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Articles 91 - 120 of 751

Full-Text Articles in Physiology

Anatomical Variation Of The Porcine Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve, Marc Christensen, Dr. Jonathan Wisco Jun 2015

Anatomical Variation Of The Porcine Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve, Marc Christensen, Dr. Jonathan Wisco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Selective reinnervation of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA), accomplished by anastomosis of a transected recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) with the phrenic nerve, is the best treatment for vocal cord paralysis and RLN compromise. However, anatomical variation of the RLN in human patients contributes to the likelihood of post-operative complications such as laryngeal synkinesis. The purpose of this study, Anatomical Variation of the Porcine Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve, is to establish a clear and detailed understanding of RLN branching patterns in pigs, the animal model most similar to humans in regards to laryngeal anatomy, to determine nerve branches that are best …

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Differential Receptors For Advanced Glycation End-Products (Rage) Expression In Preeclampsia, Intrauterine Growth Restriction And Gestational Diabetes, Kristen Lena Alexander Jun 2015

Differential Receptors For Advanced Glycation End-Products (Rage) Expression In Preeclampsia, Intrauterine Growth Restriction And Gestational Diabetes, Kristen Lena Alexander

Theses and Dissertations

Preeclampsia (PE), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and gestational diabetes (GDM) increase the risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The roles of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) are already well documented concerning inflammation, hypoxia and oxidative stress. AGEs bind to its receptor, Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE), and activate an inflammatory pathway. This pathway alters the efficacy of invasive trophoblast cells and in the placenta and can result in placental dysfunction. We hypothesized that the placental dysfunction found in PE, IUGR, and GDM resulted from an over activation of the RAGE-mediated inflammatory pathway. Using human placental samples, we found …

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The Effects Of Inhibiting Wnt Secretion And Activity On Cranial And Neural Development, Julie Louise Hulet Jun 2015

The Effects Of Inhibiting Wnt Secretion And Activity On Cranial And Neural Development, Julie Louise Hulet

Theses and Dissertations

Wnt signaling has been shown to have several roles in the development of sensory neurons, particularly in the ophthalmic portion of the trigeminal nerve. Many of these studies have relied on the conclusion that Wnt is necessary but not sufficient for the induction and maintenance of the neural precursor cells that develop in the ophthalmic placode. Wnt had been inhibited in the ophthalmic placode using a dominant negative t-cell factor (TCF) and resulted in the loss of Pax3 expression (indicative of undifferentiated placode cells) in all targeted cells, suggesting a loss of specification/commitment of these cells to the sensory neuron …

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Cigarette Smoke Increases Cardiomyocyte Ceramide Accumulation And Inhibits Mitochondrial Respiration, Trevor Stanley Tippetts Jun 2015

Cigarette Smoke Increases Cardiomyocyte Ceramide Accumulation And Inhibits Mitochondrial Respiration, Trevor Stanley Tippetts

Theses and Dissertations

Cigarette smoking is a common and lethal worldwide habit, with considerable mortality stemming from its deleterious effects on heart function. While current theories posit altered blood lipids and fibrinogen metabolism as likely mediators, none have explored the role of the sphingolipid ceramide in exacerbating heart function with smoke exposure. Ceramide production is a consequence of cigarette smoke in the lung, and considering ceramide's harmful effects on mitochondrial function, we sought to elucidate the role of ceramide in mediating smoke-induced altered heart mitochondrial respiration. Lung cells were exposed to cigarette smoke extract and heart cells were exposed to the lung-cell conditioned …

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Hmgb1 And Ceramides: Potential Mediators Of Cigarette Smoke-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction, Mikayla Orton Thatcher Jun 2015

Hmgb1 And Ceramides: Potential Mediators Of Cigarette Smoke-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction, Mikayla Orton Thatcher

Theses and Dissertations

While cigarette smoking is a common-knowledge way to stay lean, it has long been known as a risk factor for diabetes and obesity. Here we establish that smoking causes fat gain and metabolic disruption in mice, effects which are exacerbated by a high-fat, high-sugar diet. We found that smoke exposure increases levels of ceramide—the lipid responsible for diet-induced insulin resistance—and that blocking ceramide production with the pharmacological inhibitor myriocin restored insulin sensitivity, stopped weight gain, and rescued mitochondrial respiration in vivo and in vitro.We also sought to assess the impact of the RAGE ligand HMGB1 on skeletal muscle metabolism. We …

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Mapping The Trigeminal Nerve, Kinnison Edmunds, Dr. Jonathan Wisco May 2015

Mapping The Trigeminal Nerve, Kinnison Edmunds, Dr. Jonathan Wisco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of my project was to create a data-driven, three-dimensional map of the human trigeminal nerve from the trigeminal ganglion to the ends of its major pathways throughout the face and head. The purpose was to test conventional wisdom regarding the pathways of the trigeminal nerve and expose any inconsistencies between artistic representations and a data-driven mapping of the nerve. It was my hypothesis that by comparing my completed nerve map to the currently accepted anatomy literature, I will be able to challenge existing discrepancies and improve the validity of current anatomical representations.

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Microarchitectural Analysis Of The Ulnar Collateral Ligament To Inform Its Reconstruction, Jakob Gamboa, Dr. Jonathan Wisco May 2015

Microarchitectural Analysis Of The Ulnar Collateral Ligament To Inform Its Reconstruction, Jakob Gamboa, Dr. Jonathan Wisco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ligaments are specialized connective tissues that stabilize the different synovial joints found in the body. Ligaments consist of fibroblast cells surrounded by a framework of dense fibrous bands of collagen, which anchor to bones to provide support and elasticity. Their varying biomechanical functions in different locations of the body require diversity in matrix composition, shape, density, and arrangement to adapt to the complex functions they perform. These characteristics may even vary within different regions of the same ligament. Damage to ligaments compromises integrity and movement of the joint and can lead to serious complications.

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Customizing 3d Models From Mri Data: Creating Educational Anatomy Models Of Neurologic Disease, Brett Gardiner, Dr. Jon Wisco May 2015

Customizing 3d Models From Mri Data: Creating Educational Anatomy Models Of Neurologic Disease, Brett Gardiner, Dr. Jon Wisco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Neuroanatomy lab specimens are limited to cadaver availability and inconsistently demonstrate variations confronted in pathology. Using rapid prototyping (RP) technology to create 3D models from segmented MRI data offers distinct benefits to medical education. An efficient and replicable procedure for customizing these models can be developed to provide unique visual experiences for students and offer additional perspectives of brain models from real data.

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Investigating The Effect Of Ethanol On Exocytosis In Vitro, Brady Hunt, Dixon Woodbury May 2015

Investigating The Effect Of Ethanol On Exocytosis In Vitro, Brady Hunt, Dixon Woodbury

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My research focus has been to investigate how ethanol’s pharmacological effects could be tied to it’s interactions with a key component of all cellular membranes, lipid bilayers.

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Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine And Gaba Neurons: Physiological Properties And Expression Of Mrna For Endocannabinoid Biosynthetic Enzymes And Type I Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors, Zachary Hopkins, Jeffrey G. Edwards May 2015

Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine And Gaba Neurons: Physiological Properties And Expression Of Mrna For Endocannabinoid Biosynthetic Enzymes And Type I Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors, Zachary Hopkins, Jeffrey G. Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The ventral tegmental area or VTA is considered to be one of the foremost centers involved in motivation and reward processing in the brain [1]. This area is also heavily implicated in addiction. However, little is known in regards to the exact cell types and subtypes found there, or the types of signaling that occur. We were interested in investigating the possibility of retrograde signaling among the two predominant cell groups in the VTA: GABA and dopamine neurons. Both cell types can be acted on by drugs of abuse, either to directly affect DA release or indirectly through GABA cells …

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Novel Comet Assay Identifies Preliminary Dna Damage Prior To Cell Apoptosis In Mouse Model Of Rage Over-Expression, Steven Knapp, Paul Reynolds May 2015

Novel Comet Assay Identifies Preliminary Dna Damage Prior To Cell Apoptosis In Mouse Model Of Rage Over-Expression, Steven Knapp, Paul Reynolds

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of this project was to characterize the predisposing susceptibility of mice that overexpress receptors for advanced gylcation end products (RAGE) to apoptosis (cell death) and autophagy. Work has already been done to characterize this mouse model as pro-apoptotic; this new project will allow us to identify powerful markers that track DNA damage prior to cell death. RAGE is found in the lungs and aids in the transitioning of cell types (Reynolds P et Al., 2011). The expression of RAGE increases during instances of disease including COPD, diabetes, and lung cancer (Celli BR et Al., 2004, Wu L et …

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3d Mapping Of Cardiac Nerves For Improved Cardiac Ablation Procedures In The Treatment Of Cardiac Arrhythmia, Adam Jorgensen, Jonathan J. Wisco May 2015

3d Mapping Of Cardiac Nerves For Improved Cardiac Ablation Procedures In The Treatment Of Cardiac Arrhythmia, Adam Jorgensen, Jonathan J. Wisco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Arrhythmia is a serious heart condition that affects 14 million people in the United Statesi, and is characterized by irregular frequency of atrial and ventricular beats.ii The most serious effects of arrhythmia include sudden cardiac arrest and stroke.iii About 383,000 cases of cardiac arrest are recorded annually in the United States alone.iv In a report complied in 2011 by the World Health Organization, stroke has the second highest death rate of any disease worldwide, ending the lives of 6.1 million people annually.v

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Effects Of Blocking Tlr 4 And Rage On The Progression Of Oa In The Tmj, David Mecham, David Kooyman May 2015

Effects Of Blocking Tlr 4 And Rage On The Progression Of Oa In The Tmj, David Mecham, David Kooyman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the cartilage that affects more than 80% of Americans above the age of 65 (1). Many adults also suffer from Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), and 80% of such individuals eventually develop Temporomandibular joint associated Osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) (2). Current pharmaceutical options target symptoms of OA, but there are no known treatments available. Research is being undertaken to elucidate the root causes of the disease at a cellular level. Our lab has previously shown that mice lacking the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products are protected from OA (3). Other researchers have shown that blocking …

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Hyperosmolarity And Trophoblast Behavior In Gestational Diabetes, Preeclampsia, And Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Camilo Mejia, Juan Arroyo May 2015

Hyperosmolarity And Trophoblast Behavior In Gestational Diabetes, Preeclampsia, And Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Camilo Mejia, Juan Arroyo

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pregnancy necessitates interactions between the mother and the fetus, and the placenta is the medium through which this is accomplished. Many complications during pregnancy, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia (PE) arise from abnormalities in trophoblast cells of the human placenta. Trophoblast cells form the connection between the fetus and the uterine wall. We see placental hyperosmolarity in pregnant patients with diabetes, and there are some reports of aberrant trophoblast functioning during IUGR and PE at term, but more needs to be studied regarding the hyperosmolar stress associated with these pathologies and its role in embryo development. Deviation …

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Three-Dimensional Modeling Of Facial Nerve Vii, Dani Peterson, Jonathan Wisco May 2015

Three-Dimensional Modeling Of Facial Nerve Vii, Dani Peterson, Jonathan Wisco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Due to its long and complicated trajectory through the cranium, facial nerve VII (CN VII) (see figure 1) can be damaged in surgeries, sometimes resulting in facial muscle paralysis. Surgical removal of acoustic neuromas and parotid tumors, in addition to surgical repair of the temporomandibular joint disorder are associated with a risk of damage to CN VII. In addition, insertion of auditory implants can damage the nerve, as can improper stimulation to the nerve after the implantation has occurred. This study’s focus was the creation of a three-dimensional (3D) model based off of data from dissection of the nerve in …

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The Role Of Endocannabinoid Receptor Gpr55 On Learning And Memory, Bradley Prince, Jeffery Edwards May 2015

The Role Of Endocannabinoid Receptor Gpr55 On Learning And Memory, Bradley Prince, Jeffery Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Each year millions of people are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most common forms of dementia. Extensive research has shown that Alzheimer’s affects the hippocampus, the part of the brain principally responsible for learning and memory. The mechanisms responsible for learning and memory are just beginning to be elucidated, and a more comprehensive knowledge of them will be essential in order to understand the brain under normal situations as well as in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Studies in this area have sought to understand the causes and treatments of disease, but so far both the underlying physiology …

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Utilization Of The Tgf-Β Signaling Pathway And Cell-Substrate Interaction In A Novel Anti-Cancer Drug Screen, Nicholas Saguibo, Dr. Marc Hansen May 2015

Utilization Of The Tgf-Β Signaling Pathway And Cell-Substrate Interaction In A Novel Anti-Cancer Drug Screen, Nicholas Saguibo, Dr. Marc Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The TGF-β signaling pathway has been researched extensively over the past few years, and has been shown to be active in the majority of metastatic tumors. Interestingly, tumors expressing TGF-β activity are positively correlated with poorer prognosis in patients, making it a logical target for cancer therapeutics. Furthermore, research conducted in our lab in recent years has demonstrated that the stiffness of the substrate upon which metastatic cancer cells are adhered plays a significant role in the rate of metastasis. To summarize: the harder the substrate, the higher the rate of metastasis. This same research has also demonstrated that softer, …

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The Countering Effects Of Exercise On Stress Reduced Long-Term Potentiation In Mouse Hippocampi, Jacob Trotter, Dr. Jerffrey Edwards May 2015

The Countering Effects Of Exercise On Stress Reduced Long-Term Potentiation In Mouse Hippocampi, Jacob Trotter, Dr. Jerffrey Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The hippocampus is an area of the brain that mediates learning and memory by changing the properties of synapses between its neurons. This ability of synapses to change is known as synaptic plasticity. Long-term potentiation (LTP), a long-lasting increase in signal transmission between two neurons, is one of several phenomena underlying synaptic plasticity and is the cellular correlate of memory and learning. Several studies of LTP in mice show that there is a marked impairment of LTP in hippocampal slices taken from rodents exposed to stress. Their data suggests that stress may lead to deficits in learning and memory. In …

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The Effects Of Stress And Exercise On Learning And Memory, Teresa Nufer (St. Pierre), Jeffery G. Edwards May 2015

The Effects Of Stress And Exercise On Learning And Memory, Teresa Nufer (St. Pierre), Jeffery G. Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Both stress and exercise have significant physiological effects. Researchers have studied these effects throughout the body, and current evidence suggests that exercise and stress also have profound effects on the brain. While stress decreases brain function, exercise has been show to enhance brain function. Recently, researchers have begun to investigate the effects of stress and exercise on the brain simultaneously, instead of studying the effects individually. Our lab has furthered these studies through the use of electrophysiology and behavioral experiments. Four groups of mice were studied: a control group, a group that experienced a chronic stress protocol, a group that …

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Effect Of Caffeine On Skeletal Muscle Growth, David M. Thomson Apr 2015

Effect Of Caffeine On Skeletal Muscle Growth, David M. Thomson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this mentoring environment grant was to determine the role of LKB1 on the activation of p53 by exercise, muscle development, and pharmacological means. The primary research objectives and findings are listed below:

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Alcohol And Nicotine Co-Dependence, Scott C. Steffensen, Sterling N. Sudweeks Apr 2015

Alcohol And Nicotine Co-Dependence, Scott C. Steffensen, Sterling N. Sudweeks

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alcoholism and nicotine (NIC) addiction are chronic relapsing disorders that have enormous impact on society. Alcohol and NIC are the most commonly abused drugs, and a large body of evidence indicates that there is a positive correlation between their consumption. Today, smoking NIC-containing tobacco products is recognized as one of the greatest risk factors in the development of alcoholism. A major goal of addiction research is to characterize the critical neural substrates that are most sensitive to these drugs, adapt in association with chronic consumption and drive subsequent drug-seeking behavior. The long-term objective of our research program is to advance …

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Anatomy Academy, Dr. Gary Seastrand, Dr. Jon Wisco Apr 2015

Anatomy Academy, Dr. Gary Seastrand, Dr. Jon Wisco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Specific Aim 1: Measure the impact of Anatomy Academy on 5th and 6th grade students’ knowledge of anatomy, health, and exercise, interest in pursuing postsecondary education in a science-related field, and ability to make the lifestyle choices necessary to reduce their risk for developing chronic diseases related to sedentary lifestyles and poor diet. Specific Aim 2: Measure the impact of Anatomy Academy on the academic and professional development of McKay students pursuing careers in teaching science and health at the elementary level.

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Role Of Octn1 In Tobacco-¬‐Induced Copd, Paul Reynolds Apr 2015

Role Of Octn1 In Tobacco-¬‐Induced Copd, Paul Reynolds

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Funding available through this MEG award has provided an opportunity for me to meet many academic objectives I’ve determined to be important in the early stages of my faculty appointment at BYU. First of all, I have been able to move my on site research program forward and involve many undergraduates in the process. Specific to the current MEG award, involved students and I have been able to accomplish the proposed research. We have been successful in conducting pilot studies that reveal possible roles for OctN1 in mechanisms of lung inflammation induced by and cigarette smoke (CS). Despite improvement in …

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The Role Of Wnt Signaling In Normal Muscle Development And Disease, Jeffery Barrow Mar 2015

The Role Of Wnt Signaling In Normal Muscle Development And Disease, Jeffery Barrow

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My laboratory studies the role of Wnt signaling in regulating important events during embryogenesis. In order to better understand the function of this pathway, we study mouse mutants that lack the Porcupine (Porcn) gene which encodes a protein that is required for the secretion of all Wnt molecules. Prior to obtaining the MEG grant entitled: The role of Wnt signaling in normal muscle development and disease, we had demonstrated that mice lacking Porcn activity in the ventral limb ectoderm exhibit a thinning of the ventral limb ectoderm, loss of epidermal appendages and loss of muscle and tendons in the underlying …

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The Biology Of Claudin 6 (Cldn6) In The Developing Mouse Lung, Felix Ruben Jimenez Rondan Mar 2015

The Biology Of Claudin 6 (Cldn6) In The Developing Mouse Lung, Felix Ruben Jimenez Rondan

Theses and Dissertations

The tight junctions (TJ), which are located in the apical region between epithelial and endothelial cells, regulate the paracellular diffusion of ions and small molecules and play an important role in maintaining cell polarity, cell-cell integrity, and permeability. In the lung, epithelial cells are attached by TJ structures. They provide a permeable barrier and cell communication. The loss of barrier integrity, which is maintained by the expression of claudins (Cldn), results in cellular permibilization and leads to paracellular diffusion of solutes and harmful molecules. There are 27 known Cldn homologous members in mice and human. Cldn6 is mostly expressed in …

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The Role Of Receptors For Advanced Glycation End-Products (Rage) And Ceramide In Cardiovascular Disease, Michael Bruce Nelson Mar 2015

The Role Of Receptors For Advanced Glycation End-Products (Rage) And Ceramide In Cardiovascular Disease, Michael Bruce Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes and cigarette smoke exposure are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. The role of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) is already well-established in numerous comorbidities including cardiomyopathy. Given the role of AGEs and their receptor, RAGE, in activating inflammatory pathways, we sought to determine whether ceramides could be a mediator of RAGE-induced altered heart mitochondrial function. Using an in vitro model, we treated H9C2 cardiomyocytes with carboxy-methyl lysine-BSA, followed by mitochondrial respiration assessment. We found that mitochondrial respiration was significantly impaired in AGE-treated cells, but not when co-treated with myriocin, an inhibitor of de novo …

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The Role Of Ceramides In Mediating Endotoxin-Induced Mitochondrial Disruption, Melissa Ellen Hansen Dec 2014

The Role Of Ceramides In Mediating Endotoxin-Induced Mitochondrial Disruption, Melissa Ellen Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Ceramides are sphingolipids that serve as important second messengers in an increasing number of stress-induced pathways. Ceramide has long been known to affect the mitochondria, altering both morphology and physiology. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a prevalent circulating inflammatory agent in obesity, potentially mediating some of the pathologies associated with weight gain. Given previous findings of TLR4-mediated ceramide accrual and ceramide-mediated mitochondrial disruption, we questioned whether ceramide is necessary for LPS-induced mitochondrial disruption. We found that LPS treatment increased gene transcript levels of ceramide synthesis enzymes and mitochondrial fission proteins and increased ceramide content in cultured myotubes and in mouse tissue. Mitochondrial …

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Extent Of Cysteine Modification Of Snap-25 In Vitro, Alex Mcgregor Dabell Dec 2014

Extent Of Cysteine Modification Of Snap-25 In Vitro, Alex Mcgregor Dabell

Theses and Dissertations

Exocytosis, the fusion of a vesicle to a cellular membrane, involves a protein named SNAP-25. This protein, containing two alpha helices connected with a linker region, is localized to the cell membrane via palmitic acids attached to the cysteine residues of its linker region in a process called palmitoylation. Are cysteine residues of the SNAP-25 linker region palmitoylated in an ordered manner and to a particular extent? The answer to this question may give insight into the regulated nature of exocytosis. While it is generally accepted that SNAP-25 must be palmitoylated in order to perform its exocytotic functions, the details …

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Alcohol Modulation Of Dopamine Release, Nathan Dan Schilaty Dec 2014

Alcohol Modulation Of Dopamine Release, Nathan Dan Schilaty

Theses and Dissertations

The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system projects from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to structures associated with the limbic system, primarily the nucleus accumbens (NAc). This system has been implicated in the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse. Many drugs of abuse act in the VTA, the NAc, or both. Dopamine neurons in the VTA that project to the NAc, and the GABA neurons that inhibit DA neurons locally in the VTA or project to the NAc, play an important role in mediating addiction to various drugs of abuse, in particular alcohol. There is a growing body of evidence of co-dependence …

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Targeting Of Receptors For Advanced Glycation End-Products (Rage) Diminishes Acute Secondhand Smoke-Induced Inflammation In Mice, Tyler Thomas Wood Jul 2014

Targeting Of Receptors For Advanced Glycation End-Products (Rage) Diminishes Acute Secondhand Smoke-Induced Inflammation In Mice, Tyler Thomas Wood

Theses and Dissertations

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) has increasingly been demonstrated to be an important modulator of inflammation in cases of pulmonary disease. Published reports involving tobacco smoke exposure have demonstrated increased expression of RAGE, its participation in pro-inflammatory signaling and its role in irreversible pulmonary remodeling. The current research evaluated for the first time the in vivo effects of short-term tobacco smoke exposure in RAGE null and control mice compared to identical animals exposed to room air only. Quantitative real time PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry revealed elevated RAGE expression in controls after four weeks of exposure and an anticipated …

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