Digital Commons Network^™

A Longitudinal Study Of The Stress-Buffering Effects Of Romantic Relationships On Alcohol Outcomes In College Students Exposed To Trauma, Rebecca L. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined interplay between interpersonal trauma (IPT), relationship status, relationship satisfaction (SAT), and partner substance use (PSU), and whether these relationship dimensions moderated associations between IPT and alcohol outcomes. Data came from a longitudinal study of college students (N=9,911; 61%female; 49%White). Precollege IPT increased the likelihood of being in a relationship, while college-onset IPT decreased the likelihood. IPT predicted lower SAT and higher PSU. Individuals with precollege IPT consumed more alcohol than those without IPT, but this was mitigated for those in relationships. Individuals with college-onset IPT consumed more alcohol than those without IPT, and this was …

Differential Mobility Classifiers In The Non-Ideal Assembly, Thamir Alsharifi

Theses and Dissertations

The differential mobility classifier (DMC) is one of the core components in electrical mobility particle sizers for sizing sub-micrometer particles. Designing the DMC requires knowledge of the geometrical and constructional imperfection (or tolerance). Studying the effects of geometrical imperfection on the performance of the DMC is necessary to provide manufacturing tolerance and it helps to predict the performance of geometrically imperfect classifiers, as well as providing a calibration curve for the DMC. This thesis was accomplished via studying the cylindrical classifier and the parallel plate classifier. The numerical model was built using the most recent versions of COMSOL Multiphysics^{® …}

The Increased Frequency Of Micronuclei Seen In Women With A History Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Reflects More Numerical Than Structural Acquired Chromosomal Events: A Discordant Identical Co-Twin Study, Kaitlyn M. Dochelli

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a stressful life experience with lasting/far-reaching health and psychopathological consequences. Our laboratory recently identified a significantly increased frequency of acquired chromosomal anomalies (assessed using the cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay) in adult female twins exposed to CSA when compared to their unexposed co-twin. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate potential mechanism(s) underlying the observed increases in levels of micronuclei in an expanded group of 90 female identical twins (61 CSA+ females and 29 CSA- females [including a total of 27 MZ co-twin pairs]) using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methodologies, with PNA probes specific …

Modulation Of Autophagy And Senescence To Enhance The Response To Therapy In Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Liliya Tyutyunyk-Massey

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Although great strides have been made over the decades in development and optimization of anti-cancer therapies, even highly effective drugs often fail to completely eliminate tumors. Residual tumor cells can enter into a state of dormancy for prolonged periods of time but eventually are able to regain proliferative capacity and reemerge as chemotherapy-resistant disease. Because recurrent disease is a leading contributor to patient’s mortality, it is paramount to identify strategies for effectively destroying residual tumor cells.

Cytotoxic drugs and ionizing radiation are used as standard therapies in a variety of cancers. These modalities induce apoptosis, autophagy and senescence. Senescence …

Cold X-Ray Effects On Satellite Solar Panels In Orbit, Myles Fogleman

Theses and Dissertations

An exo-atmospheric nuclear detonation releases up to 80 percent of its’ energy as X-rays. Satellite’s solar cells and their protective coatings are vulnerable to low energy X-ray radiation. Cold X-rays (~1-1.5 keV) are absorbed close to the surface of materials causing the blow-off and rapid formation of Warm Dense Plasmas (WDPs), particularly in a gap between the unshielded active elements of solar cells. To understand how WDPs are created, it is necessary to investigate the power density distribution produced by cold X-rays for typical solar panel surface materials. The Monte Carlo stepping model implemented in the GEANT4 software toolkit is …

A Longitudinal Investigation Of Interpersonal Trauma Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, And Cannabis Use Phenotypes Among College Students, Terrell A. Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

College students have an increased risk for cannabis use, trauma exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cannabis use disorder (CUD) and PTSD comorbidity is high, and given the negative consequences of the comorbidity (e.g., poor academic outcomes), there is a need to understand comorbid CUD-PTSD etiology. Two primary etiologic models exist: self-medication (i.e., PTSD à CUD) and high-risk (i.e., CUD à PTSD) hypotheses. This study 1) examined the prevalence and predictors of cannabis use and interpersonal trauma (IPT) exposure; 2) investigated the relationship between cannabis use and IPT; and 3) examined cannabis use, IPT, and PTSD through mediational self-medication and …

Targeting Sphingosine Kinase 2 As A Treatment For Cholangiocarcinoma, Anthony D. Stillman

Theses and Dissertations

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has a high mortality rate and its occurrence is rising. This increase prompts the need for improved CCA treatments. Studies have suggested that CCA is highly reliant on the sphingosine-1-phosphate-receptor-2 (S1PR2) and sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2). Recently, a competitive SphK2 inhibitor, ABC294640, has been approved for clinical trial. ABC294640 has the potential to treat CCA, which is support by a phase I clinical study that was able to temporarily treat a patient suffering from metastasized CCA with ABC294640. To determine the viability of ABC294640 as a treatment for CCA, this study focused on determining the effects of ABC294640 …

2nd Tier Assay For The Detection Of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia By Virginia’S Newborn Screening Laboratory: Steroid Profile By Hplc-Ms/Ms, Christopher E. Nixon

Theses and Dissertations

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) encompasses several disorders related to disruptions in the adrenal steroid production pathway. These disruptions may cause virilization of the external female sex organs, incorrect gender assignment, precocious puberty, and in the most severe form, may cause life-threatening salt wasting and adrenal crisis if not detected and treated early in the newborn period.

17α-Hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) is the primary target for immunofluorescence detection of CAH from dried blood spots in newborn screening (NBS). Unfortunately, current immunoassay techniques for the detection of CAH suffer from high false positive rates. The primary factors contributing to false positive determinations can include …

An Investigation On The Role Of Β-Arrestin 2, Protein Kinase C And Sex On The Mechanism Of Morphine Tolerance In The Mouse Ileum, Karan Hitesh Muchhala

Theses and Dissertations

Opioids such as morphine are frequently used in the clinic to treat pain. However, the perennial bane of chronic opioid use is the rapid development of tolerance to the analgesic effects but delayed development of tolerance to the respiratory depressant and constipating effects. As constipation is one of the most common opioid-related adverse effects in humans, it is important to delineate mechanisms that drive opioid tolerance in the ileum and lack of it in the colon. The overarching goal of this thesis was to investigate mechanisms of morphine tolerance in the ileum by comparing the mechanism of morphine tolerance in …

The Influence Of Training On Kinematics Related To Knee Injury In Novice Runners, Kathryn Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

Running is known to provide important health benefits. However, the incidence of injury among runners is high, particularly among novice runners, which discourages long term participation in the sport. The knee is the most commonly injured joint in novice runners. In general, aberrant frontal and transverse plane kinematics are associated with the development of knee injuries in runners. It was unknown whether the high rate of knee injury in novice runners was due to abnormal kinematics. Further, it was unclear whether these risk factors for injury could be improved. This dissertation includes four studies investigating kinematics in novice runners, how …

Undergraduate Students' Attitudes About The Collection, Use, And Privacy Of Search Data In Academic Libraries, Laura W. Gariepy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand undergraduate students’ attitudes about search data privacy in academic libraries and their preferences for how librarians should handle information about what students search for, borrow, and download. This is an important area of study due to the increasingly data-driven nature of evaluation, accountability, and improvement in higher education, along with libraries’ professional commitment to privacy, which has historically limited the amount of data collected about student use. Using a qualitative approach through the lens of interpretive description, I used the constant comparative method of data collection and analysis to conduct semi-structured interviews …

Acculturative Stress And Depressive Symptoms And Anxiety Symptoms In Asian American Emerging Adults: Identifying Moderators And Mediators, Anh-Thuy Le

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored relations among acculturative stress (i.e., perceived discrimination, parent-child communication difficulties, incongruent parent-child values, and a general measure of acculturative stress), depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, family conflict, ethnic identity, and social support in a sample of 207 Asian American emerging adults (ages 18-25). Regressions showed that acculturative stress was positively associated with depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms. Likewise, acculturative stress was positively related to family conflict, regardless of how the former was operationalized. Greater family conflict was also associated with greater depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms.

Mediation models found that, for each predictor of acculturative stress, family conflict …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Neighborhood Disorganization, Co-Parenting: The Impact On College Student Mental Health, Mona L. Quarless

Theses and Dissertations

Though mental health issues are prevalent amongst college students, pre-college environment and experiences are largely overlooked as potential factors in scientific literature. The current study examined the association of neighborhood disorganization, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and mental health outcomes in a sample of college students. Utilizing the ecological model of human development and risk-resilience framework, I examined co-parenting quality as a plausible protective factor against the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences and neighborhood disorder. Self-report measures of ACEs, co-parenting quality, neighborhood disorder, anxiety, and depression were completed by a sample of college students (N = 259; mean age = …

The Role Of Strength: Navigating Perinatal Loss Among Black Women, Ashley N. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

In the U.S., Black mothers experience fetal and infant mortality at alarming rates when compared to White and Latina mothers (Gregory, Drake, & Martin, 2018). The intent of this study was to examine perinatal loss among Black American women and to expand understanding of how the Strong Black Woman (SBW) ideology influences bereavement. Data were gathered from (N=109) Black American bereaved mothers. It was predicted that endorsement of differing aspects of the SBW would moderate the relationship between perinatal grief and psychosocial outcomes (i.e., depression and post-traumatic growth). Regression analyses, alongside a bootstrapping procedure via PROCESS (Hayes, 2017), …

Rehabilitation Counselor Clinical Judgment Model Application With Data From An Individualized Placement And Support Trial For Veterans Living With Spinal Cord Injuries, Kevin Fields

Theses and Dissertations

Employment rates for veterans with spinal cord injuries remain low despite legislation aimed at helping individuals with significant barriers to employment succeed in finding competitive work. As access to services and resultant outcomes become more scrutinized, the need for Rehabilitation Counselors to efficiently allocate resources grows more vital to the cause. Existing research supports a mediated path model of rehabilitation counselor clinical judgment asserting observations of disability severity, intelligence, and psychosocial adjustment lead to inferences of functional status and attribution thereof, which collectively influence predictions of successful rehabilitation. The current study investigated the variance attributable to this clinical judgement model …

Motivational Interviewing In A Team-Based Wellness Clinic: Perceptions And Fidelity, Jodi M. Winship

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidenced based counseling style to elicit health behavior change. Team-based student clinics are an ideal climate for students to learn and practice team-based care, yet little is understood as to how client-centered communication styles such as MI are implemented in a team setting.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct an exploratory study using mixed methods to better understand how an MI training translates to team-based communication with clients, the factors impacting team-based implementation of MI, and how team-based MI impacts clients’ perceived autonomy at a student-led, interprofessional, team-based wellness clinic for …

Stat5b And Stat5 Tetramers Are Essential For Ige-Mediated Mast Cell Function, Kasalina N. Kiwanuka

Theses and Dissertations

Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs) are latent transcription factors that mediate several cellular responses. This protein family consists of seven members, STAT1 – 6 including two closely related molecules, STAT5a and STAT5b, that show 96% amino acid sequence homology and are critical for lymphoid, myeloid and erythroid cell development and function. Activated STAT proteins dimerize and translocate to the nucleus, where they bind to high-affinity DNA motifs to modulate gene expression. We recently identified STAT5b as the critical regulator of IgE-mediated cytokine production in mast cells. STAT5b knockout (KO) cells show decreased sensitivity to IgE-mediated passive systemic anaphylaxis …

An Evaluation Of Differences In Motivations To Receive Cervical Cancer Screening And Follow-Up Care Between Black And White Women, Ashlee Sawyer

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Cervical cancer among Black women is a major individual and public health concern. Despite advancements in medical technology and policy, disparities in cervical cancer diagnosis and mortality still exist between White and Black women, with Black women having higher rates of diagnosis (10.0 vs 7.1 per 100,000) and mortality (4.1 vs 2.0 per 100,000). Previous studies have focused heavily on barriers to obtaining cervical cancer screening among Black women and efforts to improve screening rates. Despite speculation by researchers that gaps in receipt of quality follow-up care may contribute to disparities, its role in disparate mortality rates between Black …

Why Women Give To Women: A Portrait Of Gender-Based Philanthropy, Amy C. G. Beck

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

WHY WOMEN GIVE TO WOMEN: A PORTRAIT OF GENDER-BASED PHILANTHROPY AT A PUBLIC COLLEGE IN VIRGINIA

By Amy Gray Beck, 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, 2019

Chair: Katherine Cumings Mansfield, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations, School of Education, UNC Greensboro

The cost of public higher education is steadily increasing, with state and federal government cutting its support year after year. Students are having to pay more out of pocket for classes and tuition, and institutions rely on …

Predictors Of Peripartum Care Attendance Among A Sample Of African American Women At Increased Risk For Poor Prenatal Care Compliance, Anna B. Parlier-Ahmad

Theses and Dissertations

Prenatal and postpartum care are important for reducing maternal and infant morbidity. Racial and ethnic disparities are prevalent in maternal peripartum health and infant birth outcomes as well as peripartum care access and utilization. They highlight the need to identify and better understand correlates of poor prenatal and postpartum care compliance. While risk factors for low adherence to peripartum care have been identified, no studies have looked specifically at predictors of prenatal and postpartum care attendance in an at-risk sample of African American pregnant women. Using existing data from an RCT targeting maternal and infant health disparities and comparing a …

Identifying Targets For Quality Improvement In A Community Child Mental Health Agency, Natalie K. Finn

Theses and Dissertations

The implementation of evidence-based practices has great potential to improve the quality of children’s services; however, with a large variety of available practices, it can be challenging to select targets for quality improvement in community-based treatment. This study used a method called relevance mapping to identify how thoroughly evidence-based programs could cover a specific population of children seeking services at a large public agency and identify practice elements relevant to these clients. A therapist survey was used to examine current practice at the agency. Eight therapists at the agency reported on their practice delivery for 141 clients. Results from relevance …

Pharmacological Assessment Of Adjuncts To Enhance Mu-Opioid Receptor Agonist Antinociception In Male Rhesus Monkeys: Does One + One = Three?, Jeremy Cornelissen

Theses and Dissertations

Mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists are effective agents for pain management, but are also limited by a number of undesirable effects. One approach to enhance the therapeutic effects and minimize the undesirable effects of MOR agonists may be to combine MOR agonists with an adjunct targeting a different receptor system. This targeted medical approach, known as “combination therapy”, aims to augment the desired effects of the MOR agonist (i.e. antinociception) and/or diminish the undesirable deleterious side effects of the MOR agonist. This dissertation investigated the utility of this approach in an assay of thermal nociception and schedule-controlled responding in male rhesus …

Mindfulness Training For Healthcare Professional Students: A Waitlist Controlled Pilot Study On Psychological And Work-Relevant Outcomes, Sarah Braun

Theses and Dissertations

Burnout in healthcare professionals (HCPs) can negatively affect HCPs’ health and the overall functioning of the healthcare system. Of great concern is the negative effect of HCP burnout on psychological, cognitive, and work-relevant functioning. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to decrease burnout in HCPs and preliminary evidence suggests they may improve work-relevant outcomes. However, the literature is limited by methodological issues and generalizability concerns. The current pragmatic trial investigated feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of Mindfulness for Interdisciplinary Healthcare Professionals (MIHP) using a partially randomized, waitlist-controlled, crossover design [intention-to-treat sample: 22 in the mindfulness group (MG), 26 in the control group …

Examining Sleep And Family Functioning In Pediatric Craniopharyngioma Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Nour Al Ghriwati

Theses and Dissertations

Craniopharyngiomas are among the most common brain tumors in children and are associated with greater rates of sleep problems compared to other pediatric cancers. However, research examining sleep among youth with craniopharyngioma has been limited by a reliance on retrospective reports or sleep studies. Families also play a crucial role in children’s adjustment following a pediatric cancer diagnosis, yet remarkably little is known about transactional associations between family functioning and sleep in pediatric cancer. This study examined cross-sectional and daily associations among family functioning, affect, and sleep difficulties for youth with pediatric craniopharyngioma using retrospective reports and ecological momentary assessment …

Molecular Pharmacology Of Non-Phyto-Cannabinoid Approaches For Treatment Of Neuropathic Pain, Nadejda A. Blajkevich

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately twenty million people in United States have some form of peripheral neuropathy. It has been shown that the CB₂ cannabinoid receptor is upregulated when there is peripheral nerve injury and activating the CB₂ receptor produces anti-inflammatory effects that translate to a reduction in signs of “neuropathic pain” in animal models. Elevating endogenous cannabinoids by inhibiting degradative enzymes has also been used to reduce neuropathic pain signs in laboratory animal models of pain. We hypothesize that the molecular pharmacology of these two approaches can be leveraged to optimize CB₁/CB₂ activation to improve non-phyto-cannabinoid treatments for …

The Effect Of Quercetin In Periodontal Inflammation, Sara Holden

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine the effect of Quercetin, a plant based over the counter flavonoid, on periodontal inflammation in a murine model of periodontitis.

Methods: Periodontitis was induced in age and gender matched mice (C57BL/6) using ligatures on the left side of the maxilla and right side was left un-ligated as baseline control. The animals received daily Quercetin gavage or Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) starting 5 days prior to ligation which continued throughout the experimental protocol. Micro-computed tomography (micro CT) imaging was used to determine alveolar bone loss. Real Time quantitative (qRT) PCR was used to determine level of gingival tissue …

2019 Msu Benefits Guide, Morehead State University. Office Of Human Resources.

Staff Congress Records

2019 Morehead State University Benefits Guide.

Country Snapshot Bosnia And Herzegovina, Lejla Hodžić

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A brief summary of the history and current status of religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Potential Promises And Pitfalls Of Using Local Norms For Gifted Identification, Marla S. Hartman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Who are the gifted? This question has plagued the field since its inception. Historically, gifted education has been predicated on the values of the Caucasian, upper- to middle-class majority. As a result, underrepresentation of students from economically disadvantaged and culturally diverse families have been well documented in the literature and continues to this day. Some scholars have suggested the use of expanded definitions of giftedness to increase participation of students from underrepresented segments of the population. This study used regression and hierarchical linear models to predict the proportion of students identified across various thresholds focusing on how definitions impacted differential …

The Dirt Of Development: Nature's Role In Social-Emotional Development And Parent-Child Connectedness, Hayley Johanna Lindsey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between nature connectedness, parent-child connectedness, and the development of prosocial behavior. Nature connectedness pertains to the strong emotional affinity towards the natural environment and is linked with happiness, stress reduction, and good health. Prosocial behavior refers to actions or behaviors done with the intent to help others. This study consisted of 467 parent-informants that gathered information on the parent’s nature connectedness, the child’s nature connectedness, the parent-child connectedness, and the child prosocial behavior. Gaps in the literature were addressed by analyzing the role that parent nature connectedness has in predicting child …