Life Sciences Commons^™

Involvement Of Interleukin-33/St2 In Myocardial Dysfunction In Murine Model Of Sepsis, Yoonmi Choe

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The disruption of myocardial extracellular matrix (ECM) has been implicated in myocardial dysfunction during sepsis. However, the underlying mechanism(s) are not clear. Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a cytokine which regulates collagen synthesis in various cardiac pathologies. The purpose of the present study is to test whether IL-33 contributes to sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction through regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). The in vivo, feces-induced peritonitis (FIP) in mice and in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatments to isolated cardiomyocytes were used. In FIP mice, myocardial IL-33 and MMP-9 expression were increased and myocardial contractility was decreased. Myocardial function in FIP mice was improved when treated …

Stress-Adaptation And Stress-Induced Changes In Campylobacter Jejuni, Geetha Sanal Kumar-Phillips

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading causes of human gastroenteritis. This bacterium is not a robust organism compared with many other foodborne pathogens and requires special conditions in the laboratory for its growth. In nature, however, this organism is able to survive in very diverse and hostile environments and produce disease in humans. The different mechanisms by which C. jejuni survives stressful conditions in the environment remain unclear. Adhesion and invasion are thought to be important factors for the colonization of C. jejuni in the intestinal tracts of hosts. Previous research in our laboratory showed that …

The Impact Of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Bse) On World Protein Supply, Jarrod Kersey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As world population, per capita income and urbanization increase, consumption of meat, poultry, milk and eggs will continue to rise to meet the needs of approximately nine billion people in 2050. Global beef, pig and chicken production and per capita consumption increased between 2000 and 2010, with growth in broiler production and consumption outpacing both beef and swine. The increased production and consumption requires readily available feed ingredients in regions where animal production is rapidly developing. Animal-based protein feed ingredients are often difficult to move from country to country due to real or perceived risk of animal disease. Zoosanitary standards …

Evaluating The Impact Of Two Different Methods Of Diabetes Self-Management Education On Knowledge, Attitude, And Behaviours Of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Laura B. Briden

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study compared the effectiveness of diabetes self-management education (DSME) methods by examining changes in knowledge, attitude, and behaviour (KAB) after receiving education. Participants from a convenience sample were randomized into two groups, one receiving education through conversation maps and the other through traditional group education. Participants’ knowledge and attitude changes were measured by using a repeated measures pre-test/post-test design and changes in Hb A1c were observed. Focus groups were conducted after education was received to obtain perceptions and self-reported behaviour changes. Significant knowledge and attitude score changes were observed in the conversation map group after education. When comparing the …

Characterization Of Cardiomyopathy In A Mouse Model Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (Dmd) Using Echocardiography, Dce-Ct, And Pet-Fdg, Seyed Hamed Moazami

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive neuromuscular disease that is the result of a loss of functional dystrophin, which causes cardiomyocyte fibrosis and death, leading to cardiomyopathy. In this thesis, I have utilized dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT), positron emission tomography-fluorodeoxyglucose (PET-FDG), echocardiography, and traditional histology to longitudinally assess disease progression and degree of cardiomyopathy in a murine model of DMD (mdx:utrn-/-). No significant changes were observed in the blood flow, blood volume, or cardiac volume measured via DCE-CT, nor in standard uptake value (SUV) of glucose as measured by PET-FDG in the left myocardium between and within …

An Investigation Into The Combined Effects Of Β-Amyloid Toxicity And Cerebral Ischemia On The Pathological Expression Of Gangliosides., Jeffrey D. Hepburn

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Identifying mechanisms underlying the synergistic pathological interaction between stroke and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can effectively guide future therapeutic strategies for these highly co-morbid conditions. Aberrant ganglioside expression marked by the pathological accumulation of ganglioside GM3 is common to stroke and AD, yet it is unclear whether GM3 is synergistically enhanced in a comorbid model, or if GM3 is a viable therapeutic target. Adult male Wistar rats received a unilateral ischemic striatal infarct via endothelin-1 (ET-1) injection alone or in combination with bilateral intracerebroventricular injection of the β-Amyloid 25-35 peptide (Aβ) to induce generalized Aβ toxicity (Aβ/ET-1). Animals were sacrificed after …

Green Tea Extract Protects Against Fibrogenesis Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease In Diet-Induced Obese Rats, Allyson M. Bower

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Cell-Matrix Adhesion In Muscle Development And Disease, Michelle F. Goody

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A variety of diseases, both inherited and acquired, affect muscle tissues in humans. The anchoring of muscle fibers to their surrounding environment is critical for muscle homeostasis. Muscle fibers attach to their microenvironment through cell-matrix adhesion complexes. These anchoring complexes are placed under repeated stress during muscle contraction. Genetic mutations in these complexes weaken the attachment between muscle fibers and their microenvironment, making fibers more susceptible to damage and death. This increased fiber degeneration eventually leads to progressive muscle wasting diseases, known as congenital muscular dystrophies. Although clinical trials are ongoing, there is presently no way to cure the loss …

Hypoxia-Sensitive Gene Expression In The Gastrocnemius Muscle Following Chronic Hind Limb Ischemia, Andrew Tilton

Biological Sciences

Chronic ischemia, caused by the formation atherosclerotic plaque occlusions in major conduit arteries, is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in western societies. Vascular remodeling can help compensate for the adverse effects of atherosclerotic plaque formation. Vascular remodeling relies heavily on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a critical protein that contributes to all forms of vascular formation and remodeling including angiogenesis, arteriogenesisand vasculogenesis. VEGF itself is up-regulated by the transcription factor, hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α), which becomes activated in low oxygen environments.

Through the use of animal chronic hindlimb ischemia models, these genes can be evaluated as …

The Role Of Actin Polymerization In The Development Of The Fetal Vertebrate Heart During S-Looping, Kevan Benn

Honors Theses

Research on fetal cardiac looping is an important because cardiac looping is the first organ to undergo asymmetrical organogenesis. As well, birth defects occur due to errors in the development process, of which congenital heart defects are very common. Most heart defects begin in the looping process that preludes the shape of a mature heart. Therefore, research into heart looping can give light to how these defects develop. The looping process, which occurs between 30 and 56 hours post incubation (stage 10-16 in development), is divided into two processes. The first process, C-looping, is the process where the heart tube, …

Development Of A Protocol To Measure Gene Expression In The Mouse Tibia, Daniel Hoover

Biomedical Engineering

Numerous molecular factors active in bone tissue direct fracture repair and remodeling which can be altered by disease conditions such as Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and Osteoporosis. Methods of molecular biology are commonly applied to investigate the expression and role of these molecular factors. This project presents a robust three-step protocol for examining gene expression in the mouse tibia. The protocol begins with isolating RNA from a flash frozen tibia sample. The isolated RNA is reverse transcribed into cDNA. Finally, PCR is performed to indentify expressed genes. Establishing this protocol will allow further research into the mechanisms of bone remodeling …

Effects Of Increased Step Width On Knee Joint Biomechanics In Healthy And Knee Osteoarthritis Older Adults During Stair Descent, Maxime Robert Paquette

Doctoral Dissertations

Stair negotiation is one of the most challenging tasks for older adults especially for those suffering from knee osteoarthritis (OA). To date, no studies have investigated the effects of increased step width (SW) on knee joint biomechanics. The purpose of Study One was to investigate the effects of increased SW on peak internal knee abduction moment and other lower extremity variables during stair descent in healthy older adults. The purpose of Study Two was to investigate the effects of increased SW on peak internal knee abduction moment, knee pain and other lower extremity variables during stair descent in medial compartment …

Investigation Of A Locus On Chromosome 9 For Contributions To Pulmonary Hypertension Syndrome In Broilers, Sriram Krishnamoorthy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the ascites syndrome in chickens has been investigated for years, it continues to inflict financial losses to the world poultry industry. It is estimated that 8% of the 361 million broiler deaths are due to ascites leading to losses of millions of dollars annually. Efforts to curb the incidence of ascites are typically designed to slow early growth. This limits the birds' ability to show its true genetic potential and impacts later yields. In 1994 lines divergent for susceptibility to ascites were established from a commercial sire line through sibling selection of birds reared at local altitude after testing …

Feed Supplementation With Natural Extracts Of Cranberry And Its Efficacy On Campylobacter Colonization In Poultry, Ann Woo-Ming

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Campylobacter spp. has been identified as one of the leading causative agents of food borne diarrheal illness. Epidemiological evidence has shown that poultry is the main source for human infection. Poultry are asymptomatic carriers of Campylobacter within their gastrointestinal tract, with colonization levels reaching 106-108 cfu/g cecal content. Surveys of domestic poultry flocks have estimated that approximately 90% of flocks are positive for Campylobacter colonization. Risk assessment studies have determined that by reducing levels of Campylobacter colonization during rearing, incidences of human infection will be significantly reduced. Currently there are no consistently effective treatments to eliminate Campylobacter from poultry flocks. …

The Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, Ms-275, Sensitizes Metastatic Osteosarcoma To Fasl-Induced Cell Death: A Role For C-Flip, Krithi R. Bindal

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the histone deacetylase inhibitor, MS-275, on the Fas signaling pathway and susceptibility of osteosarcoma (OS) to Fas ligand (FasL)-induced cell death. OS metastasizes almost exclusively to the lungs. We have shown that Fas expression in OS cells is inversely correlated with their metastatic potential. Fas⁺ cells are rapidly eliminated when they enter the lungs via interaction with FasL, which is constitutively expressed in the lungs. Fas^- OS cells escape this FasL-induced apoptosis and survive in the lung microenvironment. Moreover, upregulation of Fas in established OS lung metastases …

Novel Use Of Dual Anti-Inflammatory Therapy To Overcome Drug Resistance And Improve Functional Recovery Following Spinal Cord Injury, Jennifer Dulin

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Over 1.2 million Americans are currently living with a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Despite the need for effective therapies, there are currently no proven effective treatments that can improve recovery of function in SCI patients. Many therapeutic compounds have shown promise in preclinical models of SCI, but all of these have fallen short in clinical trials.

P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is an active transporter expressed on capillary endothelial cell membranes at the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB). Pgp limits passive diffusion of blood-borne drugs into the CNS, by actively extruding drugs from the endothelial cell membrane. Pgp can become pathologically up-regulated, thus …

Lameness Associated With A Possible Neural Problem In The Lower Spinal Cord Of Chickens, Gallus Gallus, Gurueswar Nagarajan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the second half of the twentieth century lameness in broiler chickens has been known to be caused by different types of disorders, however the etiology of several type of lameness remain unknown. Because of the intense selection of broilers for rapid growth, some birds are more prone to physiological insults resulting in lameness. This study focuses on possible neural problems in the lower spinal cord associated with lameness in broilers. Broilers were raised in pens with wire floors and provided with food and water ad libitum. Three groups of birds 1) birds displaying a normal gait (Controls), 2) lame …

A Role Of Environmental Components In Autoimmune Vitiligo Of Smyth Line Chickens, Lei Dong

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Smyth line (SL) of chickens is a well-established animal model for the study of spontaneous autoimmune vitiligo, displaying all the characteristics of human vitiligo. In humans, phenolic derivative 4-tertiary butyl phenol (4-TBP) has been shown to trigger vitiligo in susceptible individuals. In vitiligo-prone SL-chickens, live turkey herpesvirus (HVT) infection at hatch was identified as the most effective trigger of SL-vitiligo expression. This dissertation examined the role of the environmental factors 4-TBP and HVT in the etiology of SL-vitiligo. Specifically, the generation of reactive-oxygen-species by melanocyte-containing feather tissue (MC-FT) and cultured melanocytes in response to 4-TBP exposure in vitro (Study …

Interactions Of Nitric Oxide And Superoxide Pathways In Hyperglycemic Endothelial Cells, Steven Clay Rogers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular complications arising from diabetic hyperglycemia represents one of the leading causes of death and greatest public health challenges of modern societies. Despite state-of-the-art glucose control, diabetic patients remain at a markedly increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The loss of endothelial function (the development of diabetic endothelial dysfunction) has been implicated in the development of numerous diabetic cardiovascular diseases. The endothelial cell produces many vasoactive substances, hormones and cytoprotective biological factors. Endothelial cells are also involved in and affected by the initiation of inflammatory responses through the release and interaction of cytokines and other immune system molecules. Therefore, regulation of …

Chemosensitization Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma To Gemcitabine By Non-Invasive Radiofrequency Field-Induced Hyperthermia, Mustafa Raoof

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Gemcitabine is a potent nucleoside analogue against solid tumors however drug resistance rapidly emerges. Removal of gemcitabine incorporated in the DNA by repair mechanisms could potentially contribute to resistance in chemo-refractory solid tumors. In this study, we evaluated homologous recombination repair of gemcitabine-stalled replication forks as a potential mechanism contributing to resistance. We also studied the effect of hyperthermia on homologous recombination pathway to explain the previously reported synergy between gemcitabine and hyperthermia. We found that hyperthermia degrades and inhibits localization of Mre11 to gemcitabine-stalled replication forks. Furthermore, gemcitabine-treated cells that were also treated with hyperthermia demonstrate a prolonged passage …

Regulation Of Protein Degradation In The Heart By Amp-Activated Protein Kinase, Kedryn K. Baskin

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

The degradation of proteins by the ubiquitin proteasome system is essential for cellular homeostasis in the heart. An important regulator of metabolic homeostasis is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). During nutrient deprivation, AMPK is activated and intracellular proteolysis is enhanced through the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). Whether AMPK plays a role in protein degradation through the UPS in the heart is not known. Here I present data in support of the hypothesis that AMPK transcriptionally regulates key players in the UPS, which, under extreme conditions can be detrimental to the heart. The ubiquitin ligases MAFbx /Atrogin-1 and MuRF1, key regulators of …

Increased Geranylgeranylated K-Ras Contributes To Antineoplastic Effects Of Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors., Mandy A. Hall

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

The Ras family of small GTPases (N-, H-, and K-Ras) is a group of important signaling mediators. Ras is frequently activated in some cancers, while others maintain low level activity to achieve optimal cell growth. In cells with endogenously low levels of active Ras, increasing Ras signaling through the ERK and p38 MAPK pathways can cause growth arrest or cell death. Ras requires prenylation – the addition of a 15-carbon (farnesyl) or 20-carbon (geranylgeranyl) group – to keep the protein anchored into membranes for effective signaling. N- and K-Ras can be alternatively geranylgeranylated (GG’d) if farnesylation is inhibited but are …

Immediate Effects Of High Intensity Training In Children With Cerebral Palsy Gmfcs Levels I-Iii: A Pilot Study, Andrea Blahovec, Andrea Kuiken, Jillian Mears, Heather Riggins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common causes of motor disability in the U.S., but there is still a lack of consensus for best intervention strategies to improve function and gait efficiency.

Objective: Determine if ambulatory children with CP, exposed to a brief, high intensity training session, will: 1) experience changes in temporal-spatial gait characteristics 2) demonstrate increased gait speed and 3) demonstrate improved gait kinematics.

Design: Five participants walked at preferred and fast speeds over an instrumented walkway followed by a 15-minute intervention. After a short rest, post-intervention walking was completed.

Results: Ten dependent variables were extracted …

The Acute Effect Of Endurance Exercise On Lipoproteins Measured By Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (Nmr) In Healthy Men, Hanaa Adnan Shaheen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a major cause of death in the United States, with abnormal levels of blood lipids and physical inactivity considered as major modifiable risk factors. The conventional lipid profile has been used to assess for CVD risk by directly measuring the concentrations of blood lipids. However, lipoprotein particle size and number obtained from a novel method, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) may also asses for CVD risk with greater sensitivity. Exercise and increased physical activity has been shown to produce favorable effects on blood lipids and consequently reduce CVD risk. To understand this effect, it is important …

Restriction Of Hiv-1 Replication By Unique Trim22 Isoforms., Clayton Hattlmann

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Understanding how the immune system reacts to HIV infection and why normal antiviral defenses are insufficient to fight infection is a key step towards creating better therapies. Several interferon-induced proteins, such as the tripartite motif protein TRIM22, are capable of restricting HIV-1 replication; however single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can dramatically impact the actions of these proteins. While the trim22 gene contains numerous SNPs, no study has addressed how these may affect TRIM22 functions. Here we provide the first direct comparison of two TRIM22 unique isoforms. Through confocal microscopy we observed these isoforms exhibit different patterns of localization. In vitro studies …

The Cellular Nucleic Acid Binding Protein Regulates The Alzheimer’S Disease Β-Secretase Protein Bace1, Christopher J. Holler

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease affecting the elderly population and is believed to be caused by the overproduction and accumulation of the toxic amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide in the brain. Aβ is produced by two separate enzymatic cleavage events of the larger membrane bound amyloid precursor protein, APP. The first, and rate-limiting, cleavage event is made by beta-secretase, or BACE1, and is thus an attractive therapeutic target. Our lab, as well as many others, has shown that BACE1 protein and activity are increased in late-stage sporadic AD. We have extended these findings to show that BACE1 …

Physical Activity, Sleep Patterns, And Health Outcomes In University Law Enforcement Officers, Nicole C. Koebke

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Research indicates that law enforcement officers (LEOs) have a higher prevalence of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to the general population. Sleep deprivation and physical inactivity have been found to be related to many risk factors for CAD. This cross-sectional study examined the health status and the relationship between sleep and physical activity outcomes versus CAD risk factors among 27 University LEOs. The subjects’ health behaviors, and CAD and metabolic syndrome risk factors were described using basic statistics. Accelerometer derived sleep and physical activity outcomes were correlated to measures of health to identify potential relationships. 33% of LEOs were …