Digital Commons Network^™

A Pollination Network Of Cornus Florida, James H. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

From the agent-based, correlated random walk model presented, we observe the effects of varying the parameter values of maximum insect turning area, ��_max, density of trees, ω, maximum pollen carryover, ��_max, and probability of fertilization, P_��, on the distribution of pollen within a population of Cornus florida (flowering dogwood). We see that varying ��_max and ��_max changes the dispersal distance of pollen, which greatly affects many measures of connectivity. The clustering coefficient of fathers is maximized when ��_max is between 60° and 90°. Varying ω does not have a major …

Novel Compounds As Potential Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutics And Inhibitors Of The Nlrp3 Inflammasome, Jeremy E. Chojnacki

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia. The disease manifests via several pathologies including neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, metal ion dyshomeostasis, and cell death. To address the multifaceted nature of this disorder, the design of several diverse compounds, targeting many pathological effects, was generated. First, a series of compounds based on curcumin and diosgenin were synthesized following the bivalent design strategy. Two compounds were discovered to have neuroprotective ability, anti-oxidative function, and anti-Aß oligomerization (AßO) properties. A second set of molecules was also designed, wherein a hybrid compound strategy was utilized. Three hybrids were to …

Light Mediated Drug Delivery Using Photocaged Molecules And Photoswitchable Peptides, Deboleena Mitra

Theses and Dissertations

There are many different types of targeted therapy for cancer treatment. The method of light mediated targeted therapy that we have developed uses photocaged molecules and photoswitchable peptides.

In photocaging, a biologically active molecule is made inactive by the attachment of a photocleavable blocking group. On exposure to UV radiation the photocleavable entity is removed and the biologically active molecule is released. Using this concept we have designed a prodrug that consists of a cell impermeable hydrophilic molecule attached to a photocaged doxorubicin. Upon irradiation with UV light the photosensitive group is removed and cytotoxic doxorubicin is released at the …

Design Of Engineered Biomaterial Architectures Through Natural Silk Proteins, Nicholas Kurland

Theses and Dissertations

Silk proteins have provided a source of unique and versatile building blocks in the fabrication of biomedical devices for addressing a range of applications. Critical to advancing this field is the ability to establish an understanding of these proteins in their native and engineered states as well as in developing scalable processing strategies, which can fully exploit or enhance the stability, structure, and functionality of the two constituent proteins, silk fibroin and sericin. The research outlined in this dissertation focuses on the evolution in architecture and capability of silks, to effectively position a functionally-diverse, renewable class of silk materials within …

“The Flow Of Blood In Nature” Franz Marc’S Animal Theory, Morgan Rinehart

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues for a coherent theory of the animal in the written and visual works of the German Expressionist painter, Franz Marc. By contextualizing Marc’s animal theory within the history of animal studies, this thesis will analyze how Marc’s animal theory corresponds with several central concepts within this field. One of these concepts—a theory of animal death—is central to the artist’s greater theory of the animal and to the analysis this thesis provides. In examining Marc’s theory of animal death, the following work will propose that the artist’s theory of animal spirituality is his greatest legacy within the field …

Bridging The Gap: Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Predict Hpv Vaccination Intentions In Men, Daniel Snipes

Theses and Dissertations

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the US, with an estimated incidence rate of 6.2 million new cases each year. Men have higher instances of certain HPV related outcomes (e.g., head/neck cancers) when compared to women, so male vaccination with the HPV vaccine is also paramount to preventing cancer. The present study examined the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a model for predicting HPV vaccination intentions among men. Results suggest the TPB was a well-fitting model to the data, but not all aspects of the TPB model were predictive of HPV vaccination …

Cyanine 5.5 Conjugated Nanobubbles As A Tumor Selective Contrast Agent For Dual Ultrasound-Fluorescence Imaging In A Mouse Model, Liyi Mai, Anna Yao, Jing Li, Qiong Wei, Ming Yuchi, Xiaoling He, Mingyue Ding, Qibing Zhou

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Nanobubbles and microbubbles are non-invasive ultrasound imaging contrast agents that may potentially enhance diagnosis of tumors. However, to date, both nanobubbles and microbubbles display poor in vivo tumor-selectivity over non-targeted organs such as liver. We report here cyanine 5.5 conjugated nanobubbles (cy5.5-nanobubbles) of a biocompatible chitosan–vitamin C lipid system as a dual ultrasound-fluorescence contrast agent that achieved tumor-selective imaging in a mouse tumor model. Cy5.5-nanobubble suspension contained single bubble spheres and clusters of bubble spheres with the size ranging between 400–800 nm. In the in vivo mouse study, enhancement of ultrasound signals at tumor site was found to persist over …

Design, Synthesis, And In Vitro And In Vivo Biological Studies Of A 3′-Deoxythymidine Conjugate That Potentially Kills Cancer Cells Selectively, Qiong Wei, Dejun Zhang, Anna Yao, Liyi Mai, Zhiwei Zhang, Qibing Zhou

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Thymidine kinases (TKs) have been considered one of the potential targets for anticancer therapeutic because of their elevated expressions in cancer cells. However, nucleobase analogs targeting TKs have shown poor selective cytotoxicity in cancer cells despite effective antiviral activity. 3′-Deoxythymidine phenylquinoxaline conjugate (dT-QX) was designed as a novel nucleobase analog to target TKs in cancer cells and block cell replication via conjugated DNA intercalating quinoxaline moiety. In vitro cell screening showed that dT-QX selectively kills a variety of cancer cells including liver carcinoma, breast adenocarcinoma and brain glioma cells; whereas it had a low cytotoxicity in normal cells such as …

Augmenter Of Liver Regeneration (Alr) Promotes Liver Outgrowth During Zebrafish Hepatogenesis, Yan Li, Muhammad Farooq, Donglai Sheng, Chanchal Chandramouli, Tian Lan, Nilesh K. Mahajan, R. Manjunatha Kini, Yunhan Hong, Thomas Lisowsky, Ruowen Ge

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Augmenter of Liver Regeneration (ALR) is a sulfhydryl oxidase carrying out fundamental functions facilitating protein disulfide bond formation. In mammals, it also functions as a hepatotrophic growth factor that specifically stimulates hepatocyte proliferation and promotes liver regeneration after liver damage or partial hepatectomy. Whether ALR also plays a role during vertebrate hepatogenesis is unknown. In this work, we investigated the function of alr in liver organogenesis in zebrafish model. We showed that alr is expressed in liver throughout hepatogenesis. Knockdown of alr through morpholino antisense oligonucleotide (MO) leads to suppression of liver outgrowth while overexpression of alr promotes liver growth. …

Role Of Extracytoplasmic Function Sigma Factors In Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Suhasini Yanamandra Sai

Theses and Dissertations

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major etiological agent that is responsible for the cause and progression of periodontal diseases. The bacterium is exposed to various environmental conditions and oxidative stress conditions while it is in the oral cavity. So, P. gingivalis should have an efficient regulatory system in order to adjust and survive in the oral cavity. But little is known about the regulatory mechanisms that help the bacteria to survive in the oral cavity. So, it is essential to understand and characterize these regulatory mechanisms. The response and adaptation of P. gingivalis to environmental stress conditions occur at the level …

Spatial Parameters In Therapeutic Spaces: Design Of A Residential Treatment Facility For Eating Disorder Patients, Sarah Beth Basinger

Theses and Dissertations

Can the built environment positively influence the treatment of an eating disorder? Does the built environment play a role in the quality of care, the rehabilitation process and the lasting affects of treatment in eating disorders and if so, what role does it play? What are the important parameters to consider in designing such a space? Currently there are few facilities designed specifically for the treatment of this disorder. Of those facilities, there is a lack of research regarding the effects of the built environment. Therefore, the process of answering these questions must begin by assessing parameters in architectural precedents …

Combinatorial Effect Of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs And Nf-Κb Inhibitors In Ovarian Cancer Therapy, Luiz F. Zerbini, Rodrigo E. Tamura, Ricardo G. Correa, Akos Czibere, Jason Coideiro, Manoj Bhasin, Fernando M. Simabuco, Yihong Wang, Xuesong Gu, Linglin Li, Devanand Sarkar, Jin-Rong Zhou, Paul B. Fisher, Towia A. Libermann

Human and Molecular Genetics Publications

Several epidemiological studies have correlated the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) with reduced risk of ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynecological cancer, diagnosed usually in late stages of the disease. We have previously established that the pro-apoptotic cytokine melanoma differentiation associated gene-7/Interleukin-24 (mda-7/IL-24) is a crucial mediator of NSAID-induced apoptosis in prostate, breast, renal and stomach cancer cells. In this report we evaluated various structurally different NSAIDs for their efficacies to induce apoptosis and mda-7/IL-24 expression in ovarian cancer cells. While several NSAIDs induced apoptosis, Sulindac Sulfide and Diclofenac most potently induced apoptosis and reduced tumor …

Network Analysis And Comparative Phylogenomics Of Micrornas And Their Respective Messenger Rna Targets Using Twelve Drosophila Species, M Ryan Woodcock

Theses and Dissertations

MicroRNAs represent a special class of small (~21–25 nucleotides) non-coding RNA molecules which exert powerful post-transcriptional control over gene expression in eukaryotes. Indeed microRNAs likely represent the most abundant class of regulators in animal gene regulatory networks. This study describes the recovery and network analyses of a suite of homologous microRNA targets recovered through two different prediction methods for whole gene regions across twelve Drosophila species. Phylogenetic criteria under an accepted tree topology were used as a reference frame to 1) make inference into microRNA-target predictions, 2) study mathematical properties of microRNA-gene regulatory networks, 3) and conduct novel phylogenetic analyses …

Development Of A Syngeneic Mouse Model Of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Bridget A. Quinn, Fang Xiao, Laura Bickel, Lainie Martin, Xiang Hua, Andres Klein-Szanto, Denise C. Connolly

Human and Molecular Genetics Publications

Background

Most cases of ovarian cancer are epithelial in origin and diagnosed at advanced stage when the cancer is widely disseminated in the peritoneal cavity. The objective of this study was to establish an immunocompetent syngeneic mouse model of disseminated epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) to facilitate laboratory-based studies of ovarian tumor biology and preclinical therapeutic strategies.

Methods

Individual lines of TgMISIIR-TAg transgenic mice were phenotypically characterized and backcrossed to inbred C57BL/6 mice. In addition to a previously described line of EOC-prone mice, two lines (TgMISIIR-TAg-Low) were isolated that express the oncogenic transgene, but have little or no …

The Role Of The Ca2+-Dependent Protein Kinase, Camk-Ii, In Heart And Kidney Development In The Zebrafish, Danio Rerio, Sarah Rothschild

Theses and Dissertations

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II (CaMK-II) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase that is ubiquitously expressed throughout the lifespan of metazoans. Mammals encode four genes (α, β, γ, δ) that generate over forty splice-variants. CaMK-II is important in a myriad of functions, including ion channel regulation, cell-cycle progression, and long term potentiation. In adults, alterations in activation of CaMK-II induce cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. Developmental roles for CaMK-II are not as well understood since mouse knockouts are embryonic lethal. Therefore the identification of other vertebrate CaMK-II genes will add to our understanding of development. Zebrafish encode seven catalytically active CaMK-II …

Inhibition Of The Calcium Plateau Following In Vitro Status Epilepticus Prevents The Development Of Spontaneous Recurrent Epileptiform Discharges, Nisha Nagarkatti

Theses and Dissertations

Status epilepticus (SE) is a major clinical emergency resulting in continuous seizure activity that can cause brain injury and many molecular and pathophysiologic changes leading to neuronal plasticity. The neuronal plasticity following SE-induced brain injury can initiate epileptogenesis and lead to the ultimate expression of acquired epilepsy (AE), characterized clinically by spontaneous, recurrent seizures. Epileptogenesis is the process wherein healthy brain tissue is transformed into hyperexcitable neuronal networks that produce AE. Understanding these alterations induced by brain injury is an important clinical challenge and can lend insight into possible new therapeutic targets to halt the development of AE. Currently there …

Assessment Of Pre-Pcr Whole Genome Amplification Of Single Pollen Grains Using Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida), Candace Dillon

Theses and Dissertations

Studies of gene flow in natural plant populations often focus on either historical or abiotic dispersal methods (e.g. wind, water, gravity), but there is little information available on contemporary, animal-mediated pollen dispersal patterns. Emerging molecular laboratory techniques allow unprecedented insights into spatial patterns of pollen-mediated gene flow. However, to date, technical challenges have limited their widespread application. The genome of a pollen grain can be amplified via whole genome amplification (WGA) prior to traditional amplification via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to prevent the stochastic effects associated with low copy number amplification. Even still, WGA can suffer from low success rates …

Apoptotic Engulfment Pathway And Schizophrenia, Xiangning Chen, Cuie Sun, Qi Chen, F. Anthony O'Neill, Dermot Walsh, Ayman H. Fanous, Kodavali V. Chowdari, Vishwajit L. Nimgaonkar, Adrian Scott, Sibylle G. Schwab, Dieter B. Wildenauer, Ronglin Che, Wei Tang, Yongyong Shi, Lin He, Xiong-Jian Luo, Bing Su, Todd L. Edwards, Zhongming Zhao, Kenneth S. Kendler

Human and Molecular Genetics Publications

Background

Apoptosis has been speculated to be involved in schizophrenia. In a previously study, we reported the association of the MEGF10 gene with the disease. In this study, we followed the apoptotic engulfment pathway involving the MEGF10, GULP1, ABCA1 and ABCA7 genes and tested their association with the disease.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Ten, eleven and five SNPs were genotyped in the GULP1, ABCA1 and ABCA7 genes respectively for the ISHDSF and ICCSS samples. In all 3 genes, we observed nominally significant associations. Rs2004888 at GULP1 was significant in both ISHDSF and ICCSS samples (p = 0.0083 and …

Noncovalent Interaction Of Platinum Planar Amine Compounds With Tryptophan: A Strategy To Interfere With P53-Mdm2 Interactions And Targeting Retroviral Zn Finger-Dna Interaction (Hiv Ncp7), Aaron Bate

Theses and Dissertations

Non-covalent interactions involving π-π stacking play an essential role in self-assembly and molecular recognition processes such as protein folding and DNA/RNA-protein selective recognition. The knowledge gained from these studies could provide insight into possible site recognition complexes, inhibiting or mimicking protein-protein or protein-DNA interactions. Based on molecular modeling as well as HOMO and LUMO energies, several chromophores were selected with a variety of ∆ε values (∆ε= |εHOMO,NAcTrp – εLUMO,chromophores|), high and low, to establish a correlating trend with the modeling and experimental data. The corresponding Pt(dien) compounds were synthesized and their ability to stack to N-acetyl tryptophan was evaluated by …

Selective Non-Peptide Mu-Opioid Receptor Antagonist: Design, Synthesis And Biological Studies, Lindsey Aschenbach

Theses and Dissertations

There are currently many opioid agonists available for clinical use as analgesics. However, many of these opioid agonists have notorious side effects including respiratory depression and may lead to addiction and dependence. Problems associated with these opioid agonists are determined to come from their interactions with the mu-opioid receptor. Opioid antagonists, such as naltrexone, have shown to aid in the treatment of opioid addiction. Although naltrexone has high affinity to the mu-opioid receptor, it lacks selectivity. Novel selective mu-opioid receptor antagonists were designed based on the identification of important pharmacophore elements in several known mu-opioid receptor agonists and antagonists. These …

Healing, Learning And Play, Kangana Bhatnagar

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that the first five years of life are critical for building the foundation for children’s success throughout their schooling and life. Throughout these first years of life there are a number of essential windows of opportunity during which certain kinds of stimuli are needed to help the brain develop and maintain critical connections necessary for learning. This project is a unification of a Child Development Center and a therapeutic center. This center includes children who suffer from bereavement; a broken home, death of a parent or child abuse. These children are provided with therapy by a specialist, and …

Drift Tube Ion Mobility Measurements For Thermochemistry, Kinetics And Polymerization Of Cluster Ions, Ridha Ben Mohsen Mabrouki

Theses and Dissertations

In this work, the Drift Tube Ion Mobility technique is used to study the hydrophobic hydration and solvation of organic ions and measure the thermochemistry and kinetics of ion-molecule reactions. Furthermore, an exploratory study of the intracluster polymerization of isoprene will be presented and discussed. The ion hydration study is focused on the C3H3+ cation1 and Pyridine▪+ radical cation.2 The chemistry of the cyclic C3H3+ cation1 has received considerable attention and continues to be an active area of research.3-7 The binding energies of the first 5 H2O molecules to c-C3H3+ were determined by equilibrium measurements. The measured binding energies of …

The Influence Of Adenoviral Infection And The Group Via Calcium-Independent Phospholipase A2 On Hepatic Lipid Metabolism, William Palmer Wilkins Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBP) are transcription factors that regulate genes involved in lipid metabolism especially in the liver. Therefore, hepatic SREBP is significant regulator of systemic lipid metabolism. Evidence demonstrates that insulin and dietary unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) regulate SREBP1 expression and subsequent SREBP1-mediated gene transcription, events that in many instances result in modulation of systemic fatty acid and triglyceride (TG) homeostasis. A series of investigations was designed to uncover novel regulators of SREBP1. Dietary and exogenous addition of UFA has been shown to regulate SREBP function yet, an endogenous source of UFA capable of modulating SREBP remains elusive. …

Design Synthesis And Evaluation Of Diterpenones As Potent Chemopreventive Agents For Aflatoxin B1 Induced Carcinogenesis In Human Liver Cells, Miguel Angel Zuniga

Theses and Dissertations

DESIGN, SYNTHESIS, AND EVALUATION OF DITERPENONES AS POTENT CHEMOPREVENTIVE AGENTS FOR AFB1 INDUCED CARCINOGENISIS IN HUMAN LIVER CELLS By Miguel A. Zuniga, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Major Director: Qibing Zhou, Ph.D Assistant Professor Department of Chemistry Terpene quinone methides (TPQMs) have been isolated from a variety of plants and show broad activities against bacteria, fungi, and cancerous cell lines. The biological activity has been attributed to the reactive electrophilic QM moiety, this structural feature has long been recognized as an intermediate in organic …

Seeding The Universe With Life: Securing Our Cosmological Future, Michael Noah Mautner

Chemistry Publications

Life is unique in Nature, and for us, it is precious. Life is unique in its complex patterns, and in its purposeful self-continuation. We belong to life and share its drive for self-propagation. Belonging to life then implies a human purpose to secure, expand and propagate our family of gene/protein life.

This purpose is best achieved in space, where life has an immense future. We can start now to secure this future, by seeding with life new solar systems. New species can develop there into intelligent beings who will further expand life in the galaxy. Filling the universe with life …

Vcu News (2001-11-07)

VCU News, 2001-2002

VCU Today, the University’s first official administrative organ, began as a somewhat irregular monthly publication but moved to a bi-weekly newspaper format in the 1980s. The newspaper changed its name to VCU Voice in 1988 and ten years later it appeared under the title UniverCity News. As it neared the end of its run as a physical newspaper, the publication became simply VCU News. These four publications were essentially the same periodical published under different titles by the Office of University Relations. VCU News appeared online for the first time in 2002.

Commonwealth Times 2001-03-26

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Vcu Voice (1995-07-17)

VCU Voice, 1988-1998

VCU Today, the University’s first official administrative organ, began as a somewhat irregular monthly publication but moved to a bi-weekly newspaper format in the 1980s. The newspaper changed its name to VCU Voice in 1988 and ten years later it appeared under the title UniverCity News. As it neared the end of its run as a physical newspaper, the publication became simply VCU News. These four publications were essentially the same periodical published under different titles by the Office of University Relations. VCU News appeared online for the first time in 2002.

Mcv/Q, Medical College Of Virginia Quarterly, Vol. 10 No. 1

MCV/Q, Medical College of Virginia Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Modern Immunology: Cells And Molecules, Franklin Mullinax

MCV/Q, Medical College of Virginia Quarterly

In this presentation I shall discuss 1) some historical highlights n the field of immunology; 2) the molecules of immunity, particularly the immunoglobulins; and 3) the cells of immunity, particularly the immunocytes. This presentation may provide a background for subsequent articles.