Medical Sciences Commons^™

Sexually Dimorphic Oxytocin Receptor-Expressing Neurons In The Anteroventral Periventricular Nucleus Regulates Maternal Behavior, Kaustubh Sharma

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The neurohypophysial hormone oxytocin is involved in the regulation of social behaviors, including social recognition, pair bonding, and sex-specific parental behaviors in a variety of species. Oxytocin triggers these social behaviors by binding to oxytocin receptors (OXTR) in various parts of the brain. Oxytocin-induced sex-typical behavior, therefore, suggests a sexual dimorphic distribution of OXTR in the brain. In recent years, the oxytocin system in the brain received tremendous attention as a potential pharmacological target for treatment of many psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, and even sex-specific psychiatric disorder like postpartum depression (PPD). An important problem and a …

Aci-35 And Aadvac1 Active Immunotherapy As Preventative Treatment Options For Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Emily C. Boehlein

Selected Honors Theses

One of the most common, as well as one of the most dangerous injuries amongst athletes today is mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), commonly known as concussion. Aside from physical symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, and headaches; concussions have can have longterm effects on brain physiology. A common neurological disease that can result from multiple concussions is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), characterized by symptoms such as severe depression, anxiety, confusion, and aggression; amongst others.1 On the cellular level, CTE is classified by a unique pathway that leads to the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein and subsequent clumping of tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles …

Investigating The Metabolic Progression Of Glioblastoma With Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance, Travis Salzillo

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Rapid diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of aggressive diseases such as glioblastoma (GBM) can improve patient survival by providing physicians the time to optimally deliver treatment. This includes early in development, while the tumor is still manageable, or following initial therapy, when alternative treatments should be considered. The main goal of this project was to determine whether metabolic imaging with hyperpolarized magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) could detect changes in tumor progression more rapidly than conventional anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patient-derived GBM murine models. To comprehensively capture the dynamic nature of cancer metabolism, in vivo pyruvate-to-lactate conversion with hyperpolarized MRI, …

Effects Of Alternative Chemotherapeutic Agents On Thyroid Cancer Cell Line Ml-1, Husref Rizvanovic

MSU Graduate Theses

Though differentiated thyroid carcinomas have decent prognosis when detected early, radioactive iodine (RAI) resistant and advanced thyroid cancers are still difficult to treat with existing therapies. Better therapeutic agents are needed. Studies have shown that aggressive thyroid cancers (ML-1) express the extracellular matrix protein, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2). MMP-2 has been linked to metastasis and aggressiveness of several cancers and has been shown to play a crucial role in tumor invasion. Chlorotoxin is a selective MMP-2 receptor agonist, and Saporin is a well-known ribosome-inactivating protein used for anti-cancer treatment; however, these two agents have never been studied when conjugated together. I …

Gut Pathophysiology In Mouse Models Of Social Behavior Deficits, Kyla Scott

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) encompass neurodevelopment disorders characterized by atypical patterns of development that impact multiple areas of functioning beginning in early childhood. The etiology of ASD is unknown and there are currently no preventative treatment options. Gastrointestinal symptoms are commonly associated comorbidities. The microbiota-gut-brain axis is a multidirectional communication chain that connects the central and enteric nervous system that relates brain function to peripheral intestinal functions. Changes within this axis have been postulated in ASD. For example, the “leaky gut theory” proposes that chronic inflammation is linked to alterations in the bacterial profiles of the gut microbiome and subsequent …

The Effect Of Hypoxia On Brain Cell Proliferation In Weakly Electric Fish, Petrocephalus Degeni, Kaitlin Klovdahl

Senior Theses and Projects

Oxygen levels tend to remain at a steady state concentration in the Earth’s atmosphere, yet in some bodies of water, they can fluctuate and decrease drastically. Many organisms that inhabit the swamps, lakes, streams, and parts of the ocean where this occurs have evolved adaptations to manage this environmental uncertainty and continue normal oxygen consumption. The Lwamunda swamp in Uganda is chronically hypoxic, yet it is home to many species, including the electric fish Petrocephalus degeni. P. degeni are unusual by nature of their immense brain, and the Lwamunda swamp appears ill-suited for maintaining this large, metabolically active organ. To …

Dementia: Types, What They Are And How They Differ, Jessica N. Schnetzer

Honors Thesis

Dementia: types, what they are and how they differ centers on the known and unknown complexities of dementia. Dementia is a very complex cognitive disease that consumes the brain, an organ of which we know very little about. Even so, this common disorder is actively being researched and is the topic of special interest of this thesis research. Described are Alzheimer’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Frontotemporal dementia, Huntington’s disease, Korsakoff’s syndrome, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s dementia, and Vascular dementia, focusing on what they are, their specific risks, diagnosis, treatment, and their differing progressions. Guidance of this study provided by thesis director …

A Comparison Of Power Variables For Two Loading Methods In Weighted Vertical Jumps 2020, Jonathan Tanguay

Master's Theses

Training exercises to develop muscular strength and power, such as the weighted jump squat, commonly utilize barbells and dumbbells to increase resistance. Strength coaches often measure improvements in peak force, peak power, and rate of force development to determine effectiveness of a training program. The purpose of this study was to determine if equipment selection (barbells vs. dumbbells) affects peak force, peak power, and/or rate of force development in weighted jump squats. Thirteen physically active, college-aged males (age: 21.6 ± 2.0 years, height: 182.8 ± 9.7 cm, body mass: 87.2 ± 9.0 kg, lean mass: 72.3 ± 8.1 kg) performed …

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 …

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.

Melanopsin-Expressing Retinal Ganglion Cells In Control Vs. Glaucomatous Retinas, Edward Hamad

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Glaucoma is a common cause of vision loss worldwide and has a large scope of symptoms, ranging from pupillary reflex defects to sleep disorders. These issues can be explained partially by a recently found subtype of retinal ganglion cells that express melanopsin, denoted melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells or mRGCs for short. These cells function primarily as photoreceptors in the non-image forming pathway, but can receive input from rods and cones. Since mRGCs play a role in the pupillary reflex and regulation of the sleep-wake cycle, I investigated if glaucoma leads to the degeneration of these cells in a mouse model …

Recovery From Visual Dysfunction Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Is Associated With Adaptive Reorganization Of Retinal Inputs To Lateral Geniculate Nucleus In The Mouse Model Utilizing Central Fluid Percussion Injury., Vishal C. Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality nationwide. Prevalence of mild TBI (mTBI) vastly outnumbers more severe forms however the associated morbidity has only recently gained public attention. Visual dysfunction is a significant component of mTBI associated morbidity with recovery of function linked with improvement in global outcomes. Examination of sensory and motor pathways in other brain injury paradigms support that recovery is largely dependent on adaptive plasticity of remaining connections. Current examinations of visual function recovery following mTBI is limited to identifying evidence for recovery and objective evidence for adaptive plasticity is limited. Therefore, …