Life Sciences Commons^™

Ecology Of Tenodera Sinensis And Tenodera Angustipennis (Mantodea: Mantidae) In Eastern Virginia, Cory A. Gall

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

My study, conducted on the Wildlife Refuge located on Virginia's Eastern Shore, focused on the life history, ecology, and intra- and interspecies interaction of Tenodera sinensis and T. angustipennis. Field methods included capture-mark-recapture, species, sex, and developmental life stage identification, and recorded key developmental milestones. Also, to analyze food-limiting growth, a laboratory cohort was fed ad lib, with lab and field cohorts measured bi-weekly and their mean weekly growth was compared.

When compared to a lab cohort, Tsinensis field mantises were shown not to be growth limited by the abundance of prey. In 2011, the dates of several developmental stages …

The Dietary Isoprenoid Perillyl Alcohol Inhibits Telomerase Activity In Prostate Cancer Cells, Tabetha Sundin

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

This is the first evidence that a plant-derived compound–perillyl alcohol regulates telomerase activity via the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in prostate cancer cells. Telomerase–the enzyme responsible for immortalizing cells through telomeric repeats addition–is de-repressed early in an aspiring cancer cell. We hypothesized that perillyl alcohol regulates hTERT (human telomerase reverse transcriptase) at the translational and post-translational levels via its effects on the mTOR pathway. A rapid suppression of telomerase activity was detected in prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 and DU145) in response to biologically-relevant concentrations and short incubations of perillyl alcohol or the mTOR inhibitor—rapamycin.

Western blot analysis …

The Influence Of Interlimb Differences On Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk Factors In Female Collegiate Soccer Athletes, Eric Kevin Greska

Human Movement Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Female collegiate soccer athletes suffer anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries at a rate of 0.31 per 1000 athlete-exposures, with 67% of injuries expected to be from a non-contact mechanism. As well, previous studies have demonstrated dissimilarity in non-contact ACL injuries relative to dominant and non-dominant legs; with the non-dominant leg being the involved side in 48-67% of reported incidents. The aim of this study was to examine lower extremity neuromechanics relative to leg dominance during an unanticipated sidestep cutting task, with differing states of fatigue and training.

Twenty female collegiate soccer players performed three valid trials for both the dominant …

Design Of In Vivo Assays For Study Of Transport, Biocompatibility And Toxicity Of Nanoparticles, Kerry Jean Lee

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

This dissertation focuses on the design of new in vivo assays for study of transport, biocompatibility and toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) in zebrafish embryos. We synthesized and purified spherical silver (Ag) NPs with diameters, ranging from 12 to 95 nm, that are stable (non-aggregated) in egg-water media. We developed new imaging approaches to characterize the sizes of single Ag NPs in zebrafish embryos at nanometer resolution by measuring their size-dependent plasmonic spectra and scattering intensity using dark-field optical microscopy and spectroscopy (DFOMS). We used single Ag NPs because they exhibit the high quantum yield (QY) of Rayleigh scattering and resist …

Effects Of The Parasitic Dinoflagellate Hematodinium Sp. On Blue Crab (Callinectes Sapidus) Activity Predation And Habitat Selection, John M. Tiggelaar Ii

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The blue crab Callinectes sapidus occurs along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, and in high salinity regions, they are subject to lethal infection by the parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium. In Virginia's seaside estuaries, the prevalence of Hematodinium infection of C. sapidus can sometimes exceed 50%, threatening the commercial fishery for this species. Indeed, other commercially important crustacean fisheries have approached collapse due to Hematodinium infections. Most studies of this host-parasite interaction have focused on epidemiology, host-pathogen dynamics, and pathogen transmission, and little is known about the impact of the parasite on host behavior and population dynamics. …

Alternative Therapy And Treatment Of Type 2 Diabetes, Carmine R. Grieco

Human Movement Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The rise in prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in the developing world continues unabated. Current treatment strategies, however, fall short of achieving optimal glycemic control. The aim of project I was to investigate the effect of an acute bout of a yogic breathing exercise on heart rate variability (HRV) in individuals with T2D. Project II was designed to assess the effectiveness of the neurohormone melatonin in lowering short- and long-term glucose levels, lipids and oxidative stress in T2D. Project III investigated the differential effects of two different styles of aerobic exercise on postprandial glycemia, mood and …

Evidence-Based Practice For The Athletic Training Profession, Cailee Elizabeth Welch

Human Movement Sciences Theses & Dissertations

As evidence-based practice (EBP) becomes a necessity in athletic training, it is essential to recognize current barriers and modes of accessibility to information for enhancement of clinical decision-making. Furthermore, the effectiveness of educational interventions (EI) to enhance knowledge of EBP concepts must be investigated. The aim of Project I was to assess attitudes and beliefs, perceived barriers, and accessibility to resources of EBP among athletic trainers (AT). Project II was designed to investigate the effect of an EI on enhancing AT's knowledge of EBP concepts. Project III explored ATs' experiences of the EI and whether it elicited changes within their …

Nonosecond Pulsed Electric Field Induced Changes In Dielectric Properties Of Biological Cells, Jie Zhuang

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Nanosecond pulsed electric field induced biological effects have been a focus of research interests since the new millennium. Promising biomedical applications, e.g. tumor treatment and wound healing, are emerging based on this principle. Although the exact mechanisms behind the nanosecond pulse-cell interactions are not completely understood yet, it is generally believed that charging along the cell membranes (including intracellular membranes) and formation of membrane pores trigger subsequent biological responses, and the number and quality of pores are responsible for the cell fate. The immediate charging response of a biological cell to a nanosecond pulsed electric field exposure relies on the …

Modeling The Dispersion Of Eastern Oyster Larvae (Crassostrea Virginica) And Its Effects On The Movement Of Disease Resistant Genes In The Delaware Bay Estuary, Diego A. Narvaez

OES Theses and Dissertations

This study combines several models to address two primary research questions. How does the interaction of larval biology and environmental variability determine the spatial distribution of oyster larvae in Delaware Bay? What is the role of larval dispersion in the transference of disease-resistant genes? The particle-tracking module in the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) was converted into an Individual-Based model representing Eastern oyster larvae that has growth and vertical migration. Exchange of larvae between natural oyster reefs was estimated and used in an Individual-Based genetic model that simulates the genetic structure of eastern oysters. Particles were released from a number …

Nano- And Micro-Second Electrical Pulsing Of B16-F10 Mouse Melanoma Cells: Plasma Membrane And Sub-Cellular Organelle Changes, Yiling Chen

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

High electric field-treated cells are permeable to molecular dye through either opening of pores in the plasma membrane or other unknown processes which can disturb the membrane in an organized way. However, direct morphological evidence is lacking and responses of intracellular organelles are not clear. We used traditional chemical fixatives and biochemical techniques to capture cell membrane and organelle changes immediately after pulsing with high voltage electric field application. Different pulse durations, nanosecond (ns) and microsecond (µs), and field magnitudes, 60 kV/cm and 1.2 kV/cm, were applied to mouse melanoma B16-F10 cells. Two different ns durations (60 and 300 ns) …

Treatment Of Aortic Heart Valve Conduit With Glutamine And Heat Shock As A Means To Deter The Constituent Cellular Population From Becoming Apoptotic, Alyce Marie Linthurst Jones

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Cryopreserved allograft heart valves represent the best solution for a patient with a failing heart valve. However, the constituent cells become apoptotic and within months of transplant the heart valve becomes acellular and the recipient's cells do not repopulate the allograft (3, 51). A strategy to prevent this situation would be to minimize or prevent apoptosis from occurring by strategically altering steps during heart valve processing. Recently it has been demonstrated that: 1) Heat shock protein 70 is a negative modulator of the apoptotic cascade; 2) Cells in culture exposed to hypothermic conditions produce heat shock protein 70 upon rewarming; …

A Retrospective Analysis Of Sustainable Oyster Harvest From The Louisiana State Primary Seed Grounds, 1999-2010: A Shell-Neutral Modeling Approach, Thomas M. Soniat, Mahdi Abdelguerfi, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Eileen E. Hofmann, Shengru Tu, Nathan Cooper, Janak Dahal, John Finigan, Benjamin S. Eberline, Jerome F. La Peyre, Megan K. La Peyre, Keith B. Ibos, Brian Lezina, Patrick Banks

CCPO Publications

No abstract provided.

Regulation Of The Vapbc-1 Toxin-Antitoxin Locus In Nontypeable Haemophilus Influenzae, Susan D. Cline, Sehresh Saleem, Dayle A. Daines

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) are human-adapted commensal bacteria that can cause a number of chronic mucosal infections, including otitis media and bronchitis. One way for these organisms to survive antibiotic therapy and cause recurrent disease is to stop replicating, as most antimicrobials target essential biosynthetic pathways. Toxin-antitoxin (TA) gene pairs have been shown to facilitate entry into a reversible bacteriostatic state. Characteristically, these operons encode a protein toxin and an antitoxin that associate following translation to form a nontoxic complex, which then binds to and regulates the cognate TA promoter. Under stressful conditions, the labile antitoxin is degraded and the …

Anthropogenic Climate Change And Allergic Diseases, James Blando, Leonard Bielory, Viann Nguyen, Rafael Diaz, Hueiwang Anna Jeng

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Climate change is expected to have an impact on various aspects of health, including mucosal areas involved in allergic inflammatory disorders that include asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis and anaphylaxis. The evidence that links climate change to the exacerbation and the development of allergic disease is increasing and appears to be linked to changes in pollen seasons (duration, onset and intensity) and changes in allergen content of plants and their pollen as it relates to increased sensitization, allergenicity and exacerbations of allergic airway disease. This has significant implications for air quality and for the global food supply.

Toxin-Antitoxic Loci Vapbc-1 And Vapxd Contribute To Survival And Virulence In Nontypeable Haemophilus Influenzae, Dabin Ren, Anna N. Walker, Dayle A. Daines

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a significant human pathogen responsible for respiratory tract infections and the most common cause of recurrent otitis media. Type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are genetic elements that code for a stable protein toxin and a labile antitoxin that are thought to be involved in metabolic regulation of bacteria by enabling a switch to a dormant state under stress conditions. The contribution to infection persistence of the NTHi TA loci vapBC-1 and vapXD was examined in this study.

Results: Deletions in vapBC-1, vapXD and vapBC-1 vapXD significantly decreased the survival of NTHi co-cultured with …

Can Oysters Crassostrea Virginica Develop Resistance To Dermo Disease In The Field: The Impediment Posed By Climate Cycles, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Ximing Guo, Eileen E. Hofmann, Susan E. Ford, David Bushek

CCPO Publications

Populations of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, are commonly limited by mortality from dermo disease. Little development of resistance to Perkinsus marinus, the dermo pathogen, has occurred, despite the high mortality rates and frequency of epizootics. Can the tendency of the parasite to exhibit cyclic epizootics limit the oyster's response to the disease despite the presence of alleles apparently conferring disease resistance? We utilize a gene-based population dynamics model to simulate the development of disease resistance in Crassostrea virginica populations exposed to cyclic mortality encompassing periodicities expected of dermo disease over the geographic range at which epizootics have been …

Modeling The Dispersal Of Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) Larvae In Delaware Bay, Diego A. Narvaez, John M. Klinck, Eric N. Powell, Eileen E. Hofmann, John Wilkin, Dale B. Haidvogel

CCPO Publications

The interactions of circulation and growth processes in determining the horizontal distribution of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) larvae in the Delaware Bay estuary were investigated with a coupled circulation-individual-based larvae model that used environmental conditions from the spawning seasons (mid-June to mid-September) of 1984, 1985, 1986, 2000, and 2001. Particles, representing oyster larvae, were released at five-day intervals from areas in Delaware Bay that correspond to natural oyster reefs. The simulated larval development time was used to estimate potential larval success, determined by the percent of larvae that successfully reached settlement size (330 µm) within the planktonic larval …

Circulation And Behavior Controls On Dispersal Of Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) Larvae In Delaware Bay, Diego A. Narvaez, John M. Klinck, Eric N. Powell, Eileen E. Hofmann, John Wilkin, Dale B. Haidvogel

CCPO Publications

The degree of genetic connectivity among populations in a metapopulation has direct consequences for species evolution, development of disease resistance, and capacity of a metapopulation to adapt to climate change. This study used a metapopulation model that integrates population dynamics, dispersal, and genetics within an individual-based model framework to examine the mechanisms and dynamics of genetic connectivity within a metapopulation. The model was parameterized to simulate four populations of oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from Delaware Bay on the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. Differences among the four populations include a strong spatial gradient in mortality, a spatial gradient …

Circulation And Water Properties And Their Relationship To The Oyster Disease Msx In Delaware Bay, Zhiren Wang, Dale B. Haidvogel, David Bushek, Susan E. Ford, Eileen E. Hofmann, Eric N. Powell, John Wilkin

CCPO Publications

We apply a high-resolution hydro-dynamical model to investigate the role of physical factors influencing infection prevalence of Haplosporidium nelsoni, causative agent of MSX disease in the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), in Delaware Bay, USA. Validation studies conducted for the years 2000 and 2010-2011 confirm that the model, based upon the Regional Ocean Modeling System, has significant skill in the recovery of observed water level, temperature, salinity, and velocity. Multi-year simulations are performed for periods representing temporal and spatial variations in H. nelsoni infection prevalence (1974-76, 1979-81, 1984-86, 1990-92, and 2006-09) to assess the degree to which the …

The Rise And Fall Of Crassostrea Virginica Oyster Reefs: The Role Of Disease And Fishing In Their Demise And A Vignette On Their Management, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Kathryn Ashton-Alcox, Eileen E. Hofmann, Jason Morson

CCPO Publications

We describe a model designed to simulate the shell carbonate budget of an oyster reef.We identify five parameters descriptive of basic characteristics of the shell carbonate budget of a reef that limit simulation accuracy. Two describe the TAZ (taphonomically-active zone) and the distribution of shell carbonate within it. One is the taphonomic rate in the TAZ. Two determine the volume contribution of shell carbonate and the taphonomic loss rate within the reef framework. For Mid-Atlantic estuaries, model simulations suggest that reef accretion only occurs if oyster abundance is near carrying capacity. Simulations further suggest that reef accretion is infeasible for …

Does Large-Scale Ocean Circulation Structure Life History Connectivity In Antarctic Toothfish (Dissostichus Mawsoni)?, Julian Ashford, Michael S. Dinniman, Cassandra Brooks, Allen H. Andrews, Eileen E. Hofmann, Gregor Cailliet, Christopher Jones, Nakul Ramanna

CCPO Publications

A multidisciplinary approach incorporating otolith chemistry, age data, and numerical Lagrangian particle simulations indicated a single, self-recruiting population of Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) in the Southeast Pacific Basin (SPB) and Ross Sea, with a life history structured by the large-scale circulation. Chemistry deposited prior to capture along otolith edges demonstrated strong environmental heterogeneity, yet the chemistry in otolith nuclei, deposited during early life, showed no differences. Age data showed only adult fish in catches on the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge in the SPB and structuring of life stages consistent with transport pathways from the northern Ross Sea. Lagrangian particle simulations …

Protandric Simultaneous Hermaphroditism In Parhippolyte Misticia (Clark, 1989) (Caridea: Hippolytidae): Implications For The Evolution Of Mixed Sexual Systems In Shrimp, Hitoshi Onaga, G. Curt Fiedler, J. Antonio Baeza

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The sexual system of the shrimp Parhippolyte misticia (Clark, 1989), inhabiting the rocky subtidal at Okinawa, Japan and Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, was examined. Dissections suggested that the population consisted of male phase (MP) and functional simultaneous euhermaphrodite (EH) individuals. MPs have cincinulli and appendices masculinae on the first and second pair of pleopods, respectively, gonopores located at the coxae of the third pair of walking legs, and ovotestes with a well-developed male portion containing sperm, but an undeveloped female portion. EHs lacked appendices masculinae and cincinulli. However, they have male gonopores and ovotestes with well-developed ovaries containing mature …

Enhanced Killing Effect Of Nanosecond Pulse Electric Fields On Panc1 And Jurkat Cell Lines In The Presence Of Tween 80, Gaurav Basu, Bhargava Subhash Kalluri, Ahmet Can Sabuncu, Christopher J. Osgood, Michael W. Stacey

Bioelectrics Publications

We investigated the effects of nanosecond pulse electric fields (nsPEFs) on Jurkat and PANC1 cells, which are human carcinoma cell lines, in the presence of Tween 80 (T80) at a concentration of 0.18% and demonstarted an enhanced killing effect. We used two biological assays to determine cell viability after exposing cells to nsPEFs in the presence of T80 and observed a significant increase in the killing effect of nsPEFs. We did not see a toxic effect of T80 when cells were exposed to surfactant alone. However, we saw a synergistic effect when cells exposed to T80 were combined with the …

Consuming Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Tests: The Role Of Genetic Literacy And Knowledge Calibration, Yvette E. Pearson, Yuping Liu-Thompkins

Philosophy Faculty Publications

As direct-to-consumer marketing of medical genetic tests grows in popularity, there is an increasing need to better understand the ethical and public policy implications of such products. The complexity of genetic tests raises serious concerns about whether consumers possess the knowledge to make sound decisions about their use. This research examines the effects of educational intervention and feedback on consumers' genetic literacy and calibration -- the gap between consumers' actual knowledge and how much they think they know. The authors find that consumers' genetic knowledge was generally low and that people tended to underestimate their knowledge level. Furthermore, consumers' perceived …

Mutation In The Plasmodium Falciparum Crt Protein Determines The Stereospecific Activity Of Antimalarial Cinchona Alkaloids, Carol E. Griffin, Jonathan M. Hoke, Upeka Samarakoon, Junhui Duan, Jianbing Mu, Michael T. Ferdig, David C. Warhurst, Roland A. Cooper

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Cinchona alkaloids are quinoline aminoalcohols that occur as diastereomer pairs, typified by (-)-quinine and (+)-quinidine. The potency of (+)-isomers is greater than the (-)-isomers in vitro and in vivo against Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites. They may act by the inhibition of heme crystallization within the parasite digestive vacuole in a manner similar to chloroquine. Earlier studies showed that a K76I mutation in the digestive vacuole-associated protein, PfCRT (P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter), reversed the normal potency order of quinine and quinidine toward P. falciparum. To further explore PfCRT-alkaloid interactions in the malaria parasite, we measured the in …

Unusually High Body Mass In Virginia Meadow Voles, Sara B. Longtin, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

We used monthly capture-mark-recapture information to determine growth rates and life spans for 2 populations of meadow voles studied for 28 and 29 months in eastern Virginia in order to learn whether the exceptionally large body masses of some voles were due to rapid growth, long lives, or both. On 1 study grid, 64 males (19%) and 43 nonpregnant females (11%) were ≥70 g, with the largest male being 89 g. Mostly positive growth rates (averaging 1.1-3.9 g/month) were recorded, even in autumn and winter months, times when meadow voles are losing mass in northern populations, where most studies of …

Cyanobacteria Dominance In The Oligohaline Waters Of Back Bay, Virginia, Harold G. Marshall

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Back Bay and its flora have historically been influenced by the interaction of freshwater flow in combination with frequent intrusion of saline water into its basin. These events have resulted in a dynamic environmental setting influencing the abundance and composition of its phytoplankton community. Dominating these oligohaline waters is a diverse representation and high abundance of freshwater filamentous and colonial cyanobacteria. These include the nonheterocystous Planktolyngbya contorta, Planktolyngbya limnetica, and Pseudanabaena limnetica, taxa implicated as bloom producers in Bay waters with N:P molar ratios ranging from 23:1 to 74:1.

In Vitro Antimicrobial Effect Of A Cold Plasma Jet Against Enterococcus Faecalis Biofilms, Chunqi Jiang, Christoph Schaudinn, David E. Jaramillo, Paul Webster, J. William Costerton

Bioelectrics Publications

The hypothesis that a cold plasma jet has the antimicrobial effect against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms was tested in vitro. 27 hydroxyapatite discs were incubated with E. faecalis for six days to form a monoculture biofilm on the disc surface. The prepared substrata were divided into three groups: the negative control, the positive control (5.25% NaOCl solution), and the plasma treatment group. Resultant colony-forming unit counts were associated with observations of bacterial cell morphology changes using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Treatment of E. faecalis biofilm with the plasma and 5.25% NaOCl for 5min resulted in 93.1% and 90.0% kill (P < 0.0001), respectively. SEM detected that nearly no intact bacteria were discernible for the plasmaexposed HA disc surfaces. The demonstrated bactericidal effect of the plasma with direct surface contact may be due to the enhanced oxidation by the locally produced reactive plasma species.

An Extracellular Domain Of The Accessory Beta1 Subunit Is Required For Modulating Bk Channel Voltage Sensor And Gate, Aleksandra Gruslova, Iurii Semenov, Bin Wang

Bioelectrics Publications

A family of tissue-specific auxiliary beta subunits modulates large conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channel gating properties to suit their diverse functions. Paradoxically, beta subunits both promote BK channel activation through a stabilization of voltage sensor activation and reduce BK channel openings through an increased energetic barrier of the closed-to-open transition. The molecular determinants underlying beta subunit function, including the dual gating effects, remain unknown. In this study, we report the first identification of a beta1 functional domain consisting of Y74, S104, Y105, and I106 residues located in the extracellular loop of beta1. These amino acids reside within two …

Transient Features In Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Differentially Modulate Mitochondria And Viability, Stephen J. Beebe, Yeong-Jer Chen, Nova M. Sain, Karl H. Schoenbach, Shu Xiao

Bioelectrics Publications

It is hypothesized that high frequency components of nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs), determined by transient pulse features, are important for maximizing electric field interactions with intracellular structures. For monopolar square wave pulses, these transient features are determined by the rapid rise and fall of the pulsed electric fields. To determine effects on mitochondria membranes and plasma membranes, N1-S1 hepatocellular carcinoma cells were exposed to single 600 ns pulses with varying electric fields (0-80 kV/cm) and short (15 ns) or long (150 ns) rise and fall times. Plasma membrane effects were evaluated using Fluo-4 to determine calcium influx, the only …