Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing Chemosensitivity Of Lung Cancers By Manipulating The Tumor Microenvironment: Local Lung Delivery And Nanocarrier-Based Therapies, Hanming Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in United States causing an estimated six hundred thousand death in 2019. Among different types of cancer, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in both male and female. While targeted therapy and immunotherapy have shown promising clinical outcomes, currently there remain a significant proportion of patients who do not benefit from these strategies or who cannot tolerate them, making Pt based doublet chemotherapy still an indispensable component in almost all stages of treatment. However, partially due to the poor tumor distribution of small molecule drug, the development of …

Detection Of Bacterial Lipopolysaccharides Of Escherichia Coli By Direct Analysis In Real Time/Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry, Dakotah M. Biller

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are a major component of the outer membrane in Gram-negative bacteria species and are responsible for toxicity caused by organisms such as Escherichia coli (E.coli). Conventional methods for characterizing LPS utilize mass spectrometry, particularly matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Although these are successful in analyzing intact LPS molecules, they can be time-consuming. Other mass spectrometry techniques, such as direct analysis in real time/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DART-TOF-MS) could also be helpful in the rapid analysis of LPS molecules without sample extraction procedures. This research focuses on the application …

The Utilization Of Eukaryotic Cell Types In Microbiomes For Semen, Vaginal Fluid, And Menstrual Blood Identification Using 18s Rdna, Ines Benaissa

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

The accurate identification of body fluids is vital for crime scene investigation and forensic analysis. While many body fluids can be presumptively identified, there is a lack of confirmatory testing for verification. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if body fluids (menstrual blood, vaginal fluid, and semen) could be differentiated based on their eukaryotic microbial communities. The target area of interest was the V9 hyper-variable region of 18S ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA). The samples were extracted, barcoded using a duel-index strategy, and PCR amplified before undergoing high throughput sequencing using the Illumina Miseq FGx instrument. The samples …

The Utilization Of Sex Hormone Antibodies For Screening And Separation Of Trace Biological Mixtures, Kristin N. Jones

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Touch or trace evidence consists of epidermal cells deposited by contact with items such as handled objects, touched surfaces, or worn clothes. This type of evidence has surpassed most other sample types submitted to forensic labs and typically consists of low quantities of DNA and multiple contributors. In this study epithelial skin cells, i.e., “touch/trace evidence,” were used as they are estimated to constitute approximately half of the casework evidence items submitted for DNA analysis. For the optimization of antibody staining, male and female skin epithelial samples from donors were incubated and hybridized with antibodies of various concentrations of Alexa …

Development Of An Untargeted Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Gc/Ms) Method For The Detection Of Drugs In Wastewater, Samuel A. Miller

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Monitoring current illicit drug trends and consumption rates of pharmaceuticals using a non-invasive collection technique is needed to address the present drug use and the growing drug epidemic. Reliance on self-reporting drug use surveys is not always a practical measure of illicit drug use. Wastewater analysis has been used globally as a targeted method for monitoring the consumption of specific illicit drugs. Current existing analytical techniques for wastewater analysis focus on the use of targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based techniques. Few gas chromatography (GC) procedures exist for wastewater analysis, and those that do concentrate their methods on a single …

Prediction Of Minimum Postmortem Submersion Interval (Pmsimin) Based On Eukaryotic Community Succession On Skeletal Remains Recovered From Aquatic Environments, Sala Randall

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Many recent studies were conducted concerning bacterial succession in decomposing animal carrion in terrestrial system. However, not much is known about the microorganisms involved in aquatic decomposition. To the best of our knowledge, there are currently no published studies which estimate minimum postmortem submersion interval PMSI_min based on eukaryotic community succession in aquatic system. The main goal of this study was to determine the eukaryotic community succession associated with porcine skeletal remains in a lentic environment, and to derive a statistical model for PMSI_min prediction. Henleys Lake in Crozet, VA was the location chosen for this research. Fresh …

Development Of A Quantitative Pcr (Qpcr) Based Method For Studying Temporal Dna Degradation In Waterlogged Bone, Isis Thornton

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Human activities are often centered around the presence of water, thus it is not surprising that there are many water-related human deaths. Accumulated degree days (ADD), and other aquatic variables may affect DNA retrieval from waterlogged bone. Calcium and collagen in bone can inhibit the PCR necessary to produce an STR profile; the current solution is a time-consuming organic extraction. While there are examples of research on DNA degradation in terrestrial bone over time, there has been little work done on submerged bone samples and they are usually limited to case studies. The major aim of this study was to …

Expanded Testing Of An Integrated Qpcr Mixture Screening Assay Using High Resolution Melt Curve Analysis And Support Vector Machine Modeling, Andrea L. Williams

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

In the conventional forensic DNA workflow, the number of contributors in a sample is unknown until the final step of STR analysis. We propose a high-resolution melt curve (HRM) mixture screening assay, which uses support vector machine (SVM) modeling of melt morphologies of D5S818 and D18S51 amplicons integrated into a common qPCR-based human DNA quantification kit, to differentiate between single-source samples (and their genotypes) and mixtures at an earlier stage in the DNA workflow (quantification). Previously, using data generated from whole melt curves, 87.5% of single-source samples and 100% of 1:1 mixture samples (2 contributors) classified accurately.

In this study, …

Impact Of Student’S Gender And Perceived Skin Tone On Educators’ Disciplinary Decisions, Kierstyn K. Johnson-Wigfall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this proposed dissertation is to examine the relationship of students’ skin color and gender to school disciplinary decisions for African American children. While skin tone bias or colorism is frequently studied, limited research has been completed about its prevalence in American public schools during the discipline process. For example, school suspension leads to higher rates of absenteeism, lower academic achievement and higher chances of incarceration. Even students who receive an office referral and return to c lass minutes later miss pertinent instruction time. This study aims to: 1) add to the body of literature about this topic, …

Structured Engagement For A Multi-Institutional Collaborative To Tackle Challenges And Share Best Practices, Rosalyn H. Hargraves, Stella K. Hofrenning, Janet Bowers, Mary D.R. Beisiegel, Victor Piercey, Erica Slate Young

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

A National Consortium for Synergistic Undergraduate Mathematics via Multi-institutional Interdisciplinary Teaching Partnerships (SUMMIT-P), funded by the National Science Foundation, is a multi-institutional consortium with members from twelve institutions. The consortium adapted two protocols developed by the School Reform Initiative to: 1. provide advice on challenges or dilemmas a consortium member is facing and 2. share project successes with consortium members. The two protocols—a Modified Descriptive Consultancy protocol and a Modified Success Analysis with Reflective Questions protocol—provide a structured format for these discussions. This paper provides an in-depth description of the two protocols and how they have been used for this …

The Process And A Pitfall In Developing Biology And Chemistry Problems For Mathematics Courses, Mary Beisiegel, Lori Kayes, Devon Quick, Richard Nafshun, Michael Lopez, Steve Dobrioglo, Michael Dickens

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

In this paper, we describe our process for developing applied problems from biology and chemistry for use in a differential calculus course. We describe our conversations and curricular analyses that led us to change from our initial focus on college algebra to calculus. We provide results that allowed us to see the overlaps between biology and mathematics and chemistry and mathematics and led to a specific focus on problems related to rates of change. Finally, we investigate the problems that were developed by the partner disciplines for use on recitation activities in calculus and how those problems were modified by …

Full Issue

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

Increasing Doctoral Student Completion Rates Within The College Of Humanities And Sciences At Virginia Commonwealth University, Victoria A. Keel, Michaela R. Bearden

Doctor of Education Capstones

Research on doctoral education primarily focuses on broad fields of study and general attrition. Often overlooked, is an examination of the student at each stage of their program and the challenges they face that can potentially lead to stopping out. This capstone project explored the doctoral student experience within the Department of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University. A mixed method study via an online survey was utilized to gather data about the student experience on their path towards candidacy. Quantitative and qualitative data was analyzed through Chi-square tests and thematic coding to identify answers to each research question. …

Work Hope And Work Volition: Exploring The Influence Of Community College Students’ Rurality And Socioeconomic Status, Jesse A. Wingate

Theses and Dissertations

Data from a sample of community college students (N = 478) in Virginia were used to examine relations among rurality, socioeconomic status, work hope, and work volition. Socioeconomic status, work hope, and work volition were positively associated. However, rurality, measured both as a continuous and categorical variable, was not correlated with work hope or work volition. Additional analyses showed convergence between measures of work hope and work volition confirming construct similarity. Results, limitations, implications, and recommendations for future study are included.

Preventative And Therapeutic Effects Of Bmsc Exosome On Periodontal Disease, Jin Ha Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease caused by the imbalance between host immune response and bacterial infection. Strategies to manage the uncontrolled, excessive immune response and to promote tissue healing are in great demand. Therapies based on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising and the clinical effects of MSCs are largely mediated by their secretome, especially exosomes. Previously, we isolated and purified exosomes secreted by human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSC). These exosomes have proliferative, chemotactic, anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoclastic function in vitro. In this study, we had two hypotheses: 1) hBMSC exosomes would prevent periodontal inflammation and alveolar bone loss …

Centering Social Equity In The Climate Action Planning Process: Lessons For Richmond, Virginia, Melissa M. Marquette

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The client of this plan is the City of Richmond's Office of Sustainability. The purpose is to assist RVAgreen 2050's in its equity-centered climate action planning and to reach the City of Richmond's frontline communities (those impacted first and worst to climate impacts of intense heat, low-lying flooding, and severe storm events). The method and approach include the content analysis of ten cities' climate action, sustainability, or resiliency plans. It makes suggestions of best practices and recommendations for the City of Richmond to reach those historically left out of the planning process and to shift power from the local government …

Photolithographic Micropatterning Of Organic, Flexible Biomaterials And Its Applications, Sayantan Pradhan, Sayantan Pradhan, Meng Xu, Vamsi K. Yadavalli

Graduate Research Posters

A current trend in biodevices has involved a shift from traditional rigid platforms to flexible and stretchable formats. These flexible devices are expected to have a significant impact on future healthcare, disease diagnostics and therapeutics. However, the fabrication of such flexible devices has been limited by the choice of materials. Biomimetic composites of naturally derived and synthetic polymers provide exciting opportunities to develop mechanically flexible, physiologically compliant, and degradable bioelectronic systems. Advantages include the ability to provide conformal contact at non-planar biointerfaces, being able to be degraded at controllable rate, and invoking minimal reactions within the body. These factors present …

Dyrk1a And The Cell Cycle, Holly Byers, Larisa Litovchick, Md, Phd

Graduate Research Posters

The ability to halt the cell cycle is critical for cells to maintain tissue and organ size, to suppress tumors and abnormal growth, and exists as a helpful mechanism to pause the cell cycle for DNA repair. DYRK1A is (dual specificity tyrosine-(Y)-phosphorylation regulated kinase 1A) a human gene found on the long (q) arm of chromosome 21, which is known to be involved with nervous system development, cell growth and division, and neuronal differentiation. In glioblastoma cells grown in vitro (T98G cell line), there are three copies of DYRK1A, which have dosage- dependent effects on the cell, including association with …

Is Helping Really Helping? Health-Related Quality Of Life After Tbi Predicting Caregiver Depression Longitudinally In Latin America, Chimdindu Ohayagha, Paul B. Perrin, Mickeal Pugh Jr., Yaneth Rodriguez, Silvia Olivera, Maria Cristina Quijano, Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla

Graduate Research Posters

Objective: Studies have shown that functional and psychosocial sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI) predict emotional well-being of caregivers (Harris, 2000). Previous research examining the mental health of caregivers and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people with TBI have primarily been in the US (Sander, 2012). Very little research has been conducted to uncover the unique relationships between HRQoL of people with TBI and caregiver mental health longitudinally, or in low-middle income Latin American countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate how HRQoL after TBI predict caregiver depression longitudinally in two countries and three data collection …

A Pre-Transplant Blood-Based Lipid Signature For Prediction Of Antibody-Mediated Rejection In Kidney Transplant Patients, Monther Al Sultan, Daniel Contaifer Jr., Joshua Morriss, Suad Alshammari, Jeffrey Stern, Sindhura Bobba, Pamela Kimball, Anne King, Dhiren Kumar, Marlon Levy, Gaurav Gupta, Dayanjan Wijesinghe

Graduate Research Posters

Purpose. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the potential of the pre-transplant lipidome to predict post-transplant antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in kidney transplant patients.

Methods. Patients were selected from a prospective observational cohort of a single-center adult kidney transplant center in the United States. The study included 16 kidney transplant patients who develop AMR within 2 years post-transplant and 29 stable control (SC) kidney transplant patients who did not develop AMR at any time within the post-transplant follow up. Selection of group differences on the day of transplant was determined by t-test analysis. Stepwise forward method was used to …

Molecular Predictors Of Anakinra Treatment Success In Heart Failure Patients With Reduced Ejection Fraction, Joshua Morriss, Daniel Contaifer Jr, Leo F. Buckley, George Wohlford, Monther Alsultan, Suad Alshammari, Asanga D. Ranasinghe, Salvatore Carbone, Justin M. Canada, Cory Trankle, Elvin T. Price, Antonio Abbate, Benjamin W. Van Tassell, Dayanjan S. Wijesinghe

Graduate Research Posters

Background. Kineret (Anakinra) is an interleukin-1 antagonist that is under investigation for its novel clinical application treating patients that have heart failure with reduced (<50%) ejection fraction (HFrEF). A prior study from our group indicated that Anakinra may restore heart function by addressing dysregulations in HFrEF metabolic pathways. Herein, we attempt to elicit Anakinra’s effects on both metabolome and lipidome.

Methods. Lipids and metabolites that had previously been quantified by mass spectrometry (MS) from patients (n=49) who had ≥2 mg/L of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were mTIC normalized and transformed. We conducted a stepwise Linear Discriminant Analysis (r- LDA) to test Anakinra (2 and 12 weeks) vs placebo for separation from combined baseline. Metabolic pathway analysis was performed with Fisher’s exact test algorithm for detection of over-represented and enriched analytes. Univariate analysis (one tailed t-test …

Application Of Optical Trapping To Obtain Single-Source Str Profiles From Forensically Relevant Body Fluid Mixtures With Modified Dna Analysis Workflow, Benjamin J. O'Brien

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Current methods of mixture separation in forensic DNA laboratories typically deconvolute the mixture after analysis using statistical analysis or probabilistic genotyping. To save time and effort of labs already backlogged, a method to separate mixtures on a cellular level before analysis needs to be developed. Optical trapping is a method that uses a focused 1064 nm laser to manipulate cells. Previous research has shown that approximately 50 spermatozoa or 15 leukocytes from a liquid sample are required to produce a full STR DNA profile. It was found that the number of spermatozoa required remains constant when the method of sample …

A Eukaryotic Signature Based Method For Identification Of Saliva, Feces, And Urine, Alyssa Daniels

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

The conception of the Human Microbiome Project advanced the understanding of microbial communities in the human body and previous research has established that unique microbial signatures can help distinguish each body fluid. While these signatures have been developed for the prokaryotic microbiome, the next step is the examination of the eukaryotic microbiome. Eukaryotic signatures could provide a greater specificity and statistical weight when discerning between body fluids. These microbial markers can be implemented to develop a confirmatory assay for body fluid identification that works in tandem with other DNA based methods in the forensic workflow. Using a VCU approved IRB …

Analysis Of Pellet Patterns And Gsr Produced From Judge Taurus Revolvers, Donald Poon

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

The Taurus Judge is a five-shot revolver designed to fire both 410 Bore shotshells and caliber 45 (Long) Colt cartridges. It is marketed as a self-defense firearm by Taurus. As of 2010, the Taurus Judge was “quickly becoming a popular personal defense firearm”.¹ Although it has become somewhat popular, the Taurus Judge and its various models have not had many distance determination studies completed and there is still a dearth of information on how these handguns compare with shotguns when looking at range of fire determinations. This study focused on: how barrel length affected pellet spread patterns produced by …

Validation Of The 4-Aminophenol Chemical Test And Analytical Testing Scheme To Distinguish Marijuana And Hemp, Kenna Lewis

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

With the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp, law enforcement agencies and forensic laboratories needed a more efficient testing scheme to differentiate marijuana and hemp Cannabis plants. The validation of the 4-aminophenol chemical test and the subsequent analytical scheme allows for this differentiation to be performed. The evaluation of eighteen different cannabinoids, including acids, demonstrated that compounds with structures similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produced a blue result and compounds with structures similar to cannabidiol (CBD) produced a pink result. Several titration curves with varying concentrations of cannabinoids indicated a pink result when the THC concentration was less …

Mass Grave Localization Prediction With Geographical Information Systems In Guatemala And Future Impacts, Perla Santillan

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Conducting physical searches for mass grave locations based on anecdotal evidence is a time consuming and resource intensive endeavor in circumstances that often pose a threat to personal safety. The development of tools and procedures to speed such searches can greatly reduce the risk involved, increase the number of individuals whose remains are recovered and identified; and, more importantly, reunite these remains with their loved ones to provide them with a proper burial. Geographic information systems (GIS) software, which can analyze and manipulate the spatial characteristics of known mass grave data, represents a powerful tool that can be used to …

Non-Destructive, Rapid Differentiation Of Cell Types Relevant To Sexual Assault Investigations Utilizing Morphological And Autofluorescence Signatures, Taylor R. Moldenhauer

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Current methods for confirming the presence of spermatozoa in sexual assault samples can be time-consuming and often lack sensitivity; however, this remains the most definitive test for the presence of semen. Additionally, male DNA can be deposited without the presence of intact sperm as may be the case with seminal fluid from vasectomized individuals or sexual activity where seminal fluid is not recovered (e.g., perpetrator wears a condom, penetration without ejaculation, etc.). The ability to detect bodily fluids, as well as quantify their presence in a sample, could aid in forensic DNA analysis by limiting the amount of time performing …

Eyesore, Laura Bender

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A chaplain bears witness to the cost of war.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Epigenetic Alterations At Synaptic Plasticity Genes In A Genetically Heterogeneous Rat Model Of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Doan M. On

Theses and Dissertations

Sensorimotor gating impairments are observed across a range of neuropsychiatric conditions. The prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response (PPI) is a validated measure of sensorimotor gating. Genetic and pharmacological manipulations in rodents have shown PPI is regulated by specific brain monoaminergic systems. Using genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rats, we stratified individuals by %PPI. In low PPI animals, we observed elevated mRNA levels of certain neurotransmitter receptors, including metabotropic glutamate receptor Grm2, dopamine receptors Drd1 and Drd2, serotonin receptors Htr1a and Htr2a, and scaffolding protein Homer1, in the frontal cortex (FC) and striatum (STR). We found Drd2 …

From Bedside To Bench: Use Of Patient-Derived Xenograft Models To Develop Novel Therapeutic Strategies For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Tia H. Turner

Theses and Dissertations

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a clinically aggressive disease that is associated with bleak outcomes due to its metastatic propensity, frequent failure to respond to chemotherapy, and lack of alternative treatment options. Despite decades of major translational research efforts, there has been very little success thus far in the development of effective targeted therapies for this disease. It is imperative to develop novel therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes, as well as minimize the toxicity associated with standard-of-care chemotherapeutics. Given that metastatic disease accounts for the vast majority of TNBC-related deaths, a better understanding of therapeutic responses within common sites …