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Virginia Commonwealth University Professional Bulletin [2015], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Professional programs bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2015-2016. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for graduate programs.

Virtual Bus Simulation: Driver And Fuel Efficiency, James Freund, Ivan Grinkevich, Justin Boswell

Capstone Design Expo Posters

Problem Statement: VCU will be putting together state of the art 3D curved screen driving simulator. This simulator will mimic fleets of vehicles behavior and will be networked with INL and Univ. of Idaho simulators. The project will entail putting the simulator together and improving existing simulator software.

Rationale: Conduct research in the areas of important behaviors to increase driver efficiency, how simulation training can encourage good driving habits, Psychology of driver habits and distractions, and benefits of audio and visual cues to assist drivers. Approach: Identify the most optimal 3d engine and develop simulation environment using the chosen engine. …

Virginia Commonwealth University Courses [2015], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of courses for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Representation By Design: Mining The Source, Kris Heintz Nelson

Higher Education Resources

This unit is a hybrid, combining art history, studio instruction, and visual culture and has been interwoven into a freshman foundations drawing course where students are taught observational skills, use of media and process, and introduced to the creative processes of generating ideas and developing personal inquiry. The inquiry is intended to guide students to question dominant assumptions regarding representation and how artists engage in visual research.

Outcomes For Implementation Science: An Enhanced Systematic Review Of Instruments Using Evidence-Based Rating Criteria, Cara C. Lewis, Sarah Fischer, Bryan J. Weiner, Cameo Stanick, Mimi Kim, Ruben G. Martinez

Psychology Publications

Background

High-quality measurement is critical to advancing knowledge in any field. New fields, such as implementation science, are often beset with measurement gaps and poor quality instruments, a weakness that can be more easily addressed in light of systematic review findings. Although several reviews of quantitative instruments used in implementation science have been published, no studies have focused on instruments that measure implementation outcomes. Proctor and colleagues established a core set of implementation outcomes including: acceptability, adoption,appropriateness, cost, feasibility, fidelity, penetration, sustainability (Adm Policy Ment Health Ment Health Serv Res 36:24–34, …

A Simple Method For Discovering Druggable, Specific Glycosaminoglycan-Protein Systems. Elucidation Of Key Principles From Heparin/Heparan Sulfate-Binding Proteins, Aurijit Sarkar, Umesh R. Desai

Psychology Publications

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) affect human physiology and pathology by modulating more than 500 proteins. GAG-protein interactions are generally assumed to be ionic and nonspecific, but specific interactions do exist. Here, we present a simple method to identify the GAG-binding site (GBS) on proteins that in turn helps predict high specific GAG–protein systems. Contrary to contemporary thinking, we found that the electrostatic potential at basic arginine and lysine residues neither identifies the GBS consistently, nor its specificity. GBSs are better identified by considering the potential at neutral hydrogen bond donors such as asparagine or glutamine sidechains. Our studies also reveal that an …

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin [2015], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Undergraduate bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2015-2016. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for undergraduate programs.

Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate Bulletin [2015], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

No abstract provided.

Children's Experiences Of Companion Animal Maltreatment In Households Characterized By Intimate Partner Violence, Shelby Elaine Mcdonald, Elizabeth A. Collins, Nicole Nicotera, Tina O. Hageman, Frank R. Ascione, James Herbert Williams, Sandra A. Graham-Bermann

Social Work Publications

Cruelty toward companion animals is a well-documented, coercive tactic used by abusive partners to intimidate and control their intimate partners. Experiences of co-occurring violence are common for children living in families with intimate partner violence (IPV) and surveys show that more than half are also exposed to abuse of their pets. Given children's relationships with their pets, witnessing such abuse may be traumatic for them. Yet little is known about the prevalence and significance of this issue for children. The present study examines the experiences of children in families with co-occurring pet abuse and IPV. Using qualitative methods, 58 children …

The Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor As A Potential Treatment Target In Alcohol Use Disorder: Evidence From Human Genetic Association Studies And A Mouse Model Of Alcohol Dependence, P. Suchankova, J. Yan, M. L. Schwandt, B. L. Stangl, E. C. Caparelli, R. Momenan, E. Jerlhag, J. A. Engel, C. A. Hodgkinson, M. Egli, M. F. Lopez, H. C. Becker, D. Goldman, M. Heilig, V. A. Ramchandani, L. Leggio

Psychiatry Publications

The hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) regulates appetite and food intake. GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) activation also attenuates the reinforcing properties of alcohol in rodents. The present translational study is based on four human genetic association studies and one preclinical study providing data that support the hypothesis that GLP-1R may have a role in the pathophysiology of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Case–control analysis (N=908) was performed on a sample of individuals enrolled in the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) intramural research program. The Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment (SAGE) sample (N=3803) was used for …

Qtc Prolongation In Veterans With Heroin Dependence On Methadone Maintenance Treatment, Sameer Hassamal, Antony Fernandez, Hossein Moradi Rekabdarkolaee, Ananda Pandurangi

Psychiatry Publications

Background:

QTc prolongation and Torsade de Ppointes have been reported in patients on methadone maintenance.

Objectives:

In this study, QTc was compared before and after the veteran (n = 49) was on a stable dosage of methadone for 8.72 ± 4.50 years to treat heroin dependence. Risk factors were correlated with the QTc once the veteran was on a stable dose of methadone. Differences in the clinical risk factors in subgroups of veterans with below and above mean QTc change was compared.

Patients and Methods:

ECG data was obtained from a 12-lead electrocardiogram (pre-methadone and on methadone) on 49 veterans. …

Molecular Signatures Of Major Depression, Na Cai, Simon Chang, Yihan Li, Qiban Li, Jingchu Hu, Jieqin Liang, Li Song, Warren Kretzschmar, Xiangchao Gan, Jerome Nicod, Margarita Rivera, Hong Deng, Bo Du, Keqing Li, Wenhu Sang, Jingfang Gao, Shugui Gao, Baowei Ha, Hung-Yao Ho, Chunmei Hu, Jian Hu, Zhenfei Hu, Guoping Huang, Guoqing Jiang, Tao Jiang, Wei Jin, Gongying Li, Kan Li, Yi Li, Yingrui Li, Youhui Li, Yu-Ting Lin, Lanfen Liu, Tiebang Liu, Ying Liu, Yuan Liu, Yao Lu, Luxian Lv, Huaqing Meng, Puyi Qian, Hong Sang, Jianhua Shen, Jianguo Shi, Jing Sun, Ming Tao, Gang Wang, Guangbiao Wang, Jian Wang, Linmao Wang, Xueyi Wang, Xumei Wang, Huanming Yang, Lijun Yang, Ye Yin, Jinbei Zhang, Kerang Zhang, Ning Sun, Wei Zhang, Xiuqing Zhang, Zhen Zhang, Hui Zhong, Gerome Breen, Jun Wang, Jonathan Marchini, Yiping Chen, Qi Xu, Xun Xu, Richard Mott, Guo-Jen Huang, Kenneth S. Kendler, Jonathan Flint

Psychiatry Publications

Adversity, particularly in early life, can cause illness. Clues to the responsible mechanisms may lie with the discovery of molecular signatures of stress, some of which include alterations to an individual’s somatic genome. Here, using genome sequences from 11,670 women, we observed a highly significant association between a stress-related disease, major depression, and the amount of mtDNA (p = 9.00 × 10−42, odds ratio 1.33 [95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.29–1.37]) and telomere length (p = 2.84 × 10−14, odds ratio 0.85 [95% CI = 0.81–0.89]). While both telomere length and mtDNA amount were associated with adverse life events, conditional …

Generalised Anxiety Disorder – A Twin Study Of Genetic Architecture, Genome-Wide Association And Differential Gene Expression, Matthew N. Davies, Serena Verdi, Andrea Burri, Maciej Trzaskowski, Minyoung Lee, John M. Hettema, Rick Jansen, Dorret I. Boomsma, Tim D. Spector

Psychiatry Publications

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a common anxiety-related diagnosis, affecting approximately 5% of the adult population. One characteristic of GAD is a high degree of anxiety sensitivity (AS), a personality trait which describes the fear of arousal-related sensations. Here we present a genome-wide association study of AS using a cohort of 730 MZ and DZ female twins. The GWAS showed a significant association for a variant within the RBFOX1 gene. A heritability analysis of the same cohort also confirmed a significant genetic component with h2 of 0.42. Additionally, a subset of the cohort (25 MZ twins discordant for AS) was …

Integrating Basic Research With Prevention/Intervention To Reduce Risky Substance Use Among College Students, Danielle Dick, Linda C. Hancock

Psychiatry Publications

Too often basic research on etiological processes that contribute to substance use outcomes is disconnected from efforts to develop prevention and intervention programming. Substance use on college campuses is an area of concern where translational efforts that bring together basic scientists and prevention/intervention practitioners have potential for high impact. We describe an effort at a large, public, urban university in the United States to bring together researchers across the campus with expertise in college behavioral health with university administration and health/wellness practitioners to address college student substance use and mental health. The project “Spit for Science” examines how genetic and …

A Brief Analysis Of Suicide Methods And Trends In Virginia From 2003 To 2012, Sameer Hassamal, Lori Keyser-Marcus, Ericka Crouse Breden, Kathrin Hobron, Atit Bhattachan, Ananda Pandurangi

Psychiatry Publications

Background. The objective is to analyze and compare Virginia suicide data from 2003 to 2012 to US suicide data. Methods. Suicide trends by method, age, gender, and race were obtained from Virginia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s annual reports. Results. Similar to US suicide rates, suicide rates in Virginia increased between 2003 and 2012 from 10.9/100,000 people to 12.9/100,000 people. The most common methods were firearm, asphyxia, and intentional drug overdose, respectively. The increase in asphyxia (𝑟 = 0.77, 𝑃 ≤ 0.01) and decrease in CO poisoning (𝑟 = −0.89, 𝑃 ≤ 0.01) were significant. Unlike national trends, intentional …

Screening And Brief Intervention For Alcohol Misuse In Older Adults: Training Outcomes Among Physicians And Other Healthcare Practitioners In Community-Based Settings, Constance L. Coogle, Myra G. Owens

Forensic Science Publications

Screening and brief intervention (SBI) is increasingly available to older adults who engage in at-risk drinking. This study examined the extent to which SBI training influenced the willingness of healthcare providers in a community-based hospital and other clinical settings to promote the implementation of SBI. Ninety-three healthcare practitioners (primarily physicians, nurses, and social workers) who attended SBI training were asked about their intentions to apply the information in their professional practice, as well as their enthusiasm about recommending the training to others in their profession. Although there were no differences among the professions in terms of commitment to apply the …

Virginia Dental Journal (Vol. 92, No. 1, 2015)

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Academic Rigor: A Research Report, Gabriel Reich, Volkan Sevim, Amanda Turner

MERC Publications

Rigor can be defined in any number of ways. We found an imbalance between the ways in which rigor has been defined by the Virginia Department of Education, and how education scholars define rigor in the respective academic disciplines.

(1) The Commonwealth of Virginia defines rigor as college and career readiness as measured by attendance in post-secondary educational institution, achievement of high Standards of Learning (SOL) test scores, as well as participation in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.

(2) Educational Psychologists tend to define rigor in ways that are generalizable across contexts. Researchers in this tradition focus on academic …

Retention And Mentoring (Ram) Initiative, Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Susan Digiovanni, Donna Gibson, Anne Hofler, Florence Johnson, Michael Southam-Gerow, Jenilee Stanley-Shanks

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

National and local surveys (e.g., COACHE, 2010; VCU Great Place Initiative, 2013) suggest that a primary reason for workplace dissatisfaction among faculty and staff is lack of adequate mentorship. Evidence also suggests that mentoring programs improve recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty and staff (e.g., Daley, Wingard, & Reznik, 2006). VCU and VCU Health currently have decentralized and isolated mentoring programs across campuses: a centralized mentoring program accessible to all employees does not exist to address faculty and staff professional development and networking needs. Our project sought to fill this gap. Specifically, we proposed to develop an online database designed …

Promotion, Education, And Marketing Of An Expanded Vcu Bike Share Program, Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Kellie Archer, Tom Arodz, Alison Breland, Dawn Crichlow, Tom Klug

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

We propose to help promote, market, and provide education about an expanded bike share program at VCU. The goal of the bike share program is three-fold: 1) improve travel between campuses, 2) encourage alternate transportation to reduce traffic and parking difficulties and 3) be a "green" initiative on the VCU campus. The expanded bike share program will include additional bikes and bike stations, managed by an outside company. Recently, VCU’s Office of Parking and Transportation has learned that they will be receiving funds for the program, and they are looking for assistance to promote, market, and provide education about the …

Ramsway Safe Path, Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Stephen Barkley, Mary Beth Heller, Elizabeth Mcdaniel, Kelechi Ogbonna, Kendall Plageman, Angie Wetzel

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

RAMSWay promotes safety for students, faculty, staff, and visitors with a series of safe walkways connecting key locations, such as classroom buildings, gyms, libraries, residence halls, and parking decks, on Virginia Commonwealth University’s sprawling urban campus. RAMSWay paths are designed to be consistent with the theoretical framework referred to as CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design). CPTED suggests that altering the physical design of communities or areas in which people congregate can deter criminal activity. CPTED-compliant landscaping and lighting, security features (e.g., cameras, ERTs phones), and increased police presence on the paths promote the sense of safety. Further, increased foot …

The Artfulness Initiative: Art As A Tool For Mindfulness, Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Dvora Courtland, George Deeb, Sarah Golding, Arnold Kemp, Whitney Lovelady, Tito Luna, Molly Ransone, Mary Shelden

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

The purpose of the Artfulness Initiative is to help its users bring their minds back into the present through the use of arts-based practices as a way to reduce stress and burnout. In a nutshell, the Artfulness Initiative is website that houses a series of process-oriented art practices meant to help adults focus less on the stress of yesterday and tomorrow and focus more on being in the now. It’s important to note that the art process is more important than the product, and that no artistic aptitude or experience is required. The Artfulness website, which was built by ALTLab …

Myron Helfgott : An Inventory Of My Thoughts, Myron Helfgott

Anderson Gallery Art Exhibition Catalogues

"This catalog was published in conjunction with the retrospective exhibition Myron Helfgott: an inventory of my thoughts (January 16-March 8, 2015), organized by the Anderson Gallery with generous support from the Office of the Dean, VCU School of the Arts." --p. 2.

Audio tracks for several of the selections in this catalog appear on the CD Myron Helfgott: Enregistrements/Recordings:

"Tyranny of the Theoretical: Alone" (p. 58) is track 3.

"Tyranny of the Theoretical: Chide/cajole/rant" (p. 62) is track 4.

"Two Beautiful Women in the Luxembourg Gardens" (p. 130) is track 5.

"Chapter One" of "A Film in Three Chapters …

Missed Opportunities For The Diagnosis Of Colorectal Cancer, Laura A. Siminoff, Heather L. Rogers, Sonja Harris-Haywood

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Objective. To examine patient and medical characteristics which predict a missed diagnostic opportunity (MDO) for colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods. The sample consisted of 252 patients diagnosed with Stages 1–4 CRC who were diagnosed in the prior six months, had experienced symptoms prior to diagnosis, and were not diagnosed through routine screening. Systematic review of all medical records prior to patients’ diagnosis was conducted. An MDO was defined as a clinical encounter where, even in the presence of presumptive CRC symptoms, the CRC diagnostic process is not started. Results. 92 patients (36.5%) experienced an MDO. Almost 80% of alternate diagnoses were …

Does Upper Extremity Training Influence Body Composition After Spinal Cord Injury?, Justin A. Fisher, Meredith A. Mcnelis, Ashraf S. Gorgey, David S. Dolbow, Lance L. Goetz

Biology Publications

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to serious body composition adaptations characterized by increasing whole body fat mass and decreased soft tissue lean mass (LM). These adaptations in body composition may lead to several cardio-metabolic disorders that reduce the quality of life, increase patients’ and caregivers’ burden and eventually leads to mortality. Exercise, an appropriate dietary regimen, and an active lifestyle may alleviate several of the negative effects on body composition after a SCI. Today however, there is no established consensus on the recommended dose, frequency or type of exercise to ameliorate several of the body composition sequelae after an acute …

Does Upper Extremity Training Influence Body Composition After Spinal Cord Injury?, Justin A. Fisher, Meredith A. Mcnelis, Ashraf S. Gorgey, David R. Dolbow, Lance L. Goetz

Kinesiology and Health Sciences Publications

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to serious body composition adaptations characterized by increasing whole body fat mass and decreased soft tissue lean mass (LM). These adaptations in body composition may lead to several cardio-metabolic disorders that reduce the quality of life, increase patients’ and caregivers’ burden and eventually leads to mortality. Exercise, an appropriate dietary regimen, and an active lifestyle may alleviate several of the negative effects on body composition after a SCI. Today however, there is no established consensus on the recommended dose, frequency or type of exercise to ameliorate several of the body composition sequelae after an acute …

Virginia Commonwealth University Fall Commencement Program [2015], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Virginia Commonwealth University Commencement Program [2015], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Progressive Cognitive Deficit, Motor Impairment And Striatal Pathology In A Transgenic Huntington Disease Monkey Model From Infancy To Adulthood, Anthony W. S. Chan, Jie Jiang, Yiju Chen, Chunxia Li, Melinda S. Prucha, Yijuan Hu, Tim Chi, Sean Moran, Tayeb Rahim, Shihua Li, Xiaojiang Li, Stuart M. Zola, Claudia M. Testa, Hui Mao, Rosa Villalba, Yoland Smith, Xiaodong Zhang, Jocelyne Bachevalier

Neurology Publications

One of the roadblocks to developing effective therapeutics for Huntington disease (HD) is the lack of animal models that develop progressive clinical traits comparable to those seen in patients. Here we report a longitudinal study that encompasses cognitive and motor assessment, and neuroimaging of a group of transgenic HD and control monkeys from infancy to adulthood. Along with progressive cognitive and motor impairment, neuroimaging revealed a progressive reduction in striatal volume. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 48 months of age revealed a decrease of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), further suggesting neuronal damage/loss in the striatum. Postmortem neuropathological analyses revealed significant neuronal loss in …

Culture-Centered Approaches: The Relevance Of Assessing Emotional Health For Latinos With Type 2 Diabetes, Jeannie Belinda Concha, Brianna Mezuk, Bonnie Duran

Family Medicine and Population Health Publications

Objective

Within Latino culture, there is a belief that strong emotions can cause diabetes. Because of this belief and evidence regarding the bi-directional relationship between depression and diabetes, the objectives of this study were to determine if medical doctors are asking Latinos with diabetes about emotional problems and to assess attitudes toward professional help for emotional problems.

Research design and methods

Data come from the nationally representative National Latino and Asian American Study and the National Comorbidity Survey Replication study. Only Latino subsamples were included (n=3076). A smaller subsample with complete data (n=2568) was used for the inquiry outcome variable. …