Animal Structures Commons^™

Investigating Prefrontal Cortex Neuronal Signatures Of Opioid-Induced Risk-Taking Behavior, Cana Quave

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Opioid use disorder occurs alongside impaired risk-related decision-making, but the underlying neural correlates are unclear. We developed an approach-avoidance conflict task using a modified conditioned place preference procedure to study neural signals of risky opioid seeking in the prefrontal cortex, a region implicated in executive decision-making. Following morphine conditioned place preference, rats underwent a conflict test in which fear-inducing cat odor was introduced in the previously drug-paired side of the apparatus. While the saline-exposed control group avoided cat odor, the morphine group included two subsets of rats that either maintained a preference for the paired side despite the presence of …

Sexual Dimorphism Of Glomerular Capillary Morphology In Rats, Zackarias Coker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) progresses faster in males than females; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Sex differences in glomerular capillary morphology has been hypothesized to contribute, in part, to the increased susceptibility to hypertension-induced renal injury and CKD progression in males, but this has not been investigated. The goal of the present study was to assess glomerular capillary morphology in male vs. female rats with intact kidneys and after uninephrectomy (UNX). We hypothesized that glomerular capillary radii (R_CAP) and length (L_CAP) would be greater in male rats.

Male (n=4) and female (n=4) with intact …

Oral Contraceptives As Possible Acl Injury Prevention Method, Haley Schweizer

Capstone Showcase

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are an upsetting setback for many athletes that require a long and costly recovery process. The injury rates are four times greater in women than men. Preventative measures that help to prevent ACL injuries are limited to stretching and strengthening. Therefore, this review aims to investigate if oral contraceptive [I] usage provides a possible new avenue for prevention of ACL injury [O] in young female athletes (ages 18-30) [P] compared to those that do not take oral contraceptives [C].

Methods: A literature review was performed though PubMed, Google Scholar, SCOPUS Database, and ClinicalKey …

A Developmental Study Of Apoptotic Markers And Histamine In Cephalopod Statocysts, Samantha Nicole Leef

Honors Theses and Capstones

Cephalopods can participate in complex navigation using landmarks that show context due to their statocysts. Statocysts are analogous to the vertebrate vestibular and auditory system encased in cartilage rather than bone making them more easily accessible. Age and anatomical dysfunctions are the reasons for many human vestibular malfunctions. Two of these sources are endolymph hydrops and aging. In the past, endolymph pressure changes were attributed to the ineffectual ion transport. Recent studies have illuminated the possibility of histamine receptors in the semicircular canal could be responsible for patients’ endolymph pressure changes rather than the previous belief that the pressure changes …

Sptransformer Proteins From The Purple Sea Urchin Opsonize Bacteria, Augment Phagocytosis, And Retard Bacterial Growth, H. Y. Chou, C. Lun, L. C. Smith

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

The purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, has a complex and robust immune system that is mediated by a number of multi-gene families including the SpTransformer (SpTrf) gene family (formerly Sp185/333). In response to immune challenge from bacteria and various pathogen-associated molecular patterns, the SpTrf genes are up-regulated in sea urchin phagocytes and express a diverse array of SpTrf proteins. We show here that SpTrf proteins from coelomocytes and isolated by nickel affinity (cNi-SpTrf) bind to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and to Baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with saturable kinetics and specificity. cNi-SpTrf opsonization of the marine bacteria, Vibrio diazotrophicus, augments phagocytosis, …

Mechanotransduction Signaling In Podocytes From Fluid Flow Shear Stress., Tarak Srivastava, Hongying Dai, Daniel P. Heruth, Uri S. Alon, Robert E. Garola, Jianping Zhou, R Scott Duncan, Ashraf El-Meanawy, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Ram Sharma, Mark L. Johnson, Virginia J. Savin, Mukut Sharma

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Recently, we and others have found that hyperfiltration-associated increase in biomechanical forces, namely, tensile stress and fluid flow shear stress (FFSS), can directly and distinctly alter podocyte structure and function. The ultrafiltrate flow over the major processes and cell body generates FFSS to podocytes. Our previous work suggests that the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-PGE2-PGE2 receptor 2 (EP2) axis plays an important role in mechanoperception of FFSS in podocytes. To address mechanotransduction of the perceived stimulus through EP2, cultured podocytes were exposed to FFSS (2 dyn/cm2) for 2 h. Total RNA from cells at the end of FFSS treatment, 2-h post-FFSS, and 24-h …

Effect Of Hemiepiphysiodesis On The Growth Plate: The Histopathological Changes And Mechanism Exploration Of Recurrence In Mini Pig Model., Jing Ding, Jin He, Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Zhen-Kai Wu, Fang-Chun Jin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Purpose: Hemiepiphysiodesis has been widely used to correct angular deformity of long bone in immature patients. However, there is a limited knowledge about the biomechanical effect of this technique on the histopathological changes of the growth plate and the mechanism of recurrence of malformation after implant removal. We aimed to evaluate the biomechanical effect of hemiepiphysiodesis on the histopathological changes of the growth plate and the mechanism of recurrence of malformation after implant removal in Bama miniature pigs, and to explore the role of asymmetric stress during this procedure.

Methods: Eight 3-month-old male Bama miniature pigs sustained surgeries on the …

Hyperfiltration-Associated Biomechanical Forces In Glomerular Injury And Response: Potential Role For Eicosanoids., Mukut Sharma, Ram Sharma, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Virginia J. Savin, Tarak Srivastava

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Hyperfiltration is a well-known risk factor in progressive loss of renal function in chronic kidney disease (CKD) secondary to various diseases. A reduced number of functional nephrons due to congenital or acquired cause(s) results in hyperfiltration in the remnant kidney. Hyperfiltration-associated increase in biomechanical forces, namely pressure-induced tensile stress and fluid flow-induced shear stress (FFSS) determine cellular injury and response. We believe the current treatment of CKD yields limited success because it largely attenuates pressure-induced tensile stress changes but not the effect of FFSS on podocytes. Studies on glomerular podocytes, tubular epithelial cells and bone osteocytes provide evidence for a …

Reduction Of Friction By Recombinant Human Proteoglycan 4 In Il-1Α Stimulated Bovine Cartilage Explants, Katherine M. Larson, Ling Zhang, Khaled A. Elsaid, Tannin A. Schmidt, Braden C. Fleming, Gary J. Badger, Gregory D. Jay

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A boundary lubricant attaches and protects sliding bearing surfaces by preventing interlocking asperity-asperity contact. Proteoglycan-4 (PRG4) is a boundary lubricant found in the synovial fluid that provides chondroprotection to articular surfaces. Inflammation of the diarthrodial joint modulates local PRG4 concentration. Thus, we measured the effects of inflammation, with Interkeukin-1α (IL-1α) incubation, upon boundary lubrication and PRG4 expression in bovine cartilage explants. We further aimed to determine whether the addition of exogenous human recombinant PRG4 (rhPRG4) could mitigate the effects of inflammation on boundary lubrication and PRG4 expression in vitro.

Cartilage explants, following a 7-day incubation with IL-1α, were tested …

Targeted Disruption Of Adamts16 Gene In A Rat Genetic Model Of Hypertension, Kathirvel Gopalakrishnan, Sivarajan Kumarasamy, Shakila Abdul-Majeed, Andrea L. Kalinoski, Eric E. Morgan, Amira F. Gohara, Surya M. Nauli, Wanda E. Filipiak, Thomas L. Saunders, Bina Joe

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A disintegrin-like metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-16 (Adamts16) is an important candidate gene for hypertension. The goal of the present study was to further assess the candidacy of Adamts16 by targeted disruption of this gene in a rat genetic model of hypertension. A rat model was generated by manipulating the genome of the Dahl Salt-sensitive (S) rat using zinc-finger nucleases, wherein the mutant rat had a 17 bp deletion in the first exon of Adamts16, introducing a stop codon in the transcript. Systolic blood pressure (BP) of the homozygous Adamts16(mutant) rats was lower by 36 mmHg compared with the BP of …

The Ultrastructure Of The Olfactory System In Two Species Of Short-Tailed Shrews, Blarina Brevicauda And Blarina Carolinensis, Lisa Johnson Byrum

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Several studies of the fine structure of the olfactory system of rodents have been conducted, but very little research has been done on members of the Insectivora. The olfactory systems of the northern short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevicauda, and the southern short-tailed shrew, Blarina carolinensis, were examined by light and electron microscopy. These shrews were live trapped in the vicinity of Norfolk, Virginia throughout all months of the year. Olfactory tissues were processed following standard transmission and scanning electron microscopy protocols. The olfactory system structures investigated included the olfactory epitheliumlmucosa (OEM), main olfactory bulb (MOB), accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), …

Estrogen Regulation Of The Pregnant Baboon Placental 11Β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase (11Β-Hsd)-Catalyzed Metabolism Of Cortisol And Cortisone And Its Effect On The Development Of The Fetal Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, William Adair Davies

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Pepe and Albrecht previously demonstrated that the estrogen-regulated change in transuteroplacental metabolism of cortisol (F) and cortisone (E) from preferential reduction (E to F) at midgestation to oxidation (F to E) near term results in a decline of bioactive cortisol crossing the placenta and reaching the fetus culminating in activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis of the baboon and the ontogenesis of rate-limiting steroidogenic enzymes culminating in de novo F secretion. Protein kinase A (PK-A) activity in the baboon fetal adrenal gland cytosolic fraction was increased 2-fold both at term [day 165 of gestation (term = 184 days)] and following …

Quantal Mechanisms Underlying Stimulation-Induced Augmentation And Potentiation, Hong Cheng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Repetitive stimulation of motor nerves causes an increase in the number of packets of transmitter ("quanta") that can be released in the ensuing period. This represents a type of conditioning, in which synaptic transmission may be enhanced by prior activity. Despite many studies of this phenomenon, there have been no investigations of the quantal mechanisms underlying these events, due to the rapid changes in transmitter output and the short time periods involved. To examine this problem, a method was developed in which estimates of the quantal release parameters could be obtained over very brief periods (3 s). Conventional microelectrode techniques …

Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase And Growth Factor Regulation Of Flow-Mediated Vascular Remodeling, David Anthony Tulis

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

This study was designed to characterize structural remodeling of male Wistar rat mesenteric arteries exposed to elevated blood flow in vivo for 1, 3, or 7 days. A series of arterial ligations induced blood flow increases in ileal and second-order branch arteries compared to same animal control vessels. Neither mean carotid nor local mesenteric arterial pressures changed significantly pre- to post-ligation. The primary flow-mediated force in both vessels was shear stress with possible involvement of acute stretch-induced wall stress in the ileal artery. Significant luminal expansion and medial wall hypertrophy occurred in the ileal and second-order arteries in a time-dependent …

Differential Endometrial Responses Of Primates Vs Rodents: Screening For Antiproliferative Effects Of Antiprogestins, David Williams Burleigh

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The antiprogestin, mifepristone, has previously been shown to noncompetitively inhibit estrogen-induced endometrial proliferation in nonhuman primates (van Uem et al., 1989; Wolf et al., 1989b; Neulen et al., 1990; Neulen et al., 1996). For both economical and ethical reasons, we are encouraged to identify comparative laboratory rodent models which can substitute the need to use primate models. In the following study, we compared capabilities of the rat uterine weight bioassay versus a primate uterine bioassay, to identify the noncompetitive antiestrogenic/antiproliferative effects of mifepristone.

Long-term ovariectomized monkeys were exposed to exogenous 17β-estradiol (E2) and mifepristone in doses and regimes already demonstrated …

Some Aspects Of Cranial Bone Growth In The Puberal Macaca Mulatta Monkey: As Evidenced By Metallic Implants And Cephalometric Roentgenography And The Application Of A Geological Lapidary Technique For The Semi-Serial Thin Sectioning Of Undecalcified Bone, Lee Eugene Olsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate cranial and facial bone growth in the puberal Macaca mulatta monkey over a six month period utilizing the methods of metallic implantation combined with serial cephalometric roentgenography and a bichromatic vital staining method.

The employment of the vital stains, alizarin Red S and anthracene blue, over the six month period of the study, failed to stain the actively growing bone as evidenced by gross and microscopic analysis of the undecalcified bone preparations.

Interimplant measurements were made across certain bone sutures and the following results were obtained: The zygomaticotemporal sutures showed marked growth …

Kidney Of The Frog, Felix Taubman

Bachelors’ Theses

The frog has been used exclusively in both high school and college as the main source of experimental biological and zoological studies. Because it is so easily obtained and so finely adapted to our purposes, we chose it as the specimen upon which to do our thesis work. Much has been done experimentally on the kidneys with the frog. The purpose of this thesis is to present a general view of the external and microscopic anatomy of the frog kidney and with this as a groundwork to present the problems of secretion; whether secretion is carried on by the renal …