Medical Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Age On Amplitude-Modulated Cvemp Temporal Modulation Transfer Function, Raghav H. Jha

Dissertations, 2020-current

With the aging population on the rise, the need for effective assessment tools to identify risk factors for falls among the elderly is paramount. One independent risk factor for falls is vestibular impairment, but the available vestibular diagnostic tests have limitations. A promising new methodology: amplitude-modulated tones to elicit a vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (AMcVEMP), offers a more detailed examination of vestibular (sacculo-collic reflex) functions. This method assesses non-linearities, synchrony, and magnitude, providing a more thorough evaluation compared to the conventional transient cVEMP. So far, AMcVEMP has only been utilized in young adults.

The current study aimed to investigate the impact …

Metabolomic Biomarkers For Hypertensive Disease Of Pregnancy, Akasham Rajagopaul

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Hypertensive disease of pregnancy (HDP) is a serious cardiometabolic pregnancy complication. Early onset HDP (EO-HDP) is more severe but rare, whereas late onset HDP (LO-HDP) is milder but common. Current disease markers, including placental growth factor (PlGF), are reasonable predictors of EO-HDP but poor predictors of LO-HDP. We sought to assess the performance of metabolomic biomarkers in HDP through a scoping review and primary analysis of plasma from symptomatic patients. Review of 31 studies indicated better prediction of all HDP and EO-HDP than LO-HDP using metabolomic biomarkers. Due to substantial heterogeneity in reported metabolites, no set of reliable biomarkers have …

Utilizing Ultra-Performance Chromatography High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry To Investigate Fatty Acid Mediated Antibiotic Tolerance, Brittni Woodall

Doctoral Dissertations

The lipid membrane is the first component necessary to sustain life. To maintain homeostasis, segregate cellular machinery, provide protection from the environment, and reproduce, an organism must establish a boundary in which the processes can occur. Throughout the last two decades, research has propelled our knowledge of lipid membranes much beyond original hypotheses. Once thought of to be static and uniform, the understanding of the lipid membrane has evolved to encompass a structure that is responsive, unique, and intricately constructed by the organism itself. By chance or by choice, organisms adapt the lipid membrane according to the environment for which …

Development Of A Computational Model To Investigate Pathways And The Effects Of Treatment In Fanconi Anemia, Sabrina Kellett

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare type of anemia that is not easily studied and can have very detrimental effects. This disease compromises the bone marrow, resulting in decreased hemopoiesis. Symptoms of FA also include abnormalities in the brain and spinal cord, incorrect formation of the kidneys, abnormal formation of the heart and lungs, and a dramatically increased risk of developing cancer. FA can be caused by various mutations in any of the 22 genes that encode for proteins involved in what is called the FA DNA repair pathway. In healthy individuals, this pathway specifically repairs interstrand cross-links (ICLs) recognized …

Ideal Body Weight And Body Fat Percentage Predict Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport (Red-S) Scores In Collegiate Athletes, Emily Norman

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Background: Low energy availability (LEA) is the underlying cause of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) which negatively affects athletes' physiological function, health, and performance. RED-S results from inadequate dietary intake to support energy expenditure for daily living, growth, and optimal performance. It occurs in both male and female athletes, with or without disordered eating. However, screening and diagnosis in athletes can be difficult. Objective: This study aims to identify strong predictors of RED-S and assess its prevalence in collegiate male and female athletes. Methods: A total of 270 NCAA athlete test points from mixed sports were evaluated for RED-S …

Mitochondria As Causes Of And Therapeutic Targets In Chronic Post-Sepsis Skeletal Muscle Weakness, Meagan Scott Kingren

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Sepsis, or the organ damage that ensues after the body fails to properly contain a local infection, is the leading cause of in-patient hospitalization in the United States. Advances in critical care medicine over the last 20 years have enabled most sepsis patients to survive the life-threatening dysregulated immune response. However, a majority of survivors report chronic weakness and fatigue years after sepsis, and the cause of this weakness remains largely unknown. This dissertation work focused first on elucidating the major causes of post-sepsis muscle weakness (Aim 1). This aim involved a time-course study to determine when muscle weakness was …

Reducing Placental Oxidative Stress In A Rat Model Preeclampsia Using Vegfr2 Nanoparticles, Sophia Ganios

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy, where the placenta lacks sufficient blood flow due to abnormal formation of the vascular endothelial cells. This results in hypertension and increased reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative stress. The VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) helps develop new growth, so by increasing the receptors VEGFR2 by injection of LTP nanoparticles into the uterine wall of RUPP rats, one can see if there would be improvement in the otherwise reduced uterine pressure pregnant rat. This would be confirmed by the 8-isoprostane test, which measures oxidative stress.

Contribution Of Metabolic Cell Swelling On Microcirculatory Perfusion In Septic Shock, Charles E. Payne

Theses and Dissertations

Sepsis, a systemic immunological response that leads to organ-dysfunction, the development of septic shock, and death has mortality rate of 15-25%. A subset of sepsis, septic shock, has an in-hospital mortality rate of 30-50%. Sepsis and its treatment are the most expensive healthcare problem in the United States with the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimating annual costs over $20 billion. Hypoxia experienced in septic shock induces metabolic cell and tissue swelling leading to further microcirculatory dysfunction and poor tissue perfusion. Reversing metabolic cell swelling corrects these perfusion defects. Two models were used in rats to induce septic …