Life Sciences Commons^™

Post-Exercise Hypotension In Brief Exercise, Jeremiah G. Bush

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether a single 10 minute bout of exercise, performed at multiple intervals throughout the day to equal 30 minutes, can effectively elicit post-exercise hypotension (PEH). Secondly, it is important to explore whether a light (40% VO2R) or moderate (70% VO2R) intensity is required to elicit PEH within 10 minutes. Subjects (N=11) completed a VO2max test utilizing the Bruce Treadmill protocol. Each subject returned within 3 – 5 days to complete two separate exercising trials. A counter balanced system was employed so that each subject did not perform the same intensity rotation (Counter …

Effects Of A Simulated Tennis Match On Lymphocyte Subset Measurements, Holly Kell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research has shown that maximal exercise has a significant effect on cells of the immune system. Specifically, lymphocyte count increases during exercise and decreases to a value lower than baseline following an acute exhaustive bout of exercise. The overall lymphocyte response is well characterized, however, the ability of exercise to affect lymphocyte subfractions is unknown to our knowledge. The purpose of this study was to assess and evaluate the affects of a simulated tennis match across two sessions on lymphocyte subsets.

Initial measurements such as age, height, weight, skinfold analysis, and heart rate were recorded for each player, as well …

Caffeine Supplementation And Moderate Intensity Exercise Modulates The Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Subset (Cd+8) In Naive And Tolerant Individuals, Elizabeth Ann Fedor

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of caffeine supplementation on caffeine tolerant and caffeine naïve individual’s lymphocyte counts, apoptosis and migration levels. In addition, effects of exercise on post-caffeine ingestion lymphocyte counts, apoptosis and migration levels were determined. It was hypothesized that caffeine would alter the immune system cell counts, but that exercise would be able to restore the immune system to homeostasis. Seventeen Western Kentucky University students were tested (males n=7, females n=10; n=7: caffeine tolerant= 200mg or more per day group, n=9: caffeine naïve= 50mg or less per day group). In this double-blind investigation, …

Computational Prediction Of The Agregated Structure Of Denatured Lysozyme, Pongsathorn Chotikasemsri

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mis-folded proteins and their associated aggregates are a contributing factor in some human diseases. In this study we used the protein lysozyme as a model to define aggregation structures under denaturing conditions. Sasahara et al. (2007), Frare et al. (2009, 2006), and Rubin et al. (2008) observed conditions where heat denatured lysozyme formed fibril structures that were observed to be 8-17 nanometers in diameter under the electron microscope. Even though the crystal structure of lysozyme is known, the denatured form of this protein is still unknown. Therefore, we used Rosetta++ protein folding and blind docking software to create in silico …

The Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia Burgdorferi, In Tick Species Collected From Raccoons (Procyon Lotor) And Opossums (Didelphis Virginiana) Trapped In The Warren And Barren Counties Of South Central Kentucky, Kristina Tackett

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The incidence of tick-borne zoonoses such as Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Lyme disease has steadily increased in the southeastern United States in recent years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the southeastern states accounted for 1,200 of the 27,000 total cases of Lyme disease reported in the U.S. in 2007. Although Ixodes scapularis is the most commonly recognized vector for the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, Dermacentor variabilis (a common vector for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever) also has been shown to be a viable host for this pathogen. The purpose of the present …

The Effects Of Repeated Anaerobic Bouts On Immune Parameters, James C. Sivley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

To date, the exercise-induced immune response in has only been evaluated in subjects performing aerobic exercise. The primary purpose of this study is to determine if repeated bouts of anaerobic exercise will induce a similar immune response in human subjects as exhibited by aerobic exercise. Secondary to immune function, an analysis of performance from trial to trial will be made. Nine males between the ages of 18-25 were selected on a volunteer basis to participate in this study. Subjects performed Wingate tests set in 3 series with 120 seconds between trials within series and 405 seconds between series for an …

Role Of Cd4+Cd25+ Regulatory T Lymphocytes In Experimental Toxoplasmosis, Sanjay Varikuti

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Toxoplasmosis is an important cause of congenital disease, and it is one of the most common opportunistic infections in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The need for a reliable experimental model of this infection is crucial not only for achieving a better understanding of the patho-physiology of the disease, but also for developing better methods for evaluating new therapeutic regimens. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory lymphocytes in mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii. T regulatory (Treg) cells have been shown to play an important role in our immune system in …

The Effect Of Endothelin-1 On The Expression Of Cdk Inhibitors P21 & P27 In Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells, Lakshmi Reddy Bollu

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mammalian corneal endothelial cells are considered to be non-proliferative due to the arrest of cells at the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the down regulation of cyclin dependant kinase inhibitors (p21cip1 and p27kip1) levels by Endothelin-1 (ET-1), would overcome the G1 phase arrest and promote cell cycle progression and proliferation in cultured BCECs (Bovine corneal endothelial cells). BCECs were isolated from bovine corneas and cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% serum. 5-Bromo 2-deoxy Uridine (BrdU) incorporation was determined in serum starved cultures in 24-well plates as a measure of cell …

Effects Of Exercise Induced Fatigue On Postural Balance: A Comparison Of Treadmill Versus Cycle Fatiguing Protocols, Katherine Wright

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of muscle fatigue after a treadmill versus cycle ergometer incremental test on postural balance indices and recovery time recreationally trained individuals. The Bruce Treadmill Test and the Incremental Cycle Ergometer test were used to induce fatigue. Each subject (N=16) performed both exercises, but the order of the exercises was randomized. The subjects performed balance measures on a Biodex Balance System via the Dynamic Balance Test at level 5 and indices were recorded as given. Balance was measured a total of nine times (pre-exercise, immediately post, and at 3, 6, 9, …

Low Back Pain Among College Athletes - A Survey Of Basketball Players, Swimmers, Track And Field Athletes And Nonathletic Controls, Nicholas Bacon

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Study Design. Cross-sectional survey among athletes competing at the collegiate level in basketball, swimming, and track and field, as well as a matched nonathletic control group. Objective. To compare the prevalence of low back pain between sports: basketball, swimming, and track and field, as well as nonathletic control group. Summary of Background Data. With conflicting reports, it is not clear whether athletes are at higher risk for low back pain when compared to nonathletic counterparts. Some literature has found that low back pain was less common in former elite athletes when compared to nonathletes; however, much of the literature supports …

The Environmental Factors Regulating The Distribution Of Crayfish In The Upper Green River Basin Kentucky, Usa, Eva Ngulo

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Despite the importance of crayfish in aquatic systems there are major issues threatening their conservation, including invasive species, habitat alterations, and species with small distributions or have limited geographical ranges. There is limited information regarding native range, habitat requirements, life histories and biological interactions between crayfish species. In order to examine the relationship between lotic crayfish assemblages and environmental variables at both the watershed and reach scales, data were collected from 46 stream segments in the Upper Green River Basin of Kentucky, U.S.A. An independent sample t-test compared crayfish densities between segments with gravel - small cobble, and large cobble …

Clarification Of Basal Relationships In Rubus (Rosaceae) And The Origin Of Rubus Chamaemorus, Karen Michael

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Determination of phylogenetic relationships among ancestral species of Rubus has been elusive. Most Rubus species (including blackberries and raspberries), representing nine of the 12 subgenera, occur in a large, well supported clade named 'A' for reference). The remaining nine species are excluded from this group and represent three subgenera: subg. Anoplobatus (R. bartonianus, R. deliciosus, R. neomexicanus, R. odoratus, R. parviflorus, R. trilobus), subg. Chamaemorus (R. chamaemorus), and subg. Dalibarda (R. lasiococcus, R.pedatus). In addition, Rubus dalibarda L. is often treated in its own monotypic genus as Dalibarda repens L. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data from chloroplast regions and …

The Effect Of Varying Cadence In Cycle Ergometry On Submaximal Predictions Of Peak Oxygen Uptake, Zachary Callahan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that varying cadence had on the ability of a submaximal cycle ergometry test to accurately predict peak oxygen uptake (VO2) using the standard YMCA protocol workloads. There has been limited scholarship investigating the effect that varying cadence has on trained cyclists and almost none on untrained participants. For this study twelve moderately healthy participants (age: 20.75 ± 1.87, body fat: 15.8 ± 4.91 %) who did not use cycling as part of their workout regime performed a peak VO2 cycle test and three randomized submaximal tests. The three submaximal tests …

Modulation Of Intraoral Subambient Pressure And Feeding Behavior Relative To Prey Type In The Largemouth Bass, Micropterus Salmoides Floridanus, Sarah Legates

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Variation, or modulation, of suction feeding performance across two prey location treatments, as measured by peak subambient pressure generation, was studied in the Florida largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides floridanus. Previous studies of suction feeding in centrarchids have excluded possible sources of performance variation to minimize the modulatory response. Florida bass are known to modulate their feeding kinematics when exposed to prey at different levels of elusiveness, and were in turn predicted to vary suction pressure generation when exposed to these conditions. Eight bass fed Palaemonetes sp. shrimp in an open water (elusive) setting and in a vegetated (non-elusive) setting were …

Effects Of Stretching On Jumping Performance, Carisa Chavez

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Stretching has been a part of warm-up for a very long time. Some recent research has shown that stretching could possibly hinder performance and others have shown it enhances performance. The purpose of this study was to examine whether stretching has an effect on vertical jump, and if so, how long the effects last. Twenty Western Kentucky students (10 M and 10 F) performed three trials each. There was a non-stretching group, a pre-stretching group and a between-stretching group; each of the subjects performed all three. The stretching protocol included a static stretching routine of the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, …

Black And White: Structural And Functional Aspects Of Dermal Chromatophores Of The Marbled Whiptail Lizard (Cnemidophorus Marmoratus), James Swan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The skin of reptiles is a complex organ with many sensory, regulatory and behavioral functions. Desert reptiles face a suite of challenges as their skin contacts hot-dry environmental surfaces. The marbled whiptail lizard, Cnemidophorus marmoratus (Lacertilia: Teiidae), is found in hot deserts of southeastern New Mexico and western Texas and is often above ground during the hottest times of the day. When active, these lizards encounter a broad range and intensity of visible and infrared wavelengths. The role of the integument in temperature regulation, although poorly understood, is critically important for these diurnal animals. Albedo, coloration, pattern, and in some …

Acute Cardiovascular Response And Perception Of Effort Between The Super Slow And Gold Standard Resistance Training Protocols, Phillip Wickwire

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Super Slow training was proposed by Ken Hutchins in a book entitled Super Slow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol (1992). Since then Super Slow training has been proposed to improve strength more effectively than traditional resistance training and improve cardiovascular measures above aerobic exercise. However, whether this type of training is safe for the older, possibly hypertensive population to which it is being targeted is questionable. To help provide an answer to this question the purpose of this study was to measure blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) while performing the Super Slow resistance training protocol …

In Vitro Regeneration And Genetic Transformation Of Sesbania Drummondii: A Medicinally And Environmentally Important Plant, Satish Cheepala

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study describes rapid propagation of Sesbania drummondii using nodal explants isolated from seedlings and young plants. The nodal segments proliferated into multiple shoots on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 22.2 /M benzyladenine. Murashige and Skoog medium containing 2.2 and 4.5 //M thidiazuron induced 5 - 6 healthier shoots per axillary node from 3-month-old plants. Nodal segments cultured on MS medium containing combinations of benzyladenine (8.8 and 11.1 /JM) and either indole-3-butyric acid (0.24 - 2.46 //M) or indole-3-acetic acid (0.28 - 2.85 //M) produced fewer shoots. Callus when subcultured on 2.2 /LihA thidiazuron containing medium resulted in …

Rpe "Drift" In Fit And Unfit Males Cycling In A Hot And Cool Environment, Robert Pritchett

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The potential influence of aerobic fitness on RPE estimations during extended exercise bouts is not well understood. The current study compared RPE-Overall, RPE-Legs and RPE-Chest between fit (n=7) and unfit (n=6) males. Subjects completed a graded cycling test and then, in a counterbalanced order, on two separate days cycled for 60min (intensity~90% of the Onset of Blood Lactate Accumulation (OBLA) - determined via gas exchange indices) at 30}1 degrees Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and 18}1 degrees WBGT. Heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (Tree) and overall and differentiated RPE estimations were collected every 5 minutes. Repeated measures analyses of variance …

Estimating Population Numbers Of Black Bears (Ursus Americanus) In Eastern Kentucky Using Microsatellite Analysis, Kelly Vowels

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Black bears (Ursus americanus) occur sporadically in eastern Kentucky, and there is some evidence that a breeding population exists. In order to establish management practices to enhance the black bear population in Kentucky, information about this population is needed. However, until recently, no population size estimate has been available. Gathering information on black bears is difficult because black bears are elusive animals. The development of new molecular methods has made it easier to track and gather information on black bear populations, including estimates of population size. Molecular markers are particularly useful in that they do not require physical contact with …

Morphological, Molecular, And Biogeographical Variation Within The Imperiled Virginia Spiraea, Constance Anders

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Spiraea virginiana Britton is a rare federally listed rhizomatous shrub endemic to the southern Blue Ridge and Appalachian Plateau physiographic provinces. Populations of S. virginiana are found restricted to scoured sections of high gradient streams within the Ohio River drainage. Present evidence indicates the species is reproducing asexually, most probably through the deposition of rhizomes from upstream populations forming new downstream ramets. Phenotypic variation was examined through a morphometric evaluation of 25 leaf measurements and analyzed using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and discriminant function analysis. Identity and structure at the molecular level as examined with Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPDs) …

Regeneration Of Hair Cell Epithelia In The Chick And Salamander, Kenneth Detwiler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The acousticolateralis sensory system is characterized by a specific receptor cell type called the sensory hair cell and is found in all vertebrates. There are two types of hair cell sensory epithelia based on location: those of the inner ear, such as the organs for hearing and balance, and the lateral line system located within the epidermis. In mammals, including humans, loss or damage of the hair cells of the auditorysystem results in permanent hearing loss. However, this is not the case with birds and amphibians. Amphibians, with a lateral line system, are capable of replacing lost or damaged hair …

Military Recreation Programs: Their Role In Quality Of Life Of United States' Service Men And Women And Their Families, Michael Gorham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis was designed to determine the importance of military recreation programs in improving the quality of life of United States service men and women. The study utilized a survey conducted on Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in the Spring of 1995. The results were analyzed individually and as a group. The findings were that military recreation programs play an important role in the quality of life of United States service men and women and their families. These findings were supported by the review of related literature and results from the survey which showed that 70% of the respondent's "Agreed" or "Strongly …

Cryptococcus Neoformans Serotype Groups Found In Clinical And Environmental Isolates, John Clauson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast responsible for severe meningoencephalitis. The importance of epidemiological studies on cryptococcosis has increased since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. C. neoformans exists in two varieties containing four serotypes, C. neoformans var. neoformans (serotypes A and D) and C. neoformans var. gattii (serotypes B and C). Locally C. neoformans var. neoformans has been associated with pigeon feces during those months having an average temperature of 64.2°F j(17.8°C) and above. Clinical and environmental isolates of C. neoformans obtained from regional hospitals and environmental samplings, respectively, have been grouped into their variety status utilizing canavanine-glycine-bromthymol blue …

The Ratio Of Heinz Body Formation In Different Hemoglobin Zurich Subjects, Yenya Hu

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Hemoglobin Zurich is a hemoglobin anomaly that results when one amino acid (histidine) is substituted by arginine at position 63 in the beta chain of hemoglobin molecules [β 63 His—Arg]. When Hemoglobin Zurich individuals are exposed to sulfonamide medication, their hemoglobins denature and subsequently form Heinz bodies which attach to the surface of the plasma membrane.

Four Hemoglobin Zurich family members were the subjects of the current study. They included a splenectomized female subject, non-splenectomized female and male subjects, and a non-splenectomized female member without Hemoglobin Zurich as the control. The results collaborate that splenectomy increases the number of erythrocytes …

Adolescent Smoking Status And Socioeconomic Dependence On The Tobacco Crop In Southeastern Kentucky, Gregory Colwell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the study was to quantify the relationship between adolescent smoking and economic dependence on the tobacco crop. A survey of 1322 students from a random sample of all secondary schools in four counties in southeastern Kentucky was performed. The survey gathered information concerning smoking behavior and social variables. Chi-square analysis was performed to assess the relationships between these variables in students from families who worked with tobacco and families who did not.

Chi square analysis of female adolescent smoking behavior revealed a significant association between the instances of adolescent smoking and age, friend smoking status and sibling …

A Comparison Of Selected Nutrition Factors Of Personal Care Residents With Nutrition For The Elderly Residents., Jill Kay Costin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Persons in the Nutrition for the Elderly program in Barren River Area Development District in Kentucky and personal care residents at Lakeview Nursing Home, Morgantown, Kentucky, and Glasgow Rest Home, Glasgow, Kentucky participated I this study on a voluntary basis. The population consisted of an intact sample of sixty-eight persons: forty-six personal care residents (PC residents) and twenty-two Nutrition for the Elderly participants (NE participants). The Ne participants and Pc residents were compared to determine which received the best nutritional care. Selected parameters of nutritional assessment were compared for the two groups be means of a t test. The groups …

Selected Nutritional Practices Of Adult Males Residing In Sumner County, Tennessee, Mary Hayes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine selected nutritional practices of adult males. A survey instrument was developed to determine (a) what meals adult males ate and where these meals were eaten, (b) the level of activity of adult males in menu planning, food purchasing, and food preparation, (c) practices related to weight reduction, (d) practices related to nutrition of the family, and (e) selected demographic variables as related to nutritional practices.

The survey instrument was administered to 156 adult males who were members of civic organizations in Sumner County, Tennessee. The subjects ranged in age from 24 to …

The Effect Of Orally Administered Butylated Hydroxytoluene On Herpes Simplex Keratitis, Donald Carson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Some studies have reported in vitro inactivation of membrane enveloped viruses by Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). This study investigates the effect of orally administered BHT on primary infections of Herpes simplex virus (HSV) using rabbit corneas as the assay system.

Assigned levels of BHT were incorporated into the diet of New Zealand White rabbits with HSV-1 McKrae strain on the corneal surface of the eyes. The degree of infection was measured by a subjective assay. Rabbits receiving BHT in their diet consistently experienced lower levels of infection. The interpretation of this data is that orally administered BHT can be an effective …

A Mammalian Virus (Sv40) Inductest For Putative Carcinogens, Howard Blount

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The in vitro mammalian virus inductest is based on the measurement of induced viral gene expression from Simian virus 40 (SV40) transformed weanling Syrian hamster kidney cells (clone E). Upon challenge by many DNA-damaging chemical agents, infectious virions were produced which were quantitated by assay on a cell line permissive to SV40, such as the highly contact inhibited African green monkey kidney cells, CV-1P. Some known carcinogens and non-carcinogens were tested in this research including mitomycin C, aflatoxins Bl and Gl, sterigmatocystin and several polycyclic hydrocarbons.

Lysolecithin (a membrane permeabilizing agent) and S9 mix (a pre -metabolizing mixture) were used …