Musculoskeletal System Commons^™

Sexually Dimorphic Effects Of Gpnmb Modulation On Vertebral Bone Mass Regulation And Intravertebral Disc Health, Hakem Altawil, Fayez Safadi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Osteoporosis and vertebral degeneration are major contributors to musculoskeletal morbidity, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating vertebral bone and intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis remain incompletely understood. GPNMB (osteoactivin) has been identified as a regulator of bone remodeling, though its role in spine health is unclear. This study evaluated the effects of GPNMB deficiency on lumbar vertebral bone microarchitecture and IVD integrity in a sex-dependent context.

Six-month-old male and female wild-type (WT) and GPNMB knockout (KO) mice were analyzed using micro–computed tomography (µCT) of lumbar vertebrae (L4–L6) and histological assessment of the L5–L6 IVD. KO males exhibited increased bone volume fraction, bone …

The Impact Of Hot V. Cold Water Immersion On Post-Exercise Recovery, Cameron Moss, Aaron Krukemeyer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Muscle recovery following exercise-induced soreness has been the focus of extensive research and debate, with Cold Water Immersion (CWI) and Hot Water Immersion (HWI) emerging as two of the most widely used modalities. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of CWI and HWI on muscle recovery by determining changes in maximal force production of knee extension, range of motion (ROM) of the hip joint in flexion, extension, and abduction, and subjective muscle soreness using a validated Likert scale. Seven male recreational athletes participated in hot and cold-water immersion, and passive recovery. Despite thorough data collection, the …

Morphological Variation Of The Clavicular Rhomboid Fossa: Bilateral Asymmetry, Sexual Dimorphism, And Environmental Influences, Michaela Tucker, Skylar Hall

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Morphological variation on the clavicle, specifically the rhomboid fossa, may be impacted by age, sex, laterality, and mechanical stress. Occupational stress and loading conditions lead to bone remodeling and adaptation to change, altering the costoclavicular ligament site. A sample of 94 bilateral clavicles from individuals ages 16-40 years was analyzed using computer tomography (CT) and 3-dimensional reconstruction. Clavicles were categorized into five groups: flat, smooth, elevated, depressed, and pitted. Chi-squared analyses were used to test associations between morphology and age, side, and history of strenuous lifting. Significant differences were observed between class and sex for the leftsided clavicle group. Female …

Adult Human Rib Variation Of Symmetry Among Many Populations, Madison Irish

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Human rib morphology is a central focus within the exploration of ribcage biomechanical properties and thoracic traumas, with the use of anatomical models being crucial in clinical, academic, and forensic settings. Despite the significance, there is little existing research on bilateral asymmetry of the ribcage, and many models use the assumption of symmetry between right and left rib pairs. This study investigates morphological right and left rib pair asymmetries using high-resolution imaging and 3D reconstruction techniques among a diverse population of sex, age, and populations. Symmetry was tested using three variables: pitch, radius of curvature, and roll among rib pairs …

Amphisbaenian Head Movement And Burrowing Forces In Damp Granular Media, Jacob Newell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Damp granular media is a difficult environment to study because it is both practically complex and it lacks equations which fully describe its behavior. In this study, an oscillatory lateral head movement and its effects while penetrating damp granular media were tested using a robophysical model. This experimental research was inspired by the burrowing behavior of the clade Amphisbaenia, a group of usually limbless squamates that employ a variety of different burrowing behaviors, but it can apply to a wide range of burrowers. This research could help with both human burrowing technologies and the further investigation of animal behaviors.

Analyzing The Effects Of Opioids On Cortical Pore Networks In Rabbit Tibiae And Femora, Kassidy Wilson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The following project was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) (Protocol number #18-11-12 ARC). This study was completed as a subset of Dr. Andronowski's overarching lab project. Femora and tibiae were procured from New Zealand White rabbits to study the prolonged effects of opioid use in bone remodeling. This specific project analyzed the effects of opioids on the pore networks and the pore orientation.

Effects Of A Strength Training Intervention And Quality Of Life: Case Study On A Sedentary Adult Female, Lucas Frazier

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of the project is to evaluate physiological and quality of life changes in a

sedentary, senior-aged (55 or older) female using a six-week strength training

intervention. This case study will instruct how to perform a push-pull-legs split

routine by going to the gym three times per week. Prior to the six week intervention,

both quantitative and qualitative variables will be collected to assess baseline data,

including the subject’s resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, grip strength, one-

repetition maximum on seven whole body exercises (dumbbell bicep curl, tricep

pushdown, barbell bench press, wide-grip lat pull-down, seated dumbbell press, …

Artificial Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Joint Project, Michael Rosen, Bailei Hoyng

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This proposed project will be developing an artificial reverse shoulder arthroplasty joint that focuses on improvements to the Zimmer Biomet Comprehensive Reverse System by freating a unique feature, or features, to the humeral component that focuses on the prevention of dislocation by not limiting the range of motion of men from ages 45 to 65 years.

The development of the this project will utilize the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) medical device design process. This project will involve a total of four Biomedical Engineering students from the University of Akron. Two students, Michael and Bailei, are in the Honors college …

Optimization Of Primary Cilia Detection In Musculoskeletal Tissue, Ragen Engel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of this research project was to optimize a laboratory technique for visualizing primary cilia in musculoskeletal tissue of young swine, specifically the growth plate of long bones. This was accomplished through varying fixation procedures, antigen retrieval methods, antibody concentrations, and incubation times. By varying these parameters, a reproducible procedure was developed to examine the primary cilia in multiple tissues including ligament, fascia, and growth plate. This experiment introduced variances in fixation methods, with methanol or formalin. Paraffin and frozen embedding techniques were also varied for comparison with regards to cilia visualization. Results from the acetylated alpha tubulin (aTUB) …

Evaluating Sex Related Differences In The Osteocyte Lacunar Canalicular Network Across The Lifespan: A Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy Approach, Gina Tubo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Bone is a dynamic tissue with the ability to remodel itself. This capability is facilitated via communication mechanisms through the osteocyte-lacunar-canalicular (LCN) network. Osteocytes are bone cells housed in small, hollow spaces called lacunae. Lacunae are linked by canals called canaliculi. A diminished network can lead to the inability to form bone following breakdown. A decrease in osteocyte-LCN density has been shown to correlate with aging (Ashique et al. 2017). This decline leads to the development of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis preferentially affects women. Prior studies have shown that women older than 50 are four times more likely to be osteoporotic when …

Evaluation Of Tissue-Engineered Tendon Enthesis Polymer Constructs, Joshua A. Bundy Bs, Mary Beth Wade Phd, Hitomi Nakao Md, Phillip Mcclellan Phd, Qing Yu Phd, Robin Jacquet-Childs Ms, William J. Landis Phd

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Both scientists and clinicians have proposed tissue engineering as the future of medicine. The possibilities for tissue engineering, that is, fabrication of tissues and organs in the laboratory and their translation to patients, appear to be endless, and many believe that this new approach in medicine will result in abolishing many common ailments, injuries, and congenital defects. Injuries to a tendon enthesis, the normal tissue connection between tendon and bone, are of particular concern to clinicians because of their frequency and failure to repair as a result of surgery. While these injuries may not be life threatening, they can certainly …