Digital Commons Network^™

Parental Involvement: The Impact Of One-Parent Households On Post-Secondary Educational Attainment Of African American High School Males, Dechele Marie Byrd

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored of the practices and routines of one-parent households and the impact on post-secondary educational attainment of African American males. It adopted a post-positivist approach, using a qualitative phenomenological study design to construct descriptions of the lives of one-parent households whose sons are accepted and planning to enter college in the fall or are currently completing their freshman year. The study used data from 10 1-parent households with African American sons committed to attend a college in the fall semester of 2018. The population sought to address maximum variability in participants' parenting background, and the routines and practices …

Disrupted Leadership: Strategies And Practices Of Leaders In A Vuca World, Victoria Kimball Brodie

Theses and Dissertations

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected through intricate networks in technology-laden environments, leadership has become exponentially more complex. This VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) context disrupts long-held leadership constructs. Historically, leaders have been able to reflect on past decision making to guide their current and future decisions. No longer is this practice viable; leaders now require new skills to lead competently in this rapidly iterating ecosystem. With its challenges, this dynamic environment also offers opportunities for those who are able to capitalize on the next waves of disruption. Social entrepreneurs, tackling the world's most pressing challenges, are leading systems-wide …

Innovative Instruction: Learning In Blended Human Anatomy Education, Mia Summer Nobles

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the robust literature surrounding the benefits of blended learning including improved student learning and positive student perceptions of learning (Bishop & Verleger, 2013; O'Flaherty & Phillips, 2015), simply rearranging the structure of activities or incorporating technology does not ensure a more meaningful learning experience (Duffy & McDonald, 2008; Gopal et al., 2006). There exists a danger of educators attempting the translation of blended learning without thoroughly understanding how it works (Ash, 2012). Considering the definition of blended learning as the "organic integration of thoughtfully selected and complementary F2F and online approaches and technologies" Garrison & Vaughan, 2008, p. 148), …

The Seed Of Transformation: A Disorientation Index, Tonya Gander Ensign

Theses and Dissertations

Transformation is all around us. It spans geography, time, cultures, religions and disciplines. Throughout life, events occur when something we thought was certain becomes uncertain and our current mental model cannot make sense of it. This experience causes disorientation and offers a choice: to transform our perspective or remain unchanged. When we revise our mental model to make meaning of our experience we are transforming our perspective. This is a special type of learning called transformative learning (Mezirow, 1978a, 1991a). Across disciplines, a disorienting experience is widely believed to be a catalyst for transformation, however, aspects of this experience remain …

Development & Evaluation Of An Introductory Webinar Training For Mental Health Professionals Working With Families Of Sexually Abused Children: A Strengths-Based Sociocultural Approach, Heidi Michelle Alexandria Arredeondo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current project was to develop a webinar to support the training of mental health professionals to work competently with the widespread phenomenon of childhood sexual abuse. A review of the literature suggests that the scope of CSA is broad, however, there is much more to be known about the unique challenges families face as they support their affected child. Survey results gathered as part of this project revealed several trends: MHPs do not receive specialized training in CSA matters, MHPs feel unprepared for working with families of sexually abused children (FSAC), and various sociocultural factors potentially …

Law Of Laughter (Lol), Yakov Smirnoff

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation derived from recognition that in the beginning of a romantic relationship people experience and remember a lot of laughter. If relationship ends there isn't any laughter. It has been proven by research that in the honeymoon stage hormones secreted in our body enhance our ability to meet each other's needs and provide a sense of well being to achieve the desired result, which would be procreation. Once that stage of the relationship is completed, Mother Nature stops supplying hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin to help us in the process of creating happy and fun-filled relationships. The purpose …

Unmasking The Noise Within: An Exploration Of The Integration Of Music And Mental Processing And Its Effect On Enhanced Learning, De Vida Gill

Theses and Dissertations

Many research studies have focused on aspects of music, mental processing, and education, but few have integrated music with mental health practices and theory in order to understand the potential effects of enhanced learning. This research applied a biopsychosocial (biological, psychological, and social) approach to provide a holistic view of the relationship between music and mental processing. In particular, this phenomenological study of non-musicians and professional musicians demonstrated the significance of music as a universal language. Additionally, the intrinsic and extrinsic effects of music are shown to enhance learning for the artist and listeners. The findings suggest that music can …

Advocacy Education For Psychology Graduate Students: A Curriculum For Professional Advocacy In Psychology, Tracey Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation was to synthesize information from the empirical literature, psychology professional organizations and other relevant sources into a graduate-level curriculum for education in professional advocacy for psychology. Professional advocacy practices, such as public policy and legislative involvement, are necessary to protect and grow psychology's place in the healthcare system, funding for psychological research and access to services for the public. Remarkably low involvement by psychologists in advocacy is theorized to be due to a lack of training, awareness and professional values related to advocacy. This dissertation proposes that graduate school education is an optimal and effective …

Race Matters: A Phenomenological Study Of Cultural Education And Preservation In The Gullah-Geechee Community, Triba Gary-Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Even with the success of the American Preservation Movement and National Trust, most preservation efforts in the United States are focused on sites with patriotic significance favoring the nation’s dominant culture and overlook protecting the land and culture of minorities and indigenous populations (Stradling, 2003). The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore, through the lens of the Critical Race Theory, the extent to which, if at all, race, racism and environmental injustices impact the preservation efforts of members in the Gullah-Geechee community. This study also explores what programs and activities, if any, that members of the Gullah-Geechee community …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Foster Youth Who Obtained Graduate Level Degrees: Self-Efficacy, Resilience, And The Impact On Identity Development, Cristina Miranda

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of former foster youth who have completed graduate level academic programs in order to discover and describe the elements that these individuals believe led to their academic success. The primary research question for this study was: what do former foster youth who completed graduate level programs report as elements that contributed to their academic success? The researcher utilized a qualitative approach and portraiture methodology. In depth, interviews were conducted with six individuals, three women and three men, who spent time in foster care and later went on to …

Amplifying 'Whispered Interventions' Into Loud And Forceful Cries, Joelina Robinson Machera

Theses and Dissertations

An equitable educational environment includes the voices of the individuals and the power of their stories. For marginalized people, particularly women of color, surviving school means existing in oppressive environments which require the stealing of knowledge while struggling to obtain an education (Collins, 2002). It is imperative that institutions acknowledge the specific complexities women of color face in the academy (Crenshaw, 2017). This study is designed to make meaning of the journey of Black women doctoral students using counterstories and composite stories to capture and learn from their lived experiences. Through the (re)covery and (re)telling of the stories of Black …

Sexual Satisfaction And Functioning In Women With Histories Of Sexual Victimization, Kerri Anne Guadagni

Theses and Dissertations

The present study evaluated the relationship between a history of sexual abuse and adult sexual satisfaction and functioning. This included examining psychological symptomology, revictimization, and the degree of sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction of women who reported childhood, adolescent, and/or adult sexual traumas. This study contributes to the limited research on the sexual functioning of women with childhood sexual trauma histories. Sexual satisfaction and sexual functioning were found to be related, yet separate areas in which women with sexual abuse histories may experience difficulties. There was evidence of an association between psychological distress and trauma history in that the presence …

The Role Of Irf1 In The Brain And In Adaptive Responses Of Astrocytes, Andrew Hoskins

Theses and Dissertations

In neurodegenerative diseases, the CNS becomes inflamed through activation of pathways, including the NF-B pathway. Some of the therapies for those diseases target neuroinflammatory pathways. Here, we explore the mechanisms for the upregulation of a subset of genes following a restimulation of the NF-B pathway. We discover that this upregulation occurs independent of IRF1 expression and type 1 interferon signaling. A knockdown of IRF1 using siRNA and an inhibition of JAK proteins using inhibitor AG490 both had no effect on priming. A secreted factor was found to upregulate the expression of both this subset of genes and genes encoding pro-inflammatory …

Management Of The Open Apex Using A Bioceramic Apical Barrier: Success And Survival Rates At Virginia Commonwealth University, Adam Sarnowski

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of treatment of teeth with open apices managed by the orthograde placement of a bioceramic apical barrier as well as to identify potential outcome factors for this type of treatment. Methods: Patient records were pooled from graduate resident cases completed at Virginia Commonwealth University between January 1, 2010 and May 31, 2018. A total of 515 patients were identified using relevant ADA codes and a key word search within the patient record database. A total of 104 patients (119 teeth) had an open apex that had NSRCT utilizing a …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Indirectly Affect Child Telomere Length Through Self-Regulation, David Sosnowski

Theses and Dissertations

The goals of present study were: (a) to examine associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and telomere length during childhood using ACE composite scores both with and without “new” adversities (i.e., parental death and poverty), and (b) to determine if ACEs indirectly affect telomere length through children’s self-regulatory abilities (i.e., effortful control and self-control). The analytic sample consisted of national data from teachers, biological parents, and their children (N = 2,527; M_age = 9.35, SD = .36 years; 52% male; 45% Black). Results from linear regression analyses revealed a statistically significant main effect of updated (but not traditional) …

Effect Of Manipulation Of Notch Signaling Pathway On Neural Stem Cell Proliferation In The Hippocampus Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Seung L. Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Effect of Manipulation of Notch Signaling Pathway on Neural Stem Cell Proliferation in the Hippocampus Following Traumatic Brain Injury

By Seung L. Kim A thesis statement submitted for degree requirement in Mater of Science Virginia Commonwealth University, 2019 Advisor: Dong Sun, MD. PhD. Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology

The Notch signaling pathway is known as a core signaling system in maintaining neural stem cells (NSCs) in embryonic development and adulthood including cell proliferation, maturation, and cell fate decision. Proliferation of NSCs persists throughout lifespan in neurogenic niches and is often upregulated following neurological insults including traumatic brain injury (TBI). Therefore, …

Cell Type And Substrate Dependence Of Fibronectin Properties And Mechanotransduction, Navpreet S. Saini

Theses and Dissertations

Fibronectin is an important protein that is able to bind to other fibronectin molecules and to cell surface receptors. In doing so, the interactions fibronectin can perform is important for the processes of cell migration and tissue formation. Understanding the properties of fibronectin and fibril assembly is useful for areas such as wound healing, where fibronectin molecules are assembled to protect the tissue and to perform other tasks. Because of these reasons, it is important to understand how fibronectin is assembled and how its properties affect the fibril assembly, which in return affects the way the cell matrix operates. Previously …

The Effect Of Repeated Opioid Dosing On The Gut Microbiome, Anne K. Rowe

Theses and Dissertations

Opioids are prescribed to millions of people each year, especially to help patients cope with chronic pain, something from which more than a fifth of U.S. adults suffer (CDC). Unfortunately, opioid use and abuse has become a national emergency as the number of opioid prescriptions, opioid misuse, and opioid-related drug overdoses and death have drastically increased in the last twenty years (HHS). Because of the emergent state surrounding opioid use and misuse, the effects of opioids on all aspects of the human body has been an increasingly large focus of research scientists. This study focuses on the possible effect of …

The Walls We Put Up - Loneliness And Belonging In Urban Co-Living, Richard Rozewski

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Concurrent issues of social isolation and loneliness have long been recognized as problems that affect seniors but it is also being proven to affect young people as well, specifically with the rise of new technologies and a perception of connectedness. Co-living provides one alternative design solution to traditional housing models which can unlock a range of social benefits.

MOTIVATION

Loneliness is an unfortunate reality of modern life and it is something that most people experience at least once in their life (Cacioppo & Patrick, 2008). A study carried out by Berguno, Leroux McAinsh, Shaikh (2004), showed that 80% of …

A Novel Framework For Social Internet Of Things: Leveraging The Friendships And The Services Exchanged Between Smart Devices, Javad Abed

Theses and Dissertations

As humans, we tackle many problems in complex societies and manage the complexities of networked social systems. Cognition and sociability are two vital human capabilities that improve social life and complex social interactions. Adding these features to smart devices makes them capable of managing complex and networked Internet of Things (IoT) settings.

Cognitive and social devices can improve their relationships and connections with other devices and people to better serve human needs. Nowadays, researchers are investigating two future generations of IoT: social IoT (SIoT) and cognitive IoT (CIoT). This study develops a new framework for IoT, called CSIoT, by using …

Geospatial Analysis Of Invasive Plant Species And Their Threats To Ecological Functionality At The Vcu Rice Rivers Center, Erik W. Kellogg

Theses and Dissertations

Invasive plants are a significant threat to native ecosystems and to biodiversity. They are often strong competitors and have multiple techniques to outcompete native plants. Thus, controlling or removing invasive plants facilitates the restoration of native ecosystems. We used GPS technology coupled with field surveying techniques adapted from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to locate and identify invasive plants present within VCU’s Rice Rivers Center. We digitally overlaid a 50-meter x 50-meter grid system over the property. In each grid cell we recorded visual estimations of invasive plant coverage sorted into modified Daubenmire cover classes and used ArcGIS for …

Spatial Genetic Structure And Local Adaptation Within And Among Foxtail Pine (Pinus Balfouriana Subsp. Balfouriana) Populations Located In The Klamath Mountains, California, Rebecca D. Piri

Theses and Dissertations

Foxtail pine (Pinus balfouriana) is a subalpine conifer endemic to California, notably separated into two disjunct subspecies. Previous studies have described the northern subspecies,Pinus balfouriana subsp. balfouriana,as having an uncommonly high level of genetic differentiation and no discernible spatial patterns in phenotypic variation. This study seeks to characterize the spatial genetic structure and patterns of selection of the northern subspecies (Pinus balfouriana subsp. balfouriana) using genome-wide data and to identify the influence of ecology and environment on the unique genetic patterns. I show that genetic differentiation among populations is much less than previously estimated …

Electric Load Forecasting Using Long Short-Term Memory Algorithm, Tianshu Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Power system load forecasting refers to the study or uses a mathematical method to process

past and future loads systematically, taking into account important system operating

characteristics, capacity expansion decisions, natural conditions, and social impacts, to

meet specific accuracy requirements. Dependence of this, determine the load value at a

specific moment in the future. Improving the level of load forecasting technology is

conducive to the planned power management, which is conducive to rationally arranging

the grid operation mode and unit maintenance plan, and is conducive to formulating

reasonable power supply construction plans and facilitating power improvement, and

improve the …

Mother/Artist/Teacher: The Labor Of Becoming, Miranda L. Clayton

Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores possible applications of the experiential knowledge of motherhood in the field of art education through self-portraiture, a methodology which blends a/r/tography with elements of portraiture. A review of relevant literature situates the study within the scope of mothering pedagogy and arts-based research. Employing artistic practice and anecdotal journaling as the primary methods of inquiry, the researcher examines her experiences as a mother in a preservice art education program and the intersections of her roles as mother/artist/teacher. The researcher identifies resonant metaphors, including labor, separation, the umbilical cord, circles, the ovum, and pretending; offers parallels between mothering and …

Associations Between Ethnic-Racial Identity, Family Factors And Alcohol Problems Among Diverse Emerging Adults, Chloe Walker

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined how multiple dimensions of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) were associated with alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms and how these relations varied by individuals’ ethnic-racial group among 1850 diverse emerging adults (M = 18.46, SD = .38). Further, measurement invariance of the Ethnic Identity Scale-Brief (EIS-B) was tested across Latinx, White, Black, Asian, and Multiracial students. Additionally, alternative models were examined that tested whether family factors (i.e., parent education and family history of alcohol problems) moderated the relations between ERI and alcohol problems to further examine nuances in these relations. Results indicated that the …

Cellular Mechanisms By Which Alcohol Promotes Hiv Protease Inhibitor-Induced Hepatotoxicity, Michael Hinton

Theses and Dissertations

CELLULAR MECHANISMS BY WHICH ALCOHOL PROMOTES HIV PROTEASE INHIBITOR-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY

Michael Hinton, B.S.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2019

Major Director: Huiping Zhou

Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

The development of highly-active-antiretroviral therapy(HAART) has allowed management of HIV and extended the lives of those infected. Alcohol abuse, which is very common in HIV-1 infected patients, is one of the most important co-morbid risk factors for liver injury and has been associated with the occurrence of serious metabolic syndrome and subsequent discontinuation …

Characterizing Water Quality And Hydrologic Properties Of Urban Streams In Central Virginia, Rikki Lucas

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to characterize water quality and hydrologic properties of urban streams in the Richmond metropolitan area. Water quality data were analyzed for six urban sites and two non-urban sites. Geomorphological surveys and conservative tracer studies were performed at four urban sites and one non-urban site to describe intra- and inter- site variability in transient storage, channel geomorphology, and related hydrologic parameters. Urban sites showed elevated concentrations of nitrogen and more variable TSS concentrations relative to reference sites. Urban channels were deeply incised with unstable banks and low sinuosity. Little Westham Creek exhibited the greatest transient …

Examination Of Strain-Dependent Differences In S. Sanguinis Virulence And Growth, Shannon Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Streptococcus sanguinis, an abundant and benign inhabitant of the oral cavity, is an important etiologic agent of infective endocarditis, particularly in people with pre-disposing cardiac valvular damage. Although commonly isolated from patients with IE, little is known about the factors that make any particular S. sanguinis isolate more virulent than another or, indeed, whether significant differences in virulence exist among isolates. To investigate the virulence of multiple isolates, a variation of the Bar-seq (barcode sequencing) method was employed. A conserved chromosomal site was identified for subsequent insertion of a barcode identifier, unique for each strain. Barcode insertion did not …

Enhanced Proteomics Resolves Kcc2 As A Novel Therapeutic Target For Traumatic Brain Injury, Pavel N. Lizhnyak

Theses and Dissertations

The development of traumatic brain injury (TBI) therapeutics and effective translation to clinic remains stubbornly elusive despite the high prevalence of TBI within the United States and across the globe. Interventions must be devised around testable targets, appropriately timed to intercede on secondary results. Here, we have utilized temporal neuroproteomics as an ideal approach to inform on the complex biochemical processing in order to address the well-recognized temporal evolution of TBI pathobiology and interrogate a novel therapeutic target in a mild-moderate rat Controlled Cortical Impact (CCI) within perilesioned somatosensory cortex. First, our findings revealed 2047 proteins significantly impacted within the …

Mechanisms Underlying Production Stability In Temperate Deciduous Forests, Shea B. Wales

Theses and Dissertations

A persistent and reliable future terrestrial carbon (C) sink will depend on how stable forest production is under more variable climate conditions. We examined how age, forest structure, and disturbance history relate to the interannual variability of above-ground wood net primary production (NPPw). Our site in northern Michigan spans two experimental forest chronosequences and three late successional stands; the chronosequences have distinct disturbance histories, originating following either clear cut harvesting (“Cut Only”) or clear cut harvesting and fire (“Cut and Burn”), and range from 21 to 108 years old. Annual NPPw was estimated using dendrochronology and site specific allometric equations. …