Laboratory and Basic Science Research Commons^™

Effect Of Glucocorticoid Blockade On Inflammatory Responses To Acute Sleep Fragmentation In Male Mice, Zim Hasan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The association between sleep and the immune-endocrine system is well recognized, but the nature of that relationship is not well understood. Sleep fragmentation induces a pro-inflammatory response in peripheral tissues and brain, but it also activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, releasing glucocorticoids (GCs) (cortisol in humans and corticosterone in mice). It is unclear whether this rapid release of glucocorticoids acts to potentiate or dampen the inflammatory response in the short term. The purpose of this study was to determine whether blocking or suppressing glucocorticoid activity will affect the inflammatory response from acute sleep fragmentation (ASF). Male C57BL/6J mice were injected …

Effects Of Glucocorticoids Upon Pro-Inflammatory Responses To Acute Sleep Fragmentation, Hunter Weaver

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sleep loss is a common problem in humans who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep aids in the regulation of immune responses, some of which induce inflammatory responses. Cytokines regulate the inflammatory process and are released in response to sleep fragmentation (SF) in mice. Glucocorticoids are hormones that are released from the adrenal cortices during a stress response and are considered to be anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive at high doses but may stimulate immune function on an acute level. The first hypothesis tested was that normal physiological expression of glucocorticoids (Sham) will display increased IL-1β and TNFα expression levels, while high …

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 …

Cloning Of A Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Marker Into A Rna Interference Construct To Test Whether The Photoreceptor Chlamyrhodopsin Is Involved In Circadian Clock Resetting, Shravya Reddy Maddi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a unicellular eukaryotic green alga, serves as a model organism to study the circadian clock in plants and animals. Rhodopsins are blue/green-light photoreceptors also found in C. reinhardtii. Chlamyrhodopsin (COP), the most abundant eyespot protein, was reported to have no role in the phototactic and photophobic responses in C. reinhardtii. Its function is yet unknown.
In the present study, we hypothesized that the function of COP is to mediate entrainment of the circadian clock by light. In order to test this hypothesis, a C. reinhardtii selection marker conferring resistance to the antibiotic paromomycin was cloned …

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, …

An Analysis Of Illegal Bushmeat Availability In Local Restaurants Located In Voi, Kenya, Bridget A. Sutton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The illegal bushmeat harvest has been identified as a reason for declining wildlife populations throughout much of Africa. For many years the trade was thought to exist primarily in Western Africa. The illegal use of bushmeat in Eastern Africa, including Kenya, went undocumented and unstudied. In 2004, the Born Free Foundation published a study which claimed illegal sale of wild game was substantial in butcheries throughout Nairobi, Kenya. In an effort to determine other markets of the commercial trade, the goal of this study was to analyze local restaurants in Voi, Kenya for illegal bushmeat sale. The town of Voi …

Towards An Action Spectrum For Photoentrainment Of The Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Circadian Clock, Christa Gaskill

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

No abstract provided.

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 …