Digital Commons Network^™

The Validity Of Height As A Determinant Of Takeoff Distance To Hurdle One In Ncaa Division Iii Hurdlers 2017, Phillip Wiltshire

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if the relationships between the height of a hurdler and the takeoff distance to the first hurdle for men and women as reported by Frye (2008) were valid for NCAA Division III 100 m and 110 m hurdlers. With no specific research reported to validate Frye’s data, it is unclear how the suggested takeoff distances were developed. It is also unclear whether hurdler height or another factor is the main determinant of takeoff distance for the high hurdlers. Participants in this study were three female 100 m hurdlers and four male 110 …

The Effect Of Aging On The Blood Brain Barrier Permeability And Response To Fluoxetine Enantiomers, Ethar Arkan

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

We tested the effect of the fluoxetine enantiomers (S-fluoxetine and R-fluoxetine) versus Prozac (50:50 ratio of R- and S- fluoxetine enantiomers) and/or control on blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability in different brain regions in both male and female rats. The rats consumed orally the drug (5 mg/kg) or vehicle for a total of three days, then were injected with sterile Evans blue dye ip, at least 12 hours before euthanasia.. We see significant regional brain differences in BBB permeability (hippocampus has tighter BBB), significant differences based on the age of the animals (young rats show enhanced permeability in lower brain …

Histology Of Rathke’S Glands In The Razor-Backed Musk Turtle, Sternotherus Carinatus (Chelonia: Kinosternidae), With Comments On Lamellar Bodies, S. E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I examined the histology and ultrastructure of Rathke’s glands in two adult male razor-backed musk turtles (Sternotherus carinatus) collected in northeastern Arkansas. This species possesses two pairs of Rathke’s glands that are embedded beneath marginal bones and are named according to their anatomical location (i.e., axillary and inguinal). These integumentary glands are similar anatomically to one another. Each gland is comprised of a single, highly vascularized secretory lobule, which is surrounded by a thin tunic of asymmetrically arranged, striated muscle. Two types of large secretory vacuoles characterize most of the holocrine cells produced by a relatively thin secretory …

The Scaffolding Protein Iqgap1 Promotes Hepatic Proliferation And Protects The Liver From Injury, Hanna Erickson, Sayeepriyadarshini Anakk

Hepatobiliary Cancers: Pathobiology and Translational Advances

No abstract provided.

Hovering In The Heat: Effects Of Environmental Temperature On Heat Regulation In Foraging Hummingbirds, Don R. Powers, Kathleen M. Langland, Susan M. Wethington, Sean D. Powers, Catherine H. Graham, Bret W. Tobalske

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

At high temperature (greater than 40°C) endotherms experience reduced passive heat dissipation (radiation, conduction and convection) and increased reliance on evaporative heat loss. High temperatures challenge flying birds due to heat produced by wing muscles. Hummingbirds depend on flight for foraging, yet inhabit hot regions. We used infrared thermography to explore how lower passive heat dissipation during flight impacts body-heat management in broad-billed (Cynanthus latirostris, 3.0 g), black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri, 3.0 g), Rivoli’s (Eugenes fulgens, 7.5 g) and blue-throated (Lampornis clemenciae, 8.0 g) hummingbirds in southeastern Arizona and calliope hummingbirds (Selasphorus calliope, 2.6 g) in Montana. Thermal gradients driving passive …

Activity Dependent Changes In Functional And Morphological Characteristics Among Presympathetic Neurons Of The Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla, Daniel J. Huereca

Wayne State University Dissertations

A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death among Americans. Increasing evidence implicates increased sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) as the link between a sedentary lifestyle and CVD. The research presented in this dissertation examines the region of the brainstem known as the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) and how its regulation of SNA changes as a result of sedentary conditions. Our group has previously reported that sedentary conditions enhance splanchnic SNA in response to pharmacologically induced decreases in blood pressure or by direct activation of the RVLM via microinjection …

Uncorrelated Neural Firing In Mouse Visual Cortex During Spontaneous Retinal Waves, Matthew Colonnese, Jing Shen, Yasunobu Murata

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

Synchronous firing among the elements of forming circuits is critical for stabilization of synapses. Understanding the nature of these local network interactions during development can inform models of circuit formation. Within cortex, spontaneous activity changes throughout development. Unlike the adult, early spontaneous activity occurs in discontinuous population bursts separated by long silent periods, suggesting a high degree of local synchrony. However, whether the micro-patterning of activity within early bursts is unique to this early age and specifically tuned for early development is poorly understood, particularly within the column. To study this we used single-shank multi-electrode array recordings of spontaneous activity …

The Relationship Between Accelerometry Derived Training Loads And Srpe In Women’S College Soccer, John Abbott, Paul Moquin, Abdulmalek Bursais, Julia Kirkpatrick, Christine L. Coniglio, Jeremy A. Gentles

ETSU Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Oxidation-Sensitive Nociception And Epigenetics In Endometriosis-Associated Pain, Kristeena Ray Wright

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Endometriosis is an enigmatic disease that is associated with severe symptoms and consequences such as total hysterectomy. Upwards of 10% of women of reproductive age have endometriosis, most of whom are afflicted with chronic pelvic pain and/or infertility. Despite many treatment options available to endometriosis patients, there is no cure for this condition and recurrence of symptoms is extremely common. In CHAPTER 1, we describe the mechanisms involved in endometriotic pain and the currently available treatment strategies. Our laboratory has provided evidence for the role of oxidative stress in the etiology of endometriosis and its associated pain. In this dissertation …

Cx43 Expression Increases In Response To Increased Temperature Incubation In The Developing Chicken Embryonic Brain, Erick A. Barrios

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

We used the chicken embryo model to examine whether altered incubation temperature during chicken embryo development would alter the protein expression of heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), hsp90, and connexin 43 (cx43) in the brain. We incubated eggs in either optimal (37.6° C, Con), increased (39.6° C, +2), or decreased (35.6° C, -2) temperature conditions until they reached embryonic day 16 (E16). The -2 condition significantly increased incidence of embryonic mortality. As shown in the literature, the development of the eggs was accelerated or decelerated due to increased or decreased temperature respectively. To control for this, we incubated eggs at …

Identification Of Expression And Function Of The Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor In Gastrointestinal Smooth Muscle, Alexander T. May

Theses and Dissertations

In response to ingestion of nutrients, enteroendocrine L cells secrete the incretin hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), to enhance glucose-dependent insulin release. Therapies related to GLP-1 are approved for type 2 diabetes. The GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) is expressed in cells of the gastrointestinal tract and elsewhere. In pancreatic beta cells, GLP-1R are coupled to the Gs/cAMP/PKA pathway. The expression and function of GLP-1R in gastrointestinal smooth muscle are not known. Aim. To test the hypothesis that GLP-1 regulates smooth muscle function by acting on GLP-1R expressed on smooth muscle. Methods. Smooth muscle cells (SMC) were isolated and cultured. Expression of GLP-1R …

N-Alkyl 4-Methylamphetamine Enantiomers And The Implication For Potential Modulation Of Abuse Liability And Enhancement Of Psychoactive Drug Targeting., Ramsey Sitta

Theses and Dissertations

Drugs of abuse have a long history in humanity. Currently however, a subject of great interest is the phenylalkylamine family of drugs. Not only is the abuse liability of interest but also the potential therapeutic expansion of the capabilities of this family of drugs by utilizing the unique stereospecific effects of the newly discovered hybrid compounds. Based upon prior data of N-Alkyl 4-MA the enantiomers of N-Methyl, N-Ethyl, and N-Propyl were analyzed in hDAT, hNET, and hSERT. It was found that there was a negative correlation between chain length and potency and dopaminergic component. In agreement with the currently established …

Cardiovascular Risk, Remote Ischemic Postconditioning, And Endothelial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury, Brian A. Hemenway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Remote ischemic postconditioning (rIpost) is a potent vasculoprotective stimulus that is thought to reduce reperfusion injury associated with heart disease. However, certain animal models of cardiometabolic risk factors such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension suggest the beneficial effects of rIpost to lessen reperfusion injury may be diminished. These findings have not been studied in clinically relevant humans. The aim of this study was to determine whether the protective effects of rIpost are reduced in the context of raised cardiometabolic risk in humans. Seven participants with raised cardiometabolic risk burden (age:57±7 years; BMI: 31±4kgm²participated in this 2X2 randomized cross-over …

Araucaria In The Urban Landscape: A Novel Leaning Pattern And Evidence Of Cultivated Hybridization, Jason W. Johns

Master's Theses

Our understanding of the natural world is constantly evolving and strengthening as more observations are made and experiments are performed. For example, we understand that tree stems grow toward the light (positive phototropism; Darwin 1880, Loehle 1986, Christie et al. 2013) and against gravity (negative gravitropism; Knight 1806, Hashiguchi et al. 2013). We also know that plants respond to mechanical stimulus and perturbation (thigmotropism; Braam 2005). Genes and their resulting proteins have been described to uncover some of the mechanisms for these environmental responses, but relatively speaking, we have just scratched the surface (Wyatt et al. 2013). While the discovery …

Transient Alt Activation Protects Human Primary Cells From Chromosome Instability Induced By Low Chronic Oxidative Stress, Elisa Coluzzi, Rossella Buonsante, Stefano Leone, Anthony J. Asmar, Kelley L. Miller, Daniela Cimini, Antonella Sgura

Bioelectrics Publications

Cells are often subjected to the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a result of both intracellular metabolism and exposure to exogenous factors. ROS-dependent oxidative stress can induce 8-oxodG within the GGG triplet found in the G-rich human telomeric sequence (TTAGGG), making telomeres highly susceptible to ROS-induced oxidative damage. Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes that protect the ends of linear chromosomes and their dysfunction is believed to affect a wide range of cellular and/or organismal processes. Acute oxidative stress was shown to affect telomere integrity, but how prolonged low level oxidative stress, which may be more physiologically relevant, affects telomeres …

The Effects Of Limb Dominance On Cross-Education In A Four Week Resistance Training Program, Caitlin Wend

Masters Theses

Cross-education is known as the phenomenon of strength transfer from the trained side of the body to the untrained side of the body by unilateral resistance training. Research has shown that limb dominance has an effect on the amount of strength that is gained on the untrained side. Studies have found that there is a greater cross over effect in strength from the dominant side of the body to the non-dominant side of the body than vice versa. The present study examined this effect by taking 12 college females and splitting them into three groups: dominant training, non-dominant training, and …

Metabolic And Morphologic Shifts In Neuro2a Cells Cultured In Galactose Medium, Leah Welker

Masters Theses

It has been observed that highly-proliferating cells, such as cancer cells, rely mainly on glycolysis for ATP production, regardless of presence of oxygen. This effect, however, can be reversed by changing the main energy substrate in the medium from glucose to galactose. The oxidation of galactose in glycolysis yields less net ATP, presumably forcing the cell into OXPHOS. This has been established in many cell lines, including HeLA, HepG2, and skeletal muscle cells. As of yet, this has not been reproduced in neuronal cells. Using Neuro2a, a murine neuroblastoma cell line, this study exposes neuronal cells to galactose medium, and …

The Effect Of Nitrate Supplementation On Exercise Tolerance And Performance: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Gavin Van De Walle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper was to systematically review the current literature and evaluate the overall efficacy of nitrate supplementation on exercise tolerance and performance by meta-analysis. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they met the following criteria: 1) were an experimental trial published in an English peer-reviewed journal; 2) compared the effects of inorganic nitrate consumption with a non-bioactive supplement control or placebo; 3) used a quantifiable measure of exercise performance; and 4) was carried out in apparently healthy participants without disease. A total of 29 studies were identified that investigated the effects of nitrate supplementation on exercise tolerance …

Differential Activity And Content Of High-Affinity Glutamate Transporters, Content Of Their Regulatory Proteins, And Capacity For Glutamine And Glutathione Synthesis In Tissues Of Finished Versus Growing Steers, Jing Huang

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Improvement of feeding regimens for production animals has been hindered by a lack of fundamental knowledge about how the capacity to regulate nutrient absorption across cell membranes affects the function of nutrient metabolizing enzymes. The objective is to determine if the activities and protein content of system X^-_AG glutamate transporter, its regulatory protein (GTRAP3-18 and ARL6IP1), glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutathione (GSH) content, changes in liver (Experiment 1), longissimus dorsi (LM) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SF) (Experiment 2) as beef steers transitioned from predominantly-lean (growing) to -lipid (finished) tissue accretion phases. In liver (Experiment 1), system X^{- …}

Synaptotagmin C2b Ca2+-Binding Loops Impose Distinct Exocytosis Phenotypes, Michael W. Schmidtke

Wayne State University Theses

Regulated exocytosis from chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla plays a critical role in maintaining organismal homeostasis. In the absence of stress, these cells release physiologically relevant substances into the blood stream only in limited quantities, whereas stressful conditions result in a rapid deluge of signaling molecules used, for example, to increase heart rate and pain tolerance. Although the cellular mechanisms governing the switch from low-level to stress-induced secretion are not well understood, recent evidence has implicated the exocytotic Ca2+-sensing protein Synaptotagmin (Syt) in this role.

Two isoforms of Syt are expressed in chromaffin cells (Syt-1 and Syt-7), and each …

In Vivo Rates Of Dental Microwear Formation In Laboratory Primates Fed Different Food Items, Mark F. Teaford, Peter S. Ungar, Andrea B. Taylor, Callum F. Ross, Christopher J. Vinyard

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

No abstract provided.

Dental Topography And Microwear Texture In Sapajus Apella, Peter S. Ungar, Claire L. Hartgrove, Alexa N. Wimberly, Mark F. Teaford

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

Dental microwear texture pattern has been associated with aspects of diet for a broad range of mammalian taxa. The basic idea is that soft, tough foods are sheared with a steeper angle of approach between opposing occlusal surfaces, whereas hard, brittle items are crushed with forces perpendicular to those surfaces; and this difference is manifested in anisotropic, striated microwear textures for tough foods, and complex, pitted ones for hard objects. Other factors may, however, influence microwear texture pattern and confound diet signals. For example, if tooth surface slope influences angle of approach between opposing teeth, then perhaps wear-related changes in …

Pioglitazone, Neet Family Proteins, And Galactose Modulation Of Liver Cell Bioenergetics, David F. Grimm

Undergraduate Honors Theses

MitoNEET was discovered through interactions with a labeled and photoactive derivative of pioglitazone (pio), a drug used to increase peripheral insulin sensitivity. Its unique coordination of a [2Fe-2S] cluster by three cysteine residues (Cys-72, Cys-74, and Cys-83) and one histidine (His-87) gives this cluster both stability and the ability to be donated to acceptor proteins. These qualities allow mitoNEET to participate in a diversity of biological functions. Functions of mitoNEET and the consequences of pioglitazone (pio) treatment in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells cultured in glucose or galactose-based medium were examined by respiration and proliferation studies. Pio treatment decreased complex …

Testing The Optomotor Response In Sepia Bandensis, Lauren E. Thompson

Honors College Theses

Cephalopods (octopus, squid, and cuttlefish) have commonly been used as models to test visual function and camouflage due to their similarity in eye morphology with humans and because of their readily observable changes in body color in response to visual stimuli. Most studies have used a single species, Sepia officinalis, to make broad conclusions about camouflage and vision. However, these generalizations may not be applicable to all species. Here, I have examined visual function of the dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis), which differs from S. officinalis in habitat, geographic range, and size. Using the optomotor response, I quantified …

Assessment Of Bovine Vascular Serotonin Receptor Populations And Transport Of Ergot Alkaloids In The Small Intestine, Miriam A. Snider

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Prior work using a contractility bioassay determined that the serotonin (5-HT) receptor subtype 5-HT_2A is present in bovine lateral saphenous veins and plays a role in ergot alkaloid-induced vascular contraction in steers grazing endophyte-infected (Epichloë coenophiala) tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum). A study was conducted to determine what 5-HT receptors are involved in vasoconstriction of bovine gut vasculature. The findings of this study indicate that 5-HT_2A is present and may play a role in ergot alkaloid induced vasoconstriction. A second study was conducted to determine if ergot alkaloids were transported in the small intestine. The …

Quantification Of Brain-Region Specific Alterations In Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Expression During Developmental Hypothyroidism, Cari Lee Graber-Feesl

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Insufficient thyroid hormone (TH) during development results in permanent neurological deficits. These deficits are the result of perturbed TH-mediated brain development. Interestingly, insufficient insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf-1) during development results in neurological deficits that are similar to those reported for developmental hypothyroidism. This observation suggests that deficits associated with low TH during development may be the result of altered Igf-1 expression in the developing brain. To test this, timed-pregnant mice were treated with thyroid gland inhibitors from gestational day 16 (GD16) until postnatal day 21 (P21) to induce a hypothyroid state. A parallel set of untreated timed-pregnant mice were …

Effects Of An Acute High-Volume Isokinetic Intervention On Circulating Levels Of Tnf-Α And Stnfr: Influence Of Age, Eliott Arroyo Delgado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The immune system has been implicated in recovery and muscle regeneration following exercise. In response to muscle damage, the immune system responds with an increase in circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines with the goal of recruiting leukocytes to the damaged area. Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), in particular, has been shown to be implicated in both muscle regeneration and muscle wasting. However, it remains unclear whether TNF-α is responsible for the age-related losses in muscle size and function. Also, due to the high clearance rate of TNF-α from circulation, analyzing the circulating levels of soluble TNF-α receptors 1 and 2 (STNFR1 and STNFR2) …

Effects Of An Acute High-Volume Isokinetic Intervention On Inflammatory And Strength Changes: Influence Of Age, Joseph Gordon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a high volume isokinetic intervention on lower body strength and inflammation, as well as markers of muscle damage in the subsequent 48 hours between younger and middle-aged men. METHODS: 19 healthy, recreationally trained men were randomly assigned to two groups, younger adults (YA: 21.8 ± 2.0 y; 90.7 ± 11.6 kg; 21.5 ± 4.1 % body fat), or middle-aged adults (MA: 47.0 ± 4.4 y; 96.0 ± 21.5; 24.8 ± 6.3 % body fat). Both groups reported to the human performance laboratory (HPL) on four separate occasions. On …

The Effects Of Sprint Interval Training And Maturity Status On Metabolic And Neuromuscular Fatigue Thresholds In Adolescents, Kyle Beyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To examine the maturity-related differences in the adaptations to systemic and localized fatigue thresholds (FTs) in response to sprint interval training (SIT) amongst adolescent male athletes. Methods: Twenty-seven adolescent male athletes, 11-17 years of age, completed pre-testing, six weeks of SIT, and post-testing. Participants were grouped according to their number of years from peak height velocity (PHV), an estimation of somatic maturity status, into PRE ( < -1.5yr), PERI (between -1.5 to +1.5yr) and POST ( > +1.5yr) PHV groups. Each testing session consisted of a ramp exercise protocol on a cycle ergometer. During the protocol, three systemic FTs, gas exchange threshold, ventilatory threshold, and respiratory compensation point were calculated …

Ionic Regulation Of Critical Cellular Processes In Non-Excitable Cells, Brandon M. Franklin

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

There are long-standing hypotheses that endogenous ion currents act to control cell dynamics in development, wound healing and regeneration. However, the mechanisms employed by cells to detect the electric field (EF) and translate it into a discernable message to drive specific cell behaviors, such as migration, proliferation and differentiation, are not well understood. A better understanding of how cells are able to sense EFs and react to them is vital to understanding physiological mechanisms are involved in regeneration. Ion channel signaling provides a reasonable suspect for mediating these effects based on their documented involvement in proliferation, migration and differentiation.

To …