Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Megalin In The Transport Of Aminoglycosides Across Human Placenta, Amal Akour

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Intra-amniotic infections (IAIs) are common complications of labor and delivery. If inadequately treated, these infections can lead to significant morbidity and mortality in the mother and the fetus. Intrapartum aminoglycoside (AG) administration is recommended for the management of IAIs. AGs are known to cross the placenta and achieve bactericidal concentrations in fetal serum. However, the highest and most persistent fetal levels are achieved in renal tissue. So, the fetus may be vulnerable to the nephrotoxic effects of AGs. Megalin, a 600 kDaendocytic receptor, is responsible for the uptake of AGs into renal proximal tubular epithelial cells. This receptor is …

Transcendence, James Klinke

Theses and Dissertations

Artist Statement I have often created art with an organic quality because I have felt bound by the earth’s natural elements and forces. These extend to and influence my human qualities which influence my artwork. My paintings and mixed media works symbolize the issues and defects that affect me in various ways and represent my attempt at overcoming them. At its core, my body of work addresses psychological and emotional recovery work. I have been burdened for a long period of time with anxiety, various character defects, and difficulties but I find catharsis through creative expression. Because I have chosen …

Alteration Of Behavior By Desert Bighorn Sheep From Human Recreation And Desert Bighorn Sheep Survival In Canyonlands National Park: 2002 - 2010, Kanalu K. Sproat

Theses and Dissertations

Human encroachment into wilderness areas can influence the persistence of wildlife populations by decreasing and degrading habitat, displacement, and decreasing survival. For bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), some human activities are detrimental, causing both physiological stress and habitat abandonment. Between 1979 and 2000, human recreation has increased over 300% in areas occupied by desert bighorn sheep (O. c. nelsonii) in southeastern Utah. We investigated if an increase in human activity in areas used by bighorns affected their behavior. We observed 34 bighorn sheep using focal-animal sampling for >14 hrs to compare time spent grazing and scanning between areas of high and …

Diffuse Traumatic Axonal Injury Within The Visual System: Implications For Visual Pathway Reorganization, Jiaqiong Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury is a major health problem with much of its morbidity associated with traumatic axonal injury (TAI). To date, significant insight has been gained into the initiating pathogenesis of TAI. However, the specific anterograde and retrograde sequelae of TAI are poorly understood because the diffuse nature of TAI complicates data analysis. To overcome this limitation, we subjected transgenic mice expressing yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) within the visual system to central fluid percussion injury, and consistently generated diffuse TAI within the optic nerve that could easily be followed in the organized YFP positive fibers. We demonstrated progressive axonal swelling, …

There Is A Beginning, Catherine Stark

Theses and Dissertations

Science and nature inspire me to create. I have always found a unique beauty in abstracted views of organic matter. I have built a visual vocabulary for my imagery through examinations of scientific images from topography and biology. In addition, my responses to the natural environment inform my abstract, expressionistic, mixed media paintings. Using oil paint in a nontraditional way, I rub, brush, and manipulate paper surfaces to create subtle texture and color. Then, I add a vast range of materials such as resin, varnish, and enamel to build depth and layers. My works suggest actual surfaces in nature and …

Using Systematic And Engaging Early Literacy Instruction And Digital Books To Teach At-Risk Kindergarteners To Read Target Words, Audra Marie Hales

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using Systematic and Engaging Early Literacy (SEEL) intervention activities that incorporate digital books to teach kindergarteners to read. The study used a single-subject-multiple-baseline-across-behaviors design to compare kindergarten students' reading of comparable CVC words before and after intervention. Four students at-risk for reading difficulties were chosen for the study based on their performance on assessments and their teachers' recommendations. Students were divided into two dyads and received intervention three times a week for 25 minutes for approximately six weeks, or 18 total sessions. Baseline assessment data was collected prior to …

Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Signaling In The Magnocellular Neurosecretory System : Mechanisms Of Neuronal Survival And Sprouting, Jason Michael Askvig

Theses and Dissertations

While it is well-known that ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) promotes the survival of a myriad of neuronal phenotypes, little is understood on the specific CNTF-induced neuroprotective mechanisms in the central nervous system (CNS). Elucidation of these mechanisms may provide insight that would assist in the development of future therapeutic strategies. Therefore, the goal of my research is to determine the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of CNTF within the rat magnocellular neurosecretory system. The central hypothesis of my research is that CNTF acts as both a neuronal survival and sprouting factor for hypothalamic magnocellular neurons in vitro and in vivo. …

The Acoustic Qualities Of Embera Katío Stops, Gisella Teresa Greenfield Vélez

Theses and Dissertations

Embera Katío is a Chocó language of Colombia. This thesis presents the results of an acoustic analysis of the stops as produced by speakers from the departments of Córdoba and Antioquia. The analysis of the stops allows me to establish more conclusively their actual physical correlates and corresponding phonological categories.

Five male adult native speakers of Embera Katío were recorded on location. Each one pronounced sixty-one words in a constant sentential frame, five times each. The utterances were analyzed acoustically, measuring duration, formant onset time, pre-voicing, and burst.

Analysis of the data verifies that Embera Katío has three series of …

Ige Enhances B Cell-Derived Exosomal Induced T Cell Proliferation, Brooks Keith

Theses and Dissertations

For many years it has been known that the injection of antigen bound to an antibody leads to more than a 1000-fold increase in antigen specific antibody response. This observation holds true for IgE, which is dependent upon CD23 expression, as this enhancement is not present in mice deficient in CD23. It also has been shown that when mice are injected with IgE-antigen complexes also display an increase in antigen specific T cell proliferation. While there are published studies that demonstrate a role for B cell derived exosomes in the activation and proliferation of T cells, none have focused upon …

The Effects Of River Sediment, Endosulfan, And Moderate Hypoxia On Blue Crabs (Callinectes Sapidus) From The Tidal, Freshwater James River, Laura Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Juvenile male blue crabs move into the tidal, freshwater James River during warmer months to feed and grow by undergoing molting. In crustaceans, growth and molting are hormonally controlled. The physiological effects of a multiple-stressor environment are determined by comparing the blue crab’s oxygen uptake after exposure to pure sand, James River sediment, or endosulfan-spiked sand. The effect of multiple stressors on molting is measured by the activity level of N-acetyl-ß-glucosaminidase (NAG), an enzyme in epidermal tissue important to molting. The oxygen uptake was decreased by exposure to James River sediment but not for exposure to endosulfan for seven days. …

There's No Place Like Home: How Residential Attributes Affect Family Functioning, Carly Marie Thornock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which actual (e.g., density and openness) and perceptual (e.g., crowding and distance) elements of the spatial home environment act as predictors of family functioning. Data were gathered from 126 families whose child was attending a university’s preschool/kindergarten facility in a mid-sized community in the Western United States. Structural equation modeling (SEM, AMOS 19.0) was employed to examine the strength of the relationships within the model. Results showed that though actual home items (specifically density and great room openness) affect family functioning outcomes, perceived crowding was especially influential as a …

Investigating A Model For Fetal Alcohol Damage In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Lindsay Kondo

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use and abuse has many harmful effects, especially to children exposed prenatally, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). The disabilities due to fetal alcohol exposure continue throughout life and cause major financial burdens to society. The molecular mechanisms underlying FASDs are not well understood. We have taken a genetic approach to characterize ethanol’s effect on changing a discrete cell fate decision during embryogenesis in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Our preliminary data suggest that ethanol can affect the development of AWC neurons, a pair of olfactory neurons in C. elegans. We suggest that lipids can protect AWC neurons …

Cardiovascular Reactivity In Friendships: Length Of Relationship And Frequency Of Contact As Potential Moderators, Benjamin D. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Social support has been linked to positive health outcomes. Specifically, having available support from a friend may act as a buffer to the negative effects of stress on cardiovascular reactivity. Relationship quality is an important moderator of this effect. The purpose of this study was to examine how cardiovascular reactivity is affected by relationship quality within friendships and whether the length of relationship and frequency of contact may moderate the effect. 134 healthy male and female adults (and their same-sex friend) were recruited to participate. Results revealed no significant difference between subjects interacting with supportive friends compared to interacting with …

The Role Of P62 In Osteoclastogenesis And Paget’S Disease Of Bone, Tamer Hadi

Theses and Dissertations

Paget’s disease (PDB) is the second most common metabolic bone disease after osteoporosis, affecting up to 3% of adults over age 55. It is characterized by focal lesions of bone resorbed by hyperactive osteoclasts coupled with rapid formation of highly disorganized, low quality bone formed by osteoblasts. Such lesions cause skeletal deformity, fractures, and other symptoms that significantly decrease quality of life. In 2001, mutations in the SQSTM1/p62 gene were found in a subset of Paget’s patients. The work summarized in this dissertation sought to answer two broad questions: what is the function of p62 in normal bone homeostasis and …

‘Some Can’T Be That Simple’: Flannery O’Connor’S Debt To French Symbolism, Evan Howell

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I trace the influence of French Symbolist poetry on the works of Flannery O’Connor. Many of O’Connor’s influences are well-known and documented, including Catholicism, the South, modern fiction, and her battle with lupus. However, I argue that Symbolism, via its influence on Modernist literature, is another major influence. In particular, I focus on several aspects of O’Connor’s writing: the recurrence of the same symbol across multiple works, the central location of symbols in several stories, the use of private symbols of the author’s invention, and use of symbol, rather than language, to convey transcendence. Aided by the …

Novel Strategies To Improve Metabolic Parameters And Precondition Diabetic Hearts Against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, Amit Varma

Theses and Dissertations

Insulin resistance and chronic hyperglycemia promote vascular damage, increase circulating levels of inflammatory cytokines and lead to increased morbidity and mortality. MicroRNAs (miRs) -103/107 have been shown to negatively regulate insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis. Based on complimentary binding profiles, the downstream target gene of miR-103/107 is caveolin-1 (Cav-1). We hypothesized that daily administration of the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor tadalafil (TAD) ± the curcumin analogue (HO-3867) will attenuate inflammation, improve metabolic parameters and reduce infarct size after ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). Furthermore, we propose that TAD therapy will reduce myocardial expression of miR-103/107 and increase mRNA and protein levels of its target …

The Role Of Magl Inhibition In Nicotine Withdrawal And Reward, Pretal Muldoon

Theses and Dissertations

ROLE OF MAGL INHIBITION IN NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL AND REWARD. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. by Pretal Ishvarlal Patel Muldoon Director: M. Imad Damaj, PhD Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths worldwide. Nicotine, the main psychoactive component of tobacco, sustains and initiates tobacco addiction. Cessation of nicotine induces a dependence withdrawal syndrome. Recent in vivo studies indicate that the endocannabinoid (EC) system modulates both nicotine reward and withdrawal. The purpose of this proposal is to …

Bayesian Test Analytics For Document Collections, Daniel David Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Modern document collections are too large to annotate and curate manually. As increasingly large amounts of data become available, historians, librarians and other scholars increasingly need to rely on automated systems to efficiently and accurately analyze the contents of their collections and to find new and interesting patterns therein. Modern techniques in Bayesian text analytics are becoming wide spread and have the potential to revolutionize the way that research is conducted. Much work has been done in the document modeling community towards this end,though most of it is focused on modern, relatively clean text data. We present research for improved …

Spanish, Nahua, And Maya Narratives On The 1585 Relación Geográfica Map Of Santiago Atitlán, Kaitlan Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The 1585 Relación Geográfica Map of Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala gives scholars a rare glimpse of sixteenth- century southern Guatemala. The map displays the use of Spanish, Nahua, and Maya perspectives. The coexistence of indigenous Nahua versus Spanish or European iconographies and narratives is a theme constantly explored in the studies of the Relaciones Geográficas maps. However, the opposition of two different indigenous narratives and iconographies, as well as Spanish, is not. This project examines the convergences and conflicts among these narratives and iconographies as evidenced on the map and in the accompanying text. The individual discussion of each narrative is …

Perceptual, Acoustic, And Kinematic Effects Of Sentence-Initial, Single-Phoneme Prolongation In People Who Do And Do Not Stutter, Darrell Sharp Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined a sentence-initial one-second sound prolongation as a possible fluency-inducing condition in people who stutter. The effects of this prolongation technique on the single sentence utterances of five people who stutter (PWS) and five age- and gender-matched controls were investigated. Variables tested included stuttering percentages, speaking rate, duration of phonated intervals, and correlation between upper lip and lower lip/jaw. Results showed a non-significant trend for less stuttering to occur when participants used the prolongation technique. Significant findings included longer durations of phonated intervals and more negatively correlated upper- and lower-lip movements during the prolongation condition. Rate of speech …

Reverberations: Beat Of The Heart, Sarah Zoller

Theses and Dissertations

Working mainly from my own photographs, I paint friends in the local music scene. Their beauty, expressions, and unique personalities are the focus of my stylized portraits. I attempt to accurately record my subjects by using non-naturalistic colors in a small range of values. These images contain both abstract and figurative elements, and reveal a combination of far away and close-up views. Each painting is designed to capture a single fleeting moment. I provide precious glances into the lives of those people who help mold and nurture Washington, D.C.’s music community. In addition to my paintings, I use the ancient …

Between Floors: The Ups And Downs Of Mediated Narrative, Melinda White

Theses and Dissertations

“Between Floors: The Ups and Downs of Mediated Narrative” and the accompanying creative remediation project, “Between Floors: Love and Other Blood Related Diseases,” meld theory and practice of print with electronic literature and installation art. I argue that as the medium changes, the narrative is transformed. The narrative can be reconstructed and pieced together as the reader or viewer becomes increasingly involved, even embodied within the work. This embodiment is what Nathaniel Stern calls “Moving and thinking and feeling” (1) and can result in a more direct emotional experience. The form, structure, and medium (sjužet) rely on authorial intention, yet …

A Comparison Of Literature-Based And Content-Based Guided Reading Materials On Elementary Student Reading And Science Achievement, Christine Guns

Theses and Dissertations

Guided reading, as developed by Fountas and Pinnell (2001), has been a staple of elementary reading programs for the past decade. Teachers in the elementary school setting utilize this small group, tailored instruction in order to differentiate and meet the instructional needs of the students. The literature shows academic benefit for students who have special needs, such as learning disabilities, autism, and hearing impairments but consideration of academic impact has not been investigated for regular education students. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the academic impact of the use of content-related (Group C) and the traditional literature-based …

Inspiration: Examining Its Emotional Correlates And Relationship To Internalized Values, David Jennings Ii

Theses and Dissertations

The study of inspiration as a psychological construct has received little empirical attention to date. In the present dissertation, I review the empirical literature on inspiration and present a theoretical model and definition of inspiration. In two studies, I tested a Value-Congruent Model of Inspiration and my proposed definition. In Study 1 (N = 134), I explored inspiration’s emotional correlates and tested whether individuals experience greater inspiration if the inspirational content is concordant with individual meaning and values. As predicted, state inspiration was positively related to state levels of admiration, awe, and elevation, and value-congruent stimuli significantly predicted self-reported experiences …

Arsenic, Cadmium And Neuron Specific Enolase (Enolase-2, Enolase-Gamma), Expression In Breast And Bladder Cancer, Maureen Achey Soh

Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic and cadmium (Cd+2) are well established environmental pollutants. Human exposure to arsenite (As+3) and Cd +2 have been associated with many types of cancers including skin, bladder, liver, prostate, stomach and lung. Epidemiological studies have associated Cd+2 exposure with breast cancer development while As +3 has not been directly associated with breast cancer development, although both As+3 and Cd+2 have been implicated in estrogen receptor mediated gene transcription and endocrine disruption. In the present study, the ability of both these heavy metals to transform the immortalized human breast epithelial (MCF-10A) cell line was examined. For this purpose, the MCF-10A …

Regulation Of Excitation-Contraction And Excitation-Transcription Coupling In Gastrointestinal Smooth Muscle By Caveolin-1, Sayak Bhattacharya

Theses and Dissertations

Caveolae are integral part of the smooth muscle membrane and caveolins, the defining proteins of caveolae, act as scaffolding proteins for several G protein-coupled receptor signaling molecules and regulate cellular signaling through direct and indirect interactions with signaling proteins. Caveolin-1 is the predominant isoform in the smooth muscle and drives the formation of caveolae. However, little is known about the role of caveolin-1 in the regulation of excitation-contraction and excitation-transcription coupling in gastrointestinal smooth muscle. In the present study we have characterized muscarinic m2 and m3 receptor signaling in gastric smooth muscle and tested the hypothesis that caveolin-1 positively regulates …

Motion Capture Of Character Interactions With A Rope, Bryce Zachary Porter

Theses and Dissertations

We present a solution to animating interactions between characters and thin, non-rigid bodies using a passive optical motion capture system. Prior work in human body motion capture can accurately recreate human motion but this work is not adequate because it does not allow for interactions with a non-rigid body. Prior work in face and cloth motion capture handles non-rigid planes but rope is better handled with a curved spline rather than a curved plane. The segmented motion is in the form of un-indexed motion capture data. After segmenting the motion of the thin, non-rigid body and the human character the …

Capture And Characterization Of Dioxygen Reactive Intermediates In Cyp51 Catalysis, Gareth Kent Jennings

Theses and Dissertations

The cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are a superfamily of biological catalysts that are ubiquitous throughout the biological domain. CYPs are heme-b containing monooxygenases which oxidize substrates with the help of accessory redox partners. CYP substrates include endogenous compounds required for many biological functions and homeostasis, such as steroids, as well as the majority of clinically used drugs and environmental xenobiotics. The majority of studies that have been performed to date are on P450cam (CYP101) from Pseudomonas putida. Of the numerous reactions catalyzed by CYPs, unactivated carbon-carbon bond cleavage, is one of particular versatility. Being unique in their catalytic mechanisms, the C-C …

Thermodynamic Kinetics And Efficiency Analysis Of Methyl Viologen, Chang Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Methyl Viologen (MV) is an electron mediator that has great possibilities to be used with an electrode system in which the electrode system provides electrons towards reducing MV species. MV has three redox states and they can be converted to each other via redox reactions on the surface of the electrode. The concentration of the three species of MV was related to the voltage potential applied to the system through a thermodynamic model. With the thermodynamic model the concentration of the three species can be predicted with different applied voltage potentials towards providing guidance for controlling the redox state of …

Healthy And Unhealthy Diet Intake And Carotid Intima Media Thickness In Older Adults, Kelsey Joelle Da Silva

Theses and Dissertations

Background -- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a primary premature killer of adults and risk of CVD has been linked to modifiable risk factors including dietary intake. Many diet assessment tools are costly, time consuming, and complicated. This study investigated the relationship between diet quality and cardiovascular disease risk as indicated by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) using a validated, simple, self-administered rapid food screener. Methods -- Participants were 51 male and 33 female older adults with an average age of 67 years. Carotid intima-media thickness was assessed using B-mode high resolution diagnostic ultrasound. Unhealthy and healthy diet intake was assessed using …