Digital Commons Network^™

Domestic Violence: Contemporary Interventions And The Rise Of Specialized Domestic Violence Units, Laura E. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines recidivism for domestic violence offenders under both traditional probation and specialized probation conditions. This research compares recidivism at a traditional probation locality (Riverside Criminal Justice Services) and a specialized domestic violence unit (Chesterfield Community Corrections Services) in order to determine the nature of recidivism at both localities. In addition, the research aims to identify individual risk factors which are statistically associated with recidivism. The research is based on secondary data and draws on offender criminal records generated by the Virginia State Police, as well the extraction of information from probation files at both localities. The multivariate models …

Food Landscapes: A Case Study Of A Cooking And Art- Focused Program For Teens Living In A Food Desert, Jessica R. Norris

Theses and Dissertations

This study constructs themes and propositions about the experiences of youth participants in the fall 2013 Food Landscapes program at the Neighborhood Resource Center in Richmond, Virginia. During the program, youth participated in cooking-based volunteerism with adults with disabilities and created short videos about their experiences. In this study, I analyzed pre- and post-program participant interviews, twice-weekly program observations, and facilitator reflections to understand how Food Landscapes affected youths’ conception of community engagement and communication strategies. This case study offers insight into how youth experience after-school programming of this design. Based on my findings, youth develop and rely upon a …

Regulation And Mechanistic Functions Of Caspase-9 Rna Splicing, Ngoc T. Vu

Theses and Dissertations

Caspase-9 has two splice variants, pro-apoptotic caspase-9a and anti-apoptotic caspase-9b, and dysregulation of caspase-9 splice variant ratio or expression of caspase-9b isoform has been linked to augmentation of the anchorage-independent growth and tumorigenic capacity of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. This study focuses on cell signaling pathway(s) regulating the alternative splicing of caspase-9 pre-mRNA and mechanistic roles of caspase-9b in a certain oncogenic/survival pathway. In regards to the former, we have identified hnRNP U as a novel splice-enhancer associated with exon 3 of caspase-9 (C9/E3). Moreover, hnRNP U binds specifically to C9/E3 at an RNA cis-element previously reported …

Fluid Realities: A Light On Life's Journey, Neta-Grace Coleen Shepherd

Theses and Dissertations

Images of nature and family comprise the gestural and abstracted interpretations of my life events. I use my photographs as inspiration for my work. I fuse layers of color, light, and line into glass and onto wood to suspend a personal memory. I want to capture those moments that flit by in life and envelop them in the media.

In my fused glass work, I manipulate color, light, and line. In these pieces, I layer frits and sheets of glass onto an abstract sculpted relief of fiberglass and fuse them into one thick slab. The sculpted relief creates a textured …

Collaboration For The Common Good: Examining Americorps Programs Sponsored By Institutions Of Higher Education, Erin B. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The report, A Crucible Moment, published in 2012 by the National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement described a crisis in higher education surrounding the lack of civic learning and engagement opportunities for students. This crisis has led to decreased political participation and a general lack of knowledge in civics education (National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement, 2012). Educating students for citizenship in America’s colleges and universities will assist with sustaining the country’s democracy by engendering a sense of civic responsibility in young adults that will last throughout their lifetime. This qualitative case study …

A Cultural Lens Into The Story Underneath: A Resource Guide Of African American Art, Artists And Culture For Art Education, Valerie Graves

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to create a qualitative resource guide of African American culture, art, and artists for an art education curriculum. This project encompasses four main themes to reflect an area of African American culture via a work of art created by an African American artist. These themes are, Family with the sub themes African American Male, Matriarch, and Children; Spirit with the sub themes Faith, Spirituality, and Inspiration; Identity with the sub themes Artist’s Voice, Triumph, and Hope and Vision; Community with the sub themes Ancestors, Social Issues, and Cultural Voice. These themes constitute …

Implementing Social Equity In The Public Sector: How Community Colleges Achieve The Dream, Kasey J. Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Equity is an American ideal, one that is considered the cornerstone to good governance (Gooden, 2011). Achieving equity requires the eradication of racial disparities in opportunities and outcomes, particularly in education. Creating equitable educational experiences at community colleges is the focus of this research.

The purpose of study is to examine the issue of social equity within community colleges in an effort to understand: (1) their efforts to promote student success through equity; (2) their commitment to social equity; and (3) the institutional change that is necessary to create an institutional culture that values social equity and is accountable for …

Military Service Members’ And Veterans’ Preferred Approach To Mental Health Services, Lisa Goldberg Looney

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health services are greatly underutilized by military service members and veterans. Among the reasons for this underutilization is that the services offered may not be a good fit for the specific problems facing service members/veterans and/or their families. The current study presented service members with descriptions of several approaches to treatment and asked them to indicate the likelihood of using each. Service members indicated the highest likelihood for using self-directed services, followed by individual treatment with a professional. They reported being least likely to use group approaches. These results may inform decisions about the implementation and dissemination of information …

The Presentation Of Incorruptibility: The Praesentia Of The Female Saint, Kristina M. Keogh

Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation inserts the incorruptible body into the discussion of image devotion and relic veneration that followed the Council of Trent’s (1545-1563) decrees concerning the use of images, which affirmed Thomas Aquinas’s position that worship is passed from representation to archetype. This is addressed in terms of the image and the relic within the same sacred space, primarily in the context of the chapels of S. Caterina de’ Vigri (1413-1463; canonized 1712) in Bologna and S. Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi (1566-1607; canonized 1669) in Florence, where there were not only man-made representations of the saint, but also the whole and …

Cyberbullying: An Examination Of Gender, Race, Ethnicity, And Environmental Factors From The National Crime Victimization Survey: Student Crime Supplement, 2009, Mary Howlett-Brandon

Theses and Dissertations

Cyberbullying has become an issue of concern during the past decade for schools, parents, students, and communities. Media attention to extreme instances of cyberbullying has resulted in misinformation. Myths abound about cyberbullying and accurate information can be hard to find. This study attempts to shed light on this controversial issue. Using the National Crime Victimization Survey: Student Crime Supplement, 2009, this research focuses on the cyberbullying victimization of Black students and White students in specific conditions. These include racial and gender differences, grades, attendance, school environment, and student perception of teacher attitudes towards them.

Atm, Brca1, And Aurora A: Mechanisms Of G2/M Checkpoint Control In Human Embryonic Stem Cells, Jason Beckta

Theses and Dissertations

When cultured in vitro, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) acquire genetic abnormalities that have slowed their therapeutic use. As hESCs have a “leaky” G1/S boundary, the pressure of ensuring genetic integrity falls on the G2/M checkpoint, which can be activated by failed chromosomal decatenation (among other stimuli). It is hypothesized that hESCs have a deficient decatenation checkpoint, but little data supports this. Evidence suggests that the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase controls the G2/M decatenation and DNA damage checkpoints, though previous reports are conflicting on this point. My work demonstrates that inhibition of decatenation activates ATM and arrests hESCs in …

Characterization Of Complement Evasion Of The Periopathogen, Treponema Denticola, Daniel Patrick Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Periodontitis is a polymicrobially-induced, chronic inflammatory disease of the tissues that support and surround the tooth. While greater than 500 organisms are found in dental plaque, Treponema denticola is one of only a few species associated with disease. It has been hypothesized that oral bacteria disrupt host homeostasis through manipulation of the innate immune system. In this study, we examine the impact of binding and subsequent cleavage of factor H, a complement regulator, by T. denticola in the evasion and subversion of complement. The molecular interaction between the sole FH-binding protein, FhbB, and FH was detailed by x-ray crystallography, site-directed …

Pools / Dreams / Parental Gaze, Tal Gafny

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a testimony of thoughts and ideas that have been circulating in my studio for the past few years, in their current form. It is also an experiment in writing an autobiographical piece of prose. It was written parallel to, and after, making the film Double Take with Perrin Turner. The film is an exploration of a number of relationships, related and sometimes haunted by one another. I wish for this text to operate not only as an after-the-fact recollection of thoughts, but also in relation to what will follow it – similarly to the way a trailer …

Characterization Of A Putative Tonb Deficient Porphyromonas Gingivalis Mutant, Soheil Rostami

Theses and Dissertations

Porphorymonas gingivalis is one of the major bacterial pathogens responsible for the initiation and progression of periodontal disease. The bacterium requires hemin uptake for its growth and has developed sophisticated mechanisms to extract hemin from hemin containing proteins in the oral cavity. Hemin first binds to receptors on the surface of P. gingivalis and is then taken up in an energy dependent manner. TonB is an inner membrane bound protein that spans the periplasm and is believed to be involved in the passage of hemin through the double membrane of P. gingivalis. However, the TonB protein in P. gingivalis is …

Hiv And Opiates-Mediated Neurotoxicity: Gsk3Β Is A Potential Therapeutic Target, Ruturaj Masvekar

Theses and Dissertations

HIV-1 enters the CNS soon after initial systemic infection. HIV-1 can induce a wide range of neurological deficits, collectively known as HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Mature neurons are not infected by HIV-1; instead, infected and/or activated glial cells release various viral and cellular factors that induce direct and/or indirect neuronal toxicity, leading to HAND. Injection drug abuse is a significant risk factor for HIV-infection, and opiate drug abusers show increased HIV-neuropathology, even with anti-retroviral treatments. Our previous work has largely modeled HIV-neuropathology using the individual viral proteins Tat or gp120, with murine striatal neurons as targets. To model disease processes …

Folate Conjugated Dendrimers For Targeted Anticancer Therapy, Shannon Andrews

Theses and Dissertations

Anticancer therapeutics are often limited to suboptimal doses due to their lack of selectivity for tumor cells and resultant damage to healthy tissue. These limitations motivated researchers to develop tumor-specific delivery systems for improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced unintended cytotoxicity. Polyamidoamine dendrimers offer an ideal platform for designing targeted therapeutics with tunable characteristics that optimize pharmacokinetic behavior and targeting specificity. Ligand conjugation to dendrimer provides the biochemical interaction necessary to activate tumor-specific receptors for receptor-mediated endocytosis and effective internalization of polyplexes. Tumor-specific receptors overexpressed in carcinomas, like folate receptor-alpha (FOLRα), are targeted by ligand-conjugated dendrimer to allow enhanced internalization of …

Treatment-Induced Breast Cancer Dormancy And Relapse, Rebecca Keim

Theses and Dissertations

When breast tumor cells encounter stress due to cancer therapies, they may enter a dormant state, escaping from treatment-induced apoptosis. Dormant cells may eventually regain proliferative capabilities and cause recurrent metastatic disease, which is the leading cause of mortality in breast cancer patients. We sought to determine if a high dose of radiation therapy (RT) or combined chemo-immunotherapy, with and without the blockade of autophagy by chloroquine (CQ), could overcome treatment-induced tumor dormancy or relapse. We found that autophagy contributes in part to treatment-induced tumor dormancy. We also found that three therapeutic strategies were successful in inhibiting or preventing tumor …

Investigating The Effects Of Applied Electric Fields On Microglial Cell Behaviour, Eman Bani

Theses and Dissertations

As surveyors of the central nervous system (CNS), microglial cells play an integral part in the inflammatory response following traumatic injuries. Thus, they have been implicated in the limited capability of neurons to regenerate in the CNS. Additionally, the roles of endogenous electric fields in the regenerative process of neurons in the mammalian peripheral nervous system (PNS) or amphibian CNS have long been studied. Further, previous studies in our lab have shown that physiological electric fields are capable of directing behaviours in astrocytes and schwann cells. Therefore in this study, a BV-2 microglia cell line was utilized to investigate whether …

Characterization Of The Biological Role Of A Putative Porphyromonas Gingivalis Rna-Binding Protein, Ramana Cvitkovic

Theses and Dissertations

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a gram-negative anaerobic bacterium, is a major etiological agent in the initiation and progression of severe forms of periodontal disease. Oral bacteria like P. gingivalis are subject to continually changing conditions as a consequence of host eating, oral hygiene patterns and subgingival temperatures. As such survival requires an adaptive response to environmental cues, but little is known about the mechanism by which P. gingivalis controls co- and post-transcriptional regulation of RNA levels and potentially protein expression. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are evolutionarily conserved across species and are involved in such regulatory mechanisms. However, P. gingivalis currently has no identified …

Identification Of Peptidases In Highly-Pathogenic Versus Weakly-Pathogenic Naegleria Fowleri Amebae, Ishan Vyas

Theses and Dissertations

Naegleria fowleri, a free-living ameba, is the causative agent of Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis. Highly-pathogenic mouse-passaged amebae (Mp) and weakly-pathogenic axenically-grown (Ax) N. fowleri were examined for peptidase activity. Zymography and azocasein peptidase activity assays demonstrated that Mp and Ax N. fowleri exhibited a similar peptidase pattern. Prominent for whole cell lysates, membranes and conditioned medium from Mp and Ax amebae were the presence of an activity band of approximately 58kDa and 100 kDa bands susceptible to the action of cysteine and metallopeptidase inhibitors, respectively. Further roles of the peptidases during the invasion process were examined by in vitro invasion assays …

Characteristics Of Effective Communication About Mental Health In An African American Urban Community: A Qualitative Analysis, Jeannette Porter

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown African Americans experience mental health issues at the same rate as the general population but seek treatment at only one-third that rate. Eleven African American low-income urban community leaders with basic training in mental health issues were interviewed about their perceptions of African American patterns of communication on mental health issues. Findings included a general consensus that the topic is generally not discussed, although passing references to a party’s perceived mental illness may be made using humor. When such discussion does take place, it happens only in a “safe space” with a trusted dialogue partner. Non-verbal cues …

Elementary Teachers' Achievement Goal Orientations In A High-Stakes Accountability Context: A Validation Study, Amanda Turner

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated teacher motivation in a high-stakes accountability context. Specifically, this study examines elementary teachers' achievement goal orientations, self-efficacy for teaching, and perceptions of help-seeking in the context of high-stakes testing and school accountability under No Child Left Behind and an Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver. Butler's (2007) teacher achievement goal orientation framework provided the theoretical basis of the present study; high-stakes tests and school accountability status were thought to impact teachers’ achievement goal orientations. Additionally, teachers' achievement goal orientations were thought to impact teaching self-efficacy and perceptions of help-seeking. The sample included 381 elementary school teachers. …

A Route To Discover Small Molecule Inhibitors Of Psaa, A Potential Target For Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Ahmad J. Obaidullah

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the development of multidrug resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae, research has begun to define new drug targets for pneumonia therapy. Different research groups have identified a lipoprotein, PsaA that is important for pneumonia virulence. PsaA is a manganese transporter that is required for bacterial virulence and growth. We have employed computer modeling to virtually screen a small-molecule database for inhibition of PsaA function by targeting the metal binding pocket, performing receptor-based virtual screening and molecular docking and scoring to identify potential inhibitors of PsaA function. We have developed an assay for screening compounds, including the use of a PsaA …

Characterization Of Putative Porphyromonas Gingivalis Rna-Binding Proteins, Holly Dwyer

Theses and Dissertations

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a gram-negative, anaerobic bacterium recognized as a major player in progression of periodontal disease. P. gingivalis survives in the oral cavity while being exposed to dynamic environmental conditions such as pH, temperature, nutrient availability and host immune responses such as oxygen tension and nitrosative stress. Survival and pathogenesis of P. gingivalis in the oral cavity require mechanisms to regulate gene expression in response to the extracellular signals. Little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of P. gingivalis in the oral cavity, so it is important to investigate and characterize these regulatory mechanisms. Adaptation to environmental …

Identifying Organizational Containment And Its Effect On The Career Paths Of Black Educators, Risha Berry

Theses and Dissertations

The racial composition of the school workforce is the product of a complex interaction of social forces. School constituencies such as parents, students, and teachers impact new leader preferences. Their ideas influence decisions regarding who fits into school administration and who doesn't (Williams & Loeb, 2012). These "fit" preferences can shape school district ethos, which then influences access to social networks (Tooms, 2010). Limited entry to these networks may produce multiple disadvantages, particularly for Black educators. One way to think of this access is through the concept of containment. Restricted data from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) will …

Hang-Yong High-Speed Railway And Ningbo’S Industrial Structure: A Conceptual Analysis, Dongxuan Ying

Theses and Dissertations

High speed railway and promote the economic development of the city. So the operation of high-speed railway in Ningbo to Hangzhou, Ningbo’s opportunity and challenge, tourism, transportation, business, industry, real estate industry, headquarters economy, financial, cultural and creative industries, attract talent. Although short-term high iron research is very difficult to see effect, but through some research can guess and judge the impact of high-speed rail industry of Ningbo city and some Suggestions put forward the Ningbo, Hang-Yong high-speed railway.

Characterization Of Metal Transport By The Streptococcus Sanguinis Endocarditis Virulence Factor Ssab, Sarah Brusko

UROP Posters

Streptococcus sanguinis, present in the biofilm colonizing human tooth surfaces, may be beneficial in the oral cavity, though it also serves as a causative agent of an extra-oral disease, infective endocarditis. Previous mutagenesis of lipoprotein genes from S. sanguinis strain SK36 identified the SsaB gene as necessary for virulence in a rabbit model of endocarditis. Based on homology, we suspected that SsaB was a metal transporter. A procedure utilizing inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry was optimized and implemented for determination of the concentrations (μg metal per mg of cellular protein) of 17 metals in SK36 and ssaB mutant cell …

Transformation Of Human Mast Cells By Interferon-Gamma And The Potential Role Of Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells In Mastocytosis., Sahar Lotfi-Emran

Theses and Dissertations

Mast cells respond to a variety of signals, are associated with both increased inflammation and regulation of the immune response, and are able to interact with a variety of hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells. The majority of the work that highlights mast cell pleiotropic abilities has been completed in murine models. Though these models have significantly advanced our understanding of what mast cells can do, they cannot inform us as to what mast cells actually do in human beings. The goal of this dissertation is to assess fully mature, primary human mast cell function beyond the well-defined type 1 hypersensitivity function …

Rhetorical Ripples: The Church Of The Subgenius, Kenneth Burke & Comic, Symbolic Tinkering, Lee A. Carleton

Theses and Dissertations

Humor has long been an effective way to engage difficult sociopolitical topics in a way that avoids polemical confrontation and provides opportunity for pleasure, catharsis and self-knowledge. In the context of today’s polarized politics and protest, creative satirical performance that deploys “symbolic tinkering” can provide a “comic frame of reference” that, according to Kenneth Burke, more effectively conveys its message while providing reflexive insight. The satirical Church of the SubGenius naturally practices this rhetorical frame in their multimedia creations. Using the lens of Burke’s Attitudes Toward History, this essay is an analysis of SubGenius rhetoric with a focus on …

Investigations Into The Fluorescent Covalent Labeling Of Biomolecules Utilizing Rhodamine Dyes, Electrophilic Leaving Groups And Mrna Display., Susan D. Selaya

Theses and Dissertations

The discovery of a method by which proteins of interest can selectively be labeled with a probe of choice intracellularly is a longstanding goal in chemical biology research. Conventional labeling techniques have utilized large domain tags but despite the development of small labeling molecules there have been no short peptide sequences known to covalently label a small molecule without the aid of an enzymatic process or metal chelation. We aimed to find a sequence of nucleophilic peptides that reacted covalently and specifically with electrophilic small labeling molecules using mRNA display. Our goal was to show that an electrophilic small labeling …