Physiology Commons^™

Interactions Between Aerobic Exercise Volume, Academic Stress, And Immune Function, Teresa Wiczynski

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Many college students exercise individually or participate in collegiate and intramural sports in addition to fulfilling their stressful academic requirements. The combination of accumulated stress and vigorous exercise could result in an impaired immune system, prompting the onset of disease and absences in class and sports practice.

Twenty-six male and female participants aged 18 to 23 were recruited for this study. Over the course of an academic semester, participants completed weekly electronic surveys documenting stress levels, aerobic exercise, and symptoms related to upper respiratory tract infections. Participants were evaluated at four different time points (Baseline, Post-Midterm Exam, Baseline Reassessment, and …

The Mechanism Of Biotremor Production In The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo Calyptratus), Samuel Tegge

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Vibratory communication has evolved in numerous animal groups, including insects, spiders, fishes, mammals, and was recently discovered in veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus). I examined the mechanism by which C. calyptratus produce these biotremors. Muscle activity data were gathered during simulated anti-predator responses via electromyography (EMG) with simultaneous recordings of biotremor production using an accelerometer. I correlated EMG data with the accelerometer data to implicate the muscles responsible for the production of the biotremors. Mixed-effect linear regression models described the mechanism, and a model selection framework determined which model fit the data best. I then used an analysis of variance to …

The Relationship Between The Metabolic Responsiveness To A High-Fat Meal And An Acute Bout Of Moderateintensity Exercise Among Postpartum Women, Apoorva Tadakaluru

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Background: There has been very little research regarding the metabolic health of women during the postpartum period. Metabolic flexibility is the physiological ability to alter substrate oxidation in response to substrate availability and is a good indicator of overall metabolic health. Metabolic flexibility can be assessed by placing metabolic demands on the body and observing metabolic responsiveness- two examples of such metabolic stressors are lipid oxidation rates in response to a high-fat meal and as well as exercise. However, it is unknown whether postpartum women will respond similarly to these two different types of metabolic stressors. This information will allow …

The Impact Of Invasive Lionfish On The Feeding Performance Of Endemic Spotted Scorpionfish, Nathaniel Zbasnik

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Invasive species, such as the red lionfish, Pterois volitans, are damaging many ecosystems around the world by out-competing native species. However, little work has been done to determine if P. volitans have a direct influence on the feeding performance of native species with which they compete. This study examines the feeding performance in terms of suction pressure, kinematic timing, and excursion distances of spotted scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri. Through multiple trials it was examined how S. plumieri modulate their kinematic behavior in response to P. volitans and a conspecific. The creation of a smaller buccal cavity and a decrease in time …