Digital Commons Network^™

Design And Creation Of A Device To Induce Vergence Eye Movements, Jacob B. Jaminet, Paul A. Wetzel

UROP Posters

Automated eye-tracking systems can detect and analyze eye movements as a means to accurately diagnose more than 20 neurological diseases including mild traumatic brain injury. Mild traumatic brain injury is an occurrence of injury to the head resulting from blunt trauma or from acceleration or deceleration forces. Eye movement refers to the voluntary or involuntary movement of the eyes, helping in acquiring, fixating and tracking visual stimuli. There are three types of voluntary eye movement to track objects: smooth pursuit, vergence shifts and saccades. Vergence shifts are eye movements where the eyes move in opposite directions: moving to the midline …

Combination Of Music And Aromatherapy To Improve The Efficiency Of Motor Functions And Speech In Patients Paralyzed From Stroke., Mounica Bevara

UROP Posters

With the rapid development of medical technology, millions of dollars are being spent on discovering innovative methods of treating fatal diseases such as stroke that may also result in temporary paralysis. Physiotherapy treatments aimed at restoring brain function in patients paralyzed following a stroke is subjective to the patient and does not guarantee complete rehabilitation. While many practitioners have attempted to employ complementary and alternative methods of treatment such as massage therapy, acupuncture therapy, siddha, and marma therapy, none of them proved to be equally as effective as physiotherapy. However, prior studies support the notion that aromatherapy used in combination …

Decreased Pain Severity And Differential Gene Expression Following Calmare Therapy, Jeffrey Petraco, Angela R. Starkweather, Amy Heineman

UROP Posters

We present the results of a double-blinded randomized sham-controlled research study of a non-pharmacologic low back pain intervention. Calmare therapy is an neurocutanous electrical stimulation approach for pain management. The intervention group received Calmare therapy and the other received sham. Differences in pain severity and interference scores, pain sensitivity measures and gene expression profiles are reported. Patterns of downregulated gene expression suggest that Calmare may alter proteins involved in pain transduction may have implications for the treatment of other chronic pain conditions.

Physician Role In Enhancing Patient Communication, Tamanna Sahni

UROP Posters

Communication in the in-patient environment is crucial, and the relationship between a patient and physician enhances patient health and wellness. Patients should feel confident with their abilities to feel comfortable conversing with physicians, which would thus treat symptoms more effectively. This communication has decreased over time, hence patients are often are unable to obtain medical information from their healthcare providers. What is the relationship between psychological factors, such as self-esteem, and quality of patient-physician communication? And can physicians ensure increased patient comfort in the medical environment?

Various factors can affect the patients’ comfort with their physicians, and when addressed, these …

Asthma-Related Anxiety And Quick-Relief Medication Use In Urban Children With Asthma, Sarah E. Astrab, Robin Everhart

UROP Posters

Among children, asthma is the most common chronic illness. Although not curable, asthma is manageable with the use of both daily controller medication and quick relief or rescue medication. Anxiety has been found to increase asthma symptoms in children. Caregivers who are anxious about their child’s asthma symptoms may perceive their child’s asthma as more severe or doubt their ability to manage their child’s asthma, which can result in the misuse of asthma medication. This study focused on the association between asthma-related anxiety and the use of quick-relief asthma medications in a low-income, urban sample in Richmond, Virginia. Child participants …

Increasing Vaccination Rates In Children Of Vaccine-Hesitant Parents, Keegan G. Edgar

UROP Posters

In recent years, the number of parents who have declining vaccinations or instituting altered immunization schedules for their children has risen. This has caused an increased number of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. It has also threatened herd immunity, which provides a measure of protection for those who are susceptible to disease given enough people are vaccinated, as this hinders the spread of the disease. To combat this threat to herd immunity, it is becoming increasingly necessary to find a solution to the problem of increasing personal belief exemption.

I took a cause and effect approach in the way I researched …

How Breastfeeding Affects Postpartum Depression, Elisabeth Lamas

UROP Posters

According to the 2008 CDC report, nearly one out of every eight women are affected by postpartum depression at one point or another in their lives. The purpose of my research was to study the potential effects of breastfeeding on postpartum depression. The objective was to study how breastfeeding affects the occurrence of postpartum depression in mothers in the United States. To understand the relationship between postpartum depression and breastfeeding, I read science journal articles describing the biological background behind breastfeeding and postpartum depression. I read psychology and biology journal articles dealing with possible forms of treatment for postpartum depression …

Anxiety Reactivity In Monozygotic Twins Discordant For Major Depression, Sravya Uppalapati

UROP Posters

Transient anxiety is a healthy response to stress. However, constant anxiety elicits negative responses and threatens an individual’s day-to-day living. The onset of anxiety disorders excluding specific phobias is often childhood to late adolescence or early adulthood. Though depression is characterized as a low-energy state unlike anxiety, there is a high concordance between anxiety and depression. “Nearly one-half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder” (“Facts and Statistics”). There are two goals of the study:

1. To compare the individual response levels between monozygotic (MZ) twins discordant for major depressive disorder (MDD) during an anxiety-provoking …

Greek Involvement And Personality, Sara Lee, Nikita Amin, Sabbu Bajimaya, Brandon Love

UROP Posters

Many young college students participate in Greek life to involve themselves with a group of people similar to themselves and to engage in life on campus. The intent of this research is to measure the relationship between Greek membership and/or involvement and personality. Data from Spit for Science: the VCU Student Survey will be examined to analyze this relationship. The participants included freshman fall and sophomore spring survey participants from the 2012 Spit for Science cohort. The measures for the study were the Big Five Inventory (BFI) and the UPPS impulsive behavior scales.

The BFI includes the personality traits of …

Organophosphates In Chlorpyrifos Insecticide: Neurobehavioral Development Of Children In Agricultural Communities, Sravya Uppalapati

UROP Posters

The chemicals found in fertilizers and pesticides are known to adversely affect the human nervous system even at low levels of exposure. Neither the agricultural industry nor the EPA can deny scientific findings regarding the toxic qualities of organophosphates in the insecticide chlorpyrifos, but that does not deter pesticide manufacturers from selling harmful products. In fact, Dow AgroSciences, a pesticide company, states on its website that, “Insecticides, such as chlorpyrifos, provide important protection for our food supply and thus safeguard farm and consumer economy.” To understand the health risks associated with pesticide exposure, I studied the influence of organophosphates in …

Feasibility Of Integrating Tripterygium Wilfordii Into Modern Cancer Therapy For Increased Efficacy And Minimal Toxicity, Ngoc T. Vo

UROP Posters

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. and millions of novel cancer cases are being diagnosed each year. While chemotherapy and ionizing radiation are effective treatments against these malignant tumors, the adverse effects that accompany such treatments are devastating. In order to find alternative treatment methods with less side effects, we turn to Eastern herbal medicine. Recent scientific research has found that Tripterygium wilfordii, an herbal medicine traditionally used to treat inflammation in China, contains compounds (triptolide and celastrol) that prevent the growth of solid tumors, induce apoptosis, and prevent metastasis of developed tumors. Investigations …

Ketamine, A Brighter Future For Those In Darkness, Matthew D. Gayhart

UROP Posters

Millions of people around the world suffer from Major Depressive Disorder, and many of these people are given drugs to help treat this potentially devastating disease. For many, the first treatment is successful, and if not, certainly the second treatment gives them the relief they so desperately need. Others, however, are not so lucky, people with treatment resistant depression undergo numerous treatments, some of which are more aggressive than others, but still nothing helps alleviate their depression. Recently an older anesthetic, the drug Ketamine, has been making some news as a new depression treatment. This paper will compare Ketamine to …

Smoking Patterns Among Vcu Students, Jasmine Saini

UROP Posters

For some individuals, college can be a high risk time for the development of problems associated with alcohol use and other substances. The purpose of this study is to examine these initiation and use patterns as they relate to nicotine use among college students 18 years of age and older enrolled in Spit for Science: The VCU Student Survey. The Spit for Science research project evaluates how genetic and environmental factors contribute to substance use and emotional health among college students at VCU. This study uses data from the Spit for Science 2011 cohort (n=2007) to investigate smoking patterns among …

Factors Involved In The Successful Transition To And Subsequent Use Of Electronic Health Records (Ehrs) Systems By Individual And Group-Practice Physicians, Naveen Chandra Kotha

UROP Posters

The use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) by healthcare professionals has been recommended as a way of improving healthcare quality, patient safety, and workflow efficiency, and lowering costs in the long run. While large hospital systems integrate EHRs into their services, individual and group practice-owning physicians, especially those of specialties and subspecialties, are often left wondering whether they should follow the trend and whether the transition from traditional, paper-chart systems or older EHRs to newer, commercial ones will truly benefit their patients and their practice as a whole. These physicians also often wonder whether benefits such as electronic-prescribing, clinical decision …

Assessment Of The Neighborhood Environment And Its Association With Gestational Age At Birth, Brittaney A. Castro

UROP Posters

Preterm birth is one of the most persistent of health disparities and accounts for five times more African American versus European American infant death. The preterm birth rate in African American is nearly twice as high compared to European Americans. Recent studies have shown that a major contributor to this disparity is accounted for by the greater environmental heterogeneity seen in African American populations. The purpose of this study is to examine how the measured neighborhood environment influences race-specific preterm birth rates by: 1) assessing the degree of neighborhood heterogeneity that exists between self-identified race; 2) estimate the extent these …

Social Media Best Practices In Academic Libraries 2015, Sue Robinson, Bettina Peacemaker, Emily Hurst

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Data

While academic libraries worldwide have embraced social media as tools to inform and connect with users, behaviors and expectations are evolving and platforms are growing. In order to understand current trends and use of social media in libraries, VCU Libraries created and conducted an online survey using SurveyMonkey. Our approach was informed by the study of social media and public relations practice conducted by Wright and Hinson (Wright, Donald K. and Michelle Drifka Hinson. 2015. “Examining Social and Emerging Media Use in Public Relations Practice: A Ten-Year Longitudinal Analysis.” Public Relations Journal 9).

The VCU Libraries survey consisted of 21 …

Scoring And Validation Of The Cystic Fibrosis Disclosure Questionnaire, Adrienne P. Borschuk

Theses and Dissertations

As more patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are living into adulthood, patients may need to disclose their CF status to others, such as in romantic or professional settings. Patients who choose not to disclose their CF status may be limited in their closeness with others, which may negatively affect their psychological functioning and health-related quality of life. Few studies, however, have examined disclosure in CF, and currently no validated measures of CF disclosure exist. The purpose of this study was to explore CF disclosure in adults and validate a new assessment of CF disclosure, the Cystic Fibrosis Disclosure Scale (CFDS). …

Good Things Come To Those Who (Peacefully) Wait: Toward A Theory Of Patience, Caroline R. Lavelock

Theses and Dissertations

Patience is among the most common colloquially known virtues, and yet its empirical attention is among the smallest of all virtues. In this dissertation, I focused on the conscientiousness-based virtue of patience in terms of theory and intervention. In my first study, I examined the effects of a preliminary intervention workbook designed to promote patience. In my second study, I examined a number of correlates informed by patience literature as potential antecedents, mechanisms, and outcomes of patience and, using structural equation modeling, present a theory of patience. Finally, in my third study, I beta tested the patience intervention workbook along …

The Characterization Of A Putative Protease Expressed By Sneathia Amnii, Rana Mehr

Theses and Dissertations

Preterm birth, birth prior to 37 weeks gestation, is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. While the uterine cavity and amniotic fluid largely remain sterile throughout gestation, bacterial infections can occur and are associated with preterm birth and/or preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes (PPROM). Sneathia amnii can be detected as a component of the vaginal flora in healthy women; however, it’s also associated with bacterial vaginosis and preterm birth. Sn35, an isolate of S.amnii, was identified and sequenced through the Vaginal Human Microbiome Project at VCU. Our objective was to classify potential virulence determinants …

Immunotherapy Of Cancer: Reprogramming Tumor/Immune Cellular Crosstalk To Improve Anti-Tumor Efficacy, Kyle K. Payne

Theses and Dissertations

Immunotherapy of cancer has been shown to be promising in prolonging patient survival. However, complete elimination of cancer and life-long relapse-free survival remain to be major challenge for anti-cancer therapeutics. We have previously reported that ex vivo reprogramming of tumor-sensitized immune cells by bryostatin 1/ionomycin (B/I) and the gamma-chain (γ-c) cytokines IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15 resulted in the generation of memory T cells as well as CD25+ NKT cells and CD25+ NK cells. Adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) utilizing these reprogrammed immune cells protected FVBN202 mice from tumor challenge, and overcame the suppressive functions of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). We then …

Impact Of E-Cigarettes On Physician Recommendations Of Tobacco Use Cessation Pharmacotherapy, Omar El Shahawy

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: E-cigarettes have been marketed as smoking cessation aids and harm reduction strategies. Prior regional surveys found that physicians are recommending them to patients despite the lack of evidence supporting these industry claims. Yet, little is known about physicians’ beliefs regarding e-cigarettes and whether these beliefs are associated with them recommending e-cigarette use in clinical practice. Methods: This three-manuscript dissertation used a mixed-methods approach including both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The aims were to: (1) Uncover the factors associated with primary care physicians’ (PCPs) decisions to recommend e-cigarettes to their patients for tobacco use cessation; (2) Estimate the prevalence …

Characterization Of Transfer Of The Mobile Genomic Island Encoding Methicillin Resistance Among Staphylococci, Melissa D. Ray

Theses and Dissertations

The gene encoding methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is carried in the chromosome on a large genomic island called SCCmec and is always inserted at the att site within orfX. SCCmec has been designated a mobile genetic element but a mechanism by which it moves among different strains and species of staphylococci has never been demonstrated. This work shows that bacteriophage 80α is capable of transducing SCCmec into a recipient cell, after which it can integrate into the bacterial chromosome via homologous recombination. More importantly, this work characterizes a conjugative mechanism of SCCmec transfer. …

Motivation, Mindfulness, And Metabolic Factors Predicting Adolescent Adherence And Attrition In A Multidisciplinary Weight Management Program, Stephen Trapp

Theses and Dissertations

Estimated rates of obesity are notably high in the United States and pose a significant public health concern. A number of deleterious physical and psychosocial conditions are associated with pediatric obesity and the cost of its treatment is considerable. Accordingly, the number of weight management treatments has increased to meet this growing public health challenge. Unfortunately, insufficient participation in weight management treatment, namely low adherence and high attrition, often impede the effectiveness of these programs. Although the barriers associated with inadequate adherence and elevated rates of attrition are documented, there is a dearth of research on the predictors of the …

Stakeholder Views On Behavioral Health Care In The Pediatric Primary Care Setting: A Qualitative Approach Towards Integration Of Care, Alexis Quinoy

Theses and Dissertations

The pediatric primary care setting has been discussed as playing a central role for the identification and treatment of behavioral and mental health disorders in youth. Although this setting is in a unique position to provide these services, there are many barriers to the integration of mental health care and pediatric primary care. The aim of this study is to examine perspectives of multiple stakeholders (i.e., patient, parent, nurse, resident, faculty, clinic director) in a pediatric primary care setting to explore barriers, behavioral and mental health needs, and facilitators to the integration and provision of mental health care for children …

Looking “Upstream”: The Role Of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction In Service Members’ Future Orientation, Bradley J. Antonides

Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: This study explores psychological experiences that may influence service members’ self-concepts and future orientations. As stable, optimistic, future orientations have been associated with resilience to psychological distress and suicidality (Johnson, et al., 2011), it is worthwhile to explore how service members’ attitudes toward the future might be shaped in the context of intrapersonal and interpersonal experiences. METHOD: Data were collected from service members of the Virginia National Guard (N = 192) and included a Transportation unit, an Engineer unit, an Infantry unit and a group with no specific unit affiliation or substantive military experience. The study is a …

Investigation Of Phenylephrine Sulfation And Inhibition Using A Novel Hilic Assay Method, Heta N. Shah

Theses and Dissertations

Phenylephrine (PE) is the most commonly used over-the-counter nasal decongestant. The problem associated with phenylephrine is that it undergoes extensive first pass metabolism in the intestinal gut wall leading to its poor and variable oral bioavailability.

This research project aims at developing strategies in order to increase the oral bioavailability of PE by co-administration of GRAS compounds. A HILIC assay method was developed to detect the parent drug, phenylephrine (PE) and its sulfate metabolite (PES).The enzyme kinetic studies were done with phenolic dietary or GRAS compounds using LS180 human intestinal cell model, recombinant SULT enzymes and human intestinal cytosol (HIC). …

Multi-Platform Arabinoxylan Scaffolds As Potential Wound Dressing Materials, Donald C. Aduba Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Biopolymers are becoming more attractive as advanced wound dressings because of their naturally derived origin, abundance, low cost and high compatibility with the wound environment. Arabinoxylan (AX) is a class of polysaccharide polymers derived from cereal grains that are primarily used in food products and cosmetic additives. Its application as a wound dressing material has yet to be realized. In this two-pronged project, arabinoxylan ferulate (AXF) was fabricated into electrospun fibers and gel foams to be evaluated as platforms for wound dressing materials. In the first study, AXF was electrospun with varying amounts of gelatin. In the second study, AXF …

Physical And Biological Constraints On The Abundance Of Cyanobacteria In The James River Estuary, Brendan C. Trache

Theses and Dissertations

The tidal-fresh James River experiences recurring blooms of toxin-producing cyanobacteria, including Microcystis aeruginosa. However, cyanobacteria cell densities in the James are relatively low. Our purpose was to identify key factors suppressing cyanobacteria growth in the face of eutrophication. A mesocosm experiment was designed to test the effects of light, mixing and grazing on cyanobacteria abundance, with nutrients held constant. We predicted that toxic cyanobacteria would be most abundant under stagnant conditions, with enhanced light, with no bivalve grazers present. Abundances of indicator gene copies and phytoplankton counts supported this hypothesis. However, chlorophyll-a, phycocyanin, and the toxin microcystin were all …

Measurements And Modeling Of Hydrocarbon Mixture Fluid Properties Under Extreme Temperature And Pressure Conditions, Babatunde A. Bamgbade

Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of thermodynamic fluid properties, such as density and phase behavior, is important for the design, operation, and safety of several processes including drilling, extraction, transportation, and separation that are required in the petroleum. The knowledge is even more critical at extreme temperature and pressure conditions as the search for more crude oil reserves lead to harsher conditions. Currently, there is dearth of experimental data at these conditions and as such, the predictive capability of the existing modeling tools are unproven. The objective of this research is to develop a fundamental understanding of the impact of molecular architecture on fluid …

Relational Coordination: An Exploration Of Nursing Units, An Emergency Department And In-Patient Transfers, Mary Coffey

Theses and Dissertations

Emergency department (ED) crowding is a patient safety concern that has been increasing for more than a decade. Increased visits have resulted in ED crowding, longer wait times, ambulance diversions, and boarding of admitted patients (Hing & Bhuiya, 2012). Numerous factors affect ED crowding. Once various extraneous issues are resolved and a bed is available for a patient, it becomes the responsibility of nurses across unit boundaries to coordinate the patient transfer. This study applies Relational Coordination Theory (RCT) as a framework to provide nurses insight into the relational aspects of their work in the transfer of ED patients to …