Physiology Commons^™

The Effect Of Attentional Focus Instructions On Single Leg Balance Performance 2020., Cory Monahan

Master's Theses

Balance and postural control exercises are often a part of exercise programs. During exercise programs, movement practitioners can provide instructions to facilitate performance and learning. Instructions can be used to direct attentional focus, which has been found to affect the performance and learning of motor skills, including balance and postural control tasks. However, no known studies to date have investigated the effect of both internal and external attentional focus instructions on static single leg balance performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of attentional focus instructions on static single leg balance performance as reflected by the …

Amygdala And Neocortical Structural Volume Analysis In The Shank3b Mutant Mouse Model Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Preet Sawhney

Honors Scholar Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by abnormal social behavior, deficits in communication, and motor stereotypy. The SHANK3 gene, responsible for the generation of a scaffolding protein that is integral for the development of synapses, has been identified as one of the primary candidate genes implicated in the disorder. Shank3B is the rodent homolog for this gene. Research has shown that when this gene is disrupted in rodent models (e.g., via knock-out (KO)), ASD-like behaviors result. These include deficits in social interaction, increased anxiety, and repetitive self-grooming. The current study aimed to identify a physiological …

Safe Sleep: Developmental Implications For Hospitalized Infants, Katherine Kohlsaat

Senior Honors Projects

The rate at which an infant develops both physically and cognitively is significant during sleep, as this is the time when the entire body can dedicate its efforts to this cause. Parents of healthy infants follow the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) relating to safe sleep, and since their introduction in 1992, the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) has decreased by 40% (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). However, if an infant has been hospitalized since birth due to necessary invasive procedures such as open-heart surgery, these protocols cannot be initially implemented. Common …

Functional Analysis Of A Critical Glycine (Glycine 12) In Beta-Type Connexins Of Human Skin, Rasheed Bailey

Biology Theses

At least five beta-type connexins are expressed in various layers of the skin (Cx26, Cx30, Cx30.3, Cx31, and Cx32) and all include a glycine residue at position 12. Glycine12 (G12) is located about halfway through the cytoplasmic amino terminus and has been the focus of several studies related to connexin diseases and gap junction channel structure. The importance of this residue is evident in the severity and diversity of diseases associated with amino acid substitutions at G12 including hereditary forms of skin disease, deafness and neuropathy. This study uses bioinformatic analysis in combination with mutational analysis and electrophysiology to better …

Microglia-Neuron Interactions In A Mouse Model Of Low Grade Neuroepithelial Tumors, Veolette Hanna

Honors Scholar Theses

Microglia are the macrophages of the brain and spinal cord, playing an important role in the immune response to disease states of the nervous system. This study conducts an investigation on the activity of microglia in response to low grade neuroepithelial tumors. Using mouse models and microglial markers, a qualitative and quantitative analysis of microglia activation, migration, and invasion within the brain cortex during early stages of tumor development was conducted. It was found that the presence of a low grade neuroepithelial tumor in the cortex of one hemisphere of the brain causes significant microglia activation in comparison to the …

Ctrp3 And Alcoholic Liver Disease In Female Mice, Callie Root

Undergraduate Honors Theses

C1q TNF Related Protein 3 (CTRP3), is a cytokine that is primarily secreted from adipose tissue, which classifies it as an adipokine. Our previous research has shown that CTRP3 prevents alcoholic fatty liver disease (ALD) in male mice. However, even when accounting for confounding factors such as absolute and relative alcohol intake, females are more sensitive to the effects of consumption compared to male mice. Therefore, the goal of this project was to determine whether CTRP3 prevented ALD in female mice. Methods: Female wild type (WT) and female CTRP3 transgenic over expressing (Tg) mice were fed an ethanol containing liquid …

Effects Of Normobaric Hypoxia On Oculomotor Dynamics Of Aviator Students During A Simulated Flight Task, Carl Wesley Rider, Abby Mccarty, Anna Blackley, Austin Deshner, Josh Engberg, Kaela Ehrlich, Theodore Hu, Maja Jankovic, Moroni De Moors, Jared Hornsby, Mitchell Morrison, Brian Walsh

Masters Theses

Hypoxia occurs when the body's tissues are unable to obtain adequate oxygen supply and is the primary environmental factor present when pilots are exposed to increasing altitude levels. Hypoxia leads to impaired vision, cognition, and motor control function, which can negatively affect performance and become deadly if a pilot becomes incapacitated. Thus, objective identification of early-onset hypoxia is critical to increase the time of useful consciousness and prevent physiological episodes. Of the few studies utilizing eye-tracking, there is disagreement and mixed results concerning saccadic eye metrics as a means to measure and detect hypoxia. Therefore, the purpose of this study …

The Effects Of Zoledronate And Sleep Deprivation On The Distal Femur Trabecular Thickness Of Ovariectomized Rats: Application Of Different Statistical Methods, Erin Nolte

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the degradation of bone, leading to an increased risk of fracture. 1 in 3 women over the age of 50 will be affected by Osteoporosis. This study aims to understand how bone is affected by sleep deprivation in estrogen-deficient rats, and how Zoledronate might negate the inimical effects of sleep deprivation on bone. As bone mineral density (BMD) is a crude evaluation of the architectural changes seen in Osteoporosis, trabecular thickness may serve as a better single evaluation of bone health. 31 Wistar female rats were ovariectomized and separated into 4 random groups. The …

Alternative Polyadenylation Modulates Expression Of Pro-Fibrotic Proteins And Contributes To Lung Fibrosis, Junsuk Ko

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease which affects about 5 to 8 million individuals in the world. Despite the high prevalence, there is currently no cure for IPF, and the cause of this disease is still unclear. Our laboratory and collaborators have shown that nudix hydrolase 21 (NUDT21, which is also known as cleavage factor 25, CFIm25) is a key regulator of alternative polyadenylation (APA). NUDT21 depletion causes 3’UTR shortening via APA leading to enhanced mRNA stability and protein translation. This NUDT21 reduction promotes tumor growth in glioblastoma by enhancing expression of oncogenes. Cancer and IPF share …

Bilateral Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics In Response To Repeat Sprint Cycling In Strong And Weak Individuals, John Abbott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Repeat sprint ability has been investigated thoroughly, however optimal training methodology to improve RSA remains elusive. Both kinetic and physiological viewpoints have been used to scrutinize aspects of RSA including, initial sprint performance (anaerobic power), maximal cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max), lactate threshold, anaerobic capacity (mean power), muscle activation (EMG), and local muscle oxygenation kinetics. To our knowledge no study has utilized maximal strength levels as a separate factor among a homogenous group of cardiorespiratory fitness individuals (as determined by peak VO2 during RSA). The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between maximal strength, muscular characteristics, and cycling …

Effectiveness Of Plyometric Drills On Peak, Average And End Anaerobic Power In Trained And Untrained Individuals, Erik Oehler

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Understanding how to optimize training for every individual is the goal for all exercise specialists. The current study looked into the effects of plyometric development drills within differently trained populations on anaerobic peak power, average power, end power, and fatigue index. Purpose: This research was intended to explore the potential for untrained individuals to benefit positively from plyometric training in peak power, end power and average power proportionally equal to trained individuals. Methods: Participants were recruited both verbally and electronically. Recruited participants (n = 11, age = 21.3 ± 0.6 years, weight = 69.4 ± 15.0 kg, height = 170.3 …

Utilizing Breathing Techniques To Maximize Training Performance, Peyton Cater

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Anaerobic exercise causes metabolic acidosis to occur in the muscle, which is unfavorable for sustaining high intensity activity, as fatigue starts to set in. In order to compensate for the onset of fatigue produced by an acidic environment, respiratory alkalosis, induced by hyperventilation, can be performed to mitigate these effects. In contrast, research has shown that slowing down the breath rate, such as a two second inhale and three second exhale, has led to an increase in performance outcomes. Purpose: To investigate power output and the physiological responses after implementation of different breathing techniques during the recovery periods of intermittent …

Rapid Evolution Of Starvation Resistance In Drosophila: Physiological And Molecular Mechanisms, Austin Joseph Mckenna

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Gibbs lab has maintained starvation-selected Drosophila melanogaster for >130 generations. These starvation-selected flies evolved an obese phenotype with a suite of physiological differences compared to control-fed flies. Previous studies have shown that long-term starvation-selected Drosophila contain more lipids, have lower metabolic rates and develop more slowly than controls. This dissertation encompasses 1) Examining the molecular mechanisms contributing to starvation resistance, 2) Functional validation of the candidate plin1 allele, and 3) Rapid physiological and genomic evolution in starvation-selected Drosophila.

Starvation-selected Drosophila survive starvation conditions much longer than control-fed flies. This study took a simple approach to identify possible differences in …

Preliminary Study: Leucine Supplementation Exacerbates Muscle Wasting Independent Of The Ubiquitin-Proteasome System, Katarina Bejarano

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cachexia is the rapid, drastic loss of muscle mass associated with cancer and is not reversible by conventional nutritional means (Brown et al., 2018; Brown et al., 2017). It occurs in ~80% of cancer patients and is responsible for 20-40% of cancer-related deaths (Brown et al., 2018; Brown et al., 2017). This condition leaves patients with fatigue, functional impairment, reduced quality of life, and a decrease in survival rates. Cachexia occurs through an imbalance between protein degradation and protein synthesis (Brown et al., 2018), which is associated with inflammation and altered metabolic processes.

Several studies have investigated the effects …

Effect Of Hyposaline Stress On Metabolic Rate Of The Invasive Mussel Mytilus Galloprovincialis, Hayley C. Hart

Honors Thesis

Climate change is predicted to decrease ocean salinity as the polar ice caps melt and the occurrence of precipitation events increases. Decreased ocean salinity (hyposalinity) may negatively impact marine invertebrates, especially marine mussels, as they are osmoconformers and their internal osmolarity depends on the solute concentration of their environment. Hyposalinity stress may influence cell function and alter mussel physiology. To compensate for the change in the environment, mussels may expend more energy to restore internal osmolarity, which can be assessed by quantifying metabolic rate. Thus, the purpose of our research was to examine the physiological response of Mytilus galloprovincialis, …

Wai Puna: An Indigenous Model Of Māori Water Safety And Health In Aotearoa, New Zealand, Chanel Phillips Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Māori (the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, New Zealand) are intimately connected to wai (i.e., water) yet are overrepresented in New Zealand’s drowning statistics each year. On average Māori account for 20-24% of all preventable and non-preventable drowning fatalities, despite comprising only 15 percent of New Zealand’s population. Drowning remains a significant issue posing a threat to whānau (i.e., families) through premature death being imminent and whakapapa (i.e., genealogy) being interrupted. There is limited research that has examined Māori and indigenous understandings of water safety within the literature and limited studies that have investigated the issue of Māori drowning from a …

An Examination Of The Validity Of An Ios-Based Heart Rate And Pulse Oximetry App During And After Moderate Intensity Exercise, Nathan Grizenko, Rachel Shipman, Ian Cree, Mitchell Colvin

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Fitness tracking apps are popular. There is little data validating their use during and after exercise. PURPOSE: Validate an iOS-based pulse oximeter against a fingertip pulse oximeter and a Polar® heart rate monitor during moderate intensity exercise and recovery. METHODS: Age Estimated Maximal Heart Rate (AEMHR) was calculated for fifteen college-aged students. Participants completed a 30-minute running trial divided into three 10-minute segments intended to elicit heart rate responses of 60, 70, and 80% of AEMHR. Heart rate and oxygen saturation data were collected at five and nine minutes of each segment. RESULTS: At 60% the digiDoc® app exhibited a …

Training Evaluation For Introductory Ocean Lifeguard Instruction: A Practical Example From California, William A. Koon, Ryan M. Gates, Jack Futoran

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Ocean lifeguards have several responsibilities that require precise training. California State Parks is one of the largest providers of open water lifeguard services in the United States, and trains approximately 200 new lifeguards per year. As part of our lifeguard training section’s quality improvement efforts, we conducted a training needs assessment to help determine how well our introductory ocean lifeguard training curriculum prepared lifeguards to perform job related tasks upon successful completion of the training program. We surveyed both first year and seasoned lead lifeguards on operational needs, training gaps, and specific subject areas. We identified several areas where our …

Aminoacyl-Trna Synthetases, Miguel Angel Rubio Gomez, Michael Ibba

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are an essential and universally distributed family of enzymes that plays a critical role in protein synthesis, pairing tRNAs with their cognate amino acids for decoding mRNAs according to the genetic code. Synthetases help to ensure accurate translation of the genetic code by using both highly accurate cognate substrate recognition and stringent proofreading of noncognate products. While alterations in the quality control mechanisms of synthetases are generally detrimental to cellular viability, recent studies suggest that in some instances such changes facilitate adaption to stress conditions. Beyond their central role in translation, synthetases are also emerging as key …

Inhibition Of Grk2, But Not Hsp90 Reduces Mitochondrial Superoxide And Improves Vasodilation Capacity Of Coronary Arterioles From Aged Female Rats, Michaela N Dukes, Evan P. Tracy B.S., Amanda Jo Leblanc Ph.D.

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

Introduction: In post-menopausal women, small coronary microvessel dysfunction is the predominant heart disease presentation.There is currently no single treatment to tackle the multifactorial etiology of micro vessel dysfunction including oxidative stress, hyper constricted state, endothelial dysfunction, and blunted beta-adrenergic function. In the heart, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), such as the b-adrenergic receptor (bADR) investigated in this experiment, are active in mediating vessel contractility vasodilation to facilitate blood flow. The presence of GPCR kinase 2 (GRK2), which inhibit bADRs, increase in old age and may mediate blunted capacity to vasodilate. Furthermore, GRK2 can be translocated to the mitochondria via heat shock …