55453 research outputs found
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Senior Recital, Ethan Jenkins, tuba, video
Get PDFSenior Recital, videoEthan Jenkins, tubaNick Berkin, pianoTuesday, April 15, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.Sonia Vlahcevic Concert HallW.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts922 Park Avenue | Richmond, VirginiaThe presentation of this senior recital will fulfill in part the requirements of the Bachelor of Music degree in Performance. Ethan Jenkins studies tuba with Jeff Hudson
Special Recital, Jalen Wise, flute
Get PDFSpecial RecitalJalen Wise, fluteDaniel Stipe, pianoTuesday, March 25, at 6:00 p.m.Recital HallJames W. Black Music Center1015 Grove Avenue | Richmond, Virgini
Faculty Recital, George Stoffan, clarinet
Get PDFFaculty RecitalGeorge Stoffan, clarinetDaniel Stipe, pianoWednesday, March 19, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.Sonia Vlahcevic Concert HallW.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts922 Park Avenue | Richmond, Virgini
String Area Recital
Get PDFString Area RecitalMonday, March 3, 2025 at 3:30 p.m.Recital HallJames W. Black Music Center1015 Grove Avenue | Richmond, Virgini
Student Showcase
Get PDFSymphonic Wind EnsemblepresentsStudent Showcaseconducted by Duane CostonFriday, March 28, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.Sonia Vlahcevic Concert HallW.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts922 Park Avenue | Richmond, Virgini
Qualitative Analysis of Commercial Nitrous Oxide Canisters for Residual Solvent and Petroleum Contaminants
No full textNitrous oxide, N2O, is a colorless gas, synthesized by Joseph Priestly in 1772. The first reported use of N2O was as a surgical anesthetic in the 1800s and recreational use was documented as early as 1844. Shortly after the discovery of N2O, laughing gas parties slowly became the foundation for the use of N2O in medical applications. These gatherings were mainly popular in England and the United States, starting in the late 1700s. It has fast onset of action, low lipid solubility, and the ability to be used for conditions such as depression and narcotic withdrawal. An increase in the recreational use of N2O has occurred worldwide, attributed to its euphoric effects and easy accessibility. N2O does not have immediate and obvious adverse effects, leading to general belief that it is harmless. For recreational use, N2O is typically inhaled directly from steel bulbs or “whippets” that contain around 10 mL of liquid N2O or from balloons filled from the bulbs. These products are commercialized to be used in whipped cream charging bottles and are readily available in stores and online. Unsanitary manufacturing conditions for the N2O bulbs have been reported, precipitating questions about heavy metal, residual solvent, and petroleum product exposure.
Six commercially manufactured N2O products, purchased from either Amazon Marketplace or a brick-and-mortar smoke shop, were analyzed for N2O and petroleum contaminants using a Shimadzu GCMS-QP2020 Gas Chromatograph – Mass Spectrometer and a Millipore Sigma polydimethylsiloxane divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) (24 ga, 65 μm) solid phase microextraction (SPME) fiber assembly. HS-GC-FID analysis was conducted on the Shimadzu HS-20 paired with a Nexis 2030 GC-FID using a dual column system. This analysis will test for five common solvents: ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, methanol (MeOH), and ethanol (EtOH). Results from both HS-GC-FID and SPME GC-MS analyses shows evidence of the presence of petroleum product contaminants in at least one brand included in this study. These results prove the need for stronger regulations to be effectively implemented in this industry
ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF INCREASING VITAMIN C CONCENTRATIONS ON HIERARCHICAL COLLAGEN FIBER FORMATION BY MENISCAL FIBROCHONDROCYTES
No full textMenisci are semi-lunar wedge-shaped discs that aid in load distribution and transfer in the knee. Menisci are capable of distributing loads due to a complex collagen organization dominated by circumferentially-aligned collagen fibers. With age, menisci have increased susceptibility to injury and degeneration, where collagen fibers become torn and no longer functional. Additionally, there is reduced healing with age, ultimately reducing the ability of the meniscus to distribute load in the knee, leading to the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) and an increased need for total knee replacements. OA is the most common joint condition, affecting over 32.5 million US adults and is characterized by inflammation and the progressive deterioration of articular cartilage. There is a growing need for a treatment that will drive collagen fiber regeneration to heal the meniscus and prevent the formation of OA. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a natural antioxidant that has been shown to stimulate collagen synthesis in dermal fibroblasts and thus could be a tool to help the meniscus heal better, in turn reducing OA progression. The objective of this thesis is to investigate whether vitamin C can accelerate and improve collagen fiber maturation by meniscal fibrochondrocytes isolated from neonatal bovine and aged humans. We hypothesize that increased concentrations of vitamin C will accelerate and improve collagen accumulation and fiber formation, regardless of cellular age or species, resulting in significantly stronger tissues. To do this, we first cultured neonatal bovine meniscal fibrochondrocytes in a previously developed culture device that guides cells to develop hierarchical fibers and dosed them with 200 µM, 400 µM, and 800 µM vitamin C over 6 weeks. We found that 400 µM and 800 µM vitamin C produced a significant increase in collagen accumulation early in culture compared to 200 µM control cultures, resulting in an accelerated increase in tissue tensile properties. However, we found no significant differences in fiber organization, composition, or mechanics between 400 µM and 800 µM, suggesting a threshold in vitamin C effect on neonatal bovine cells (Chapter 2). We then performed preliminary studies evaluating the effect of vitamin C on aged human meniscal fibrochondrocytes to see whether vitamin C had similar effects on aged human cells as it does on neonatal bovine. Interestingly, 400 and 800 µM vitamin C enhanced hierarchical fiber formation, increased collagen accumulation by 4 weeks, and accelerated improvements in tensile properties, in a dose-dependent fashion; however, by 6 weeks 200 µM cultures had similar improvements (Chapter 3). These findings suggest that vitamin C does increase the production of collagen in both neonatal bovine and aged human meniscal fibrochondrocytes, which shows promise as a therapeutic method for driving healing in aging menisci, however further optimization of dose concentration and duration is needed
An Agent-Based Model Of TGF-β1-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition During Renal Fibrosis
No full textIrreversible damage to tubules is a main marker of end-stage renal fibrosis. One of the main processes suggested to drive this irreversible damage is epithelial-mesenchymal transition, where tubular epithelial cells lose cell adhesivity and acquire mesenchymal traits like increased migratory capacity and loss of apicobasal polarity. The cytokine transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) is a major regulator of profibrotic cell processes like EMT. TGF-β1 signaling is upregulated in response to increased assembly of the extracellular matrix protein Fibronectin, creating a positive feedback loop that promotes chronic EMT and ECM remodeling.
This work proposes an important role of FN fibril assembly in driving renal fibrosis through increased TGF-β1 tethering around cells that promotes profibrotic processes. Investigating the role of TGFB1-FN crosstalk in driving tubule damage is not easily probed via animal models or clinical investigations. Additionally, the effects of renal fibrosis on the 3D organization and polarization of the renal tubule are not easily probed using traditional 2D cell assays. To address these shortcomings, we have developed a combined computational and in vitro approach to investigate spatial and temporal effects of TGF-β1-Fibronectin crosstalk in 3D spheroid models of tubular epithelial cells. Our results suggest that EMT is dependent on increased TGF-β1 localization around cells, FN fibril assembly upregulates TGF-β1 signaling, and direct FN fibril assembly and TGF-β1 production by surrounding mesenchymal cells also contributes to EMT progression. These studies provided important insight on spatial and temporal changes in TGF-β1-FN crosstalk that drive the progression of renal fibrosis
S19, E04: Summer of SCOTUS 2025: The Second Set of Cases (Aired 7/18/2025)
Get PDFAughie and Nia discuss the following case rulings: United States v. Skrmetti, Diamond Alternative Energy v. EPA, Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, and Federal Communications Commission v. Consumers\u27 Research.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/civil_discourse/1276/thumbnail.jp
Investigating IL-17A as a Potential Target for the Treatment of Aromatase Inhibitor Musculoskeletal Syndrome (AIMSS)
No full textAromatase inhibitors (AIs) are widely used as adjuvant treatments of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer but are frequently associated with aromatase inhibitor musculoskeletal syndrome (AIMSS), a condition characterized by joint pain, myalgia, and reduced physical activity. Despite its prevalence, the underlying mechanisms of AIMSS remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated whether inflammation contributes to AIMSS and evaluated interleukin- 17A (IL-17A) as a potential therapeutic target. Using an ovariectomized female mouse model treated with letrozole, the most commonly prescribed AI, we performed cytokine profiling across multiple tissues. We observed significant increases in IL-17A and other pro-inflammatory markers in blood serum, dorsal root ganglia, spinal cord, and knee joint synovial tissue, with IL- 17A notably elevated in three of the four tissues examined. Behavioral assays revealed that antibody-mediated blockade of IL-17A protein reversed letrozole-induced mechanical hypersensitivity, reduced grip strength, and diminished voluntary behaviors such as nesting and wheel running in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, blocking the IL-17A receptor produced only partial and short-lived improvements, primarily in grip strength and nesting behavior. These findings identify IL-17A as a key mediator of AIMSS and suggest that targeting IL-17A signaling may offer a promising therapeutic approach to alleviate AI-associated side effects in breast cancer patients