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2006

Theses and Dissertations

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Adaptive Re-Use Of Abandoned Structure - A Holistic Urban Experiment, Dongjoo Kang Jan 2006

Adaptive Re-Use Of Abandoned Structure - A Holistic Urban Experiment, Dongjoo Kang

Theses and Dissertations

Availability of good housing may no longer be an important issue for most U.S. citizens. Nowadays most are well housed and the problems confronting those who are not- except in the case of the homeless- are not highly visible. During the last decade, old warehouses in downtown Richmond, Virginia have been converted to new uses as restaurants, apartments, and offices. This reuse of old buildings has brought more people to the downtown area, making streets safer for pedestrians and residents than when the areas were abandoned. However, these well-designed and newly renovated apartments are not for everyone, especially low and …

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Emotional Labor And Nursing Students: An Investigation Of Nursing Students' Emotion Work, Ann Caldwell Smolen-Hetzel Jan 2006

Emotional Labor And Nursing Students: An Investigation Of Nursing Students' Emotion Work, Ann Caldwell Smolen-Hetzel

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined emotional labor as a potential source of stress for nursing students, as nursing students' performance of emotional labor may impact their working lives in important ways. Participants were 107 undergraduate and graduate nursing students enrolled in a large southeastern university who completed the Discrete EmotionsEmotional Labor Scale (DEELS; Glomb & Tews, 20041, the Student Nurse Stress Index (SNSI; Jones & Johnston, 1999), the Job Descriptive Index (JDI; Balzer et al., 20001, and the Job in General (JIG; Balzer et al., 2000) scales. Two sub-samples of nursing students were identified, one of which held a registered nurse license …

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Physical Activity In Elementary School Girls: Implementation And Theory-Based Evaluation Of Girls On The Run, Melanie Kerr Van Ogtrop Bean Jan 2006

Physical Activity In Elementary School Girls: Implementation And Theory-Based Evaluation Of Girls On The Run, Melanie Kerr Van Ogtrop Bean

Theses and Dissertations

Rates of obesity in children are rising at an alarming rate, particularly among girls and ethnic minorities. Engaging in regular physical activity can help reduce this risk. Little is known about factors associated with physical activity (PA) in preadolescent populations, an age when intervention is ideal. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory, this study used a repeated-measures design to examine PA and its correlates, including PA self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and social influences (from parents and peers). Among participants (N = 57) in Girls on the Run, an innovative PA intervention for elementary school girls. Participants (M age = 9.4) predominately include …

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Trees, Kara M. Drinkwater Jan 2006

Trees, Kara M. Drinkwater

Theses and Dissertations

The intention behind my work is to draw the viewer's attention to the intimate, beautiful details found in nature. For example, I am awed and inspired by the unique qualities found in every tree whose varieties are seemingly infinite. The basic concept of my work is to portray the images of trees close to the viewer's eye to instill a sense of nature's grandness.

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Immunological And Molecular Analyses Of The Borrelia Burgdorferi Ospf Protein Family F, Emily Tran Jan 2006

Immunological And Molecular Analyses Of The Borrelia Burgdorferi Ospf Protein Family F, Emily Tran

Theses and Dissertations

In North America, Borrelia burgdorferi is the primary causative agent of Lymedisease which is a growing health concern. The ability of B. burgdorferi to maintain chronic infection indicates that they are capable of immune evasion. A distinguishing characteristic of B. burgdorferi is the large number of sequences encoding predicted or known lipoproteins, including outer surface protein F (OspF). This study analyzes the specificity of the humoral immune response to B. burgdorferi B3 IMI OspF proteins during murine and human infection. Immunoblot analyses revealed a temporal expression of OspF proteins during infection and mapped the immunodominant epitopes which lie within the …

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Association Between Smoking, Chemical Exposure And Hearing Loss In An Occupational Setting, Darlene W. Olive Jan 2006

Association Between Smoking, Chemical Exposure And Hearing Loss In An Occupational Setting, Darlene W. Olive

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Twenty-two million Americans or roughly 8% of the population are hearing impaired. This affects more than just the ability for one to hear. In the last three decades, younger Americans have shown a sharp increase in hearing impairment. Hearing loss affects social and emotional well being and thus has the ability to decrease one's quality of life. This study was designed to examine the association between smoking, workplace chemical exposure, and hearing loss.Methods: This cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in an occupational health clinic setting in Virginia. The study population consisted of employees from local businesses who visited the …

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Factors Associated With High Sexual Risk Behavior In Single Women, Thomas B. M. Leecost Jan 2006

Factors Associated With High Sexual Risk Behavior In Single Women, Thomas B. M. Leecost

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: This study was to identify factors associated with High Sexual Risk Behavior (HSRB) in single Afro American women seen in an Epidemiology/Sexual transmitted disease (EPID/STD) Clinic in Richmond, Virginia from January 2006 through April 2006.Method: Participants were 154 single women (no history of marriage) between the ages of 18-30 visiting the EPID/STD clinic for the first time.Demographic information was obtained from their records. A volunteer interview was given that contained 101 variables to evaluate for High Sexual Risk Behavior (HSRB). HSRB was defined to response 'yes' to the question, "During the past 3 months did you have sex with …

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Through My Eyes, Candace B. Conklin Jan 2006

Through My Eyes, Candace B. Conklin

Theses and Dissertations

I am the one my friends call the creepy one. My art is not pretty or happy. It is an expression of my inner feelings and thoughts. I don't make pretty pictures because I find them void of true emotional substance. I developed my point of view when I photographed my eyes, which have become a consistent theme in my work. Eyes are the window to the soul and the key to my inner emotions. I have since expanded my work to include other images. I continue to seek ways to help my viewers experience my work both emotionally and …

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Journeys, Diane Rohman Jan 2006

Journeys, Diane Rohman

Theses and Dissertations

My art is about journeys, mapping, and layering. Two archetypal images in my work are the camel and the desert. Much of this imagery was inspired by my personal journey over the Sahara and into Western Africa. On another level, this journey connects to my metaphorical journey through life. As a printmaker, my art is very process oriented. Printmaking itself can be thought of as a kind of journey. My trip or the process is more important than the destination or the final result. Like the desert, my images are constantly shifting and transforming through the process of working. Printmaking …

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A Needs Assessment For Annual Physical Examination For Selected Richmond Public School Children, Aimee Gibbs Jan 2006

A Needs Assessment For Annual Physical Examination For Selected Richmond Public School Children, Aimee Gibbs

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The following risk factors have found to be associated with inadequate health care and have been found to affect the well-being of children: racial or ethnic minority, poverty status, median family income, family structure of household, maternal education level, and parental employment status. Also, there has found to be health indicators including, teen pregnancy, asthma hospitalization, and lead poisoning cases that affect the well-being of a child and are associated with the presence of these risk factors in a population. Objectives: The objectives of this study is to (1) compare the presence of risk factors and health indicators in …

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Functional Redistribution Of Hippocampal Cannabinoid Cb1 Receptors In The Rat Pilocarpine Model Of Acquired Epilepsy, Katherine Winslow Falenski Jan 2006

Functional Redistribution Of Hippocampal Cannabinoid Cb1 Receptors In The Rat Pilocarpine Model Of Acquired Epilepsy, Katherine Winslow Falenski

Theses and Dissertations

Cannabinoids, such as the marijuana derivative Δ9-THC, are known to have CBl receptor-mediated anticonvulsant effects in several animal models of seizures and epilepsy, including the rat pilocarpine model of acquired epilepsy. However, the distribution of CBl receptor expression and function in brains of epileptic rats has not been characterized. Therefore, this dissertation was initiated to evaluate the effect of epileptogenesis on the distribution and function of the endogenous CBI receptor system in the rat pilocarpine model, a well-established model of acquired temporal lobe epilepsy. Using immunohistochemistry, we demonstrated that chronically epileptic rats exhibit a unique, long-term, and specific redistribution of …

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Moritz Oppenheim, The Rothschilds, And The Construction Of Jewish Identity, Everett Eugene Dodd Iii Jan 2006

Moritz Oppenheim, The Rothschilds, And The Construction Of Jewish Identity, Everett Eugene Dodd Iii

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides an overview of Moritz Daniel Oppenheim's portraits of the Rothschild family with attention paid to the artist's training and personal artistic pursuits, as well as participation in Gentile and Jewish discourses. Oppenheim's knowledge of art history and use of style in creating the identities of his Rothschild subjects are the focus of this study. Oppenheim's methods and use of art historical styles are discussed with deference to the public or private nature of the portraits, and the resulting works' engagement of both German and Jewish issues. Methodologies used include the history of style and identity theory.

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Light And Life, Christine Elizabeth Bishop Jan 2006

Light And Life, Christine Elizabeth Bishop

Theses and Dissertations

Faith and family are the aspects of my life that bring me joy and inspiration. This joy is represented as light and is present both literally and symbolically in all my work. I use light or a flame in my ceramic pieces to represent warmth, love, and spirituality. Images of nature are employed to suggest life. My most recent ceramic work embodies aspects of family and the joy of motherhood. My paintings focus on my family and are centered on the moments or memories that are significant to them. I try to paint the light of their lives.

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Natural Selection, Jeffrey A. Vick Jan 2006

Natural Selection, Jeffrey A. Vick

Theses and Dissertations

My thesis work is about imagination. I use the collaborative efforts of the viewer's mind and my sculptures, or specimens, to make associations of real life animals. I feel this engages the viewer and in turn invites them to inspect the work on closer level. This is my ultimate goal in the work, to take hold of the viewer's curiosity and have them examine the work on a closer level.

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Scaffold Permeability As A Means To Determine Fiber Diameter And Pore Size Of Electrospun Fibrinogen, Scott Allen Sell Jan 2006

Scaffold Permeability As A Means To Determine Fiber Diameter And Pore Size Of Electrospun Fibrinogen, Scott Allen Sell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to construct a flowmeter that could accurately measure the hydraulic permeability of electrospun fibrinogen scaffolds, providing insight into the transport properties of electrospun scaffolds while making the measurement of their topographical features (fiber and pore size) more accurate. Three different concentrations of fibrinogen were used (100, 120, and 150mg/ml) to create scaffolds with three different fiber diameters and pore sizes. The fiber diameters and pore sizes of the electrospun scaffolds were analyzed through scanning electron microscopy and image analysis software. The permeability of each scaffold was measured and used to calculate permeability-based fiber diameters …

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Acquisition And Retention Of Bacterial Spores (Bacillus Atrophaeus) By Eight Insect Species, Kieron Marie Torres Jan 2006

Acquisition And Retention Of Bacterial Spores (Bacillus Atrophaeus) By Eight Insect Species, Kieron Marie Torres

Theses and Dissertations

Acquisition and retention of spores of an anthrax surrogate, Bacillus atrophaeus Nakamura ("BG") were evaluated in eight insect species. Species included: house cricket (Acheta domesticus L.), German cockroach (Blatella germanica L.), common house fly (Musca domestics L.), blue bottle fly (Calliphora vomitoria L.), hairy rove beetle Creophilus maxillosus L.), yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.), common paper wasps (Polistes exclamans exclamans Viereck), red paper wasps (Polistes Carolina L.), red harvester ant (Pogonymyrmex barbatus Smith). Individual insects were offered BG-treated food and sacrificed at specified time intervals following one, two or three meals. Resulting samples were surface-washed five consecutive times then homogenized …

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Influence Of Organizational, Operational, Financial Andenvironmental Factors On Hospitals' Adoption Of Computerized Physician Order Entry Systems For Improving Patient Safety: A Resource Dependence Approach, Imre Solti Jan 2006

Influence Of Organizational, Operational, Financial Andenvironmental Factors On Hospitals' Adoption Of Computerized Physician Order Entry Systems For Improving Patient Safety: A Resource Dependence Approach, Imre Solti

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines specific organizational, operational, financial and environmental characteristics to identify factors that are associated with increased likelihood of hospitals' CPOE adoption decision in six rollout regions of the Leapfrog initiatives.Resource dependence theory provides theoretical basis for the study. The study is retrospective observational in design. Individual hospitals are the unit of analysis. The Leapfrog Group's 2002-survey collection serves the primary data source. Univariate statistical methods along with bivariate and ordinal logistic regression models are used to analyze the data. The models provided support for multiple hypotheses for both the adoption and early adoption decisions of study hospitals. The …

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Ancient West Mexican Sculpture: A Formal And Stylistic Analysis Of Eleven Figures In The Virginia Museum Of Fine Arts, Crista Anne Pack Jan 2006

Ancient West Mexican Sculpture: A Formal And Stylistic Analysis Of Eleven Figures In The Virginia Museum Of Fine Arts, Crista Anne Pack

Theses and Dissertations

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) has in its collection eleven ancient West Mexican ceramic sculptures. Given that the VMFA's West Mexican Ceramic figure collection has not been included in any extensive study, this thesis serves to provide a critical analysis of these figures through a formal and stylistic approach. These analyses are preceded by a brief history of the West Mexican cultures and highlight the artistic similarities and differences between each region. The primary regions under discussion are Colima, Nayarit, and Jalisco which correspond to modern geopolitical boundaries. Primary sources for these discussions are the figures themselves, while …

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Synthesis Of Novel Antimycobacterials And A Fluorescent Sensor For Simple Carbohydrates, Brian Thomas Walker Jan 2006

Synthesis Of Novel Antimycobacterials And A Fluorescent Sensor For Simple Carbohydrates, Brian Thomas Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Cell surface carbohydrates play an important role in a wide variety of biological processes such as inflammation, tumor metastasis, and viral and bacterial infection. The goal of our research has been two-fold. The first objective was the synthesis of antimycobacterial compounds. A mannose containing tetrasaccharide from the mannan core of lipoarabinomannan (LAM) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been synthesized using α-D-methylmannopyranoside as starting material and Koeings-Knorr reactions to couple saccharides. The synthesis was completed in nine steps and in 14% total yield. This compound should be useful in competitive inhibition studies with macrophages or as an immunological marker. We have successfully …

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Journaling For Critical Thinking, Paul E. Terrell Jr. Jan 2006

Journaling For Critical Thinking, Paul E. Terrell Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes a pretest - posttest study to increase the effectiveness of art journals at the high school level. The targeted population consisted of students in the ninth through twelfth grades in a middle class community, located in central Virginia. The visual art students were involved in the journaling (art workbook, sketchbook) process as a part of their curriculum. Following a pretest students were surveyed and adjustments were made from their input to make the art journals more effective. Often students were not picking up instructional cues introduced through demonstrations and art history integrated into the class structure. The …

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The Anti-Plaque Efficacy Of Listerine® Used In Combination With Toothbrushing In Orthodontic Patients, Zachary A. Casagrande Jan 2006

The Anti-Plaque Efficacy Of Listerine® Used In Combination With Toothbrushing In Orthodontic Patients, Zachary A. Casagrande

Theses and Dissertations

The bactericidal efficacy of Listerine®, the essential oil-containing mouthrinse, has long been recognized. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Listerine® mouthrinse, when added to the standard oral hygiene regimen, had an added benefit in reducing plaque and gingivitis development in orthodontic patients over a six-month period. 50 orthodontic patients from the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Orthodontics were assigned either to the brushing + flossing (N= 25) or brushing + flossing + Listerine® (N = 25) group. At baseline (TI), measurements for the Ramfjord teeth were recorded for the gingival index, plaque index and bleeding index. Subsequent …

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From Below Table Mesa, Cynthia Grier Lotze Jan 2006

From Below Table Mesa, Cynthia Grier Lotze

Theses and Dissertations

I lived in Boulder, Colorado longenough, and I dreamed low-resolutiondreams, sharp only at eyes and slow movinghands.Kate's hair was a cloud of insurrectionon the tarmac, then I would watch the hoursmelt off the wings of her plane as eachstate became not-Tennessee, not-Kansas.I wanted to meet her in the air; Icould will this without a plane, with sadness,with need, I would enter the plane in flightand I would say, "Kate, take me home," and shewould turn the plane around. Everythingwould become not-Colorado, not thisstaticky dream, hard breath miles up from the sea.

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Genetic Assessment Of Rare Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneacanthus Chaetodon) Populations In Virginia, Diana Marie Kercher Jan 2006

Genetic Assessment Of Rare Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneacanthus Chaetodon) Populations In Virginia, Diana Marie Kercher

Theses and Dissertations

Enneacanthus chaetodon, the blackbanded sunfish, has become increasingly rare throughout its distribution in the Eastern United States. In Virginia, E. chaetodon maintains an endangered status and individuals persist in six populations. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite data were assessed to determine the genetic characters and gene diversity of the Virginia populations. The results of these analyses were then compared to five additional populations; four from New Jersey and one from North Carolina that were known to have relatively good fitness and were not impacted severely by habitat alteration. The results of this study are relevant to selection of proper management …

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The Predictive Relationship Of Inhibitory Control, Emotion Regulation, Moral Emotions, And Life Stressors On Behavior Problems In School-Aged Children Of Incarcerated Mothers, Geraldine M. Lotze Jan 2006

The Predictive Relationship Of Inhibitory Control, Emotion Regulation, Moral Emotions, And Life Stressors On Behavior Problems In School-Aged Children Of Incarcerated Mothers, Geraldine M. Lotze

Theses and Dissertations

Children whose mothers go to prison are at high risk for poor outcomes of many kinds,including externalizing behaviors, internalizing disorders, school dropout, and eventual criminal activity. Inhibitory control, moral emotions, emotion regulation, and stressful life events were examined as predictors of externalizing and internalizing behaviors in children of incarcerated mothers. Participants were 50 children age 6 to 12 years (M = 9.77 y, SD = 1.54) with mothers currently in prison who attended a faith-based recreational summer camp. Inhibitory control was not impaired in these children, showing that their brains were functioning appropriately in this area of executive functioning. Inhibitory …

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Identification Of Novel Allosteric Regulators Of Human Erythrocyte Pyruvate Kinase, Shilpa S. Kharalkar Jan 2006

Identification Of Novel Allosteric Regulators Of Human Erythrocyte Pyruvate Kinase, Shilpa S. Kharalkar

Theses and Dissertations

Erythrocyte pyruvate kinase (R-PK) is a key glycolytic enzyme catalyzing the transphosphorylation of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and ADP to pyruvate and ATP respectively3,4. The substrate PEP and product pyruvate of this reaction are involved in a number of energetic and biosynthetic pathways; hence a tight regulation of R-PK activity is crucial not only for glycolysis, but also for the entire cellular metabolism. Deficiency of R-PK is one of the most common enzymatic defects of RBC, and may be caused by mutations of the PK-LR (pyruvate kinase liver red blood cell) gene31, 32. Clinically, R-PK deficiency manifests itself as a chronic life-long …

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Computational Modeling To Predict Mechanical Function Of Joints: Validations And Applications Of Lower Leg Simulations, Peter C. Liacouras Jan 2006

Computational Modeling To Predict Mechanical Function Of Joints: Validations And Applications Of Lower Leg Simulations, Peter C. Liacouras

Theses and Dissertations

Computational models of musculoskeletal joints and limbs can provide useful information about joint mechanics. Validated models can be used as a predictive device for understanding joint function and serve as a clinical tool for predicting the outcome of surgical procedures. A new computational modeling approach was developed for simulating joint kinematics that are dictated by bone/joint anatomy, ligamentous constraints, and applied loading.Three-dimensional computational models of the lower leg were created. Model development involved generating three-dimensional surfaces from CT images, followed by importing these surfaces into SolidWorks and COSMOSMotion. ThroughSolidWorks and COSMOSMotion, each bone surface was created into a solid object …

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Characterization Of The Rank Ligand Positive Giant Cell Found In The Interfacial Membrane, Patrick Emerson Jones Jan 2006

Characterization Of The Rank Ligand Positive Giant Cell Found In The Interfacial Membrane, Patrick Emerson Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Aseptic osteolysis is a major complication to total joint arthroplasty requiring several thousand people a year to have to undergo revisions of their joint prosthesis. The formation of the interfacial membrane has been associated with aseptic osteolysis leading to the failure of all types of total joints. Recent evidence suggests that RANKL, a potent activator of bone reabsorption, is present in the interfacial membrane. Prior research in this laboratory to determine the source of RANKL in the interfacial membrane has revealed the presence of intense areas of RANKL concentration in the membrane. These areas of RANKL concentration correspond to multiple …

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A Critical Review Of Telomerase Biology And Model Systems For The Study Of Telomerase, Jeremy Charles Aisenberg Jan 2006

A Critical Review Of Telomerase Biology And Model Systems For The Study Of Telomerase, Jeremy Charles Aisenberg

Theses and Dissertations

The study of telomere and telomerase biology holds substantial promise in uncovering the molecular process of aging and the treatment of cancers. Studies have shown that telomere shortening is directly linked to cellular aging and that telomerase expression is found in over 85% of human cancers, including 95% of all advanced malignancies. Development of effective model systems to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of telomeres and telomerase in the processes aging and cancer is of particular importance. While inbred strains of mice have provided a wealth of information for a variety of pathways and diseases, the mouse model …

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Mechanisms Of Iron Acquisition Employed By Neisseria Gonorrhoeae For Survival Within Cervical Epithelial Cells, Tracey Ann Hagen Jan 2006

Mechanisms Of Iron Acquisition Employed By Neisseria Gonorrhoeae For Survival Within Cervical Epithelial Cells, Tracey Ann Hagen

Theses and Dissertations

Neisseria gonowhoeae has evolved a repertoire of high-affinity iron acquisition systems to facilitate essential iron uptake in the human host. Acquisition of iron requires both the energy-harnessing cytoplasmic membrane protein, TonB, as well as specific outer membrane TonB-dependent transporters (TdTs). The overall goal of this study was to investigate the extra- and intracellular iron acquisition mechanisms of N. gonorrhoeae and determine the role of the TonB and TdTs in this process.The ability of gonococci to acquire potential exogenous iron sources was determined by plate bioassay. Gonococcal growth was promoted by various catecholate and hydromate siderophores; however, growth was not dependent …

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The Influence Of Sustained Cb1 Blockade During Adolescence On Breakpoints In A Progressive-Ratio Paradigm, Mayo Jerry Wright Jr. Jan 2006

The Influence Of Sustained Cb1 Blockade During Adolescence On Breakpoints In A Progressive-Ratio Paradigm, Mayo Jerry Wright Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The developmental psychopharmacology of cannabinoids is poorly understood and little is known about the developmental consequences of repeated exposure to cannabinoid antagonists. In these experiments, male Long-Evans rats were treated with SR141716A, a cannabinoid antagonist, throughout adolescence and allowed unrestricted access to food. Control groups were treated with vehicle during the same developmental period and allowed either unrestricted access to food or were pair-fed with a member of the SR-treated group. Motivation to work for food was measured in progressive-ratio sessions at varying levels of food deprivation. For rats that consumed fewer calories throughout adolescence, whether because of pharmacological intervention …

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