Digital Commons Network^™

Population Dynamics Of A Recently Described And Rare Plant Species: Stachys Caroliniana (Lamiaceae), Shelby Moody

Theses and Dissertations

Stachys caroliniana J.B. Nelson & D.A. Rayner, a newly described ‘hedge-nettle’ is found in two locations in South Carolina. The first known collection of this species is from the Santee Coastal Reserve in Charleston County. The second location (the type locality) is from the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center in Georgetown County, approximately 8 air miles northeast of the first location. This study focused on the population in Georgetown County. Population dynamics of Stachys caroliniana were studied in order to provide management guidelines to South Carolina Department of Natural Resources for this species. This was achieved by assessing suitable habitat conditions, …

Recovery From Design, Cassandra J. Ellison

Theses and Dissertations

Through research, inquiry, and an evaluation of Recovery By Design, a ‘design therapy’ program that serves people with mental illness, substance use disorders, and developmental disabilities, it is my assertion that the practice of design has therapeutic potential and can aid in the process of recovery. To the novice, the practices of conception, shaping form, and praxis have empowering benefit especially when guided by Conditional and Transformation Design methods together with an emphasis on materiality and vernacular form.

The Effect Of Loving-Kindness Meditation On Physiological And Psychological Reactions To Violent Stimuli, Joseph A. Garcia

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In the past, meditation research has focused primarily on mindfulness meditation, but little research has examined Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM). LKM may be an important addition to treatment or preventative programs for people at risk of exposure to violence or aggression in their lives or work. The current research aims to add to the currently growing body of literature concerning LKM and compassion based meditation practices. The researchers sought to determine if a 12-week course in LKM would have any effect on galvanic skin response (GSR) and heart rate in beats per minute (BPM) during the presentation of a video containing …

Variability And Stability Of 13 To 19 Month Olds Infants' Gait Affect By Wet And Dry Diaper And Underwear, Sally Marie Futch

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Research has been conducted on the effect of diaper perturbation versus unclothed on gait, but there is little research on different diaper perturbations on gait. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine how physical perturbations (dry and wet diaper and underwear) affected 13 to 19 month old infant’s gait. METHODS: Sixty infants (13-19 month old) were recruited for the study. Five trials for 3 conditions (dry and wet diaper and underwear) were conducted on a GaitRite walkway. Step length (m/step), cadence (steps/s), support base (m) and stance time (sec) were analyzed. A mixed model with repeated measures along …

Exploring Job Satisfaction And Preceptorship Capacity Among Applied Epidemiologists, Jessica C. Arrazola

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Job satisfaction is important to consider when developing strategies for recruitment and retention. The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) conducted in 2014 was the first nationally representative assessment of the state public health workforce. Prior to this assessment, the job satisfaction of state agency public health workers and preceptor capacity had not been measured. This study fills the current research gaps by studying the job satisfaction among the applied epidemiology workforce, identifying factors influencing job satisfaction, and the describing the preceptorship capacity among epidemiologists. This research is based on the 2014 PH WINS data. The analysis …

Treatment Choice Among Combat Veterans, Zachary Clayborne Dietrich

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

A plethora of research has investigated PTSD treatment outcomes among Veterans of foreign wars. However, research has suggested mixed treatment efficacy. Although investigations into factors that may help predict treatment outcomes are emerging, to date no study has evaluated treatment choice among Veteran populations. Previous treatment choice studies have yielded qualitative and quantitative information that can be useful in clinical decision-making. This study looks to build upon the treatment choice literature with combat Veterans to evaluate for underlining characteristics of cohorts that will help build upon existing knowledge. It has been suggested that treatment benefits Vietnam Era Veterans more than …

Connecting Emotions To Behavioral Outcomes, Whitney L. Spears

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The field of positive psychology has emerged within the last decade and focuses on investigating happiness and what constitutes a satisfying life (Seligman, 2011; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). One of the main purposes of positive psychology is to identify resources that can be used to promote psychologically beneficial outcomes (Fredrickson, 2001). Two positive psychological outcomes that can build resources to overcome negative circumstances and lead to a fulfilling life are resilience and well-being. A theory proposed by Fredrickson (1998) that offers a process by which individuals can enhance well-being and resilience is the broaden-and-build theory. Through this theory, it is …

Role Of Mitochondrial Beta-Oxidation In Ethanol Response: A Candidate Gene Study Using Caenorhabditis Elegans, Harini Pallikarana Tirumala

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the fourth leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and the fifth leading risk factor for premature death and disability, globally. There are currently very few treatment options for AUD and there is a need for effective preventive and treatment strategies for this condition. AUD risk has a significant hereditary component, with the contribution of genetic factors being estimated to be about 50%. The Davies-Bettinger laboratory uses C. elegans as a model organism to study the contribution of genetic factors in modulating neuronal responses to ethanol. In this project, we examined the role …

Po2 Dependence Of Oxygen Consumption In Skeletal Muscle Of Hypertensive And Normotensive Rats, Habiba Shah

Theses and Dissertations

Human essential hypertension affects over 75 million people in the United States, and can lead to death due to its several serious health complications such as hypertension-related cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this research was to understand how hypertension could cause physiological changes to the microcirculation, specifically the PO₂ dependence of oxygen consumption (VO₂) in skeletal muscle of normotensive and hypertensive rats. The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) strain was used as the diseased model, and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as controls to conduct this study. The SHR strain develops hypertension between 5-6 weeks after birth with …

The Lived Experiences Of Academic Advisors With Counseling Degrees In Addressing Wellness With College Student-Athletes, Jennifer M. Gerlach

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of academic advisors who have master’s degrees in counseling in addressing wellness with college student-athletes. Of particular note was to explore if they addressed wellness and, if so, how they addressed wellness. Extant literature is replete with evidence documenting the numerous challenges and stressors student-athletes experience due to their athlete status. Prior to this study, the role of the academic advisor in addressing wellness has not been represented in the literature. This study examined the lived experiences of 10 academic advisors with counseling degrees, or currently enrolled …

E-Cigarettes And Smoking Cessation: Economic Impact On Current Smokers With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Anal A. Shah

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction:

Awareness and usage of Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) among smokers have increased rapidly over the past few years, majorly in quitting smoking. The main objectives for this study were: 1) To estimate the prevalence and study sociodemographic predictors for e-cigs use among individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 2) To examine the predictors and estimate the total healthcare costs among current smokers with COPD 3) To estimate the economic impact of adopting e-cigs as a smoking cessation tool among current smokers with COPD.

Methods:

The National Health Interview Survey data from the year 2014 was utilized to estimate the …

The Development Of The Therapy Process Observational Coding System - In-Session Involvement, Emily J. Wheat

Theses and Dissertations

In-session client involvement (i.e., participation in in-session therapeutic tasks) is hypothesized to be a necessary component of youth therapy and associated with positive outcomes. However, research on in-session client involvement has been slowed by definitional problems. At present, the field has not yet adopted a single definition of client involvement that is applicable across different theoretical orientations, which has impacted the measurement of this construct. To remedy this problem, the field needs to adopt a definition of in-session client involvement that includes important components (i.e., behavioral, affective, and cognitive) of this construct that applies across different theoretical orientations and use …

David A. Epting Papers - Accession 1439, David Andrew Epting Jr.

Manuscript Collection

The David A. Epting Papers consist of David Epting’s correspondence, lecture, and teaching materials, rough notes, books, photographs, newspaper clippings, and artifacts. Most of the material pertains to Epting’s career and experience in the United States Navy, the Naval Reserves, in several colleges and universities, and the Second World War. Most notably is Epting’s correspondence which includes not only letters from him to his family during WWII but also letters to him from his family. His letters give a good picture of a young naval officer’s experience in the war. The letters from his family to Epting give a very …

Recognizing Her Characteristics As A Leader: An Examination Of The Self-Assessment Of Women Leaders As Shaped By Social Identity Theory And The Concept Of Double Consciousness, John C. Gregory

Theses and Dissertations

Women leaders are grossly underrepresented in police and Army organizations and relevant research suggests that women face the most significant challenges in reaching leadership positions in male dominant organizations. Although there have been recent policy changes to increase opportunities for women in police and Army organizations, women are still barely represented in senior command and primary staff positions in police and Army organizations. When women are underrepresented, particularly at the most senior ranks, there are implications regarding cultural, structural, and attitudinal challenges that simply should not still exist in these organizations. Using qualitative methods, this study examined the experiences of …

A Hierarchical Architectural Framework For Securing Unmanned Aerial Systems, Matthew Leccadito

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are becoming more widely used in the new era of evolving technology; increasing performance while decreasing size, weight, and cost. A UAS equipped with a Flight Control System (FCS) that can be used to fly semi- or fully-autonomous is a prime example of a Cyber Physical and Safety Critical system. Current Cyber-Physical defenses against malicious attacks are structured around security standards for best practices involving the development of protocols and the digital software implementation. Thus far, few attempts have been made to embed security into the architecture of the system considering security as a holistic problem. …

Eye Movement Control: An Index For Athleticism, Brittany L. Oshea

Theses and Dissertations

Athletic potential is one of the most complex human traits. An elite athlete is produced from a complex interaction of an innumerable number of traits exhibited by the athlete. However, it’s not clear whether these traits are innate, allowing the athlete to excel, or, alternatively, are a consequence of practice. To be successful, athletes rely heavily on sensory information from the visual and vestibular systems. This study investigated the relationship eye movement control has with innate athleticism by comparing the saccadic and Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR) responses of former, no longer practicing, elite athletes against their age and gender matched counterparts …

Assessing The Implementation Of Campus Safety Policies In Virginia Community Colleges: An Analysis Of The Forces At Play In Higher Education Institutional-Level Policymaking, Steven T. Keener

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which community colleges have implemented major post-Virginia Tech campus safety recommendations. In addition to gaining a comprehensive overview of the safety policies and practices in place, this study assessed if campus safety policy implementation levels at the community colleges correlated with institutional characteristics, and the internal and external forces that helped drive the implementation of these policies. Focusing specifically upon the Virginia Community College System, data on the policies and practices in place at each of the 23 Virginia community colleges were collected from institutional websites and through follow-up …

Modified Pamam Dendrimers In Tunable Drug-Delivery Systems: A Sustained-Release Dendrimer Hydrogel For Anti-Glaucoma Drugs And Surface-Engineered Macrophages As Nanoparticle Carriers For Targeted Anti-Cancer Therapy, Christopher A. Holden

Theses and Dissertations

Two specific drug-delivery applications were sought in this work using polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. One drug-delivery system used a novel dendrimer hydrogel (DH) for sustained delivery of anti-glaucoma drugs. In this work, PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers were covalently bonded with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG­₁₂₀₀₀) molecules which were subsequently acrylated, resulting in photocurable DH conjugates. For pharmacological studies, DH were loaded with a solution of intraocular pressure lowering drugs, brimonidine and timolol maleate, and were characterized for in vitro release and ex vivo transport and uptake. DH formulations were shown to increase the loading of drug molecules, increase transcorneal drug delivery, and …

The Identity Formation Of South Asians: A Phenomenological Study, Shabana Shaheen

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the lived experiences of South Asians college students. This research, through a qualitative study that is rooted in the philosophy of phenomenology, explores the essence South Asians’ identity formation. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews with South Asian college students. The data analysis was under a phenomenological lens that centered the lived experiences and the essence of these experiences in the results. Seven themes emerged from this phenomenological study: negotiating bicultural identity, model minority expectations, meaningful impact of religious spaces, understandings of intra-community tensions, racialization of Islamophobia, understandings of South Asian identity and efficacy of Asian …

Wise Choices? The Economics Discourse Of A High School Economics And Personal Finance Course, Tamara L. Sober

Theses and Dissertations

Today’s high school students will face a host of economic problems such as the demise of the social safety net, mounting college student debt, and costly health care plans, as stated in the rationale for financial literacy provided by the Council for Economic Education’s National Standards for Financial Literacy. These problems are compounded by growing income and wealth inequality and the widespread influence of neoliberal ideology. Although one of the major goals of economics education is to teach students to make reasoned economic choices in their public and private lives and provide the skills to solve personal and social …

Investigation Of Anticoagulation Properties Of Sulfated Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics, Elsamani I. Abdelfadiel

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

INVESTEGATION OF ANTICOAGULATION PROPERTIES OF SULFATED

GLYCOSAMINOGLYCAN MIMETICS

By Elsamani Ismail Abdelfadiel, MS

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of

Science at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017.

Supervisor: Umesh R Desai

Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry

The existence of thrombosis in numerous pathophysiological situations formed a vast necessity for anticoagulation therapy. Thrombin and factor Xa are the only two factors of the entire coagulation cascade that have been major targets for regulation of clotting via the direct and indirect mechanism of inhibition. Our recent discovery of sulfated non-saccharide glycosaminoglycan …

Misophonia: An Investigation Of The Lesser-Known Decreased Sound Tolerance Condition, Shannon Cusack

Theses and Dissertations

Misophonia is a decreased sound tolerance condition (DST) that is not yet well-established in the literature. However, the existing research on misophonia shows that it is occurring at substantial levels in the population. The majority of the existing literature has focused on the clinical correlates of misophonia. Although the correlates have been investigated, there is no accepted mechanism behind misophonia etiology or maintenance. The present study examined three hypotheses in order to start to identify potential mechanisms behind misophonia: how emotional predilections are related to the emotional response, how obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms and misophonia are related, and the possibility …

Modeling Psychologists’ Openness To Performing Clinical Work With Telepsychology, Bradford S. Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional study examined whether the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) apply to psychologists’ openness to using telepsychology, and to identify significant personal or environmental predictors of telepsychology adoption. A total of 1,791 licensed psychologists currently practicing psychotherapy in the United States were recruited to complete a previously developed 21-item pool. Personal and environmental characteristics were also collected. Path models representing the TRA, TAM, and a hybrid of both were tested. Also, a logistic regression was used to identify personal and environmental predictors of current use of telepsychology. Results indicated the TRA and TAM were …

A Biobehavioral Approach To Examining Moral Distress In Critical Care Nurses, Marian Altman

Theses and Dissertations

Moral distress is a complex and challenging problem that may cause negative biopsycohosical and professional outcomes for critical care nurses. The purpose of this work was to explore the relationship between the ethical climate of the work environment and moral distress as experienced by critical care nurses; and to explore relationships among mediators of stress (nurse characteristics e.g. education (BSN, nonBSN), years certified as a critical care nurse, and tolerance of ambiguity) and their relationship with perceived stress, moral distress, health status and salivary alpha amylase. A descriptive correlational cross-sectional design was used for this pilot study of 100 critical …

An Investigation Of How Black Stem Faculty At Historically Black Colleges And Universities Approach The National Science Foundation Merit Review Process, Falcon Rankins

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative inquiry explored the ways in which US-born, Black faculty member participants in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) interact with the National Science Foundation (NSF). Eight Black HBCU STEM faculty members with a range of involvement in NSF-related activities were individually interviewed. Topics of discussion with participants included their prior experiences with NSF, their understanding of the merit review process, and their understanding of their personal and institutional relationships with NSF and the STEM community. Two broad findings emerged from the conversations. The first was that issues of communities and …

A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Caregiver Coaching In An Early Intervention Model: Differences In Providers For Children With Hearing Loss, Alison R. King

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between early intervention providers’ backgrounds, and their perceptions of caregiver coaching and auditory skill development, to develop professional development programs. An explanatory sequential design was used with participants of varying backgrounds and experience. In the first phase of the study, participants responded to a survey regarding their educational background, and their comfort with caregiver coaching and auditory skill development. Survey results were analyzed

using Spearman’s Ranked Correlational Coefficient (Spearman’s r_s) to form groups of participants from extreme cases. The second phase of the study consisted of participant interviews …

Using Restoration-Oriented Coping And The Dual Process Model With Bereaved Undergraduates, Farah J. Aslanzadeh

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 60% of college seniors lost at least one family member or friend since beginning college (Cox, Dean, & Kowalski, 2015). Research reveals that bereaved students are more likely than their nonbereaved peers to struggle with academic problems and attrition (Cousins, Servaty-Seib & Lockman, 2017), highlighting the importance of identifying protective factors for this group of individuals. Researchers have identified restoration-oriented coping as a helpful coping mechanism in other samples (Caserta & Lund, 2007; Caserta, Lund, Utza, & de Vries, 2009). Despite qualitative evidence suggesting bereaved undergraduates often employ restoration-oriented coping, no research has formally assessed the effects of restoration-oriented …

The Status Of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra Serpentina) In Virginia: Population Viability, Demography, Regulatory Analysis, And Conservation, Benjamin C. Colteaux

Theses and Dissertations

Snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) are being harvested in unprecedented numbers in the United States (US) to meet the needs of international markets. Over three million live snapping turtles from farm and wild caught stock were exported from the US to Asia in 2012-14 alone. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, records indicate that 29,860 snapping turtles were commercially harvested between 2000 and 2015. Size limits are often used to regulate harvest pressure in snapping turtles and other game species. I analyzed the historic harvest of eleven US states to test the efficacy of minimum-size limit regulations at reducing commercial …

Quantitative Analysis Of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines And Their Precursor Alkaloids In Tobacco Extracts, Celeste T. Wilkinson

Theses and Dissertations

Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) are carcinogenic constituents derived from alkaloids in tobacco. Researchers are actively exploring several avenues to reduce TSNA levels in tobacco products like moist snuff tobacco. The focus of the research presented within is the quantitative analysis of TSNA in tobacco, specifically N’-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), N’-nitrosoanatabine (NAT), and N’-nitrosoanabasine (NAB).

Tobacco alkaloids and nitrosamines in tobacco are currently analyzed by different instrumentation due to orders of magnitude difference in their concentrations, chromatographic separation challenges due to structural similarities, and similar mass fragmentation patterns. An analytical column using silica and 1,2-bis(siloxy)ethane hybrid particles of 1.7 µm size is …

The Role Of Social Networks In Breastfeeding Duration, Jordyn T. Wallenborn

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The United States has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the world. Studies hypothesize that inadequate social support from healthcare providers, family members, and employers may have contributed to the low breastfeeding rate. This study aims to: 1) examine the importance of each individual (father, maternal grandmother, paternal grandmother, obstetrician, and pediatrician) within the social support network on breastfeeding initiation and duration, 2) determine the relationship between type of prenatal care provider and time to breastfeeding cessation, and 3) examine the role of breastfeeding intention and confidence as mediators in the association between workplace support and breastfeeding …