Research Methods in Life Sciences Commons^™

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 …

Effect Of Obturation And / Or Coronal Seal On The Success Of Root Canal Therapy : An In Vivo Histologic Investigation, Douglas Snider

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Numerous studies have examined coronal leakage with in vitro protocols. A search of the literature showed the absence of a long term in vivo, histologic study, examining the effect of coronal and/or radicular leakage on periradicular health.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of obturation and / or coronal seal in preventing the formation of periradicular lesions in dogs over time. The study was conducted on six beagle dogs. Premolars were cleaned and shaped. Sixteen roots in each dog were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups of equal size. Group one was obturated using …

Insulinlike Growth Factor 1- And 2-Augmented Collagen Gel Repair Of Facial Osseous Defects, James S. Toung, Roy C. Ogle, Raymond F. Morgan, William H. Lindsey

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

BACKGROUND: Defects of the facial bone structure are common problems for the facial plastic surgeon. Native type 1 collagen gels (T1CGs) have been shown to mediate repair of facial critical-size defects in rat models.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of T1CG augmented with insulinlike growth factor (IGF) 1, IGF-2, and a combination of IGF-1 and IGF-2 on the repair of facial critical-size defects in a rodent model.

METHODS: Twenty-four retired male breeder Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups of 6 animals. Facial critical-size defects were created by removing the nasalis bones with a bone-cutting drill. Defects were treated with …

Arkansas Animal Science Department Report 1998, Stacey Gunter

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

Research Fundamentals: V. The Use Of Laboratory Animal Models In Research, Brian J. O'Neil, Jeffrey A. Kline, Keith Burkhart, John Younger

Biomedicine and Animal Models in Research Collection

Animal research has provided important information about many aspects of the pathophysiology of human disease. Well-performed animal studies can determine the potential benefit of many proposed therapeutic interventions, and experimental results from animal studies have served as the basis for many landmark clinical trials. Many animal research models are described in the research literature, and choosing the appropriate model to answer a research question can be a daunting task. Even more challenging is developing a new model when none of the existing systems are relevant to the proposed question. This article was prepared by members of the SAEM Research Committee …

Assessment Of Side Effects Induced By Injection Of Different Adjuvant/Antigen Combinations In Rabbits And Mice, P.P.A.M. Leenaars, M. A. Koedam, P. W. Wester, V. Baumans, E. Claassen, C. F.M. Hendriksen

Biomedicine and Animal Models in Research Collection

We evaluated the side effects induced by injection of Freund's adjuvant (FA)and alternative adjuvants combined with different antigens. Rabbits and mice were injected subcutaneously, intramuscularly (rabbits) and intraperitoneally (mice)with different adjuvants (FA, Specol, RIBI,TiterMax, Montanide ISA50)in combination with several types of antigens (synthetic peptides, autoantigen, glycolipid, protein, mycoplasma or viruses). The effects of treatment on the animals' well-being were assessed by clinical and behavioural changes (POTand LABORASassays) and gross and histopathological changes. In rabbits, treatment did not appear to induce acute or prolonged pain and distress. Mice showed behavioural changes immediately after (predominantly secondary) immunization. Injection of several adjuvant/antigen mixtures …

Animal Organs In Humans: Uncalculated Risks And Unanswered Questions, Gillian R. Langley, Joyce D'Silva

Biomedicine and Animal Models in Research Collection

This report, produced jointly by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and Compassion in World Farming, fills a number of significant gaps in the current debate about xenotransplantation.

In this report we also summarise the ethical and welfare issues concerning experiments on animals for xenotransplant research and their possible use as source animals for organs. Both these aspects are responsible for much pain and distress caused to many animals. We prefer the term “source animals” to “donor animals”, because animals do not choose to donate their organs for xenotransplantation.

Localization Of Sodium, Potassium-Adenosine Triphosphatase In The Cerebral Cortex Of Developing Rats, Maki Ujiie

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Active transport via Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase plays an important role in establishing and maintaining proper ionic gradient across all mammalian cell membranes. A strict regulation of Na⁺, and K⁺ ion levels is especially important in excitable cells such as neurons and myocytes. Inhibition of the enzyme is associated with several pathological conditions and has serious detrimental effects on cerebral cortical cells. Yet the enzyme appears to be limited in amount and distribution in newborn rats. In this study, Na_⁺, K⁺- ATPase expression and distribution in early postnatal rats were studied …

The Effect Of Exercise Training On Cardiovascular Dynamics In The Diabetic Rat, Nicole Marie Griffith

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Nicole Marie Griffith on July 24, 1998.

A Model Using Radiation And Pws4-Htnf-Α Gene Therapy For Treatment Of Glioblastomas, Angelo G. Baher

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The efficacy of radiotherapy for cancer is limited by the dose that can be safely delivered to the tumor without causing debilitating side effects. In addition, successful treatment of highly malignant tumors such as glioblastomas is likely to require adjunctive therapies to enhance tumor response to radiation. Previous studies have shown immunomodulation and a synergestic reduction in tumor volume of malignant tumors when tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) protein is administered prior to radiation. The major goal of the present investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of pWS4-human TNF-α (pWS4-hTNF-α), a new plasmid construct that expresses human TNF-α protein, together with …

Regeneration In Periodontal Defects With Rhbmp-2 : A Dosage Study, Paola Guglielmoni

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have been shown to induce bone formation in ectopic and orthotopic sites. This inductive capability has led to their evaluation as possible adjuncts in periodontal reconstructive therapy. Indeed, studies have reported periodontal regeneration following surgical implantation of recombinant human BMP-2. This study evaluated regeneration of alveolar bone and cementum following periodontal reconstructive surgery including implantation of a construct consisting of sterile lyophilized rhBMP-2 in buffer adsorbed onto an absorbable collagen sponge. Critical size mandibular supra-alveolar periodontal defects were surgically created, and an incomplete block design was used to evaluate the regenerative potential of rhBMP-2 at 0.05, …

The Mechanics And Regulation Of Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Contraction: Implications Of Cytoskeletal Remodeling, Protein Phosphorylations, And Microtubule-Based Kinase Transport, Alison Summers Battistella-Patterson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The exact nature of the mechanisms and the regulation of vascular smooth muscle contraction is not well understood. To better understand these processes, we examined two systems involved in smooth muscle contraction, the cytoskeleton and the protein kinases. In order to study the role of the cytoskeleton in smooth muscle contraction, we examined the contractile and mechanical effects of cytoskeleton disruption. We found that the relationship between passive tension applied to aortic rings and the resulting increase in tissue length was nearly linear over the range of 1 g to 15 g. However, even with increasing tissue length, within the …

Unrelieved Pain And Distress In Animals: An Analysis Of Usda Data On Experimental Procedures, Martin Stephens, Philip Mendoza, Adrianna Weaver, Tamara Hamilton

Experimentation Collection

Pain and distress are core issues in the field of animal experimentation and in the controversy that surrounds it. We sought to add to the empirical base of the literature on pain and distress by examining government data on experimental procedures that caused unrelieved pain and distress (UPAD) in animals. Of the species regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), most of the approximately 100,000 animals subjected to UP AD during the year analyzed (1992) were guinea pigs and hamsters. Most of these animals were used in industry laboratories for various testing procedures, primarily vaccine potency testing. We discuss …

Psychology's Use Of Animals: Current Practices And Attitudes, Kenneth J. Shapiro

Experimentation Collection

In this chapter, I present a psychology primer for the uninitiated, with special emphasis on psychology's uses of animals. After sketching the scope of the field generally, I review available data on present numbers and species of animals used in psychological research, level of suffering induced and current trends. I also provide several concrete examples of psychological research involving animals. Finally, the chapter concludes with a presentation of attitudes of psychologists toward animals and these practices.

A Cytochemical Evaluation Of Blood-Brain Barrier Sodium, Potassium- And Calcium-Adenosine Triphosphatase Polarity, Panya Steve Manoonkitiwongsa

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is formed by cerebral vascular endothelial cells. Brain ion and fluid homeotasis essential for proper neural functioning is due to the BBB. Sodium-potassium and calcium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺-ATPase) serve as one of the main mechanisms controlling brain Na⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺ concentrations. The present accepted concept is that both of these enzymes are localized to the abluminal plasma membrane of endothelial cells although there have been contrary results from some studies. Because of these discrepancies, further work was needed. Various cytochemical procedures …

The Effect Of Systemic Doxycycline On Alveolar Bone Loss Following Periradicular Surgery, G. Reed Cummings

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Studies have shown an average of 0.5 mm to over 1.0 mm of bone loss following full thickness flap reflection. Recent investigations have revealed that the tetracycline family of antibiotics can prevent bone loss. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of systemic Doxycycline on crestal alveolar bone loss following periradicular surgery in Beagle dogs.

The experiment was divided into two phases. The first phase served as the control (Non-Doxycycline), the second phase as the experiment (Doxycycline). Full thickness flaps were reflected in the mandibular left or right quadrant (control side) of five Beagle dogs. Using a …

The Effect Of Root End Demineralization On Cementogenesis : A Long Term Investigation, Hamid R. Abedi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Craig and Harrison¹² examined the effect of demineralization of resected root ends on wound healing following periradicular surgery. Based on its microscopic evaluations from 4-45 days, it was proposed that demineralization of resected root ends enhances cementogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the longer term effects of demineralization on cementogenesis using Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) or amalgam as root end filling materials. After completion of root canal therapy and endodontic surgery on seventy-two roots of mandibular second, third and fourth premolars of six beagle dogs, 32/72 of the root ends at random were etched with 50% …

Study Of The Hiv-1 Gene Regulatory Proteins Tat And Rev By The Two-Hybrid System In Yeast, David Allen Elkins

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Tat and Rev, small proteins encoded by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1), regulate its pattern of gene expression within infected cells. Tat increases transcription from the integrated pro virus by approximately a thousand-fold; Rev effects a shift in the pattern of splicing of the viral mRNA. Both are likely to interact with cellular proteins in executing their respective functions. Tat has additional activities (including neurotoxicity and inhibition of lymphocyte activation) which may be extraneous to its viral functions.

In order to identify cellular proteins interacting with Tat and Rev, the genes for both were cloned into plasmid vectors …

An Immunomodulating Mycotoxin Interferes With The Development Of Autoimmune Diabetes In Diabetes-Prone Bb/Wor Rats, Honggang Liu

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Various fungal products have immunomodulating activity and some have been studied regarding prevention of transplantation rejection. Prior to this investigation, the mycotoxin, gliotoxin (GT), has never been investigated as an immunotherapeutic drug for autoimmune disease. GT is a fungal secondary metabolite and a member of the epipolythiodioxopiperazine (ETP) family which has been shown to inhibit phagocytosis, induction of cytolytic T cells and the proliferation of T cells following mitogen stimulation. GT also induces in vitro apoptosis in certain immune cell types. More importantly, GT exhibits selective activity towards cells of hemopoietic origin.

Autoimmune diseases are disorders caused by immune responses …

Preference And Motivation Testing, David Fraser, Lindsay R. Matthews

Validation of Animal Experimentation Collection

Since the early 1970s, scientists have used preference tests (tests that require animals to choose between two or more different options or environments) as a means of answering questions about animal welfare. Preference tests have been used to establish animals' preferences for common housing options such as ambient temperature, illumination and preferred types of bedding and flooring; to improve the effectiveness of devices such as loading ramps and nest boxes; and to clarify how strongly animals avoid various aspects of confinement and methods of restraint.

To use preference research to answer questions about animal welfare, three issues need to be …

Harry F. Harlow And Animal Research: Reflection On The Ethical Paradox, John P. Gluck

Experimentation Collection

With respect to the ethical debate about the treatment of animals in biomedical and behavioral research, Harry F. Harlow represents a paradox. On the one hand, his work on monkey cognition and social development fostered a view of the animals as having rich subjective lives filled with intention and emotion. On the other, he has been criticized for the conduct of research that seemed to ignore the ethical implications of his own discoveries. The basis of this contradiction is discussed and propositions for current research practice are presented.

Institutional Animal Care And Use Committees: A Flawed Paradigm Or Work In Progress?, John P. Gluck, F. Barbara Orlans

Animal Welfare Collection

In his challenging article, Steneck (1997) criticized the creation of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) system established by the 1985 amendments to the Animal Welfare Act. He saw the IACUC review and approval of biomedical and behavioral research with animals as an unnecessary "reassignment" of duties from existing animal care programs to IACUC committees. He argued that the committees are unable to do the work expected of them for basically three reasons: (a) the membership lacks the expertise in matters relevant to animal research and care, (b) there exists an inherent and disabling conflict of interest, and …

Effect Of Room Arrangement And Blood Sample Collection Sequence On Serum Thyroid Hormone And Cortisol Concentrations In Cynomolgus Macaques (Macacafascicularis), Bryan L. Flow, John T. Jaques

Research Methodology and Laboratory Animals Collection

We evaluated the relationship, in cynomolgus macaques (Macacafascicularis), between rank for order of blood collection with serum concentrations of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4), and serum cortisol. These relationships were determined for males and females that were housed in two room arrangements. For both room arrangements, males and females were housed separately. For room arrangement 1, macaques were housed on both sides of the animal holding room. The sides of the animal holding room were designated as side A or side B. Blood was initially collected from animals on side A, then from animals on side B. Animals …

External Morphology Of The Chorion Of The Annual Fishes Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae), Marcelo Loureiro, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Members of the family Rivulidae (killifishes) inhabit temporary bodies of freshwater in South and Central America (one species is also found in North America). The most remarkable characteristic of the family Rivulidae is that species have an annual life cycle with a drought-resistant egg during the dry season. Parenti's (1981) analysis of the order Cyprinodontiformes considered a single genus, Cynolebias, whereas Cos- ta's (1990) phylogenetic analysis of the family Rivulidae separates Cynolebias from Cynopoecilus. One of Costa's synapomorphies to separate Cynopoecilus is the unique structure of their egg's chorion, which is shared with Leptolebias and Campellolebias.

An Animal Model For Development Of Pulpal Inflammation, John W. Masters

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Several animal models have been proposed to develop pulpal inflammation. Procedures recommended in these models have many variables and have not produced consistent results. The purpose of this study was to create pulpal inflammation using the Nd:YAG laser.

Forty-five cuspids of 12-18 month old beagle dogs were lased at 5, 7.5, and 10 watts (W) for 20 seconds with a 600 micron contact probe. Five cuspids were not lased but were used as controls. Following laser application, the teeth were extracted at intervals of 3, 7, and 30 days. They were then fixed in 10% formalin, decalcified, sectioned, and stained …

Periodontal Repair In Dogs : Effect Of Recombinant Human Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1 On Guided Tissue Regeneration, Saghi Shayan Razi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The objective of this study was to evaluate bone and cementum regeneration in the critical size, supraalveolar, periodontal defect model following surgical implantation of recombinant human transforming growth factor beta-1 (rhTGFß-1) in conjunction with guided tissue regeneration (GTR). Five male beagle dogs were used in a split-mouth design. Alternate jaw quadrants in consecutive animals received GTR with rhTGFß-1 in a resorbable calcium carbonate carrier. Contralateral jaw quadrants received GTR with carrier only (control). The healing interval was 4 weeks. Clinical healing was generally uneventful, however, minor membrane exposures were observed for both treatments with limited gingival inflammation. All defects with …

The Effect Of Guidor™ And Hop-1 On Hard Tissue Healing : Following Periradicular Surgery In Cats, Hugh Maguire

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the resorbable membrane Guidor™ and the osteogenic protein hOP-1 on hard tissue healing following periradicular surgery in cats.

Surgical endodontic therapy was performed on the maxillary canine teeth of twelve cats. After orthograde root canal therapy, flap reflection, osteotomy, resection of the root end, root end cavity preparation and the placement of a root end filling, eight of the surgical sites were treated with Guidor™ and eight with hOP-1. The remaining eight sites received no further treatment and served as controls.

The animals were sacrificed at twelve weeks following …

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins And Periodontal Repair, Michael B. Lee

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

For over thirty years now, research has been carried out to isolate and purify bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), a substance which has been shown to induce heterotopic bone formation in various animal species. Recent advances in the fields of developmental biology, molecular biology and genetics, have shown that the BMPs not only are responsible for postfetal bone induction (including normal bone remodeling, healing and repair), but are also critical during embryogenesis - not only in regards to the skeletal system, but quite possibly in the morphogenesis and pattern formation of other tissues and organs as well.

Due to their bone …

Regulation Of Melanogenesis In B16 Mouse Melanoma Cells By Protein Kinase C (Pkc), Harish Mahalingam

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The pigment cell-specific expression of tyrosinase and TRP1 has been shown to be important for the production of melanin in pigmented cells. Using a pigmented cell line, B16 mouse melanoma, we obtained evidence that PKC plays a major role in regulating melanogenesis. Chronic treatment with phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu) leads to downregulation of PKC activity and protein levels. This is accompanied by a loss of pigmentation which is correlated with a 50% reduction and a complete loss of TRP1 and tyrosinase respectively. Similar results were obtained with Northern and Western blotting indicating that PKC may regulate the steady state levels of …

A Rodent For Your Thoughts: The Animal Model Strategy In Psychology, Kenneth J. Shapiro

Experimentation Collection

In this second of three essays, I describe how the early modern psychologists adopted the strategy of further transforming rats and other species into models of human thought, feeling, and behavior, and, particularly, of disorders of these - in effect taking "a rodent for your thoughts." In the third essay I will provide a critique and empirically-based evaluation of animal model research. Here I indicate what the model strategy in the biomedical sciences, properly understand, is intended to achieve and how, by contrast, particular models are presented to the public and funding agencies. Finally, I describe how they are utilized …