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Articles 211 - 240 of 687

Full-Text Articles in Anatomy

Chemical-Free Technique To Study The Ultrastructure Of Primary Cilium, Ashraf M. Mohieldin, Wissam A. Aboualaiwi, Min Gao, Surya M. Nauli Nov 2015

Chemical-Free Technique To Study The Ultrastructure Of Primary Cilium, Ashraf M. Mohieldin, Wissam A. Aboualaiwi, Min Gao, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A primary cilium is a hair-like structure with a width of approximately 200 nm. Over the past few decades, the main challenge in the study of the ultrastructure of cilia has been the high sensitivity of cilia to chemical fixation, which is required for many imaging techniques. In this report, we demonstrate a combined high-pressure freezing (HPF) and freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FFTEM) technique to examine the ultrastructure of a cilium. Our objective is to develop an optimal high-resolution imaging approach that preserves cilia structures in their best natural form without alteration of cilia morphology by chemical fixation interference. Our …


Steroid Receptor Isoform Expression In Drosophila Nociceptor Neurons Is Required For Normal Dendritic Arbor And Sensitivity, Aidan L. Mcparland, Taylor L. Follansbee, Gwendolyn D. Vesenka, Alexandra E. Panaitiu, Geoffrey K. Ganter Oct 2015

Steroid Receptor Isoform Expression In Drosophila Nociceptor Neurons Is Required For Normal Dendritic Arbor And Sensitivity, Aidan L. Mcparland, Taylor L. Follansbee, Gwendolyn D. Vesenka, Alexandra E. Panaitiu, Geoffrey K. Ganter

Biology Student Publications

Steroid hormones organize many aspects of development, including that of the nervous system. Steroids also play neuromodulatory and other activational roles, including regulation of sensitivity to painful stimuli in mammals. In Drosophila, ecdysteroids are the only steroid hormones, and therefore the fly represents a simplified model system in which to explore mechanisms of steroid neuromodulation of nociception. In this report, we present evidence that ecdysteroids, acting through two isoforms of their nuclear ecdysone receptor (EcR), modulate sensitivity to noxious thermal and mechanical stimuli in the fly larva. We show that EcRA and EcRB1 are expressed by third instar larvae in …


The Effects Of A Four-Week Whole-Body High-Intensity Training Program On Female Athletes 2015, Lindsey Taylor May 2015

The Effects Of A Four-Week Whole-Body High-Intensity Training Program On Female Athletes 2015, Lindsey Taylor

Master's Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the aerobic benefits and changes in running economy (RE) following a fourweek whole-body high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on an athletic female population. Participants: Fourteen female student-athletes volunteered to participate in the study. Design: Participants reported on two occasions for VO2max and RE testing and were divided into two training groups based upon baseline VO2max: Endurance (END; n=6) and HIIT (n=8). Participants completed 12 total training sessions. During each session, END completed 30 minutes of vigorous-intensity running, while HIIT completed a total of four minutes of whole-body intervals. Measures: Maximal oxygen …


The Development Of Skeletal Muscle In Young Horses: An Ultrasonography And Satellite Cell Approach, Emma K. Lavigne May 2015

The Development Of Skeletal Muscle In Young Horses: An Ultrasonography And Satellite Cell Approach, Emma K. Lavigne

Honors Scholar Theses

Muscle growth in young horses is characterized by an increase in muscle cross-sectional area, which can be accomplished through the activation and differentiation of satellite cells. Satellite cells can be stimulated or inhibited in response to different cytokines and growth factors and are key mediators of muscle hypertrophy and regeneration. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle in horses under 5 years of age and to obtain preliminary data on satellite cell behavior in foals. The area, width, height, and subcutaneous fat were measured using ultrasonography at 6-month increments over the …


Pathological Effects Of Repeated Concussive Tbi In Mouse Models: Periventricular Damage And Ventriculomegaly, Richard H. Wolferz Jr. May 2015

Pathological Effects Of Repeated Concussive Tbi In Mouse Models: Periventricular Damage And Ventriculomegaly, Richard H. Wolferz Jr.

Honors Scholar Theses

Repeated concussive traumatic brain injury (rcTBI) is the most prominent form of head injury affecting the brain, with an estimated 1.7 million Americans affected each year (Kuhn 2012). Neurologists have been concerned about the danger of repeated head impacts since the 1920’s, but researchers have only begun to understand the long-term effects of rcTBI (McKee 2009). Although symptoms can be as mild as dizziness, current research suggests that multiple concussions can lead to a progressive degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) (Luo 2008, McKee 2009, Kane 2013). Research on the brain is just beginning to scratch the …


Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Prevent Pulmonary Endothelial Hyperpermeability And Acute Lung Injury By Regulating Heat Shock Protein 90 Function, Atul D. Joshi, Nektarios Barabutis, Charalampos Birmpas, Christiana Dimitropoulou, Gagan Thangjam, Mary Cherian-Shaw, John Dennison, John D. Catravas Jan 2015

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Prevent Pulmonary Endothelial Hyperpermeability And Acute Lung Injury By Regulating Heat Shock Protein 90 Function, Atul D. Joshi, Nektarios Barabutis, Charalampos Birmpas, Christiana Dimitropoulou, Gagan Thangjam, Mary Cherian-Shaw, John Dennison, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

Transendothelial hyperpermeability caused by numerous agonists is dependent on heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and leads to endothelial barrier dysfunction (EBD). Inhibition of Hsp90 protects and restores transendothelial permeability. Hyperacetylation of Hsp90, as by inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDAC), suppresses its chaperone function and mimics the effects of Hsp90 inhibitors. In this study we assessed the role of HDAC in mediating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced transendothelial hyperpermeability and acute lung injury (ALI). We demonstrate that HDAC inhibition protects against LPS-mediated EBD. Inhibition of multiple HDAC by the general inhibitors panobinostat or trichostatin provided protection against LPS-induced transendothelial hyperpermeability, acetylated and suppressed Hsp90 …


Human Anatomy And Physiology Preparatory Course (1st Edition), Carlos Liachovitzky Jan 2015

Human Anatomy And Physiology Preparatory Course (1st Edition), Carlos Liachovitzky

Open Educational Resources

The overall purpose of this preparatory course textbook is to help students familiarize with some terms and some basic concepts they will find later in the Human Anatomy and Physiology I course.

The organization and functioning of the human organism generally is discussed in terms of different levels of increasing complexity, from the smallest building blocks to the entire body. This Anatomy and Physiology preparatory course covers the foundations on the chemical level, and a basic introduction to cellular level, organ level, and organ system levels. There is also an introduction to homeostasis at the beginning.


Ontogenetic Scaling Patterns And Functional Anatomy Of The Pelvic Limb Musculature In Emus (Dromaius Novaehollandiae), Luis P. Lamas, Russell P. Main, John R. Hutchinson Dec 2014

Ontogenetic Scaling Patterns And Functional Anatomy Of The Pelvic Limb Musculature In Emus (Dromaius Novaehollandiae), Luis P. Lamas, Russell P. Main, John R. Hutchinson

Department of Basic Medical Sciences Faculty Publications

Emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) are exclusively terrestrial, bipedal and cursorial ratites with some similar biomechanical characteristics to humans. Their growth rates are impressive, as their body mass increases eighty-fold from hatching to adulthood whilst maintaining the same mode of locomotion throughout life. These ontogenetic characteristics stimulate biomechanical questions about the strategies that allow emus to cope with their rapid growth and locomotion, which can be partly addressed via scaling (allometric) analysis of morphology. In this study we have collected pelvic limb anatomical data (muscle architecture, tendon length, tendon mass and bone lengths) and calculated muscle physiological cross sectional area …


Boundary Contour Based Surface Representation., Yong Su Dec 2014

Boundary Contour Based Surface Representation., Yong Su

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We receive most information about our surrounding space and objects through the eyes. To reconstruct the 3D space and objects in the visual system from the 2D retinal images, surface representation must be a critical intermediate stage in the visual processing stream. It is hypothesized in the dissertation that the visual system represents textured surface by a border-to-interior strategy: boundary contours would be encoded first and then border-ownership assignments would be resolved. This process would solve the related problems such as figure-ground segregation, surface depth relationship, occlusion, transparency, etc. As a result, the boundary contours of the surfaces would be …


Effects Of Step Training On The Kidneys Following Spinal Cord Injury In Rats., Pradeepa Poudyal Dec 2014

Effects Of Step Training On The Kidneys Following Spinal Cord Injury In Rats., Pradeepa Poudyal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia after chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to over-distention, high bladder pressures and vesico-ureteric reflux into the kidney, resulting in repeated infections and pyelonephritis. Given the importance/limited knowledge of SCI effects on the upper urinary tract, this study assessed expression of two proteins in the kidneys of contused (T9) male rats relative to controls that are indicative of tissue stress/damage (TGFβ, CD11b). The impact of two therapeutic rehabilitation strategies, 60 minutes of step training and general exercise, was then assessed on these protein levels relative to non-trained SCI controls, plus the effectiveness of a shorter training duration (30 …


The Quadmill: Effects Of Eccentric Training Vs. Concentric Training On Lower Extremity Power And Anaerobic Capacity 2014., John Crosby May 2014

The Quadmill: Effects Of Eccentric Training Vs. Concentric Training On Lower Extremity Power And Anaerobic Capacity 2014., John Crosby

Master's Theses

Training focuses on the concentric action of muscle during exercise for most exercise programs, but eccentric training may yield greater results. The QuadmillTM is a unique piece of training equipment that focuses on training the quadriceps muscle eccentrically. Purpose: to determine if using the QuadmillTM could increase power and anaerobic capacity to the same level, if not greater, than a standard concentric focused lower body training protocol. Participants were 44 undergraduate college students (24 Male 20 Female) Design: participants placed into three equal groups (QuadmillTM, Lifting, Control). The two experimental groups (QuadmillTM and Lifting) underwent …


Intensity Of Exercise And Endothelial Function In Healthy Adults, Jacquelyn R. Moxey Apr 2014

Intensity Of Exercise And Endothelial Function In Healthy Adults, Jacquelyn R. Moxey

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of acute bouts of isocaloric exercise at different intensities on endothelial function. The flow-mediated dilation (FMD) responses after the different acute exercise bouts were compared to a control (no exercise) condition. METHODS: Nine healthy subjects completed the study (6 males, 3 females, X ± SD = 24 ± 5 yr, 1.75 ± 0.11 m, 79.2 ± 12.4 kg, 47.9 ± 6.9 mL•kg-1•min-1). Vascular responses were compared under three different conditions- HIT: a bout of high-intensity interval treadmill exercise consisting of ten 1-minute intervals at ~100% VO2max; MOD: moderate-intensity exercise …


Leptin Regulates Cd16 Expression On Human Monocytes In A Sex-Specific Manner, Joseph G. Cannon, Gyanendra Sharma, Gloria Sloan, Christiana Dimitropoulou, R. Randall Baker, Andrew Mazzoli, Barbara Kraj, Anthony Mulloy, Miriam Cortez-Cooper Jan 2014

Leptin Regulates Cd16 Expression On Human Monocytes In A Sex-Specific Manner, Joseph G. Cannon, Gyanendra Sharma, Gloria Sloan, Christiana Dimitropoulou, R. Randall Baker, Andrew Mazzoli, Barbara Kraj, Anthony Mulloy, Miriam Cortez-Cooper

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Fat mass is linked mechanistically to the cardiovascular system through leptin, a 16 kDa protein produced primarily by adipocytes. In addition to increasing blood pressure via hypothalamic-sympathetic pathways, leptin stimulates monocyte migration, cytokine secretion, and other functions that contribute to atherosclerotic plaque development. These functions are also characteristics of CD16-positive monocytes that have been implicated in the clinical progression of atherosclerosis. This investigation sought to determine if leptin promoted the development of such CD16-positive monocytes. Cells from 45 healthy men and women with age ranging from 20 to 59 years were analyzed. Circulating numbers of CD14++16++ monocytes, which are primary …


Pain Assessment And Possible Mechanism Of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, Wing Yin Lau Jan 2014

Pain Assessment And Possible Mechanism Of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, Wing Yin Lau

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Muscle pain is felt during exercise or daily activities for several days after performing unaccustomed exercise, which is referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Many people experience DOMS, but its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. One of the challenges in the investigation of DOMS is its subjective nature, which makes the assessment ambiguous, thus establishing a standardised protocol is necessary. The present thesis scrutinised muscle pain assessments (Study 1, Study 2), developed a new assessment of muscle pain focusing on muscle fascia (Study 3), and investigated why DOMS is reduced after the second than the first bout …


Neuromuscular Factors Affecting Stretch-Induced Torque Loss, Gabriel Siqueira Trajano Jan 2014

Neuromuscular Factors Affecting Stretch-Induced Torque Loss, Gabriel Siqueira Trajano

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The mechanisms underpinning the immediate torque loss induced by acute, static muscle stretching are still not clear. The current research was designed to examine the neuromuscular factors influencing this torque loss. In Study 1, the contributions of central versus peripheral factors to the stretch-induced torque loss were investigated. Measures of central drive, including the EMG amplitude normalised to the muscle compound action potential amplitude (EMG:M), percent voluntary activation (%VA) and first volitional wave amplitude (V:M), and measures of peripheral function, including the twitch peak torque and 20:80 Hz tetanic torque ratio were made before, and immediately and 15 min after …


Relationship Between Program And Faculty Characteristics And Success On The Board Of Certification Examination, Nicole Chris May 2013

Relationship Between Program And Faculty Characteristics And Success On The Board Of Certification Examination, Nicole Chris

Sycamore Center for Wellness and Applied Medicine

Context: When comparing success for health care professionals on certifying exams, Athletic Trainers perform lower. Other professions have identified predictors of success on their respective exams; however, Athletic Training (AT) has yet to do so. Objective: To determine the relationship between characteristics of Athletic Training Education Programs (ATEP), Program faculty and success on the Board of Certification Examination (BOC). Design and Setting: Survey. Patients or Other Participants: We solicited responses from the program directors (PD) of all 363 entry-level ATEPs and 38-52 PDs responded to various questions. We analyzed all completed responses for each item. Data Collection: We developed an …


The Effect Of Skeletal Muscle Mass On Basal Metabolic Rate In College-Age Males 2013, Chase Vaughn May 2013

The Effect Of Skeletal Muscle Mass On Basal Metabolic Rate In College-Age Males 2013, Chase Vaughn

Master's Theses

There are many misconceptions within the fitness community. One such misconception is that an increase in muscle mass will have a large increase in basal metabolic rate, yet this may not be the best way for successful weight loss. The purpose of this study was to determine the strength of the correlation between skeletal muscle mass and basal metabolic rate. The hypothesis tested was that basal metabolic rate is strongly correlated with skeletal muscle mass. The participants were college-aged males (n =17). Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) was estimated using the skin-fold circumference model (SFCM): SMM (kg) = Ht (0.00744 CAG2 …


The Influence Of Respiratory Muscle Training On Exercise Endurance 2013, Justin Vanderbeck May 2013

The Influence Of Respiratory Muscle Training On Exercise Endurance 2013, Justin Vanderbeck

Master's Theses

Exercise endurance in multiple populations has been shown to increase after bouts of respiratory muscle training (RMT) (Bailey, Romer, Kelly, Wilkerson, Dimenna & Jones, 2010; Brown, Sharpe, Graham & Johnson, 2008; Griffiths & McConnell, 2007; Kilding, Brown & McConnell, 2007; Laoutaris et al., 2012; Markov, Spengler, Stuessi, Boutellier & Knöpfli-Lenzin, 2001; Spengler & Boutellier, 2000; Stuessi, Spengler, Knöpfli-Lenzin, Markov & Boutellier, 2001; Volianitis et al., 2000). The use of resistance via respiratory muscle strength training (RMST) has been shown to produce greater increases in endurance than with no resistance, but the method of RMST that produces the greatest increases in …


Developmental Changes In Postural Stability During The Performance Of A Precision Manual Task, Jeffrey M. Haddad, Laura J. Claxton, Dawn Melzer, Joseph Hamill, Richard E. A. Van Emmerik Jan 2013

Developmental Changes In Postural Stability During The Performance Of A Precision Manual Task, Jeffrey M. Haddad, Laura J. Claxton, Dawn Melzer, Joseph Hamill, Richard E. A. Van Emmerik

Psychology Faculty Publications

Posture becomes integrated with other goal-directed behaviors early in infancy and continues to develop into the second decade of life. However, the developmental time course over which posture is stabilized relative to the base of support during a dynamic manual precision task has not been examined. Postural-manual integration was assessed in 7-year-olds, 10-year-olds, and adults using a postural-manual task in which task precision (target fitting size) and postural difficulty (reaching distance to a target) were manipulated. The main dependent variable was postural time-to-contact (TtC). Results indicated systematic age effects in which TtC was shortest in the 7-year-olds, increased in the …


Mice Deficient In Gem Gtpase Show Abnormal Glucose Homeostasis Due To Defects In Beta-Cell Calcium Handling, Jenny E. Gunton, Mary Sisavanh, Rebecca A. Stokes, Jon Satin, Leslie S. Satin, Min Zhang, Sue M. Liu, Weikang Cai, Kim Cheng, Gregory J. Cooney, D. Ross Laybutt, Trina So, Juan-Carlos Molero, Shane T. Grey, Douglas A. Andres, Michael S. Rolph, Charles R. Mackay Jun 2012

Mice Deficient In Gem Gtpase Show Abnormal Glucose Homeostasis Due To Defects In Beta-Cell Calcium Handling, Jenny E. Gunton, Mary Sisavanh, Rebecca A. Stokes, Jon Satin, Leslie S. Satin, Min Zhang, Sue M. Liu, Weikang Cai, Kim Cheng, Gregory J. Cooney, D. Ross Laybutt, Trina So, Juan-Carlos Molero, Shane T. Grey, Douglas A. Andres, Michael S. Rolph, Charles R. Mackay

Physiology Faculty Publications

AIMS AND HYPOTHESIS: Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from beta-cells is a tightly regulated process that requires calcium flux to trigger exocytosis of insulin-containing vesicles. Regulation of calcium handling in beta-cells remains incompletely understood. Gem, a member of the RGK (Rad/Gem/Kir) family regulates calcium channel handling in other cell types, and Gem over-expression inhibits insulin release in insulin-secreting Min6 cells. The aim of this study was to explore the role of Gem in insulin secretion. We hypothesised that Gem may regulate insulin secretion and thus affect glucose tolerance in vivo.

METHODS: Gem-deficient mice were generated and their metabolic phenotype characterised by in …


Risk Factors Associated With Acl Injuries In Females, Kiersten Young, Lindsey Eberman May 2012

Risk Factors Associated With Acl Injuries In Females, Kiersten Young, Lindsey Eberman

Symposium 2012

No abstract provided.


Can Slap Lesions Be Clinically Diagnosed?, Eric Bales May 2012

Can Slap Lesions Be Clinically Diagnosed?, Eric Bales

Symposium 2012

No abstract provided.


Digital And Clinical Refractometers Are Valid Instruments For The Measure Of Hydration Status, A. J. Niemann, S. W. Yeargin, L. E. Eberman, H. M. Mata, H. A. Adams, D. J. Dziedzicki May 2012

Digital And Clinical Refractometers Are Valid Instruments For The Measure Of Hydration Status, A. J. Niemann, S. W. Yeargin, L. E. Eberman, H. M. Mata, H. A. Adams, D. J. Dziedzicki

Symposium 2012

Although some instruments have been validated for clinical measure of hydration status, new and currently invalid instruments are available for purchase and clinical use. Athletic trainers commonly use these instruments to assess hydration status for weight checks and body mass loss charts due to their ease of use. However, the validity of these popular instruments has not yet been established.


Regulation Of Protein Degradation In The Heart By Amp-Activated Protein Kinase, Kedryn K. Baskin, Kedryn K. Baskin May 2012

Regulation Of Protein Degradation In The Heart By Amp-Activated Protein Kinase, Kedryn K. Baskin, Kedryn K. Baskin

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The degradation of proteins by the ubiquitin proteasome system is essential for cellular homeostasis in the heart. An important regulator of metabolic homeostasis is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). During nutrient deprivation, AMPK is activated and intracellular proteolysis is enhanced through the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). Whether AMPK plays a role in protein degradation through the UPS in the heart is not known. Here I present data in support of the hypothesis that AMPK transcriptionally regulates key players in the UPS, which, under extreme conditions can be detrimental to the heart. The ubiquitin ligases MAFbx /Atrogin-1 and MuRF1, key regulators of …


Map Kinases Couple Hindbrain-Derived Catecholamine Signals To Hypothalamic Adrenocortical Control Mechanisms During Glycemia-Related Challenges, Arshad Khan, Kimberly Kaminski, Graciela Sanchez-Watts, Todd Ponzio, J. Kuzmiski, Jaideep Bains, Alan Watts Dec 2011

Map Kinases Couple Hindbrain-Derived Catecholamine Signals To Hypothalamic Adrenocortical Control Mechanisms During Glycemia-Related Challenges, Arshad Khan, Kimberly Kaminski, Graciela Sanchez-Watts, Todd Ponzio, J. Kuzmiski, Jaideep Bains, Alan Watts

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.


Map Kinases Couple Hindbrain-Derived Catecholamine Signals To Hypothalamic Adrenocortical Control Mechanisms During Glycemia-Related Challenges, Khan, Kimberly Kaminski, Graciela Sanchez-Watts, Todd Ponzio, J. Kuzmiski, Jaideep Bains, Alan Watts Dec 2011

Map Kinases Couple Hindbrain-Derived Catecholamine Signals To Hypothalamic Adrenocortical Control Mechanisms During Glycemia-Related Challenges, Khan, Kimberly Kaminski, Graciela Sanchez-Watts, Todd Ponzio, J. Kuzmiski, Jaideep Bains, Alan Watts

Departmental Papers (Biology)

No abstract provided.


Ischemia Impairs Vasodilation In Skeletal Muscle Resistance Artery, Kyle Remington Struthers Jun 2011

Ischemia Impairs Vasodilation In Skeletal Muscle Resistance Artery, Kyle Remington Struthers

Master's Theses

Functional vasodilation in arterioles is impaired with chronic ischemia. We sought to examine the impact of chronic ischemia and age on skeletal muscle resistance artery function. To examine the impact of chronic ischemia, the femoral artery was resected from young (2-3mo) and adult (6-7mo) mice and the profunda femoris artery diameter was measured at rest and following gracilis muscle contraction 14 days later using intravital microscopy. Functional vasodilation was significantly impaired in ischemic mice (14.4±4.6% vs. 137.8±14.3%, p<0.0001 n=8) and non-ischemic adult mice (103.0±9.4% vs. 137.8±14.3%, p=0.05 n=10). In order to analyze the cellular mechanisms of the impairment, a protocol was developed to apply pharmacological agents to the experimental preparation while maintaining tissue homeostasis. Endothelial and smooth muscle dependent vasodilation were impaired with ischemia, 39.6 ± 13.6% vs. 80.5 ± 11.4% and 43.0 ± 11.7% vs. 85.1 ± 10.5%, respectively. From this data, it can be supported that smooth muscle dysfunction is the reason for the observed impairment in arterial vasodilation.


Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Ppar-Gamma In Surgical Brain Injury (Sbi), Amy Hyong Sep 2008

Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Ppar-Gamma In Surgical Brain Injury (Sbi), Amy Hyong

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: Brain injury can be caused by neurosurgical procedures themselves, due to direct trauma, retractor stretch, intraoperative hemorrhage and electrocautery damage. As a result of this surgical brain injury (SBI) postoperative complications such as inflammation, brain edema, and cell death can occur in the susceptible brain areas. Cerebral inflammation is a known contributor to the pathophysiology of brain injury. Following brain injury, the release of inflammatory mediators facilitates the development of BBB breakdown, cerebral edema, oxidative stress and neuronal death, resulting in further tissue damage in the brain and poor neurological outcomes. This study evaluates whether the use of a …


Neuronal Connections From The Cervix To The Spinal Cord Before Parturition, Mary Medina Groves Jun 2008

Neuronal Connections From The Cervix To The Spinal Cord Before Parturition, Mary Medina Groves

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

By the day before birth, the density of nerve fibers in the cervix has increased compared to earlier in pregnancy or in nonpregnant mice. Similar findings are reported in parturient women. To test the hypothesis that connections between the cervix and spinal cord are enhanced by term, the cervix of nonpregnant and time-dated pregnant mice (day 15 or 18 post-breeding) was injected with pseudorabies virus (PRV), a trans-synaptic retrograde neural tract tracer. Mice were euthanized and perfused 5 days later. The spinal cord and cervix were removed and postfixed overnight, immersed in sucrose, and cryostat sections through the thoracic to …


Radiation-Induced Glutamate Transport Alterations In Neuron-Astrocyte Coupling, Martha Celia Sanchez Mar 2008

Radiation-Induced Glutamate Transport Alterations In Neuron-Astrocyte Coupling, Martha Celia Sanchez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Exposure of the central nervous system (CNS) to ionizing radiation is known to result in behavioral, cognitive, and motor deficits - effects similar to those seen in many neurodegenerative disorders. Neurons and astrocytes, two principal cell types in the brain, coexist as an interdependent metabolic unit via the neurotransmitter glutamate. Disruption of this metabolic coupling would have widespread effects within the CNS, therefore it is hypothesized that ionizing radiation impairs glutamate transport and metabolism, and increases oxidative stress, ultimately impairing neuron-astrocyte coupling. We propose to investigate the mechanism and determine the impetus for radiation-induced neurotoxicity by measuring the temporal sequence …