Physiology Commons^™

The Association Between Type-2 Diabetes Pathophysiology & Exercise Adherence, Sydney Raymond

Senior Honors Projects

According to the American Diabetes Association, 1 in 3 Americans will be diagnosed with diabetes. While some of these individuals will be prescribed medications as part of their treatment, most will also be advised to begin an exercise program to assist with blood glucose control. Additionally, while regular exercise is associated with lower HbA1C and decreased insulin/medication dependence, it is estimated that only about half of those diagnosed with diabetes will adhere to their exercise plans. Social, psychological, and physiological factors all play roles in affecting ones ability to adhere to an exercise regiment, and individuals with Type 2 Diabetes …

Morph- And Sex-Specific Differences In Corticosterone Of The Arizona Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Mavortium Nebulosum), Megan Zerger

Scholars Week

Life history morph, sex, and body condition are traits that may influence stress within salamander populations because of differences in physiology and environmental conditions. Given widespread declines and the effects chronic stress can have on amphibian health, it is important to understand within-population drivers of stress and how population level variation may influence population viability. Thus, the objective of our study was to assess how corticosterone varies within the Arizona tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum) population at the Mexican Cut Nature Preserve. We used a non-invasive skin swabbing method to collect baseline and elevated corticosterone from paedomorph (aquatic …

Becoming One With Nature: A Nature Intervention For Individuals Living With Cancer Participating In A Ten-Week Group Exercise And Wellness Program, Samantha L. Morris, Ian Newhouse, Tracey Larocque, Kelly-Jo Gillis, Leanne Smith, Elizabeth K. Nisbet

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(3): 498-518, 2021. Positive outcomes for psychological and physiological health have resulted from a nature experience. However, evidence is limited for nature-based interventions and their effect on a cancer population. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine if incorporating the One Nature Challenge (ONC) into a ten-week group exercise program (WE-Can) for individuals living with cancer could offer additional psychological and/or physiological benefits to those previously observed in WE-Can. For this study, two separate ONCs were implemented throughout two seasons (summer and winter) to formulate a ONC group (n = 18; 60 ± …

Leucine Supplementation Does Not Improve Muscle Recovery From Resistance Exercise In Young Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Crossover Study, Jeferson L. Jacinto, João Pedro Nunes, Alex S. Ribeiro, Juliano Casonato, Mirela C. Roveratti, Bruna N. S. Sena, Edilson S. Cyrino, Rubens A. Da Silva, Andreo F. Aguiar

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(2): 486-497, 2021. This study aimed to investigate the effects of free leucine supplementation on muscle recovery from resistance exercise (RE) in young adults. Fourteen untrained subjects (23.9 ± 3.6 years old) underwent RE sessions (leg press and hack squat: three sets of 8-12 reps at 70% 1RM) supplemented with leucine (LEU: two daily doses of 3g) or a placebo (PLA), separated by a seven-day washout period. Following each occasion, participants were evaluated in three subsequent days (24h, 48h, and 72h) for muscle recovery via a repetition-to-failure test. The following markers were assessed: repetition performance, …

Transversus Abdominis And Lumbar Multifidus Thickness Among Three Dance Positions In Argentine Tango Dancers, Eleni Gouridou, Eleftherios Kellis, Ermioni Katartzi, Nikolaos Kofotolis

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(1): 473-485, 2021. Core muscle function is considered a risk factor for low back pain appearance in dancers. The purpose of this study was to examine the transversus abdominis and lumbar multifidus thickness among Argentine Tango dancers in different functional dance positions. A secondary purpose was to compare muscle thickness at rest and contraction between dancers and untrained participants. Ten trained dancers and ten untrained women aged 33.8 ± 6.09 years participated in this study. Using ultrasonography, the transversus abdominis and lumbar multifidus muscle thickness were measured at rest and during contraction in three different …

Lighting The Way: Recent Insights Into The Structure And Regulation Of Phototropin Blue Light Receptors, Jaynee E. Hart, Kevin H. Gardner

Publications and Research

The phototropins (phots) are light-activated kinases that are critical for plant physiology and the many diverse optogenetic tools that they have inspired. Phototropins combine two bluelight- sensing Light–Oxygen–Voltage (LOV) domains (LOV1 and LOV2) and a C-terminal serine/threonine kinase domain, using the LOV domains to control the catalytic activity of the kinase. While much is known about the structure and photochemistry of the light-perceiving LOV domains, particularly in how activation of the LOV2 domain triggers the unfolding of alpha helices that communicate the light signal to the kinase domain, many questions about phot structure and mechanism remain. Recent studies have made …

The Effects Of 3-Weeks Of Aerobic Exercise In Heat On Fitness And Pgc1a In Females, Mark Mcglynn, Robert L. Shute, Brent Ruby, Walter Hailes, Dustin Slivka

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The effects of exercise training in the heat are well documented in men. However, the effects of exercise training in the heat in women have not received as much attention. We have previously reported a blunted rise in PGC1α in men after acute aerobic exercise in the heat. Purpose: To determine the impact of three weeks of aerobic exercise training in the heat compared to training in room temperature on thermoregulation, PGC1α mRNA response, and aerobic capacity in women. Methods: Twenty-three untrained college aged females (24±4 yoa, 168±5 cm, and 67.3±11.2 kg) were randomly assigned to 3 weeks of aerobic …

The Relationship Between Sleep Duration And Optimism Levels In Generation Z Students, Anna Hassett

Honors College Theses

Generation Z is getting less sleep than ever and in conjunction, the quality of Generation Z’s sleep is decreasing. Inadequate sleep can increase the risk of depression, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and cognitive decline. Optimism is a subjective measure of worldview. In the field of positive psychology, optimism is believed to improve overall psychological and physical health. The main purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between sleep duration and reported levels of optimism in Generation Z students, aged 17 to 24. The hypothesis for this study is that optimism and duration of sleep will have a significantly …

Effects Of Exercise Intensity And Type On Executive Function In Elementary-Aged Children, Patrick Pommier

Theses and Dissertations

The interactions of exercise on executive functioning (EF) have been studied thoroughly in previous literature, focusing mostly on the interactions of aerobic exercise (AE) intensity and its effects on inhibition and working memory. Although multiple categories of EF have been shown to improve based on aerobic exercise, the foundation of brain development relies within its ability to utilize all three areas of EF simultaneously. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of exercise intensity and type of exercise (cognitive activation) on EF in elementary-aged children. Design: Eighteen children (mean age=10.4, SD=0.5, 61.1% girls) participated in a …

Comparison Of Countermovement And Squat Jumps Performance In Recreationally Trained Males, Paul Donahue, Samuel Wilson, Charles Williams, Christopher Hill, John Garner

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(1): 462-472, 2021. The vertical jump has been shown to be an effective tool in assessing neuromuscular fatigue. The two most common iterations of the vertical jump are the countermovement and squat jumps. This investigation sought to identify if differences exist between the two jumping strategies with regard to electromyography (EMG) and kinetics in a group of recreationally trained males. Twenty-two participants completed one experimental session, where three countermovement (CMJ) and three squat jumps (SJ) were performed using a counterbalanced within-subject design. Jump performance was evaluated with data obtained using a force platform. Additionally, EMG …

Effect Of Neck Strength On Simulated Head Impacts During Falls In Female Ice Hockey Players, Brittany Pennock, Derek Kivi, Carlos Zerpa

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(1): 446-461, 2021. This study examined the effect of isometric cervical strength and impact location of the hockey helmet in mitigating the risk of concussions for two different mechanisms of injury from a fall during head impact simulation testing. Isometric cervical strength was measured on 25 female hockey players to compute and model neck strength on a mechanical neckform. A dual-rail vertical drop system with a helmet mounted on a surrogate headform simulated the mechanisms of injury causing concussions on female ice hockey players. Measures of peak linear acceleration and risk of injury due to …

Establishing And Validating Methods To Assess The Influence Of Exercise On Circulating Exosome Profiles In Sedentary Older Adults, Heather Quiriarte

LSU Master's Theses

Aging is associated with progressing cellular structural and functional changes, and sedentary behavior can exacerbate these hallmarks of aging. Routine exercise is known to have beneficial effects on physiological systems, but the exact molecular mechanisms behind the health benefits are unclear. Emerging evidence suggests extracellular vesicles called exosomes are involved in the intercommunication between cells and organs following exercise by delivering their cargo such as proteins and miRNAs. miRNA profiles in older adults following acute and chronic exercise need further exploration. Specifically, the effects of regular low-intensity physical activity (LPA) breaks in sedentary time on proteins and miRNA packaged in …

The Effects Of Myelin On Macrophage Activation Are Phenotypic Specific Via Cpla2 In The Context Of Spinal Cord Injury Inflammation, Timothy J. Kopper, Bei Zhang, William M. Bailey, Kara E. Bethel, John C. Gensel

Physiology Faculty Publications

Spinal cord injury (SCI) produces chronic, pro-inflammatory macrophage activation that impairs recovery. The mechanisms driving this chronic inflammation are not well understood. Here, we detail the effects of myelin debris on macrophage physiology and demonstrate a novel, activation state-dependent role for cytosolic phospholipase-A2 (cPLA₂) in myelin-mediated potentiation of pro-inflammatory macrophage activation. We hypothesized that cPLA₂ and myelin debris are key mediators of persistent pro-inflammatory macrophage responses after SCI. To test this, we examined spinal cord tissue 28-days after thoracic contusion SCI in 3-month-old female mice and observed both cPLA₂ activation and intracellular accumulation of lipid-rich myelin …

Gme: Gym In Medical Education-Maintaining Physical And Mental Well Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Brian J. Nguyen, Elana A. Meer, Joyce E. Nguyen

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Mobile Applications Designed To Address Physical Activity During Pregnancy And Postpartum, Rachel A. Tinius, Mackenzie Polston, Hannah Bradshaw, Paula Ashley, Ashley Greene, Angel Parker

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(7): 382-399, 2021. Only 15% of women meet physical activity guidelines during and after pregnancy despite the well-established positive impacts on both the mother and the neonate. There is a clear lack of guidance on this topic, and mobile health interventions are a promising direction for future interventions to facilitate a necessary increase in physical activity during pregnancy and postpartum. The purpose of the study was to objectively assess the quality and perceived impact of existing free mobile apps that are designed to cover physical activity during and after pregnancy. The Mobile Application Rating Scale …

Fluid Loss In Recreational Surfers, Jessica Atencio, Richard Armenta, Jeff A. Nessler, Matt Schubert, James Furness, Michael Climstein, Leon Mach, Sean Newcomer

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(6): 423-434, 2021. Surfing offers unique challenges to thermoregulation and hydration. The purpose of this study was to quantify fluid loss in recreational surfers, and to analyze the effects of water temperature, air temperature, exercise intensity, duration, and garment thickness on the total amount of fluid lost during a surf session. A total of 254 male and 52 female recreational surfers were recruited from San Diego, Costa Rica, and Australia to participate in the study. Participants’ hydration status was assessed by comparing nude body mass pre- and post-surf session. Heart rate (HR), used as an …

Does Resistance Training With Blood Flow Restriction Affect Blood Pressure And Cardiac Autonomic Modulation In Older Adults?, Karynne Grutter Lopes, Paulo Farinatti, Daniel Alexandre Bottino, Maria Das Graças Souza, Priscila Alves Maranhão, Eliete Bouskela, Roberto Alves Lourenço, Ricardo Brandão Oliveira

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(3): 410-422, 2021. Resistance training (RT) with blood flow restriction (BFR) appears to accelerate muscle hypertrophy and strength gains in older populations. However, the training-related effects of RT with BFR upon blood pressure (BP) and cardiac autonomic modulation in the elderly remains unclear. The objective of this study is to compare the chronic effects of low-intensity RT performed with soft BFR (BFR) vs. high-intensity (HI) and low-intensity RT (CON) without BFR on BP and heart rate variability (HRV) indices in older adults. Thirty-two physically inactive participants (72 ± 7 yrs) performed RT for upper and …

Postpartum Exercise Intervention Targeting Diastasis Recti Abdominis, Faith C. Laframboise, Rebecca A. Schlaff, Meghan Baruth

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(3): 400-409, 2021. To examine the effectiveness of an online, 12-week exercise intervention on diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) width and negatively associated health outcomes (i.e. weight and core function). Non-pregnant women who were 6-24 months postpartum and ≥ 18 years of age completed the study. Participants (n = 8) were randomized to intervention (exercise) or control groups; with the intervention group completing three exercise sessions per week virtually. Both groups completed three surveys at baseline, 6-weeks, and 12-weeks. DRA width was measured with nylon calipers at baseline and 12-weeks. Repeated measures analysis of covariance …

Effects Of Caffeine On Exercise Duration, Critical Velocity, And Ratings Of Perceived Exertion During Repeated-Sprint Exercise In Physically Active Men, Jesse A. Stein, Heath Gasier, Blake Goodman, Melitza Ramirez, Blanca Delatorre, Cassandra Beattie, Thomas J. Barstow, Katie Heinrich

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(2): 435-445, 2021. Caffeine improves short-to-moderate distance running performance, but the effect of caffeine on repeated sprints are equivocal. This research determined if caffeine improved exercise tolerance during repeated-sprint exercise. iCV is a running velocity that distinguishes intermittent running velocities (velocities ≤ iCV) that are sustainable from those resulting in a predictable time to exhaustion (velocities > iCV). Seven physically active men (age = 21.6 ± 1.5 years, body mass = 72.8 ± 5.1 kg, VO_2max = 56.9 ± 9.8 mL/kg/min) ingested caffeine (5 mg/kg) or placebo (crossover design) 60 min prior to an intermittent …

Modeling Individual Muscle Forces In The Lower Extremity During Loaded And Unloaded Hexbar Vertical Jumps, Abigail Salvadore

Theses and Dissertations

Hexagonal barbell (HB) loaded jumps are often used in training to increase lower extremity power. Given the importance of coordinated muscular effort in achieving maximal power output, an understanding of how the lower extremity musculature individually performs during loaded jumps would be advantageous. The purpose of this study is to describe the effect of load on individual muscle forces, muscle torques, and the contribution to the net joint moment (NJM) during the concentric phase of loaded HB jumps.10 male collegiate athletes performed 5 maximal HB jumps at 0%, 20%, 40% and 60% of their HB deadlift 1-repetition maximum. Filtered Ground …

The 6-Week Effects Of Hiit On Biomarkers Of Tissue And Oxidative Damage In Wistar Rats Previously Supplemented With Pyridoxine, Jéssica Danielle Matos, Felipe J. Aidar, Dihogo Gama De Matos, José Uilien De Oliveira, Ailton Santos Sena Júnior, Jymmys Lopes Dos Santos, Anderson Carlos Marçal, Silvan Silva De Araújo

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(7): 369-381, 2021. We aimed to analyze the effects of long high-intensity interval training (HIIT) associated with pyridoxin supplementation on tissue and oxidative injury markers in animals. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n = 8): sedentary (GS), HIIT (GH), and HIIT + pyridoxine (GHP). The HIIT comprised 18 sessions of 7 repetitions of 2min × 2min rest, 3 times per week. Pyridoxine was administered to the GHP group 1h before the exercise. The Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and sulfhydryl group (SH) were analyzed as markers of oxidative stress and CK, LDH, …

Ordinal Statistical Models Of Physical Activity Levels From Accelerometer Data, Shafayet S. Hossain, Drew M. Lazar, Munni Begum

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(7): 338-357, 2021. Improvements in accelerometer technology has led to new types of data on which more powerful predictive models can be built to assess physical activity. This paper explains and implements ordinal random forest and partial proportional odds models which both take into account the ordinality of responses given explanatory accelerometer data. The data analyzed comes from 28 adults performing activities of daily living in two visits while wearing accelerometers on the ankle, hip, right and left wrist. The first visit provided training data and the second testing data so that an independent sample, …

Skilled Throwing Performance: A Test Of The Optimal Theory, Jacquelyn V.L. Sertic, Jason M. Avedesian, James W. Navalta

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(5): 358-368, 2021. The OPTIMAL theory of motor learning postulates that autonomy support (AS), enhanced expectancies (EE), and an external focus of attention (EF) facilitate improved motor learning and performance. However, its applicability to elite-level throwing athletes has not been investigated by previous literature. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the successive implementation of AS, EE, and EF factors on overhand throwing performance in elite collegiate softball athletes (14.44 ± 2.75 years of softball experience). The secondary purpose was to determine whether self-efficacy beliefs would be augmented by factor manipulation. Twenty-four participants …

Impact Of A Summer Nutrition And Physical Activity Intervention To Attenuate Obesity In Urban African-American Youth, Jermaine B. Mitchell, Antonio J. Gardner, Zachary Wahl-Alexander, Ben Schwamberger, Douglas Craddock Jr., Carol N. Agomo, Myia C. Lang

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Improved eating behaviors and daily participation in physical activity such as swimming might abate the likelihood of African American youth becoming obese. Yet many African American youth neither consume the recommended daily servings of nutritious foods nor know how to swim. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a culturally tailored multicomponent summer intervention to reduce obesity and unintentional drownings among underserved African American youth. Children (n = 145) participated in a three-hour, community-based intervention for four weeks. Measures of children’s attitudes perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms toward swimming, nutrition, and physical fitness were …

A Kinesiological Analysis Of Dancers At The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Vanessa Reiser

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Supplemental conditioning can improve a dancer’s performance of important skills without taking away from class and rehearsal time. To investigate this further, an individualized conditioning plan based on a specific skill was created for eight student dancers, and the effects were analyzed using a survey and rating scale by a trained dance professor. The results showed improvement of skills for the majority of dancers, along with improved fitness in qualities such as strength and balance. In conclusion, individualized conditioning plans based on a specific skill may benefit student dancers who are juggling intense class and rehearsal schedules.

Structural And Functional Properties Of Subsidiary Atrial Pacemakers In A Goat Model Of Sinus Node Disease, Luca Soattin, Zoltan Borbas, Jane Caldwell, Brian Prendergast, Akbar Vohra, Yawer Saeed, Andreas Hoschtitzky, Joseph Yanni, Andrew Atkinson, Sunil Jit Logantha

Section of Cardiology

Background: The sinoatrial/sinus node (SAN) is the primary pacemaker of the heart. In humans, SAN is surrounded by the paranodal area (PNA). Although the PNA function remains debated, it is thought to act as a subsidiary atrial pacemaker (SAP) tissue and become the dominant pacemaker in the setting of sinus node disease (SND). Large animal models of SND allow characterization of SAP, which might be a target for novel treatment strategies for SAN diseases.
Methods: A goat model of SND was developed (n = 10) by epicardially ablating the SAN and validated by mapping of emergent SAP locations through …

Characteristics Of Physiology And Physiology-Related Pre-Health Degree Programs In The Physiology Majors Interest Group, Yvonne Ogrodzinski, Erica A. Wehrwein, Kevin Kelly, James M. Poteracki, Valerie Vanryn, Anne R. Crecelius

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

The Physiology Majors Interest Group (P-MIG), a grassroots organization of educators, has collected data on the history and characteristics of Physiology and highly related undergraduate programs (ex: Human Biology, Pre-Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, etc.) that serve a common population of prehealth students. Data was obtained as part of an online survey sent out to P-MIG conference attendees at the 2017-2019 annual meetings (n=30). Participating institutions indicate that 25.9% have degrees called Physiology aligned with 28% being housed in a department of physiology, 75.9% are a Bachelor of Science program, 34.9% are affiliated with a College of Arts and Sciences, and 80% …

Life Line March 2021, Otterbein Biology And Earth Science Department

Life Line - The Biology Department Newsletter

In this issue:

A Note from the Chair; The Department Welcomes Dr. Rich; Senior Research Symposium Goes Virtual; Three Department Faculty Members Win Teaching Awards; Svitana Helps NGWA Go Online; Carter '15 Earns Ph.D. in Nuclear Forensics; Revamping a Campus to Return to our Cardinal Community; Professor Uses Novel Teaching Practices During Pandemic; Otterbein Introduces Signature STEM Series to Increase Connection; Young Receives Career Award; Malacogy in a Time of COVID; COVID Conversations; Canine Rabies Vaccination in Ethiopia; The Cardinal Science Scholar Program; Bird Anatomy.

Physical And Lifestyle Factors Influencing Bone Density In Jockeys: A Comprehensive Update Of The Bone Density Status Of Irish Jockeys, Arthur Dunne, Giles Warrington, Adrian Mcgoldrick, Jennifer Pugh, Michael Harrison, Siobhan O'Connor, Gillian O'Loughlin, Sarahjane Cullen

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(6): 324-337, 2021. Compromised bone density in jockeys has previously been identified as an important health and safety concern in horseracing. Despite this, no update on the bone density status in Irish jockeys has been provided in the past decade. The study aimed to conduct a comprehensive update of the current bone density status in professional Irish jockeys and identify possible contributory physical and lifestyle factors. Eighty-five professional male jockeys (flat n = 39; national hunt (NH) n = 46) completed a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan for the assessment of body composition and bone …

Effects Of A Vibrating Foam Roller On Ipsilateral And Contralateral Neuromuscular Function And The Hamstring-To-Quadriceps Ratios, Rachel M. Ruggieri, Jared W. Coburn, Andrew J. Galpin, Pablo B. Costa

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(1): 304-323, 2021. The effects of vibrating foam rolling the hamstrings on range of motion (ROM), hamstrings-to-quadriceps (H:Q) ratios, muscle activation, and peak torque (PT) of the quadriceps and hamstrings have yet to be extensively studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a vibrating foam roller on the hamstrings. Fifteen resistance trained women (mean age ± SD = 22.9 ± 2.0 years, height = 162.7 ± 4.8 cm, body mass = 66.0 ± 9.7 kgs, BMI = 24.9 ± 3.3 kg·m²) participated in five separate testing sessions to …