Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of My Footprint Calculator, Karthik Mummidisetti

Theses and Dissertations

The Environmental footprint is a very powerful tool that helps an individual to understand how their everyday activities are impacting environmental surroundings. Data shows that global climate change, which is a growing concern for nations all over the world, is already affecting humankind, plants and animals through raising ocean levels, droughts & desertification and changing weather patterns. In addition to a wide range of policy measures implemented by national and state governments, it is necessary for individuals to understand the impact that their lifestyle may have on their personal environmental footprint, and thus over the global climate change. “My Footprint …

In Search Of A Function For An Uncharacterized Conserved Protein In Streptococcus Sanguinis Sk36, Ayana Scott-Elliston

Theses and Dissertations

With the number of fully sequenced bacterial genomes increasing in the past 7 years, it has been discovered that a large percentage of the putative protein coding genes have no known function. This lack of knowledge leaves scientists with an incomplete understanding of bacteria. In this study, conserved hypothetical protein mutants from Streptococcus sanguinis SK36 were screened on solid media with various environmental conditions. From these screens, the candidate protein, SSA_2372, displayed a sensitivity to acidic conditions. Its homolog in Bacillus subtilis 168, BSU00030, also displayed a sensitivity to pH conditions at its acid tolerance extremes unlike its other homolog …

Planar Refrains, Stephen Anthony Nunes

Theses and Dissertations

My practice explores phenomenal poetic truths that exist in fissures between the sensual and physical qualities of material constructs. Magnifying this confounding interspace, my work activates specific instruments within mutable, relational systems of installation, movement, and documentation. The tools I fabricate function within variable orientations and are implemented as both physical barriers and thresholds into alternate, virtual domains. Intersecting fragments of sound and moving image build a nexus of superimposed spatialities, while material constructions are enveloped in ephemeral intensities. Within this compounded environment, both mind and body are charged as active sites through which durational, contemplative experiences can pass.

Reverberation, …

Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Cope’S Gray Treefrog (Hyla Chrysoscelis) Across Habitat Scales And Life Stages, Logan Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

Fire may alter both aquatic and terrestrial habitat used by all amphibian life stages, yet, our knowledge of its effects on amphibians is primarily limited to adult responses. I present an integrated approach to test the response of Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) to fire by examining responses in tadpole performance and survivorship, adult abundance, and oviposition. Tadpoles raised with burned leaf litter had similar survival, but total mass and total length were 440% and 170% greater, respectively, for tadpoles raised in unburned litter. I assessed terrestrial and aquatic oviposition cues by embedding burned and unburned litter treatments within burned …

Comparisons Of Isogenic Trisomic And Disomic Cells From People With Mosaicism For Down Syndrome Unmask Cellular Differences Related To Trisomy 21, Kelly A. Rafferty

Theses and Dissertations

It is known that age-related changes impacting multiple organ systems occur earlier in people with Down syndrome (Ds), but the biological basis underlying this trisomy 21-associated propensity for premature aging is poorly understood. Given that the trisomic/normal cells from people with mosaic Ds (mDs) are identical with regards to environmental exposures and genes (except for chromosome 21 copy number), comparisons of these isogenic trisomic/disomic cells allow one to “unmask” the cellular consequences of trisomy 21 by removing extraneous factors. The primary aim of this study was to determine if trisomy 21 results in an increase in the acquisition of age-related …

Meta-Analysis Of The Origin Of Bimaturism In Orangutan Males, Mina Adnan

UROP Posters

Unlike any other primate species, orangutans exhibit extraordinary sexual differences in their facial morphology. Two different strategies are available for males that reach sexual maturity: either become fully “flanged” and develop secondary sexual characteristics, which is knownto be only developed by the dominant male, or remain “unflanged” and not develop secondary sexual characteristics. The mechanism for how this bimaturism evolved and how occurs is poorly understood, but both flanged and unflanged males are reproductively successful.

This project explores the physiological mechanism behind bimaturismin orangutan males; namely, are there genetic differences between flanged and unflanged males such that the strategy is …

Commonwealth Times 2016-11-28

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2016-09-19

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Amendment (2016 Fall)

Amendment, 2004-

Amendment is a VCU student-produced progressive literature and art journal that provides a platform for students to promote equality, tolerance, and social progression through artistic expression.

The (In)Visible Display: Reconstituting Museum Experience Through Performance Pedagogy, Eunjung Choi

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

In this article, I reconceptualize my understanding of Korean objects in terms of how they perform pedagogically within a context of an art museum in the United States. A pedagogical performance occurs when a contextual shift initiates a process of learning that exposes, examines, and critiques the conventional, pre-existing discourse of objects and cultures. Understanding the museum as a performative site, I describe my experiences in the Arts of Korea gallery at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. By juxtaposing past and present and visible and invisible cultural elements, I play with the standards and assumptions of cultural display. Based …

Untangling Gender Divides Through Girly And Gendered Visual Culture, Alice Lai, Yichien Cooper

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

The rise of girly culture has brought new dimensions and challenges to art education. As art educators, we are concerned about what we can do to meaningfully understand and educate children—girls and boys—growing up with girly culture. To this end, this paper presents our exploratory study, utilizing the methods of literature review, focus group discussion, and classroom observation, and findings on the following: (1) discourses of girly (visual) culture specifically related to age metaphor, visual representations of sexuality, and girly aesthetics; (2) postfeminist conceptualizations, critiques, and justifications of gender divides manifested through girly visual culture; (3) preadolescent children’s perceptions of …

Movement And Dynamics Of Norway Rats In An Urban Landscape, Rosalyn Rael, Caz Taylor

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Scent And Sensibility: Navigating A Chemical Trail, Bard Ermentrout

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2016-04-18

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2016-04-11

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2016-04-04

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Amendment (2016 Spring)

Amendment, 2004-

Amendment is a VCU student-produced progressive literature and art journal that provides a platform for students to promote equality, tolerance, and social progression through artistic expression.

Commonwealth Times 2016-02-15

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2016-01-25

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Major Depression As A Complex Dynamic System, Angélique O. J. Cramer, Claudia D. Van Borkulo, Erik J. Giltay, Han L. J. Van Der Maas, Kenneth S. Kendler, Marten Scheffer, Denny Borsboom

Psychiatry Publications

In this paper, we characterize major depression (MD) as a complex dynamic system in which symptoms (e.g., insomnia and fatigue) are directly connected to one another in a network structure. We hypothesize that individuals can be characterized by their own network with unique architecture and resulting dynamics. With respect to architecture, we show that individuals vulnerable to developing MD are those with strong connections between symptoms: e.g., only one night of poor sleep suffices to make a particular person feel tired. Such vulnerable networks, when pushed by forces external to the system such as stress, are more likely to end …

Metabolism And Metabolic Inhibition Of Xanthotoxol In Human Liver Microsomes, Zhongnv Ma, Xianbao Shi, Gang Zhang, Feng Guo, Lina Shan, Jiqun Cai

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Cytochrome p450 (CYP450) enzymes are predominantly involved in Phase I metabolism of xenobiotics. In this study, the CYP450 isoforms involved in xanthotoxol metabolism were identified using recombinant CYP450s. In addition, the inhibitory effects of xanthotoxol on eight CYP450 isoforms and its pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using human liver microsomes. CYP1A2, one of CYP450s, played a key role in the metabolism of xanthotoxol compared to other CYP450s. Xanthotoxol showed stronger inhibition on CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 compared to other isoenzymes with the IC50 of 7.43 μM for CYP3A4 and 27.82 μM for CYP1A2. The values of inhibition kinetic parameters (Ki) were 21.15 …

Grunt Variation In The Oyster Toadfish Opsanus Tau: Effect Of Size And Sex, Michael L. Fine, Tyler D. Waybright

Biology Publications

As in insects, frogs and birds, vocal activity in fishes tends to be more developed in males than in females, and sonic swimbladder muscles may be sexually dimorphic, i.e., either larger in males or present only in males. Male oyster toadfish Opsanus tau L produce a long duration, tonal boatwhistle advertisement call, and both sexes grunt, a short duration more pulsatile agonistic call. Sonic muscles are present in both sexes but larger in males. We tested the hypothesis that males would call more than females by inducing grunts in toadfish of various sizes held in a net and determined incidence …

Repeated Low-Dose Organophosphate Dfp Exposure Leads To The Development Of Depression And Cognitive Impairment In A Rat Model Of Gulf War Illness, Laxmikant Deshpande, Kristin Phillips

Neurology Publications

Approximately 175,000 to 250,000 of the returning veterans from the 1991 Persian Gulf War exhibit chronic multi-symptom illnesses that includes neurologic co-morbidities such as depression, anxiety and cognitive impairments. Amongst a host of causative factors, exposure to low levels of the nerve agent Sarin has been strongly implicated for expression of Gulf War Illness (GWI). Nerve agents similar to pesticides are organophosphate (OP) compounds. There is evidence from civilian population that exposure to OPs such as in agricultural workers and nerve agents such as the survivors and first-responders of the Tokyo subway Sarin gas attack suffer from chronic neurological problems …

Cryptosporidium Priming Is More Effective Than Vaccine For Protection Against Cryptosporidiosis In A Murine Protein Malnutrition Model, Luther A. Bartelt, David T. Bolick, Glynis L. Kolling, James K. Roche, Edna I. Zaenker, Ana M. Lara, Francisco Jose Noronha, Carrie A. Cowardin, John H. Moore, Jerrold R. Turner, Cirle A. Warren, Gregory A. Buck, Richard L. Guerrant

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Cryptosporidium is a major cause of severe diarrhea, especially in malnourished children. Using a murine model of C. parvum oocyst challenge that recapitulates clinical features of severe cryptosporidiosis during malnutrition, we interrogated the effect of protein malnutrition (PM) on primary and secondary responses to C. parvum challenge, and tested the differential ability of mucosal priming strategies to overcome the PM-induced susceptibility. We determined that while PM fundamentally alters systemic and mucosal primary immune responses to Cryptosporidium, priming with C. parvum (106 oocysts) provides robust protective immunity against re-challenge despite ongoing PM. C. parvum priming restores mucosal Th1-type effectors (CD3+CD8+CD103+ T-cells) …

Book Review: Creativity, Inc., Marah R. Archer

MGMT 641 Leadership Book Reviews

Book review of Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, by Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace, written for the Spring 2016 Semester MGMT 641: Organizational Leadership and Project Team Management class.

Suture Trainer: Improving Tissue Handling Technique, Albara Elshaer, Sindora Baddam, Veronica Peterkin, Millie Shah

Capstone Design Expo Posters

Tissue handling is fundamental to performing mechanical tasks of suturing and surgery on live humans and animals. While the mechanics of suturing can be taught, there is no available simulation product designed to specifically teach tissue handling skills. It is important as a future medical professional to gain better tissue handling skills in order to prevent unnecessary injury to the tissue via scarring. The suture trainer focuses on providing feedback in order to standardize tissue handling technique in order to prevent poor habits from developing. Our project deliverables included a model, working prototype, and test data collected from practicing physicians …

Hypertension Comorbidity Exacerbates Cardiotoxicity Of Anti-Cancer Drugs: Evidences And Promising Novel Therapeutic Strategies, Robin K. Kuriakose, Rakesh Kukreja, Lei Xi

MD Student Summer Research Fellowship Program Posters

No abstract provided.

Exploring Links Between Diabetes And Depression, Kirby Farineau

The Scope

Some people may think mental health and physical health are completely unrelated, but in fact, they are closely linked, says Dr. Briana Mezuk, a researcher and professor at VCU. She recently received a grant from the C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research at VCU to study the relationship between diabetes and depression.

Decreased Interleukin-4 Release From The Neurons Of The Locus Coeruleus In Response To Immobilization Stress, Hyun-Ju Lee, Hyun-Jung Park, Angela Starkweather, Kyungeh An, Insop Shim

School of Nursing Publications

It has been demonstrated that immobilization (IMO) stress affects neuroimmune systems followed by alterations of physiology and behavior. Interleukin-4 (IL-4), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, is known to regulate inflammation caused by immune challenge but the effect of IMO on modulation of IL-4 expression in the brain has not been assessed yet. Here, it was demonstrated that IL-4 was produced by noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) of the brain and release of IL-4 was reduced in response to IMO. It was observed that IMO groups were more anxious than nontreated groups. Acute IMO (2 h/day, once) stimulated secretion of plasma …

Role Of Tissue And Systemic Hypoxia In Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes, Lei Xi, Chin-Moi Chow, Xingxing Kong

Internal Medicine Publications

Human lifestyle in most modern and developing societies has dramatically changed over past decades. Physical inactivity along with unrestricted access to calorie dense foods has established an “obesogenic” environment and contributed to a serious epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D), associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In 2005 a population-based study conducted by Reichmuth et al. of University of Wisconsin with a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis identified that among 1387 participants the odds ratio for T2D with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 15 versus an AHI < 5 was 2.30 (1.28–4.11; p < 0.01) after adjustment for age, sex, and body habitus. Therefore it has been assumed that intermittent hypoxic periods associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may play a pathogenic role in inducing insulin resistance and T2D. At organ/tissue levels, in 2007–2009 Ye and colleagues first proposed a central role played by adipose tissue hypoxia resulting from adipocyte expansion in promoting chronic inflammation, adiponectin reduction, adipocyte dysfunction, and death in obese individuals. This group of researchers later identified the mediator roles played by hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and other hypoxia-triggered signaling mechanisms that may promote free fatty acid release and inhibit glucose uptake in adipocytes by inhibition of the insulin-signaling pathway and induction of cell death.