Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Histological Evaluation Of Cryopreserved Ovaries In Autologous Abdominal Transplant To NaïVe, Outbred, Cd1, Mice, Wentia Elissa Ford

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

This study showed that fresh and frozen-thawed mouse ovaries would maintain viable primordial or primary follicles post-autologous transplantation. Furthermore, with appropriate hormonal stimulation, these early-stage follicles were shown to develop into Graafian follicles containing a metaphase II antral ovum. Partially sliced ovaries were transplanted into the abdominal cavity of naive, outbred, CD1, white mice. Hormonal stimulation with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) one week after the autologous transplantation stimulated variable degrees of follicle and ovum maturation within the ovarian tissue. There were no major morphological differences observed between the four groups, three treatment and one …

Map Kinases In Cynomolgus Monkey Sperm Hyperactivation, Emily Nicole Haynes

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Mammalian sperm exhibit characteristic motility patterns, termed hyperactivated (HA) motility, associated with completion of capacitation. In cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) sperm, this HA motility is dependent in vitro upon the addition of exogenous cyclic nucleotide mediators, caffeine and dibutyryl-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (dbcAMP). Previous reports have shown protein tyrosine phosphorylation to be an integral component of this caffeine- and cAMP-stimulated HA motility. This study investigated the involvement of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-signaling cascade. Semen specimens were collected in Talp-HEPES medium from proven breeders via electroejaculation. After washing, sperm were incubated in the presence and absence of the MAP …

A Noninvasive Test For Vesico-Ureteric Reflux In Children, R. A. Mevorach, B. Cilento, S. Zahorian, C. Badgett, R. Walker, A. Atala, S. Iannello, M. Meyer

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Objective To report the development and testing of a device for the noninvasive diagnosis of vesico‐ureteric reflux (VUR) which avoids the need for urethral catheterization (currently required to reliably determine the presence of VUR), and which thus avoids the anxiety of parents and patients that causes many families to refuse such evaluation.

Patients and methods Fifty‐four children (49 girls and five boys, mean age 7.2 years, range 4–14) previously evaluated as having VUR volunteered to participate; no child was symptomatic at the time of the study. Refluxing units were known to be present by voiding cysto‐urethrography (within 1 year, mean …

Jeffress Research Grant Awards

Virginia Journal of Science

Announcements of the Jeffress Research Grants that have been awarded in 1999.

Telomerase Activity In Human Preimplantation Embryos, Diane Lynne Wright

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein, has been described as an essential component of highly proliferative cells, which stabilizes the telomeres and avoids cellular senescence. Telomerase has been identified in various embryonic cell stages, hematopoietic cells, and in >85% of tumor tissue biopsies analyzed. The ability to measure the potential to proliferate successfully could provide an objective measure of an embryo's quality. The objectives of this study were to modify the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay system for increased sensitivity to allow detection of telomerase activity in the single cell of an oocyte and embryo, obtain telomerase activity levels for the oocyte …

Cartilage Regeneration On A Large Articular Surface Facilitated By Stress Shielding, Charles L. Mcdowell, Jennifer S. Wayne, Robert Tuten, Hunter H. Mcguire Jr.

Virginia Journal of Science

An animal model for the study of articular cartilage regeneration in-vivo facilitated by stress-shielding is introduced. The object of the model is to test the hypothesis that some form of cartilaginous tissue will grow upon a large joint surface in vivo with the joint in normal motion. The model utilizes the known capability of immature cells to differentiate. The source of cells is bleeding subchondral bone. In addition, the model provides a mechanically shielded environment in which cell differentiation and maturation can occur. The study showed that a substantial amount of tissue will grow in the animal model only when …

Field Sampling And Necropsy Examination Of Fish, A. S. Kane, A. Baya, R. Reimschuessel, K. M. St. Pé, C. A. Poukish, C. P. Driscoll

Virginia Journal of Science

This paper presents an overview of observational and fish sampling tech­niques for investigating fish lesions, morbidity and mortality. These sam­pling techniques and investigations are much like detective work and require attention to detail, common sense, technical proficiency and experience. To solve the mystery of a fish kill, the investigator must use available evidence and clues to piece together a series of events that often have long since passed. The cause of these field events may be chemical, biological or physical; more often, it is some combination of these. An initial categorization approach may be used to reduce the great number …

Reaction-Diffusion Models Of Cancer Dispersion, Kim Yvette Ward

Mathematics & Statistics Theses & Dissertations

The phenomenological modeling of the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of one-dimensional models of cancer dispersion are studied. The models discussed pertain primarily to the transition of a tumor from an initial neoplasm to the dormant avascular state, i.e. just prior to the vascular state, whenever that may occur. Initiating the study is the mathematical analysis of a reaction-diffusion model describing the interaction between cancer cells, normal cells and growth inhibitor. The model leads to several predictions, some of which are supported by experimental data and clinical observations $\lbrack25\rbrack$. We will examine the effects of additional terms on these characteristics. …

Biochemical And Molecular Characterization Of The Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (Psma), John Karl Troyer

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer death in males in the United States. Additionally, the number of deaths attributed to prostate cancer is increasing at a rate of approximately 8% a year. Development of new diagnostic and therapy strategies are needed in order to improve the life expectancy of patients with this disease. One tool which may allow for improvements in prostate cancer diagnosis and therapy is the monoclonal antibody (MAb) 7E11-C5.3 which was first described in 1987. Since then, the antigen recognized by MAb 7E11-C5.3 has been named the prostate specific …

Effectiveness Of Dna Probe Technology In Distinguishing Among Gingival Health, Mild-Moderate Periodontitis, And Severe Periodontitis In Human Oral Sites, Juliana J. Kim

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if there is a difference in the type of microorganisms found in oral sites classified as gingival health, mild-moderate periodontitis, or severe periodontitis as measured by the DMDx* Test. A purposive sample of one hundred oral sites was selected from adult patients. Subjects were excluded from the study based on: the presence of any systemic disorders, communicable diseases, diabetic conditions, blood dyscrasias, congenital heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, pregnancy, history of periodontal surgery, prosthetic joint replacement, hypertensive heart disease, or any medications that might alter the gingival tissues (e.g. antibiotics, hormonal therapy, …

Determination Of Pancreatic And Salivary Amylase By Enzyme Immunoassay And Their Prevalence In Hyperamylasemic Patients, Sabdra Borgens Ward

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Currently, amylase determinations are nonspecific for the organ source and are based entirely on the enzymatic properties of amylase to produce a measurable product or byproduct. The determination of pancreatic amylase is important in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Most commercially available tests for amylase employ the measurement of the change in NADH absorbance at 280 nm or of the p-nitrophenol released from a maltotetrose substrate. These are nonspecific measurements of pancreatic amylase and often necessitate other tests to be run such as a serum lipase.

The two predominant isoenzymes of amylase are pancreatic (p-amylase) and salivary (s-amylase); the most …

Immunologic Evaluation Of Ectopic Gestation, Tawfig Amin Nasser

Health Services Research Dissertations

Ectopic gestation is an error in the implantation site of the blastocyst. Extrauterine implantation presents a unique environment since the protective features of the uterus are absent. This study is an investigation into the immunoregulatory differences that may develop as a result of a change in the feto-maternal junction.

The effects of female plasma on one-way mixed lymphocyte cultures and mitogen-stimulated cultures, anti-paternal lymphocytotoxicity, and lymphocyte phenotypes were determined on normal, ectopic and non-pregnant females. The results indicated that pregnant female plasma enhanced the response of autologous lymphocytes to spouse and male control lymphocytes. Enhancement was not seen in the …

Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay By Polyclonal Antibodies Against Organophosphorus Pesticides, Kuo-Lan Wen

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) comprise one of the major classes of pesticides in use today because they are highly effective and less toxic. Because of their extensive use, there is a need for monitoring OPs in water and vegetables. Gas chromatography (GC) is the usual method for OPs screening, but it is time-consuming and has the high cost of instrumentation. The goal of this project was to find an easy method which was sensitive and had less instrumentation required to test OPs.

Microwells and microtubes were utilized as the solid-phase immobilization for the development of an enzyme immunoassay for OPs. A …

Characterization Of A Novel Prostate Tumor-Associated Antigen, Grayson B. Lipford

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The murine monoclonal antibodies (MAb) TURP-27 and HNK-1 have been shown to detect antigens that are heavily expressed by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and carcinoma of the prostate (CaP). Western blot analysis of prostate extracts, showed that MAb TURP-27 and MAb HNK-1 bound glycoproteins of 180, 140, 120, 100, 90 and 69 kDa. Studies have shown that the HNK-1 carbohydrate epitope may be involved in cell adhesion and that it is a component of several characterized adhesion proteins. TURP-27 was found to bind at least three of these adhesion proteins: neural cell adhesion molecules (N-CAM), myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and a …

Progesterone And 17 Α-Hydroxyprogesterone: Novel Stimulators Of Calcium Influx In Human Sperm, Peter F. Blackmore, Stephen J. Beebe, Douglas R. Danforth, Nancy Alexander

Bioelectrics Publications

Progesterone and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (but not other steroids such as testosterone, corticosterone, beta-estradiol, estrone, dehydroepiandrosterone, 20 alpha-hydroxypregnen-3-one, androstenedione, and pregnenolone) were shown to cause an immediate increase, in free cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i) in both capacitated and noncapacitated human sperm, using the fluorescent indicator fura 2. Significant increases in [Ca2+]i were observed with 10 ng/ml progesterone, while maximum effects were seen with 1 microgram/ml progesterone. Two other steroids 11 beta-hydroxyprogesterone and 5 alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione exhibited significant activity to increase [Ca2+]i. This increase in [Ca2+]i elicited by progesterone was entirely due to Ca2+ influx from the extracellular medium since the increase in [Ca2+]i …

The Determination Of Tamoxifen Citrate In Human Blood Serum And Semen, Karimdad Tahmoresi

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)methodologies for the determination of tamoxifen and its metabolites 4-hydroxytamoxifen and n-desmethyltamoxifen, and using cis-tamoxifen as an internal standard have been developed.

Clinical analyses of tamoxifen and its metabolites in human serum and semen, were performed as follows: The analytes were extracted from serum and semen with hexane, the hexane evaporated, the dried extract then reconstituted with methanol, followed by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography.

Between-run coefficients of variation (CV'S) for tamoxifen and n-desmethyltamoxifen for serum sample analyses, (n = 15) were, 4% and 13% at mean (SD) concentration of 140.2 (6.2) and 71.8 (9.8) …

Variant Forms Of Ataxia Telangiectasia, A. M. R. Taylor, E. Flude, B. Laher, Michael W. Stacey, E. Mckay, J. Watt, S. H. Greens, A. E. Harding

Bioelectrics Publications

Two ataxia telangiectasia patients with unusual clinical and cellular features are described. Cultured fibroblasts and PHA stimulated lymphocytes from these two patients showed a smaller increase of radiosensitivity than cells from other A-T patients, as measured by colony forming ability or induced chromosome damage respectively, after exposure to ionising radiation. The response of DNA synthesis to irradiation of these cells was, however, the same as for other A-T patients. Cells from a third patient with some clinical features of A-T but with a very protracted course also showed low levels of radiation induced chromosome damage, but colony forming ability and …

The Effects Of 712-Dimethylbenz (A) Anthracene On Ovarian Steroidogenesis And Uterine Growth In The Mouse, Jeffrey Lynn Clark

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

It has been previously demonstrated that 7,12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene (DMBA) is an initiator of ovarian granulosa cell tumors. It is also known that DMBA leads to destruction of primordial oocytes, and that tumor induction may involve the interaction of pituitary gonadotropins. However, the effects of DMBA on ovarian steroidogenesis and uterine growth in relation to the tumorigenic process have not been investigated. Therefore, the present study was conducted to examine these parameters using adult C57Bl/6N mice treated in proestrus and diestrus II with 0.1 ml corn oil with or without 1.5 mg DMBA and killed 44 hours later. The uteri and …

The Association Of Semen Factors With The Recovery Of Ureaplasma Urealyticum, Rebecca D. Cintron

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Fifty-six semen samples from males under examination for suspected subfertility were examined to determine if alterations in specific semen parameters could be associated with the presence or absence or Ureaplasma urealvticum. Twenty-seven (48.2%) of the specimens cultured positive for U· urealyticum in U9B urease broth and A-7 differential agar. Both positive and negative specimens have a normal average motility rating. Overall sperm counts (millions per ml) were slightly lower and ejaculate volumes higher in U. urealvticum positive samples. Morphological abnormalicies were not found more frequently in U. urealyticum positive samples. No statistically significant difference between seminal parameters of U. …

A Batch Method For The Isolation Of Immunogenically Pure Igg, Iga, And Igm From Human Sera, Samuel Christopher Powell

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

A method is described for preparing an enriched fraction of the three major antibodies, immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM, from normal human serum by a batch method. Selective precipitation of these proteins was carried out in successive steps using polyethylene glycol (PEG) of average molecular weight 6,000 at concentrations of 7%, 12% and 14% (16) . Zinc sulfate (10 mM) was used to remove highly immunogenic alpha₂ macroglobulin from the IgM fraction. IgA, IgM and IgG were further purified by adsorption methods using DEAE-cellulose. Quantitation and qualitation of the enriched fractions showed nearly complete separation of each of the …