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The Effects of Part-Time Work on Sleep Quality in College Students
Katherine A. Beachy, Candace Moore, and Magda M. Smith
Part time work can negatively affect sleeping patterns, resulting in poorer academic performance and a diminished sense of overall well-being. 521 undergraduate students working at least 20 hours per week were surveyed and self-reported post-work experiences and sleep quality. Results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that a block of four post-work experiences (psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery, and control over leisure time) were predictive of self-reported sleep quality. Completion of more mastery experiences and greater control over choosing post-work activities were both statistically significant predictors of higher sleep quality (Sonnentag, Binnewies, & Mojza, 2008).
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Progression of the Representation of Female Protagonists in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Genres
Dakota S. Becker
Broadcast television has been plagued by the misrepresentation and absence of progressive female protagonists. Contemporary television programs have begun to address issues of diversity and empowerment, but it is questionable whether substantial strides in the representation of women have truly been made. The science fiction and fantasy genres in particular are infamous for perpetuating rampant sexism and the objectification of female characters. I analyze aspects of the television shows Orphan Black and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, two broadcast television series which aired over ten years apart, to broadly evaluate whether the science fiction and fantasy genres have progressed or regressed in terms of feminist values in the past decade. The criteria by which the two series are evaluated include the presence of the postfeminist “Girl Power,” the appropriation of “masculine” heroic power in conjunction with femininity, the presence of empowered sexuality, and heteronormativity. The research reveals that, according to the above criteria, Orphan Black, which has not previously been studied academically and which is an ongoing television series, surpasses Buffy in terms of empowered sexuality and the presence of heteronormativity. However, while it is clear that the representation of female protagonists have attained a greater degree of diversity in Orphan Black, it is difficult to identity clear boundaries by which to assess the feminist value of these characters. The Girl Power motif is present in both shows, an element of its feminist potential realized with the series’ emphasis on collectivity.
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Stand-Up Comedy and Self-deprecating Humor
Amelia M. Bell
Stand-up comedy has been around for centuries, making people laugh for generations. Through the years the forms and techniques stand-up comedians use have shifted back and forth. Self-deprecation humor is one of these forms of humor, where the comedian pokes fun at his or herself, and it has recently become more incredibly popular in today’s society. Stand-up comedians like Louis C.K. have risen to newfound popularity by using self-deprecating humor almost completely in their sets. This paper attempts to answer the question of why audiences respond so positively to stand-up comedians who use self-deprecating humor. It does so by arguing that there are several reasons for this, including how self-deprecation is trending in other aspects of society and how self-deprecating humor rises and falls in popularity but always remain present in American humor. However the audience also feels more comfortable laughing directly at the comedian than at a certain controversial demographic, and although it is the comedian’s performance, by using self-deprecating humor, the comedian relinquishes some of his/her authority and power on stage to the audience because the audience has the power to decide whether to participate by laughing.
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Combination of Music and Aromatherapy to Improve the Efficiency of Motor Functions and Speech in Patients Paralyzed From Stroke.
Mounica Bevara
With the rapid development of medical technology, millions of dollars are being spent on discovering innovative methods of treating fatal diseases such as stroke that may also result in temporary paralysis. Physiotherapy treatments aimed at restoring brain function in patients paralyzed following a stroke is subjective to the patient and does not guarantee complete rehabilitation. While many practitioners have attempted to employ complementary and alternative methods of treatment such as massage therapy, acupuncture therapy, siddha, and marma therapy, none of them proved to be equally as effective as physiotherapy. However, prior studies support the notion that aromatherapy used in combination with music therapy showed promising results. Aromatherapy, defined as using extracted oils from plants and herbs to naturally treat the body through oral or skin absorption, has been effective in halting the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death in cells. The inhibition of apoptosis may be principal in delaying the degeneration of brain cells. Music therapy, on the other hand, uses a process known as entrainment to access a paralyzed brain for rhythmic perception. These two processes are connected through transduction, which elaborates the relationship between the olfactory and auditory system that improves the efficiency of memory retention through familiar scents and sounds. Using aromatherapy in combination with music therapy is more effective because it is a self-paced treatment that does not require the administration of a trained professional. This alternative treatment for paralyzed stroke patients will be applicable to the general public if administered in reasonable doses under appropriate conditions.
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Beyond the Horizon: The Limitless Potential of 3D Technology in Archaeology
Rebecca Bowman
My research started during the summer of 2014 with a joint internship at VCU’s Virtual Curation Lab and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources under the supervision of Dr. Bernard K. Means and Katherine Ridgway. The purpose of my research was to conduct a comparative study between the virtual and physical process of mending, or repairing, artifacts. I was granted access to three different vessel fragments which were improperly mended in the 1960s. It was my goal to remove the previous adhesive adhered to the sherds and replace it with a safer adhesive. Simultaneously, I brought the previously mended sherds into the Virtual Curation Laboratory to scan them into the three-dimensional computer software using the NextEngine 3D scanner. I used three-dimensional technology to experiment with different additive and subtractive methods in order to virtually mend the sherds and print out interactive replicas. I continued to take advantage of the interactive potential of three-dimensional technology to connect the public to my findings on a kinetic level. I used 3D technology to print puzzle games of various difficulty in order to allow the public to attempt physical mending themselves and then compare their results to the virtual mends. The first workshop I conducted using the interactive potential of my research received an enormously positive response from the public, whom had previously not shown much interest in my studies. Instead of reading about research, the community was able to learn, hands-on, the same way I learned. This process granted all individuals the ability to draw the same conclusions I drew myself. Three-dimensional technology allows for a deeper comprehension of the research process which makes learning more fun and memorable. Additionally, it evolves the current standards of research presentation methods into a tangible, interactive relationship with the public. With 3D technology not only are more research questions available to answer, but the educational benefits of kinetic learning are also applicable for all ages. With credit to three-dimensional technology, transforming the presentation of my archaeological research from primarily an academic audience to a public audience has expanded the communal comprehension of my findings. This allows for better communication and interaction with those in both academic and non-academic fields and broadens the potential for future use of three-dimensional technology in archaeology.
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Queer Mysticism in the High Middle Ages: Pain, Love, Earth, and the Female Body in the Illustrations of Hildegard of Bingen’s Scivias
Becky Bushnell
Many view Hildegard of Bingen as one of the most important female theologians of the 12th century, and her writing and sphere of influence is remarkable considering her gender. Many scholars, like Barbara Newman, Caroline Walker Bynum, and Carolyn Worman Sur, agree that Hildegard’s portrayals of God in Scivias are distinctly feminine. Scholars like Karma Lochrie, Sheryl Chen, and Flora Lewis have written on Christ’s wound as a metaphor for the womb or vulva. Yet what scholars don’t seem to focus on, as Lochrie writes in “Mystical Acts, Queer Tendencies,” is the ways that the work of many female mystics in the 12th and 13th centuries falls outside of modern conventions of normal gender and sexuality. According to Lochrie, there exists a false “master narrative” which presents mystical interactions with God as indefinitely heterosexual and sometimes even ignores or twists evidence to fit this narrative. I claim that one could consider Hildegard’s visions in Scivias “queer” due to: her focus on the physicality and femininity of Christ through the figure of Caritas, the distortion of sexual gender norms through the feminization of Christ, and the conflation of pain with love and with the female body through maternal and/or erotic metaphors. By examining the text and illustrations of Scivias and the relevant research, I explore Hildegard’s feminine depictions of God in relation to sapiental tradition, courtly love and “love noir,” and the writings of female mystics in the 12th and 13th centuries. By examining Hildegard’s work in these ways, I have found elements that defy convention and the master narrative and that may further our understanding of female mystical sexuality in the high Middle Ages.
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Assessment of the Neighborhood Environment and its Association with Gestational Age at Birth
Brittaney A. Castro
Preterm birth is one of the most persistent of health disparities and accounts for five times more African American versus European American infant death. The preterm birth rate in African American is nearly twice as high compared to European Americans. Recent studies have shown that a major contributor to this disparity is accounted for by the greater environmental heterogeneity seen in African American populations. The purpose of this study is to examine how the measured neighborhood environment influences race-specific preterm birth rates by: 1) assessing the degree of neighborhood heterogeneity that exists between self-identified race; 2) estimate the extent these sources influence preterm birth rates and; 3) compare the measured neighborhood environment (Neighborhood Inventory for Environmental Typology (NIfETy)) with a self-assessment of neighborhood quality (Neighborhood Environmental Survey (NES)). This presentation will show results that the NIfETy and NES are highly correlated and predict the occurrence of preterm birth. Additionally, results will provide support for our primary hypothesis that women who score higher in perceiving their neighborhood environment as safe/positive, were less likely have a preterm birth. Finally, I will summarize my practical research experience as part of my PSYC 494 internship recording field data for the NIfETy in an urban setting.
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Can You Please Put Your Phone Away? Examining how the FOMO phenomenon and mobile phone addiction affect human relationships
Laila A. Chaudhry
This study attempts to identify how attachment to social media as well as attachment to other forms of communication technology can lead to addiction to mobile devices and affect non-virtual interpersonal communication. I examined the phenomenon known as the fear of missing out, or FOMO, which can be defined as apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent. Experiencing FOMO can lead to overuse of and even addiction to social media, another category I examined, because addicted individuals want to stay more up-to-date with social networks and social media is the most efficient way to do so. This, by default, also connects to overuse of mobile devices due to ease of access with mobile social networking applications. This addiction is linked to loneliness and depression in and of itself, but the general overuse of mobile devices also has negative effects on interpersonal face-to-face communication, the final category that I researched. Numerous studies showed that the use or even mere presence of a mobile phone decreased interpersonal trust in conversation partners. Therefore it can be inferred that excessive social media use can lead to loss of non-virtual connections. Further research into the psychological impact of virtual communication addiction is needed to explore these incredibly new phenomena and help to prevent addiction and negative associations with new technologies.
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Post Traumatic Stress and Externalizing Behaviors in At Risk Urban Adolescents: A Prospective Study
Angela Chung, Lauren Guerra, Jerry L. Mize II, Lena Jaggi, and Wendy Kliewer
Adolescents in in urban areas are at a higher risk for experiencing direct victimization as well as witnessing violence directed towards others, which increases the amount of post-traumatic stress (PTS) they face (Joseph, S., Mynard, H., & Mayall, M. 2000). Experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been associated with a number of negative externalizing behaviors, such as increased delinquency, drug use and aggressive behavior in adolescents (Dierkhising, C. B., Ko, S. J., Woods-Jaeger, B., Briggs, E. C., Lee, R., & Pynoos, R. S. 2013). This association is especially relevant, as adolescence is a stage where youth are beginning to experiment and form life-long habits to manage life stressors. However, previous research has been limited regarding gender differences in PTS as males and females often have different ways of coping with traumatic events (Stevens, Murphy, & McKnight, 2003). This study closes this gap by investigating the connection between PTS and externalizing behaviors in the form of delinquency, drug use, and aggression in a sample of urban, predominantly African American adolescents. Data for this study comes from the first two waves of Project COPE, a four-year longitudinal study on violence exposure, stress responses and adjustment who were recruited from low SES neighborhoods in Richmond, Virginia. The sample included 166 males (46.4%) and 192 females (53.6%), all of whom were in grades five or eight and between the ages of nine and sixteen (M=12.13, SD=1.62) at wave 1 of the study. The participants consisted primarily of African Americans (91%). During annual in home interviews, participants provided assessments of PTS using the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) scale, and delinquency, aggressive behavior and drug use were assessed using the Problem Behavior Frequency Scales (PBFS). Linear regression analyses were conducted with and without gender as moderator. Results from this sample found no significant relationship between PTS and Delinquency (Beta=.074, p>.05) or Drug use (Beta=.035, p>.05) one year later. However, a significant relationship was found between PTS and aggressive behavior at year two (Beta=.185, p<.05). Interactions with gender revealed that the patterns of association between PTS and aggressive behavior were similar for males and females. Contrary to previous research, our results show no increased risk of drug use or rule-breaking behavior in this sample of adolescents from high violence neighborhoods, for either males or females. It is possible that the effects were short-term in this case rather than lasting. However, the significant relationship of PTS with increased physical aggression for all youth sheds light on possible long-term consequences of PTS and underscores a need to address this specific risk in low SES, urban samples with high prevalence of PTS. The data from our research further adds to the existing consensus suggesting that low SES, urban adolescents, due to unavailable resources, has the possibility of behaviors reemerging as delinquent behaviors.
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Heterosexism Faced by Adolescents in the Rural United States: A Case for Implementing Student-Made LGBT Programs
Beau W. Coggsdale
GSAs, Gay-Straight Alliances, influence the heterosexist environment within a school system, especially rural schools. The data was collected from various journals documenting suicide rates and levels of self-esteem in rural environments. A lot of the data was collected was cross-referenced because of the lack of research into LGBT youth in rural environments. Much of the research that was conducted was focused on ameliorating internalized homophobia of urban LGBT youth instead of rural LGBT youth, so research into LGBT urban youth was applied to those in a rural environment. Heterosexism exists in school systems because of the lack of support for LGBT students in high school. Heterosexism is very damaging to the mental health of LGBT adolescents because it establishes homosexuality as being outside the norm, which leads to internalized homophobia. Harassment linked to adolescents’ perceived or actual sexual orientation can lead to anxiety, decreased self-esteem, lack of academic interest, a feeling of isolation, depression, and suicidal ideation. The aforementioned consequences of harassment often lead into adulthood. Also, there is a negative correlation between schools with an active GSA and the harassment experienced by the student. As the level of activity in the GSA increases, the amount of harassment decreases. The heterosexism results in students attempting to conform to heterosexual expectations, which results in students covering their actual sexual orientation and their gender identity.
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Realistic Spiking Neuron Statistics in a Population are Described by a Single Parametric Distribution
Lauren Crow 9370373
The spiking of activity of neurons throughout the cortex is random and complicated. This complicated activity requires theoretical formulations in order to understand the underlying principles of neural processing. A key aspect of theoretical investigations is characterizing the probability distribution of spiking activity. This study aims to better understand the statistics of the time between spikes, or interspike interval, in both real data and a spiking model with many time scales. Exploration of the interspike intervals of neural network activity can provide a better understanding of neural responses to different stimuli. We consider different parametric distribution fitting techniques to characterize the random spike times of a population of neurons in the visual cortex of a mammal. Five different probability distribution functions were considered, including three mixture models, and their goodness of fit was determined through two criteria: maximum likelihood and Akaike Information Criteria. Despite being largely heterogeneous, both criteria indicated that one distribution, although different for each criteria, was the best fitting for all of the neurons in the data set. The Gamma-Gamma mixture distribution was the best according to maximum likelihood and the Exponential distribution was the best according to AIC. The statistical methodology applied to a burst model yielded the same results, and the AIC formula was further investigated to better understand its consistent selection of the same parametric distribution. We find that complicated neural spiking activity can sometimes be described by a single parametric distribution, which is hopefully comforting for theorists.
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Trends in Chamber Music Composed by European Composers Who Became Deaf in the Romantic Era
Vinh Dao
This study attempts to discover if there are trends among the composition style of composers from the Romantic Era who went deaf. To ascertain the true nature of deaf composition, 10 scores were analyzed –5 scores from composers who were hearing or were not deaf yet and 5 scores from composers who were completely deaf. The scores were examined rather than recordings of these pieces as modern string quartets, piano trios, violin and piano duet players would not be able to replicate the sound and style of music from the Romantic Era. In particular, this study found that deaf composers featured an increased number of fortes, fortissimos, sforzandos, and subito fortissimos, a higher number of crescendos and decrescendos, a smaller percentage of notes that had a frequency equal to or above G6, and a large number of repetitive passages that are doubled and/or tripled, which results in an unbalanced sound between the melody and the accompaniment. As these trends were observed within all of the deaf composers in the Romantic Era being studied, this study contends that these trends could be ubiquitous among deaf composers. In the future, an additional study should be conducted among different musical eras to conclude the nature of deaf composition.
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Increasing Vaccination Rates in Children of Vaccine-Hesitant Parents
Keegan G. Edgar
In recent years, the number of parents who have declining vaccinations or instituting altered immunization schedules for their children has risen. This has caused an increased number of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. It has also threatened herd immunity, which provides a measure of protection for those who are susceptible to disease given enough people are vaccinated, as this hinders the spread of the disease. To combat this threat to herd immunity, it is becoming increasingly necessary to find a solution to the problem of increasing personal belief exemption.
I took a cause and effect approach in the way I researched the issue. I first analyzed the causes of vaccine-hesitancy. The overarching theme that emerged was that vaccine-hesitant parents believed that not enough attention was being paid to their child; doctors gave only general recommendations rather than specific ones. Then, I began exploring the way the problem was already being addressed. The two general methods were by incentivizing immunization or using tailored techniques. Incentivizing vaccination was found to be much less effective because it doesn’t address the concerns of the parents, and because most vaccine-hesitant parents are adamant in their beliefs. Tailoring information to give to parents is the more effective method because it alleviates the concerns of vaccine-hesitant parents, causing them to reevaluate their beliefs. However, in order for this method to be effective, healthcare workers must have greater education regarding vaccine risks and side effects as well as addressing these concerns in an effective manner.
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The Subtle Role of Parenting in Gender Role Formation
Naomi S. Eitches
Despite the progressively modern trend towards gender equality, gender roles and gender stereotypes are still the underlying causes of numerous social problems. The prevalence of gender roles is evident from birth when the gender of the baby determines the treatment every child henceforth receives. This research analyzes how the parents or parent, unbeknownst to even themselves, subconsciously enforce gender roles on their offspring. By examining the dynamic between the parents and the interactions with their offspring, researchers have found evidence of latent parental behaviors and patterns that affect gender roles and gender stereotypes. The evidence illustrates a cycle of gender schemas that are passed from the parent to the child, this pattern is repeated continuously through the future generations. The research also indicates how this cycle, usually continued by the father, is an albatross to society as it also carries with it destructive behaviors, gender confusion, gender oppression and a gender binary. The cycle can only be stopped if the subliminal pressures attached to gender are eliminated. Until parents understand their involvement in enforcing strict gender binaries, they will continue to not only be a burden on their children, but also contribute to the struggles other children face as a result of gender stereotypes and confusion.
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Proactive Conversation, 3D Printing, and an Old Nintendo
Tesha C. Ellis
Abstract
One hundred years from now, it would be a true historical treat to be able to showcase 20th and 21st century digital entertainment by presenting video game consoles in mint condition for interactive, educational, play. Arguably, it would be more enlightening and informative for future audiences to be able to physically engage with the electronic artifacts instead of simply observing them behind glass. With the use of 3D technology, components of video game systems can be preserved, and then printed as needed for repairs. It will help keep them functional for future researchers, educators, and enthusiasts.
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Spatial Analysis of Nest Productivity and Predation in Prothonotary Warblers
Miranda Foster and Lesley P. Bulluck
Generally, statistics are based off the assumption that observations are independent from each other in space. In larger ecological systems however, there can be spatial autocorrelation whereby data collected in nearby areas are not independent of one another which violates the assumption of most statistical tests. It is therefore becoming commonplace for ecological studies to study spatial autocorrelation to both eliminate error (accounting for a nuisance variable that could give false positives) and to better understand the spatial structure of their system of interest. Indeed, the mechanisms that lead to spatial autocorrelation are often associated with behaviors and/or intrinsic characteristics of our target species or community. In this study we investigated whether nest productivity and nest predation of the Prothonotary Warbler (Prothonotaria Citrea) were spatially autocorrelated at Deep Bottom Park along the lower James River, VA. Nest success and predation were measured at 66 different nest boxes over a period of four years (2009-2013). We found no spatial autocorrelation between these nest boxes when analyzing both reproductive success and nest predation events. This indicates that our observations are independent from each other in space, and spatial variables are not driving reproductive success or predation, rather individual bird quality is likely the main driver for these differences.
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Using the Past to Restore the Future: Quantifying Historical Vegetation to Assist in Tidal Freshwater Wetland Restoration
Christopher D. Gatens
Wetlands have been providing humans with critical natural ecosystem services throughout our time on Earth. Nevertheless, these invaluable ecosystems have been habitually altered as a cost of human progression. Two of the most common alterations to wetlands are damming and filling. Both occurred along Kimages Creek in Charles City County, VA during the 19th and 20th centuries. In 2010 the Lake Charles dam was partially removed, restoring the creek’s tidal communication with the James River. Upon the recession of the body of water, numerous woody stumps were revealed. We studied these stump remnants in an attempt to assess the spatial structure and vegetative community of this forested freshwater tidal wetland before perturbation. We began by obtaining a geospatial coordinate for each stump, and every 10 stumps a cross-sectional wood sample was taken. These samples underwent taxonomic identification as well as aging in the lab. During this ongoing study, over 4,500 stumps have been geo-located and 413 samples have been processed. There were 15 unique species among 11 genera identified. The most abundant genus of trees was Fraxinus spp. (RD = 73.24%), and the next most abundant was Carya spp. (RD = 11.79%). The majority of the samples were of obligate or facultative wetland species (63.1%). We will soon compile the geospatial coordinates onto a GIS map and use the species data to better understand the native community. Recreating the natural historical vegetative community could help guide current restoration efforts in other locations in other mid-Atlantic formally impounded wetlands.
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The Transition to Parenthood: The Role of Humility, Gratitude and Forgiveness
Charlene M. Gaw, Elisabeth Alison, and Azza Hussein
The transition to parenthood, while an exciting time to celebrate the life of their child, causes parents to face new challenges such as physical exhaustion (Petch & Halford, 2008), role overload (Perry-Jenkins, Goldberg, Pierce, & Sayer, 2007), and less time for themselves and their partners (Feeney, Hohaus, Noller, & Alexander, 2001). Today in the United States, 85% of women and 76% of men will have parented a child by the time they are forty (Roy, Schumm, & Britt, 2014), making this an important developmental transition to examine. Humility has been found to have numerous social benefits, among them the initiation and maintenance of romantic relationships (van Tongeren, Davis, & Hook, 2014). Prior studies have found that greater humility in romantic relationships increases relationship satisfaction and forgiveness (Farrell et al., 2015). Gratitude may also increase relationship satisfaction and commitment (Joel et al., 2013), and humility and gratitude may be related (Kruse et al., 2014). The current study sought to examine how humility is related to other virtues (i.e., gratitude and forgiveness) during the transition to parenthood.
Participants included 69 heterosexual married couples (N = 138) that were expecting their first child. 72% were Caucasian and ranged in age from 22 to 48 (M = 30.8, SD = 4.76). Relational humility was assessed through behavioral coding with three observers who were female undergraduate research assistants. Observers obtained 80% or higher in reliability. The Relational Humility Scale (RHS; Davis et al., 2011) was used to measure humility in relationship partners. Other measures included Trait Forgiveness Scale (Berry et al., 2005) and the Gratitude Questionnaire (McCullough et al., 2002).
Preliminary results examined correlations between study variables. Relational humility was positively correlated with forgiveness (r = 0.28) and gratitude (r = 0.33). A multiple regression analysis will be run to see if relational humility is associated with higher levels of forgiveness and gratitude. Additionally, analyses will be run to compare results according measurements of relational humility (i.e., self-report versus behavioral coding). Implications of this work would benefit new parents by promoting the virtues that support healthy and successful relationships during the transition to parenthood.
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Ketamine, a Brighter Future for Those in Darkness
Matthew D. Gayhart
Millions of people around the world suffer from Major Depressive Disorder, and many of these people are given drugs to help treat this potentially devastating disease. For many, the first treatment is successful, and if not, certainly the second treatment gives them the relief they so desperately need. Others, however, are not so lucky, people with treatment resistant depression undergo numerous treatments, some of which are more aggressive than others, but still nothing helps alleviate their depression. Recently an older anesthetic, the drug Ketamine, has been making some news as a new depression treatment. This paper will compare Ketamine to the traditional approved methods for treating depression, as well as discuss the next steps in making this drug more widely available. By reviewing scholarship on the subject of antidepressants, as well as available research on Ketamine, and by interviewing a patient who recently underwent a Ketamine treatment, this research highlights the positive results of Ketamine while acknowledging the setbacks that still currently exist, and advocates for the use of Ketamine as a treatment for depression.
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Cosmetics Use and Self-Image Among Contemporary American Women
Alexis A. George
People have been using cosmetics for thousands of years. In fact, certain forms of makeup such as kohl eyeliner which can still be found and used today, were even once used by the ancient Egyptians. Even today, cosmetics use is extremely widespread, perhaps even more so now than before. After conducting extensive research, I decided to argue that the use of cosmetics has negatively influenced the self-image of modern American women in a research project. I chose to argue this because doing makeup has been an interesting hobby to me for about 4 years now and I thought that arguing against the positive effects of the use of makeup would be more of a challenge for me and something I was interested in learning more about. This research project required me to write a 1,250-1,750 word researched essay in which I had to make an ethical argument about this topic. I also learned various new concepts and ideas which I employed in my writing and other relevant assignments, such as addressing and refuting counter arguments, making a video to visually illustrate my points, and intertwining my personal experiences with makeup with other research.
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Exploring the Relationships Between Mindfulness and Biobehavioral Factors Associated with CVD in Women
Susan Ghodrat and Jo Lynne W. Robins
Purpose: This study examined the relationship between mindfulness and specific biobehavioral factors associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk in women. Design: A secondary data analysis was conducted on baseline data collected in a larger study examining the effects of tai chi on cardiovascular disease risk in women. Subjects: 96 women aged 35-50 years with increased waist circumference and a family history of cardiovascular disease. Measures: Biological measures included: fasting glucose, insulin and lipids, as well as C-reactive protein and cytokines. Behavioral measures included: mindfulness, fatigue, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, social support, self-compassion and spiritual thoughts and behaviors. Results: Mindfulness was significantly correlated with perceived stress and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Though mindfulness was not significantly correlated with the biological factors measured, it was significantly associated with several behavioral factors and may therefore provide opportunities for clinical practice and future research examining the role of mindfulness practice to decrease perceived stress and depressive symptoms and ultimately decrease cardiovascular disease risk in women.
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Addressing the challenges of computer literacy among young Haitian adults
Siobhan A. Gray
The objective of the research study was to identify and address challenges of capacity building required to facilitate technological competency among school students, young adults and teachers in Haiti through, a two-phase research plan. The first phase utilizes a citizen centric framework for Information and Communication Technologies for Education (ICTE) capacity development that integrates stakeholder needs, prototype development, capacity building, training, and evaluation. They include a sustainable computing platform, Computer on a Stick (COS), and teacher workstation with Internet in a Box (IIAB). The ICTE solutions are installed at six different sites in the impoverished Central Hinche province. The citizen-centric approach presented in this paper may be utilized to develop ICT solution in other countries that face similar barriers of infrastructure and financial resources. The study is planned in two phases. The research outline framework provides a systematic approach to identify immediate and obvious needs of the users, gather feedback for improvement, and incorporate incremental improvements for the engineering of artifacts. In phase 1 of the study, we adapt the citizen-centric approach for developing locally relevant ICTE capacity. The ICTE artifacts developed in this phase leverages low-cost open source solutions to facilitate the acquisition of basic technology skills and computer literary.
There were three different computer solutions that we created for the Haitian community based on their needs. They are described individually as follows:
- Internet in a Box (IIAB): is an open source project that consolidates approximately a terabyte of world’s free information in an inexpensive device that can be connected to workstations using local area network (LAN) or using wireless. IIAB provides access to essential internet based free information and operates without any internet connection, domain name services, or internet server configurations. The IIAB content includes more than five hundreds hours of instructional videos on topics such as science, math, art, history, and literature from the Khan academy, Wikipedia in 37 languages include Creole, MIT-Haiti STEM classroom initiative content, a library of 40,000 e- books from the Project Gutenberg archives (Gutenberg, 2014), detailed world map down to street level, and a repository of open source educational software.
- Dafturn Ofris: Due to the shortage of readily available qualified technology support professionals, the computers have to be configured to prevent intentional or unintentional damage to the operating system and software environment. To ensure the stability of the operating system and file system, the laptops are configured with Dafturn Ofris open source software prior to their deployment in the computer labs. This configuration allows student to log on and use the laptop without impacting the computer configuration and application settings. Restarting the computer simply returns the system to its original state.
- Computer on Stick (COS): COS is a complete computer system that boots from the USB port on a computer. The Edubuntu operating system with persistent storage capability is implemented on the COS. It is a mature computing environment that will also enable the users to store their personal files, applications, books, music and movies on the lightweight low profile USB thumb drive-based computer operating system.
- Internet in a Box (IIAB): is an open source project that consolidates approximately a terabyte of world’s free information in an inexpensive device that can be connected to workstations using local area network (LAN) or using wireless. IIAB provides access to essential internet based free information and operates without any internet connection, domain name services, or internet server configurations. The IIAB content includes more than five hundreds hours of instructional videos on topics such as science, math, art, history, and literature from the Khan academy, Wikipedia in 37 languages include Creole, MIT-Haiti STEM classroom initiative content, a library of 40,000 e- books from the Project Gutenberg archives (Gutenberg, 2014), detailed world map down to street level, and a repository of open source educational software.
The target audience for this research is the students, teachers, young adults, and school administrators. Laptops and COS’s were built for the target children and set up in six sites in Central Hinche. Students will learn basic computer skills from the teachers after proper training. Once in Haiti, we saw that access to technology and digital information content remains a desire for a vast majority of the Haitian youth. Although ICT may serve as an enhancer of capabilities, and producer of opportunities, the country will remain stagnant unless the doors are opened for the Haitian youth to access technology and information. What we have given the children in these sites is temporary, until better training solutions and access to technology can be provided to Haitian youth.
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Narco Trafficking, Corruption, and Perpetuated Violence in Guatemala
Ima T. Haque
ABSTRACT: Narco-trafficking and Perpetuated Violence in Guatemala
Over the years drug cartels have made their way into Guatemala through their borders. Drug trafficking is the main reason why the border between Guatemala and Honduras is one of the most violent locations in Central America. Due to lawlessness and corruption, wealthy drug traffickers assume an authoritative role in the region (Crisis Group, 2014). A 2010 report done by U.S. International Narcotics Control Strategy says that “Guatamala is the epicenter of the drug threat.” (Brice, CNN, 2011). However, the increase in drug related violence is due to Zetas, a Mexican drug cartel. The criminal gangs from Zetas have so much power that their permission is required to enter and leave certain neighborhoods and streets in Guatemala. Narco-trafficking related crimes also includes kidnapping. The amount of missing persons has increased to 207 percent from 2009 to 2013 (OASC, 2014). Kidnapping occurs so that drug traffickers can demand ransom and they have a reputation of killing the victim even after a ransom has been paid.
A recommendation to solve the drug trafficking problem in Guatemala would be to fix the corruption which permeates throughout the Guatemalan government, including the police forces. After dealing with governmental and political corruption, there will be a better chance to properly train and equip the police forces in order to prevent gangsters and traffickers from having power in the streets. Drug trafficking is the gateway to many other crimes in Guatemala and is the core reason why there is so much violence and unease in the State. Fixing up the government is necessary for the livelihood of the Guatemalan people.
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Creation of an Annotated Library on FDA Approved Nanomedicines
Marley R. Hodson, Tanin Izadi, Nastassja Lewinski Ph.D, and Bridget T. McInnes Ph.D
Nanomedicine is a type of nanotechnology used in the medical field to limit the dosage amount and target drug delivery to specific cells. Nanomedicines that are approved and used tend to be extremely successful; however despite over a decade of research, only a limited number of nanomedicines have advanced for clinical use. A possible reason for the numerous nanomedicine failures is lack of easily accessible information and research on previous nanomedicines. In this project, we have compiled nanomedicine labeling information from the Drugs@FDA website. We have extracted phrases/sentences from labels relating to keywords on nanomaterial properties and drug profile characteristics. In the future, we plan to incorporate discontinued nanomedicines, nanomedicines on the market, and nanomedicines in different clinical trial phases. By compiling the descriptions and contents of a set of specific nanomedicines, a machine learning program could be developed to comb through literature and automatically identify similar nanomedicine related entities. Our research works to provide an easier and quicker method to obtain specific information on approved nanomedicines.
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Don't Walk Alone
Sarah Hughes
Dont walk alone: The effect of the widely accepted behavior of street harassment on women’s mobility
Sarah Hughes, School of Humanities and Life Sciences. Mentor: Bonnie Boaz
ABSTRACT
Women are continuously exposed to street harassment in their daily lives, however this issue lacks the recognition that it deserves as a societal problem. This paper explores to what extent men control public space and the effect that street harassment has on women both psychologically and physically. Data has been collected from scholarly articles as well as published studies. Unfortunately the research finds that society accepts the mistreatment of women through street harassment as a social norm due to the presence of male dominated institutions. Consequently women are forced to alter their behavior in order to accommodate the ideal of a male dominated public space. Women also face a diminished sense of self worth when exposed to continual harassment in public. In order to address the issue of street harassment society needs to develop a vocabulary to describe instances of street harassment in order to shed light on an issue that lacks recognition.
Poster presentations from the annual Undergraduate Poster Symposium, organized by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and part of VCU Research Week.
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