Digital Commons Network^™

Pathways Linking Clinician Demographics To Mental Health Diagnostic Accuracy: An International Perspective, Julia Brechbiel

Theses and Dissertations

Significant research efforts have focused on examining the effect of patient factors on providing diagnoses across clinical settings; however, the influence of clinician demographics have received less attention. This study aimed to understand the impact of nonclinical factors such as clinician characteristics and response time on diagnostic accuracy. The study used data from a WHO field study of the ICD-11 development (n = 1822) that required clinicians to diagnose two case vignettes. Clinicians’ slower response times had a significant positive impact on their rates of diagnostic accuracy. However, there was no evidence that clinicians’ demographic features were directly related to …

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 …

Developing Conceptual Understanding And Procedural Fluency In Algebra For High School Students With Intellectual Disability, Andrew J. Wojcik

Theses and Dissertations

Teaching students with Intellectual Disability (ID) is a relatively new endeavor. Beginning in 2001 with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, the general education curriculum integrated algebra across the K-12 curriculum (Kendall, 2011; National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010), and expansion of the curriculum included five intertwined skills (productive disposition, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, and conceptual understanding) (Kilpatrick, Swafford, & Findell, 2001). Researchers are just beginning to explore the potential of students with ID with algebra (Browder, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Harris & Wakeman, 2008; Creech-Galloway, Collins, Knight, …

Influence Of Contextual Factors And Self Efficacy On Self- Management In Parents Of Children With Cystic Fibrosis, Erin B. Booth

Theses and Dissertations

Cystic Fibrosis, a life threatening autosomal recessive genetic disease, is characterized by a defective gene resulting in the production of thick mucus that obstructs the lungs and pancreas. CF requires intensive management performed at the home. An initial pilot study was performed to describe knowledge of CF related diabetes (CFRD) in adults with CF. The findings of this study, which demonstrated that adults with CF lacked sufficient knowledge about CFRD confirmed the need to explore additional factors of self-management guided by a theoretical framework. The second study presented in this dissertation used the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory (IFSMT) to …

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 Justification Of Prejudice Toward Childfree Women, Annalucia Bays

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research suggests that women without children are perceived negatively by others and experience adverse outcomes in various settings. This study investigated psychosocial justifications of prejudice toward childfree women. Participants (N = 891) completed measures of right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), the internal (IMS-S) and external (EMS-S) motivations to respond without sexism, and prejudice toward childfree women (i.e., perceived disadvantages of being childfree, evaluations of childfree women, and perceptions of childfree women’s warmth). Most participants also completed one or more justification measures of hostile sexism (HS), benevolent sexism (BS), gender-specific system justification (GSSJ), and femininity ideology. Results indicated that greater RWA …

Identity Politics, State Standards, And On The Ground Realities: A Critical Policy Analysis Of Teaching/Learning Gender/Sexuality In A Virginia Elementary School, Stefanie Hudson

Theses and Dissertations

Even though America has seen an increase in the level of acceptance for people who identify as LGBTQ and/or gender non-conforming, certain aspects within society continue to hinder their rights, especially within public education. Specifically, there are insufficiencies regarding content of and attitudes toward including LGBTQ issues in teaching and leadership training programs. Add to that, the deficits in most Family Life Education (FLE) programs in elementary schools as they lack adequate coverage of developmentally appropriate teaching and learning about gender and sexuality. Taken together, it remains questionable whether the needs of LGBTQ and/or gender non-conforming children can truly be …

Using Classroom Social Dynamics To Understand Classroom Adjustment By Students With Disabilities, Meera Mehtaji

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand constructs related to classroom social dynamics in a sample (n = 1863) of rural middle school students. First, it used latent profile analysis to classify classrooms based on classroom norm salience. Next, the study used the Hierarchical Linear Model to study the influence of classroom norm salience on the social roles and reputations, social network centrality, bullying involvement, and school belonging of students with disabilities. There were four major findings. First, classrooms were classified into two distinct categories based on students’ social reputations, which were positively associated with peer-nominated popularity: High Aggression Norm Salience …

Managing Sociality Of A Captive Female Bornean Orangutan From Breeding To Post-Partum At The Smithsonian's National Zoo, Marie Vergamini

Theses and Dissertations

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Orangutan Species Survival Plan® aims to maintain 100 Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) in captivity. Because investment in breeding these lineages is high, properly managing sociality of potential mothers is essential. This study assessed how behaviors of a captive breeding female at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo changed from pre-gestation through the offspring’s sixth month of age to improve breeding recommendations.

The infant Bornean orangutan was born September 2016. Results indicate that during breeding, the mother socialized most with two adult females. During pregnancy, the pregnant female socialized in less energy-consuming ways, i.e. grooming. …

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 …

"C-Terminal Binding Protein 2" An Emerging Oncogene In Colon And Pancreatic Cancers, Ayesha Chawla

Theses and Dissertations

The C terminal binding proteins (CtBP) 1 and 2 are a family of transcriptional co-repressors overexpressed in a variety of cancers, and are frequently associated with poor prognosis and chemoresistance. CtBP has also been characterized in cell culture models as drivers of migration/invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. CtBP mediates its transcriptional corepressor activity via its dehydrogenase domain, and inhibition of this domain interferes with CtBP oncogenic functions. The role of CtBP in APC mutant neoplasia remains obscure even though APC is responsible for degradation of both β-catenin and CtBP in suppressing colorectal tumorigenesis. Our prior work demonstrated that CtBP proteins can …

The Effect Of Chronic Nutrient Addition From Wastewater On Forest Ecosystems At The Rice Rivers Center, Michael Beck

Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater application to land can be a useful tool for mitigating impacts of nutrient enrichment on aquatic systems. A land application treatment system at VCU’s Rice Rivers Center in Charles City County, VA provided an opportunity to study the impact of wastewater addition on the biogeochemistry of forests representative of the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Nutrient concentrations in throughfall and leachate were measured at Treatment and Control sites to assess differences in nutrient deposition and retention. Wastewater amended plots from the Walter L. Rice education building received 20-fold (N) and 6-fold (P) higher inputs relative to Control plots and plots located …

Electrospraying Extracellular Matrix To Form Nanoparticles, Patrick Link

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Alveolar wall destruction is a significant contributor to COPD. Inflammatory macrophages are a major source of the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) proteolysis. ECM breakdown causes air to get trapped in the alveoli, obstructing airflow. One step in curing COPD may be to convert inflammatory to pro-regenerative macrophages. Recently, decellularized ECM scaffolds have shown the ability to induce a pro-regenerative phenotype.

Yet these scaffolds are incapable for reaching the alveolar region of the lungs. To reach the alveolar region particles need a diameter of 1-5 μm or smaller than 300 …

Preparation And Application Of Catalysts For The Stereospecific Reduction And Photooxygenation Of Olefins In Continuous Operations: A Novel Method For The Production Of Artemisinin, Daniel C. Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last two centuries, the discovery and application of catalysts has had a substantial impact on how and what chemicals are produced.Given their broad significance, our group has focused on developing new catalyst systems that are recoverable and reusable, in an attempt to reduce concomitant costs.

Our efforts have centered on constructing a recyclable chiral heterogeneous catalyst capable of effecting asymmetric hydrogenations of olefins with high stereoselectivity. A class of phosphinoimidazoline ligands, developed by researchers at Boehringer-Ingelheim, known as BIPI ligands, have proven efficacious in the asymmetric reduction of alkenes. However, these chiral ligands are homogeneous and coordinated to …

The Impact Of Chemotherapy And Radiotherapy For Breast Cancer On Cognition And Functional Performance: A Comparative Analysis Of Survey Data Taken At Three Time Points Post-Treatment, Ann Marie Potter

Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive impairment related to treatment for breast cancer, affects as many as 75% of patients in study samples (Jansen, Cooper, Dodd & Miaskowski, 2011). Deficits in the cognitive domains of short-term memory, attention, speed of information processing, judgment, reasoning, spatial attention, and verbal memory have been documented. The extent to which these deficits impact functional performance within this population has not yet been quantified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of breast cancer on self-reported cognition and functional performance in the six months post-completion in two groups of breast cancer survivors, a chemotherapy group and chemotherapy …

An Evaluation Of Critical Resources In Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, Lois E. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced practice nurses fill a vital need in the U.S. by increasing access to needed healthcare. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are one type of advanced practice nurse with a long history of safe and effective peri-anesthetic care. Nurse anesthetists have a rich tradition of providing anesthetic care for rural and underserved communities, and are a primary provider of anesthesia for active and retired military personnel. CRNAs comprise over one-half of the actively practicing U.S. anesthesia workforce currently, and are able to function in any anesthetic care model. Nurse anesthesia educational programs (NAEPs) are the single source for new graduate …

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 …

The Effect Of Combined Sewer Overflows On The Abundance Of Antibiotic Resistance Genes And Bacteria In The James River, Enjolie Levengood

Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to human health. Clinical situations are the main focus for antibiotic resistance research, but understanding the spread of resistance in the environment is also vital. A major contributor to this spread is wastewater from combined sewer overflow (CSO) events. The effect of CSO events on antibiotic resistance in the James River near Richmond, Virginia was studied using genomic and microbiological approaches. The abundance of genes associated with resistance to quinolones (qnrA) and tetracycline (tetW) was strongly correlated with the presence of fecal indicator bacteria (E. coli abundance) as well …

The Effect Of Saha On The Expression Of Genes In Wild Type And Hdac2 Knockout Mouse Models And Its Potential Use As Treatment For Schizophrenia, Maryum K. Ijaz

Theses and Dissertations

The symptoms of schizophrenia have been categorized into three subsets including positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Although atypical antipsychotic use has shown promising reduction in positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucination, delusions and flat affect, the cognitive subset of symptoms remains and has an adverse impact on those affected. Chronic treatment with the atypical/secondary antipsychotic clozapine is one example that has ameliorated hallucinations and delusions but results in cognitive memory deficits. When chronically given in conjunction with the HDAC inhibitor, SAHA, the cognitive memory deficits of mouse models decline. HDAC2KO mice were bred and used in chronic …

A Study Of Critical Value Notification In The Outpatient Setting: The Relationship Between Physician Response And Patient Outcomes, Kristie Renee Finney

Theses and Dissertations

Critical values are laboratory values that represent a life-threatening condition for which there is a treatment available. Laboratories make immediate notifications to ordering providers when critical values are identified so that they may quickly act to initiate a treatment for their patient. The majority of laboratories apply the inpatient critical value list to the outpatient setting, although there are many differences between an acutely ill inpatient population and an ambulatory outpatient population. The goal of this study was to determine if providers responded to the critical values in the outpatient setting and to determine if there was a difference in …

What's The 411 On Sex In The African American Church? A Qualitative Exploration Of African American Girls' Exposure To Sex Communication In The Church., Brittany Berry

Theses and Dissertations

WHAT’S THE 411 ON SEX IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH? A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN GIRLS’ EXPOSURE TO SEX COMMUNICATION IN THE CHURCH

By: Brittany M. Berry, Ph.D.

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

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017.

Major Director: Dr. Faye Z. Belgrave, Professor, Psychology

The purpose of this dissertation research was to explore sex communication with African American girls in the African American Church. This research was guided by two objectives: (1) to explore African American adolescent girls’ exposure to sex communication in …

An Appeal For Hope: Analyses And Social Equity Implications Of Georgia’S Merit-Based, Lottery-Funded Scholarship, Lindsey L. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

The HOPE Scholarship began in the State of Georgia in 1993 and is a statewide, merit-based scholarship program for postsecondary students. The program is fully funded by the revenues received from the state’s lottery program, the Georgia lottery, which disproportionately receives contributions from minority and low-income populations. Using logistic and OLS regression analysis this research investigates the distributional equity of the HOPE Scholarship by comparing the award receipts of postsecondary students in Georgia. The study found that the race, ethnicity, immigrant generational status, first generation college student, and financial independence have a negative impact on the likelihood of a student …

The Effect Of Vibrotactile Feedback On Remote Manual Task Performance, Matthew S. Standard

Theses and Dissertations

Vibrotactile feedback offers a unique opportunity to augment or reconstruct impaired tactile sensations, whether that be in the form of enhancing prosthetics or specialized protective clothing. Important information about temperature and object slippage serve to endanger the human operator or equipment. This thesis presents three experiments which investigate amplitude modulated vibrotactile signals as a scalar dimension of roughness, the effect those signals and their locations (finger pad, forearm, bicep) have on the performance of two tasks: the sensing of temperatures simulated by vibrotactile signals and gripping an object of simulated surface texture. The results show task performance increase when the …

Skinface, Islam Shehab

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout history, skin manipulation was primarily practiced for cultural, tribal, or religious purposes. In the contemporary landscape, skin manipulation has been objectified and commercialized. This is exemplified through bio-upholstery, foreign materials under our skin and changing the skin structure.

This thesis investigates skin manipulation, with the intent to focus experimentation on the skin’s lines of cleavage, a topographical map drawn on our skin and used to define the direction where skin has the most and least flexibility. The aim is to connect and explore materials that can be used as a second skin, while at the same time examining and …

A Computational Study Of The Kinematics Of Femoroacetabular Morphology During A Sit-To-Stand Transfer, Brandon K. Marine

Theses and Dissertations

Computational modeling in the field of biomechanics is becoming increasingly popular and successful in practice for its ability to predict function and provide information that would otherwise be unobtainable. Through the application of these new and constantly improving methods, kinematics and joint contact characteristics in pathological conditions of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) were studied using a lower extremity computational model. Patients presenting with FAI exhibit abnormal contact between the femoral neck and acetabular rim leading to surrounding tissue damage in daily use. THA is the replacement of both the proximal femur and acetabular region of the …

The Effects Of Disturbance And Species Specific Interactions On Diversity In An Agent Based Forest Simulation, Matthew E. Mills

Theses and Dissertations

In ecology literature, there is much data which suggests that conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) and abiotic disturbances increase biodiversity in forests. This thesis elucidates the notion that not only do these two forces increase diversity, but they may also interact with one another in order to achieve higher levels of biodiversity. Abiotic disturbances, like fires and hurricanes, can indirectly impact conspecific effects because when these forces remove individuals from the landscape, the role of the conspecific effects will change. The interaction of these two factors in biodiversity are explored in an agent based forest simulation through a resource surface. …

"An Amazing Aptness For Learning Trades:" The Role Of Enslaved Craftsmen In Charleston Cabinetmaking Shops, William A. Strollo

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the role of enslaved craftsmen in Charleston cabinetmaking shops during the late-eighteenth century and how wealthy Charlestonians’ desire fashionable goods fueled the demand for this labor force. The first chapter examines the rise of the wealthy Charlestonians and the origins of their taste for fashionable goods. The second chapter explores the increased use of enslaved craftsmen in Charleston cabinetmaking shops during the last half of the eighteenth century and how they affected the production of fashionable cabinet goods.

Mathematical Models Of The Inflammatory Response In The Lungs, Sarah B. Minucci

Theses and Dissertations

Inflammation in the lungs can occur for many reasons, from bacterial infections to stretch by mechanical ventilation. In this work we compare and contrast various mathematical models for lung injuries in the categories of acute infection, latent versus active infection, and particulate inhalation. We focus on systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs), agent-based models (ABMs), and Boolean networks. Each type of model provides different insight into the immune response to damage in the lungs. This knowledge includes a better understanding of the complex dynamics of immune cells, proteins, and cytokines, recommendations for treatment with antibiotics, and a foundation for more …