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The Role Of Outcome Preferences In Optimizing Heterogenous Disease Control Strategies., Evan Milliken

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

[2018-05-11] Meeting Of The Academic And Health Affairs Policy Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

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

Commonwealth Times 2018-04-16

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2018-02-12

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Commonwealth Times 2018-02-05

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Kinetics And Inhibition Studies Of The L205r Mutant Of Camp-Dependent Protein Kinase Involved In Cushing’S Syndrome, Nicole M. Luzi, Charles E. Lyons, Darrell L. Peterson, Keith C. Ellis

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Overproduction of cortisol by the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal hormone system results in the clinical disorder known as Cushing's syndrome. Genomics studies have identified a key mutation (L205R) in the α‐isoform of the catalytic subunit of cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKACα) in adrenal adenomas of patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone‐independent Cushing's syndrome. Here, we conducted kinetics and inhibition studies on the L205R‐PKACα mutant. We have found that the L205R mutation affects the kinetics of both Kemptide and ATP as substrates, decreasing the catalytic efficiency (k_cat/K_M) for each substrate by 12‐fold and 4.5‐fold, respectively. We have also determined the IC …

Effect Of Tidal Cycling Rate On The Distribution And Abundance Of Nitrogen-Oxidizing Bacteria In A Bench-Scale Fill-And-Drain Bioreactor, Joseph M. Battistelli, Rima B. Franklin, Aaron L. Mills

Biology Publications

Most domestic wastewater can be effectively treated for secondary uses by engineered biological systems. These systems rely on microbial activity to reduce nitrogen (N) content of the reclaimed water. Such systems often employ a tidal-flow process to minimize space requirements for the coupling of aerobic and anaerobic metabolic processes. In this study, laboratory-scale tidal-flow treatment systems were studied to determine how the frequency and duration of tidal cycling may impact reactor performance. Fluorescent in situ hybridization and epifluorescence microscopy were used to enumerate the key functional groups of bacteria responsible for nitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), and N-removal efficiency …

Review: Do The Different Sensory Areas Within The Cat Anterior Ectosylvian Sulcal Cortex Collectively Represent A Network Multisensory Hub?, M. Alex Meredith, Mark T. Wallace, H. Ruth Clemo

Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications

Current theory supports that the numerous functional areas of the cerebral cortex are organized and function as a network. Using connectional databases and computational approaches, the cerebral network has been demonstrated to exhibit a hierarchical structure composed of areas, clusters and, ultimately, hubs. Hubs are highly connected, higher-order regions that also facilitate communication between different sensory modalities. One region computationally identified network hub is the visual area of the Anterior Ectosylvian Sulcal cortex (AESc) of the cat. The Anterior Ectosylvian Visual area (AEV) is but one component of the AESc that also includes the auditory (Field of the Anterior Ectosylvian …

Aloe Vera: A Multipurpose Healer And Bacterial Eradicator, Mary X. Tran, Leira N. Jimenez, Linda K. Blackburn

Dental Hygiene Student Scholarship

The Aloe vera plant is a succulent known for its rich content in vitamins and minerals, thus gaining popularity over the years in healthcare products. With advancements in alternative medicine, it has been recently found useful in dentistry due to properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial actions that contribute to wound healing. The purpose of this study was to examine and discover how Aloe vera can be used as an alternative therapy in the dental field. The PubMed, Google Scholar and Dentistry & Oral Sciences (DOSS) databases were utilized to find current scientific evidence on the effects of Aloe …

Got Caries? Breast Milk And Early Childhood Caries?, Megan L. Dean, Rebecca Fields, Hannah Fritz

Dental Hygiene Student Scholarship

Objective: To provide an analysis of the association between the longevity of breastfeeding and development of ECC. Determine the optimal time frame in which mothers should cease breastfeeding to reduce ECC development. Methods: Dr. Brickhouse, PubMed, Google Scholar and other scholarly databases were utilized to find current scientific evidence on the effects of breast milk on ECC. Relevant articles were summarized to write a review of literature. 16 articles published from 2015 to the present date were reviewed and cited. Results: From the studies, there is strong evidence to support breastfeeding beyond 12 months of age increases the prevalence …

Superelastic And Ph-Responsive Degradable Dendrimer Cryogels Prepared By Cryo-Aza-Michael Addition Reaction, Juan Wang, Hu Yang

Chemical and Life Science Engineering Publications

Dendrimers exhibit super atomistic features by virtue of their well-defined discrete quantized nanoscale structures. Here, we show that hyperbranched amine-terminated polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer G4.0 reacts with linear polyethylene glycol (PEG) diacrylate (575 g/mol) via the aza-Michael addition reaction at a subzero temperature (−20 °C), namely cryo-aza-Michael addition, to form a macroporous superelastic network, i.e., dendrimer cryogel. Dendrimer cryogels exhibit biologically relevant Young’s modulus, high compression elasticity and super resilience at ambient temperature. Furthermore, the dendrimer cryogels exhibit excellent rebound performance and do not show significant stress relaxation under cyclic deformation over a wide temperature range (−80 to 100 °C). The …

"Epigenetic Silencing Of Socs3 Expression Contributes To Fibrosis In Crohn’S Disease", Emily T. Marshall, Chao Li, John F. Kuemmerle

MD Student Summer Research Fellowship Program Posters

Identified risk polymorphisms affecting the Jak-STAT3 pathway in patients with Crohn’s disease could affect TGF-β1 and collagen I expression and in the pathway’s negative regulator, SOCS3. Genetic factors, however, account for only ~25% of disease. Epigenetic events also shape gene expression. Recent experiments showed that autocrine IL-6 production in mesenchymal cells, subepithelial myofibroblasts (SEMF) and muscle cells, of patients with fibrostenotic Crohn’s disease causes sustained Jak-STAT3 activity, excess TGF-β1 and Collagen I production and fibrosis. SOCS3 paradoxically decreased in these cells. We now identify epigenetic mechanisms that silence SOCS3 expression in SEMF of patients with fibrostenotic Crohn’s disease. In a …

Autophagy-Deficient Breast Cancer Shows Early Tumor Recurrence And Escape From Dormancy, Masoud H. Manjili

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Publications

Breast cancer patients who initially respond to cancer therapies often succumb to distant recurrence of the disease. It is not clear why people with the same type of breast cancer respond to treatments differently; some escape from dormancy and relapse earlier than others. In addition, some tumor clones respond to immunotherapy while others do not. We investigated how autophagy plays a role in accelerating or delaying recurrence of neu-overexpressing mouse mammary carcinoma (MMC) following adriamycin (ADR) treatment, and in affecting response to immunotherapy. We explored two strategies: 1) transient blockade of autophagy with chloroquine (CQ), which blocks fusion of autophagosomes …

Determining The Quantitative Principles Of T Cell Response To Antigenic Disparity In Stem Cell Transplantation, Ali Salman, Vishal Koparde, Charles E. Hall, Max Jameson-Lee, Catherine Roberts, Myrna Serrano, Badar Abdulrazzaq, Jeremy Meier, Caleb Kennedy, Masoud H. Manjili, Stephen R. Spellman, Dayanjan Wijesinghe, Shahrukh Hashmi, Greg Buck, Rehan Qayyum, Michael Neale, Jason Reed, Amir A. Toor

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Publications

Alloreactivity compromising clinical outcomes in stem cell transplantation is observed despite HLA matching of donors and recipients. This has its origin in the variation between the exomes of the two, which provides the basis for minor histocompatibility antigens (mHA). The mHA presented on the HLA class I and II molecules and the ensuing T cell response to these antigens results in graft vs. host disease. In this paper, results of a whole exome sequencing study are presented, with resulting alloreactive polymorphic peptides and their HLA class I and HLA class II (DRB1) binding affinity quantified. Large libraries of potentially alloreactive …

Exploring Resilience Models In A Sample Of Combat-Exposed Military Service Members And Veterans: A Comparison And Commentary, Christina M. Sheerin, Kelcey J. Stratton, Ananda B. Amstadter, The Va Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, Clinical Center (Mirecc) Workgroup, Scott D. Mcdonald

Psychiatry Publications

Background: The term resilience is applied in numerous ways in the mental health field, leading to different perspectives of what constitutes a resilient response and disparate findings regarding its prevalence following trauma.

Objective: illustrate the impact of various definitions on our understanding and prevalence of resilience, we compared various resilience definitions (absence of PTSD, absence of current mental health diagnosis, absence of generalized psychological distress, and an alternative trauma load–resilience discrepancy model of the difference between actual and predicted distress given lifetime trauma exposure) within a combat-exposed military personnel and veteran sample.

Method: In this combat-trauma exposed …

Virginia Commonwealth University Fall Commencement Program [2018], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Pharmacy Staff Perspectives On Alcohol And Medication Interaction Prevention Among Older Rural Adults, Faika Zanjani, Hannah Allen, Rachel Vickers Smith, Demetra Antimisiaris, Nancy Schoenberg, Catherine Martin, Richard Clayton

Gerontology Publications

Older adults are at high risk for alcohol and medication interactions (AMI). Pharmacies have the potential to act as ideal locations for AMI education, as pharmacy staff play an important role in the community. This study examined the perspectives of pharmacy staff on AMI prevention programming messaging, potential barriers to and facilitators of older adult participation in such programming, and dissemination methods for AMI prevention information. Flyers, telephone calls, and site visits were used to recruit 31 pharmacy staff members who participated in semistructured interviews. A content analysis of interview transcriptions was conducted to identify major themes, categories, and subcategories. …

Fighting Frailty With The Mediterranean Diet, Edward F. Ansello

Director's Editorials from Age in Action

It’s appropriate for each of us to examine our eating habits, not just our nutrition intake. The various aspects of the Mediterranean Diet hold potential benefits beyond the important feature of helping to reduce frailty.

Prospective Longitudinal Study Of The Pregnancy Dna Methylome: The Us Pregnancy, Race, Environment, Genes (Preg) Study, Dana M. Lapato, Sara Moyer, Emily Olivares, Ananda B. Amstadter, Patricia A. Kinser, Shawn J. Latendresse, Colleen Jackson-Cook, Roxann Roberson-Nay, Jerome F. Strauss, Timothy P. York

Human and Molecular Genetics Publications

Purpose The goal of the Pregnancy, Race, Environment, Genes study was to understand how social and environmental determinants of health (SEDH), pregnancy-specific environments (PSE) and biological processes influence the timing of birth and account for the racial disparity in preterm birth. The study followed a racially diverse longitudinal cohort throughout pregnancy and included repeated measures of PSE and DNA methylation (DNAm) over the course of gestation and up to 1 year into the postpartum period.

Participants All women were between 18 and 40 years of age with singleton pregnancies and no diagnosis of diabetes or indication of assisted reproductive technology. …

Virginia Commonwealth University Courses [2018], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of courses for the 2018-2019 year.

Virginia Commonwealth University Commencement Program [2018], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate Bulletin [2018], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Graduate bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2018-2019. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for graduate programs.

Pattern Research Project: An Investigation Of The Pattern And Printing Process - Fruit Tree, Caitlin Sammons

Pattern Research Project

2018 Pattern Research Project

Caitlin Sammons – Fruit Tree

The Pattern Research Project involves research and analysis of contemporary patterns found in the textiles and wallcoverings of the built interior environment. Patterns use motif, repetition, color, geometry, craft, technology, and space to communicate place, time, and concept. Through this research and analysis, built environments - their designers, occupants, construction, and context - can be better understood.

Caitlin Sammons, VCU Interior Design BFA 2021, selected the Fruit Tree pattern for the 2018 Pattern Research Project. The text below is excerpted from the student’s work:

“This textile, made in 1961, was heavily …

Temporal And Spatial Impact Of Human Cadaver Decomposition On Soil Bacterial And Arthropod Community Structure And Function, Baneshwar Singh, Kevan J. Minick, Michael S. Strickland, Kyle G. Wickings, Tawni L. Crippen, Aaron M. Tarone, M. Eric Benbow, Ness Sufrin, Jeffery K. Tomberlin, Jennifer L. Pechal

Forensic Science Publications

As vertebrate carrion decomposes, there is a release of nutrient-rich fluids into the
underlying soil, which can impact associated biological community structure and
function. How these changes alter soil biogeochemical cycles is relatively unknown and may prove useful in the identification of carrion decomposition islands that have long lasting, focal ecological effects. This study investigated the spatial (0, 1, and 5 m) and temporal (3–732 days) dynamics of human cadaver decomposition on soil bacterial and arthropod community structure and microbial function. We observed strong evidence of a predictable response to cadaver decomposition that varies over space for soil bacterial and …

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin [2018], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Undergraduate bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2018-2019. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for undergraduate programs.

Mechanisms Of Surviving Burial: Dune Grass Interspecific Differences Drive Resource Allocation After Sand Deposition, Joseph K. Brown, Julie C. Zinnert

Biology Publications

Sand dunes are important geomorphic formations of coastal ecosystems that are critical in protecting human populations that live in coastal areas. Dune formation is driven by ecomorphodynamic interactions between vegetation and sediment deposition. While there has been extensive research on responses of dune grasses to sand burial, there is a knowledge gap in understanding mechanisms of acclimation between similar, coexistent, dune-building grasses such as Ammophila breviligulata (C₃), Spartina patens (C₄), and Uniola paniculata (C₄). Our goal was to determine how physiological mechanisms of acclimation to sand burial vary between species. We hypothesize that (1) …

Modular Structure In Fish Co-Occurrence Networks: A Comparison Across Spatial Scales And Grouping Methodologies, Daniel Mcgarvey Dr., Joseph Veech

Environmental Studies Publications

Network modules are used for diverse purposes, ranging from delineation of biogeographical provinces to the study of biotic interactions. We assess spatial scaling effects on modular structure, using a multi-step process to compare fish co-occurrence networks at three nested scales. We first detect modules with simulated annealing and use spatial clustering tests (interspecific distances among species’ range centroids) to determine if modules consist of species with broadly overlapping ranges; strong spatial clustering may reflect environmental filtering, while absence of spatial clustering may reflect positive interspecific relationships (commensalism or mutualism). We then use non-hierarchical, multivariate cluster analysis as an alternative method …

Crossing The Digital Divide: Monism, Dualism And The Reason Collective Action Is Critical For Cyber Theory Production, Christopher Whyte

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

In studying topics in cyber conflict and cyber-security governance, scholars must ask—arguably more so than has been the case with any other emergent research agenda—where the epistemological and ontological value of different methods lies. This article describes the unique, dual methodological challenges inherent in the multifaceted program on global cyber-security and asks how problematic they are for scholarly efforts to construct knowledge about digital dynamics in world affairs. I argue that any answer to this question will vary depending on how one perceives the social science enterprise. While traditional dualistic perspectives on social science imply unique challenges for researcher, a …

Radical Chemistry In A Femtosecond Laser Plasma: Photochemical Reduction Of Ag+ In Liquid Ammonia Solution, Victoria K. Meader, Mallory G. John, Laysa M. Frias Batista, Syeda Ahsan, Katharine M. Tibbetts

Chemistry Publications

Plasmas with dense concentrations of reactive species such as hydrated electrons and hydroxyl radicals are generated from focusing intense femtosecond laser pulses into aqueous media. These radical species can reduce metal ions such as Au3+ to form metal nanoparticles (NPs). However, the formation of H2O2 by the recombination of hydroxyl radicals inhibits the reduction of Ag+ through back-oxidation. This work has explored the control of hydroxyl radical chemistry in a femtosecond laser-generated plasma through the addition of liquid ammonia. The irradiation of liquid ammonia solutions resulted in a reaction between NH3 and OH·, forming peroxynitrite and ONOO−, and significantly reducing …

Nucleation And Growth Of Gold Nanoparticles Initiated By Nanosecond And Femtosecond Laser Irradiation Of Aqueous [Aucl4]-, Collin Rodrigues, Julian A. Bobb, Mallory G. John, Sergey Fisenko, M. S. El-Shall, Katharine M. Tibbetts

Chemistry Publications

Irradiation of aqueous [AuCl4]with 532 nm nanosecond (ns) laser pulses produces monodisperse (PDI = 0.04) 5 nm Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) without any additives or capping agents via a plasmon- enhanced photothermal autocatalytic mechanism. Compared with 800 nm femtosecond (fs) laser pulses, the AuNP growth kinetics under ns laser irradiation follow the same autocatalytic rate law, but with a significantly lower sensitivity to laser pulse energy. The results are explained using a simple model for simulating heat transfer in liquid water and at the interface with AuNPs. While the extent of water superheating with the ns laser is smaller compared to …