Life Sciences Commons^™

Utilizing Breathing Techniques To Maximize Training Performance, Peyton Cater

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Anaerobic exercise causes metabolic acidosis to occur in the muscle, which is unfavorable for sustaining high intensity activity, as fatigue starts to set in. In order to compensate for the onset of fatigue produced by an acidic environment, respiratory alkalosis, induced by hyperventilation, can be performed to mitigate these effects. In contrast, research has shown that slowing down the breath rate, such as a two second inhale and three second exhale, has led to an increase in performance outcomes. Purpose: To investigate power output and the physiological responses after implementation of different breathing techniques during the recovery periods of intermittent …

Investigating The Mechanisms Responsible For Cephalosporin Resistance In Clostridioides Difficile Strain 630, Lara Anna Turello

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the most common nosocomial infections worldwide. A major risk factor for CDI is antibiotic therapy, due to C. difficile’s resistance to a myriad of antibiotics—one of which are cephalosporins. Cephalosporins are ß-lactam antibiotics that function by binding to the active site of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), thus inhibiting peptidoglycan synthesis and leading to cell lysis. Gram-positive bacteria can counteract ß-lactams by (i) producing ß-lactamases, (ii) expressing modified PBPs, or (iii) by expressing efflux pumps.

Genomic analysis of C. difficile strain 630 revealed the presence of at least 31 putative ß-lactam resistance genes that encode …

Characterization Of Beryllium Ion Complexation In The Presence Of Biological Buffers Using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry, Guillermo Alexander Ramirez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Be2+ ion is a biologically active metal that is capable of binding to proteins and has been shown to affect various cellular processes. When treated with Be2+, certain cancer cells display cytostatic effects. GSK3β is a regulatory kinase involved in the β-catenin pathway that may be involved in producing these cytostatic effects when Be2+ binds to it. In order to determine binding parameters between Be2+ and GSK3β, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) can be utilized. However, titrations at physiological pH cannot be carried out due to Be2+ unique speciation at neutral pH ranges. Significant precipitation occurs at pH 6 and higher …