Digital Commons Network^™

Alternatively Spliced Csf3r In Human Health And Disease, Borwyn A. Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Elevated alternative colony stimulating factor 3 receptor (CSF3R) isoforms are observed in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and other myeloid neoplasms, but their role in driving disease progression has not been fully explained. In this study we report on the role of an MDS-associated splicing factor SRSF2 and its effects on the production of Class III and Class IV CSF3R isoforms and granulopoiesis. Class IV add-back in Csf3r-null mice showed impaired neutrophil differentiation with increased number of CFU-G, which largely consisted of metamyelocytes, while Class III showed greater dysgranulopoiesis accompanied by dysmorphic neutrophils. Alternative CSF3R isoforms were elevated in …

Design And Exploration Of New Models For Security And Privacy-Sensitive Collaboration Systems, Ramandeep Kaur Sandhu

Theses and Dissertations

Collaboration has been an area of interest in many domains including education, research, healthcare supply chain, Internet of things, and music etc. It enhances problem solving through expertise sharing, ideas sharing, learning and resource sharing, and improved decision making.

To address the limitations in the existing literature, this dissertation presents a design science artifact and a conceptual model for collaborative environment. The first artifact is a blockchain based collaborative information exchange system that utilizes blockchain technology and semi-automated ontology mappings to enable secure and interoperable health information exchange among different health care institutions. The conceptual model proposed in this dissertation …

Supporting The Mental Health Of Black Students: A Framework For Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Systems, Shenita Williams

Theses and Dissertations

School-based mental health is plagued with two primary challenges: (a) design and (b) service delivery. The design of school-based mental health is often comprised of fragmented, individual programs and services, and the delivery of mental-health services and support are culturally insensitive. The purpose of this Delphi study, grounded in African-centered thought (Afrocentricity), was to identify essential components of a comprehensive school-based mental-health system necessary to adequately address and support the mental health of Black students in K–12 public school settings. Through the cultural lens of Black experts, the needs of Black students along a continuum of mental health was highlighted. …

Intergenerational Transmission Of Alexithymia As A Predictor Of Child Posttraumatic Stress Outcomes During Covid-19, Casey Burton

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to test the role of parent alexithymia in explaining why some children are functioning relatively well during the COVID-19 pandemic while others are experiencing poor mental health. Participants were 88 U.S. children (M_age = 9.94 years; 54.5% female; 59.1% White) and their parents/caregivers (68.2% female; 59.1% White). Two models were tested: a path model in which the association between parent alexithymia symptoms and child COVID-19-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) was mediated by child alexithymia symptoms, and a moderator model in which the association between parent alexithymia symptoms and child PTSS was moderated …

Effect Of Clear Aligner Attachment Design On Extrusion Of Maxillary Lateral Incisors: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Justin Groody

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The aims of this randomized clinical trial were to compare the efficacy of extrusion of maxillary lateral incisors among “optimized”, rectangular “horizontal”, rectangular horizontal “incisally beveled”, rectangular horizontal “gingivally beveled” attachments, and to provide a clinically relevant recommendation for attachment planning for extrusion of maxillary lateral incisors during aligner treatment.

Methods: 30 16-to-58 year old Invisalign patients and 56 maxillary lateral incisors requiring extrusion were randomly allocated to one of four attachment groups (optimized, horizontal, incisally beveled, and gingivally beveled). Participants were recruited from two private practice offices and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. The outcome assessor …

Adaptations In Orthodontics For Current And Future Covid-19 Best Practices, Jordan Lamb

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine what adaptations orthodontists made in their practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to safety recommendations and to determine which of these adaptations orthodontists plan to continue to implement after resolution of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: An original 34-question survey was sent by mail to a randomized and geographically proportionate selection of actively practicing orthodontic specialists (N = 1000). Questions asked orthodontists about the changes they made during the pandemic in four overarching categories (infection control, social distancing, appliance use, and tele-orthodontics) and whether they anticipated keeping those changes post-pandemic. The data were compared between categorical responses …

Use Of Passive Immobilization During Oral Conscious Sedation: Parental Perceptions And Utilization By Pediatric Dentists In The United States, Jennifer N. Levine

Theses and Dissertations

Use of Passive Immobilization During Oral Conscious Sedation: Parental Perceptions and Utilization by Pediatric Dentists in The United States, Levine J, Caudill, C (Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, Richmond, VA)

Research supported by the Alexander Fellowship

Purpose: To assess change in parental attitudes of passive immobilization after viewing an informational video and evaluate how pediatric dentists are currently using passive immobilization during oral conscious sedations (OCS).

Methods: A survey consisting of six statements on a 5-point Likert scale was completed by parents at their child’s OCS consultation appointment before and after viewing an educational video demonstrating benefits of passive …

Clear Aligner Therapy In The Mixed Dentition: Indications And Practitioner Perspectives, Nicholas M. Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: This study evaluated current trends and perspectives among orthodontists regarding clear aligner therapy in the mixed dentition (CAMD), including insights into perceived indications, compliance, oral hygiene, and other factors.

Methods: An original, 22-item survey was mailed to both a randomized, nationally representative sample of practicing orthodontic specialists (n = 800) and to a specific, randomized sub-sample of high-aligner-prescribing orthodontists (n = 200). Questions assessed respondents’ demographic information, experience with clear aligner therapy, and perceived advantages/disadvantages of CAMD compared to fixed appliance therapy (FA). Responses were compared using McNemar’s chi-squared and paired t-tests to assess CAMD versus FA. …

The Effect Of Er:Yag, Nd:Yag And Co2 Laser Combined With Hydrogen Peroxide, Sodium Hypochlorite, Chlorohexidine Or Fluoride On Reducing Oral Bacterial Count Implicated In Root Caries, Nitya Reddy

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Lasers have been used for treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity and for various bacterial reduction indications in periodontology. Their effectiveness in killing oral bacteria is not well known. The compounding effect of the combination of a laser treatment and adjunct antimicrobial agent use on bacterial viability is still evolving. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of three lasers commonly used in dentistry in conjunction with chlorhexidine (CHX), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), or sodium fluoride (NaF) on viability of oral bacteria associated with root caries.

Methods: Three …

The Effect Of Crowding On The Accuracy Of 3d Printed Aligners, Tonya Spangler

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of three-dimensionally (3D) printed aligners compared to conventional vacuum-formed thermoplastic aligners with varying levels of dental crowding.

Methods: Digital intraoral scans of 10 different cases were assigned to their respective groups (n=10, each, 30 total) as follows: no crowding (control), moderate crowding, and severe crowding. Using 3Shape software, digital aligner samples were created in standard tessellation language (STL) file format and randomly 3D printed. The same STL files of each case were also sent to a dental laboratory for the fabrication of vacuum-formed samples, which is the current technology used for manufacturing aligners. The intaglio …

Associations Between Years Of Teaching Experience And Classroom Management Practices, Responsivenss, And Acceptability To A Coaching Intervention, Nicole M. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to bridge the research-to-practice gap related to in-service supports and professional development by identifying factors associated with teacher use of evidence-based classroom management practices and responsiveness to a coaching intervention. Years of teaching experience was identified as a teacher-level intervention determinant with a strong research base in the classroom management literature; however few studies used direct observation of behavior to report difference among teacher behavior. This study used quantitative statistical methods to analyze data from a multi-year parent study investigating the effects of a coaching intervention (BEST in CLASS-Elementary) aimed at increasing the use of evidence-based practices …

Exploring Digital Equity Through Parent Perceptions Of Students’ Use Of 1:1 Devices: A Mixed Methods Approach, Joy Washington

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last two decades, 1:1 initiatives, in which each child in a school building is provided a school-issued device, have increased dramatically around the world. However, the outcomes of such programs are not always clear and studies regarding 1:1 one programs have found mixed results. It is important to ensure that1:1 initiatives are equitable and do not perpetuate the digital divide. Many studies exist that examine use of 1:1 devices in schools from a teacher or student perspective. However, only a few studies examine the experience of 1:1 initiatives from a parent perspective and also focus on equity. The …

Improving Feature Learning Capability And Interpretability Of Unsupervised Neural Networks, Chathurika S. Wickramasinghe Brahmana

Theses and Dissertations

The motivation for this dissertation is two-prong. Firstly, the current state of machine learning imposes the need for unsupervised Machine Learning (ML). Secondly, once such models are developed, a deeper understanding of ML models is necessary for humans to adapt and use such models.

Real-world systems generate massive amounts of unlabeled data at rapid speed, limiting the usability of state-of-the-art supervised machine learning approaches. Further, the manual labeling process is expensive, time-consuming, and requires the expertise of the data. Therefore, the existing supervised learning algorithms are unable to take advantage of the abundance of real-world unlabeled data. Thus, relying on …

Changes In Physical Activity And Relationships To Submaximal Exercise Capacity And Cardiac Function During Breast Cancer Therapy, Moriah P. Bellissimo

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Breast cancer (BC) survivors are at high risk for heart failure due to curative cancer therapies. In non-cancer populations, physical activity is a first line treatment for preventing cardiovascular disease. This study examined whether more physical activity was associated with better submaximal exercise capacity and cardiac function during the first three months of cancer therapy.

Methods: Participants included 223 women with stage I-III BC before therapy and after three months of undergoing treatment and 126 controls. Leisure time physical activity was reported using the Godin Sheppard leisure time exercise questionnaire. Cardiac function was assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance, and …

Temporal Disambiguation Of Relative Temporal Expressions In Clinical Texts Using Temporally Fine-Tuned Contextual Word Embeddings., Amy L. Olex

Theses and Dissertations

Temporal reasoning is the ability to extract and assimilate temporal information to reconstruct a series of events such that they can be reasoned over to answer questions involving time. Temporal reasoning in the clinical domain is challenging due to specialized medical terms and nomenclature, shorthand notation, fragmented text, a variety of writing styles used by different medical units, redundancy of information that has to be reconciled, and an increased number of temporal references as compared to general domain texts. Work in the area of clinical temporal reasoning has progressed, but the current state-of-the-art still has a ways to go before …

Outcome Of Vital Pulp Therapy On Immature Permanent Teeth With Calcium Silicate-Based Materials: Retrospective Cohort Study, Brian I. Hone

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The purpose of vital pulp therapy is to maintain pulp viability by eliminating bacteria from the dentin-pulp complex and to establish an environment in which apexogenesis can occur. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of vital pulp therapy on immature permanent teeth using different calcium silicate-based materials. Methods: This study was carried out in the Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate Endodontics department in Richmond, Virginia. Vital pulp therapy cases performed by graduate endodontic residents were retrospectively searched and charts were reviewed to determine inclusion into this study. All cases …

The Value Of Educating Teachers, Coaches, And Athletic Trainers On The Management Of Dental Trauma., Laura Satoski

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the baseline knowledge and assess the benefit of educating teachers, coaches, and athletic trainers about the management of sports-related dental injuries.

Methods: Teachers, coaches, and athletic trainers working in youth sports activities across the city of Richmond and the Greater Richmond Region were recruited via email. Participants answered a pre-seminar survey to evaluate their baseline knowledge and determine whether they experienced dental trauma with their athletes previously. The survey also indicated whether they participated in a public or private sports facility. The participants watched a pre-recorded virtual seminar educating them on …

Objectified: Forced Marriages And Bitter Reality Of Violence Against Women In India, Anurag Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Domestic violence against women is an ongoing problem in India. With cases rising ever higher, the time has come to talk openly about the uncomfortable truths behind arranged marriages, which foster injustice and often lead to violence against women. The wedding dress is a symbol of purity in traditional Indian weddings, but in the case of marriages that turn abusive, it can become a symbol of oppression and patriarchy. During the research phase of this investigation, women once stuck in abusive marriages—treated as objects—talked about the objects that made them feel trapped and explained how these everyday objects became silent …

The Abuse Liability Profile Of An Unflavored, Sucralose-Sweetened, Electronic Cigarette In Combustible Cigarette Smokers, Sarah F. Maloney

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of sucralose and nicotine in otherwise unflavored PG/VG ECIG liquid solutions, via a 30-watt ECIG, using multiple measures predictive of abuse liability to provide a basic understanding of the effects of sweeteners and perceived sweetness on ECIG abuse liability in reference to combustible cigarettes. Fourteen dependent smokers completed five independent study sessions that were within-subject, Latin-square ordered, and were identical in regards to all aspects but the product used. In each session, participants were given either their own brand of cigarettes or one of the four ECIG conditions: 0 mg/mL …

An Exploration Of Differences In Veteran Suicidality, Philip A. Weisbrod

Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is an important issue of public health, with Veteran suicide being a somewhat unique sub-populous at high risk. This research aims to explore the factors involved in Veteran suicidality that may raise or lower one’s risk. This analysis was conducted with the National Survey for Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) 2020 (N=1173) dataset through use of Binary Logistic Regression (BLR). The analysis showed that having a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) in the past year was the greatest predictor of increased suicidality, while marriage was the strongest buffer by decreasing the likelihood of suicidality increasing. Being a War on Terror …

The Lived Experiences Of Higher Education Academic Advisors With Counseling Degrees In Addressing Their Role In Student Success, Shajuana Isom-Payne

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine the lived experiences of academic advisors with a counseling degree in addressing their role in student success. If student retention rates are not addressed, higher education institutions are at risk of losing students, which is costly to the institution and the student (Himes, 2014). Most college students are in a state of change and need academic advising support to achieve success during a college transition (Tinto, 2012). Academic advisors can assist students in finding the right career for students’ specific strengths. Academic advisors with counseling degrees address advising through the lens …

Estimating Weighted Panel Sizes For Primary Care Providers: An Assessment Of Clustering And Novel Methods Of Panel Size Estimation On Electronic Medical Records, Martin A. Lavallee

Theses and Dissertations

Primary Care is on the frontlines of healthcare, thus they see the most diverse set of patients. In order to achieve high functioning primary care, a practice must establish empanelment, the pairing of patients to providers. Enumeration of empanelment, or estimating panel sizes, helps ensure that the demands of the patients demand the supply of providers and optimize the balance of primary care resources to improve quality of care. Further we can adjust panel sizes by using patient-level data on healthcare utilization and complexity extracted from the electronic medial record to determine the amount of care or burden of work …

Machine Learning (Ml) - Assisted Tools For Enhancing Security And Privacy Of Edge Devices, Santosh Kumar Nukavarapu

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid growth of edge-based IoT devices, their use cases, and autonomous communication has created new challenges with privacy and security. Side-channel attacks are one of the examples of security and privacy vulnerabilities that can cause inference at Internet-Service Provider (ISP) and local Wi-Fi networks. Such an attack would leak user’s sensitive information such as home occupancy, medical activity, and daily routines. Another example is that these devices have weak authentication and low encryption standards, making them an easy target for malware-based attacks such as denial of service or launching other network attacks using these infected devices. This thesis dissertation …

Mathematical Models Of Infection Prevention Programs In Hospital Settings, Kelly A. Reagan

Theses and Dissertations

Hospitals play a vital role in providing for the healthcare needs of a community. Patients can develop hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) during their hospitalization due to exposure to foreign bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Infection prevention programs target and reduce HAIs, but implementing the infection prevention programs often comes with a cost. The goal of my research is to use mathematical models to quantify the impact of infection prevention programs on cases of HAIs and total healthcare costs. First, I use a Markov chain model to quantify how one infection prevention program reduces general HAIs in the hospital. Then, I calculate the …

Synthesis And Modeling Of Manganese Ferrite Nanoparticles For Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications, Margaret E. Thornton

Theses and Dissertations

Biologically targeted magnetic hyperthermia (MH) is a promising cancer therapeutic that is both non-invasive and has the potential to serve as a single-modality cancer treatment. MH operates through the elevation of temperatures between 40-43 °C to induce apoptosis in malignant tumor cells, while the small size of the magnetic nanoparticles preserves the healthy surrounding tissue. At present, MH is limited by low heating efficiency and heterogenous outcomes, and treatment requires direct-injection of the nanoparticles, excluding deep-tissue and metastatic tumors from the therapy. The most popular candidates for MH are the spinel ferrites iron oxide and manganese iron oxide (MFO). These …

Effects Of A Parent-Implemented Intervention On Preschool Children’S Engagement In Constructive Play In Home Settings, Michelle Lynn Boulanger Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Constructive play is a creative process-oriented activity that promotes engaged learning through building and designing with materials. This study explores a parent-implemented intervention to promote active engagement in constructive play for preschool-aged children who are at risk for developmental delay and answers the research question: Do parent-implemented environmental support strategies improve the child’s active engagement in constructive play in the home? The research methodology utilized is a single-subject multiple baseline across-participants design with four participants. Visual analysis of the data supports a functional relation between the temporal, physical, and social-emotional environmental supports provided by the parents and the children’s active …

Processes Underlying Black American College Students’ Mental Health: Examining The Roles Of Mental Health Literacy, Ethnic-Racial Identity, And Mental Health-Related Behaviors, Chloe Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Addressing the mental health of college students is a persistent and increasing priority (Auerbach et al., 2018), especially among Black American individuals. Given prevalent mental health disparities, it is critical to understand the association between Black American emerging adults’ mental health literacy (MHL) and mental health outcomes including promotive mental health-related behaviors (MHRBs) and symptoms (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms), and the modifiable underlying factors that inform them. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) and the Identity-based Motivation theory (Oyserman & Yoder, 2007), the present study aimed to examine the relation between mental health literacy and mental …

Viral Overexpression Of Rprd2 In Mouse Nucleus Accumbens Induces Anxiety-Like Behavior And Regulates Genes Associated With Microtubule Transport, Claire Nuhad Atiyeh

Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental illness in the United States with many individuals underdiagnosed and undertreated (Anxiety & Depression Association of America, 2021; Bandelow et al., 2017). While stress is a known risk factor for developing anxiety disorders, there is emerging evidence that biological variability in the expression of key proteins in the brain may contribute to regulating an organism’s stress-related behaviors. Earlier work from our laboratory identified a protein, called Regulation of Nuclear Pre-mRNA Domain Containing 2 (RPRD2), that was differentially expressed in the brain of mice stratified in terms of their phenotypic response to chronic stress …

Varied Levels Of Fructose Consumption Induce Physiological, Cognitive, And Mitochondrial Alterations In Aged Female Rats, Emilie L. Bjerring

Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1970s, fructose consumption has dramatically increased within the United States, as well as the world. While adolescents tend to be the largest consumer of fructose, mostly seen in the form of sugary beverages, the consequences of a high fructose diet started in adulthood can also have severe implications on physiological parameters as well as cognition. Several studies have linked fructose consumption to metabolic syndrome, a clustering of symptoms related to overall health, with particular emphasis placed on obesity, type II diabetes, and the relationship with Alzheimer’s Disease. These findings largely stem from the outcomes of studies on cognition, …

Parental Attitudes Regarding The Primary Dentition, Dental Decay, And Trauma, Kathryn Dundervill

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the ability of parents in the VCU Pediatric Dental Clinic to recognize signs of decay and trauma and to determine their knowledge regarding the primary dentition.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that determined parental attitude and knowledge toward the function of primary teeth, childhood dental decay and dental trauma. Study data was collected through REDCap, a secure web-based survey application. Parents who brought their child to the VCU Pediatric Dental Clinic for a new patient examination or a recall examination were included in the study. The survey was only formatted …