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Interleukin-10 Induces Apoptosis In Developing Mast Cells Via A Mitochondrial, Stat3-Dependent Pathway, Daniel Paul Bailey

Theses and Dissertations

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of interleukin-10 on mast cell development from bone marrow progenitors.Materials and Methods. Unseparated mouse bone marrow cells were cultured in IL-3+SCF, giving rise to mast cells and monocytes/macrophages. The addition of IL-10, and the use of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT)3-deficient bone marrow cells were employed to measure the effects of IL-10 and STAT3 expression on cell viability, proliferation, and differentiation. Bax-deficient and Bcl-2 transgenic bone marrow cells were used to determine the importance of the mitochondria in IL-10-mediated effects.Overview. Mast cells arise from hematopoietic stem cells …

Effects Of Unilateral Extraction Treatment On Arch Symmetry And Occlusion, Theodore William Struhs

Theses and Dissertations

Occlusal asymmetries are common in orthodontic patients. A treatment option for correcting moderate asymmetries is asymmetric extractions. This study evaluated post-treatment dental arch symmetry in patients treated with unilateral premolar extractions. Post-treatment casts of 60 patients were divided into four treatment groups based on the history of occlusal asymmetry and the treatment plan. DesignCAD3000 software (Upperspace Corporation, Pryor, OK) was used to evaluate asymmetrically treated arches for symmetry. The four treatment groups were compared to identify differences in arch asymmetry based on treatment. The lateral incisor and canine were found to be more palatal on the extraction side in patients …

Real Time Frequency Analysis Of Signals From Lasso Catheter For Radiofrequency Ablation During Atrial Fibrillation, Prashant Yadav

Theses and Dissertations

Real time spectrum analysis of signals obtained through lasso catheter during radiofrequency ablation of pulmonary vein was performed to determine the channel with dominant frequency. Threshold algorithm was used for signals which could be classified as type I and type II AF. Type III AF Signals which were highly fractionated or differentiated were evaluated for frequency content by performing Fast Fourier Transform. Data from Seven patients was collected and an episode of 180 ± 40 seconds was recorded and analyzed for each pulmonary vein that showed electrical activation. Frequency spectra for one second segment of signal for each channel were …

Population Ecology Of White-Tailed Deer In The Drift Prairie-Coteau Of North Dakota, Jason R. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Correlation Of Genetics And Structure In Escherichia Coli Secy Complex, Deepika Kanupuru

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Avian And Vegetative Diversity Of Restored And Natural Basin Wetlands In East Central North Dakota, Blane A. Klemek

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Process Of Addition Of Tricalcium Phosphate From Burnt Phosphate Rock In Feed For Animal Nutrition, Luis Fernando Nogales Grágeda

Theses and Dissertations

This study took place in Bolivia with the purpose of using thermally treated Capinota phosphate rock as a phosphorous supplement in balanced feed diets. The objective was to produce a natural phosphate substance that would be more easily accessible to the local population than commercial feed supplements. An additional objective of this study was to increase the availability of the low-fluoride phosphorous. The biological assays indicated that the diet with the added burned phosphoric rock produced similar yields to those using a commercial feed supplement (dicalcium phosphate). This indicates that the locally manufactured product, by partial acidification, can compete with …

The Photographer's Wife: Emmet Gowin's Photographs Of Edith, Mikell Waters Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Exemplified in the oeuvres of photographers Alfred Stieglitz, Harry Callahan, Lee Friedlander, and Emmet Gowin, the photographer's wife is a distinctive subject in twentieth-century American fine-art photography that fuses the domains of public and private life through the conflation of art and marriage. The transgressive nature of this juncture can be located in a confluence of gazes - the artist's, the subject's, and the viewer's - that are embroiled in constructing subjectivities. The phrase "photographer's wife" underscores an assumed imbalance of power reflecting a binary of active/passive, artist/model, and husband/wife. It is this study's contention that the complexity of the …

Quality Laboratory Services – Is It Related To Personal Credentials?, Maria Dannessa Delost

Theses and Dissertations

Performance on proficiency test (PT) surveys provides an objective and consistent evaluation of laboratory quality. The goal of the study, a retrospective review of existing PT results (2003) from six clinical laboratories in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania was to determine the relationship of PT performance to the personnel credentials of the laboratory testing personnel. Predictor variables included the practitioner's major area of study, degree, certification and years of laboratory experience.

The study group consisted of 174 testing personnel and 11,689 proficiency-testing results, of which 11,233 were valid and included in the study. Of the 11,233 results, there were 11,120 …

The Effect Of Red Blood Cell Velocity On Oxygenation Measurements Using Resonance Raman Spectroscopy, Derrick Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Resonance Raman spectroscopy can be used to estimate the hemoglobin oxygen saturation. Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure of oxygenated red blood cells to laser illumination may result in photo-induced displacement of oxygen from hemoglobin. In this study, an in vitro model was used to evaluate the relationship between this photo-induced effect and the red blood cell velocity. A computer-controlled system was implemented to acquire variables such as red cell velocity, microvessel diameter and hemoglobin oxygen saturation at multiple sites in selected microvascular networks. Using this system, resonance Raman spectroscopy was employed to measure hemoglobin oxygen saturation gradients in arterioles …

Epileptogenesis Causes Long-Term Plasticity Changes In Calbindin D-28k In The Rat Pilocarpine Model Of Acquired Epilepsy, Anne Johnston Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting more than 2% of children and 1% of adults in the U.S. Emerging research has demonstrated that calcium, as a major second messenger system, underlies many of these injury-induced plasticity changes associated with the development of epilepsy. Recent evidence has suggested that long term elevations in neuronal resting calcium levels play a role in initiating and maintaining epileptogenesis (the development of epilepsy). Collaborations between our lab and others have produced microarray data that suggests that a major calcium-binding protein, calbindin D-28k, mRNA levels are decreased in epileptic rats even up …

A Radiographic Analysis Of Variance In Lower Incisor Enamel Thickness, Nathan E. Hall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to help predict the enamel thickness of mandibular incisors. At least two direct digital periapical radiographs were made for each of the 80 subjects. Radiographs were scaled to control for magnification errors using dental study models and computer software. Mesiodistal incisor width and mesial and distal enamel thicknesses were measured. Lateral incisors were determined to be wider than central incisors and distal enamel thicknesses were larger than mesial enamel thicknesses on average. The African American group demonstrated wider incisors and enamel thicknesses than the Caucasian group on average. Enamel thickness positively correlated with tooth …

Age At Sexual Assault And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Females Residents Of Virginia, Ahmed Gasmelseed Babiker

Theses and Dissertations

Background Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric debilitating condition that can occur in individuals who experience extremely stressful or traumatic life events. Sexual assault is considered as one of the most traumatic stressor in life. Although few studies investigated the association between history of sexual assault and PTSD, no studies have examined the impact of age at sexual assault on PTSD.Method A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted among adult female residents of Virginia from November 2002 to February 2003. A total of 1,769 women aged 18 and older were interviewed using a random digit dialing method. Detailed screening …

The Prevalence Of Comorbid Chronic Disease In Virginia's Adult Patient Population During The Years 2001 And 2004, Joseph D. Schwartz

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Chronic disease comorbidities, on the rise in the U.S. and Virginia, represent a new challenge to the way medicine is practiced and prescribed. This descriptive study uses Virginia hospital discharge data to describe the prevalence and trends of chronic disease comorbidities present in the state's over-45 population during the years 2001 and 2004.Methods: Data collected by Virginia Health Information was utilized. Adults over the age of 45 years and who selected for race and location were included in this analysis, with an aggregate sample size of 813,336 (N=458,593 [2001]; N=364,743 [2004]). Pearson chi-square analyses determined significant sample population differences …

Trends In Canine Lyme Disease On The Eastern Shore Of Virginia, 2000-2005, Ellen Garrett Hillyer

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Lyme disease is caused by the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Research has shown that dogs can be used as sentinels for human infection of Lyme disease. The purpose of this 5-year, retrospective study was to determine if there was any evidence that the incidence of canine Lyme disease has increased between 2000 and 2005 in Accomack and Northampton counties. An increased incidence in Lyme disease in dogs may indicate an increased present or future risk of Lyme disease in humans.Methods: Cases of canine Lyme disease were identified via practice invoicing systems and dogs that received doxycycline were entered into …

Correlation Between Bioassessments Of Macroinvertebrates And Fishes And Natural Land Cover In Virginia Coastal Plain Watersheds, Warren Hunter Smigo

Theses and Dissertations

Twenty five first through third order streams in the Coastal Plain of Virginia were sampled for benthic macroinvertebrates and fishes to determine whether a predictable relationship between areas of Unfragmented Natural Land Cover (UNLC) and biotic integrity could be established. I hypothesized that as the area of UNLC increased in a watershed at either the whole catchment or riparian scale, biotic indices measuring stream water and habitat quality would increase. Biotic integrity was measured through the scores from the Coastal Plain Macroinvertebrate Index (CPMI) for benthic macroinvertebrates and the VCU Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for fishes. Using GIS, the …

The Influence Of Lipid Composition On The Binding Of Ldl To Chondroitin 6-Sulphate, Wilma Espiritu

Theses and Dissertations

The interaction between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and glycosaminoglycans is a key factor in atherosclerosis. The present study examines the characteristics of LDL and its binding properties with the main glycosaminoglycan of the vascular wall, chondroitin 6- sulphate (C6S). The compositional characteristics that were studied for each LDL sample were phase transition temperature, phospholipid content, free cholesterol content, cholesteryl ester content, triglyceride content, and size. Correlations of these characteristics with LDL-C6S binding were analyzed using a turbidity assay. Our results showed that there is no correlation between LDL-C6S binding and phase transition temperature, triglyceride content, or size. Strong correlations were present …

Evidence For Absence Of Latchbridge Formation In Phasic Saphenous Artery, Shaojie Han

Theses and Dissertations

Tonic arterial smooth muscle can produce strong contractions indefinitely by formation of slowly cycling crossbridges (latchbridges) that maintain force at a high energy economy. To fully understand the uniqueness of mechanisms regulating tonic arterial contraction, comparisons have been made to phasic visceral smooth muscles that do not sustain high forces. This study explored mechanisms of force maintenance in a phasic artery by comparing KCl-induced contractions in the tonic, femoral artery (FA) and its primary branch, the phasic saphenous artery (SA). KCl rapidly (5 N/m2) and [ca2+]i (250 nM) in FA and SA. By 10 min, [ca2+]i declined to 175 nM …

Educational Survey On Eating Disorders In Post-Graduate Pediatric Curriculum, Priya Jitendraprasad Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess if the topic of eating disorders is a part of post-graduate pediatric dental residency training curriculum. This study examined if there is a need for increased training of pediatric dental residents regarding the oral manifestations and treatment of patients with eating disorders.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was used to compare data from all 66 post-graduate pediatric dental residency program directors. After thirty days a second emailing was conducted, with an additional thirty days to reply. Univariate distributions were obtained and percents for all items were based on the total number of …

From Typologies To Portraits: Catherine Opie's Photographic Manipulations Of Physiognomic Imagery, Jennifer T. Bridges

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis proposes that California contemporary photographer Catherine Opie's Being and Having series (1991) and her Portrait series (1993-1996) parody the constraining binary gender discourse and stereotypes that emanate from it. In her art Opie uses familiar codes and identity discourses associated with traditional portrait photography and typological photographs to promote a postmodern and fluid model of gender identity. Her manipulation of photographic technique and subject matter validates cultural stereotypes of gender at the same time that it destabilizes them. Opie also simultaneously highlights fallacies such as the presumed objectivity and evidential force that is associated with the discourse of …

Help-Seeking For Depression In Rural Women: A Community Portrait, Vicky Mitchell Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted with fourteen participants who lived in a rural Virginia community. The focus of the study was exploration of the nature of the experience of depression and of help-seeking for depression in one rural woman and in her community social network. The need for exploration of the community social network was influenced by the DeFacto Services Model of Rural Mental Health, which emphasized the influence of community factors in making decisions to seek mental health care. Findings of the study included the following themes, which related to the nature of depression: 1) linkage of experiential depression to …

Measuring Community Consensus In Facial Characterization Using Spatial Databases And Fuzzy Logic, James Lee Mastros

Theses and Dissertations

Spatial databases store geometric objects and capture spatial relationships that can be used to represent key features of the human face. One can search spatial databases for these objects, and seek the relationships between them, using fuzzy logic to provide a natural way to describe the human face for the purposes of facial characterization. This study focuses on community perception of short, average, or long nose length. Three algorithms were used to update community opinion of nose length. All three methods showed similar trends in nose length classification which could indicate that the effort to extract spatial data from images …

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging With Rb-82 Pet, George Nittil Francis

Theses and Dissertations

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is an effective technique used to study the left ventricular ejection function (LVEF), myocardial perfusion, wall motion, and wall thickening. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are two modalities that can be used to quantify the left global and regional perfusion at rest and stress. While PET and SPECT rely on similar principles to produce images, important differences in instrumentation and experimental applications are dictated by inherent differences in their respective physics of radioactive decay. With a sensitivity > 90% in combination with a high specificity, PET is today the best available …

Complementary And Alternative Medicine And Diet Change In Southern Rural Residents Enrolled In A Cancer Prevention Intervention Trial, Amanda Kracen

Theses and Dissertations

Using data from The Rural Physician Cancer Prevention Project, a dietary intervention trial, this cross-sectional, longitudinal study explored predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in a Southern, rural population (N = 375). Participants' dietary knowledge, stage of change, and dietary behavior were examined at baseline and 1 and 12 months after the intervention. More than half the participants (mean age = 48 years; 60% female; 60% Caucasian) reported using CAM. Logistic regression indicated that age, education, ethnicity and trust in physician affect the likelihood of CAM use. Hierarchical multiple regressions suggested that CAM use was associated with healthier …

Oral Health Needs Of Virginia Schoolchildren By Hmo Regions, Holly Christel Hall

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This study examined differences in oral health status and dental treatment needs by HMO regions in Virginia. Methods: The Division of Dental Health (DDH), Virginia Department of Health (VDH), completed the 1999 Virginia Oral Health Needs Assessment (VSOHNA) with the cooperation of the Virginia Department of Education. The survey used a probability proportional to size (PPS) sample design in selecting school children from public schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Surface (DMFS/dfs) and tooth-level (DMFT/dft) data were collected as indicators of dental disease on all children. Child-level data was also recorded for each student consisting of age, race, gender, …

Identification Of The Rna Cis-Elements That Interact With Srp30a To Regulate The Alternative Splicing Of Caspase 9 Pre-Mrna, Prabhat Mukerjee

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that the alternative splicing of caspase 9 and the phospho-status of SR proteins, a conserved family of splicing factors, are regulated by chemotherapy and de novo ceramide via the action of protein phosphatase-1 (PP1). Two RNA splice variants are derived from the caspase 9 gene, pro-apoptotic caspase 9a and anti-apoptotic caspase 9b, via alternative splicing by either the inclusion or exclusion of an exon 3, 4, 5, and 6 cassette. In this study, the link between SR proteins and the alternative splicing of caspase 9 was established. Sequence analysis of the exon 3, 4, 5, and 6 …

Seasonal And Spatial Variation In Leaf Area Index, Litter Production, And Light Levels In Myrica Cerifera,Shrub Thickets Across A Barrier Island Chronsequence, Steven T. Brantley

Theses and Dissertations

Leaf area index (LAI), litter production and understory light levels of Myrica cergera shrub thickets were assessed on Hog Island, Virginia to quantify spatial and seasonal variations in leaf area and light attenuation among four thickets representing a successional chronosequence and compare methods of estimating LA1 in shrub- dominated systems. Seasonal LA1 estimates were made seven times throughout the year with a portable integrating radiometer (Li-Cor LAI-2000) and three times by measurement of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and use of the Beer-Larnbert law. Leaf area index was also estimated through leaf litter collection and use of allometric relationships between stem …

Feedback Stabilization Of Inverted Pendulum Models, Bruce Cox

Theses and Dissertations

Many mechanical systems exhibit nonlinear movement and are subject to perturbations from a desired equilibrium state. These perturbations can greatly reduce the efficiency of the systems. It is therefore desirous to analyze the asymptotic stabilizability of an equilibrium solution of nonlinear systems; an excellent method of performing these analyses is through study of Jacobian linearization's and their properties. Two enlightening examples of nonlinear mechanical systems are the Simple Inverted Pendulum and the Inverted Pendulum on a Cart (PoC). These examples provide insight into both the feasibility and usability of Jacobian linearizations of nonlinear systems, as well as demonstrate the concepts …

The Incidence And Prevalance Of Cervical Cancer In Vietnamese Women (1993-1995): A Analysis Of Seer Reported Cases, Thuy Do

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Cervical cancer is the third most common reproductive cancer in the U.S. To date, one report concluded that U.S. Vietnamese women had the highest incidence rate (43.0/100,000). The current study examines whether U.S. Vietnamese women are more likely to have cervical cancer in comparison to Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, and other Asian subgroups. Methods: SEER data of cervical cancers diagnosed from 1993-1995 (n = 37,790) was utilized. Using SPSS, chi-square statistics assessed whether Vietnamese women were older and more likely to be married or diagnosed at a later stage. Logistic regression assessed the amount of risk race/ethnicity contributes …

Intracellular Ph, The Proximate Signal For Cell Volume Changes That Are Mediated By The Actin Cytoskeleton, William Pasley

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between initial intracellular pH (pHi) and associated cell volume change was investigated by simultaneous measurement of pHi and cell volume with fluorescence imaging in polarized fungiform taste receptor cells (TRCs) loaded with BCECF in vitro. Ammonium pulses caused a brief, reversible alkalinization in pHi and induced cell swelling. Sodium-acetate pulses reversible decreased TRC pHi and induced cell shrinkage. Removal weak acids and return to Control Ringer's solution (CR) causedTRC pHi and volume to overshoot baseline levels before fully recovering. Replacing CR with zero-sodium solution resulted in irreversible acidification of TRC pHi and induced cell swelling. Addition of sodium …