Physiology Commons^™

The Relationship Between High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, Metabolic Syndrome And Exercise, Micheline A. Vargas

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: It is well known that regular physical activity is associated with lower risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Physical activity is also considered an important determinant of metabolic syndrome. All levels of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are thought to involve inflammation. Physical activity may reduce risk, at least in part, by modifying the inflammatory process. Recent studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between inflammatory markers, such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and physical activity. Elevated hs-CRP appears to be an independent predictor of both CVD and diabetes. Recent evidence also suggests that …

Factors That Influence The Blood Flow Response Of Skin To Electrical Stimulation, Abdul-Majeed Raja Al-Malty

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Female reproductive hormones, aging, global heating and local heating are factors affecting skin blood flow (SBF), but their effect on electrical stimulation (ES) has never been examined until the present investigation. To investigate female reproductive hormones, nine women (age= 25.6±3.5 years) with a normal menstrual cycle (MC) underwent ES in thermoneutral (25°±0.5°C) and warm environments (35°±0.5°C). To investigate aging, ES was applied on active young (n=15, age=32.1±8.3 years) and old (n=8, 64.5±6.2 years) groups in thermoneutral and warm environments. To investigate the effect of global and local heating, groups of 15 and 18 subjects (age= 18-40 years) experienced ES under …

Effects Of Advancing Age On Er Calcium Regulation In Rat Superior Cervical Ganglia, Conwin Kodel Vanterpool

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Intracellular calcium ([Ca²⁺]i) release from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stores plays an important role in cell signaling. These stores are rapidly refilled via voltage-gated calcium channels or spontaneously via store-operated calcium channels and subsequent pumping by ER Ca²⁺-ATPases. Calcium release is triggered by the activation of the ryanodine receptor (RyR) channels and their function is in part dependent on their expression. We analyzed the [Ca²⁺]i transients in fura 2-loaded superior cervical ganglion (SCG) cells from 6, 12, 20, and 24-month-old Fischer 344 rats for their ability to rapidly and spontaneously refill. For rapid refilling, the …

Mineralized Bone Allograft In Maxillary Sinuses Histology And Histomorphometry, Sammy Stefan Noumbissi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Demineralized freeze-dried bone allografts (DFDBA) and deproteinized bovine bone xenografts (DMBBX) have been used for sinus augmentation for many years with varying results, but very little has been reported on the clinical efficacy or the histological analysis of mineralized solvent dehydrated bone allografts (MSDBA) as sinus graft materials. This study histologically and histomorphometrically evaluated an MSDBA material called PUROS to augment atrophic human maxillary sinuses.

Materials & Methods: Seven partially and completely edentulous patients requiring unilateral (n=4) or bilateral (n=3) sinus grafts prior to implant placement were selected for this study. Test grafts consisted of MSDBA, and control …

Mechanisms Of Hbo-Induced Neuroprotection In A Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia Model, John Winter Calvert

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

With an incidence approaching 1/4000 live births and as high as 60% in low birth weight infants, cerebral hypoxia-ischemia during the perinatal period is the single most important cause of acute mortality and chronic disability in newborns. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that following a hypoxic-ischemic insult hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment can restore high energy metabolite levels in the affected regions of the brain and through this increase in energy levels ameliorate the spread of cell death following the insult. We also investigated if an additional mechanism by which HBO affords its neuroprotection is by altering the expression of the …

Isokinetic Knee Strength In Females With Fibromyalgia, Flora F. Shafiee

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Objectives: To compare knee flexors and extensors muscle strength, total work, and power between females with fibromyalgia (FM) and matched healthy controls.

Methods: This is the first study to measure knee muscle power and total work in females with FM. Thirty-one females with FM and thirty-one healthy females completed isokinetic testing of knee flexors and extensors of their dominant leg using a Cybex Norm Isokinetic Dynamometer. Two knee muscle groups (flexors and extensors) at two angular velocities (607sec and 1807sec) were tested for both groups. Both muscle groups were assessed continuously using five reciprocal concentric-concentric cycles, followed by five eccentric-eccentric …

Effect Of Almond-Raisin Versus Commercial Sports Beverage On Antioxidant Status Of Runners, Anh Thu V. Tran

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Whole foods are readily available antioxidant source and provide beneficial macromolecules and phytochemicals, which may contribute to optimal health. However, the approach to examining whole foods rich in antioxidants to play either an equivalent or better role in defending exercise-induced oxidant stress have not yet been taken. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of 2 isocaloric preexercise beverages: an almond-raisin beverage and a commercial sports beverage in male endurance runners on selected antioxidant status markers.

Design: In a randomized crossover study, 10 male runners (ages 28+1.2 years) ran to exhaustion on a treadmill at …

Regulation Of Ca2+-Activated K+ Channel: Changes With Development, Mike T. Lin

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In ovine middle cerebral arteries, it has been shown that the [Ca²⁺]_i change in response to iberiotoxin, a selective BK channel blocker, is significantly different between adult and fetal VSMCs. Our study of basilar VSMCs in whole-cell preparations showed that the total outward current density of fetal myocytes (57.9 ± 6.7 pA/pF) was greater than that of the adult (37.9 ±1.8 pA/pF). This increase in outward current density is contributed by an increase in BK channel current density in fetal myocytes. Excised, inside-out preparations showed that the unitary conductance, as well as the BK channel expression, did …

Prediction Of Fetal Sheep Brain Metabolic Rate During Hypoxia And Cord Occlusion, Adam D. Hickerson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Many investigators have observed that fetal and neonatal animals are remarkably tolerant to hypoxia compared to the adult. The precise mechanisms however are still unclear. In order to better characterize the hemodynamic and metabolic responses of the fetal brain to hypoxic stress, we have designed a mathematical model to predict tissue oxygenation and metabolic rate of the fetal brain during both moderate hypoxia and severe asphyxia.

The model is based on the Krogh cylinder concept and is similar to one previously published by our lab. Several new concepts were added including the ability to run the model over time using …

Comparison Of Receptor Efficacies On Vascular Smooth Muscle Contraction, Oommen K. George

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Vascular smooth muscle contraction involves multiple signal-transduction pathways, the interrelations of which are not completely understood. Our objectives in this project were to compare the effects of phenylephrine (alpha₁-adrenergic agonist, angiotensin II (AT₁ agonist), clonidine (alpha₂-adrenergic agonist) and moxondine (alpha₂- adrenergic /I₁-imidazoline agonist) on contraction in the rat-tail artery. Functionally, all these agonists cause contraction, but biochemically there are differences in how the result is achieved. We wanted to determine the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in the functional regulation between AT₁ and alpha₁-adrenergic receptor pathways. In …

Interaction Between Adrenergic And Nitric Oxide-Releasing Nerves In Cerebral Arteries, Emmanuel Ngu Mbaku

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Of all body tissues, the brain is the least tolerant of ischemia so much that interruption of cerebral blood flow by 5 sec can cause syncope, with irreversible tissue damage if the ischemia last a few minutes. In this respect, the body has an imperative duty of ensuring constant and adequate blood supply to the brain. It does so through a series of intrinsic and extrinsic control factors of which adrenergic and nitric oxide-releasing nerves are components. My research examined the interaction between these two nerve-types with emphasis on the mechanisms involved as well as on changes in their functions …

A Correlational Analysis Of Anthropometric Measures And Selected Blood, Immune And Endocrine Indices In Adult Males, Janet Tracey Peterson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Over the past few decades it has become apparent that increased body weight, specifically body fat, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle is associated with an increased risk for chronic disorders such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Researchers are now re-directing their focus on determining the cause of these relationships from an epidemiological view to a more biological or physiological standpoint. The purpose of this cross sectional study was to examine associations among obesity, physical activity and select immune, endocrine and metabolic parameters identified as risk factors for several chronic conditions. Ninety-one healthy males between the ages of 19 and 45 …

Linder-Aronson S Analysis Using Rhinomanometry And Newtom, Noel Moser

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Investigations into the effects of airway patency on craniofacial development are essential to ensure that interceptive orthodontic treatment provides the maximum benefit to the patient. The aims of this study were to (1) compare the size of the nasopharyngeal airway space on lateral cephalometric and 3D volumetric radiographs to determine if volumetric scans can be of greater diagnostic value than a lateral cephalometric film in determining the degree of airway blockage or patency and (2) to examine the correlation between functional airway resistance, as evaluated by rhinomanometry, and radiographic constriction due to nasal turbinate and adenoid size.

Twenty-eight subjects from …

Striatal Dopamine Release By Serotonergic Terminals In The Dopamine-Depleted Rat, Kristi Suzanne Rau

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Parkinson’s disease (PD) results from severe dopamine (DA) neuron loss within the substantia nigra pars compacta. In an effort to replace the diminished DA levels, L-dopa, the precursor of DA, is administered. Although the most commonly prescribed medication, the site(s) where L-dopa is converted to DA is not well understood. Three likely striatal sites meeting the requirement of amino acid decarboxylase presence include remaining dopaminergic neurons, serotonergic terminals, and striatal intemeurons.

Studies have shown that serotonin (5-HT) neurons are capable of DA synthesis following exogenous L-dopa administration. In addition, striatal hyperinnervation by serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) axon terminals occurs …

Enhancement Of Anti-Hiv-1 Ribozyme Activities By Rev Binding And Multimerization, Yuksel Yildiz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

To effectively apply hammerhead ribozymes as therapeutic agents it is necessary to co-localize them with the desired target. Human immunodeficiency virus type1 (HIV- 1) infectivity is dependent on env gene expression. HIV-1 Rev protein binds to a higher ordered RNA structure within the env transcript termed the Rev Binding Element (RBE). In anti-HIV gene therapy employing ribozymes to increase the co-localization of anti- HIV ribozymes with target HIV mRNAs, it has been proposed that when the native HIV- 1 RBE is appended to a ribozyme as a decoy molecule, simultaneous binding of Rev monomers to the RBE sequences in both …

Mechanisms Of Calcium Wave Initiation And Propagation In Astrocytes, Charles Emmet Stout

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Glial cells display propagated waves of cytoplasmic calcium (Ca²⁺) mobilization that spread outward from an initiating cell to involve hundreds to thousands of surrounding cells. This intercellular communication system is thought to initiate and coordinate Ca²⁺ dependent processes associated with vascular control, gut motility, uterine contraction, and synaptic plasticity. Not surprisingly, aberrant Ca signaling is thought to play a featured role in the pathophysiologies associated with dysfunction of these processes. This suggests that elucidation of the mechanism of Ca²⁺ waves will lead to rational therapeutic modalities for a variety of clinically significant entities.

Early studies revealed …

Long Chain Fatty Acids And Pc12 Cell Death, Joel E. Ulloth

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Hypoxic-ischemic and traumatic injury to the central nervous system (CNS) are major sources of morbidity and mortality. The broad goal of this dissertation research is to gain a better understanding of the cascade of injury events that follow hypoxic-ischemic and traumatic injury and how they may contribute to the cell death. To accomplish this goal, one of the major secondary events common to both traumatic and hypoxic-ischemic injury was investigated: the prolonged hydrolysis of membrane phospholipid with the release of massive quantities of free (non-esterified) fatty acid (FFA). The central hypothesis of this dissertation research is that elevated levels of …

Development Of A Model For Infective Endocarditis Via Intravenous Injection And Tooth Infection Of Rats Using Pathogenic Bacteria, Shahrokh Shabahang

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Historically, focal areas of infection have been linked to a number of systemic ailments. During the early part of the 20th century, patients who were suffering from inexplicable diseases and who were suspected of having infected teeth were referred to the dentist for multiple extraction of their dentition. The discovery of antibiotics provided a false sense of security that the war against microorganisms is no longer a concern for mankind. However, more recently, it has become common belief that increasing numbers of systemic diseases are linked to chronic infections. Recovery of bacteria from representative tissues has led investigators to believe …

The Roles Of Ca2+ And Camp In The Nematocyst Discharge Of The Sea Anemone Tentacle, Veysel Haktan Ozacmak

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The phylum Cnidarians are aquatic animals, including jellyfish, hydra, sea anemones, and corals. They are the simplest metazoans having a nervous system and are diploblastic. Cnidarians are obligate predators that capture prey using specialized stinging cells called cnidocytes. The cnidocyte contains a nematocyst, which is a capsule containing an inverted, hollow tubule. Prey contacting the tentacle triggers the nematocyst tubule to rapidly evert; a process called discharge. The everting tubule penetrates and envenomates the prey, which is carried to the mouth by tentacle movements.

Generally both chemical and mechanical stimuli are needed to trigger discharge. The cnidocytes, in sea anemones, …

Chronic Hypoxia, Exercise Training, And Skeletal Muscle Capillarity: Angiogenic Regulation And Morphological Consequences, Ivan Mark Olfert

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Angiogenesis is important in health and disease. In particular, exercise training is known to increase skeletal muscle capillarity, providing there is sufficient training intensity. The stimulus for this may be intracellular hypoxia activating angiogenic growth factor gene expression. Acute hypoxia alone has been shown to increase the gene expression of several key angiogenic regulators, e.g. vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and to a lesser degree transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), an endogenous negative angiogenic regulator. Paradoxically, however, chronic hypoxia is generally not found to increase mammalian skeletal muscle capillarity. Accordingly, we hypothesized that …

Interactions Of Igf-Ii And Cathepsin D In Mcf-7 Breast Cancer Cells, Jesika S. Faridi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A primary role of the IGF-II/M6P receptor is to target lysosomal enzymes from the golgi to the lysosomes. This receptor has distinct binding sites for IGF-II and M6P, however, reciprocal interactions between these ligands have been observed (Kiess et al. 1989, 1990). Since IGF-II modulates the routing of cathepsin D in MCF-7 cells by blocking the intracellular binding of cathepsin D to the IGF-II/M6P receptor (De León et al. 1996), we hypothesized that expressing a mutant form of IGF-II that does not bind the IGF-II/M6P receptor will not interfere with lysosomal enzyme trafficking.

In our present study, we report the …

Expression And Requirement Of Epithelial Fatty Acid- Binding Protein In Neuronal Axon Growth, Gregory William Allen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Epithelial fatty acid-binding protein (E-FABP) is expressed in the dorsal root ganglia following sciatic nerve injury and in migrating and differentiating neurons during neuronal development. It was hypothesized that E-FABP expression is required for the robust outgrowth of axons from developing and regenerating neurons. To test this hypothesis, E-FABP expression in both PC12 cells and primary retinal neurons was examined. In PC12 cells, NGF induces E-FABP mRNA and protein during the period of neurite outgrowth, and E-FABP localizes to the perinuclear cytoplasm, nucleus, and growth cone. Furthermore, E-FABP-deficient cell lines exposed to NGF were less differentiated and had shorter neurites …

Molecular Cloning Of The Cdna For Porcine Parotid Hormone, Qian Zhang

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

It has been found that parotid glands secrete a factor into blood that stimulates dentinal fluid movement, which in turn, prevents the development of dental caries. This factor, designated as parotid hormone, has been isolated from porcine parotid glands and its partial amino acid sequence has been determined. This study was developed to isolate and identify the cDNA sequence for porcine parotid hormone.

A porcine parotid cDNA library was constructed and hybridized with oligo probes designed based on the partial amino acid sequences of the isolated porcine parotid hormone. Over 100 positive clones were isolated and the complete nucleotide sequences …

First Principles Of Physio-Informatic Systems: Neurocosmology, David Jay Warner

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Physio-informatics is a new systems model for linking human physiologic systems to information systems in the most general way. Physio-informatics is used here to denote a systems based, physiologically robust reference architecture for designing and refining interactive human-computer interface systems in ways that increase operational throughput of information. In this dissertation, a systems model for interactive human-computer interface systems is developed. This model is a physiologically based reference architecture for designing and developing interactive human computer interface systems to match the human nervous system’s ability to transduce, transmit, and render to consciousness the necessary information to interact intelligently with information. …

Client-Centered Versus Traditional-Directive Educational Approach: A Randomized Study Of Exercises And Perceived Control Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Melissa D. Olfert

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A patient’s adherence to self-management therapies in diabetes strongly influences health outcomes, health care utilization, and ultimately health care costs. Engaging in regular exercise therapy reduces risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this randomized prospective study was to determine if a client-centered approach (CCA) toward diabetes education, verses a traditional-directive approach (TDA), would improve exercise participation, perceived control, intention to exercise, and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Fifty-nine type 2 patients were randomized into two groups: CCA and TDA. Diabetes education in the CCA group provided empowerment toward acquiring knowledge, skills, and responsibility …

The Role Of Brn-3.2 In Retinal Ganglion Cell Differentiation, Jerin Marie Wright

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Within the retina, the POU domain of transcription factors brn-3.0, brn-3.1, and brn-3.2 are present only in retinal ganglion cells. These genes are believed to be involved in establishing neural cell lineages in mammals. In this study brn-3.2 was examined by comparing the number of ganglion cells present during postnatal development in normal mice (+/+), in mice homozygous (-/-) for the brn-3.2 gene, and in adult mice with a heterozygous gene deletion (+/-) for brn-3.2. Optic nerve cross sections were imaged by electron microscopy, and axon profiles counted systematically by hand. These counts were then related to the nerve cross …

Neuronal And Metabolic Increases In Pedunculopontine Nucleus Of Parkinson's Rats, Jonathan Dennis Carlson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The theoretical mechanisms underlying the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are based on dysfunctional output from the basal ganglia projected to the cortex via the thalamus. However, the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and substantia nigra pars reticularis (SNr) as part of the basal ganglia, also project to the brainstem, in particular to the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN). Both the STN and SNr have altered neuronal activity in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) Parkinson’s model rat. Thus, it is hypothesized that the PPN is altered in this model of Parkinson’s disease.

This hypothesis was examined by comparing the rates of glucose metabolism and spontaneous neuronal activity …

Regulation Of Connexin43 By Phosphorylation, Maithili M. Shah

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Gap junctions play a crucial role in embryogenesis, especially of the heart where connexin43 is thought to be important for its formation as well as synchronized contraction. Several reports have shown that connexin43 protein is phosphorylated on serine residues in vitro and in vivo.

Studies performed in our laboratory have demonstrated that cell-to-cell communication in cells expressing connexin43 can be controlled rapidly and reversibly by microinjection of active protein kinases or phosphatases that target serine or threonine residues. Phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) seems to favor channel opening, whereas the effect of protein kinase C (PKC) on channel gating …

Effects Of Long-Term, High-Altitude Hypoxemia On Fetal Ovine Coronary Arteries, Felizabel C. Garcia

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

To our knowledge, this is the first series of in vitro studies to investigate the effects of long-term, high-altitude hypoxemia on the contractility of fetal coronary vessels, namely the left circumflex, left anterior descending, and right coronary arteries. We have found that in response to chronic hypoxia, isolated fetal ovine coronary arteries exhibit attenuated contractile responsiveness to potassium and the thromboxane A2 mimetic. U46619. Furthermore, long-term, high-altitude hypoxia produced no significant alteration in the maximum relaxation response and sensitivity to adenosine in all vessel groups examined. We also addressed the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in the pharmacological responsiveness …

Maternal Modulation Of Neonatal Immunity, Omar R. Fagoaga

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Although the neonatal immune system is functionally immature, immune response capabilities are not the same in all newborns. The objective of this thesis was to determine development of immunocompetence and test the hypothesis that activation of maternal inflammatory immunity during pregnancy influences maturation of the neonatal immune system.

Lymphocytes in blood and spleen were immunophenotyped by flow cytometric analysis to determine differentiation characteristics, and splenocytes were assessed for cytokine production capabilities. In normal Th2-prone outbred (CD-1) mice, an adult repertoire of naïve lymphocytes has developed by day 10 and memory cells by day 20, in blood and spleen. However, in …