Physiology Commons^™

Charge Switch Nucleotides, John G. K. Williams, Gregory R. Bashford, Jiyan Chen, Dan Draney, Nara Narayanan, Bambi Reynolds, Pamela Sheaff

Biomedical Imaging and Biosignal Analysis Laboratory

The present invention provides compounds, methods and systems for sequencing nucleic acid using single molecule detection. Using labeled NPs that exhibit charged-switching behavior, single-molecule DNA sequencing in a microchannel sorting system is realized. In operation, sequencing products are detected enabling real-time sequencing as successive detectable moieties flow through a detection channel. By electrically sorting charged molecules, the cleaved product molecules are detected in isolation Without interference from unincorporated NPs and Without illuminating the polymerase-DNA complex.

Computational Prediction Of The Agregated Structure Of Denatured Lysozyme, Pongsathorn Chotikasemsri

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mis-folded proteins and their associated aggregates are a contributing factor in some human diseases. In this study we used the protein lysozyme as a model to define aggregation structures under denaturing conditions. Sasahara et al. (2007), Frare et al. (2009, 2006), and Rubin et al. (2008) observed conditions where heat denatured lysozyme formed fibril structures that were observed to be 8-17 nanometers in diameter under the electron microscope. Even though the crystal structure of lysozyme is known, the denatured form of this protein is still unknown. Therefore, we used Rosetta++ protein folding and blind docking software to create in silico …

Effects Of A Topical Analgesic Using Massage On Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, Carrie E. Varvil

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

No abstract provided.

The Acute Effects Of Whole Body Vibration On Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Performance, W. Guy Hornsby, Mark A. South, Ashley Kavanaugh, Andrew S. Layne, G. Gregory Haff, William A. Sands, Marco Cardinale, Michael W. Ramsey, Michael H. Stone

ETSU Faculty Works

Acute exposure to vibration has been suggested to produce transient increases in muscular strength (1,2,8), vertical jump displacement (4,8), and power output (2,6,7) recorded while performing various tasks. It has been hypothesized that the reported acute vibration induced increases in performance occur as a result of alterations in neuromuscular stimulation (1,3,4). Specifically, most studies have ascribed the observed improvements to the likeliness of Whole Body Vibration (WBV) in producing a “tonic vibration reflex” (TVR) in which the primary nerve endings of the Ia afferents of the muscle spindle are activated. This is thought to result in the excitation of the …

Face Gender And Emotion Expression: Are Angry Women More Like Men?, Ursula Hess, Reginald B. Adams, Karl Grammer, Robert E. Kleck

Dartmouth Scholarship

Certain features of facial appearance perceptually resemble expressive cues related to facial displays of emotion. We hypothesized that because expressive markers of anger (such as lowered eyebrows) overlap with perceptual markers of male sex, perceivers would identify androgynous angry faces as more likely to be a man than a woman (Study 1) and would be slower to classify an angry woman as a woman than an angry man as a man (Study 2). Conversely, we hypothesized that because perceptual features of fear (raised eyebrows) and happiness (a rounded smiling face) overlap with female sex markers, perceivers would be more likely …

A Functional Role For The Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex In Non-Spatial Auditory Cognition, Y. E. Cohen, B. E. Russ, S. J. Davis, A. E. Baker, A. L. Ackelson, R. Niteck

Dartmouth Scholarship

Spatial and non-spatial sensory information is hypothesized to be evaluated in parallel pathways. In this study, we tested the spatial and non-spatial sensitivity of auditory neurons in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vPFC), a cortical area in the non-spatial pathway. Activity was tested while non-human primates reported changes in an auditory stimulus' spatial or non-spatial features. We found that vPFC neurons were reliably modulated during a non-spatial auditory task but were not modulated during a spatial auditory task. The degree of modulation during the non-spatial task correlated positively with the monkeys' behavioral performance. These results are consistent with the hypotheses that …

Interactions Between Connected Half-Sarcomeres Produce Emergent Mechanical Behavior In A Mathematical Model Of Muscle, Kenneth S. Campbell

Physiology Faculty Publications

Most reductionist theories of muscle attribute a fiber's mechanical properties to the scaled behavior of a single half-sarcomere. Mathematical models of this type can explain many of the known mechanical properties of muscle but have to incorporate a passive mechanical component that becomes approximately 300% stiffer in activating conditions to reproduce the force response elicited by stretching a fast mammalian muscle fiber. The available experimental data suggests that titin filaments, which are the mostly likely source of the passive component, become at most approximately 30% stiffer in saturating Ca2+ solutions. The work described in this manuscript used computer modeling to …

Trnas: Cellular Barcodes For Amino Acids, Ranat Banerjee, Shawn Chen, Kiley Dare, Marla Gilreath, Mette Praetorius-Ibba, Medha Raina, Noah M. Reynolds, Theresa E. Rogers, Hervé Roy, Srujana S. Yadavalli, Michael Ibba

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The role of tRNA in translating the genetic code has received considerable attention over the last 50 years, and we now know in great detail how particular amino acids are specifically selected and brought to the ribosome in response to the corresponding mRNA codon. Over the same period, it has also become increasingly clear that the ribosome is not the only destination to which tRNAs deliver amino acids, with processes ranging from lipid modification to antibiotic biosynthesis all using aminoacyl‐tRNAs as substrates. Here we review examples of alternative functions for tRNA beyond translation, which together suggest that the role of …

Expression Of Sorl1 And A Novel Sorl1 Splice Variant In Normal And Alzheimers Disease Brain, Karrie E. Grear, I-Fang Ling, James F. Simpson, Jennifer L. Furman, Christopher R. Simmons, Shawn L. Peterson, Frederick A. Schmitt, William R. Markesbery, Qiang Liu, Julia E. Crook, Steven G. Younkin, Guojun Bu, Steven Estus

Physiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Variations in sortilin-related receptor (SORL1) expression and function have been implicated in Alzheimers Disease (AD). Here, to gain insights into SORL1, we evaluated SORL1 expression and splicing as a function of AD and AD neuropathology, neural gene expression and a candidate single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP).

RESULTS: To identify SORL1 splice variants, we scanned each of the 46 internal SORL1 exons in human brain RNA samples and readily found SORL1 isoforms that lack exon 2 or exon 19. Quantification in a case-control series of the more abundant isoform lacking exon 2 (delta-2-SORL1), as well as the "full-length" SORL1 (FL-SORL1) isoform …

The Effect Of Male-Male Competition And Its Underlying Regulatory Mechanisms On The Electric Signal Of The Gymnotiform Fish Brachyhypopomus Gauderio, Vielka Lineth Salazar

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexually-selected communication signals can be used by competing males to settle contests without incurring the costs of fighting. The ability to dynamically regulate the signal in a context-dependent manner can further minimize the costs of male aggressive interactions. Such is the case in the gymnotiform fish Brachyhypopomus gauderio, which, by coupling its electric organ discharge (EOD) waveform to endocrine systems with circadian, seasonal, and behavioral drivers, can regulate its signal to derive the greatest reproductive benefit. My dissertation research examined the functional role of the EOD plasticity observed in male B. gauderio and the physiological mechanisms that regulate the enhanced …

Prediction Of Birth Weight By Cotinine Levels During Pregnancy In A Population Of African American Smokers, Ayman A.E. El-Mohandes, Michele Kiely, Marie G. Gantz, Susan M. Blake, M Nabil El-Khorazaty

Publications and Research

Objective—The goal was to investigate the association between maternal salivary cotinine levels (SCLs) and pregnancy outcome among African Americans smokers

Methods—In a randomized controlled trial conducted in 2001-2004 in Washington, D.C. 714 women (126 active smokers (18%)) were tested for SCLs at the time of recruitment and later in pregnancy. Sociodemographic health risks and pregnancy outcomes were recorded.

Results—Birth weights were significantly lower for infants born to mothers with baseline SCLs of ≥20 ng/ml compared to/ml (p=0.024), ≥50 ng/ml compared to/ml (p=0.002), ≥100 ng/ml compared to/ml (p=0.002), in bivariate analyses. In linear regression analyses adjusting for sociodemographic …

Motivational Profiles And Their Associations With Achievement Outcomes, Bo Shen, Nate Mccaughtry, Jeffrey J. Martin, Mariane Fahlman

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

With the belief that theoretical integration in motivation may help us better understand motivational behavior, we designed this study to explore adolescents’ motivational profiles and their associations with knowledge acquisition, leisure-time exercise behaviors, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Middle school students from a large urban inner-city school district (N = 603, ages 12–14) completed questionnaires assessing motivational constructs and leisure-time exercise behavior. Knowledge and cardiorespiratory fitness were also assessed with a knowledge test and the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test, respectively. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, we found that students’ motivation in physical education could be explained from a multi-theoretical …

Farm Focus - Fall 2009, Brian K. Whitlock, Matt Welborn, Maria Prado, Amy Plummer

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Large Animal Clinical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Broad Range Amino Acid Specificity Of Rna-Dependent Lipid Remodelling By Multiple Peptide Resistance Factors, Hervé Roy, Michael Ibba

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Aminoacylphosphatidylglycerol synthases (aaPGSs) are multiple peptide resistance factors that transfer amino acids from aminoacyl-tRNAs to phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in the cytoplasmic membrane. Aminoacylation of PG is used by bacteria to decrease the net negative charge of the cell envelope, diminishing affinity for charged molecules and allowing for adaptation to environmental changes. Lys-PGS, which transfers lysine to PG, is essential for the virulence of certain pathogens, providing resistance to both host cationic antimicrobial peptides and therapeutic antibiotics. Ala-PGS was also recently described, but little is known about the possible activities of other members of the highly diverse aaPGS family of proteins. Systematic …

The Cca Anticodon Specifies Separate Functions Inside And Outside Translation In Bacillus Cereus, Sandro F. Ataide, Theresa E. Rogers, Michael Ibba

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Bacillus cereus 14579 encodes two tRNAs with the CCA anticodon, tRNA^Trp and tRNA^Other. tRNA^Trp was separately aminoacylated by two enzymes, TrpRS1 and TrpRS2, which share only 34% similarity and display different catalytic capacities and specificities. TrpRS1 was 18-fold more proficient at aminoacylating tRNA^Trp with Trp, while TrpRS2 more efficiently utilizes the Trp analog 5-hydroxy Trp. tRNA^Other was not aminoacylated by either TrpRS but instead by the combined activity of LysRS1 and LysRS2, which recognized sequence elements absent from tRNA^Trp. Polysomes were found to contain tRNA^Trp, consistent with its role in …

Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (Tnf-Α) Enhances Functional Thermal And Chemical Responses Of Trp Cation Channels In Human Synoviocytes, Mikhail Y. Kochukov, Terry A. Mcnearney, Huaizhi Yin, Liping Zhang, Fei Ma, Larissa Ponomareva, Sarah Abshire, Karin N. Westlund

Physiology Faculty Publications

Background: We have shown functional expression of several TRP channels on human synovial cells, proposing significance in known calcium dependent proliferative and secretory responses in joint inflammation. The present study further characterizes synoviocyte TRP expression and activation responses to thermal and osmotic stimuli after pre-treatment with proinflammatory mediator tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, EC50 1.3221 x 10^-10 g/L).

Results: Fluorescent imaging of Fura-2 loaded human SW982 synoviocytes reveals immediate and delayed cytosolic calcium oscillations elicited by (1) TRPV1 agonists capsaicin and resiniferatoxin (20-40% of cells), (2) moderate and noxious temperature change, and (3) osmotic stress TRPV4 activation (11.5% of …

Manipulating Testosterone To Assess Links Between Behavior, Morphology, And Performance In The Brown Anole Anolis Sagrei, Robert M. Cox, Derek S. Stenquist, Justin P. Henningsen, Ryan Calsbeek

Dartmouth Scholarship

Survival and reproductive success are determined by the complex interplay between behavior, physiology, morphology, and performance. When optimal trait combinations along these various phenotypic axes differ between sexes or across seasons, regulatory mechanisms such as sex steroids can often facilitate sex‐specific and/or seasonal trait expression. In this study, we used surgical castration and replacement of exogenous testosterone in adult male brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) to simultaneously examine the effects of testosterone on a suite of morphological (dewlap area, body size), physiological (immune function), behavioral (dewlap, head bob, and push‐up displays), and performance (stamina, sprint speed, bite force) traits. …

The Effects Of Fluorescent Tracking Powder On Oxygen Consumption In Salamanders Using Either Cutaneous Or Bimodal Respiration, Sarah A. Orlofske, Kristine L. Grayson, William A. Hopkins

Biology Faculty Publications

Fluorescent powder is gaining attention as an effective method for tracking terrestrial amphibian movements, particularly for species that are too small for conventional tracking equipment. The technique requires coating portions of an animal with fluorescent powder, releasing the animal, and following the trail of powder as it is progressively lost during movement. Recent studies have shown that fluorescent powder has no negative effects on survival or growth. However, a substance that coats the skin, a major respiratory organ in most amphibians, may have sublethal effects on performance and consequently behavior. We tested the effect of fluorescent powder application on the …

Adding Upstream Sequence And A Downstream Reporter To The Bile Acid Inducible Promoter Of Clostridium Scindens Vpi 12708, Bryan Patrick Mason

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Bile acids in the small intestines of animals serve to breakdown fats and fatsoluble vitamins. Most of the bile acids are reabsorbed into the enterohepatic circulation, but approximately five percent of these bile acids pass into the large intestine. These bile acids are swiftly deconjugated by the bacterial population, and then subjected to further intestinal bacterial chemical modifications. The most significant of these modifications are 7α-dehydroxylations which form secondary bile acids (deoxycholate and lithocholate). Much research has illuminated the 7α-dehydroxylation pathway: of particular interest is the bile acid inducible operon, for which Clostridium scindens VPI 12708 serves as the model …

The Effects Of Repeated Anaerobic Bouts On Immune Parameters, James C. Sivley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

To date, the exercise-induced immune response in has only been evaluated in subjects performing aerobic exercise. The primary purpose of this study is to determine if repeated bouts of anaerobic exercise will induce a similar immune response in human subjects as exhibited by aerobic exercise. Secondary to immune function, an analysis of performance from trial to trial will be made. Nine males between the ages of 18-25 were selected on a volunteer basis to participate in this study. Subjects performed Wingate tests set in 3 series with 120 seconds between trials within series and 405 seconds between series for an …

Passive Limb Movement Augments Ventilatory Response To Co2 Via Sciatic Inputs In Anesthetized Rats, Jianguo Zhuang, Fadi Xu, Cancan Zhang, Donald T. Frazier

Physiology Faculty Publications

Passive limb movement (PLM) in humans induces a phasic hyperpnea, but the underlying physiological mechanisms remain unclear. We asked whether PLM in anesthetized rats would produce a similar phasic hyperpnea associated with an augmented ventilatory (V̇_E) response to CO₂ that is dependent on sciatic afferents. The animals underwent 5 min threshold PLM, 3 min hypercapnia (5% CO₂), and their combination (CO₂ exposure at the end of 2^nd min of 5-min PLM) before and after bilateral transection of the sciatic nerves. We found that a threshold PLM evoked a phasic hyperpnea, similar to …

Reactive Oxygen Species Mediate Tnfr1 Increase After Trpv1 Activation In Mouse Drg Neurons, Fei Ma, Liping Zhang, Karin N. Westlund

Physiology Faculty Publications

Background: Transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) is activated by low pH/protons and is well known to be involved in hyperalgesia during inflammation. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), a proinflammatory cytokine, is involved in nociceptive responses causing hyperalgesia through TNF receptor type 1 (TNFR1) activation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is also prominently increased in inflamed tissue. The present study investigated TNFR1 receptors in primary cultured mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons after TRPV1 activation and the involvement of ROS. C57BL/6 mice, both TRPV1 knockout and wild type, were used for immunofluorescent and live cell imaging. The L4 and …

Head And Neck Embryology: An Overview Of Development, Growth And Defect In The Human Fetus, Allison Baylis

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this research is to explore the growth and formation of the head and neck from embryological development through puberty in order to understand how this knowledge is necessary for the development of dental and medical treatments and procedures. This is a necessary aspect of the medical and dental school curriculum at the University of Connecticut Health Center Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine that needs to be incorporated into the current study of embryology for first-year students. Working with Dr. Christine Niekrash, D.M.D, this paper will cover the embryology and growth of the head, face and oral …

Salivary Cortisol, Psychological Stress And Depressive Symptoms Among Patients Undergoing Colon Cancer Screenings, Allyson Reid

Honors Scholar Theses

As the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, colon cancer has a high cure rate if detected early by a colonoscopy (U.S.

Cancer Statistics Working Group, 2007). However, more than 41 million at-risk Americans are not properly receiving colonoscopy screenings according to the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control. This study provides insight into the physiological and psychological benefits of the colonoscopy procedure over and above cancer detection and prevention. Thirty-six patients receiving colonoscopic screening at the University of Connecticut Health Center participated in this study. A questionnaire battery that assessed perceived stress, depressive symptoms, …

Differentiation Of Human Embryonic Stem Cell (Hesc) Derived Pyramidal Neurons, Eagan Jacqueline

Honors Scholar Theses

The mammalian cerebral neocortex is a complex six-layered structure containing multiple types of neurons. Pyramidal neurons of the neocortex are formed during development in an inside-out manner, by which deep layer (DL) neurons are generated first, and upper layer (UL) neurons are generated last. Neurons within the six-layered neocortex express unique markers for their position, showing whether they are subplate, deep layer, upper layer, or Cajal-Retzius neurons. The sequential generation of cortical layers, which exists in vivo, has been partially recapitulated in vitro by differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (Gaspard et al., 2008) and human embryonic stem cells (hESC) …

Intrinsic Ph-Sensitivity Of Cells In The Retrotrapezoid Nucleus: Possible Role Of Glia In Respiratory Drive, Nicole Edwards

Honors Scholar Theses

An increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) and protons (H+) are the primary signals for breathing. Cells that sense changes in CO2/H+ levels and increase breathing accordingly are located in a region of the caudal medulla oblongata called the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN). Specifically, select RTN neurons are intrinsically pH sensitive and send excitatory projections to the respiratory rhythm generator to drive breathing. Glial cells in the RTN are thought to contribute to this respiratory drive, possibly by releasing ATP in response to increases in CO2/H+ levels.

However, pH sensitivity of RTN glial cells has yet to be determined.

Therefore, the goal …

Effects Of Estrogen On Muscle Damage In Response To An Acute Resistance Exercise Protocol, Megan R. Wolf

Honors Scholar Theses

Creatine Kinase (CK) is used as a measure of exercise-induced muscle membrane damage. During acute eccentric (muscle lengthening) exercise, muscle sarcolemma, sarcoplasmic reticulum, and Z-lines are damaged, thus causing muscle proteins and enzymes to leak into the interstitial fluid.

Strenuous eccentric exercise produces an elevation of oxygen free radicals, which further increases muscle damage. Muscle soreness and fatigue can be attributed to this membrane damage. Estradiol, however, may preserve membrane stability post-exercise (Brancaccio, Maffulli, & Limongelli, 2007; Carter, Dobridge, & Hackney, 2001; Tiidus, 2001). Because estradiol has a similar structure to Vitamin E, which is known to have antioxidant properties, …

Minimum Criteria For Dna Damage-Induced Phase Advances In Circadian Rhythms, Christian I. Hong, Judit Zámborszky, Attila Csikász-Nagy

Dartmouth Scholarship

Robust oscillatory behaviors are common features of circadian and cell cycle rhythms. These cyclic processes, however, behave distinctively in terms of their periods and phases in response to external influences such as light, temperature, nutrients, etc. Nevertheless, several links have been found between these two oscillators. Cell division cycles gated by the circadian clock have been observed since the late 1950s. On the other hand, ionizing radiation (IR) treatments cause cells to undergo a DNA damage response, which leads to phase shifts (mostly advances) in circadian rhythms. Circadian gating of the cell cycle can be attributed to the cell cycle …

Do Hypothermic Tissue Tolerances Limit Torpor Expression?, Clark J. Cotton, Henry J. Harlow

Biology Faculty Publications

1. Arrest temperatures and Q₁₀ values for extensor digitorum longus (EDL), soleus, trabecula, and jejunum muscle twitch strength, contraction time, and 0.5 relaxation time were calculated for a deep torpor hibernator, white-tailed prairie dog (WTPD) (Cynomys leucurus), a shallow torpor hibernator, black-tailed prairie dog (BTPD) (Cynomys ludovicianus), and a non-hibernator, lab rat (Rattus norvegicus) to test the hypothesis that tissue temperature tolerances limit the depth of expressed torpor.

2. There were no temperature tolerance differences between the tissues of the two species of hibernators. Both hibernating species had arrest temperatures and Q_{10 …}

Lrp1 Shedding In Human Brain: Roles Of Adam10 And Adam17, Qiang Liu, Juan Zhang, Hien Tran, Marcel M. Verbeek, Karina Reiss, Steven Estus, Guojun Bu

Physiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) plays critical roles in lipid metabolism, cell survival, and the clearance of amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide. Functional soluble LRP1 (sLRP1) has been detected in circulating human placenta; however, whether sLRP1 is also present in the central nervous system is unclear.

RESULTS: Here we show that abundant sLRP1 capable of binding its ligands is present in human brain tissue and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Interestingly, the levels of sLRP1 in CSF are significantly increased in older individuals, suggesting that either LRP1 shedding is increased or sLRP1 clearance is decreased during aging. To examine potential …