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Bibliography Of Prior Literature Relevant To Research Development, Michael J. Spires, Nina Exner, Joshua Roney, April Schoonover

Research Development Repository

This document contains references that were included in the original Mendeley citation library established by Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, added by NORDP members after the library was established, or included by the task force as a result of either personal knowledge or bibliographic tracing. While not exclusive, this bibliography represents a nucleus of the extant literature relevant to research development, and can serve as a resource for RD professionals going forward.

Six Years Of Proposed Ai Legislation Across The Us States: What’S On Policymakers’ Minds?, Luisa Nazareno Phd, Nakeina E. Douglas-Glenn Phd, Research Institute For Social Equity Rise

Research Institute for Social Equity

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies expand rapidly, public debate has focused on their societal impacts and the need for regulatory oversight. This report offers the first overview of the “what, where, and when” of AI-related legislation introduced in U.S. state legislatures between 2019 and 2024, analyzing key policy trends, priorities, and equity considerations. Although relatively few bills have been enacted, legislative activity has accelerated, reflecting growing political attention to the promises and risks of AI. Most approved bills focus on regulating public or private sector uses of AI, establishing commissions or study groups, and updating education and workforce development programs. …

Equity Implications Of The Unchanged Federal Minimum Wage Since 2009, Yali Pang Phd, Nakeina E. Douglas-Glenn Phd, Cameron Williams, Research Institute For Social Equity Rise

Research Institute for Social Equity

This year marks 16 years since the federal minimum wage was raised in 2009. It is the longest period in its history without any increase. Even though over 20 states increased their minimum wage rates in 2025, there are still 20 states adhering to the federal minimum wage of $7.25. While the minimum wage at the federal level and in many states has remained stagnant, the prices of all life essentials have continued to increase across the country, with $1 in July 2009 having the same buying power of $1.46 in July 2024. Today, an individual needs an hourly wage …

Measures Of General Intelligence And Risk For Alcohol Use Disorder, Ananya Aengula

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

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a medical condition that involves an individual having an impaired ability to control their alcohol usage. To understand the factors that contribute to this disorder, researchers wanted to investigate the relationships among General Intelligence (IQ), Educational Attainment (EA), and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). They arranged an observational cohort to assess IQ levels and the development of AUD in 573,855 Swedish men and 5,424 individuals from the United States. Ultimately, their results indicate that lower IQ levels are strongly associated with an increased risk of developing AUD later in life. They concluded that low IQ and …

Ozanimod In Patients With Moderate To Severe Ulcerative Colitis Naive To Advanced Therapies, Alisha Mehere

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

The drug studied was Ozanimod which is an oral sphingosine-1 -phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator, and was experimented in patient suffering from Ulcerative colitis (UC) who weren’t exposed to biological or Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors previously. The effects of Ozanimod treatment led to promising results such as greater rates of clinical remission, endoscopic movement as well as histologic remission as compared to the placebo group. The safety profile neither improved nor declined with regard to the side effects of previously conducted experiments with Ozanimod, thus had no serious concerns observed. Ozanimod treatment thus could strongly help patients with moderate to severe …

Ashwagandha And Sexual Health In Women With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Exploring Extent Of Adaptogenic Properties, Rhea Chatterjee

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) affects 40% of women and potentially decreases their quality of life. Currently, the primary treatment for HSDD is Flibanserin, which is a serotonergic agonist and an antidepressant. However, the limited efficacy of Flibanserin encourages the exploration of the utilization of traditional drugs such as Withania somnifera, otherwise known as Ashwagandha, as an alternative treatment for HSDD. Minimal studies examine ayurvedic medications or the symptoms of illnesses that traditional Western medicines are unable to treat. This comprehensive literature review investigated the efficacy of Ashwagandha in improving sexual function in women with HSDD. The paper evaluated …

The Benefits Of A Single-Item Screening For Sud, Abriana Harris, Kathryn Polak Ph.D.

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this poster is to examine the effectiveness of a single-item screening on detecting if people have problem drinking or are at risk for AUD. As Dr. Polak’s research has examined potential risk of problem drinking within OUD rehabilitation centers through single-item screening, it highlights how problem drinking has been underinvestigated within other SUD. Throughout the experience of working under Dr. Polak, I searched through articles to find how single-item screenings worked within different clinical setting for detection of potential risk of AUD. In these articles, it showed how single-item screenings had better self-efficacy than multi-item screenings and …

Gene Ontology Enrichment Reveals Pufa-Responsive Functional Themes In The Nucleus Accumbens Of Female Dba/2j Mice, Eman Mahjoub, Jennifer Wolstenholme Ph.D.

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Moderating Roles Of Ethnic-Racial Identity Components In The Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Cannabis Use: Exploring Ethnic-Racial Differences Between Black, Asian, & White Students, Julianna Florez, Kaelen Diaz, Llorielle Gregory-Jerome, Abhinaya Sridhar, Arlenis Santana Ph.D., Kiara Brown, Aya Caballero, Chelsea Derlan Williams Ph.D., Spit For Science Working Group

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

Background: There has been a significant rise in cannabis use among emerging adults. This study focuses on the risk factor that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) pose in predicting cannabis use and whether dimensions of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) act as a significant moderator. Prior research has shown that ACEs predicts a higher risk of cannabis use. Still, limited research has been done on whether ERI exploration, affirmation, and/or resolution mitigates this risky pathway. Methods: The sample included a total of 733 participants who were predominantly female (72.2%). Participants were 18 – 22 years of age when they began participating in the …

Exploring The Role Of Pain Severity Versus Central Sensitization In Predicting Opioid-Related Outcomes Among Adults With Chronic Pain, Miyah Taylor, Taylor Crouch Ph.D.

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

Chronic opioid therapy is widely used for managing persistent pain, yet its long-term efficacy is questionable and often associated with adverse outcomes such as opioid misuse and dependence. This study investigated whether central sensitization (CS), a condition of heightened neural response to pain stimuli, better predicts opioid-related outcomes compared to self-reported pain severity. Among adults with chronic pain currently using long-term opioid therapy, participants completed measures assessing CS, pain severity, and opioid-related outcomes including readiness and confidence to change opioid use, misuse, and dependence. Regression analyses revealed that while CS did not significantly predict readiness or confidence to change opioid …

Surveying The Relationship Between Adult Support And Youth Civic Engagement, Jaylin Pate, Kimberly Lazarus M.S., Fantasy Lozada Ph.D.

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

This study explored the relationship between adult support in decision-making and youth civic engagement. Youth Voices, a community-based program, aims to support high school students in understanding positive youth development opportunities. Participants in the program attended weekly meetings and were compared to a control group with no similar intervention. Both groups completed Likert-scale surveys. Results indicate that higher levels of perceived adult support are associated with increased youth civic engagement.

Gender And Sexuality Identity Support In Crps Lowers Depression For Lgbtq+ Crp Participants, Which Is Related To Increased Recovery Capital, Kyle Hull, Mer Francis Phd, The National Longitudinal Collegiate Recovery Study (Core Study) Team

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

PURPOSE: Compared to their cisgender/heterosexual peers, LGBTQ+ college students are at elevated risk of substance use and mental health challenges. Having more LGBTQ+ identity support is related to less depression and better recovery outcomes. Collegiate recovery programs (CRPs) provide wraparound support to students in recovery, but limited research has examined the unique needs of LGBTQ+ CRP students. We examined the relationship between LGBTQ+ identity support, identity-related discrimination experiences, depression, and recovery capital. We also compared the psychosocial and recovery functioning of LGBTQ+ CRP students. METHODS: We examined data from N=113 LGBTQ+ participants from the National Longitudinal Collegiate Recovery Study. We …

Validating A Genetic Knockout Of Ninein In A Mouse Model, Jessikah M. Buys, E R. Gnatowski, L Vermuri, A Safeer, L Holmes, M. F. Miles

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

Ninein (Nin) is a microtubule associated protein that has been previously characterized by the Miles Lab for regulating the anxiety-reducing (anxiolytic) effects of alcohol, which is thought to contribute to development of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Previous studies in the lab have investigated the role of Nin deletion on anxiety and ethanol-related behaviors in a conditional knockout model. The following set of studies seek to validate this genetic model. The model was validated using three main methods: immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and gel electrophoresis. In PCR studies, Ninein was significantly reduced in cre-expressing animals compared to controls. Gel Electrophoresis confirmed this reduction …

The Relationship Between Discrimination And Mental Health Symptoms Mediated By Alcohol Use And Perceived Family History Of Drinking Problem, Vicky Gonzalez, Spit For Science Working Group, Christina Huerta

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

College is an onset age for drinking problems to begin, college is also a new environment that can lead to discrimination due to the lack of diversity. The current study aims to examine the relationship between the mental health issues presented from experiencing discrimination. The study also aims to take drinking issues a step further and examine if familial ties of drinking issues related to both mental health as well as discrimination. Individual and interaction effects of discrimination and perceived family drinking on mental health issues were run through Stata. The study found that both perceived family drinking as well …

Associations Between Initial Alcohol Sensitivity And Problematic Nicotine Or Cannabis Use In Emerging Adults Who Co-Use Substances, Erwin Murray, Spit For Science Working Group, Karen Chartier

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

Background: Co-use of alcohol and nicotine or cannabis is prevalent among emerging adults. Alcohol sensitivity is associated with problematic alcohol use. Here, we examined whether alcohol sensitivity is associated with problematic nicotine or cannabis use in those who use these substances in addition to alcohol.

Methods: Data were from first-year college students who reported alcohol and nicotine (N=599) or alcohol and cannabis (N=787) use in Spit for Science’s Fall 2014 survey, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of students at a large, urban public university. The Self-Rating of Effects of Alcohol scale (SRE) measured initial alcohol sensitivity, and the Fagerstrom Test …

Effects Of Psychedelics On Acute Nicotine Pharmacological Responses, Aleny Oros, Belle Buzzi, Julian Vaughn, Burhan Buttar, Javier Gonzalez-Maeso, M Imad Damaj

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

Smoking is a major risk factor for illnesses, such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases and respiratory conditions. In smoking, nicotine activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain region. Prolonged use of nicotine will desensitize these specific receptors and cause nicotine dependence, resulting in smokers to experience withdrawal symptoms, such as anhedonia, depression, stress, and craving, leading to relapse.2 As the rate cigarette smoking has declined over the years, it is not significantly entitled by the tremendous increase rate of e-cigarette use. In a previous study being published, life-time use of psychedelics is associated with lower nicotine dependence.1

Psychedelics, specifically psilocybin, which …

Alpha-2 Agonist And Fentanyl Reinforcement Interactions In Male And Female Sprague Dawley Rats, Angeline Lopez, Allison Ortiz, Matthew L. Banks

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

In the two studies that I participated in, a behavioral economic demand curve and choice procedure, we assessed whether two alpha-2 adrenergic agonists (i.e., xylazine, clonidine, and lofexidine) altered fentanyl reinforcement in male and female sprague dawley rats. We hypothesized that xylazine and clonidine would enhance fentanyl reinforcement in a proportion-dependent manner. Lofexidine interactions with fentanyl were more difficult to predict. The data showed that xylazine did not enhance fentanyl reinforcement. Furthermore, these results were consistent with those of clonidine and lofexidine. In opposition to xylazine, clonidine and lofexidine are approved for human use for antinociception, reduction of blood pressure, …

The Distinctive Role Of Atp In Hsp110’S “Holdase” Chaperone Activity, Justin M. Kidd, Cancan Sun, Mitchell Keplinger, Alissa Garay, Colin Ritcher, Qinglian Liu

Physiology and Biophysics Publications and Presentations

Hsp110s are a unique class of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and distant homologs of Hsp70s. They act not only as nucleotide exchange factor co-chaperones for Hsp70s (i.e., NEF activity) but also as independent chaperones capable of preventing the aggregation of proteins exposed to cellular stresses (i.e., ”holdase” activity). While Hsp110 NEF activity is well characterized, the mechanisms of holdase activity are less clear. In particular, the role of ATP-binding in regulating holdase activity is poorly understood and has been disputed. In this study, we discovered an undocumented divalent cation inhibitory effect that is reversed by ATP. This finding led us …

On! Original Flavor Oral Nicotine Pouch Characterization: Biorelevant In Vitro Nicotine Release Apparatus Assessment, Jason C. Funderburk, Melissa Morgan, Maria Lasaosa Garcia, Andreas S. L. Mendez, Matthew S. Halquist

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Oral nicotine pouch (ONP) use is rising. The sales of ONPs in 2019 were 126 million units, increasing to 808 million units in 2022. Understanding ONP in vitro release is critical for assessing exposure to ONP products.

Methods: The commercial brand ON! ONPs with nicotine label claims of 2, 4, and 8 mg, were evaluated in vitro for cumulative nicotine release using the bidirectional transmucosal apparatus (BTA) for 90 minutes. Nicotine quantification was performed by HPLC-PDA. For pH determination, ONP samples were prepared in water or artificial saliva (pH 6.8) with measurements for 30 minutes. BTA results were compared …

Counselors’ Role In Supporting Lgbtgeqiap+ Teens Living In The Foster Care System, Elizabeth K. Kurt

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Queer youth in the United States are overrepresented and simultaneously unseen in the foster care system. They experience more negative mental health outcomes than their non-queer peers, and the child welfare system does not always provide safe or affirming care for these marginalized youth. LGBTGEQIAP+ teens are placed in congregate care at high rates and face a myriad of challenges in these settings that exasperate existing mental health concerns. This poster examines the injustices of out-of-home care and the maltreatment that gender and sexual minority youth experience in the foster care system, as well as exploring factors that improve …

Stars: Enhancing Student Leadership, Caroline Budwell, Braden Goddard, Tamer Nadeem, Saleema Karim, Joseph Turner

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute Publications

The VCU Division of Student Affairs aims to enhance training for leaders of student organizations, addressing variability in their success. By analyzing data from RamsConnect, surveying advisors, and reviewing best practices from peer institutions, we will identify areas for improvement. Our final deliverable will include a comprehensive analysis and tailored recommendations to strengthen leadership within student organizations, ensuring students benefit from opportunities for leadership, collaboration, and engagement, ultimately supporting their success and retention at VCU.

Orienting New Researchers Across Multiple Pathways: Bridging Research Resource Gaps For New Faculty At Vcu, Maecy Richmond, Sarah Lines, Travis Oakes, Yali Pang

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute Publications

New faculty researchers at VCU, who possess diverse research interests or requirements, often find it challenging to navigate the VCU environment in search of research resources necessary to initiate their work. The majority of available research resources highlighted on central VCU pages primarily cater to biomedical research, inadvertently marginalizing those in less prominent fields. Resources in other departments, such as fine arts and education, are limited and often restricted to the departmental or school level. This raises the essential query: "How and where should I begin my research?" The project employs a faculty and staff survey aimed at assessing the …

Strata: Layered Support Through Community, Resources, & Design, Jenna M. Sawyer

Theses and Dissertations

Strata reimagines transitional housing as a layered, responsive ecosystem that supports the holistic well-being of individuals experiencing housing insecurity. Inspired by the vertical structure of a forest canopy, the design integrates biophilic principles, trauma-informed strategies, and sustainable practices to create a dignified, inclusive environment. Located in the historic Sauer’s Factory in Richmond, Virginia, the project leverages adaptive reuse to ground the building in local context while addressing systemic gaps in supportive housing. Public amenities, such as a hygiene center, café, learning spaces, and a free store, encourage community integration and reduce stigma, while flexible private units and calming retreat spaces …

Leveraging Distributed Semantics From Deep Learning Architectures For Literature-Based Discovery, Clint A. Cuffy

Theses and Dissertations

Literature-based discovery (LBD) is a scientific process that introduces methods to automatically identify novel insights between non-interacting sets of literature. To date, numerous statistical and machine learning-based methods have been applied in the biomedical domain to find treatments for diseases such as Raynaud's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Multiple Sclerosis. However, the lack of standardized practices and creation of bespoke methodologies produces a scenario where the adoption of LBD remains challenging in real-world systems. Our work addresses these concerns through the improvement of five critical areas: 1) error propagation within LBD's a priori dependent tasks, 2) exploring the integration of modern …

Beyond Homogeneity: Exploring Causal Heterogeneity In Psychopathology, Philip B. Vinh

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional models in psychiatric research often impose assumptions of causal homogeneity, treating population-level associations as reflective of uniform underlying mechanisms. This dissertation challenges that assumption by introducing statistical and machine learning frameworks designed to detect and model causal heterogeneity in the development of psychopathology. Central to this approach is the advancement of finite mixture structural equation modeling (FM-SEM) to identify latent subgroups characterized by distinct, and sometimes opposing, causal pathways.

The dissertation comprises three integrated empirical studies. The first introduces mixDoC, a finite mixture extension of the classical Direction of Causation (DoC) model applied to twin data, enabling the detection …

Persistence Of Southwestern White Pine (Pinus Strobiformis) In An Ever-Changing Environment, Shruti Shrivastava

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Local adaptation is known to occur in multiple tree species, with climate as a main force for it occurring, indicating adaptation and changes occurring in spatially and temporally changing climates. With increased climate change, the question now is what future persistence may appear as, and by what magnitude trait mismatch may occur. This is observed in southwestern white pine (Pinus strobiformis) for drought-response traits: resistance (RT), recovery (RC), and resilience (RS). Using previously collected data, the genetic and phenotypic diversity were analyzed. Using that information, the trait values for individuals where only genetic data was known was …

Mctr3 Mitigates Cigarette Smoke-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation And Damage, Yu Par Aung Myo

Theses and Dissertations

Smoking is deleterious to our lungs and can precipitate in a multitude of diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is primarily caused by smoking cigarettes and is a major public health issue. Current therapies only treat symptoms without halting or reversing disease progression, thus highlighting a large unmet need to develop new therapies. We address this gap by investigating maresin conjugate in tissue regeneration 3 (MCTR3) which is a newly discovered specialized pro-resoling mediator (SPM) that has the novel property of promoting tissue repair and regeneration in addition to being anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving. For the first time, we …

Why People Stay: Factors Contributing To Staff Retention In Community Mental Health Clinics, Brianna D. Boggs

Theses and Dissertations

The current behavioral health crisis is exacerbated by a crisis in the behavioral health workforce. Recruiting and retaining workers in behavioral health has become a challenge, making access to services for those needing them even more difficult. This study aimed to examine which factors have the strongest influence on an employee’s work engagement and decision to remain employed at their current organization. This study used Aarons et al.’s multilevel, multiphase implementation model (2011), with a focus on inner contextual factors as a means to help inform potential interventions to address the factors and improve retention. This study also applied the …

The Role Of Context Sensitivity On The Association Between Racial Discrimination And Emotional Dysfunction Among Black American Adolescents, Summer C. Bryant

Theses and Dissertations

Black adolescents are at an increased risk of experiencing racial discrimination due to a developmental period marked by increased time away from parents and caregivers and increased time with peers (Fisher et al., 2000). Empirical research has shown that Black adolescents’ experiences of racial discrimination are associated with emotion dysfunction (Benner et al., 2018; Seaton et al., 2009; Sellers et al., 2006). Although previous research has identified racial factors such as racial socialization and racial identity as protective factors by reducing the impact of racial discrimination on Black adolescents’ emotion dysfunction (Gibson et al., 2021; Neblett et al., 2008), we …

Modeling The Impacts Of The Current And Projected Temperatures On Spongy Moth Population Dynamics, Adrienne B. Spring

Theses and Dissertations

The spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) is an invasive forest pest that has caused significant ecological damage across the United States. Its invasion front is shaped by a number of factors, including temperature in both the northern and southern regions. With ongoing climate change, areas that were previously uninhabitable may become increasingly favorable for moth population establishment and expansion, while other areas may experience thermal stress limiting persistence. This study develops a temperature-driven population model to analyze how temperature affects the spongy moth population dynamics along the invasion front. This model incorporates temperature effects on fecundity, stage-specific survival rates, …