunotherapy

By Rashed M. Almuqbil, Pharm.D.

Director: Sandro R.P. da Rocha, PhD

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. The available treatment for solid tumors may include surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy or a combination of all those regimens. Chemotherapy is widely used in the treatment of both lung cancers and breast cancer, including metastases, irrespective of type and stage. The poor rates of survival can be attributed to late diagnosis, and due to the development of acquired and innate chemoresistance. Lung tumors are intrinsically …

Examining The Impact Of High Sodium Intake On Blood Flow Regulation, Exercise Tolerance, And Oxidative Stress In Salt Resistant Individuals, Kevin P. Decker

Theses and Dissertations

Excessive dietary sodium consumption increases the risk for high blood pressure (BP), and therefore recommended for dietary sodium intake to be ≤ 2,300 mg/day. Recommendations are based on salt-sensitive individuals who report elevated BP with high sodium (HS) intake, but many individuals are salt-resistant (SR) who experience little to no change in BP with HS intake. Currently, less is known about the adverse cardiovascular effects of HS intake independent of BP. A potential source of impaired blood vessel function (micro- and macro-) from HS intake is oxidative stress, or the imbalance between antioxidant defense and oxidants, in favor of oxidants. …

Teachers' Views On The Intersectionality Between Culture And Student Behaviors, And Experience Using Culturally-Responsive Behavior Interventions, Toshna Pandey

Theses and Dissertations

Students belonging to racially minoritized groups experience more frequent and intense disciplinary consequences for similar rule violations as their White peers. Factors such as deficit-oriented perceptions and implicit biases among teachers have contributed to the disproportionate exclusion of racially minoritized students, thus negatively affecting their social, emotional, behavioral, and school success. Using semi-structured interviews, this study sought to explore elementary school teachers’ views on the intersectionality between race/culture and student behaviors. Additionally, it also examined their experiences using behavior interventions effective for racially minoritized students. Findings suggest that participants often attributed challenging behaviors to student-level factors such as family and …

Comparison Of Antibiotic Resistance In Biofilm, Sediment, And Planktonic Communities Of The James River, Mary Bernadette Coughter

Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotic resistance spread within aquatic bacterial communities, particularly ones in urban areas, is in part driven by wastewater inflows that may contain both elevated concentrations of antibiotics and increased abundance of antibiotic resistant bacteria. These can be transmitted into the environment via release of treated wastewater, since removal of these compounds by most wastewater treatment facilities is inadequate, or by release of untreated waste from leaking wastewater treatment networks and overflow of combined sewer systems. This study used the James River and the City of Richmond wastewater network as a model urban waterway to study both types of impacts. Shotgun …

Standardization Of E-Cigarette Research: Addressing The Analysis Of Total Nicotine And Free Base Nicotine In E-Cigarettes, Vinit Gholap

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are one of the major sources of exposure to nicotine, an addictive chemical. Since 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has started regulating these products under the Tobacco Control Act yet, specifications about the nicotine content in these products have not been established. In e-cigarettes, nicotine concentration ranges from 0 to >50mg/mL. Additionally, several e-cigarette related parameters have been identified which can affect nicotine delivery to users. Of these factors, nicotine forms (protonated and free base) have been found to play a significant role in nicotine absorption profiles yet, a limited and contradictory research is available …

Using The Memorial Sloan Kettering Frailty Index To Identify Patients At High Risk For Postoperative Intensive Care Unit Admission, Specialized Advanced Care Unit Admission, And 30-Day Readmission, Timothy J. Donoghue

Theses and Dissertations

Frailty is roughly defined as an accumulation of physiological, emotional, cognitive, and social deficits that impair a person’s response to stressful events. A frailty diagnosis has been associated with poor outcomes following surgical procedures. Cancer surgical patients aged 65 or older represent a vulnerable population susceptible to being frail and the potential associated complications that can accompany frailty. Measuring frailty is an objective risk assessment that identifies increased risk better than age or American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA-PS) score such that frailty can independently predict poor surgical outcomes.

Frailty is not specifically a result of having cancer, disability, …

Cardiac Arrest And Global Ischemia Reperfusion Injury: Role Of Mitochondria And Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Signaling., Jennifer L. Bradley

Theses and Dissertations

We explored the effects of cardiac arrest on mitochondria populations and heart whole tissue lysate proteomics utilizing the Weil Institute’s in vivo rat model of cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We have discovered that brain mitochondria are more sensitive to global ischemia compared to heart mitochondria. Additionally, complex I is the most sensitive electron transport chain complex to ischemic injury and is a major control point of the rate of oxidative phosphorylation following cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Preservation of brain mitochondrial activity and function during cardiac arrest may enhance outcomes and recovery.

A recent article focusing on acute myocardial …

Knowledge, Perception, And Clinical Management Strategies Of Us Pediatric Dentists On Molar Incisor Hypomineralization, Courtney T. Brashier

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this cross-sectional, survey-based study is to determine current US pediatric dentists’ knowledge, perceptions, and clinical management strategies for patients with molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH).

Methods: Following appropriate protocol and authorizations, all active pediatric dentists, general dentists, and post-doctoral student members identified by the 2020 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s membership list were invited to partake in an anonymous email survey. Data regarding participants sociodemographic, education, and clinical backgrounds were collected in addition to information obtained from MIH-focused questions. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to compare and analyze data. A significance level was set at …

Preventing Obesity: A Social Ecological Exploration Of Centers For Disease Control Prevention Strategies And Guidance Toward Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, And Communities, Ryan Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Obesity has reached nearly 40% of the adult public in the United States, costing the citizen taxpayer over $200 billion annually in healthcare costs. Those suffering from obesity deal with multiple physical and mental repercussions. Through a content analysis of four Centers for Disease Control (CDC) documents and guided by the conceptual framework of the social ecological model, this research explores the federal approach to preventing obesity. The analysis finds that CDC solutions to obesity involve connecting people to each other and healthier choices, an orientation toward local public administration, and an emphasis on environmental and infrastructure improvements. The …

The Value Of Postoperative Appointments Following Full Mouth Dental Rehabilitation Under General Anesthesia, Priyanka Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Follow-up appointments after full mouth dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia (GA) have been suggested as a method for preventing future caries and need for repeat treatment under GA. The purpose of this study is to determine current practitioner and parental perceived value of the postoperative GA appointment.

Methods: Three separate surveys were administered for this study. The pre-appointment survey asked about the guardian’s desire to have a follow-up appointment. At the follow-up appointment, the post-appointment survey ascertained the level of patient satisfaction with their follow-up appointment and postoperative experience. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) members were e-mailed a …

Does Providing Pre-Procedural Video Information Improve The Guardian’S Experience For Patients Undergoing Full Mouth Dental Rehabilitation In The Operating Room?, Jennifer Waters

Theses and Dissertations

This purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to determine the effect of pre-procedural informational video for full mouth dental rehabilitation (FMDR) under general anesthesia (GA) on guardian knowledge, retention and anxiety. Guardians of patients presenting to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry, Department of Pediatric Dentistry for consult appointments to receive FMDR under GA were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. In the experimental group, subjects watched an informational video and received written and verbal instructions regarding the upcoming FMDR appointment. The control group received written and verbal instructions only. On the day of the surgery, …

Single Molecule Investigations Of Holliday Junction Binding Protein Ruva, Dalton Reed Gibbs

Theses and Dissertations

DNA breaks are inevitable as they mainly occur due to cells’ own reactive oxygen species (ROS). While DNA breaks can be single-stranded or double-stranded, the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) breaks are more dangerous. If such damage is not repaired, it can lead to genetic instability and serious health issues including cancers. One way dsDNA breaks can be repaired is via a process called homologous recombination (HR), which involves several DNA-binding proteins. Therefore, to have a better insight into the repair mechanism and origin of repair defects, we need a better understanding of how these proteins interact with DNA itself and DNA …

Novel Roles Of Yy1 In Astrocytes, Karli A. Mockenhaupt

Theses and Dissertations

Astrocytes tile the entire central nervous system, are diverse across brain regions, and perform specialized functions fine-tuned for their neuronal circuit. Initially, astrocyte heterogeneity is generated through intrinsic programs specified by their progenitors. Then, as astrocyte mature, they are specialized by region-specific communication with surrounding cells. The molecular programs that regulate this diversity and allow for the accommodation to the needs of the local environment remains elusive. We explored a ubiquitously expressed zinc finger transcription factor, Yin Yang 1 (YY1), that both activates and represses transcription by regulating loops of active chromatin. This report describes the diverse functions of astrocytic …

Symptom Self-Management In Adolescents Following A Concussion, Amanda Hodges

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Adolescents experience a variety of symptoms following a concussion that affect their everyday life. Initial management consists of physical and cognitive rest followed by a gradual return to activities while monitoring symptoms. Managing concussion symptoms in adolescents is a challenge due to their lifestyle and developmental needs but it is the key to improving adolescents’ lives. Symptom self-management is the prevention and control of symptoms and has been shown to improve health outcomes but has not been studied in adolescents with concussion symptoms. Using the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory (IFSMT), the purpose of this study was to …

Pathways To Reproductive Autonomy: Structural And Relational Facilitators Of Contraceptive Access In The United States, Laura E. T. Swan

Theses and Dissertations

Ensuring comprehensive and unbiased contraceptive access are crucial aspects of family planning care that make autonomous reproductive decisions possible. Furthermore, contraceptive access influences contraceptive behavior, and inequities in contraceptive access ultimately lead to health disparities. Contraceptive access is multidimensional and is determined by many barriers and facilitators of care. There is a lack of research regarding the ways that structural and relational factors influence contraceptive access and regarding the multifaceted impact of contraceptive access on family planning outcomes. In this three-paper dissertation, theoretical foundations in reproductive justice and Levesque et al.’s (2013) healthcare access framework guided examinations of the relationships …

Straight Through My Heart, Raul A. Aguilar Canela

Theses and Dissertations

Straight through my heart is an exhibition that explores the concept of heartbreak as a socio-political phenomenon. Through the affect of sadness the thesis analyses the way in which subjects are formed under cognitive capitalism. Paying particular interest to the collateral effects of neoliberal culture —hyper-stimulation, self-exploitation, competition, and obsession with productivity—and the pathologies they create —depression, anxiety, body aches, fatigue— this work shifts the burden of sadness from the individual to the community. By doing so it proposes heartbreak as a public feeling.

Beyond Black Or White: An Examination Of Intersectional Identities, Blame Attribution, And Sexual Violence, Ashlynn D. Bell

Theses and Dissertations

While there may be more discussions of sexual violence than there have been in previous years, cases continually arise where the responsibility of those who have been assaulted is called into question (Alaggia & Wang, 2020). Secondary victimization, or victim blaming, is partially responsible for the continued misattribution of responsibility to survivors. These perspectives minimize the experiences of survivors, which dissuades individuals from the reporting of perpetrators. The current study aimed to evaluate whether particular intersecting identities influenced perceptions of responsibility, in a hypothetical scenario depicting an assault. The race, gender identity, as well as perceptions of respectability of the …

Relationships Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Inflammation And Pain In Youth And Emerging Adults With Sickle Cell Disease, Angela Pascale

Theses and Dissertations

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent genetic disorder involving red blood cells. SCD is a multisystem disease and is connected to various severe medical complications, including debilitating pain. Though pain and inflammation have been connected to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in other populations, no prior work has investigated ACEs within a SCD population. The current study examined the prevalence of ACEs as well as the association of ACEs, inflammation, and pain in a sample of youth and young adults with SCD. Utilizing the biopsychosocial model of pain, I examined individual and cumulative ACEs as possible factors relating to inflammation, …

The Influence Of Shifting Learning Environments On Teachers’ Data Use Practices, Stephanie M. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

In March of 2020, schools in the United States closed for in-person learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the school year began in the fall of 2020, many schools continued to operate virtually rather than in-person. In response, many teachers’ practices were revised. Although data use has been widely explored, teachers’ use of data in a virtual environment has received limited attention. This study contributes to the existing knowledge by exploring the influence of the shifting learning environments on the data use practices of teachers in four schools in one school district during the 2020 -2021 school year.

Teachers …

Effect Of Kcc2-Enhancing Prodrug Clp290 On Tat ± Morphine Treated Female Mice At The Behavioral And Molecular Levels, Michael Marone

Theses and Dissertations

HIV-1 infection is highly comorbid with opioid use disorder. Prescription and illicit use of opioids are particularly risky for HIV-1 infected individuals due to potential synergistic neurotoxic effects mediated by viral proteins and opioids. Additionally, opiate drug abuse has been shown to exacerbate neuropathogenesis of HIV-1⁺ individuals. Development of combination antiretroviral therapies (cART) has drastically improved the life expectancy of these patients. Unfortunately, although the severity of neurological and neurocognitive complications has declined, the incidence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remains 30-50% in the post-cART era and is worsened by opioid use disorder. HIV-1 proteins, inflammatory mediators, and excitotoxins …

Comparing The Sensitivity And Specificity Of Cbct And Mri In Detecting Osteoarthritis Of The Tmj: A Systematic Review, Gabriel R. Saavedra

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this systematic review was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting osteoarthritis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This was done by using computed tomography (CT) and the research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) as reference methods and using CBCT and MRI as index methods. A specific search strategy was developed and applied to these electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, DOSS, and Cochrane. The search results returned 802 articles, which were then narrowed down using the inclusion/exclusion criteria, to four final articles that were included in …

Racial/Ethnic Disparities In Longitudinal Trajectories Of Arrest Probability After Traumatic Brain Injury, Mickeal Pugh Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of disability across the globe, and epidemiological studies have documented a rise in this condition over the recent years. Post-TBI functional impairments can persist beyond the acute phase of the injury, and specific psychosocial and injury-related factors have predicted variability in these outcomes. Previous literature has documented profound racial/ethnic disparities in TBI risk, cause, treatment, and rehabilitation. Prior investigation has revealed an overlap between incarceration and TBI, which showed that incarcerated persons typically endorsed a history of TBI. Criminal justice literature has shown stark racial/ethnic differences in incarceration rates, which …

The Organizational Commitment Of Sonographers In The Mid-Atlantic Region Of The United States, Yonella Demars

Theses and Dissertations

Sonographers are skilled medical professionals who operate specialized equipment that utilizes sound waves to create images of the body. Radiologist and physicians depend on sonographers to summarize their findings by creating a preliminary report that is sent, along with images, to them for diagnosis and treatment purposes.

Organizational commitment is described by John Meyer and Natalie Allen, through their organizational commitment three component model, as a mindset reflecting a desire, a need, or obligation to maintain membership in an organization. Specifically, affective organizational commitment is the desire an employee demonstrates that allows them to remain with their employer because of …

Estimating Affective States In Virtual Reality Environments Using The Electroencephalogram, Meghan R. Kumar

Theses and Dissertations

Recent interest in high-performance virtual reality (VR) headsets has motivated research efforts to increase the user's sense of immersion via feedback of physiological measures. This work presents the use of electroencephalographic (EEG) measurements during observation of immersive VR videos to estimate the user's affective state. The EEG of 30 participants were recorded as each passively viewed a series of one minute immersive VR video clips and subjectively rated their level of valence, arousal, dominance, and liking. Correlates between EEG spectral bands and the subjective ratings were analyzed to identify statistically significant frequencies and electrode locations across participants. Model feasibility and …

Psychological Sense Of Community Among Older Adults In Puerto Rico Two Years After Hurricane María, Thomas D. Buckley

Theses and Dissertations

Hurricane María devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 and resulted in adverse long-term outcomes. Psychological sense of community (PSOC) may serve as a protective factor against the effects of Hurricane María for older adults in Puerto Rico. Using a three-paper format, this dissertation draws on a resilience framework and theories of PSOC and the Ecological Theory of Aging to examine the role of PSOC among older adults in Puerto Rico two years after Hurricane María.

Paper one is a scoping review of the concept of PSOC in research with community dwelling older adults. I begin by presenting findings on study characteristics …

Impact Of Targeting Glycosylated Ceramides On Tumorigenic Properties, And Characterization Of Sphingolipids In Head And Neck Tumors, Katherine E. Hylton

Theses and Dissertations

Sphingolipids play a crucial role in signaling, membrane structure, and migration, making them important molecules in cancer development, metastasis, and drug resistance. While some sphingolipids have been associated with pro-apoptotic or pro-survival behaviors, the role of many sphingolipids in cancer remains poorly defined. Chapter 1 of this study investigated the impact of three enzymes that compose most of the ceramide to Lc3 ceramide pathway – UGCG, GBA, and B3GNT5 – and how their alteration impacts chemoresistance and basal membrane invasion in vitro. It was found that the CΒE-induced inhibition of GBA, which converts glucosylceramide to ceramide, has no effects on …

Performance Study Of Respirator Filter Media And Wall Flow Filters, Peng Wang

Theses and Dissertations

The exposure of the long-term chronic particulate matter (PM) exposure and the acute increases of ambient PM has been found to aggravate the respiratory symptoms, decrease lung functions, and increase the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Filtration is the dominant technique used to protect both humans and environment from the pollutants including PM and gases. Among the particle filtration applications, respirators are widely applied for the protection of the public heath from the PM exposure, and wall flow filters (i.e., diesel/gasoline particulate filters) are currently employed to mitigate the PM emission from automobile engines. The above two topics are thus included …

The Effects Of Interleukin-1Β On Cardiac Reserve And Exercise Capacity In The Mouse, Habeebah Z. Vohra

Theses and Dissertations

Heart failure (HF) is characterized by dyspnea, fatigue, and exercise intolerance. Clinical evidence points to increased interleukin-1β (IL-1β) activity in patients with HF, with an IL-1 blockade improving the exercise capacity in HF patients. In healthy mice, recombinant-mouse IL-1β (rmIL-1β) induces acute systolic dysfunction, peaking 4 hours after administration. However, the direct effects of rmIL-1β on exercise capacity are unknown. We hypothesized that rmIL-1β diminishes the exercise capacity in the mouse. Adult mice were trained to run on a treadmill and exercise capacity was assessed before, 4 hours, and 96 hours after intraperitoneal administration of rmIL-1β (3 μg/kg) or vehicle …