High Fat High Cholesterol Diet (Western Diet) Aggravates Atherosclerosis, Hyperglycemia And Renal Failure In Nephrectomized Ldl Receptor Knockout Mice: Role Of Intestine Derived Lipopolysaccharide,
2015
Virginia Commonwealth University
High Fat High Cholesterol Diet (Western Diet) Aggravates Atherosclerosis, Hyperglycemia And Renal Failure In Nephrectomized Ldl Receptor Knockout Mice: Role Of Intestine Derived Lipopolysaccharide, Siddhartha S. Ghosh, Samuel Righi, Richard Krieg, Le Kang, Daniel Carl, Jing Wang, H. Davis Massey, Domenic A. Sica, Todd W. B. Gehr, Shobha Ghosh
Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications
A high fat meal, frequently known as western diet (WD), exacerbates atherosclerosis and diabetes. Both these diseases are frequently associated with renal failure. Recent studies have shown that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leaks into the circulation from the intestine in the setting of renal failure and after WD. However, it is not clear how renal function and associated disorders are affected by LPS. This study demonstrates that circulatory LPS exacerbates renal insufficiency, atherosclerosis and glucose intolerance. Renal insufficiency was induced by 2/3 nephrectomy in LDL receptor knockout mice. Nx animals were given normal diet (Nx) or WD (Nx+WD). The controls were sham …
Elucidating The Role Of Injury-Induced Electric Fields (Efs) In Regulating The Astrocytic Response To Injury In The Mammalian Central Nervous System,
2015
Virginia Commonwealth University
Elucidating The Role Of Injury-Induced Electric Fields (Efs) In Regulating The Astrocytic Response To Injury In The Mammalian Central Nervous System, Matthew L. Baer, Scott C. Henderson, Raymond J. Colello
Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications
Injury to the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) induces astrocytes to change their morphology, to increase their rate of proliferation, and to display directional migration to the injury site, all to facilitate repair. These astrocytic responses to injury occur in a clear temporal sequence and, by their intensity and duration, can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on the repair of damaged CNS tissue. Studies on highly regenerative tissues in non-mammalian vertebrates have demonstrated that the intensity of direct-current extracellular electric fields (EFs) at the injury site, which are 50–100 fold greater than in uninjured tissue, represent a potent signal …
The Effect Of Silver Nanoparticles On Synaptic Responses In The Lateral Giant Escape Circuit Of The Crayfish,
2015
Marshall University
The Effect Of Silver Nanoparticles On Synaptic Responses In The Lateral Giant Escape Circuit Of The Crayfish, Samantha N. Adkins
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The lateral giant neuron in the crayfish is a neuron that controls the reflexive escape response; the context and experience-dependent tuning of this response is critical for survival. Serotonin modulates synaptic responses in this neuron, and social experiences (stress) changes the modulatory role of serotonin. I investigated the mechanisms of induced synaptic response changes and serotonergic modulatory changes after silver nanoparticle exposure to ask if 1) contaminant induced stress changes serotonergic modulation in a manner consistent with social stress and 2) shed light on potential neurotoxic effects of widely used, but poorly understood nanomaterials. Our data show that stress induced …
Firing Rate Dynamics In Recurrent Spiking Neural Networks With Intrinsic And Network Heterogeneity,
2015
Virginia Commonwealth University
Firing Rate Dynamics In Recurrent Spiking Neural Networks With Intrinsic And Network Heterogeneity, Cheng Ly
Statistical Sciences and Operations Research Publications
Heterogeneity of neural attributes has recently gained a lot of attention and is increasing recognized as a crucial feature in neural processing. Despite its importance, this physiological feature has traditionally been neglected in theoretical studies of cortical neural networks. Thus, there is still a lot unknown about the consequences of cellular and circuit heterogeneity in spiking neural networks. In particular, combining network or synaptic heterogeneity and intrinsic heterogeneity has yet to be considered systematically despite the fact that both are known to exist and likely have significant roles in neural network dynamics. In a canonical recurrent spiking neural network model, …
The Need For Theory To Guide Concussion Research,
2015
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The Need For Theory To Guide Concussion Research, Dennis Molfese
Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications
While the focus on concussion research has expanded greatly over the past decade, progress in identifying the mechanisms and consequences of head injury, the recovery path and the development of potential interventions to facilitate recovery have been largely absent. Instead, the field has largely progressed through an accumulation of data without the guidance of any systematic theory to guide the formulation of research questions or generate testable hypotheses. As part of this special issue on sports concussion, we advance a theory to describe the evolution of a neural network during the development of a cognitive process as well as the …
Resting-State Brain Connectivity After Surgical And
Behavioral Weight Loss,
2015
University of Kansas Medical Center
Resting-State Brain Connectivity After Surgical And Behavioral Weight Loss, Rebecca J. Lepping, Amanda S. Bruce, Alex Francisco, Hung-Wen Yeh, Laura E. Martin, Joshua N. Powell, Laura Hancock, Trisha M. Patrician, Florence J. Breslin, Niazy Selim, Joseph E. Donnelly, William M. Brooks, Cary R. Savage, W. Kyle Simmons, Jared M. Bruce
Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications
Objective: Changes in food-cue neural reactivity associated with behavioral and surgical weight loss interventions have been reported. Resting functional connectivity represents tonic neural activity that may contribute to weight loss success. This study explores whether intervention type is associated with differences in functional connectivity after weight loss. Methods: Fifteen participants with obesity were recruited prior to adjustable gastric banding surgery. Thirteen demographically matched participants with obesity were selected from a separate behavioral diet intervention. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was collected 3 months after surgery/ behavioral intervention. ANOVA was used to examine post-weight loss differences between the two groups in …
Differences In Prefrontal Cortex Activation And Deactivation During Strategic Episodic Verbal Memory Encoding In Mild Cognitive Impairment,
2015
Universidade de Sao Paulo
Differences In Prefrontal Cortex Activation And Deactivation During Strategic Episodic Verbal Memory Encoding In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Joana B. Balardin, Marcelo C. Batistuzzo, Maria Da Graca Moraes Martin, Joao R. Sato, Jerusa Smid, Claudia Porto, Cary R. Savage, Ricardo Nitrini, Edson Amaro Jr., Eliane C. Miotto
Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications
In this study we examined differences in fMRI activation and deactivation patterns during episodic verbal memory encoding between individuals with MCI (n = 18) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 17). Participants were scanned in two different sessions during the application of self-initiated or directed instructions to apply semantic strategies at encoding of word lists. MCI participants showed reduced free recall scores when using self-initiated encoding strategies that were increased to baseline controls' level after directed instructions were provided. During directed strategic encoding, greater recruitment of frontoparietal regions was observed in both MCI and control groups; group differences …
Correlations Between Sensory Encoding And Central Morphology Of Muscle Proprioceptors In The Rat,
2015
Wright State University
Correlations Between Sensory Encoding And Central Morphology Of Muscle Proprioceptors In The Rat, Hanna Marie Gabriel
Browse all Theses and Dissertations
Until now, observations regarding the central morphology and organization of Ia, group II and Ib Golgi tendon organ afferents have been confined to the cat model. As the use of rodents in the study of the development and organization of segmental spinal cord circuitry increases, a complete account of the peripheral encoding and central connectivity of rodent muscle proprioceptors is necessary. The data presented in this study establish the central morphology and spatial distribution of 12 (4 of each class) functionally phenotyped muscle proprioceptor afferents in the rat by intracellular labeling with Neurobiotin. Each afferent type showed a characteristic central …
What, If Anything, Is Colored?: Color Perceptions - Color Judgments - Without Color,
2015
Connecticut College
What, If Anything, Is Colored?: Color Perceptions - Color Judgments - Without Color, Olivia Ziegler
Philosophy Honors Papers
No abstract provided.
The Effects Of Molecular Chaperones On Tau Fibril Assembly,
2015
University of Denver
The Effects Of Molecular Chaperones On Tau Fibril Assembly, Ahmed Omran
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The accumulation of microtubule-associated protein tau into fibrillar aggregates is the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, collectively referred to as tauopathies. Fibrils can propagate from one cell to the next and spread throughout the brain. However, a study shows that only small aggregates can be taken up by cultured neuronal cells. The mechanisms that lead to the breakage of fibrils into smaller fragments remain unknown. In yeast, the AAA+ chaperone HSP104 processes the reactivation of protein aggregates and is responsible for fragmentation of fibrils. This study focused on investigating the effects of molecular chaperones on tau fibrils …
Orbitofrontal 18f-Dopa Uptake And Movement Preparation In Parkinson’S Disease,
2015
University of Genoa
Orbitofrontal 18f-Dopa Uptake And Movement Preparation In Parkinson’S Disease, Lucio Marinelli, Arnoldo Piccardo, Laura Mori, Silvia Morbelli, Nicola Girtler, Antonio Castaldi, Agnese Picco, Carlo Trompetto, Maria Felice Ghilardi, Giovanni Abbruzzese, Flavio Nobili
Publications and Research
In Parkinson’s disease (PD) degeneration of mesocortical dopaminergic projections may determine cognitive and behavioral symptoms. Choice reaction time task is related to attention, working memory, and goal-directed behavior. Such paradigm involves frontal cortical circuits receiving mesocortical dopamine which are affected early in PD. The aim of this study is to characterize the role of dopamine on the cognitive processes that precede movement in a reaction time paradigm in PD.We enrolled 16 newly diagnosed and untreated patientswith PDwithout cognitive impairment or depression and 10 control subjectswith essential tremor. They performed multiple-choice reaction time task with the right upper limb and brain …
Preparing The Periphery For A Subsequent Behavior: Motor Neuronal Activity During Biting Generates Little Force But Prepares A Retractor Muscle To Generate Larger Forces During Swallowing In Aplysia,
2015
Case Western Reserve University
Preparing The Periphery For A Subsequent Behavior: Motor Neuronal Activity During Biting Generates Little Force But Prepares A Retractor Muscle To Generate Larger Forces During Swallowing In Aplysia, Hui Lu, Jeffrey M. Mcmanus, Miranda J. Cullins, Hillel J. Chiel
Faculty Scholarship
Some behaviors occur in obligatory sequence, such as reaching before grasping an object. Can the earlier behavior serve to prepare the musculature for the later behavior? If it does, what is the underlying neural mechanism of the preparation? To address this question, we examined two feeding behaviors in the marine mollusk Aplysia californica, one of which must precede the second: biting and swallowing. Biting is an attempt to grasp food. When that attempt is successful, the animal immediately switches to swallowing to ingest food. The main muscle responsible for pulling food into the buccal cavity during swallowing is the I3 …
Pcdh19 Expression In Normal And Regenerating Adult Zebrafish Retinas,
2015
University of Akron Main Campus
Pcdh19 Expression In Normal And Regenerating Adult Zebrafish Retinas, Kristin N. Forkapa Ms.
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
My Honors Research Project will test the function of the N-cadherin molecule on the zebrafish optic nerve regeneration. N-cadherin is a member of the cadherin superfamily. Cadherins are cell adhesion molecules important for animal development and maintenance of adult structures. Unlike mammals, fish and amphibians have the ability to regenerate their optic nerve after damages. Molecular mechanisms underlying the optic nerve regeneration are still under intense investigation. Studies in Dr. Liu’s laboratory showed that expression of several cadherins, including N-cadherin, was greatly increased during adult zebrafish optic nerve regeneration, suggesting that cadherins may be involved in the optic nerve regeneration …
Targeting Methylglyoxal And Ppar Gamma To Alleviate Neuropathic Pain Associated With Type 2 Diabetes,
2015
University of Kentucky
Targeting Methylglyoxal And Ppar Gamma To Alleviate Neuropathic Pain Associated With Type 2 Diabetes, Ryan B. Griggs
Theses and Dissertations--Physiology
Neuropathic pain affects up to 50% of the 29 million diabetic patients in the United States. Neuropathic pain in diabetes manifests as a disease of the peripheral and central nervous systems. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is far greater than type 1 (90%), yet the overwhelming focus on type 1 models this has left the mechanisms of pain in type 2 diabetes largely unknown. Therefore I aimed to improve the current mechanistic understanding of pain associated with type 2 diabetes using two preclinical rodent models: Zucker Diabetic Fatty rats and db/db mice. In addition, I highlight the translational importance …
Examining Oxytocin As A Potential Pharmacotherapy For Methamphetamine Addiction,
2015
Medical University of South Carolina
Examining Oxytocin As A Potential Pharmacotherapy For Methamphetamine Addiction, Brittney M. Cox
MUSC Theses and Dissertations
Human and animal studies suggest that females differ in their motivation to use methamphetamine (meth), and have increased propensity to relapse. However, addiction pharmacotherapies have primarily only been tested in males, which may not accurately predict treatment outcomes in females. Evidence suggests that oxytocin, an endogenous peptide well known for its role in social behaviors and childbirth, is a promising addiction pharmacotherapy. This dissertation first examines sex differences in the effect of oxytocin to decrease meth and sucrose seeking. Our data indicate that systemic oxytocin decreased responding for meth differentially in males and females on a progressive ratio schedule of …
The Effect Of Adolescent Alcohol On Dopaminergic And Gabaergic Neurotransmission In The Adult Prefrontal Cortex,
2015
Medical University of South Carolina
The Effect Of Adolescent Alcohol On Dopaminergic And Gabaergic Neurotransmission In The Adult Prefrontal Cortex, Samuel W. Centanni
MUSC Theses and Dissertations
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is thought to play an important role in cognitive processes that are negatively impacted by alcohol exposure. Compared to other brain regions, the neuronal connections of the PFC undergo a critical period of reorganization and refinement during adolescence that coincides with improvements in cognitive control and decision-making. Environmental insults that occur during this period may be particularly damaging to the PFC, resulting in aberrant neurodevelopment along with long-lasting effects on cognitive functioning that negatively impacts decision-making and behavioral control. Experimentation with alcohol typically begins during adolescence when it is often consumed in excessive binge-like episodes resulting …
Calciumsignalextract: A Matlab Gui To Automatically Extract The Activity Of Multiple Cells From Calcium Imaging Data,
2015
Rockefeller University
Calciumsignalextract: A Matlab Gui To Automatically Extract The Activity Of Multiple Cells From Calcium Imaging Data, Stephan Meyer Zum Alten Borgloh
Gilbert Laboratory
A Matlab GUI that automatically segments fluorescence image stacks into ROIs based on differential morphology and fluorescence activity of the individual cells. The time course data of each ROI gets extracted and plotted. External data from behavioral experiments and sensory stimuli can be integrated to compare for task and stimulus dependent neuronal events
Biological Basis Of Motherhood And Effect Of Stress On Maternal Psychophysiology,
2015
DePauw
Biological Basis Of Motherhood And Effect Of Stress On Maternal Psychophysiology, Erin Loree Minnick 15
Honor Scholar Theses
No abstract provided.
Signals From The 4th Dimension: Role Of Extracellular Matrix Signaling In Synaptic Plasticity Mediating Addiction,
2015
Medical University of South Carolina
Signals From The 4th Dimension: Role Of Extracellular Matrix Signaling In Synaptic Plasticity Mediating Addiction, Alexander C. W. Smith
MUSC Theses and Dissertations
Chronic cocaine abuse causes maladaptive neuroadaptations that underlie vulnerability to relapse, even after protracted abstinence. A great deal of work has examined mechanisms of neuroplasticity by which these occur. However, the majority of experimentation has focused on intracellular signaling cascades, while the extracellular compartment has been largely ignored. In the past decade, work has emerged in the learning and memory literature that indicates that extracellular matrix remodeling and signaling is required for adaptive forms of neuroplasticity (e.g. learning and memory), although it has not been thoroughly examined in models of maladaptive neuroplasticity. Throughout this dissertation a drug self-administration, extinction and …
Familiarity Differentially Affects Right Hemisphere Contributions To Processing Metaphors And Literals,
2015
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Familiarity Differentially Affects Right Hemisphere Contributions To Processing Metaphors And Literals, V. T. Lai, Wessel Van Dam, L. L. Conant, J. R. Binder, Rutvik Desai
Faculty Publications
The role of the two hemispheres in processing metaphoric language is controversial. While some studies have reported a special role of the right hemisphere (RH) in processing metaphors, others indicate no difference in laterality relative to literal language. Some studies have found a role of the RH for novel/unfamiliar metaphors, but not conventional/familiar metaphors. It is not clear, however, whether the role of the RH is specific to metaphor novelty, or whether it reflects processing, reinterpretation or reanalysis of novel/unfamiliar language in general. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the effects of familiarity in both metaphoric …
