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Analysis Of The Nucleotide Sequence Of The Guinea Pig Cytomegalovirus (Gpcmv) Genome, Mark R. Schleiss, Alistair Mcgregor, K Yeon Choi, Shailesh V. Date, Xiaohong Cui, Michael Mcvoy

Pediatrics Publications

In this report we describe the genomic sequence of guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV) assembled from a tissue culture-derived bacterial artificial chromosome clone, plasmid clones of viral restriction fragments, and direct PCR sequencing of viral DNA. The GPCMV genome is 232,678 bp, excluding the terminal repeats, and has a GC content of 55%. A total of 105 open reading frames (ORFs) of > 100 amino acids with sequence and/or positional homology to other CMV ORFs were annotated. Positional and sequence homologs of human cytomegalovirus open reading frames UL23 through UL122 were identified. Homology with other cytomegaloviruses was most prominent in the central …

Gap Junction Coupling And Calcium Waves In The Pancreatic Islet, Richard K.P. Benninger, Min Zhang, W. Steven Head, Leslie S. Satin, David W. Piston

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Abstract

The pancreatic islet is a highly coupled, multicellular system that exhibits complex spatiotemporal electrical activity in response to elevated glucose levels. The emergent properties of islets, which differ from those arising in isolated islet cells, are believed to arise in part by gap junctional coupling, but the mechanisms through which this coupling occurs are poorly understood. To uncover these mechanisms, we have used both high-speed imaging and theoretical modeling of the electrical activity in pancreatic islets under a reduction in the gap junction mediated electrical coupling. Utilizing islets from a gap junction protein connexin 36 knockout mouse model together …

Treatment Of Chronically Depressed Patients: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial Testing The Effectiveness Of 'Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System Of Psychotherapy' (Cbasp) For Chronic Depressions Versus Usual Secondary Care, Jenneke E. Wiersma, Digna Jf. Van Schaik, Patricia Van Oppen, James P. Mccullough, Robert A. Schoevers, Jack J. Dekker, Marc Bj. Blom, Kristel Maas, Johannes H. Smit, Brenda Wjh. Penninx, Aartjan Tf. Beekman

Psychology Publications

Background

'Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy' (CBASP) is a form of psychotherapy specifically developed for patients with chronic depression. In a study in the U.S., remarkable favorable effects of CBASP have been demonstrated. However, no other studies have as yet replicated these findings and CBASP has not been tested outside the United States. This protocol describes a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of CBASP in the Netherlands.

Methods/Design

The purpose of the present paper is to report the study protocol of a multisite randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of 'Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy' (CBASP) for …

Shortest-Path Network Analysis Is A Useful Approach Toward Identifying Genetic Determinants Of Longevity, J. R. Managbanag, Tarynn M. Witten, Danail Bonchev, Lindsay A. Fox, Mitsuhiro Tsuchiya, Brian K. Kennedy, Matt Kaeberlein

Study of Biological Complexity Publications

Background

Identification of genes that modulate longevity is a major focus of aging-related research and an area of intense public interest. In addition to facilitating an improved understanding of the basic mechanisms of aging, such genes represent potential targets for therapeutic intervention in multiple age-associated diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. To date, however, targeted efforts at identifying longevity-associated genes have been limited by a lack of predictive power, and useful algorithms for candidate gene-identification have also been lacking.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We have utilized a shortest-path network analysis to identify novel genes that modulate longevity in Saccharomyces …

An Integrative Genomic And Epigenomic Approach For The Study Of Transcriptional Regulation, Maria E. Figueroa, Mark A. Reimers, Reid F. Thompson, Kenny Ye, Yushan Li, Rebecca R. Selzer, Jakob Fridriksson, Elisabeth Paietta, Peter Wiemik, Ronald D. Green, John M. Greally, Ari Melnick

Biostatistics Publications

The molecular heterogeneity of acute leukemias and other tumors constitutes a major obstacle towards understanding disease pathogenesis and developing new targeted-therapies. Aberrant gene regulation is a hallmark of cancer and plays a central role in determining tumor phenotype. We predicted that integration of different genome-wide epigenetic regulatory marks along with gene expression levels would provide greater power in capturing biological differences between leukemia subtypes. Gene expression, cytosine methylation and histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) acetylation were measured using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays in primary human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) specimens. We found that DNA methylation and …

The Tastes From Portugal: Food As Remembrance In Portuguese American Literature, Reinaldo Silva

Ethnic Studies Review

Contemporary Portuguese American literature written by Thomas Braga (1943-), Frank Gaspar (1946-), and Katherine Vaz (1955-) share a profusion of topics - with ethnic food being, perhaps, the most representative one. What these writers have in common is that their roots can be traced to Portugal's Atlantic islands - the Azores - and not to continental Portugal. They are native Americans and write in English, though their characters and themes are Portuguese American. Some of them lived close to the former New England whaling and fishing centers of New Bedford and Nantucket, which Herman Melville has immortalized in Moby-Dick and …

(In) Visible Fissures And The "Multicultural American: Interrupting Race, Ethnicity, And Imperialism Through Tv's Survivor, Sarah Hentges

Ethnic Studies Review

One of the longest running reality TV shows, with 15 seasons as of 2007, Survivor is an important text for considerations of race and ethnicity, legacies of imperialism, and the idea of the "multicultural" America. Survivor provides an evolving adventure narrative -one that relies upon the legacies of the past, like colonialism and imperialism, as well as the myths of the present and future, like tourism as a means of survival in a globalized economy. As these imperial contexts are adapted Survivor provides moments for (mostly white or white-identified) privileged, "multicultural" first-world Americans to participate in neo-colonial cultural and economic …

The 1% Campaign, The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute At Virginia Commonwealth University, Jihad Aziz, Blair Brown, Kimberly Jacobs, Debra Lyon, Carolyn Norman, Mark Schaefermeyer, Sandra Wilberger

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute Publications

The purpose of The1% Campaign is to raise scholarship funds for first year VCU students who are dependents of VCU/VCUHS employees. Honoring Dr. Grace E. Harris, this fund will eventually provide tuition and fees for new students for need-based and/or merit-based scholarships. The ultimate goal of The 1% Campaign is to entirely fund one percent of the entering first year class which is approximately thirty to thirty-five students. The recipients will be named Grace E. Harris Scholars.

"Spotlight On Earth Science" Symposium: An Overview, E. Pyle

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

On September 18-19, 2006, James Madison University (JMU) hosted a one and half day symposium entitled, “Spotlight on Earth Science,” highlighting current resources and technology available for earth science teachers, and invited teachers to share effective practices learned in their program coursework through the two Mathematics and Science Partnerships (MSP) funded by the Virginia Department of Education. The symposium supported a pooling of expertise among participants to initiate the definition and resolution of the persistent issues in earth science education in Virginia. A total of ninety-six teachers, university faculty, curriculum supervisors, policymakers, and business/government/industrial representatives participated. Three themes were addressed: …

Kinda Just Like Google: Presence And Variety Of Search Options On Library Homepages, Jimmy Ghaphery, Susan Teague Rector, Sam Byrd

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

In order to take the temperature of the academic library community with regard to external search boxes, the authors visited 111 academic ARL Library web sites on October 9th, 2007. In visiting each homepage, a record was kept detailing the presence and type of search boxes appearing at the top level. The resulting data paints an interesting portrait of diverse approaches, congruencies, and innovation. Globally this measure strikes to the core of current technological challenges with library search and web site design.

Are We Happy Yet?: Re-Evaluating The Evaluation Of Indigenous Community Development, Kerin Gould

Ethnic Studies Review

As I was working on research into Indigenous community development, I wanted to get an overview of how things are going - are projects improving well-being? What is working and what isn't? I found I couldn't get a clear multi-dimensional picture. So I had to wonder, about evaluation criteria and what the alternatives were. How can we, as academics and researchers and allies, make sense of the available information in such a way that our work is meaningful to the Indigenous communities we work with?

Civic Habits: A Predictive Model Of Volunteer Behavior, Susan G. White

Theses and Dissertations

The findings of this research indicate that volunteering is influenced by a number of factors, one of which is gender. The data used in this study reveal a different profile of the volunteer than is presented in much of the research on volunteering, which tends to profile the "most likely" volunteer as female, employed by the public sector, possessing a higher education and having children. The questions addressed in this research are: 1) What are the contextual effects of volunteering and 2) Is there a relationship of one or more of these effects to gender? The findings indicate men in …

Fluoride Varnish Use Among Dentists In Virginia, Amanda Bowen Kuhn

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to asses fluoride varnish use by dental practitioners in Virginia. Methods: Using a cross sectional survey design, all dentists in Virginia who are members of the Virginia Dental Association (VDA) were sent an online survey about usage and knowledge of fluoride varnish. Results: The majority of the respondents were general dentists (79%) followed by pediatric dentists (12%). Fluoride varnish use increased with year of graduation from dental school. Dentists who thought fluoride varnish was more effective and less time consuming use it more than other topical fluorides. Dentists who thought their patients prefer …

Early Intervention, Research And Therapy Center For Children With Autism, Nicole Marie Caccavo

Theses and Dissertations

This book documents a design study and creative project undertaken toward the fulfillment of a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Environments at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. This book documents a year long accumulation of study and research done toward the development of an early intervention, therapy and research center for children with autism. This creative project demonstrates how an environment can be a catalyst for social interaction, way finding, therapy, and intervention. The goal was to design a space that would be multi-functional and also benefit the surrounding community. This design study will explain how colors …

Frontal Plane Pelvic Drop In Runners: Causes And Clinical Implications, Evie Neff Burnet

Theses and Dissertations

Running is becoming an increasingly popular sport; however, runners have a high rate of injury and are therefore often treated in the orthopedic or sports medicine setting. One current focus of these patients' treatment is gluteus medius muscle (GM) strengthening and gait retraining, with the goal of decreasing frontal plane pelvic drop. Unfortunately, there is a research void assessing the role of GM function on pelvic drop, and the effect of an increased pelvic drop on running performance. The specific aims of this research were to investigate a link between frontal plane pelvic drop and (1) isometric GM torque, (2) …

A Comparison Of Five Radiographic Systems To D-Speed Film In The Detection Of Artificial Bone Lesions, David Lloyd Hadley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare three direct digital sensors (Kodak 6100, Schick CDR, and Dexis PerfectSize), a phosphor plate system (OpTime), and F-speed film to standard D-speed film in the detection of artificial bone lesions prepared in mandible bone sections. Multiple artificial bone lesions were prepared at varying depths in the cortical bone. Specimens were imaged with six different radiographic systems. Radiographs were randomly presented to nine different observers. A logistic regression analysis indicated that the ability of the different radiographic systems to detect the bone lesions was significantly different at the mean percentage of cortical bone …

Orthodontic Bracket Bond Strength Using Self-Etching Primer With Or Without Pumice Or Acid Etch Pretreatment, Ana Paula Decastro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets to enamel in four bonding protocols: SEP without prior pumicing (None), Pre-etch and SEP without prior pumicing (Pre-etch), control: SEP with prior pumicing (Pumice), and Pre-etch and SEP with prior pumicing (Both). 80 extracted bovine incisors were randomly divided into 4 groups of 20, and brackets were bonded under the different experimental conditions. Debonding force was measured with an Instron universal testing machine. A two-way ANOVA comparing the four groups indicated that there was a significant difference in debonding force (P = 0.001). The SEP …

Informal Caregivers Of Advanced Cancer Patients: The Impact Of Geographic Proximity On Social Support And Bereavement Adjustment, John Garland Cagle

Theses and Dissertations

This research explored the social and psychological needs of caregivers of advanced cancer patients, and their subsequent bereavement adjustment. The study focuses exclusively on informal caregivers who provide assistance to patients receiving hospice care for end-stage cancer. Those individuals living furthest from the dying care recipient, the long distance caregivers, were of particular interest. This study used a prospective design to explore how a caregiver's geographic proximity impacted their social support and bereavement adjustment. A 2 x 3 repeated measures design was used to gather data from caregivers before a patient's death (using a pre-death questionnaire) as well as after …

The Possibilities Of Sort Of, Jesse Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Simultaneity and conflict are incessant qualities one is confronted with when looking at things. Shifting from familiar to foreign, from present to implied. There seems to be a tendency, if not necessity to embrace this multiplicity. Using the film theory construct of extra-diegetic and relative qualifier 'sort of' to investigate Pulp Fiction, Bose Wave CD player, Sunset Boulevard, American Apparel, and The Uncanny.

Faith-Based Organizations And Legislative Advocacy: A Qualitative Inquiry, M. Lori Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Since the early 1990s, religion and matters of faith and spirituality have become a focal point in numerous arenas beyond the individual and traditionally sacred. With President George W. Bush's White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives of 2001, the Charitable Choice provision of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act that preceded it in 1996, and the myriad of legal challenges that followed, matters of religion have become paramount in political discourse regarding social welfare. The viability of faith-based social service provision and the organizations providing the direct services have been the focus of speculation, debate, and …

Locavore Exploring The Sustainable Table: A Restaurant In Tobacco Row, Kathryn Mia Oliver

Theses and Dissertations

Locavore is a restaurant centered around the principles of sustainable agriculture: foodthat is organically, humanely, and sustainably raised from farms and cooperatives nofurther than 150 miles from Richmond - thus the "local" in Locavore. Like all restaurants,certain programmatic requirements were standard such as providing places to store,prepare, and eat the food, and restrooms. Yet the design of the space also helps answerthe following questions: How does sustainable differ from organic? Is local necessarily better than foreign? How does a restaurant embody community?

Numerical Analysis Of Respiratory Aerosol Deposition: Effects Of Exhalation, Airway Constriction And Electrostatic Charge, Samir C. Vinchurkar

Theses and Dissertations

The dynamics of particle laden flows are integral to the analysis of toxic particle deposition and medical respiratory aerosol delivery. Computational fluid-particle dynamics (CFPD) can play a critical role in developing a better understanding of particle laden flows, especially in a number of under-explored areas. The applications considered in this study include both the numerical aspects and the physical phenomena of respiratory aerosol transport. Objective I: Considering the effects of mesh type and grid convergence, four commonly implemented mesh styles were applied to a double bifurcation respiratory geometry and tested for flow patterns and aerosol deposition. Results indicated that the …

Self-Appraisals, Perfectionism, And Academics In College Undergraduates, David Edward Canter

Theses and Dissertations

The influences on perfectionism and procrastination of race, gender, cognitive-affective and academic self-appraisals, and academic performance expectations were studied. The sample consisted of 155 Introductory Psychology students (57 African Americans, 41 Asian Americans, and 57 European Americans; 51.6% women) with a mean age of 19.4 years (SD = 3.6). Data were collected during the final week of the Fall 2007 semester. Consistent with previous research indicating that men are more likely to procrastinate than women, men were over-represented in this sample. Self-esteem, measured with the Rosenberg (1965) Self-Esteem Scale, was conceptualized as having two components: self-liking and self-competence (Tafarodi & …

Green Beans - The Neighborhood Co-Op, Cooking, And Nutritional Living Center, Amee Ricketts

Theses and Dissertations

Taking the time to learn how to eat healthfully and prepare nutritious meals has become a problem in today's modern living. 66 percent of American adults are overweight and 19 percent of American children are overweight1. Constrained by the demands of work, raising families, and other daily commitments leaves little time for taking care of one's nutritional needs in a simple, healthy, and efficient manner. This thesis strives to achieve a well designed neighborhood center that warmly invites customers to learn about the importance of nutrition and the effects our food choices have on our overall health, how to shop …

Education For All: The Freedmen's Bureau Schools In Richmond And Petersburg, 1865 - 1870, Scott Britton Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the development of Freedmen's Bureau schools in Central Virginia at the end of the Civil War. Under the watchful eye of Ralza Manly, Superintendent of the Virginia Freedmen's Bureau education division, establishing schools for freed slaves faced innumerable challenges ranging from inadequate financial resources to hostile southern whites who opposed northern intervention into local affairs. Nevertheless, northern benevolent societies and hundreds of altruistic, yet paternalistic, educational missionaries converged on Richmond and Petersburg determined that education was essential if blacks were to achieve true freedom and become self-reliant and independent. While the Bureau devoted much of its energy …

Exploring The Experience Of Benefit Finding In Parents Of Children With Cancer: A Grounded Theory Study, Carol E. Zogran

Theses and Dissertations

The diagnosis of cancer in a child is one of the most significant stressors a parent can experience, and research in the area of stress-related effects of illness on parents has emerged in many areas. The majority of studies have focused on the potential or actual negative impact on parents during and after treatment of their child's illness. However, studies that initially set out to explore the difficulties associated with coping with childhood cancer found that parents often reported positive aspects about the experience. There is now increasing interest and support for the study of "positive-health" factors that contribute to …

A Science & Mathematics Magnet School At Maymont, Sarah Shamus Nakfoor

Theses and Dissertations

I am interested in the idea that schools should be designed to offer individualized learning."A Science & Mathematics Magnet School at Maymont" explores a type of school that is becoming more familiar and accessible. By allowing students who have an interest in excelling in school and preparing for their future careers to come together and meet one another and experience aneducation that might not otherwise be available can be beneficial in many ways. In most cases, because of the funding required for such specialized schools, class sizes are reduced to meet budgets and the schools are opened to the community …

Examining Student Engagement And Its Influence In A Social Contextual Model Of Adolescent Health Behavior Change, Ian Joseph Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Current theoretical models of health behavior change frequently serve as the theoretical backdrop to adolescent health promotion programs. Yet, despite that each main theory was developed with adults and for adults, appropriate and necessary changes for adolescents are often neglected. The unique values, priorities, and abilities of adolescents are important and therefore necessary to consider during health promotion efforts. The present study explored student engagement, a unique adolescent need that has been shown to facilitate achievement in academic environments. Evidence from the psychological and educational literatures suggests that engagement may uniquely influence the process of health behavior change for adolescents. …

Quantifiying The Depth Of Oral Sedation Using Bispectral Index Monitoring, John Flowers

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine whether Bispectral Index Monitoring is an effective tool for quantifying sedation depth after the administration of oral drug regimens in children.Methods: This retrospective study reviewed the charts of 75 children who received oral conscious sedation for dental treatment. Data collected from the chart included; 1) BIS values at 5 minute intervals and at five critical events: pre-operative, local anesthesia delivery, rubber dam placement (if utilized), during operative treatment, and postoperatively, 2) behavior ratings at the five critical events and an overall behavior assessment, 3) treatment data, and 4) demographic data. Results: The mean BIS value for orally …

Treatment Outcomes And Retention In Medicaid And Non-Medicaid Orthodontic Patients, Ashkan Ghaffari

Theses and Dissertations

Medicaid orthodontic patients have been shown to miss more appointments and break more appliances than self-pay patients, indicating a greater tendency toward non-compliance. Lack of compliance during the post-treatment phase can be detrimental to retention. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in PAR score changes between Medicaid and non-Medicaid patients during and after orthodontic treatment. PAR scores were determined using study models of 43 Medicaid and 39 non-Medicaid patients before and at the end of active treatment, and 24 Medicaid and 42 non-Medicaid patients at the end of treatment and at an average …