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All ETDs from UAB

2019

Inflammation

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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Vagal Mediated Heart Rate Variability And Cognitive Impairments In Hiv-Seropositive Women, William C. Nicholson Jan 2019

Vagal Mediated Heart Rate Variability And Cognitive Impairments In Hiv-Seropositive Women, William C. Nicholson

All ETDs from UAB

Regardless of sufficient viral suppression, HIV exerts an ongoing inflammatory process that promotes chronic autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction, accelerates physiological aging, and increases the risk of developing a spectrum of cognitive disorders (known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders [HAND]). Given this, identifying pathological mediators of this inflammatory response could provide insight into the mechanisms driving HAND. The vagus nerve (indexed by vagal-mediated heart rate variability [vmHRV]) could provide such a mediator as it regulates ANS activity via reciprocal cardio-neural pathways, which regulate inflammation and homeostasis. Vagal dysfunction is associated with persistent inflammatory signaling (e.g., stress or inflammatory-based disorders [such as …


The Closed Eye As A Model For Dry Eye Disease, Cameron Kenneth Postnikoff Jan 2019

The Closed Eye As A Model For Dry Eye Disease, Cameron Kenneth Postnikoff

All ETDs from UAB

Every night, during sleep, the tears of the closed eye become significantly more inflammatory, with a notable influx of neutrophils. Preliminary studies suggested that these neutrophils were significantly different than blood-isolated neutrophils, with an increased concentration, upregulated surface expression of inflammatory membrane receptors, but inability to respond to inflammatory stimuli. The purpose of this dissertation was to better understand the contribution of this neutrophil population to ocular surface homeostasis and dry eye disease. Chapter One presents an introduction to the tear film and ocular surface, along with an introduction to dry eye disease and neutrophil biology. Chapter One also discusses …


Dysregulation In The Central Nervous System Upon Mcmv Infection In Newborn Mice, Cathy Yea Won Sung Jan 2019

Dysregulation In The Central Nervous System Upon Mcmv Infection In Newborn Mice, Cathy Yea Won Sung

All ETDs from UAB

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a major cause of morbidity in infants and children throughout the world. Between 0.2-1.2% of all live births is infected with HCMV in the United States. Approximately 5-15% of these newborn babies will develop long-term neurological damage resulting in motor disorders, mental retardation, and sensorineural hearing loss. Although the neurological sequelae associated with congenital HCMV infections are well characterized, little is known about the pathogenesis of the damage to the central nervous system (CNS). To study the pathogenesis of congenital HCMV infection, we have developed a mouse model in which newborn mice are infected intraperitoneally …