Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Making The Case For Addressing Second-Generation Gender Bias In Public Administration, Helisse Levine, Maria J. D’Agostino, Meghna Sabharwal

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Police Accountability And Legitimacy, Daniel L. Stageman

Publications and Research

As the institution responsible for exercising the state monopoly on violence within U.S. borders, the legitimacy of policing depends on its accountability through the democratic process. Ideally, police in a democracy are authorized by the voting public to use force in a manner that is limited, justifiable, and clearly in service of the aims of public safety and law enforcement - in other words to prevent the social harms associated with criminal behavior. A combination of factors including structural inequality, historical associations with white supremacy, and hyperlocal oversight structures present significant challenges to police legitimacy, especially in highly policed communities …

Religion As A Micro And Macro Property: Investigating The Multilevel Relationship Between Religion And Abortion Attitudes Across The Globe, Amy Adamczyk

Publications and Research

In many countries abortion is the most contested issue being publicly discussed, in part, because it has implications for gender equality, health, family formation, and politics. Personal religious beliefs are often seen as having an important role in shaping disapproving attitudes. However, little attention has been given to the country religious context for understanding public opinion about abortion. Drawing on ideas from cultural sociology, the anti-ascetic hypothesis, and moral communities hypothesis, this study investigates the individual and country religious associations with abortion attitudes. Using hierarchical modeling techniques and survey data from over 70 nations, representing the majority of the world’s …

Using Internet-Derived Data To Measure Religion: Understanding How Google Can Provide Insight Into Cross-National Religious Differences, Amy Adamczyk, Jacqueline Scott, Steven Hitlin

Publications and Research

Internet and social media data provide new sources of information for examining social issues, but their potential for scholars interested in religion remains unclear. Focusing on cross-national religion data, we test the validity of measures drawn from Google and Twitter against well-known existing data. We find that Google Trend (GT) searches for the dominant religions’ major holidays, along with “Buddhism,” can be validated against traditional sources. We also find that GT and traditional measures account for similar amounts of variation, and the GT measures do not differ substantially from established ones for explaining several cross-national outcomes (e.g., fertility, circumcision, and …

Assessing The Benefits Of College Internships At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Amy Adamczyk, Katheryn Crawford, Yuna Kim

Publications and Research

Few studies have investigated the usefulness of internships at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). Focusing on a 4-year public university (HSI), this study examined differences between the internship and the non-internship students, and changes across the semester for development. A structured internship appears to have some value; including increased interaction with faculty outside the classroom, confidence in verbally expressing ideas, and class presentations.

Unpacking The Influence Of Islamic Religious Culture And Individual Religious Affiliation On Testing Hiv-Positive, Brittany Hayes, Amy Adamczyk

Publications and Research

The distribution of HIV cases varies cross-nationally. We separate the influences of Islam at the macro-and micro-levels to understand the role of religion in shaping the spread of HIV. Drawing on biomarker data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, we construct a multilevel database (Individual N= 568,476; Country N= 30). We examine a series of national-and individual-level predictors that may mediate the relationship between Islam and testing HIV-positive. Individual religious affiliation and proportion Muslim retained their risk-reducing effects even when accounting for a range of mediators and suppressors. Islam has a sui generis effect on testing HIV-positive.

Examining The Relationship Between Local Governmental Performance In Public Safety And The Growth In Population, Employment, And Per Capita Income For Valley Cities In Arizona, Xin Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the impact of city performance in public safety on a city’s growth in population, employment, and per capita income. The effectiveness of performance management affects the willingness of governmental agencies to continue using performance management as a tool for day-to-day operations and the improvement of governmental services. The research goal of the study is to discover the relationship between city performance in public safety and the growth of a locality in population, employment, and per capita income. The purpose of the study is to determine if there is a relationship between city performance in public safety …

Identification Of The New Synthetic Opioid Bucinnazine And Its Metabolites Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (Lc-Ms/Ms), Karissa N. Resnik

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

In the past 20 years, the rate of opioid use increased drastically in the United States. The country has experienced an enormous number of deaths caused by opioid overdose, opioid use disorder (OUD), as well as other harms as a consequence of the high numbers of opioid prescriptions. Fentanyl, a well-known synthetic opioid, has been a contributor to the opioid crisis since 2013 due to its popularity in clinical and illicit use. It has a high potency, which makes it an effective analgesic but a dangerous illicit substance. A new synthetic opioid, bucinnazine, has recently become a new black-market opioid …

The Analysis Of Commercially Available Kratom Products In Richmond, Virginia, James H. Fleming Jr

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Kratom is a novel psychoactive substance that has gained popularity within the past ten years. Originating from Southeast Asia, the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree contain two principal alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, that play a key role in opioid-like effects. Twenty-nine kratom products were obtained from tobacco shops in the Richmond, Virginia area, including powders, teas, capsules, extracts, and a carbonated beverage. Samples were analyzed using Direct Analysis in Real Time-Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) for kratom alkaloids, labeled ingredients, and other possible organic compounds. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was used to quantitate aluminum, arsenic, copper, iron, magnesium, nickel, …

Using A Non-Destructive Method To Estimate The Number Of Contributors And Predict Dna Yield In Touch Dna Mixtures, Christin Lee

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Touch DNA samples are low templates and often are mixtures, making them typically one of the most difficult types of evidence to interpret. Short tandem repeat analysis is a standard method to estimate the number of contributors and DNA yield for each contributor; however, there are some limitations. Applying a non-destructive pre-DNA analysis technique that provides information about the touch DNA may improve the casework process. Antibody probes to hormones such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and proteins including cytokeratins (CK) inside epidermal cells, have been demonstrated to produce a personalized signature for human touch cell populations. Testosterone, DHT, and …

A Comparison Of Cyanoacrylate Fuming Followed By Mbd Dye Staining And Gun Bluing For Development Of Latent Fingerprints On Cartridge Cases, Jamie Zaleta

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

The development of latent fingerprints on cartridge cases is a desirable ability for the forensic laboratory, offering the potential to provide probative evidence as to the handler of whole ammunition or fired cartridge cases discovered at the crime scene. Previous studies have focused primarily on intentionally-laid fingerprints on cartridge case surfaces, which do not represent samples likely to come across the desk of a forensic analyst. This study focuses on naturally-handled ammunition and the success rates associated with latent fingerprints produced in a more realistic set of circumstances. A comparison was performed of two fingerprint development methods—gun bluing and MBD …

Development Of A Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (Lamp) Assay For Detection Of Mirnas, Alisha B. Whelan

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Body fluid identification serves a vital role in contextualizing biological evidence received in forensic laboratories. While several fluids can be presumptively detected using immunological or catalytic tests, these tests are susceptible to false results and have limited sensitivity. True confirmatory testing is still somewhat limited in forensic laboratories. With the advancement of DNA typing technologies, laboratories can develop DNA profiles from trace amounts of sample, increasing the demand for sensitive and accurate body fluid detection. This project proposes using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) as a method to rapidly detect microRNAs (miRNAs) that are differentially expressed in various body fluids with …

Optimization And Comparison Of Methods For Separation Of Spermatozoa From Superabsorbent Polymer-Containing Forensic Evidence, Hannah Wells

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Sexual assault is currently one of the most prevalent crimes that affects victims of all ages. Forensic DNA analysts often confirm proof of contact in sexual assault cases through the identification of spermatozoa and subsequent STR profiling. Diapers and other feminine hygiene products, such as maxi pads and ultrathin pads, are types of superabsorbent polymer-containing evidence that complicate the process of DNA analysis due to the trapping of the spermatozoa in the gel-like matrix. In this study, a comparison of methods was performed to determine which extraction technique produces the highest sperm cell and DNA yield and generates a usable …

Stability And Variation Within Donors Of Mirna Markers For Body Fluid Identification, Kelsey R. Price

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Traditional enzymatic tests for body fluid identification are prone to false negatives, false positives, and several body fluids do not have confirmatory or reliable presumptive tests. Therefore, molecular-based tests may be more reliable, such as messenger RNA (mRNA), microbial DNA, or microRNA (miRNA) assays.

miRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs whose main function in-vivo is the regulation of protein expression by selectively suppressing the translation of their corresponding mRNAs. They also lack a poly-A tail, and because of this, their small size, and their association with other molecules such as the RISC protein complex, they are more robust than other RNAs, …

Optimization Of A Microfluidic Device For Cell Capture Using Optical Trapping, Samantha C. Pagel

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Biological mixtures which result from evidence produced in sexual assault cases are one of the most common types of mixtures observed in forensic biology casework and have contributed to evidence backlogs across the country. In the forensic community, this has highlighted the need for a more efficient cell separation method at the beginning of the DNA analysis workflow than the currently accepted method. One promising novel front-end cell separation technique is optical trapping. In heterogeneous mixtures, optical tweezers have been demonstrated to manipulate and isolate cells of interest from other cell types.

For this research, a range of 5 to …

Impact Of 1,4-Dithiothreitol (Dtt) On Microbial Community Structures Associated With Human Semen Samples, Christian R. Blaise

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Body fluid identification (BFID) is one of the most important steps in forensic science as it provides important context to how DNA analysis should be performed on biological samples found at the scene of a crime. Many scientific methods on BFID have been developed over the years with respective benefits and flaws. One emerging method in recent years is microbial signature based BFID. This method uses the same DNA extract that is utilized for human DNA profile generation for microbial analysis. Although DNA is extracted from all body fluid samples without any additional steps, extraction of human DNA from semen …

A Quantifiler Trio-Based Hrm Mixture Screening Assay For The Quantstudio 6 Flex Qpcr Platform, Dayanara A. Torres

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

At present, the forensic DNA workflow is not capable of providing information about the contributor status (single source vs. mixtures) of evidentiary samples prior to end-point analysis. This shortcoming can exacerbate the challenges inherent to mixtures and low-template DNA samples. Provided additional sample information earlier in the workflow, protocols could be implemented to mitigate these challenges. High-resolution melt (HRM) curve analysis is a technique used to detect genetic variation in DNA fragments and in the last decade has been evaluated for use in differentiation of samples by genotype and/or contributor status. To this end, a proof-of-concept HRM assay using the …

Classification And Differentiation Of Forensically Relevant Cell Populations Using Imaging Flow Cytometry, Arianna D. Decorte

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Forensic casework relies heavily on DNA profiles which may be time-consuming to generate and difficult to interpret when biological mixtures are present. Additionally, there are significant challenges in using sub-source data alone to answer the activity-level questions often most pertinent in criminal cases. Source level information can add critical probative value, however, methods that can provide information as to the source tissue of evidentiary cell populations are limited. There remains a need for new methods that can differentiate between and classify various cell populations, particularly for vaginal and epidermal tissue, since there are no conventional serological techniques specific to these …

Determination Of Cotinine Concentration In Urine By Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Allison Beckett

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Tobacco use can cause lasting health conditions which can lead to death. Tobacco exposure comes from obvious sources like smoking or chewing tobacco, however these are not the only administration methods. Secondhand smoke exposure can affect even those who choose not to expose themselves to tobacco, which also opens them to the health issues that come along with tobacco use. Tobacco contains many different compounds, one of which is nicotine (Kataoka, 2009). Although nicotine is the most abundant compound in tobacco, it does not stay in the body for long periods of time. Nicotine metabolizes into cotinine which is more …

Assessing The Detectability Of Cannabinoid Analogs (Delta-8 Thc, Delta-10 Thc And Cbd) And Their Major Metabolites In Six Commercial Cannabinoid Urine Screening Kits, Ashley A. Pokhai

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Background:

There has been an exponential surge in the presence and use of cannabinoids since the federal legalization of hemp (Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018), which involves the legalization of medical use, adult recreational use, and decriminalization of cannabis in several states. This growth is not only attributed to ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the most abundant phytocannabinoid components of cannabis and hemp, respectively, but with many other emerging THC analogs. Structurally, these analogs are similar to ∆9-THC, yet very little information is available about their potency and even less information is available regarding their detectability using commercially available cannabinoid …

Bowling Green Main Street Revitalization Plan, Amy Guzulaitis

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Town of Bowling Green is a historic, rural community located in Caroline County, Virginia. The Town is the pride of residents who enjoy the community and small town nature of the area. The Town currently has a small arts business cluster and sought ways to use that, as well as the Main Street Method, as a basis for spurring revitalization in the Town. Research Methods & Findings Today, the Town of Bowling Green faces challenges to its future growth and development due in part to the small market size available. Demographic indicators from ESRI Business Analyst show that Bowling …

Spatial Disparities Analysis Of The City Of Richmond, Virginia's Neighborhood Park Amenities, Molly Mallow

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Spatial disparities analysis of the City of Richmond, Virginia's neighborhood park amenities. Using both demographic data and in-person assessment data, neighborhood park amenities in 11 neighborhood park sites throughout the City of Richmond, VA were assessed to identify potential spatial disparities in the quality, quantity, and types of park amenities available throughout the city.

Chesterfield County Parks And Recreation Sustainability Plan, Kyle A. Gilmer

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation Sustainability Plan seeks to develop a foundation for the first sustainability plan that will support the accreditation process and implementation of the Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation Master Plan. This plan focuses on long-term environmental sustainability practices, recommendations, park lands, and topics relevant to Parks and Recreation outreach and management.

The main goal of this sustainability plan is to address department needs for long-term environmental sustainability by analyzing current best practices from the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), benchmark cities with implemented sustainability plans, and others while proposing recommendations per the Chesterfield County …

Cruser Place Green Streets Plan, Neal Friedman

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Combining green and complete street design techniques leads to multiple environmental, social and economic benefits that often enhance each other's effectiveness. In urban areas confronting increased pressures of sea level rise, green streets, which incorporate landscaped features or vegetative areas to manage stormwater within the right of way, can be crucial pieces of pedestrian oriented urban design and multimodal planning frameworks that consider and plan for diverse, complementary transportation options. This plan works with the Colonial Place and Riverview Civic League as well as the Norfolk Preservation Collective to come up with green street design recommendations in order to strengthen …

Land Use Scenarios For Scottsville, Va, Christopher Warring

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Scottsville is an incorporated municipality responsible for its planning and zoning. The town has a small population and serves a larger surrounding area from the neighboring Albemarle, Buckingham, and Fluvanna Counties. As part of its comprehensive plan update, Scottsville can consider long-range planning options. Three scenarios were produced for the town of Scottsville, each representing a different development pattern and planning approach. Added dwelling units, additional retail demand, and total open green space were calculated for each scenario to compare each development approach through common metrics.

Each scenario adopts a different design approach. Scenario 1 follows existing development patterns and …

Housing Richmond: The Role Of Non-Profit Organizations In Increasing The Affordable Housing Stock, Anjewel Bland

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Exploration Of Brookland Park And Surrounding Neighborhoods: Exploration Of Race And Space, Kearra M. Bright

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This project explores how race and space have impacted the neighborhoods of Brookland Park, North Barton Heights, and Providence Park from the start of their development in the 1890’s to the present day. And how systemic racism has impacted these neighborhoods over time. This paper will explore this through the history, existing conditions, findings, and policy and program recommendations. And will aid in combating systemic racism and starting the conversation about what is currently happening in some of Richmond’s Northside Neighborhoods.

Sharing Vision For Shared Spaces: Mobile Immersive Planning And Community-Led Design Of Green Spaces In Richmond’S Southside, Maria T.E. Dougherty

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan seeks to demonstrate the potential of immersive technologies, specifically augmented reality, in strengthening public engagement and enabling the collaborative, community led design of local green spaces.

Community engagement, while now a focal point of urban planning education, is still implemented in uneven strategies that often further distance the public from the process and understanding of city vision; new paradigms of outreach and community-government knowledge sharing must be explored to overcome common constraints of time, expertise, and language that prevent public participation in projects that directly impact their health. Immersive urban planning offers a way to bring people into …

Food Systems Financing Action Plan, Noah Holmes Foster

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Food insecurity is a well-documented issue in Virginia and throughout the United States. Food enterprises, especially those in under-resourced communities, often lack access to the credit needed to start or expand their operations due to the narrow profit margins of food enterprises. Community development financial institutions (CDFIs), such as Virginia Community Capital (VCC) address this issue by providing low-interest financing to food businesses that can increase food security and strengthen local economies. Food systems financing is a developing field for VCC and other CDFIs, and changes to standard practices are required to ensure that lending is as accessible as possible …

Growing Small: Citizen Preferences For New Development In Highland County, Virginia, And The Town Of Monterey, Charles F. Wilson

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

“Growing Small: Citizen Preferences for New Development in Highland County, Virginia and the Town of Monterey” is a plan by Charles Wilson for Highland County (“Highland”) as they reconsider the future of the Town of Monterey (“Monterey”). Highland is a rural county in western Virginia at the intersection of U.S. Routes 250 and 220. In the Summer of 2021, a new Family Dollar was issued permits to demolish an historical lodging facility and construct a new store—just a few buildings away from an existing Dollar General. This was not without controversy, but ultimately prompted reflection amongst community members for how …