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Research Methods in Life Sciences Commons™

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Physiology

Western University

Theses/Dissertations

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Full-Text Articles in Research Methods in Life Sciences

Effect Of Rearing Conditions On The Allocation Of Larval And Adult Acquired Essential And Nonessential Fatty Acids To Flight In Two Adult Lepidoptera: Danaus Plexippus And Mythimna Unipuncta, Libesha Anparasan Aug 2023

Effect Of Rearing Conditions On The Allocation Of Larval And Adult Acquired Essential And Nonessential Fatty Acids To Flight In Two Adult Lepidoptera: Danaus Plexippus And Mythimna Unipuncta, Libesha Anparasan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Insects which are nectivorous as adults acquire essential fatty acids, which are important for many biological processes, almost exclusively from the larval diet. Thus, adult allocation of this limited resource may result in trade-offs in migrant insects that delay reproduction. I used the true armyworm, Mythimna unipuncta, and monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, to test the hypothesis that environmental cues (fall migratory or summer reproductive) would influence the use of fatty acids during flight (0-6h). I used larval and adult diets manipulated isotopically (δ13C) and chromatographic analyses to determine fatty acid composition and source in the fat …

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21°C Is The Emerging Ideal Temperature For Kidney Preservation In The Presence Of Hydrogen Sulfide, Smriti Juriasingani Jul 2021

21°C Is The Emerging Ideal Temperature For Kidney Preservation In The Presence Of Hydrogen Sulfide, Smriti Juriasingani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage kidney disease. However, the shortage of transplantable kidneys has led to ever-increasing waiting lists. As a result, kidneys obtained via donation after cardiac death (DCD) are being used more frequently for transplantation. However, they exhibit poorer outcomes due to ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and cold preservation methods, such as static cold storage (SCS). Supplementing cold preservation solutions with hydrogen sulfide donors, such as AP39, has been shown to improve renal IRI and graft outcomes, but the injury associated with cold preservation remains. This thesis evaluates the effect of subnormothermic kidney …

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The Effects Of Maternal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol And Cannabidiol Exposure On Fetal Heart Development In Mice, Gregory Robinson Dec 2020

The Effects Of Maternal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol And Cannabidiol Exposure On Fetal Heart Development In Mice, Gregory Robinson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Up to 22.6% of pregnant women consume cannabis during pregnancy despite the uncertainty of teratogenicity of the main ingredients in cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). This study tested the hypothesis that gestational THC and CBD exposure leads to heart abnormalities. Daily, oral THC exposure induced heart abnormalities in 68% of offspring with three main phenotypes including thickened semilunar valves, ventricular myocardial hypertrophy and hypoplastic coronary arteries in fetuses, and postnatal cardiac dysfunction. Altered gene expression of key cardiogenic regulators, increased proliferation, and reduced epicardial epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition were demonstrated implicating potential mechanisms responsible for these abnormalities. Also, maternal CBD exposure resulted …

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Tracing Nutrient Sources To Lipid Production In Birds And Insects Using Stable Isotope (Δ13c, Δ2h) Tracers: Implications For Nutritional Physiology Of Migratory Species, Libesha Anparasan Oct 2019

Tracing Nutrient Sources To Lipid Production In Birds And Insects Using Stable Isotope (Δ13c, Δ2h) Tracers: Implications For Nutritional Physiology Of Migratory Species, Libesha Anparasan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Using stable isotope measurements of inert tissues to determine origins and migratory patterns is well established. However, isotopically determining nutritional origins of lipids, the primary fuel of migration, has not been attempted. I explored isotopic links between diet and stored lipids in captive White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) and true armyworm moths (Mythimna unipuncta) using δ13C and δ2H measurements. Isotopic discrimination between body lipids and diet was established as linear calibration functions. Isotopic uptake following a diet switch in moths was used to trace lipid accumulation over time. Isotopic correlations between breath metabolic …

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Maternal Nicotine Exposure Induces Congenital Heart Defects In The Offspring Of Mice, Elizabeth Greco Jul 2019

Maternal Nicotine Exposure Induces Congenital Heart Defects In The Offspring Of Mice, Elizabeth Greco

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Congenital heart defects are the most prevalent birth defect, and maternal cigarette smoking is a known risk factor. Nicotine replacement therapies are recommended to pregnant women who smoke to aid in smoking cessation, as this alternative is thought to be much safer compared to cigarette smoking. However, these products contain nicotine, and the safety of nicotine on the developing heart is not well known. In this thesis, a mouse model was used to test the hypothesis that maternal nicotine exposure (MNE) during pregnancy leads to congenital heart defects and coronary artery defects in the offspring of mice. MNE resulted in …

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The Role Of Cholinergic Signaling In Cardiac Function, Rachel Reingold Sep 2018

The Role Of Cholinergic Signaling In Cardiac Function, Rachel Reingold

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in Canada. Treatment currently focuses on preventing the increase of sympathetic signaling seen in heart failure. However, it has recently been noted that cardiac function is dependent on parasympathetic tone. Previous studies have demonstrated the development of heart failure when cholinergic targets are knocked out in cardiomyocytes. Transgenic mouse models that have increased cholinergic transmission show protection against cardiovascular insults. We have shown that transgenic mice overexpressing vesicular acetylcholine transporter in cholinergic cells show cardiovascular protection in response to ex vivo insults. As well, this protection is seen when cholinergic …

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