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Hyperactivation Of The Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenocortical Axis In Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats: Effect Of Tinospora Cordifolia (Willd.) And Insulin Therapy, Nagaraja Puranik, Sheela Devi Devi, Kararshaha Kammar

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

In the present study, we investigated the extent to which changes in corticosterone level and food and water intake behavior occur in diabetes and explored the effect of Tinospora cordifolia extracts and insulin therapy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Materials and methods: Female albino rats of the inbred Wistar strain (body weight: 180-210 g) were used in this study. Experimental diabetes was induced by injecting freshly prepared streptozotocin once at the dose of 55 mg/kg body weight intravenously in 0.1 M citrate buffer, pH 4.5. The drug was administered orally for 10 days and 30 days in different groups containing 6 …

Increasing Parity Is Associated With Cumulative Effects On Memory, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this investigation was to determine if reproductive experience is associated with cumulative effects on human memory performance during pregnancy and if these effects persist into the postpartum period.

METHODS: Verbal recall memory performance was assessed in 254 women four times during pregnancy and at 3 months postpartum. The relation between parity and memory function was evaluated with hierarchical linear modeling and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

RESULTS: The data indicate that the previously documented adverse effects of pregnancy on memory performance are compounded with successive pregnancies. During gestation and postpartum, multiparity was associated with poorer memory function, …

Finding A Cure For Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (Veev) Infection: The Search For The Antiviral Genes And Vaccine Development., Svetlana Atasheva

All ETDs from UAB

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is a re-emerging virus that causes a severe and often fatal disease in equids and humans. To date, despite a continuous public health threat, no vaccines or antiviral drugs against VEEV infection have been developed for human use. In this study we took advantage of accumulated knowledge of capsid protein function in viral replication, assembly and virus-host interactions. Besides being an integral part of the virion, capsid protein is the major determinant of VEEV pathogenesis. This protein is cytotoxic and induces cellular transcriptional shutoff as a countermeasure to the cellular antiviral response. We introduced targeted …

Using Mouse Models To Investigate Ciliopathies, Raymond Carl Pasek

All ETDs from UAB

Cilia and flagella are microtubule based organelles found on nearly every cell type in the mammalian body. Flagella have an essential role in sperm locomotion and reproduction, while motile cilia have a known role in fluid movement in the brain, lungs, and portions of the female reproductive tract. While the role of most primary cilia remained unknown for decades, they are now recognized as being essential to mammalian development, renal homeostasis, and satiety, just to name a few. Because of their widespread presence and importance, dysfunction of cilia and flagella can lead to a variety of human diseases, collectively referred …

The Role Of Histone Methylation In The Medial Temporal Lobe During Long-Term Memory Formation, Swati Gupta

All ETDs from UAB

Several studies have established the importance of epigenetic regulation of gene transcription in the brain during memory consolidation. Epigenetic mechanisms involve modifying the DNA or the associated histone proteins to determine the transcriptional outcome of a gene. The work encompassed in this dissertation serves as an initial investigation for the role of histone lysine methylation mechanisms in regulating gene activation and suppression in the medial temporal lobe that includes entorhinal cortex (EC), hippocampus, and amygdala during memory consolidation. To this end, we found that di-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9me2) which promotes gene suppression was specific to associative …

Evidence For A Non-Genomic Action Of Testosterone In Skeletal Muscle Which May Improve Athletic Performance: Implications For The Female Athlete, J R Dent, D K Fletcher, Michael Mcguigan

Research outputs 2012

This review will focus on the proposed second mode of testosterone action (now termed non-genomic) that appears to occur independently of the traditional transcriptional mechanism in mammalian skeletal muscle cells which may enhance skeletal muscle contractile properties. This mechanism of testosterone action differs from the traditional pathway, originating at the cell membrane, having a rapid onset of action, requiring second messengers to execute its effects and is insensitive to inhibitors of traditional androgen receptor action, transcription and protein synthesis. Importantly, unlike the traditional action of testosterone in skeletal muscle, this non-genomic pathway is shown to have a direct acute effect …

Faculty Publications 2011, Lsu Health Sciences Center New Orleans

Historical Faculty Publications

This Faculty bibliography contains 812 publications.

Striving For Zero Iv Pump Errors – A Unique Approach, Kristie Lowery Rn, Bs, Cphq, Cphrm, Gwenis L. Browning Rn, Msn, Georgene Saliba Rn, Bsn, Mba, Cphrm, Leroy Kromis Pharmd

Administration & Leadership

No abstract provided.

Neuron To Microglia Communication; A Study Of Cx3cl1 Signaling Implications In Cognitive Function, Inflammation, And Neurodegeneration, Joshua M. Morganti

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As a consequence of aging, the brain is subject to chronic neuroinflammatory conditions. The resident immune cells of the brain, microglia, act similarly to peripheral macrophages to protect the brain from insults, infection, and physical trauma. However, without proper regulation of their respective host defense mechanisms, these actions can become neurotoxic. In the healthy brain neurons have several signaling systems that directly interact with microglia in order to maintain a calming influence upon their actions, one of particular interest is the chemokine CX3CL1. This chemokine is found predominantly on neurons, while its cognate receptor CX3CR1 is found exclusively on microglia. …

Maternal Immune Dysregulation In The Pathogenesis Of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Interleukin-6 As A Central Mechanism And Therapeutic Target Of Flavonoids, Ellisa Carla Parker-Athill

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Activation of the maternal immune system and resultant maternal cytokine expression due to prenatal infection has been implicated as a significant contributor to the pathology of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Increased maternal interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression, observed clinically and in animal models of prenatal infection, and resultant activation of key signaling pathways, has been shown to be a biological indicator of pathology, and a central component of the pathological mechanism. In animal models of prenatal infection and clinically in pregnancy disorders hallmarked by immunological irregularities and increased IL-6 expression, inhibition of IL-6 has …

Effects Of G-Csf On Monocytes And Neurons: In Vitro And In Vivo Studies In A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Amanda Renee Pennington

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

G-CSF is routinely used to treat neutropenia/leukopenia or to increase hematopoietic stem cell generation in bone marrow donors. G-CSF and its receptor, G-CSFR, are produced by various cell types both in the peripheral circulation and within brain. As a consequence, exogenous administration of G-CSF results in a broad spectrum of effects involving hematopoietic, immune and central nervous systems.

G-CSF administration in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has revealed both cognitive benefits and disease modifying effects: a) decreased Aβ plaque burden, b) increased microgliosis, c) increased neurogenesis and d) improved performance in radial arm water maze (RAWM). In clinical …

Short-Term Plasticity At The Schaffer Collateral: A New Model With Implications For Hippocampal Processing, Andrew Hamilton Toland

Dissertations and Theses

A new mathematical model of short-term synaptic plasticity (STP) at the Schaffer collateral is introduced. Like other models of STP, the new model relates short-term synaptic plasticity to an interaction between facilitative and depressive dynamic influences. Unlike previous models, the new model successfully simulates facilitative and depressive dynamics within the framework of the synaptic vesicle cycle. The novelty of the model lies in the description of a competitive interaction between calcium-sensitive proteins for binding sites on the vesicle release machinery. By attributing specific molecular causes to observable presynaptic effects, the new model of STP can predict the effects of specific …

Designing New Drugs To Treat Cardiac Arrhythmia, Yanping Ye

Dissertations and Theses

Heart failure resulting from different forms of cardiomyopathy is defined as the inability of the heart to pump sufficient blood to meet the body's metabolic demands. It is a major disease burden worldwide and the statistics show that 50% of the people who have the heart failure will eventually die from sudden cardiac death (SCD) associated with an arrhythmia. The central cause of disability and SCD is because of ventricular arrhythmias. Genetic mutations and acquired modifications to RyR2, the calcium release channel from sarcoplasmic reticulum, can increase the pathologic SR Ca2+ leak during diastole, which leads to defects in SR …

Heart Rate And Accelerometry During Singles Footbag Net Play, Christopher Michael Siebert

Dissertations and Theses

This investigation examined the heart rate responses and movement characteristics of experienced footbag net players during singles play. Footbag net is a net/court sport similar to volleyball, but it is played with a footbag (e.g., Hacky-Sack^TM) using only the feet. In singles footbag net, players are allowed either one or two kicks to propel the footbag over the net. Subjects were 15 males and 1 female, ranging in age from 18- 60 years, with a mean age of 33.6 years. Subjects played two games of singles footbag net using two different scoring systems: "sideout" scoring and "rally" scoring. …

Sugar Consumption And Cognitive Aging In The Swedish Adoption/Twin Study Of Aging, Shyam Seetharaman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Consumption of foods high in sugar content has been linked with the development of metabolic abnormalities such as cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes, major sources of global health concerns. Although the detrimental consequences of high intake of sugar on abnormal metabolic processes are established, it is not known how this association affects (or accelerates) cognitive aging.

The current project was based on data from the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA) to test the hypothesis that high refined sugar intake contributes to accelerated trajectories of cognitive decline assessed longitudinally. Trajectories of cognitive change were assessed as a function …

Behavioral And Immunological Phenotypes Of Transgenic Mice Overexpressing Human Secreted Amyloid Precursor Protein Alpha: Implications For Autism, Antoinette R. Bailey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Autism is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication as well as restricted and repetitive behaviors and focused interests. In addition to the cardinal behavioral characteristics observed for diagnosis, autistic individuals exhibit a number of comorbid conditions as well as a variety of aberrant immunological features. Recent studies report that plasma from autistic children contained elevated levels of secreted amyloid precursor protein alpha (sAPP-á), the á-secretase cleavage product of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) which is ubiquitously expressed in the brain, spleen, thymus and other organs. Interestingly, the sAPP-á fragment functions as a neurotrophic …

Efficacy Of Increased Ube3a Protein Levels In The Brain In Rescuing The Phenotype Of An Angelman Syndrome Mouse, Jennifer L. Daily

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Angelman syndrome (AS), a genetic disorder occurring in approximately one in every 15,000 births, is characterized by severe mental retardation, seizures, difficulty speaking and ataxia. The gene responsible for AS was discovered to be UBE3A and encodes an E6-AP ubiquitin ligase. A unique feature of this gene is that it undergoes maternal imprinting in a neuron-specific manner. In the majority of AS cases, there is a mutation or deletion in the maternally inherited UBE3A gene, although other cases are the result of uniparental disomy or mismethylation of the maternal gene. While most human disorders characterized by severe mental retardation involve …

Development And Implementation Of Acoustic Feedback Control For Scanning Probe Microscopy, Rodolfo Fernandez Rodriguez

Dissertations and Theses

A remote-sensing acoustic method for implementing position control feedback in Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) is presented. The capabilities of this feedback control using the new Whispering Gallery Acoustic Sensing (WGAS) method is demonstrated in a Shear-force Scanning Probe Microscope that uses a sharp probe attached to a piezoelectric Quartz Tuning Fork (QTF) firmly mounted on the microscope's frame. As the QTF is electrically driven its mechanical response reaches the SPM frame which then acts as a resonant cavity producing acoustic modes measured with an acoustic sensor strategically placed on the SPM head. The novelty of the WGAS resides in using …

A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Software Comparison And Between Control Subjects And Subjects With Known Anatomical Diagnosis, Michael C. Moore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method that produces in vivo images of biological tissues weighted with the local micro-structural characteristics of water diffusion. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a form of DWI, is useful when a tissue, such as the neural axons of white matter in the brain, has an internal fibrous structure that allows water to diffuse more rapidly in alignment with the fibers. Changes in the water diffusion pattern indicate changes in the fiber structure which can result from damage to the fibers. Measurements of the water diffusion patterns include overall diffusivity, Apparent Diffusion …

Mechanisms Of Brain Edema Formation In Mouse Models Of Intracerebral Hemorrhage, Qingyi Ma

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Perihematomal edema causes major neurologic deterioration following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), mainly resulting from the disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by multiple mediators, including inflammatory mediators and thrombin. The objective of our study was to investigate the mechanisms by which inflammation and thrombin respectively lead to the formation of brain edema following ICH. Our long-term goal is to develop new therapeutic strategies against ICH-induced brain edema by targeting: (1) VAP-1 mediated inflammatory response and (2) PDGFR-α orchestrated BBB impairment. Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) was previously shown to promote leukocyte adhesion and transmigration. Additionally, PDGFR-α was also found to play a …

Role Of Vima In Cell Surface Biogenesis In Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Devon Osbourne Jr.

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Porphyromonas gingivalis is an important etiological agent of periodontal disease - a disease that affects an estimated 49,000,000 people in the United States of America. Periodontal disease includes gingivitis – inflammation of the gums, and periodontitis – destruction of the teeth and their supporting tissues. Porphyromonas gingivalis is associated with the chronic form of periodontal disease in addition to several systemic diseases.

The vimA gene of P. gingivalis has been previously shown to play a significant role in the biogenesis of gingipains (trypsin-like cysteine proteases). The vimA has also been demonstrated to play a role in hemolysis, hemagglutination, autoaggregation, posttranslational …

Chronic Hypoxia Induces Epigenetic Modifications In The Fetal Rat Heart, Andrew James Grant Patterson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. As a result of studies done by Barker and associates, our awareness of the significance of stress during gestation as a risk factor for heart diseases has expanded. We now know that events in utero can significantly alter gene expression patterns in heart tissue leading to increase susceptibility to ischemia reperfusion injury in adulthood. The focus of this project was to elucidate the role of chronic hypoxia in the programming of the cardio-protective gene, Protein Kinase C epsilon (PKCε) in fetal rat heart. We used an animal, organ base, and cell …

Mechanisms Of Erythropoietin-Induced Neuroprotection In: In-Vivo And In-Vitro Models Of Hypoxia Ischema, Rhonda Andrea Souvenir

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIBI) is a common cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Approximately 60 % of preterm babies and 2% of full term infants suffer from asphyxia. Asphyxia related death accounts for approximately 23% of neonatal mortality annually. Many therapeutic interventions show promise in the laboratory but fail in clinics. A thorough understanding of mechanisms by which promising therapeutic intervention confers its neuroprotection is necessary to promote smoother transitions from bench to the bedside. Erythropoietin (EPO), a hematopoietic growth factor that increases oxygen availability during hypoxia/ischemia is associated with cell survival and neuroprotection in: in vivo and in …

Improving The Accuracy Of Radiation Pneumonitis Dose Response Models, Yevgeniy Vinogradskiy

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The prognosis for lung cancer patients remains poor. Five year survival rates have been reported to be 15%. Studies have shown that dose escalation to the tumor can lead to better local control and subsequently better overall survival. However, dose to lung tumor is limited by normal tissue toxicity. The most prevalent thoracic toxicity is radiation pneumonitis. In order to determine a safe dose that can be delivered to the healthy lung, researchers have turned to mathematical models predicting the rate of radiation pneumonitis. However, these models rely on simple metrics based on the dose-volume histogram and are not yet …

Characterization Of Palmitic Acid Induced Lipotoxicity In Schwann Cells, Amelia Padilla

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Lipotoxicity is a response to lipid overload that has been associated with cellular dysfunction leading to cellular death. The mechanism of lipotoxicity and its impact on the nervous system is critical as it can lead to debilitating neurological conditions. This study examines key cellular events induced by palmitic acid lipotoxicity (PA-LTx) in Schwann cells cultured in euglycemic and hyperglycemic conditions. The data show that immortalized Schwann cell (iSC), as well as primary Schwann cell (pSC) cultures exposed to elevated levels of PA induced an apoptotic cell death that is dose and time-dependent. The earliest indication of cellular dysfunction was a …

B1b Lymphocyte-Derived Antibodies Control Borrelia Hermsii Independent Of Fcα/Μ Receptor And In The Absence Of Host Cell Contact., Matthew J. Colombo, David Abraham, Akira Shibuya, Kishore R. Alugupalli

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

The critical role of IgM in controlling pathogen burden has been demonstrated in a variety of infection models. In the murine model of Borrelia hermsii infection, IgM is necessary and sufficient for the rapid clearance of bacteremia. Convalescent, but not naïve, B1b cells generate a specific IgM response against B. hermsii, but the mechanism of IgM-mediated protection is unknown. Here, we show that neither Fcα/μR, a high-affinity receptor for IgM, nor IgM-dependent complement activation is required for controlling B. hermsii. Bacteria in diffusion chambers with a pore size impermeable to cells were killed when diffusion chambers were implanted into either …

Innate And Adaptive Immunity To The Nematode Strongyloides Stercoralis In A Mouse Model., Sandra Bonne-Annee, Jessica A. Hess, David Abraham

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Mice have been used to the study the mechanisms of protective innate and adaptive immunity to larval Strongyloides stercoralis. During primary infection, neutrophils and eosinophils are attracted by parasite components and kill the larvae by release of granule products. Eosinophils also function as antigen-presenting cells for the induction of a Th2 response. B cells produce both IgM and IgG that collaborate with neutrophils to kill worms in the adaptive immune response. Vaccine studies have identified a recombinant diagnostic antigen that induced high levels of immunity to infection with S. stercoralis in mice. These studies demonstrate that there are redundancies in …

A Systematic Review Of The Health-Related Quality Of Life Measures Following Total Knee Arthroplasty, Saurabh Mehta, Mary Law, Jean-Sebastian Roy

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

To perform systematic review and appraisal of common patient-reported outcomes (PROs) used in measuring aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Especially, the study aimed to examine whether these common PROs assess the domains of HRQOL as described in the theoretical frameworks of the HRQOL.

Biochemical And Functional Characterization Of The Ledgf/P75-Mecp2 Interaction In Tumor Cells, Lai Sum Leoh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The lens epithelial derived growth factor p75 (LEDGF/p75) is a novel pro-survival and stress-inducible transcription co-activator that protects mammalian cells from various environmental stresses such as oxidative stress, heat shock, and serum starvation. This emerging cancer-related protein is highly expressed in prostate tumors and other tumor types and promotes resistance to chemotherapy in cancer cells. LEDGF/p75 is also involved in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) since it interacts with HIV-1 integrase to facilitate the integration and replication of the HIV virus in human cells. In addition, LEDGF/p75 has been shown to interact with MLL (mixed lineage leukemia)/menin transcription complex in leukemia …

Aging And Sympathetic Neurotransmission In Two Strains Of Rats That Differ In Longevity And Immune Profiles, Sam David Perez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Age-related changes in sympathetic neurotransmission in immune organs may be associated with immunosenescence; however no causal relationship has been established. From previous studies in Fischer rats (F344), we have found that during middle age, sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) rises in the spleen followed by a decline in noradrenergic (NA) innervation. Also, increased sympathetic signaling via betaadrenergic receptor (β-AR) and reduced proliferation of lymphocytes are evident with increasing age. Although SNA progressively rises with age, effects of age on sympathetic factors may be different across rat strains. If causal relationships exist between sympathetic activity and immune function, they may be related …