Physiology Commons^™

Enhancing Cell Therapy For Ischemic Cardiomyopathy., Michael J. Book

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiac cell therapy using cardiac mesenchymal cells (CMC) significantly reduces ventricular dysfunction in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Despite the improvement in function, a modest number of CMCs survive in the heart post-transplantation. In this study, we sought to improve the survival and retention of transplanted CMCs to prolong the therapeutic benefits afforded by cardiac cell therapy. To do this, we targeted the enzyme telomerase (TERT), known to be active in some highly proliferating cells (e.g. germ, stem). TERT is responsible for preventing telomere attrition, thereby allowing continued proliferation. TERT has also been shown to be protective, improve cell migration and …

Insulin And Ketones: Their Roles In Brain Mitochondrial Function, Sheryl Teresa Carr

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of both Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing worldwide, and the trends are unfortunately expected to continue. AD has recently been tied with mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance, creating a mechanistic tie between AD and T2DM. Unfortunately, insulin resistance is often increased with aging and therefore, all individuals are at risk of brain mitochondrial dysfunction. Without proper mitochondrial function, the brain will degenerate, causing impaired cognitive function and reduced quality of life. The purpose of this study is two-fold: first, to understand the role of ceramides in insulin-induced brain mitochondrial dysfunction, and; second, …

Growth Patterns And Size-Group Interactions In Hatchery-Reared Age-0 Lake Sturgeon, Joseph M. Susco

All NMU Master's Theses

Raising lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in hatcheries is an important tool for rehabilitation and conservation, but is expensive. When hatchery sturgeon do not grow large enough before stocking, their odds of survival decline significantly and resources are wasted. We investigated the potential limiting effect of large lake sturgeon on the growth rate of smaller conspecifics housed in the same tank, and the possibility of increasing growth rates by separating individuals into different size classes. We also examined plasma cortisol levels of the different size classes over time as an indicator of stress levels, and levels of free plasma …

Time-Activity And Energy Budgets Of Eared Grebes (Podiceps Nigricollis) At Salton Sea, Samantha San Francisco

Theses

Time-activity budgets have been a widely accepted way of approximating the daily energy expenditure of many species, including waterbirds. For this study, focal animal sampling was used to study Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) at their post-wintering stopover site, Salton Sea. Daylight time-activity budgets were converted to energy budgets using energy equivalents for diving, preening, swimming, and resting on water developed for Eared Grebes previously by H. I. Ellis (1994). Post-wintering Eared Grebes arrive at Salton Sea in waves at differing times in the spring. As a result, there can be individuals in a variety of physiological states during …

Factors Influencing Induction Of Desiccation Tolerance In Bryophytes: Redefining Fundamental Aspects Of The Organism’S Relationship With The Environment In Xeric Habitats, Joshua Lee Greenwood

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

If one wishes to understand the ecological role, range, habitat preferences, selective pressures, reproduction, response to climate change, and the potential for survival under climactic change, range expansion and range contraction for species and populations of bryophytes, an understanding of their survival of the desiccated state, is essential. In order to further our understanding of desiccation tolerance in mosses, three projects were undertaken. The first of these investigated the nature of desiccation tolerance in mosses, specifically if desiccation tolerance can be induced; thereby providing a desiccation tolerant phenotype in a moss species generally considered desiccation sensitive (Physcomitrella patens, the model …

The Transcriptional Regulation Of The Human Angiotensinogen Gene After High-Fat Diet Is Haplotype-Dependent: Novel Insights Into The Gene-Regulatory Networks And Implications For Human Hypertension, A Rana, S Jain, N Puri, M Kaw, N Sirianni, D Eren, Brahma Mopidevi, Anand Kumar

NYMC Faculty Publications

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human angiotensinogen (hAGT) gene may modulate its transcription and affect the regulation of blood pressure via activation of the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS). In this regard, we have identified polymorphisms in the 2.5 Kb promoter of the hAGT gene that form two haplotype (Hap) blocks: -6A/G (-1670A/G, -1562C/T, -1561T/C) and -217A/G (-532T/C, -793A/G, -1074T/C & -1178G/A). hAGT gene with Hap -6A/-217A (Hap I) is associated with increased blood pressure whereas, Hap -6G/-217G (Hap II) is associated with normal blood pressure in human subjects. Since RAAS over activity contributes to hypertension in obesity, we have …

Thermal And Developmental Ecology Of Pupfish, Cyprinodon, Alexander Jones

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Pupfish from the genus Cyprinodon are among the most endangered groups of fishes on the planet, with nearly 40% of species being threatened with extinction. These pupfishes are often assumed to be the most temperature tolerant of all fish, coping with temperatures as low as 0 °C and as high as 44 °C. However, conflicting data exist and certain measures of thermal tolerance are not markedly higher in pupfish compared to common game fish. Pupfish egg production and growth has been known to be hampered at temperatures well below what they apparently experience in nature. I addressed why eggs fail …

The Psychophysiological Correlates Of Personality, Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And Social Support, Meghan E. Pierce

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Theories considering the etiology of psychopathy suggest that trauma exposure, specifically childhood maltreatment and sexual abuse, is related to the development of callous-unemotional traits in children and adolescents, which are precursors to psychopathic traits in adulthood. Furthermore, posttraumatic stress disorder has an opposite relationship with many of the emotional and behavioral components of the two-factor model of psychopathy. Specifically, PTSD is positively associated to IA and traits associated with it and negatively associated with FD. Thus, this study sought to expand upon the current theories of a trauma-based etiology of psychopathy by investigating the relationship between trauma, PTSD, and psychopathic …

Role Of Trpv4 In Astrocyte Extracellular Matrix Production, Abby Terlouw

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is an alteration of brain pathology following damage of the central nervous system (CNS) by an external force. In the CNS, glial scar formation often occurs following TBI, and astrocytes are widely believed to contribute to this scar formation. While the role of astrocytes in extracellular matrix (ECM) production is known, the exact mechanism(s) for this event remain unclear. One possible method is the activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4). TRPV4 is a channel protein found in the astrocyte membrane which has been shown to generate intracellular calcium ions following mechanical stimulation. Previous research …

Qt Prolongation Is Associated With Increased Mortality In End Stage Liver Disease, Sun Moon Kim, Bennet George, Diego Alcivar-Franco, Charles L. Campbell, Richard Charnigo, Brian P. Delisle, Jonathan Hundley, Yousef Darrat, Gustavo Morales, Samy-Claude Elayi, Alison L. Bailey

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

AIM

To determine the prevalence of QT prolongation in a large series of end stage liver disease (ESLD) patients and its association to clinical variables and mortality.

METHODS

The QT interval was measured and corrected for heart rate for each patient, with a prolonged QT cutoff defined as QT > 450 ms for males and QT > 470 ms for females. Multiple clinical variables were evaluated including sex, age, serum sodium, international normalized ratio, creatinine, total bilirubin, beta-blocker use, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), MELD-Na, and etiology of liver disease.

RESULTS

Among 406 ESLD patients analyzed, 207 (51.0%) had QT prolongation. …

Constitutive Activation Of Kappa Opioid Receptors At Ventral Tegmental Area Inhibitory Synapses Following Acute Stress., Abigail M Polter, Kelsey Barcomb, Rudy W Chen, Paige M Dingess, Nicholas M Graziane, Travis E Brown, Julie A Kauer

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

Stressful experiences potently activate kappa opioid receptors (κORs). κORs in the ventral tegmental area regulate multiple aspects of dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic cell function. Here we show that at GABAergic synapses on rat VTA dopamine neurons, a single exposure to a brief cold-water swim stress induces prolonged activation of κORs. This is mediated by activation of the receptor during the stressor followed by a persistent, ligand-independent constitutive activation of the κOR itself. This lasting change in function is not seen at κORs at neighboring excitatory synapses, suggesting distinct time courses and mechanisms of regulation of different subsets of κORs. We also …

Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics, And Metabolism Of The Dna-Decoy Ayx1 For The Prevention Of Acute And Chronic Post-Surgical Pain, Julien Mamet, Scott Harris, Michael Klukinov, David C. Yeomans, Renee R. Donahue, Bradley K. Taylor, Kelly Eddinger, Tony Yaksh, Donald C. Manning

Physiology Faculty Publications

Background: AYX1 is an unmodified DNA-decoy designed to reduce acute post-surgical pain and its chronification with a single intrathecal dose at the time of surgery. AYX1 inhibits the transcription factor early growth response protein 1, which is transiently induced at the time of injury and triggers gene regulation in the dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord that leads to long-term sensitization and pain. This work characterizes the AYX1 dose-response profile in rats and the link to AYX1 pharmacokinetics and metabolism in the cerebrospinal fluid, dorsal root ganglia, and spinal cord.

Results: The effects of ascending dose-levels of AYX1 on mechanical …

Casein Protein Supplementation In Trained Men And Women: Morning Versus Evening, Jose Antonio

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(3): 479-486, 2017. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of casein supplementation (54 grams) in the morning (Casein-MOR) or evening (Casein-EVE) (90 minutes or less prior to sleep) on measures of body composition and exercise performance in trained men and women. Twenty-six healthy men and women who had been training regularly for greater than 12 months completed this 8-week study (mean±SD; Casein-MOR group [n=14, seven male, seven female]: 30.0±8.2 yr; 170.7±9.5 cm; 70.9±13.9 kg. Casein-EVE group [n=12, nine male, three female]: 28.9±9.5 yr; 172.9±7.3 cm; 72.6±10.9 kg). Subjects in each group …

Assessment Of Differences In The Anthropometric, Physiological And Training Characteristics Of Finishers And Non-Finishers In A Tropical 161-Km Ultra-Marathon, Philip Ls Tan, Frankie Hy Tan, Andrew N. Bosch

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(3): 465-478, 2017. This study aimed to compare and determine the differences in the physiological, anthropometric and training characteristics of the finishers (FIN) and non-finishers (N-FIN) in a 161-km race. Two groups of runners (FIN; N=12 and N-FIN; N=14) completed a series of anthropometric and physiological measurements over two separate sessions at least three weeks prior to the race. Training sessions starting from six weeks prior to the race were recorded. Sum of 7 skinfolds, arm and calf girths, VO2max and peak treadmill speed (PTS) were taken during session 1 while the lactate threshold (LT) …

Demands Of Simulated Commuting Using An Electrically Assisted Bicycle, D. Taylor La Salle, Robert Shute, Matthew Heesch, Dustin Slivka

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(3): 454-464, 2017. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends adults participate in weekly aerobic activity for a minimum of 30 minutes moderate intensity exercise 5 days per week or 20 minutes of vigorous activity 3 days per week. The electrically assisted bicycle may help individuals achieve the ACSM’s aerobic recommendations and introduce inactive individuals to physical activity. To compare the physiological requirements of riding a bicycle with electric pedal assist versus non-assist among healthy active young adults. 6 males and 6 females completed two randomized cycling trials using electric pedal assist (PAB) and …

Self-Optimization Of Stride Length Among Experienced And Inexperienced Runners, Iain Hunter, James B. Tracy, Jared Ward

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(3): 446-453, 2017. Experienced runners appear to naturally select a stride length which is optimal for minimizing oxygen uptake. However, whether this ability is naturally built into the human body or whether it is learned through experience has not been previously tested. This study investigated whether inexperienced runners are as capable as experienced runners of self-optimizing stride length to minimize oxygen uptake. Thirty-three subjects (nineteen experienced and fourteen inexperienced) ran for twenty-minutes while preferred and economical stride lengths were measured. A t-test checked for differences between the experienced and inexperienced groups in the percent increase …

Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: An Immunometabolic Perspective., Paras K. Mishra, Wei Ying, Shyam Sundar Nandi, Gautam K. Bandyopadhyay, Kaushik K. Patel, Sushil K. Mahata

Journal Articles: Cellular & Integrative Physiology

The heart possesses a remarkable inherent capability to adapt itself to a wide array of genetic and extrinsic factors to maintain contractile function. Failure to sustain its compensatory responses results in cardiac dysfunction, leading to cardiomyopathy. Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy and reduced diastolic function, with or without concurrent systolic dysfunction in the absence of hypertension and coronary artery disease. Changes in substrate metabolism, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, formation of extracellular matrix proteins, and advanced glycation end products constitute the early stage in DCM. These early events are followed by steatosis (accumulation of lipid droplets) …

A Correlational Study Of Religiosity And Total Body Fat Composition In Collegiate Populations, Courtney Bostrum, Ryan Radtke, Seth A. Paradis

Applied Health Sciences Student Works

Previous research indicates rising levels of body fat composition in Americans. One contributing factor may be an individual’s degree of religiosity. Although not all, most studies have found religiosity to negatively impact body mass index (BMI) and obesity levels. Minimal research has been conducted regarding the relations between religiosity and body fat percentage. Not only do the overall increasing trends in body fat composition cost the American people between $48 and $68 billion per year in medical care, but excess body fat increases the risk for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Religious factors have been shown to play a role …

Hypotensive Responses Of Reciprocal Supersets Versus Traditional Resistance Training In Apparently Healthy Men, Claudio Melibeu Bentes, Pablo B. Costa Corresponding Author, Victor Gonçalves Corrêa Neto, Roberto Simão, Gabriel Andrade Paz, Marianna Maia, Tiago Figueiredo, Gabriel Rodrigues Neto, Jefferson S. Novaes, Humberto Miranda

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(3): 434-445, 2017. The purpose of this study was to compare the hypotensive responses of reciprocal supersets (SS) versus traditional training (TRAD) methods. Thirteen men with at least five years of recreational experience in resistance training (RT) volunteered for the study. When completing the TRAD protocol, participants performed the following exercises separately in sequence: chest press (CP), low row (LR), leg extension (LE), leg curl (LC), pull down (PD), and shoulder press (SP). The SS method required participants to complete the same exercises as in the TRAD protocol, but exercises were coupled such that muscles …

Passion For Academics And Problematic Health Behaviors, Alex T. Bureau, Selen Razon Ph.D, Umit Tokac, Bryan K. Saville, Lawrence W. Judge

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(3): 417-433, 2017. According to the Dualistic Model of Passion (39), passion entails valuing, liking, and spending time on an activity. The Dualistic Model also posits two types of passion for activities: harmonious passion (individual voluntarily engages in the activity) and obsessive passion (individual is compelled to engage in the activity). The purpose of the present study was to examine the possible links between college students’ passion for academic activities and problematic health behaviors including smoking, excessive drinking, exercise addiction, disordered eating, and sleepiness, which is a possible indicator of sleep deprivation. Participants (n = …