Digital Commons Network^™

Quantitative Template For Subtyping Primary Progressive Aphasia, Marsel Mesulam, Christina Wieneke, Emily Rogalski, Derin J. Cobia, Cynthia Thompson, Sandra Weintraub

Faculty Publications

Objective—To provide a quantitative algorithm for classifying primary progressive aphasia (PPA) into agrammatic (PPA-G), semantic (PPA-S) and logopenic (PPA-L) variants, each of which is known to have a different probability of association with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) versus frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).

Design—Prospectively and consecutively enrolled 16 PPA patients tested with neuropsychological instruments and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Setting—University medical center. Participants—PPA patients recruited nationally in the USA as part of a longitudinal study.

Results—A two-dimensional template, reflecting performance on tests of syntax (Northwestern Anagram Test) and lexical semantics (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test), classified all 16 patients in concordance with a …

The Effects Of Resveratrol On Oxidative Stress And Muscle Atrophy, Janna Renee Jackson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Resveratrol (3,5,4,trihydroxystilbene) is a naturally occurring polyphenol found in over seventy plant species that has been shown to have anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-aging properties. Resveratrols' capacity to enhance the endogenous anti-oxidant system, upregulate anti-apoptotic proteins and improve mitochondrial function, presumably through the activation of the N AD+ dependent deacetylase Sirtuin1, suggests that supplementation with resveratrol may potentially protect skeletal muscle from the detrimental effects of increases in oxidative stress and the subsequent increase in apoptotic signaling that are present in many atrophic conditions. Therefore, the major goals of this dissertation are to further understand the interplay between oxidative stress and …

Spectral Approaches To Natural Mesh Processing, Takamitsu Kawai

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mesh design is a major bottleneck in the creation of computer games and animation. Therefore simplifying the process of mesh editing is an important problem. Natural mesh processing is generally difficult to perform since natural meshes often have nontrivial surface shapes and high degrees of freedom. In this study I present novel approaches to natural mesh processing utilizing spectral methods based on the manifold harmonic basis.;Geometric scaling transformations do not respect the biological processes which govern the size and shape of living creatures. I describe an approach to scaling which can be related to biological function. Known biological laws of …

High Rank Tensor And Spherical Harmonic Models For Diffusion Mri Processing, Inas A. Yassine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a non-invasive quantitative method of characterizing tissue micro-structure. Diffusion imaging attempts to characterize the manner by which the water molecules within a particular location move within a given amount of time. Measurement of the diffusion tensor (D) within a voxel allows a macroscopic voxel-averaged description of fiber structure, orientation and fully quantitative evaluation of the microstructural features of healthy and diseased tissue.;The rank two tensor model is incapable of resolving multiple fiber orientations within an individual voxel. This shortcoming of single tensor model stems from the fact that the tensor possesses only a single orientational …

Pathophysiology And Clinical Implications Of Lower Respiratory Tract Infection (Lrti) With Respiratory Enteric Orphan Virus (Reovirus): Background And Experimental Evidence, Maret E. Bernard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background. Respiratory viral infection early in life is a predominant factor in the inception of episodic wheezing and development of asthma amongst young children [1] and a serious health challenge. Previous studies of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in animal models have indicated that early life viral exposure results in dysregulated neuroimmune interactions and altered synthesis/release of pro-inflammatory neuropeptides generating increased airway reactivity and neurogenic-inflammation. Similar to RSV, respiratory enteric orphan virus (Reovirus) is a common respiratory pathogen associated with pulmonary infections in children. Also, reovirus pulmonary infection has been shown to induce increased collagen …

Dynamic Src Tyrosine Kinase Signaling Directs Invadopodia Formation And Function In Head And Neck Cancer: Novel Insights Into The Original Oncogene, Laura Catherine Kelley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cancer cell invasion and motility is mediated through actin-rich protrusions that facilitate migration through extracellular matrix and degradation of tissue barriers. Src tyrosine kinase is an essential catalyst of motile actin networks and is a potent mediator of the metastatic program. The Src substrate cortactin is a critical scaffold that links kinase signaling to cytoskeletal dynamics. Both Src and cortactin are overexpressed in several human cancers and their expression is associated with poor prognosis. These proteins are not associated with the initiation of tumorigenesis, but are thought to play a vital role in the metastatic process. The overall aim of …

An Exploration Of Elementary School Counselors' Perceptions Of Students' Exposure To Violent Video Games, Tammy Lynn Woody

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explored elementary school counselors' perceptions of working with students exposed to violent video games. Certified elementary school counselors participated in both an online survey and individual interviews, revealing their observations regarding elementary school children and the phenomenon of gaming. An emphasis was placed on information about violent video games and how playing these games appear to impact the students in their schools.;The study addressed the overarching question of whether or not elementary school counselors have concerns about student exposure to violent video games and how they respond to student generated discussions of playing violent video games. The study …

An Evaluation Of The Efficacy And Safety Of A Protocol To Premedicate Neonates For Elective Or Semi-Urgent Intubations In A Newborn Intensive Care Unit, Judith Dunmire Polak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background. Intubation is a painful and stressful procedure frequently performed in the NICU, yet less than 1% of US preterm infants receive premedication. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an intubation protocol in the NICU to add one 2mcg/kg dose of fentanyl prior to the procedure.;Objectives. The primary outcome was to decrease the time to successful intubation. Secondary outcomes were to increase staff knowledge regarding procedural pain, to reduce the number of attempts and to decrease adverse physiologic events.;Design. Staff attended one educational session. Pre- and post-tests assessed knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes. Data pre- and …

The Effect Of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Derived From Various Sources On Bone Metabolism In Growing Female Rats, Robin E. Lukas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bone loss may be lessened if bone mass and strength are increased by optimizing nutrition intervention. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (o-3 PUFAs) have been suggested to improve bone mineralization and microarchitecture by affecting mineral balance and lipid peroxidation. However, the sources of the o-3 PUFA differ in the types of o-3 PUFA, ratios, and structural form. Therefore, the study objective was to determine the effect of o-3 PUFAs from different sources on bone mineral and microarchitecture and explore potential associations. Growing (28 day) female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned (n=10/group) to a high fat 12% (weight) diet consisting of either …

Effects Of Acid Mine Drainage And Acid Precipitation On Leaf Litter Breakdown Rates In Appalachian Headwater Streams, Mary Fiona Stewart

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Acid precipitation and acid mine drainage have dramatically altered chemical conditions and biological assemblages in streams throughout the central Appalachians. Effects of acidification on functional stream processes such as organic matter decomposition, however, remain poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify differences in organic matter decomposition among reference streams, streams impacted by acid precipitation, and streams impacted by acid mine drainage; and (2) determine if lowered decomposition rates are the result of reduced microbial activity or altered invertebrate shredder assemblages or both. I quantified water chemistry, organic matter decomposition, microbial activity, and macroinvertebrate community structure in …

Evaluating The Effects Of The Blennerhassett Island Bridge Crossing (Ohio River) On Soil, Vegetation, And Wildlife, Joshua Allen Vance

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Corridor D was one of the original 23 highway corridors selected by the Appalachian Highway Development System in 1965 and stretches from Bridgeport, West Virginia to Cincinnati, Ohio. The last piece of Corridor D to be completed was the Blennerhassett Island Bridge which crosses over the Ohio River and Blennerhassett Island near Parkersburg, West Virginia and Belpre, Ohio. The Blennerhassett Island Bridge is a tied-arch style bridge about 1,220 m in length and 24 m above the ground and water surface. Construction of the bridge began in March 2005 and the bridge was opened to the public in June 2008. …

Hydrologic Soil Grouping Determination For Appalachian Minesoils, Anthony Willard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The hydrologic soil group refers to the infiltration potential of the soil after prolonged wetting. This classification system separates soils into four hydrologic groups (A, B, C, and D), based upon the intake and transmission of water under conditions of maximum yearly wetness. Group A has the lowest runoff potential and D the highest. Several soil properties are used to determine the hydrologic soil groupings. In the study of the hydrologic soil nature, soil properties that affect infiltration, such as bulk density, porosity and texture, should be considered. Associated factors that affect infiltration in the field are slope and vegetation. …

Development And Evolution Of Higher Brain Centers In Insects, Xiangyi Zhao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brain structures within an individual can change during development through modification of individual neuron morphology together with alteration of neuron numbers. Differences in the same or analogous brain structures from different species can reflect behavioral pattern variation among these species fixed by natural selection. This study used insects from two different taxonomic groups to address such brain structure changes at these two time scales: developmental and evolutionary. Mushroom bodies, as an integrative sensory center involved in learning and memory in insects, were the main structure surveyed to illustrate changes in higher brain centers in both projects. In the developmental study, …

Mechanisms Of Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt Nanoparticle-Induced Angiogenesis, Yingxue Zhu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hard metal or cemented carbide consists of a powder mixture of 80 to 90% of tungsten carbide (WC) and 5 to 10% of metallic cobalt (Co). Nanoparticles are engineered structures with one dimension of at least 100 nanometers or smaller. The small size results in properties that may be substantially different from particles of the same composition in the micrometer scale. It has been demonstrated that the inhalation of hard metal particles may cause an interstitial pulmonary disease and lung cancer, the mechanism of which involves an interaction between Co and WC particles, the generation of reactive oxygen species, and …

Ferric Iron Nanoparticle Formation Mediated By Negatively Charged Polypeptides, Vamsi Krishna Aluru

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The creation of magnetite particles by magnetotactic bacteria has been of great interest for a number of years. Previous studies have shown that magnetite nanocrystals have been synthesized in the presence of recombinant Mms6 protein. Mms6 plays a vital role in the biomineralization of bacterial magnetite nanocrystals. The objective of this research is to determine the effect of functional group type on size and shape of magnetic nanoparticles formed by biomineralization. Control over the size of nanoparticles is paramount. Use of nanoparticles as contrast agents in MRI is advantageous, as they are small enough to be localized in desired region …

Ecology Of Trifolium Stoloniferum (Muhl. Ex A. Eaton), A Federally Endangered Vascular Plant, At The Fernow Experimental Forest In West Virginia, John Q. Burkhart

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis presents work addressing the ecology of Trifolium stoloniferum, a federally endangered vascular plant species, in the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia. In this thesis, I describe the historical ecology of this species and make a case that at one time it occurred in great abundance in association with trails created by large mammals and humans that intersected rich, open forests. Similar conditions exist at the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia, but instead of large mammals, the requisite soil disturbance, control of competing vegetation, and canopy perforation are created by timber-harvesting related disturbances, particularly gap creation by tree …

Developing A Cellular Assay For Screening Inhibitors Of Stat4 Phosphorylation, Vivian Marcela Suarez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In order to design better therapeutic strategies, scientists work on understanding the interactions that take place at cell level and have an effect on the immune system. In order to identify a few possible inhibitors that may be up-regulated in tumor environment and that may affect T-cell action, a cellular assay was designed. An Interleukin-12 (IL-12)-responsive murine Th1 cell clone called 2D6 was used as cellular model to study the effects of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), insulin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the phosphorylation of Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4), a key element in IL-12 signaling. Cells were …

The Deda Protein Family In Selected Bacterial Species, James Cox

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Effects Of An Art Based Trauma Protocol With An Active Duty Police Officer Experiencing Symptoms Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Khaki Wieters

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Because of repeated exposure to traumatic events as part of their job requirements, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a common problem found among police officers. Although treatments in some agencies are limited, they can include, Critical Incident Stress Management, mandatory referrals to mental health professionals, and trained peer support. Art therapy is an efficient treatment for trauma because it bypasses defenses and aids in processing and integrating traumatic imagery by naturally connecting the brain’s right and left hemispheres. Police diagnosed with PTSD may benefit from art therapy since it can penetrate resistance and has proven effective for processing traumatic imagery.

This …

Exploring The Utility Of A Giscience Approach To Modeling Invasive Species: A Case Study Of Ailanthus Altissima, Arthur Elmes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis investigated the potential for integration of remotely sensed and GIS data into an agent-based modeling environment in order to model seed dispersal and subsequent establishment of windborne seeds. In order to explore the applicability of agent-based modeling to predicting seed dispersal, a case study was carried out using the representative example species Ailanthus altissima, an invasive tree found throughout North America's temperate regions. Seed movement was modeled in two stages, primary and secondary dispersal; primary dispersal was calibrated using existing field data, while secondary dispersal was calibrated only qualitatively. Establishment potential was accounted for probabilistically, based on landuse …

Description Of The Tadpole Of Proceratophrys Renalis (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920) (Anura: Cycloramphidae), Filipe Augusto C. Do Nascimento, Barnagleison S. Lisboa, Gabriel O. Skuk, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

The tadpole of Proceratophrys renalis is described based on specimens from Maceió, State of Alagoas, northeastern Brazil. At stage 35 the body is slightly dorso-ventrally depressed, ovoid in lateral, dorsal, and ventral views. Oral disc is ventral with lateral emarginations, surrounded by a single row of marginal papillae with a large gap on the upper labium. Labial tooth row formula is 2(2)/3(1 ). The analysis of internal oral anatomy revealed two possible characters that readily distinguish P. renalis from P. boiei, supporting the recent resurrection of P. renal is. Comparisons with available descriptions of the larvae for other species in …

Elucidating Functional Roles For Myogenin In Adult Skeletal Muscle Metabolism, Exercise Capacity, And Regeneration, Jesse Flynn

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The four basic helix-loop-helix myogenic transcription factors, myogenin, Myf5, MRF4, and MyoD are critical for embryonic skeletal muscle development. Myogenin is necessary for the terminal differentiation of myoblasts into myofibers during embryogenesis, but little is known about the roles played by myogenin in adult skeletal muscle function and metabolism. Furthermore, while metabolism is a well-studied physiological process, how it is regulated at the transcriptional level remains poorly understood. In this study, my aim was to determine the function of myogenin in adult skeletal muscle metabolism, exercise capacity, and regeneration. To investigate this, I utilized a mouse strain harboring the Myogflox …

The Immune Inhibitor A1 Protease Of Bacillus Anthracis, Kathryn Pflughoeft

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Bacillus anthracis, an organism ubiquitous in the soil and the causative agent of anthrax, utilizes multiple mechanisms to regulate secreted factors; one example is the activity of secreted proteases. One of the most abundant proteins in the culture supernates of B. anthracis is the Immune Inhibitor A1 (InhA1) protease. Here, I demonstrate that InhA1 modulates the abundance of approximately half of the proteins secreted into the culture supernates, including substrates that are known to contribute to the ability of the organism to cause virulence. For example, InhA1 cleaves the anthrax toxin proteins, PA, LF, and EF. InhA1 also targets …

Stress-Induced Targeting Of Molecular Chaperones In The Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Hugo Tapia

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The eukaryotic stress response is an essential mechanism that helps protect cells from a variety of environmental stresses. Cell death can result if cells are not able to properly adapt and protect themselves against adverse stress conditions. Failure to properly deal with stress has implications in human diseases including neurodegenerative disorders and distinct cancers, emphasizing the importance of understanding the eukaryotic stress response in detail. As part of this response, expression of a battery of heat shock proteins (HSP) is induced, which act as molecular chaperones to assist in the repair or triage of unfolded proteins. The 90-kDa HSP (Hsp90) …

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Sense Skin Injury And Promote Wound Healing Through Type I Interferons, Josh D. Gregorio

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a rare population of circulating cells, which selectively express intracellular Toll-like receptors (TLR)-7 and TLR-9 and have the capacity to produce large amounts of type I IFNs (IFN-a/b) in response to viruses or host derived nucleic acid containing complexes. pDCs are normally absent in skin but accumulate in the skin of psoriasis patients where their chronic activation to produce IFN-a/b drives the disease formation. Whether pDCs and their activation to produce IFN-a/b play a functional role in healthy skin is unknown. Here we show that pDCs are rapidly and transiently recruited into healthy human and …

The Role Of Post-Translation Regulation Of Twist Expression In The Tumor Progression Of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Head And Neck, Ying-Wen Su

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN) is the tenth most common cancer in the world. Unfortunately, the survival of patients with SCCHN has not improved in the last 40 years. Therefore new targets for therapy are needed, and to this end we are studying signaling pathways activated by IL-6 which we have found stimulates cell migration and soft agar growth in SCCHN. Our data show that IL-6 increases TWIST expression in a transcription-independent mechanism in many SCCHN cell lines. Further investigation reveals TWIST can be phosphorylated upon IL-6 treatment. By computation prediction (http://scansite.mit.edu/motifscan_seq.phtml ), we found that TWIST …

Network To Pology In Human Protein Interaction Data Predicts Functional Association, Hua Li

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

High-throughput assays, such as yeast two-hybrid system, have generated a huge amount of protein-protein interaction (PPI) data in the past decade. This tremendously increases the need for developing reliable methods to systematically and automatically suggest protein functions and relationships between them. With the available PPI data, it is now possible to study the functions and relationships in the context of a large-scale network. To data, several network-based schemes have been provided to effectively annotate protein functions on a large scale. However, due to those inherent noises in high-throughput data generation, new methods and algorithms should be developed to increase the …

Agrobacterium Virb10 Contributions To Type Iv Substrate Secretion, T-Pilus Biogenesis, And Outer Membrane Pore Formation, Isaac Garza

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The VirB/D4 type IV secretion system (T4SS) of Agrobacterium tumefaciens functions to transfer substrates to infected plant cells through assembly of a translocation channel and a surface structure termed a T-pilus. This thesis is focused on identifying contributions of VirB10 to substrate transfer and T-pilus formation through a mutational analysis. VirB10 is a bitopic protein with several domains, including a: (i) cytoplasmic N-terminus, (ii) single transmembrane (TM) α-helix, (iii) proline-rich region (PRR), and (iv) large C-terminal modified β-barrel. I introduced cysteine insertion and substitution mutations throughout the length of VirB10 in order to: (i) test a predicted transmembrane topology, (ii) …

Analyzing The Role Of Αvβ8 Integrin In Glioma-Induced Angiogenesis, Jeremy H. Tchaicha

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

In this study we aimed to determine the functional roles for αvβ8 integrin in astrocytoma-induced angiogenesis. These studies originate from our analyses of αvβ8 integrin in developmental brain angiogenesis. αv and β8 knockout (KO) mice develop brain-specific vascular phenotypes that resemble vascular pathologies observed in the malignant astrocytoma, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Indeed, a murine xenograft model of astrocytoma suggested a role for the integrin in glioma-induced angiogenesis. Primary mouse astroglia were cultured from wild type (WT) and β8 KO neonates and were immortalized (HPV:E6/E7) and transformed (HRas:G12V). WT and β8 KO transformed astroglia were intracranially injected into athymic mice. WT …

Elucidating The Role Of Cd44 Expression On Mesenchymal Stem Cells Within The Tumor Microenvironment, Erika L. Spaeth

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The tumor microenvironment is comprised of a vast array of heterogeneous cells including both normal and neoplastic cells. The tumor stroma recruitment process has been exploited for an effective gene delivery technique using bone marrow derived MSC. Targeted migration of the MSC toward the tumor microenvironment, while successful, is not yet fully understood. This study was designed to assess the role of CD44 in the migration of MSC toward the tumor microenvironment and to determine the implications of CD44-deficient MSC within the tumor stroma. Inhibition of MSC migration was evaluated through a variety of methods in vitro and in vivo …