Physiology Commons^™

Comparative Thermal Ecology Of Coastal And Inland Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Oreganus), Hayley Layne Crowell

Master's Theses

Global biodiversity is declining as a direct result of anthropogenic climate change. Ectothermic species have become focal organisms for studying the ecological effects of altered climates due to the clear relationship between environmental temperatures and ectotherms’ basic physiological functions. Historically, examinations of these effects have focused heavily on heliothermic lizards, and most others have tended to focus on single populations or sympatric species within a single community. Addressing the longterm energetic implications of environmental temperature variation will provide valuable insight into the cascading physiological effects that certain populations or species may experience as a result of altered climates.

In this …

Macrolide Derivatives Reduce Proinflammatory Macrophage Activation And Macrophage‐Mediated Neurotoxicity, Bei Zhang, Timothy J. Kopper, Xiaodong Liu, Zheng Cui, Steven G. Van Lanen, John C. Gensel

Physiology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Azithromycin (AZM) and other macrolide antibiotics are applied as immunomodulatory treatments for CNS disorders. The immunomodulatory and antibiotic properties of AZM are purportedly independent.

Aims: To improve the efficacy and reduce antibiotic resistance risk of AZM‐based therapies, we evaluated the immunomodulatory and neuroprotective properties of novel AZM derivatives. We semisynthetically prepared derivatives by altering sugar moieties established as important for inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. Bone marrow‐derived macrophages (BMDMs) were stimulated in vitro with proinflammatory, M1, stimuli (LPS + INF‐gamma) with and without derivative costimulation. Pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokine production, IL‐12 and IL‐10, respectively, was quantified using ELISA. Neuron culture …

Comparative Plasma Proteomics In Muscle Atrophy Induced By Cancer Cachexia And Hindlimb Unloading, Kirsten Rene Dunlap

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Muscle atrophy results from a dysfunction in protein turnover that leads to loss of mass and function and occurs concurrently with multiple pathologies such as cancer and extended bed rest. Atrophy reduces overall quality of life while increasing morbidity and mortality. Currently, efficacious therapeutic interventions to treat and prevent muscle wasting in all its forms are lacking, however if conserved mechanisms can be identified between wasting conditions, this would aid in the development of multipurpose therapeutics to ameliorate this pathology. Purpose: To examine circulating factors present across atrophic pathologies. Methods: 35 male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to hindlimb unloading …

Apolipoprotein E4 Mediates Insulin Resistance-Associated Cerebrovascular Dysfunction And The Post-Prandial Response, Lance A. Johnson, Eileen Ruth Torres, Sydney Weber Boutros, Esha Patel, Tunde Akinyeke, Nabil J. Alkayed, Jacob Raber

Physiology Faculty Publications

Metabolic dysfunction, commonly a result of diets high in saturated fats and sugar, is associated with impaired cognitive function and an increased risk of age-related cognitive decline (ACD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Compared to the E3 isoform of apolipoprotein (apoE), the E4 isoform is a major genetic risk factor for ACD, AD, and for developing cognitive impairments following various environmental challenges, including dietary challenges such as a high-fat diet (HFD). Both insulin resistance (IR) and E4 are associated with metabolic and vascular impairments. Deficits in cerebral metabolism and cerebrovascular function have been proposed as initiating events leading to these impairments. …

Embryonic Lethality Of Cranial Neural Crest Deletion Of Cdc73, Lilia Shen

Honors Scholar Theses

Hyperparathyroidism-jaw tumor (HPT-JT) syndrome is a disease characterized by parathyroid tumors, renal cysts or tumors, uterine tumors, and ossifying jaw fibromas. The cause of this syndrome is linked to a tumor suppressor gene called Cdc73, which encodes the protein product parafibromin. The loss of proper expression of Cdc73/parafibromin is implicated in the development of the tumors typical of HPT-JT, although the exact mechanisms of tumorigenesis are unclear. In particular, not much is understood about the development of ossifying fibromas (OF) of the jaw in this syndrome. OF is a benign bone neoplasm that can affect the mandible and …

Noninvasive Myographical Assessments Following Unaccustomed Resistance Exercise, Carleigh Boone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditionally, post-exercise muscular alterations have been examined using invasive techniques that lack the ability to single out individual muscle groups. Sonomyography, tensiomyography, and electrical impedance myography allow for noninvasive skeletal muscle assessment. This project aimed to examine changes in muscle contractility and composition that occur in the early stages of recovery following unaccustomed exercise. METHODS: Twenty-one untrained adults (21.9 ± 1.9 y) performed exercise – 10 × 10 maximal eccentric knee extensions – with their nondominant leg. For each repetition, participants moved through 90° range of motion at 90°•s-1 with a passive return to the start position. Each set was …

Effects Of Rest Position On Ultrasound-Derived Morphological Characteristics Of The Vastus Lateralis And Lower-Body Force Production, Alyssa Varanoske

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Ultrasound assessment of the lower body typically encompasses 10-15 minutes of supine rest prior to examination because of the potential influence of gravitational fluid shifts on tissue size and composition. However, examination of the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle requires individuals to lay in the lateral recumbent position, and this change in position may influence muscle morphological characteristics and their ability to predict muscle function. PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of rest position on ultrasound-derived morphological characteristics of the VL and to determine whether or not rest position affects the relationships between muscle morphological …

Kinetic And Kinematic Characteristics Of Accentuated Eccentric Loading, John Wagle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current investigation was an examination of the kinetic and kinematic characteristics of the back squat using accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) and cluster set programming strategies. Trained male subjects (age = 26.1 ± 4.1 years, height = 183.5 ± 4.3 cm, body mass = 92.5 ± 10.5 kg, back squat to body mass ratio = 1.8 ± 0.3) volunteered to complete four different load condition sessions involving traditionally loaded straight sets (TL), traditionally loaded cluster sets (TLC), AEL cluster sets (AEC), and AEL straight sets where only the first repetition of each set used eccentric overload (AEL1). The use of …

Apnea Training And Physical Characteristics: Enhancement Of The Dive Response, Apneic Time, And Recovery, Nathanael Stanford

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Human breath-hold diving (free diving) has been gaining popularity as new individuals participate in the sport every year. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) breath-hold tables have been widely implemented as a training modality and prescribe constant submaximal apneic durations with gradually decreasing recovery times to increase hypercapnic resiliency. Previous studies implementing maximal duration apnea training have found enhancements in apneic duration and the mammalian dive reflex (MDR), which is elicited by apnea and augmented with facial immersion. The MDR results in bradycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction to redistribute blood to vital organs and elicit oxygen (O₂) conserving resulting in …

Effects Of A 3-Week High-Fat-Low-Carbohydrate Diet On Lipid And Glucose Profiles In 8 Experienced, Middle-Age Male Runners, Eric K. O'Neal, Ashton F. Smith, Alexander J. Heatherly, Lauren G. Killen, Hunter S. Waldman, Angela Hollingsworth, Yunsuk Koh

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(2): 786-799, 2019. This study examined glucose and lipid marker responses following a 3-week, ad libitum low-carbohydrate-high-fat diet (LCHF; ~70% kcals from fat, <50 g/day of net carbohydrates) versus the habitual mixed macronutrient diet (HMD) of eight middle-age, trained male runners (40 ±10 years; V̇O₂peak = 49 ±4 mL·kg^-1·min^-1). Blood was drawn at 0600 from an antecubital vein after an overnight fast under conditions of no exercise/ heat stress (NEXH; 48 h of restriction from intense exercise) or 24-h after exercise/heat stress (EXH; 60 min run in hot conditions plus 5-km time trial) for both dietary conditions. Glucose improvement during LCHF approached but did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.07). …

Obesity Affects Submaximal Oxygen Uptake-Heart Rate Relationship And Exercise Economy Differently In Pre And Postpubescent Boys And Girls, Eric Rivas

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(3): 748-763, 2019. The purpose of this study was to develop regression equations for estimating the intensity of the exercise work rate (relative peak oxygen uptake-heart rate [%VO₂-HR]) and the metabolic energy expenditure (MEE) for exercise prescription and rehabilitation medicine that are specific to children. This study took into account that the specific data in terms of obesity, sex, and pubertal status are currently unavailable. Our hypothesis was that obesity would affect the submaximal exercise the oxygen uptake (VO₂), heart rate (HR), and metabolic energy expenditure (MEE), and exercise economy (ExEco). …

Too Much Workplace Sitting: A Brief Historical Perspective, Raymond Jones, Daniel P. Credeur, Stephanie M. Mccoy

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(2): 777-785, 2019. Sedentary behavior is a risk factor for the development of chronic diseases, especially those of cardiovascular and metabolic origins. Prolonged sitting is one of the most common sedentary behaviors among adults. Individuals sit for hours every day for several reasons, including work and or physical limitations. Historical accounts regarding the negative health effects of prolonged sitting began with early epidemiological studies, which sparked a breakout of research examining this behavior in the workplace setting. Understanding the risks associated with prolonged workplace sitting is important when considering workplace interventions, such as sit-stand workstations. …

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors And Physical Fitness In Volunteer Firefighters, Zachary T. Martin, Rebecca A. Schlaff, Jade K. Hemenway, Jillian R. Coulter, Jeremy L. Knous, John E. Lowry, Joshua J. Ode

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(2): 764-776, 2019. Forty-seven percent of volunteer firefighter line of duty deaths are caused by cardiovascular events. Aggressive cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor reduction and improved physical fitness could reduce CVD mortality within this population. We assessed CVD risk factors and physical fitness in a large cohort of volunteer firefighters to help establish a health and fitness profile of this population, which may serve as evidence for the need to initiate programs aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality caused by CVD in the volunteer fire service. Seventy-four male volunteer firefighters were assessed for eight CVD …

Effects Of Whole-Body Vibration On Flexibility And Stiffness: A Literature Review, Brannen Fowler, Turner Palumbo, Brent Feland, Jonathan Blotter

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(3): 735-747, 2019. The effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) on flexibility and muscle stiffness are focused areas of research. Many studies have been performed over a large range of vibratory conditions and have reported varied results on effectiveness. When reviewing the published literature, it is difficult to track the vibration parameters that have positive effects and which have negative or no effects. In writing this paper,over 80 articles were evaluated, 24 of which met the inclusion requirements. The data gathered in the articles were used to develop charts that illustrate the vibration conditions that elicit …

The Impact Of Power Training On Balance And Visual Feedback Removal, Juliana Bouton

Senior Honors Theses

Because power training has been known to augment stability, the purpose of this study was to assess whether the removal of visual input affects lower limb muscle power production in young women who are resistance trained to the same degree it affects the untrained. This provided insight as far as the need for resistance training protocols in a largely untrained visually impaired population. To study this, fourteen college-aged female participants (18-23 years) performed a seated double-leg press on a leg sled machine, isolating power production of the lower limbs. After establishing baselines, which involved finding an average of power produced …

Comparison Of Steady State Exercise And Interval Training On Pitching Performance In Collegiate Baseball Players: A Pilot Study, Robert Rabena, Ryan Moran

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(6): 726-734, 2019. Traditionally, a baseball pitcher’s in-season conditioning between starts has consisted of steady state exercise. Little to no research exists on the effects of interval training on pitching performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the difference between steady state exercise (SSE) and interval training (IT) on exercise and pitching performance in collegiate baseball pitchers following an 11-week program. A total of 13 collegiate baseball pitchers were randomly assigned to either the SSE or IT group and tested pre- and post-season on a one-mile run, 30-m sprint, pitching velocity, walks plus …

The Influence Of A Slow-Breathing Protocol On Heart Rate And Blood Pressure From Exercise In Moderately Trained Females, Emily L. Zumbro, Greg A. Ryan, Stephen J. Rossi, John L. Dobson

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(2): 714-725, 2019. Heart rate recovery (HRR) and blood pressure recovery (BPR) from exercise are both important indicators of health and fitness and are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a slow-breathing technique, upright passive recovery (PASS), and active recovery (ACT) on HRR and BPR from exercise. Nine moderately trained, college-aged (20.22 ± 0.97 yrs) female participants cycled three times on an ergometer for 15 mins at 70% of their heart rate maximum (HR_max), each of which was followed by one of three …

Endothelial, Cardiovascular, And Performance Responses To L-Arginine Intake And Resistance Exercise, Daniel M. Streeter, Kara A. Trautman, Tylor W. Bennett, Lauren E. Mcintosh, James W. Grier, Sherri N. Stastny, Kyle J. Hackney

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(2): 701-713, 2019. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute endothelial, cardiovascular, and performance responses to L-arginine intake by assessing flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and various indicators (e.g., heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure, torque) both before and after resistance exercise. Thirty (15 male, 15 female) physically active participants (mean ± SD: age 20.4 ± 1.8 years, height 176.9 ± 10.2 cm, body mass 76.0 ± 12.2 kg) volunteered for a randomized, cross-over, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants completed five sets of elbow extension-flexion exercise after consumption of either 3 g …

Bovine Milk Extracellular Vesicles (Evs) Modification Elicits Skeletal Muscle Growth In Rats, Hailey A. Parry, Christopher Brooks Mobley, Petey W. Mumford, Matthew A. Romero, Cody T. Haun, Yufeng Zhang, Paul A. Roberson, Janos Zempleni, Arny A. Ferrando, Ivan J. Vechetti Jr., John J. Mccarthy, Kaelin C. Young, Michael D. Roberts, Andreas N. Kavazis

Physiology Faculty Publications

The current study investigated how bovine milk extracellular vesicles (EVs) affected rotarod performance and biomarkers of skeletal muscle physiology in young, growing rats. Twenty-eight-day Fisher 344 rats were provided an AIN-93G-based diet for 4 weeks that either remained unadulterated [EVs and RNA-sufficient (ERS; n = 12)] or was sonicated [EVs and RNA-depleted (ERD; n = 12)]. Prior to (PRE) and on the last day of the intervention (POST), animals were tested for maximal rotarod performance. Following the feeding period, the gastrocnemius muscle was analyzed at the histological, biochemical, and molecular levels and was also used to measure mitochondrial function and …

Extracellular Vesicles As Biological Shuttles For Targeted Therapies., Stefania Raimondo, Gianluca Giavaresi, Aurelio Lorico, Riccardo Alessandro

College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUN) Publications and Research

The development of effective nanosystems for drug delivery represents a key challenge for the improvement of most current anticancer therapies. Recent progress in the understanding of structure and function of extracellular vesicles (EVs)-specialized membrane-bound nanocarriers for intercellular communication-suggests that they might also serve as optimal delivery systems of therapeutics. In addition to carrying proteins, lipids, DNA and different forms of RNAs, EVs can be engineered to deliver specific bioactive molecules to target cells. Exploitation of their molecular composition and physical properties, together with improvement in bio-techniques to modify their content are critical issues to target them to specific cells/tissues/organs. Here, …

Power Output In Rugby Players Comparing Unilateral And Bilateral Isotonic Upper-Body Resistance Exercise, Evan Nakachi, James D. George, Allen Parcell, Dennis Eggett, Brent Feland

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(6): 691-700, 2019. Bilateral deficit (BLD) occurs when the internal muscular force generated during simultaneous bilateral limb exercise is lower than the sum of internal muscular forces generated during separate right limb and left limb unilateral exercise, while attempting to oppose the same total external load. Numerous BLD studies have evaluated force output differences during exercise; however, no study has determined whether BLD exists when generating power during isotonic upper-body exercise. To address this, we measured and compared power output across unilateral and bilateral isotonic upper-body exercise. Seventeen college male rugby players (age = 21.8 …

Rediscovering The Axolotl As A Model For Thyroid Hormone Dependent Development, Anne Crowner, Shivam Khatri, Dana Blichmann, S. Randal Voss

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

The Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is an important model organism in biomedical research. Much current attention is focused on the axolotl's amazing ability to regenerate tissues and whole organs after injury. However, not forgotten is the axolotl's equally amazing ability to thwart aspects of tissue maturation and retain juvenile morphology into the adult phase of life. Unlike close tiger salamander relatives that undergo a thyroid hormone regulated metamorphosis, the axolotl does not typically undergo a metamorphosis. Instead, the axolotl exhibits a paedomorphic mode of development that enables a completely aquatic life cycle. The evolution of paedomorphosis allowed axolotls …

Lumen Apposing Metal Stents In Drainage Of Pancreatic Walled-Off Necrosis, Are They Any Better Than Plastic Stents? A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Studies Published Since The Revised Atlanta Classification Of Pancreatic Fluid Collections, Babu P. Mohan, Mahendran Jayaraj, Ravishankar Asokkumar, Mohammed Shakhatreh, Parul Pahal, Suresh Ponnada, Udayakumar Navaneethan, Douglas G. Adler

School of Medicine Faculty Research

Lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) are increasingly being used in the drainage of pancreatic walled-off necrosis (WON). Best choice of stent is subject to argument, and studies are varied in the reported outcomes between LAMS and plastic stents (PS) to this end. We conducted a comprehensive search of multiple electronic databases and conference proceedings including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases (earliest inception through July 2018) to identify studies that reported on the use of LAMS and PS in WON drainage. Studies published since the release of the revised Atlanta classification for pancreatic fluid collections (2014 to current) were included …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Linear And Non-Linear Resistance Training Periodization On Morphofunctional Capacity Of Subjects With Different Fitness Levels: A Systematic Review, Rafael M. Pitta, Carla G. S. Pinto Montenegro, Roberta L. Rica, Danilo Sales Bocalini, Ramires A. Tibana, Jonato Prestes, Whitley J. Stone, Aylton J. Figueira Jr.

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(4): 666-690, 2019. Resistance training (RT) is recognized as an efficient method to improve muscle strength, power, hypertrophy; all are fundamental components of functional health and quality of life. Variables of RT such as volume, intensity, density, rest interval, duration, exercise order and selection, training frequency, and periodization models (i.e. linear periodization (LP), reverse linear periodization (RLP), block periodization (BP), and nonlinear periodization (NLP): undulating periodization (UP) and weekly undulating periodization (WUP)) are manipulated to potentiate musculoskeletal adaptations. The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review of studies comparing different periodization …

The Effect Of Exercise Order In Circuit Training On Muscular Strength And Functional Fitness In Older Women, Diogo Correia Cardozo, Belmiro Freitas De Salles, Pietro Mannarino, Ana Paula Sena Vasconcelos, Humberto Miranda, Jeffrey M. Willardson, Roberto Simão

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(4): 657-665, 2019.The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of different orders of exercises in circuit training on strength and functional fitness in older women over a 12-week period. After 10 repetition maximum (10-RM) and functional fitness baseline testing, thirty older women were randomly assigned into two groups. The exercise order for Group 1 was leg press, wide-grip lat pulldown, knee extension, pec deck fly, plantar flexion and triceps extension; Group 2 performed the same exercises, but in the opposite order: triceps extension, plantar flexion, pec deck fly, knee extension, wide-grip …

Trunk Muscle Activation During Dynamic Sling Training Exercises, Tobias Morat, Denis Holzer, Rieke Trumpf

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(1): 590-601, 2019. The purpose of this study was to examine the level of trunk muscle activation to characterize different dynamic sling training exercises. Thirty-six young adults (25±3 years, 1.78±0.1 m, 71.5±10.4 kg) performed six different sling training exercises while muscle activation of eight different trunk muscles was measured unilaterally by surface electrodes. Four of the exercises were conducted at two different difficulty levels (an easy and a hard version) by changing the body angle. The six sling training exercises differed regarding muscle activation, with significant differences (p< 0.05) between the three body parts (front, side, back). High muscle activations (76-87%) of the (front) trunk flexor muscles were measured. The back muscles tested reached more than half of their peak reference trial values only during one exercise tested. Regarding the side muscles, three of the sling exercises achieved muscle activations of 60% and higher (66-92%). All eight trunk muscles tested demonstrated a significantly (p< 0.05) higher muscle activation in the harder version compared with the easy version. Based on the results, the sling training exercises tested in this study seem to be most effective for the abdominal muscles. As assumed based on the former literature, changing the body angle during sling training exercises is shown to be a feasible way of adjusting the intensity of sling training. This could potentially be used in longitudinal sling training studies to assure a controlled, progressively increasing training intervention.

The Impact Of Cell Phone Texting During Aerobic Exercise On Measures Of Cognition, Michael J. Rebold, Mallory S. Kobak, Cody A. Croall, Emily A. Cumberledge, Matthew T. Dirlam, Timothy P. Sheehan

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(5): 646-656, 2019. This study assessed the effect of cell phone texting during a 30-minute bout of cycle ergometer exercise on measures of cognition (i.e., reaction time and accuracy). Twenty-eight college students participated in two conditions (cell phone and no cell phone). Reaction time and accuracy were assessed pre- and post-exercise with the use of the Stroop test. Reaction time was significantly worse (p < 0.001) in the cell phone condition from pre- (1003.75 ± 178.04 ms) to post-exercise (1124.46 ± 238.55 ms). Reaction time was significantly better (p < 0.001) in the no cell phone condition from pre- …

Attitudes And Beliefs Regarding Pregnancy Physical Activity In A Non-Pregnant Population, Mallory R. Marshall, John K. Petrella

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(3): 636-645, 2019. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and beliefs about pregnancy physical activity (PA) in non-pregnant individuals. We hypothesized that younger, more educated, females, those who had ever been pregnant (or partner had been pregnant, for males) and physically active individuals would view pregnancy PA more positively than older individuals, those with less education, males, those who had not ever been pregnant (partner had not been pregnant, for males), and those who are inactive, respectively. Participants were non-pregnant adults ages 20+ years who were recruited by word-of-mouth, social media, …

Dorsiflexion Range Of Motion In Copers And Those With Chronic Ankle Instability, Madison M. Vomacka, Melena R. Calhoun, Monica R. Lininger, Jupil Ko

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(1): 614-622, 2019. The Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) is used to classify individuals as ankle sprain copers, or as one suffering from chronic ankle instability (CAI). However, literature examining factors contributing to these classifications on the CAIT is lacking, as the CAIT itself does not offer explanations for specific anthropometric measures that influence a patient’s classification. Therefore, the purpose was to determine if there was a difference between dorsiflexion active range of motion (AROM) between copers, those with CAI, and a healthy control group. Twenty-two individuals with recent ankle sprains were recruited by a …

Life-Long Reduction In Myomir Expression Does Not Adversely Affect Skeletal Muscle Morphology, Ivan J. Vechetti Jr., Yuan Wen, Thomas Chaillou, Kevin A. Murach, Alexander Alimov, Vandre C. Figueiredo, Maeli Dal-Pai-Silva, John J. Mccarthy

Physiology Faculty Publications

We generated an inducible, skeletal muscle-specific Dicer knockout mouse to deplete microRNAs in adult skeletal muscle. Following tamoxifen treatment, Dicer mRNA expression was significantly decreased by 87%. Wild-type (WT) and Dicer knockout (KO) mice were subjected to either synergist ablation or hind limb suspension for two weeks. There was no difference in muscle weight with hypertrophy or atrophy between WT and KO groups; however, even with the significant loss of Dicer expression, myomiR (miR-1, -133a and -206) expression was only reduced by 38% on average. We next aged WT and KO mice for ~22 months following Dicer inactivation to determine …