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Role Of Fdcs And Fdc Activation In Promoting Humoral Immunity Including Responses To T-Dependent Antigens In The Absence Of T Cells, Sayed Rania El Jun 2009

Role Of Fdcs And Fdc Activation In Promoting Humoral Immunity Including Responses To T-Dependent Antigens In The Absence Of T Cells, Sayed Rania El

Theses and Dissertations

Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) reside in primary B-cell follicles and in the light zones of germinal centers (GCs) in secondary follicles, where their dendrites interdigitate forming extensive networks intimately interacting with B-cells. In GCs, FDCs can be found at the edges attached to the supporting reticular fibers. They trap and arrange immune complexes (ICs) in vivo and in vitro in a periodic manner with 200–500Å spacing and provide both antigen-specific and non-specific accessory signals to B-cells. FDCs exist in resting and activated states, with two characteristically different phenotypes. In their activated state, FDCs upregulate the expression of accessory molecules and …

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Roles Of Krüppel Like Factors Klf1, Klf2, And Klf4 In Embryonic Beta-Globin Gene Expression, Yousef Alhashem Jun 2009

Roles Of Krüppel Like Factors Klf1, Klf2, And Klf4 In Embryonic Beta-Globin Gene Expression, Yousef Alhashem

Theses and Dissertations

Krüppel like factors (KLFs) are a family of 17 proteins whose main function is gene regulation by binding to DNA elements in the promoters of various genes. KLF transcription factors recognize CACCC-elements and act as activators or repressors of the gene expression. Among the 17 family members, KLF1, KLF2, and KLF4 share high homology to each other. KLF1 is the founding member of the family and is an erythroid-specific protein. KLF2 is expressed in erythroid, endothelial, and other cells. KLF4 is expressed in endothelial, smooth muscle, and other cells. In this thesis, the functions of these KLFs were reviewed in …

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The Effect Of Chronic Constriction Injury On Cellular Systems Within Nociceptive Pathways In The Mouse, Michelle Hoot Jun 2009

The Effect Of Chronic Constriction Injury On Cellular Systems Within Nociceptive Pathways In The Mouse, Michelle Hoot

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic neuropathic pain is often difficult to treat due to its resistance to therapeutic intervention. This is due in part to the poor understanding of the physiological mechanisms involved in the establishment and maintenance of neuropathic pain states. The neuropathic pain model, chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve, produced robust pain hypersensitivity in our mice. It also induced significant changes in the mitogen activated protein kinase family, and the cannabinoid and µ-opioid systems in three different brain areas involved in the modulation or regulation of pain states. CCI induced a 2.5 fold increase in mRNA of the kinase Raf-1 …

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Investigating The Role Of Electric Fields In Directing Schwann Cell Behavior, Nishant Magar Jun 2009

Investigating The Role Of Electric Fields In Directing Schwann Cell Behavior, Nishant Magar

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the potential of Schwann cells (SCs) to be manipulated by electric fields (EFs) in order to improve recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI). It had long been believed that the central nervous system (CNS) is incapable of regeneration, but recent studies have proven otherwise. SC transplants are known to be useful in promoting axon regeneration after SCI, but is not sufficient for functional recovery. EFs are known to exist in vivo, and have been known to drastically affect the morphology and behavior of cells in various tissues. It was the hypothesis of this study that the conditioning …

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New Play Dramaturgy: Finding Sunsets In Nantucket, Ian Tweedie Jun 2009

New Play Dramaturgy: Finding Sunsets In Nantucket, Ian Tweedie

Theses and Dissertations

This is an outline of the journey of James Campese’s La Vita Nuova. It began as a raw script entitled Sunsets in Nantucket, which I originally encountered during the spring of 2006. After edits, research and meetings it became a successful work which was presented as a staged reading on March 1st, 2009. This thesis describes how I worked with James to transform the script into its final product, managing both the delicacy of the script and the writer. Included is research on New Play Dramaturgy that helped me find the most effective way to work with the script, then …

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Frequency Of Tlr-2, 4, 9 And Cd14 Polymorphisms In Aggressive Periodontitis Population In African-Americans, Melanie Chou Jun 2009

Frequency Of Tlr-2, 4, 9 And Cd14 Polymorphisms In Aggressive Periodontitis Population In African-Americans, Melanie Chou

Theses and Dissertations

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in various pattern recognition receptor (PRR) genes, including Toll like receptors (TLR) -2, -4, -9, and CD14 in chronic (CP), localized (LAP) and generalized aggressive (GAP) periodontitis and periodontally healthy (NP) patients in an African American population. Methods: A total of 205 subjects were involved in the study. The LAP group consists of 25 subjects, the GAP group 50 subjects, the CP group 73 subjects and the NP group 57subjects. Genotyping was performed in TLR2 (G2408A), TLR4 (A896G),TLR9 (T1486C) and CD14 (C260T) genes by …

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The Effect Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (Snps) In Toll-Like Receptors -2, -4, -9, And Cd14 Genes In An African-American Population With Chronic Periodontitis, Willard Maughan Jun 2009

The Effect Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (Snps) In Toll-Like Receptors -2, -4, -9, And Cd14 Genes In An African-American Population With Chronic Periodontitis, Willard Maughan

Theses and Dissertations

AIM: to determine if a relationship exists between TLR-2, TLR-4, TLR-9, or CD14 polymorphisms and risk for developing chronic periodontal disease in an African-American population. This is the first study conducted to determine role of SNPs in TLR genes and CD14 gene in a periodontally-diseased African-American population. Additionally, this is the first study to assess the role of TLR-9 polymorphism in periodontitis patients. METHODS: A total of 130 subjects were involved in the study. The chronic periodontitis (CP) group contained 73 subjects, and the healthy control (NP) group 57subjects. Genotyping was performed in TLR2 (G2408A), TLR4 (A896G),TLR9 (T1486C) and CD14 …

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“Design And Synthesis Of Molecular Probes For The Study Of 5-Ht2a And H1 Receptors”, Jitesh Shah May 2009

“Design And Synthesis Of Molecular Probes For The Study Of 5-Ht2a And H1 Receptors”, Jitesh Shah

Theses and Dissertations

The serotonin (5-HT) receptors, with seven subtypes and at least fifteen distinct members, mediate a wide range of physiological functions both in the central nervous system and in the periphery. All members of the 5-HT family except the 5-HT3 subtype belong to the family of aminergic G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Over the years, various molecules have been reported which act selectively at 5-HT2 receptors. However, there are no ligands that exhibit complete selectivity for one subpopulation of 5-HT2 receptors. Insight into how drugs bind to 5-HT2 receptors could contribute significantly to the development of subtype-selective agents with enhanced therapeutic effects. …

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Development Of Ppar-Γ Receptor Agonists As Therapeutic Agents For Diabetes, Ashwini Goswami May 2009

Development Of Ppar-Γ Receptor Agonists As Therapeutic Agents For Diabetes, Ashwini Goswami

Theses and Dissertations

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are the transcriptional regulators of glucose, lipids and cholesterol metabolisms. It has been established that PPAR-γ is the receptor for thiazolidinediones (TZDs) class of type II anti-diabetic drugs. These compounds act as agonists of PPAR-γ. They may delay the development of type II diabetes in individuals at high risk of developing the condition, and have been shown to have potentially beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors. PPAR-γ receptor activation by TZDs improves insulin sensitivity by promoting fatty acid uptake into adipose tissue, increasing production of adiponectin (responsible for glucose regulation and fatty acid metabolism) and …

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[2009-05-15] May 15, 2009 Meeting Of The Board Of Visitors Of Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors May 2009

[2009-05-15] May 15, 2009 Meeting Of The Board Of Visitors Of Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

Official minutes of the VCU Board of Visitors and its Executive Committee.

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[2009-05-15] Meeting Of The Board Of Visitors Of Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors May 2009

[2009-05-15] Meeting Of The Board Of Visitors Of Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

Official minutes of the VCU Board of Visitors and its Executive Committee.

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Heritage Braided, Akiko B. Jackson May 2009

Heritage Braided, Akiko B. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

The awareness of marginality, oppression, and hierarchy at an early age directly influences the creation of work specific to my identity as a woman of color. Born and raised on an island in the Pacific Ocean, I was aware of my sense of location and space relative to the world. The vast ocean separating me from the ‘mainland’ created a specific understanding of marginality, of what is “main” and what is “minor,” and how these categorical placements continued from my youth to ongoing perpetuation. The work I create has a subtle and persistent investigation into my identity as a socio-economic …

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Collapse, Mia Feuer May 2009

Collapse, Mia Feuer

Theses and Dissertations

Through large sculptural works that are often caricatures of representational objects, my work explores the complicated moments and tangled histories of childhood Jewish schooling in Winnipeg and travels to Israel and Palestine as an adult. My thesis exhibition Collapse, as well as most of my graduate work, examines my investigation through manmade constructions that control and restrict or unite and connect the movement of others. Sculptures about a destroyed bridge’s imagined longing for exotic places, a giant onion serving as a resuscitation mechanism against tear gas or a construction crane to Armageddon are some examples of work that explore the …

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A Tlapalizquixochitl Tree, Christopher Mahonski May 2009

A Tlapalizquixochitl Tree, Christopher Mahonski

Theses and Dissertations

This writing was done in correlation to my thesis show, The Void, the Coach and the Future.

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On A Saturday, Thoughts And Revelations, Maria Pithara May 2009

On A Saturday, Thoughts And Revelations, Maria Pithara

Theses and Dissertations

A favorite poet, a strange woman on the beach, pictures I love to look at. Back yard voyeurism, some thoughts on portraiture and why I couldn’t be a photographer. Strange rituals that make sense. Unexpected revelations. Two kinds of light. This essay presents part of the constellation of thoughts, images and ideas that have informed my most recent video installation, Saturday.

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Fountains, Toshiyuki Tanaka May 2009

Fountains, Toshiyuki Tanaka

Theses and Dissertations

Most of my works are figurative and depend on my memory when I was modeling. I’d like to attempt to clarify the memories through process of modeling. When I model a human, it might not be a perfect imitation of body because it’s a representation of memories, and it’s affected by memories. It is not important to imitate the human form, but I’m interested in gathering memories and giving a form to them. I’m interested in life force and transience of life, so I was looking for a material which can represent these qualities. When I am engaged glass, I …

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The Ambassador's Residence At 909 West Franklin, Jonathan Janis May 2009

The Ambassador's Residence At 909 West Franklin, Jonathan Janis

Theses and Dissertations

In redesigning the century old Scott House into a modern Class IV residence of an US Ambassador, his/her family, and staff the concepts of transparency, circulation, and materiality and the ideas of openness and design as a display of national identity are explored.

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On The Beginning Of Contemporary Tibetan Art: The Exhibitions, Dealers, And Artists., Martha Allison May 2009

On The Beginning Of Contemporary Tibetan Art: The Exhibitions, Dealers, And Artists., Martha Allison

Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary Tibetan art has been internationally exhibited since the year 2000, and it continues to receive increasing recognition among international galleries and collectors. This thesis focuses on three major contributing factors that have affected the rising success of the contemporary Tibetan artists. The factors include ways in which popular stereotypes have influenced Western museum exhibitions of Tibetan art; dealers have marketed the artworks; and artists have created works that are both conceptually and aesthetically appealing to an international audience. Drawing from exhibition catalogs, interviews and art historical scholarship, this thesis looks at how the history of these factors has affected …

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The Walter And Inger Rice Center For Environmental Through Time: A Study In Environmental Change, Human Land Use And Its Effects Along The Lower James River, Chris Egghart May 2009

The Walter And Inger Rice Center For Environmental Through Time: A Study In Environmental Change, Human Land Use And Its Effects Along The Lower James River, Chris Egghart

Theses and Dissertations

Historic cartographic sources, historical accounts, and ethnographic and archaeological data are used help reconstruct past settlement patterns and land uses that together acted to shape the changing cultural landscape of the Virginia Commonwealth University Walter and Inger Rice for Environmental Studies (Rice Center). The Rice Center is located in Charles City County along the north bank of the James River between Richmond and Williamsburg. Presented is a baseline description of the present day condition of the Rice Center property. This is followed by a detailed account of the physiographic and ecological changes that occurred along the Lower James River since …

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Vernal, Jason Orvis Dilworth May 2009

Vernal, Jason Orvis Dilworth

Theses and Dissertations

Culminating with a dream, this project transverses theoretical and geographical boundaries with explorations into the message-carrying potential of video, sound, performance, print, and web. Stories and content are extracted from an autobiographical history of one small western town turned boomtown. That town, the center from which the project emerges, is Vernal, Utah.

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The Dismissive Actually, Alexander Egner May 2009

The Dismissive Actually, Alexander Egner

Theses and Dissertations

This project is about giving in to the impulse of ideas. My mind is a little messy and cluttered, swirling with bits of stimuli. The spark of an idea happens when the bits collide. I prefer not to initiate or control the process so much as keep it fed and active. Through graphic design, I bear witness to these ideas, giving them form as a series of visible, tangible objects. Viewed comprehensively, the work establishes an ongoing chronicle of my creative life and mind.

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Understanding Death Anxiety In Women With Gynecologic Cancer, Hana Kim May 2009

Understanding Death Anxiety In Women With Gynecologic Cancer, Hana Kim

Theses and Dissertations

For most of us, thoughts about our own mortality are largely unconscious, an invisible backdrop to our daily living. However, when forced to face a potentially life threatening event, these otherwise underlying thoughts about human transience rise to consciousness. Given the seemingly inherent link between receiving a cancer diagnosis and developing an increased awareness of one’s own mortality, the present study sought to address the following research question, “What are the experiences and processes by which women with gynecologic cancer construct meaning and manage death anxiety in the face of their cancer diagnosis?” Based on an interpretive grounded theory paradigm, …

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Design For Conspicuous Transit, Peter Bain May 2009

Design For Conspicuous Transit, Peter Bain

Theses and Dissertations

My creative project explores design for transit advocacy; aimed at shifting a car-dependent society into one where transit helps meet climate change, energy, and land-use challenges. It incorporates my research into aspects of designing for transit, an understanding of urbanism in Richmond and New York, and an appreciation of planning.

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Diet-Related Changes In Sensitivity To The Pharmacological Effects Of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, Mayo Wright May 2009

Diet-Related Changes In Sensitivity To The Pharmacological Effects Of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, Mayo Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Recent evidence suggests that sustained consumption of a high-fat diet is associated with reduced CB1 receptor expression in some brain areas. Many of the neuromodulatory functions of endogenous cannabinoids are mediated by the CB1 receptor. The CB1 receptor also mediates the behavioral and physiological effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of marijuana. While high-fat diets are associated with region-specific changes in CB1 receptor expression, it is not clear whether such changes are behaviorally relevant. To that end, separate groups of male and female rats were placed on either a high-fat diet or a standard diet. Cannabinoid function was …

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Comparative Study Of The Ritual Aspects Of Western And Asian Performance, Hyung Don Lee May 2009

Comparative Study Of The Ritual Aspects Of Western And Asian Performance, Hyung Don Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This comparative study focuses on ritual aspects of Western and Asian performance. We may say that ritual in contemporary theater production has limitation to become realization. The limitation arises from contemporary period’s nature. We know that these days we do not have common or collective psyche. However, some theatre artists are trying to get back ritual function and process to recover real communion between spectator and performer throughout performance.

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Shrinking The Janzen-Connell Doughnut: Consequences Of An Invasive Multiplier (Microstegium Vimineum) On The Mid-Canopy In A Mixed Pine-Oak Forest, Rebekha Shaw May 2009

Shrinking The Janzen-Connell Doughnut: Consequences Of An Invasive Multiplier (Microstegium Vimineum) On The Mid-Canopy In A Mixed Pine-Oak Forest, Rebekha Shaw

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction of invasive species can alter seed fate predictions made by the Janzen-Connell Escape Hypothesis (JCEH). The JCEH states that there is a suitable region around a plant that is ideal for seed germination, growth, and recruitment. Seeds dispersed too close to the maternal plant are subject to competition from the maternal individual and perhaps density-dependent predation, whereas seeds dispersed further away may end up in suboptimal habitats. Invasive species may change the amount of these suitable habitats for native plants by creating unsuitable light environments and as a result, may influence the size of the ideal recruitment zone surrounding …

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Examining Campus Crime At Virginia’S Colleges And Universities, Christina M. Barnes May 2009

Examining Campus Crime At Virginia’S Colleges And Universities, Christina M. Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines reported campus crime at Virginia’s institutions of higher education. Utilizing secondary data and content analysis, the research seeks to determine the amount and types of crime occurring on Virginia campuses and which correlates explain such crimes. Three sources of campus crime statistics are included and scrutinized in detail, including the Clery Act statistics, Virginia Incident-Based Reporting statistics and campus crime logs. Regardless of data source, findings indicate that the vast majority of reported campus crime is comprised of property offenses. The research argues to separate analyses by campus police departments versus campus security departments for more meaningful …

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Predator And Abiotic Effects On Hatching Phenotype And Survival Of Arboreal Frog Eggs With Implications For Phytoplankton, Jessica Hite May 2009

Predator And Abiotic Effects On Hatching Phenotype And Survival Of Arboreal Frog Eggs With Implications For Phytoplankton, Jessica Hite

Theses and Dissertations

Historically studies have focused on either the terrestrial or aquatic environments independently. However, these systems are inherently linked through numerous pathways including organisms with complex life cycles. Both abiotic factors and predators of these organisms can influence connections by changing the number of prey moving across habitat boundaries and by changing the phenotype of prey. When the focal organisms are primary consumers, these effects may have important implications for ecosystem processes. My study investigated how terrestrial predators and abiotic factors affect the number and phenotype of herbivorous tadpole inputs into a tropical forest pond. I found that predators and abiotic …

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De-Masking The Silence - Drama Therapy: For Children With Asd, Joshua M. Galligan May 2009

De-Masking The Silence - Drama Therapy: For Children With Asd, Joshua M. Galligan

Theses and Dissertations

This dynamic form of pedagogy attempts to cross the interdisciplinary boundaries between theatre, psychology, and modern medicine. What I attempt to present in this thesis is a systematic developmental framework for the theoretical use of drama therapy with children suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder. This approach has been based on in-depth interdisciplinary study which makes use of the most current research looking at the neurological makeup of the autistic brain. This systematic approach examines the mirror neuron system which has been labeled as a major defect in children with ASD. Through the use of theatrical techniques such as acting, movement, …

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Novel Analogs Of M-Chlorophenylguanidine As 5-Ht3 Receptor Ligands, Katie Alix May 2009

Novel Analogs Of M-Chlorophenylguanidine As 5-Ht3 Receptor Ligands, Katie Alix

Theses and Dissertations

Serotonin receptors play a variety of functional roles in the body. Some indications and treatment claims for one of the classes of serotonin receptors, the 5-HT3 receptor family, include: anxiety, depression, chemotherapy- and radiation-induced emesis, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, pain, drug addiction, and satiety control. A 5-HT3 receptor partial agonist, MD-354, served as a lead compound in the development of new 5-HT3 receptor ligands. Using halogenated analogs the study investigated their effect on binding to the 5-HT3 receptor. Conformationally-constrained analogs (quinazolines) were shown to be a novel class of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. The log P values were determined for several …

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