Life Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Toxicity Following Electrically Mediated Interleukin-12 Gene Delivery In A B16 Mouse Melanoma Model, Loree Heller, Kathleen Merkler, Jeffrey Westover, Yolmari Cruz, Domenico Coppola, Kaaron Benson, Adil Daud, Richard Heller

Bioelectrics Publications

PURPOSE: Interleukin-12 (IL-12) has potential as an immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer but is unfortunately associated with toxicity. Delivery of a plasmid encoding IL-12 with electroporation induces an antitumor effect in the B16 mouse melanoma model without serious side effects. To translate this observation to the clinic, an evaluation of toxicity was done in the mouse model.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Weight change, tumor response, blood chemistry and hematology values, and serum IL-12 levels were evaluated. Multiple tissues were analyzed histopathologically.

RESULTS: A pronounced reduction in tumor volume, including a large percentage of complete regressions, was observed after electrically mediated …

Biogeochemistry Of Arsenic And Antimony In The North Pacific Ocean, Gregory A. Cutter, Lynda S. Cutter

OES Faculty Publications

The biogeochemical cycles of the metalloid elements arsenic and antimony were examined along a 15,000 km surface water transect and at 9 vertical profile stations in the western North Pacific Ocean as part of the 2002 IOC Contaminant Baseline Survey. Results show that the speciation of dissolved arsenic (As III, As V, and methylated As) was subtly controlled by the arsenate (AsV)/phosphate ratio. An additional fraction of presumed organic arsenic previously reported in coastal waters was also present (~15% of the total As) in oceanic surface waters. Dissolved inorganic antimony displayed mildly scavenged behavior that was confirmed by correlations with …

Substituting Otoliths For Chemical Analyses: Does Sagitta = Lapillus?, Nathan G. Smith, Cynthia M. Jones

OES Faculty Publications

Chemical analysis of fish otoliths has become an important technique in fisheries science with widespread applications. Most research up to this point has focused predominantly on sagittal otoliths, but the underlying assumptions may also apply to lapilli. The goal of this study was to determine whether lapilli and sagittae have the same otolith chemistry and whether one can be substituted for the other for solution-based chemical analysis in wild-captured fish. We compared the stable isotope chemistry (δ13C and δ18O) of paired sagittae and lapilli of juvenile spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus collected from Chesapeake Bay seagrass beds in 2002. …

Art Therapy With Adults With Autism, Kimberly Dennler

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Research regarding art therapy with adults with autism is limited. The objective of this study was to understand the effect of a specific art therapy intervention upon social interaction and communication of the adults with autism. The hypothesis was that by participating in this intervention, the participants’ communication and socialization would increase and their maladaptive behaviors would decrease. Over a series of nine sessions, the five participants from Bittersweet Farms were introduced to basic techniques for working with clay.

Results were based on qualitative analysis of data from staff surveys, through the use of pre and post questionnaires; observations made …

Abstracts Of Papers, 84th Annual Meeting Of The Virginia Academy Of Science

Virginia Journal of Science

Full abstracts of papers for the 84th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, May 25-26, 2006, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA

Examination Of Clinical And Laboratory Measures Of Postural Stability During Static And Dynamic Testing Between Stable And Unstable Ankles, Jason C. Mitchell

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the relationship between clinical and laboratory balance testing, (2) to examine the effect of functional ankle instability (FAI) on scored dynamic and static clinical balance tests, (3) to examine the effect of functional ankle instability (FAI) on a timed dynamic clinical balance test, (4) to examine the effect of FAI on a dynamic laboratory balance test, and (5) to examine the effect of FAI on a static laboratory balance test. Each subject performed four balance tests; (1) Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) Test, (2) Agility Hop test, (3) Laboratory Static Balance …

The Study Of Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression, Function, And Regulation In The Renal Vasculature During Postnatal Renal Development, Brian Blake Ratliff

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The newborn kidney is vulnerable to vasomotor acute renal failure (ARF) from adverse perinatal events or complications of prematurity. Nitric oxide (NO) vasodilation is vitally protective in this type of ARF, but its relationship with other vasoactive factors, such as angiotensin II (AII) has not been examined. In the immature kidney, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms, specifically eNOS and nNOS, are developmentally regulated, but their specific role and regulation are unknown.

The enhanced vasodilatory role of NO in the immature kidney was hypothesized to be attributed to regulatory, expressional, and functional differences in eNOS and nNOS isoforms from the adult. …

Differences In Vo2 Between Kickboxing And Treadmill Exercise At Similar Heart Rates, Lisa Dawn Wingfield

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Kickboxing has become increasingly popular as an alternative mode of aerobic exercise in the general public. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in oxygen consumption (VO₂) during kickboxing and treadmill running at similar heart rates (HR).

Methods

Eleven female subjects (19±1 yrs; 165±5 cm; 62±12 kg) participated in a 25-minute kickboxing session. This consisted of 5-minute segments including a warm-up, punch, kick, combination (punch/kick) and cool down. The kickboxing stages were performed in a randomized, counterbalanced order. After a 30-minute rest period, the subjects performed a modified Bruce treadmill max test (5 minute stages). …

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field Effects On Cell Cycle And Apoptosis, Emily H. Hall

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Apoptosis, programmed cell death, is a highly regulated and complex pathway essential for embryonic development, immune-system function and maintenance of tissue homeostasis where cells induce their own cell death. Cells undergoing apoptosis exhibit a distinctive phenotype characterized by maintenance of membrane integrity, cell shrinkage, phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization at the plasma membrane, caspase protease activation, DNA fragmentation, release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrion, and membrane blebbing. An important regulatory protein in the apoptotic pathway is p53. The p53 protein functions to modulate the cell cycle by arresting cells in the G1 and G 2 phases to repair DNA damage, and/or …

Modulation Of Tgfβ-Induced Pai -1 Expression By Changes In Actin Polymerization In Human Mesangial Cells, Keyur Patel

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Chronic renal diseases show increased deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the glomerulus (glomerulosclerosis). Glomerulosclerosis is associated with activation of normally quiescent glomerular mesangial cells into myofibroblast-like cells. The overall objective of this study is to delineate cellular mechanism/s of myofibroblast-differentiation in disease states. In cultured mesangial cells certain characteristics of myofibroblast differentiation (α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and hypertrophy) are associated with an increase in polymeric actin microfilaments (stress fibers). It is likely that other genes are also regulated in an actin cytoskeleton-dependent manner during myofibroblast differentiation. In these studies, we therefore examined the hypothesis that changes in the actin …

The Effect Of Protonic Device On Hip Flexibility And Pelvic Alignment, Jessica Lealand Moore

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was examine the effect the Protonics™ device has on changing pelvic alignment through the use of repositioning exercises during a one-week time period. A secondary purpose was to determine if the Ober Test and Thomas Test are valid and reliable for assessment of pelvic alignment. Intra rater reliability of the Ober Test, Thomas Test, and PALM measurements were determined during preseason testing. Intra-rater reliability of the PALM, Thomas and Ober test was determined with Intraclass Correlation (ICC1.1) assessment. Separate 3x3 repeated measures analysis of variance was completed for group: brace, no brace, and control, and …

Biochemical Profiling Of Gout Patients, Tamera Fayre Schlitt

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the research is to investigate the biochemical cause of gout in 82 patients. The gouty patients had been diagnosed with gout according to the criterion of the American Rheumatism Association. This gout patient population consisted of 58 men and 24 women with gout whose ages ranged from 11 to 84 years of age with a mean age of 44 years. Key purine metabolism enzyme activity levels and purine metabolite concentrations in the patients' plasma and urine were compared to the mean values of a healthy control group. The control group consisted of 33 males and 25 female …

Hydrographic Observations During The 2002 Ioc Contaminant Baseline Survey In The Western Pacific Ocean, C. I. Measures, Greg A. Cutter, W. M. Landing, R. T. Powell

OES Faculty Publications

The 2002 IOC Contaminant Baseline Survey in the western Pacific Ocean was the fourth in a series of cruises intended to establish the contemporary concentrations of trace elements and other materials in the major water masses of the ocean and to illuminate the pathways by which materials delivered to the surface ocean are incorporated in the subsurface waters. The expedition occupied 9 vertical profile stations encompassing the subtropical and subarctic gyre of the western North Pacific. In addition, underway surface water samples were collected during transits between the stations. This paper uses the temperature, salinity, nutrient, oxygen, and chlorophyll data …

Effect Of A Single Bout Of Prior Moderate Exercise On Cutaneous Perfusion In Type 2 Diabetes, Sheri R. Colberg, Henri K. Parson, Tanja Nunnold, D. Robb Holton, Aaron I. Vinik

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

In diabetic individuals, increased shunting of circulation away from the skin may exist, contributing to their greater risk for ulcerations and poor cutaneous healing. In a prospective study (1), we previously found a lower skin perfusion during local heating in the foot dorsum of sedentary type 2 diabetic individuals compared with active people without diabetes. This defect was present despite normal increases in skin interstitial nitric oxide (NO), suggesting that NO is either ineffective or not involved (2). A prior bout of maximal exercise also lessened the impaired responsiveness to local heating of the dorsal foot in active type 2 …

Nanoelectropulse-Driven Membrane Perturbation And Small Molecule Permeabilization, P. Thomas Vernier, Yinghua Sun, Martin A. Gundersen

Bioelectrics Publications

Background
Nanosecond, megavolt-per-meter pulsed electric fields scramble membrane phospholipids, release intracellular calcium, and induce apoptosis. Flow cytometric and fluorescence microscopy evidence has associated phospholipid rearrangement directly with nanoelectropulse exposure and supports the hypothesis that the potential that develops across the lipid bilayer during an electric pulse drives phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization.

Results
In this work we extend observations of cells exposed to electric pulses with 30 ns and 7 ns durations to still narrower pulse widths, and we find that even 3 ns pulses are sufficient to produce responses similar to those reported previously. We show here that in contrast to …

Plasma Membrane Voltage Changes During Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field Exposure, W. Frey, R. O. Price, P. F. Blackmore, R. P. Joshi, R. Nuccitelli, S. J. Beebe, K. H. Schoenbach, J. F. Kolb

Bioelectrics Publications

The change in the membrane potential of Jurkat cells in response to nanosecond pulsed electric fields was studied for pulses with a duration of 60 ns and maximum field strengths of similar to 100 kV/cm (100 V/cell diameter). Membranes of Jurkat cells were stained with a fast voltage-sensitive dye, ANNINE-6, which has a subnanosecond voltage response time. A temporal resolution of 5 ns was achieved by the excitation of this dye with a tunable laser pulse. The laser pulse was synchronized with the applied electric field to record images at times before, during, and after exposure. When exposing the Jurkat …

Never Let Me Clone? Countering An Ethical Argument Against The Reproductive Cloning Of Humans, Yvette Pearson

Philosophy Faculty Publications

In the March 2006 issue of EMBO reports, Christof Tannert, a bioethicist at the Max Delbrück Research Centre in Berlin, Germany, presented a moral argument against human reproductive cloning on the basis of Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative (Tannert, 2006). In this article, I address some problems with Tannert’s views and show that our concerns about this prospective procedure should prompt us to scrutinize carefully the conventional procreative practices and attitudes. Indeed, if we set aside objections that are grounded in genetic determinism, many of the offensive features of human cloning are identical to problems with procreation by more conventional means, …

Tick Pheromones And Their Use In Tick Control, Daniel E. Sonenshine

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Tick pheromones that regulate assembly, attraction/aggregation/attachment, and mating behavior have been described. Most of the compounds regulating these behaviors are purines, substituted phenols, or cholesteryl esters. Other pheromonal compounds include organic acids, hematin, or ecdysteroids. Novel devices have been developed that combine the specific compounds comprising these pheromones with an acaricide. When applied to tick-infested vegetation or directly to the body surfaces of livestock or companion animals, these devices are effective for tick control. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of tick pheromones. In addition, this review also presents examples illustrating how devices using tick pheromones can offer …

The Adaptive Value Of Aggregation Among Juvenile Caribbean Spiny Lobster: An Evaluation Using Individual-Based Modeling, Thomas W. Dolan Iii, Mark J. Butler Iv

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ontogenetic changes in gregariousness by pre-reproductive animals, like that observed in juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus), may be adaptive and reflect size-specific changes in the effectiveness of aggregation in promoting survival. Alternatively, aggregation may simply result from changes in the distribution or availability of suitable habitat structure, or from other behaviors that enhance survival. There are currently two hypotheses explaining the potential benefits of gregarious behavior in juvenile spiny lobsters, both of which focus on increasing survivorship by reducing predation pressure: the group benefit hypothesis and the guide hypothesis. The group benefit hypothesis argues that aggregations of …

Bogidiella Indica, A New Species Of Subterranean Amphipod Crustacean (Bogidiellidae) From Wells In Southeastern India, With Remarks On The Biogeographic Importance Of Recently Discovered Bogidiellids On The Indian Subcontinent, John R. Holsinger, Y. Ranga Reddy, Mohammed Messouli

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Bogidiella indica, new species, is described from three water wells in southeastern India, including a bore-well on the campus of Acharya Nagarjuna University in Nagarjunanagar, a water well in Guntur town, and an agricultural well in the Godavari and Krishna Basin, all in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The new species is assigned to the genus Bogidiella Hertzog and to a newly designated species group within the genus. Despite the near circum-global distribution of the family Bogidiellidae, only a single, partially intact specimen of a bogidiellid had been collected from the Indian subcontinent prior to the discovery of specimens …

Effects Of Salinity Changes On The Photodegradation And Ultraviolet-Visible Absorbance Of Terrestrial Dissolved Organic Matter, E. C. Minor, J. Pothen, B. J. Dalzell, H. Abdulla, K. Mopper

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

We performed laboratory studies to determine the effects of salinity on the photodegradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the Great Dismal Swamp, Virginia, an important source of terrestrial DOM to the lower Chesapeake Bay. Samples were created by mixing Great Dismal Swamp water (ionic strength approximate to 0 mol L^-1) with modified artificial seawater solutions of differing salinities while keeping the final dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration constant. These samples were then irradiated for 24 h in a light box providing ultraviolet (UV) light similar to that of natural sunlight. Light absorbance and DOC concentrations decreased after …

2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl Borate As A Prototype Drug For A Group Of Structurally Related Calcium Channel Blockers In Human Platelets, Yuliya Dobrydneva, Christopher J. Abelt, Beth Dovel, Celina M. Thadigiri, Roy L. Williams, Peter F. Blackmore

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

We have synthesized a series of 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB, 2,2-diphenyl-1,3,2-oxazaborolidine) analogs and tested their ability to inhibit thrombin-induced Ca²⁺ influx in human platelets. The analogs were either synthesized by adding various substituents to the oxazaborolidine ring (methyl, dimethyl, tert-butyl, phenyl, methyl phenyl, and pyridyl) or increasing the size of the oxazaborolidine ring to seven- and nine-membered rings. NMR analysis of the boron-containing analogs suggests that each of them exist as a ring structure through the formation of an N -> B coordinate bond (except for the hexyl analog). The possibility that these boron-containing compounds formed dimers was also …

Effects Of Gesture+Verbal Treatment For Noun And Verb Retrieval In Aphasia, Anastasia M. Raymer, Floris Singletary, Amy Rodriguez, Maribel Ciampitti, Kenneth M. Heilman, Leslie J. Gonzalez Rothi

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Links between verbs and gesture knowledge suggest that verb retrieval may be particularly amenable to gesture+verbal training (GVT) in aphasia compared to noun retrieval. This study examines effects of GVT for noun and verb retrieval in nine individuals with aphasia subsequent to left hemisphere stroke. Participants presented an array of noun and verb retrieval deficits, including impairments of semantic and/or phonologic processing. In a single-participant experimental design, we investigated effects of GVT for noun and verb retrieval in two counterbalanced treatment phases. Effects were evaluated in spoken naming and gesture production to pictured objects and actions. Spoken naming improvements associated …

Distribution And Status Of The Southern Bog Lemming, Synaptomys Cooperi, In Southeastern Virginia, Robert K. Rose

Virginia Journal of Science

The Dismal Swamp subspecies of the Southern bog lemming, Synaptomys cooperi helaletes, was named based on specimens collected during the 1895-1898 biological surveys conducted in the Dismal Swamp by the US Department of Agriculture. Unknown in the 20th Century until re-discovered in 1980, this small boreal rodent was believed to be restricted to the Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia and North Carolina where the cool damp conditions had permitted it to survive during the Holocene. However, field studies conducted since 1980 have revealed southern bog lemmings to be widespread throughout southeastern Virginia, with populations encompassing an area of more …

Gis And 3d Analysis Applied To Sea Turtle Mortalities And Navigation Channel Dredging, Bradley A. Shellito, Keith B. Lockwood

Virginia Journal of Science

Between 2000 and 2003 there were an increased number of documented sea turtle mortalities related to hopper dredging in the channels of the Chesapeake Bay. A pilot study was undertaken to create a bathymetric surface and three-dimensional model of the Cape Henry Channel using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a visualization tool to examine sea turtle mortalities in relation to the dredging. In Fall 2003, the US Army Corps of Engineers dredged the Thimble Shoals Federal Navigation Channel, and a more refined model was developed using this data. This project examines the growing concerns over sea turtle mortality rates and …

Ocean Warming And Freshening In The Northern Gulf Of Alaska, Thomas C. Royer, Chester E. Grosch

CCPO Publications

Water column temperatures on the shelf in the northern Gulf of Alaska have increased more than 0.8 degrees C and vertical density stratification has increased since 1970 near Seward, Alaska throughout the 250 m depth. This high latitude marine system has low water temperatures, high rates of precipitation, glacial melting, high wind speeds and high rates of biological productivity. A more than 300 km alongshore shift ( locally westward) of isotherms is suggested. The observations are consistent with a conceptual ocean-atmosphere circulation model that employs coastal freshwater discharge, glacial ablation and wind forcing. Positive regional feedback mechanisms accelerate the discharge …

Vertical Distribution Of Decapod Larvae In The Entrance Of An Equatorward Facing Bay Of Central Chile: Implications For Transport, Beatriz Yannicelli, Leonardo R. Castro, Arnoldo Valle-Levinson, Larry Atkinson, Dante Figueroa

CCPO Publications

Two short biophysical surveys were carried out in order to assess how the decapod crustacean larvae vertical distribution and circulation patterns in an equatorward facing embayment (Gulf of Arauco, 37° S; 73° W) influenced larval transport into and out of the Gulf. The embayment is located at the upwelling area of south central Chile and features a deep (60 m) and a shallow (25 m) pathway of communication with the adjacent coastal ocean. Profiles of zooplankton, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and current velocity were measured during a 22-h period at the shallow entrance to the gulf. In addition, three zooplankton …

Transport Of Antarctic Krill (Euphausia Superba) Across The Scotia Sea. Part Ii: Krill Growth And Survival, Bettina A. Fach, Eileen E. Hofmann, Eugene J. Murphy

CCPO Publications

A time-dependent, size-structured, physiologically based krill growth model was used in conjunction with a circulation model to test the hypothesis that Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) populations at South Georgia are sustained by import of individuals from upstream regions. Surface phytoplankton concentrations along the simulated drifter trajectories were extracted from historical Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) measurements and sea ice biota concentrations were calculated from sea ice concentration and extent extracted along drifter trajectories from Special Sensor Microwave/ Imager measurements. As additional food sources, a time series of heterotrophic food was constructed from historical data, and time series of …

Evaluating The Biogeochemical Cycle Of Selenium In San Francisco Bay Through Modeling, Shannon L. Meseck, Gregory A. Cutter

OES Faculty Publications

A biogeochemical model was developed to simulate salinity, total suspended material, phytoplankton biomass, dissolved selenium concentrations (selenite, selenate, and organic selenide), and particulate selenium concentrations (selenite + selenate, elemental selenium, and organic selenide) in the San Francisco Bay estuary. Model-generated estuarine profiles of total dissolved selenium reproduced observed estuarine profiles at a confidence interval of 91- 99% for 8 different years under various environmental conditions. The model accurately reproduced the observed dissolved speciation at confidence intervals of 81-98% for selenite, 72-91% for selenate, and 60-96% for organic selenide. For particulate selenium, model-simulated estuarine profiles duplicated the observed behavior of total …

Dynamics Of Carbon Allocation In A Deep-Water Population Of The Deciduous Kelp Pleurophycus Gardeneri (Laminariales), Clare M. Dominik, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Pleurophycus gardneri (Laminariales) is common in the low intertidal of the Northeast Pacific, but dominates many deep (30 to 40 m) rocky reefs in central California. Seasonal dynamics of productivity and resource allocation of a deep-water population of this deciduous, stipitate kelp were studied to understand how blade abscission affects the annual carbon budget. Patterns of growth, metabolism, and carbon storage and mobilization were measured monthly for 1 yr relative to in situ light and temperature, and used to model the annual carbon budget. The resulting carbon budget was used to determine if blade abscission effectively reduced respiratory demand during …