Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Brassica Vegetable Intake On The 2:16Α Estrogen Metabolite Ratio In Postmenopausal European American And African American Women, Kendrea Knight

Theses and Dissertations

Background: It is well-established that many risk factors for breast cancer are related to estrogen or reproductive factors. Two estrogen metabolites of particular interest are 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE) and 16α-hydroxyestrone (16α-OHE) which are often reported together as a ratio of 2:16α-hydroxyestrone (2:16α –OHE). It has been demonstrated in several studies that postmenopausal women who are at a higher risk of breast cancer tend to have increased levels of 16α-OHE or decreased levels of 2-OHE levels in the body. Recent studies have shown that the phytochemical indole-3-carbinol (I3C), found in Brassica vegetables, impacts the conversion of 2-OHE, known as “good estrogen”, by …

Where Does Electronic Aggression Fit?: A Comparison Of Dimensional And Categorical Models Of Adolescent Aggression, Krista R. Mehari

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic aggression is a rapidly growing focus of research, but it lacks a unifying theoretical framework that is necessary to advance the field. The lack of a theoretical framework has led to inconsistencies in measurement of electronic aggression, making it difficult to draw conclusions across studies. In general, researchers have assumed that electronic aggression constitutes a new form of aggression, a counterpart to physical, verbal, and relational aggression, due to unique features surrounding the perpetration of electronic aggression. Furthermore, researchers have treated electronic aggression as a categorical variable based on the assumption that “cyberbullies” constitute a distinct group of adolescents. …

The Effect Of Youth Diabetes Self-Efficacy On The Relation Among Family Conflict, Disease Care And Glycemic Control, Kathryn Maher

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the current study was to examine the associations among youth diabetes self-efficacy, family conflict, disease care and glycemic control via a comprehensive path model. Data were from a baseline assessment of a longitudinal RCT of 257 adolescent/parent dyads (adolescents aged 11–14). Each member of the dyad separately completed the Self-efficacy for Diabetes Self-Management Scale, Family Environment Conflict subscale, Diabetes Family Conflict Scale, Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale, and 24-hr Diabetes Interview Blood Glucose Frequency subscale. Additionally, a biological marker of glycemic control, or HbA1c, and relevant demographic variables were collected. A mediation model found higher youth diabetes self-efficacy …

Assessing Design Thinking Through The Activation Of A Social Challenge In Higher Education: An Academic Inquiry, Amin Matni

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an inquiry that documents, identifies and assesses the effectiveness, circumstances, and potential resources related to addressing the gap between social needs and higher education as stated in the National Development Strategy 2011-2016. The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the response of the students on the collaborative, human-centered, result-oriented aspects of design thinking while addressing the eating experience topic, an articulated theme from the wicked problem of obesity. The eating experience theme provided students from design, business and engineering majors a contextualized topic to test design thinking in a series of workshops conducted in three different …

Treatment-Induced Breast Cancer Dormancy And Relapse, Rebecca Keim

Theses and Dissertations

When breast tumor cells encounter stress due to cancer therapies, they may enter a dormant state, escaping from treatment-induced apoptosis. Dormant cells may eventually regain proliferative capabilities and cause recurrent metastatic disease, which is the leading cause of mortality in breast cancer patients. We sought to determine if a high dose of radiation therapy (RT) or combined chemo-immunotherapy, with and without the blockade of autophagy by chloroquine (CQ), could overcome treatment-induced tumor dormancy or relapse. We found that autophagy contributes in part to treatment-induced tumor dormancy. We also found that three therapeutic strategies were successful in inhibiting or preventing tumor …

Fathering And Child Maltreatment: A Grounded Theory Study, Jennifer Shadik

Theses and Dissertations

Literature related to fathers and child physical abuse and neglect is lacking (Guterman & Lee, 2005; Lee, Bellamy, & Guterman, 2009). The purpose of this study was to better understand several pertinent aspects of fathering related to maltreatment. Three research questions were examined: 1.What are the attitudes, behaviors and contexts of fathers who have abused or neglected a child that relate to maltreatment? 2. What are the resources and capacities of these fathers which could be capitalized on? 3. How does goodness-of-fit or a poor fit between the father and child impact the parenting relationships of these fathers? Fifteen fathers …

Present With An Uncertain Future: Dispositional Mindfulness, Covariation Bias, And Event-Related Potential Responses To Emotional Stimuli In Uncertain Contexts, Robert J. Goodman

Theses and Dissertations

Uncertainty represents a robust threat that can amplify aversive experiences and exaggerate negative expectations about uncertain future outcomes. Mindfulness – an open and receptive attention to present moment experiences -- has been shown to facilitate adaptive regulation when faced with a variety of distinct emotional threats. Reduced experiential avoidance and equanimity in the face of unpleasant emotional experiences have been theorized as central to these emotional regulatory benefits. The present study explored whether dispositional mindfulness would promote adaptive responses to uncertainty during the anticipation of, and after exposure to emotional stimuli, as indicated by self-reports and neural (event-related potential) markers …

Epigenetic Alterations Of Toll-Like Receptors By Tet2 In Spontaneous Preterm Labor, Anuja Chumble

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing evidence implicates the presence of bacteria in intrauterine tissues as an important risk factor for spontaneous preterm labor. Epigenetic alterations of innate immunity genes may increase the mother’s sensitivity to subclinical levels of bacteria. This study examined the presence of TET2, TLR-2, and TLR-9 in intrauterine tissue, and evaluated whether epigenetic alterations of these genes, as well as IL-8, changed their expression in human decidual tissue and a macrophage cell culture. Immunohistochemicalstaining was used to detect the presence of these proteins in intrauterine tissue. Gene expression changes were evaluated in stimulated monocytes and macrophages. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry was used to …

Application Of Marginal Structural Models In Pharmacoepidemiologic Studies, Shibing Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Inverse-probability-of-treatment-weighted estimation (IPTW) of marginal structural models was proposed to adjust for time-varying confounders that are influenced by prior treatment use. It is unknown whether pharmacoepidemiologic studies that applied IPTW conformed to the recommendations proposed by methodological studies. In addition, no previous study has compared the performance of different analytic strategies adopted in IPTW analyses. Objectives: This project aims 1) to review the reporting practice of pharmacoepidemiologic studies that applied IPTW, 2) to compare the validity and precision of several approaches to constructing weight, 3) to use IPTW to estimate the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin in treating osteoarthritis. …

Pursuing The Roles Of Non-Invasive Biomarkers In Chronic Renal Allograft Dysfunction, Mba Uzoma U. Mba

Theses and Dissertations

Kidney failure affects over 600,000 people in the United States with over 100,000 new cases of kidney failure diagnosed every year. Chronic allograft dysfunction (CAD), a disease state highlighted by a decreased eGFR and a histo-pathological diagnosis interstitial fibrosis and renal tubular atrophy, has emerged as one of the leading causes of kidney transplantation. Gene expression analysis can identify reproducible patterns of disease in ribonucleic acid (RNA) expression and may provide insights into the quality of kidney donations heretofore overlooked by current clinical analytical methods. Additionally, genetic expression profiles can be obtained from patient blood or urine samples, diminishing the …

Identification Of Micro-Rnas And Their Messenger Rna Targets In Prostate Cancer And Biological Fluids, Kanika Sharma

Theses and Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States that affects men today. To better treat this disease accurate biomarkers and successful therapeutic treatments are needed. A novel approach to understand the mechanisms behind prostate cancer tumor formation lies in identifying dysregulated micro-RNAs (miRNAs), which are a class of small (18-24 nucleotides) non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally by either inhibiting protein synthesis or signaling messenger-RNA for degradation. Multiple miRNAs were discovered in our highly tumorigenic and metastatic prostate cancer progression model M12 cell line compared to its weakly tumorigenic P69 parental cell line. Various analyses …

Characterization Of Putative Porphyromonas Gingivalis Rna-Binding Proteins, Holly Dwyer

Theses and Dissertations

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a gram-negative, anaerobic bacterium recognized as a major player in progression of periodontal disease. P. gingivalis survives in the oral cavity while being exposed to dynamic environmental conditions such as pH, temperature, nutrient availability and host immune responses such as oxygen tension and nitrosative stress. Survival and pathogenesis of P. gingivalis in the oral cavity require mechanisms to regulate gene expression in response to the extracellular signals. Little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of P. gingivalis in the oral cavity, so it is important to investigate and characterize these regulatory mechanisms. Adaptation to environmental …

Evaluation Of The Physiological Effects Of Reduced Hydroxocobalamin On Acute Carbon Monoxide Toxicity, Alden Newcomb

Theses and Dissertations

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning represents a global health threat responsible for hundreds of thousands of hospital visits and tens of thousands of deaths annually. Oxygen therapy is the only current approved treatment for CO poisoning. Previous work published in the 1970’s and research conducted in the VCURES lab group has indicated that a reduced form of vitamin B12, hydroxocobalamin (B12r), can potentially serve as an antidote for CO poisoning by converting CO bound to hemoglobin to carbon dioxide (CO2) and mitigating the deleterious neurological effects of CO poisoning. For the first time in documented literature we successfully used a Clark-type …

Regulation And Mechanistic Functions Of Caspase-9 Rna Splicing, Ngoc T. Vu

Theses and Dissertations

Caspase-9 has two splice variants, pro-apoptotic caspase-9a and anti-apoptotic caspase-9b, and dysregulation of caspase-9 splice variant ratio or expression of caspase-9b isoform has been linked to augmentation of the anchorage-independent growth and tumorigenic capacity of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. This study focuses on cell signaling pathway(s) regulating the alternative splicing of caspase-9 pre-mRNA and mechanistic roles of caspase-9b in a certain oncogenic/survival pathway. In regards to the former, we have identified hnRNP U as a novel splice-enhancer associated with exon 3 of caspase-9 (C9/E3). Moreover, hnRNP U binds specifically to C9/E3 at an RNA cis-element previously reported …

The Effect Of Fluvastatin On Mast Cell Function: Genotype Dependence, Elizabeth M. Kolawole

Theses and Dissertations

Fluvastatin, the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor known for its role in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease, has more recently been shown to play a role in the immune response. Given the critical role that mast cells play in allergy and inflammatory diseases such as asthma, which effects one third of America’s population, we assessed the effect of fluvastatin on mast cell and basophils function. We demonstrate that fluvastatin downregulated IgE-mediated cytokine production. Additionally, in vivo studies showed that fluvastatin suppressed IgE-mediated anaphylaxis. Interestingly, the effects of fluvastatin showed dependence on genetic background, as C57BL/6 mast cells were sensitive, while …

Quantitative Mass Spectrometric Investigations Of Protein Biomarkers: Serum Thymidine Kinase 1 And Human Osteopontin, Morse Faria

Theses and Dissertations

Mass spectrometry is being increasingly used in biomarker research mainly due to its ability to achieve high selectivity coupled with high sensitivity. This dissertation focuses on quantitative mass spectrometric investigations of two protein biomarkers i.e. serum thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) and human osteopontin (OPN).

First part of this research was focused on developing a liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for measuring the activity of TK1 in serum by monitoring the conversion of a TK1 specific exogenous substrate, 3’-deoxy-3’-fluorothymidine (FLT), to its mono-phosphorylated form 3’-deoxy-3’-fluorothymidine monophosphate (FLT-MP). A method to quantify FLT-MP on LC-MS/MS was developed and …

A Study Of A Professional Development Initiative To Increase Cultural Competency, Jennifer C. Coleman

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

A STUDY OF A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE TO INCREASE

CULTURAL COMPETENCY

By Jennifer Crowe Coleman, Ph.D.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014

Major Director: Charol Shakeshaft, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Educational Leadership

School of Education

While there are broad, societal forces that contribute to achievement gaps, the professional development of teachers is one way educational leaders have sought to improve schools, improve teacher performance, and increase teacher knowledge and skills. Given the achievement and cultural gaps that exist between teachers and …

Structural And Functional Characterization Of The Mbd2-Nurd Co-Repressor Complex, Megha Desai

Theses and Dissertations

The MBD2-NuRD co-repressor complex is an epigenetic regulator of the developmental silencing of embryonic and fetal β-type globin genes in adult erythroid cells as well as aberrant methylation-dependent silencing of tumor suppressor genes in neoplastic diseases. Biochemical characterization of the MBD2-NuRD complex in chicken erythroid cells identified RbAp46/48, HDAC1/2, MTA1/2/3, p66α/β, Mi2α/β and MBD2 to comprise this multi-protein complex.

In the work presented in Chapter 2, we have pursued biophysical and molecular studies to describe a previously uncharacterized domain of human MBD2 (MBD2_IDR). Biophysical analyses show that MBD2_IDR is an intrinsically disordered region (IDR). Despite this inherent …

Aquatic Priming Effects In The York River Estuary And Implications For Dissolved Organic Carbon Mineralization, Thomas M. Dunlap

Theses and Dissertations

The priming effect (PE), characterized as the enhanced microbial processing of bio-recalcitrant organic matter with the addition of labile substrates, has been hypothesized to moderate carbon (C) cycling in aquatic systems. In this study, aquatic PEs were evaluated through bacterial respiration and dissolved organic C consumption in incubations of water collected from three locations along the York River estuary. Incubations from White’s Landing on the Pamunkey River, a tidal freshwater tributary of the York, and from Croaker Landing in the middle of the estuary, displayed positive PEs when amended with labile C. In contrast, amended incubations from Gloucester Point, near …

The Effect Of Lactic Acid On Mast Cell Function, Andrew J. Spence

Theses and Dissertations

This study shows for the first time the effect that L-(+)-lactic acid has on mast cell activation. Lactic acid is a byproduct of anaerobic glycolysis and is associated with inflammatory environments such as wounds, tumors and, asthma. In this study, pre-treatment with lactic acid altered cytokine production by bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC). Specifically, lactic acid enhanced cytokine secretion following IgE cross-linking, but decreased IL-33 mediated cytokine production. These effects were altered by genetic background, since C57BL/6 mast cells demonstrated the aforementioned result, but lactic acid had no effect on IgE-mediated cytokine production in 129/SvJ mast cells. The affected cytokines …

3d Reconstruction Of Ryr1 And Structural Validation Under Different Levels Of Noise, Joshua J. Lobo

Theses and Dissertations

Ryanodine receptors (RyR) are intracellular channels that are intricately involved in Ca2+ release. These channels large membrane proteins~2.26MDa in size. In this multi-goal project firstly we successfully studied the gating mechanics of the RyR1 in the presence of Mg2+. We used single particle reconstruction and image processing techniques to obtain the 3D structure of the RyR1 with Mg2+. The 3D structure in the presence of Mg2+ and an ATP analog is the closest representation of human physiological conditions. The open and closed state structures of RyR1 are known. However, the physiologically closed state has not been studied before. Understanding this …

Family Needs, Caregiver Burden, And Mental Health: Caregivers Of Individuals With Various Neurological Conditions From Colombia And Mexico, Megan Elizabeth Sutter

Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional study examined differences in family needs (informational, social, financial, health, and household support), caregiver mental health (depression, satisfaction with life, vitality, social functioning, and emotional role limitations), and caregiver burden (personal life, guilt, and psychological) among caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and dementia from cities in Colombia and Mexico (N = 343). The study also examined the connections among family needs, caregiver mental health, and caregiver burden in the combined sample of caregivers of individuals with neurological conditions. Many significant differences were identified among groups, and implications are discussed. Family …

Exploring The Asymmetric Environment Of Various Chiral Catalysts Using A Modified Ion-Trap Mass Spectrometer: Towards The Development Of A Rapid Chiral Catalyst Screening Method, Cary M. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Since the tragedy of the drug Thalidomide® in the late 1950 to early 1960’s, chirality has been recognized as an important aspect that must be controlled in the drug development process in the pharmaceutical industry. Since then, there has been a considerable movement towards single enantiomer drugs. This demand has presented many challenges for the synthetic organic chemist. Chiral catalysts offer one solution to this problem, as they afford the unique ability to preferentially synthesize one enantiomer. Unfortunately, the design of new chiral catalysts is often empirical, with luck and trial and error necessary due to factors that govern enantioselectivity. …

Analysis And Modeling Of The Roles Of Actin-Myosin Interactions In Bladder Smooth Muscle Biomechanics, Seyed Omid Komariza

Theses and Dissertations

Muscle mechanical behavior potentially plays an important role in some of the most common bladder disorders. These include overactive bladder, which can involve involuntary contractions during bladder filling, and impaired contractility or underactive bladder, which may involve weak or incomplete contractions during voiding. Actin-myosin cross-bridges in detrusor smooth muscle (DSM) are responsible for contracting and emptying the bladder. The total tension produced by muscle is the sum of its preload and active tensions. Studies suggest that actin-myosin cross-links are involved in adjustable preload stiffness (APS), which is characterized by a preload tension curve that can be shifted along the length …

Statistical Modeling Of Interfractional Tissue Deformation And Its Application In Radiation Therapy Planning, Douglas J. Vile

Theses and Dissertations

In radiation therapy, interfraction organ motion introduces a level of geometric uncertainty into the planning process. Plans, which are typically based upon a single instance of anatomy, must be robust against daily anatomical variations. For this problem, a model of the magnitude, direction, and likelihood of deformation is useful. In this thesis, principal component analysis (PCA) is used to statistically model the 3D organ motion for 19 prostate cancer patients, each with 8-13 fractional computed tomography (CT) images. Deformable image registration and the resultant displacement vector fields (DVFs) are used to quantify the interfraction systematic and random motion. By applying …

Vocabulary Assessment: A Comparison Between Clinical And Academic Measures, Lindsay Mae Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have shown vocabulary knowledge to be highly linked to reading comprehension, and ultimately a strong predictor of academic success. Therefore, students' vocabulary skills should be carefully monitored and assessed as the demands of education increase.

The purpose of this study was to compare 28 fourth grade students' vocabulary scores on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test with scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4 (PPVT-4) (Dunn & Dunn, 2007) and Expressive Vocabulary Test-2 (EVT-2) (Williams, 2007), two clinically used vocabulary measures with established validity. Strong correlations would potentially allow for the use of the MAP vocabulary test when …

Artificial Soil Formation And Stabilization Of Material Cycles In Closed Ecological Systems For Mars Habitats, Joshua D. Borchardt

Theses and Dissertations

Scientists are increasingly pressured to investigate novel ways in which to feed astronauts for the first mission to Mars in the 2030s. It is the aim of this thesis to conduct a preliminary investigation for soil formation of NASA JSC Mars-1A Regolith Simulant in an environmentally closed ecosystem to simulate plant growth within these initial habitats, and the prospect of soil formation from a Mars parent material for agricultural purposes. The rhizosphere and plant stress will be the main regions of research focus. It is hypothesized rhizosphere activity will determine the rate of stable soil formation adequate to support the …

Evaluation Of Selected Spectral Vegetation Indices In Senescent Rangeland Canopy Using Landsat Imagery, Marla Collins

Theses and Dissertations

Grassland birds are diminishing more steadily and rapidly than other North American birds in general. The nesting success of some grassland bird species depends on the amount of nonproductive vegetation (NPV). To estimate NPV land managers are currently using the Robel pole visual obstruction reading methods. Researchers with the USDA Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan, ND, recently established statistical relationships between photosynthetic vegetation (PV), NPV and spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) derived from more sensitive and more detailed, but less accessible and more costly hyperspectral aerial imagery. This study is an extension of this previous …

Synthesis, Selection, And Optimization Of Doped Zeolite Catalyst For The Nonbiological Production Of Lactic Acid Derivatives From Biomass Derived Carbohydrates, Clancy Raymond Rick Kadrmas

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the overall project is to chemically synthesize fatty acids, hydrocarbons, other fuel constituents, or high value chemicals directly from biomass-derived carbohydrates (e.g. sugars generated using processes developed for the cellulosic ethanol industry). This work will look specifically at synthesizing lactic acid and its derivatives for later use to build chemically identical fuel components or high value chemicals.

We have built upon recent advancements in the literature using Sn-doped beta zeolite catalysts. Previous work has demonstrated that glucose can be chemically transformed into fructose then reduced to methyl lactate in a methanol solution. Since these reactions are not …

Marijuana Consumption And The Perception Of Harm, David Ruggeri

Theses and Dissertations

Drug use is a public health issue with one-third of the United States population having reported consuming marijuana at some point in their lifetime. This paper examines how the perception of risk (both health and criminal sanctions) affects consumption behavior. This study examined marijuana consumption for the age ranges of 12-17, 18-25, and 26 and older during the years of 1999-2007.

Perceptions of health risk of marijuana vary from by age groups (12-17, 18-25, and 26 years of age and up). Persons age 26 and older perceive the health risks to be the greatest for occasional marijuana consumption, trailed by …