Anatomy Commons^™

Characterization Of Murine Cardiac Cholinergic Innervation And Its Remodeling In Type 1 Diabetes., Abigail Marie Mabe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Murine models have become increasingly popular to study various aspects of cardiovascular diseases due to their ease of genetic manipulation. Unfortunately, there has been little effort put into describing the distribution of autonomic nerves in the mouse heart, making it difficult to compare current findings from clinical and experimental models related to cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, determination of the requirements for the development of this system and its maintenance in adult mice remains largely unexplored. This study represents the first detailed mapping of cholinergic neuroanatomy of the mouse heart based on immunohistochemical staining using true cholinergic markers. We found cholinergic innervation …

The Expression And Function Of Phosphacan/Rptpβ In Adaptive Synaptogenesis After Traumatic Brain Injury, Janna Harris

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects 1.5 million Americans annually and is a major health concern. Increasing evidence suggests that the brain extracellular environment regulates plasticity and synaptic recovery following TBI. Here we have focused on phosphacan/RPTPβ, an alternatively spliced group of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans which are prominent within the mature brain extracellular matrix (ECM). Previous studies show that phosphacan/RPTPβ influences neuronal migration, adhesion, neurite outgrowth, and morphogenesis. However, our understanding of how these important ECM components are involved in recovery from brain trauma remains unclear. In the present study, we used unilateral entorhinal cortex lesion (UEC), a model which induces …

Discovery And Initial Characterizations Of Neurofascin 155 High And Neurofascin 155 Low, Anthony Pomicter

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis contains the findings from four years of research regarding an oligodendrocyte protein named neurofascin 155. The role of this protein in maintaining adhesion between the myelin sheath of oligodendrocytes and the axons of neurons has become well established in recent years and the research presented here has revealed that while western blots have previously shown one protein/band representing neurofascin 155, there are two proteins/bands. These two proteins have been named neurofascin 155 high and neurofascin 155 low due to their previous inclusion in the single band. The work leading up to their discovery, findings, and the relevance of …

Design And Rationale Of A Randomized Trial Comparing The Blalock-Taussig And Right Ventricle-Pulmonary Artery Shunts In The Norwood Procedure., Richard G. Ohye, J William Gaynor, Nancy S. Ghanayem, Caren S. Goldberg, Peter C. Laussen, Peter C. Frommelt, Jane W. Newburger, Gail D. Pearson, Sarah Tabbutt, Gil Wernovsky, Lisa M. Wruck, Andrew M. Atz, Steve D. Colan, James Jaggers, Brian W. Mccrindle, Ashwin Prakash, Michael D. Puchalski, Lynn A. Sleeper, Mario P. Stylianou, Lynn Mahony, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators, Girish S. Shirali

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: The initial palliative procedure for patients born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and related single right ventricle anomalies, the Norwood procedure, remains among the highest risk procedures in congenital heart surgery. The classic Norwood procedure provides pulmonary blood flow with a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt. Improved outcomes have been reported in a few small, nonrandomized studies of a modification of the Norwood procedure that uses a right ventricle-pulmonary artery shunt to provide pulmonary blood flow. Other nonrandomized studies have shown no differences between the two techniques.

METHODS: The Pediatric Heart Network designed a randomized clinical trial to compare outcomes for …

Airway Management In A Patient With Huge Neck Mass, Anwarul Huda, Mohammad Hamid

Department of Anaesthesia

Airway management of patient with huge neck swelling is always challenging for the anaesthetist. We describe successful management of a patient who presented in our ER with stridor as a result of massively enlarged thyroid gland. Varieties of options are available for appropriate airway management in such cases which are discussed.

Interneuron Subtypes Are Differentially Altered In Malformed, Epileptogenic Cortex, Amanda George

Theses and Dissertations

The propensity for seizures in patients with epilepsy is due to underlying cortical hyperexcitability, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. Particularly difficult to treat are patients with developmental malformations of cortex. Using the freeze-lesion rat model of one such malformation, polymicrogyria, we identified, in lesioned cortex, alterations in specific interneuron subpopulations that may promote hyperexcitability. Previous studies demonstrate increased excitatory input to the paramicrogyral region. An increase in the frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) recorded from pyramidal cells has also been shown. We report an increase in sEPSCs recorded from one subtype of interneuron, the low threshold-spiking …

Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Ppar-Gamma In Surgical Brain Injury (Sbi), Amy Hyong

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: Brain injury can be caused by neurosurgical procedures themselves, due to direct trauma, retractor stretch, intraoperative hemorrhage and electrocautery damage. As a result of this surgical brain injury (SBI) postoperative complications such as inflammation, brain edema, and cell death can occur in the susceptible brain areas. Cerebral inflammation is a known contributor to the pathophysiology of brain injury. Following brain injury, the release of inflammatory mediators facilitates the development of BBB breakdown, cerebral edema, oxidative stress and neuronal death, resulting in further tissue damage in the brain and poor neurological outcomes. This study evaluates whether the use of a …

Hyponatraemia: Etiology, Management And Outcome, Aasima Yawar, Abdul Jabbar, Naeem Ul Haque, Lubna M Zuberi, Najmul Islam, Jaweed Akhtar

Section of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To determine the etiology of hyponatraemia, the treatment instituted and the outcome of treatment in a tertiary care hospital setting.

STUDY DESIGN: Case series.PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, between January and June 2004.

METHODOLOGY: Case records of 220 patients admitted to the medical service were identified through computerized hospital patients' data. All patients (3) 15 years with a sodium level on admission of (2) 130 mmol/litre were included. The records of those patients were reviewed for relevant demographic, clinical and laboratory data, in addition to the diagnosis, treatment and outcome of hospitalization. The …

Modeling Pure Vasogenic Edema In The Rat Brain, Charles Nottingham

Theses and Dissertations

Targeted drug delivery to the brain is difficult to achieve using conventional techniques, largely due to the blood-brain barrier’s (BBB) impediment to drug diffusion into the brain parenchyma. In response, development of convection-enhanced delivery (CED) offers the ability to circumvent the BBB and target specific areas of the brain. Predictability of infusate movement in pathological brain states during CED will maximize the effectiveness of this treatment, and therefore modeling of infusate movement must be characterized. Previous work from our lab effectively modeled CED in rats using the middle carotid artery occlusion model of cytotoxic edema. However, previous models examined for …

Addding Value To Increase The Hospital Library Profile: A Staff Publications Alerting Service, Roni Wayne, Susan J. Rockliff

Susan J Rockliff

Easy to set up and administer, a new service by The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Library alerts hospital staff to its collective publishing output. Along with boosting the Library's visibility, it would also seem to be fostering organisational pride.

Functional Status, Heart Rate, And Rhythm Abnormalities In 521 Fontan Patients 6 To 18 Years Of Age., Andrew D. Blaufox, Lynn A. Sleeper, David J. Bradley, Roger E. Breitbart, Allan Hordof, Ronald J. Kanter, Elizabeth A. Stephenson, Mario Stylianou, Victoria L. Vetter, J Philip Saul, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to determine the relationship between functional outcome and abnormalities of heart rate and rhythm after the Fontan operation.

METHODS: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Pediatric Heart Network conducted a cross-sectional analysis of patients who had undergone a Fontan procedure at the 7 network centers. Analysis was based on 521 patients with an electrocardiogram (n = 509) and/or bicycle exercise test (n = 404). The Child Health Questionnaire parent report and the oxygen consumption at the anaerobic threshold were used as markers of functional outcome.

RESULTS: Various Fontan procedures had been performed: intracardiac lateral tunnel …

Investigating The Complexity Of Respiratory Patterns During The Laryngeal Chemoreflex, Andrei Dragomir, Yasemin Akay, Aidan K. Curran, Metin Akay

Dartmouth Scholarship

The laryngeal chemoreflex exists in infants as a primary sensory mechanism for defending the airway from the aspiration of liquids. Previous studies have hypothesized that prolonged apnea associated with this reflex may be life threatening and might be a cause of sudden infant death syndrome. In this study we quantified the output of the respiratory neural network, the diaphragm EMG signal, during the laryngeal chemoreflex and eupnea in early postnatal (3–10 days) piglets. We tested the hypothesis that diaphragm EMG activity corresponding to reflex-related events involved in clearance (restorative) mechanisms such as cough and swallow exhibit lower complexity, suggesting that …

Management Of Pediatric Acute Appendicitis In The Computed Tomographic Era., Kuojen Tsao, Shawn D. St Peter, Patricia A. Valusek, Troy L. Spilde, Scott J. Keckler, Abhilash Nair, Daniel J. Ostlie, G W. Holcomb Iii

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The treatment options for complicated appendicitis in children continue to evolve. Optimal management of complicated appendicitis relies on an accurate preoperative diagnosis. We examined the accuracy of our preoperative diagnosis including computed tomography (CT) and the influence on the management of children with perforated and nonperforated appendicitis.

METHODS: Following IRB approval, a 6-year review of all patients that underwent an appendectomy for suspected appendicitis was performed. Treatments included immediate operations and initial nonoperative management (antibiotic therapy +/- percutaneous drainage of abscess). Appendicitis was confirmed by histological examination.

RESULTS: One thousand seventy-eight patients underwent appendectomy for suspected appendicitis. Preoperative CT …

Neuronal Connections From The Cervix To The Spinal Cord Before Parturition, Mary Medina Groves

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

By the day before birth, the density of nerve fibers in the cervix has increased compared to earlier in pregnancy or in nonpregnant mice. Similar findings are reported in parturient women. To test the hypothesis that connections between the cervix and spinal cord are enhanced by term, the cervix of nonpregnant and time-dated pregnant mice (day 15 or 18 post-breeding) was injected with pseudorabies virus (PRV), a trans-synaptic retrograde neural tract tracer. Mice were euthanized and perfused 5 days later. The spinal cord and cervix were removed and postfixed overnight, immersed in sucrose, and cryostat sections through the thoracic to …

Golgi Specificity And Development Of Autoreactive B Cells, Fazlullah Salar Khan Nawazi

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

B cell receptors with certain heavy/light chain pairs predominate in the periphery of anti-DNA heavy chain transgenic mice while certain other B cell receptors are absent. We wanted to know why. To answer this, we re-constructed B cell receptors represented in the anti-DNA transgenic mice by cloning them as single chain variable fragments (scFv) to analyze their affinity to dsDNA. scFv representing receptors that were recovered from the spleens of transgenic mice had very little to no affinity to dsDNA. scFv representing receptors that were absent in the spleen had high affinity to dsDNA. We therefore concluded that receptors with …

Analysis Of The Cyc1 Promoter In Candida Albicans, Tomica Blocker

McCabe Thesis Collection

Scientists are considering two factors that may be important in the pathogenesis of C. albicans', it's capability to morph from yeast to hyphal phase, and its differences in colony morphology, cell shape, cell surface and cell permeability. (5) Unfortunately, unlike the bacteria, yeasts do not yet have proven virulence factors. However, science is suggesting that some of the major factors which contribute to the virulence of Candida are its ability to form hyphae, its ability to resist phagocytosis, its ability to adhere to epithelial cell surfaces, its ability to grow well at 37 degrees Celsius, and its ability to secrete …

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Common In Primary Hypothyroidism, Abdul Jabbar, Aasma Yawar, Sabiha Waseem, Najmul Islam, Naeem Ul Haque, Lubna Zuberi, Ataullah Khan, J. Akhter

Section of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and clinical features of B12 deficiency in hypothyroid patients and to evaluate clinical response in symptoms to B12 replacement therapy.

METHODS: One hundred and sixteen hypothyroid patients from our endocrine clinic were evaluated for signs and symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. Laboratory parameters including Haemoglobin (Hb), MCV, Vitamin B12 levels and presence of anti thyroid antibodies were analyzed. Patients with low B12 levels were treated with parenteral intramuscular vitamin B12 monthly, and monitored for improvement of symptoms.

RESULTS: A total of 116 patients (95 females and 21 males) were evaluated. Forty six (39.6%) hypothyroid patients …

Current Significance Of Meconium Plug Syndrome., Scott J. Keckler, Shawn D. St Peter, Troy L. Spilde, Kuojen Tsao, Daniel J. Ostlie, G W. Holcomb Iii, Charles L. Snyder

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The significance of meconium plug syndrome is dependent on the underlying diagnosis. The incidence of pathologic finding, particularly Hirschsprung's disease, contributing to the presence of these plugs, has been debated. However, there are little recent data in the literature. Therefore, we reviewed our experience with meconium plugs as a cause of abdominal distension to evaluate the associated conditions and incidence of Hirschsprung's disease.

METHODS: We reviewed the records of newborns with meconium plugs found in the distal colon on contrast enema from 1994 to 2007. Demographics, radiologic findings, histologic findings, operative findings, and clinical courses were reviewed.

RESULTS: During …

Ciliary Dysfunction In Polycystic Kidney Disease: An Emerging Model With Polarizing Potential, Robert J. Kolb, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The majority of different cell types in the human body have a cilium, a thin rod-like structure of uniquely arranged microtubules that are encapsulated by the surface plasma membrane. The cilium originates from a basal body, a mature centriole that has migrated and docked to the cell surface. The non-motile cilia are microtubule-based organelles that are generally considered sensory structures. The purpose of this review is to discuss the practicality of the ciliary hypothesis as a unifying concept for polycystic kidney disease and to review current literature in the field of cilium biology, as it relates to mechanosensation and planar …

Cross-Modal Interaction Between Vision And Hearing: A Speed—Accuracy Analysis, Yoav Arieh, Lawrence E. Marks

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Cross-modal facilitation of response time (RT) is said to occur in a selective attention task when the introduction of an irrelevant sound increases the speed at which visual stimuli are detected and identified. To investigate the source of the facilitation in RT, we asked participants to rapidly identify the color of lights in the quiet and when accompanied by a pulse of noise. The resulting measures of accuracy and RT were used to derive speed-accuracy trade-off functions (SATFs) separately for the noise and the no-noise conditions. The two resulting SATFs have similar slopes and intercepts and, thus, can be treated …

Cross-Modal Interaction Between Vision And Hearing: A Speed—Accuracy Analysis, Yoav Arieh, Lawrence E. Marks

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Cross-modal facilitation of response time (RT) is said to occur in a selective attention task when the introduction of an irrelevant sound increases the speed at which visual stimuli are detected and identified. To investigate the source of the facilitation in RT, we asked participants to rapidly identify the color of lights in the quiet and when accompanied by a pulse of noise. The resulting measures of accuracy and RT were used to derive speed-accuracy trade-off functions (SATFs) separately for the noise and the no-noise conditions. The two resulting SATFs have similar slopes and intercepts and, thus, can be treated …

Primary Drug Resistance Against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis In Karachi, Nisar Ahmed Rao, Muhammad Irfan, Shahid Javed Hussain

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the primary drug resistance of new culture positive cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in Karachi.

METHODS: All new suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients were recruited initially. They were instructed to produce three-sputum samples for smear examination and on one of the specimen's culture was applied. Bronchoscopy and bronchial wash was done in patients who were not expectorating. Bronchial wash was then applied for both smear and culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

RESULTS: Out of 79 cases recruited initially, 52 were able to produce sputum while bronchoscopy was performed in the remaining. AFB direct smear was positive in 32/52 sputum and …

Radiation-Induced Glutamate Transport Alterations In Neuron-Astrocyte Coupling, Martha Celia Sanchez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Exposure of the central nervous system (CNS) to ionizing radiation is known to result in behavioral, cognitive, and motor deficits - effects similar to those seen in many neurodegenerative disorders. Neurons and astrocytes, two principal cell types in the brain, coexist as an interdependent metabolic unit via the neurotransmitter glutamate. Disruption of this metabolic coupling would have widespread effects within the CNS, therefore it is hypothesized that ionizing radiation impairs glutamate transport and metabolism, and increases oxidative stress, ultimately impairing neuron-astrocyte coupling. We propose to investigate the mechanism and determine the impetus for radiation-induced neurotoxicity by measuring the temporal sequence …

Evidence For The Involvement Of Camkii And Ampk In Ca2+-Dependent Signaling Pathways Regulating Fa Uptake And Oxidation In Contracting Rodent Muscle, Marcella Raney, Lorraine Turcotte

Marcella Raney

Calcium-calmodulin/dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) have each been implicated in the regulation of substrate metabolism during exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine whether CaMKII is involved in the regulation of FA uptake and oxidation and, if it is involved, whether it does so independently of AMPK and ERK1/2. Rat hindquarters were perfused at rest with (n = 16) or without (n = 10) 3 mM caffeine, or during electrical stimulation (n = 14). For each condition, rats were subdivided and treated with 10 μM of either KN92 or …

Bradykinin Type 2 Receptor Be1 Genotype Influences Bradykinin-Dependent Vasodilation During Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition, Gary Van Guilder, Mias Pretorius, James M Luther, J Brian Byrd, Kevin Hill, James V Gainer, Nancy J Brown

Health and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

To test the hypothesis that the bradykinin receptor 2 (BDKRB2) BE1+9/-9 polymorphism affects vascular responses to bradykinin, we measured the effect of intra-arterial bradykinin on forearm blood flow and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) release in 89 normotensive, nonsmoking, white American subjects in whom degradation of bradykinin was blocked by enalaprilat. BE1 genotype frequencies were +9/+9:+9/-9:-9/-9=19:42:28. BE1 genotype was associated with systolic blood pressure (121.4+/-2.8, 113.8+/-1.8, and 110.6+/-1.8 mm Hg in +9/+9, +9/-9, and -9/-9 groups, respectively; P=0.007). In the absence of enalaprilat, bradykinin-stimulated forearm blood flow, forearm vascular resistance, and net t-PA release were similar among genotype groups. Enalaprilat increased …

The Mind-Body Connection: The Association Between Adolescent Locus Of Control And Indicators Of Physical Health, C. Jayne Brahler, James Cropper

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Locus of control (LOC) describes an individual’s generalized beliefs or expectancies that their reinforcements are under internal versus external control (1). An individual exhibits either an internal or external LOC. This study examines the link between LOC and selected health risk factors in adolescents. A convenience sample of 167 high school physical education students completed a 13-item LOC questionnaire based on Rotter’s 1966 instrument.

Various anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and body fat were recorded on all subjects. A subsample of 61 female students received blood chemistry analysis that included a lipid profile, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), Apo …

Socio-Demographic Correlates Of Exhaled Breath Carbon Monoxide In Karachi's Adult Population, Majid Shafiq, Sumera Khan, M. Rizwanulhaq Khawaja, Suleman Haque, Javaid Khan

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between CO levels and putative factors including smoking status among residents of Karachi, an urban center with very high levels of air pollution.

METHODS: Two hundred and eighteen volunteering subjects were asked to maximally exhale into a Smokerlyzer breath CO analyzer. Each of the volunteers was also asked to reply to a questionnaire-based interview seeking demographic information as well as details of exposure to tobacco, traffic fumes and other air pollutants.

RESULTS: Out of the 218 participating subjects, 75% were males and 27% were current or ex-smokers. The mean CO level was 2.92 parts per …

In Vitro Analysis Of Tobramycin-Treated Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilms On Cystic Fibrosis-Derived Airway Epithelial Cells, Gregory G. Anderson, Sophie Moreau-Marquis, Bruce A. Stanton, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

P. aeruginosa forms biofilms in the lungs of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF); however, there have been no effective model systems for studying biofilm formation in the CF lung. We have developed a tissue culture system for growth of P. aeruginosa biofilms on CF-derived human airway cells that promotes the formation of highly antibiotic-resistant microcolonies, which produce an extracellular polysaccharide matrix and require the known abiotic biofilm formation genes flgK and pilB. Treatment of P. aeruginosa biofilms with tobramycin reduced the virulence of the biofilms both by reducing bacterial numbers and by altering virulence gene expression. We performed microarray analysis …

Pioglitazone Inhibition Of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Nitric Oxide Synthase Is Associated With Altered Activity Of P38 Map Kinase And Pi3k/Akt, Bin Xing, Tao Xin, Randy Lee Hunter, Guoying Bing

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma)-mediated neuroprotection involves inhibition of microglial activation and decreased expression and activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS); however, the underlying molecular mechanisms have not yet been well established. In the present study we explored: (1) the effect of the PPAR-gamma agonist pioglitazone on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced iNOS activity and nitric oxide (NO) generation by microglia; (2) the differential role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) on LPS-induced NO generation; and (3) the regulation of p38 MAPK, JNK, and PI3K by pioglitazone. …

Role Of Reactive Oxygen Species Peroxynitrite In Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury, Yiqin Xiong

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Peroxynitrite (PN, ONOO-), formed by nitric oxide radical (^•NO) and superoxide radical (O2^•-), plays an important role in post-traumatic oxidative damage. In the early work, we determined the temporal characteristics of PN-derived oxidative damage in a rat spinal cord injury (SCI) model. Our results showed 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), a specific marker for PN, rapidly accumulated at early time points (1 hr, 3 hrs), after when it plateaued and the high level was sustained to 1 week post injury. The co-localization of 3-NT and lipid peroxidation derived-4-HNE observed in immunohistochemistry indicates PN is involved in lipid peroxidative as …