Medical Sciences Commons^™

Noninvasive Quantification Of Tissue Sodium Concentration In The Kidney Disease Spectrum Using 23na Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Fabio R. Salerno

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially when requiring kidney replacement therapy (hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD)), is associated with extracellular water expansion with increased total body sodium. Sodium can also be accumulated in tissues independently of extracellular water. Sodium-23 magnetic resonance imaging (²³Na MRI) can quantify the concentration of sodium nuclei in tissues. Applied to the human leg, quantification of tissue sodium concentrations mainly at the skin and muscle level is possible. We hypothesized that increased tissue sodium concentrations exert toxic effects in CKD and dialysis. We aimed to (1) compare tissue sodium concentrations in adults, children and …

Rapid Changes In Vascular Compliance Contribute To Cerebrovascular ​Adjustments During Vasovagal Syncope (Vvs), Aleena Sajid

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Background: The rapid reduction in arterial pressure (AP) during VVS is associated with a decline in diastolic cerebral blood velocity (CBV) and maintained systolic CBV. We tested the hypothesis that this response may represent increased cerebrovascular compliance (Ci) in the presence of rapid hypotension.

Methods: AP and CBV were recorded from 14 otherwise healthy patients (34 ± 11 years) at rest and during head-up tilt (80°, 5-28 min). Baseline, mid-tilt, and VVS were analyzed. Individual AP and CBV waveforms were input into a modified Windkessel model to calculate Ci.

Results: Upright posture resulted in a decrease in CBV (-9 ± …

Rna Isolation In Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (Dmd) Mice Models, Salem Abu Al-Burak

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Fibrosis is a progressive and typically irreversible disease process characterized by the excessive deposition of collagen in organs and in tissues of the musculoskeletal (MSK) system^1,2. This process, which causes loss of organ and tissue function, can be initiated by micro-traumas³, an excessive and/or prolonged immune response¹, the activation and proliferation of fibrosis-inducing progenitor cells⁴, and a pro-fibrotic extra-cellular microenvironment⁵. In parallel with the events that initiate fibrosis, genetic or environmental influences may cause cells and tissues to become predisposed to fibrosis development prior to initiation. This suggests that these …

The Effects Of Autophagy And Proteasomes On Tgfβ Signalling And Emt, Charles Brandon Trelford

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signalling regulates growth, proliferation, immunity, and development. Although TGFβ typically antagonizes tumour formation, tumour cells often acquire mutations within the TGFβ signalling pathway that activate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). During EMT, epithelial tumour cells lose epithelial-like properties and acquire mesenchymal-like characteristics, which allows tumour cells to detach from the primary tumour and establish metastatic colonies. In addition to EMT, TGFβ augments tumourigenesis by increasing the degradation of damaged macromolecules and organelles via autophagy. Autophagy contributes to radiotherapy and chemotherapy resistance by mitigating the damages inflicted on tumour cells. Currently, there is a growing interest in the relationship …

Impaired Efferocytosis In Knee Osteoarthritis, Luigi M. Del Sordo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Non-resolving synovial inflammation is present in both human and animal models and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, it is not known how inflammation affects synovial macrophage function and if this contributes to the loss of tissue homeostasis. The purpose of this thesis was to understand the role of efferocytosis in knee OA. There is an increased apoptotic cell burden within the synovium of patients with late-stage knee OA. Synovial-derived macrophages from these patients exhibited impaired efferocytosis. Healthy blood-derived macrophages exposed to synovial fluid from patients with knee OA recapitulated the defective efferocytosis. Impaired …