Physiology Commons^™

Mentorship Across A Decade: From Early Career To Mid-Career, Jessica Immonen

The Journal of Integrative Physiology

As a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Integrative Physiology, I was asked to share my reflections on mentoring. The way I functioned as a mentor when I was a junior faculty member was strongly shaped by the mentorship I received through my training years. The way I function as a mentor in my mid-career era has brought pearls from my training mentors but it has become unique to me as a person and a professional.

Impacts Of Polyploidization On Endocrine Regulation And Vocalization In The Gray Treefrog Complex, Avery Thigpen

Honors Theses

Comparative genomics data suggest that vertebrates are descendants of ancestral polyploids and that historical polyploidization events fueled evolutionary innovations. For example, polyploidization can modify gene expression patterns and/or increase gene mutation rates to alter the phenotype. While considerable emphasis has been placed on the evolutionary impact of ancient polyploidization events, less is known regarding phenotypic modifications in extant polyploids. I examined circulating levels of adrenal glucocorticoids and gonadal steroids in the diploid-tetraploid gray treefrog complex to understand how polyploidization has impacted hormonal regulation. Furthermore, I examined the relationships between levels of these hormones and acoustic signals to examine if and …

Biomarkers That Could Explain Parasite-Induced Behavioral Alterations In The Golden Shiner (Notemigonus Crysoleucas) – Posthodiplostomum System, Laura D. Nicolas

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Trophically transmitted parasites require an intermediate host to be consumed and often manipulate host phenotype (i.e., morphology, physiology, and/or behavior) to increase predation risk by definitive hosts. Posthodiplostomum is a trematode with a complex life cycle involving snails as first hosts, fish as second intermediate hosts, and piscivorous birds as definitive hosts. In fish hosts, Posthodiplostomum infection has been linked to increased predation, suggesting suppression of antipredator behaviors. However, the specific physiological pathways remained unexplored and changes in the host’s neural, endocrine, and immune systems could be involved. Thus, I examined whether Posthodiplostomum infection intensity was associated with brain serotonin …

Stress And Glucose Regulation In Adults At Risk For Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Secondary Analysis From A Randomized Controlled Trial, Sophia Lysne, Regina Dispa, Brenna Way, Bea Francene Pilnade, Donya Shahamati, Romina Ballesteros, Christopher Acosta, Keren Morales, Esther Adaji, Ohis Egbaidomeh

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health concern, significantly increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Additionally, prediabetes is a critical precursor, as it elevates the risk of developing both T2DM and CVDs. (2)

Recent literature reveals among individuals with severe perceived stress, there is a higher likelihood of HbA1c% levels meeting the criteria for prediabetes (5.7– 6.4%) as compared to those with lower perceived stress. (3)

Studies show that psychological stress has hyperglycemic effects in individuals with T2DM, suggesting that stress is associated with poorer blood glucose control. (4)

Does Limb Specialization In Track And Field Introduce Asymmetry In Dynamic Stability?, Aaron X. Jones

Master's Theses

Time to stabilization (TTS) represents the time it takes for a person to become still after a hop landing. Lower times suggest greater dynamic stability. Whereas leg dominance (preference) does not seem to have a significant impact on TTS performance in the general healthy populations, limb specialization in sport may introduce asymmetry. This study compares TTS following forward hops in healthy male controls (N = 19) to varsity DIII Track & Field athletes (N = 20). Groups were equal for height, but the athlete group’s average limb length (106.7 ± 5.5 cm) was greater than the control group (101.5 ± …

Glp1 Ra Reverses The Harmful Association Of Body Weight Variability With Cvd Outcomes Across Different Metabolic Profiles, Sarpong Boateng, Yussif Issaka Md, Basile Njei

Posters

This study aimed to investigate the impact of GLP1 RA on this known negative relationship between BMI variability and cardiovascular (CVD) outcomes across different metabolic profiles.

Impacts Of Temperature Acclimation On Swimming Performance And Metabolic Dynamics Of The Amargosa River Pupfish, Cyprinodon Nevadensis Amargosae, Teresa E. Guerre

Master's Theses

Climate change is leading to warmer atmospheric temperatures in many regions of the world, which in turn is raising the temperatures of aquatic habitats and simultaneously shifting the frequency and severity of extreme precipitation events. In fishes, metabolic demands are higher under warmer conditions, while dissolved oxygen levels typically decline in warmer water. This mismatch may limit the ability of fishes to cope with high water flow events like floods that can occur following extreme rainfall. A few species of pupfishes (genus Cyprinodon) in the Death Valley region of California and Nevada, USA, occupy stream or river habitats with …

Neuronal Tol-1 Integrates Microbial And Metabolic Cues To Modulate Feeding And Aversion In C. Elegans, Gursimran Singh Gujral

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key mediators of innate immunity, but emerging evidence suggests that they also play critical roles in the functioning of the central nervous system. This thesis explores the function of TOL-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of mammalian TLRs, in sensory neurobiology and behavioral responses to nutritive food. In particular, carbon dioxide and ethanol are commonly encountered in microbial environments and can signal metabolically active food sources or potential pathogens. Using tol-1 loss-of-function mutants, neuronal rescue lines, and a combination of molecular, tissue imaging, and behavioral assays, we demonstrate that TOL-1 functions in chemosensory neurons to regulate feeding …

Hypoxia Induced Ribosomal Rna Fragmentation Mediated By Rnase L, Vanessa Kristina Pizutelli, Dimitri G Pestov

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Ischemic injury contributes to a range of global pathologies. Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury (IRI) is a paradoxical phenomenon that involves an initial restriction of blood flow followed by a sudden restoration of perfusion. This type of injury takes place in conditions such as myocardial infarction, acute kidney disease, and ischemic stroke and often leads to cellular death. Additionally, IRI exacerbates post-surgical outcomes and plays a role in graft dysfunction and transplant rejection. Despite efforts to develop therapies targeting known IRI pathways, clinical trials have largely been unsuccessful, underscoring the need for alternative mechanisms and biomarkers associated with IRI-induced apoptosis. Reactive oxygen species …

Understanding The Properties Of Repair Protein P26 For Dry-State Preservation Of Biological Materials., Hannah Skaggs

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

The preservation of complex biological materials in the frozen state has been well established and plays a critical role in the advancement of clinical applications and the pharmaceutical industry. Cryopreservation of complex biological materials has several clinical applications, including vaccine preservation, bone marrow transplants, cell therapeutics, and increasing the shelf life of red blood cells (RBCs) for transfusion. However, many challenges are present, including the use of toxic protective agents and the financial burden of maintaining extremely low temperatures between 193.15 and – 77.6 K (Parihar, Kumar et al. 2023). Lyophilization, or freeze-drying, presents an opportunity to mitigate such challenges. …

Stromal Cells In The Small Intestine: Physiology, Localization, Function, And Alterations Induced By Chronic Arsenic Exposure, Scott Ventrello

All Dissertations

Arsenic is a prevalent toxicant found to affect around 94 to 240 million individuals in over fifty countries who are exposed to levels above the EPA and WHO standard of 10 ppb. As one of WHO’s top ten chemicals of public health concern, it is linked to several chronic diseases including diabetes, obesity, cancers, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Arsenic increases inflammation and disrupts the intestinal barrier in the small intestine and colon. Further, previous studies found that arsenic decreased secretory cell lineage and stromal cell gene expression markers in the small intestine. Thus, our goal was to investigate arsenic’s effect …

Implications Of Type Iv Pilus Retraction For Dna Uptake By Acinetobacter Baumannii, Yafan Yu

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) via natural competence allows bacteria to incorporate extracellular DNA (eDNA) into their genomes, facilitating genetic diversity and adaptation. In Acinetobacter species, natural competence depends on DNA binding and uptake mediated by type IV pili (T4P). T4P are dynamic extracellular filaments composed primarily of the major pilin subunit PilA, along with a few minor subunits. T4P drive a range of cellular functions including twitching motility, biofilm formation, and DNA uptake, with some functions dependent on pilus retraction and others not. However, how Acinetobacter T4P bind DNA and how T4P/eDNA interactions impact biofilm formation remain unclear. Here, I …

Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination Protocols Using Pre-Synchronization In Suckled Beef Cows, Wyatt Eugene Weber

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adoption of artificial insemination by beef producers has been limited within the United States. Estrous synchronization (ES) for fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) has been one of the most effective ways to implement artificial insemination into beef production systems, but its efficiency has primarily been restrained by the dependency on the effectiveness of the initial gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) injection in many FTAI protocols. The hypotheses of these studies were to determine practical methods of pre-synchronization to improve current FTAI protocols, ultimately increasing beef herd reproductive performance. The objective was to evaluate the use of prostaglandin F2α (PGF) and progesterone (P4) …

Volatile Organic Compounds And Their Relation To Sympathetic Activation And Autonomic Balance In Humans., Cameron Kyle Stopforth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a multifaceted pathology that affects almost half of Americans ≥20 years old. One modifiable risk factor associated with CVD is air pollution exposure. The intricacy of air pollution exposure and CVD can make it difficult to elucidate on the multitude of mechanisms underpinning these associations. In this dissertation, we selected a relevant exposure (i.e., volatile organic compounds (VOC)) and an intermediate outcome (i.e., autonomic balance) that may represent one of these pertinent mechanisms. We tested the central hypothesis that higher VOC exposures would lead to increased sympathetic activation and autonomic imbalance. Aim 1 (Chapter III …

A Comprehensive Literature Review Of Barriers To Hormone Therapy Utilization: Strategies For Improving Menopause Management In Women Aged 40-60, Suhan Lee

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Menopause is a natural transition marked by the cessation of ovarian activity, often accompanied by vasomotor symptoms (VMS), genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), and psychological changes that significantly impact women’s quality of life. Hormone therapy (HT) has been the primary treatment for managing menopausal symptoms, particularly VMS, providing substantial relief when initiated within 10 years of menopause. Despite its effectiveness, HT usage has declined dramatically over the past two decades primarily due to barriers such as stigma, safety, misinformation, provider hesitancy, financial barriers, and cultural beliefs. This comprehensive literature review explores key factors influencing HT decision-making, including the media’s role …

Investigating The Effects Of Hepatocyte Growth Factor On Primary Myoblast Proliferation, Grace Heller

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) is a progressive vascular condition that affects over 200 million people worldwide and approximately 8 million in the United States. It is characterized by atherosclerotic narrowing of peripheral arteries, leading to reduced blood flow, ischemia, and, in severe cases, tissue loss and limb amputation. Although surgical revascularization is the gold standard, many patients—particularly those with comorbidities like diabetes— continue to experience poor outcomes, emphasizing the need for alternative therapies. One promising strategy is to enhance collateral arteriogenesis, the remodeling and enlargement of collateral arterioles that naturally bypass occluded vessels. Satellite cells (SCs), which give rise …

Assessing The Osmoregulatory Capabilities Of American Alligator Lingual Glands, Benjamin Angalet, Nicholas S. Green

Symposium of Student Scholars

Crocodilians inhabit a wide variety of aquatic, marine, and estuarine habitats on 4 continents. Saltwater-adapted species and populations face considerable osmoregulatory challenges in maintaining homeostasis with respect to plasma salt [NaCl] concentration. In addition to the kidneys and cloaca found in all crocodilians, crocodiles possess a salt-secreting lingual gland whose presence and function is less understood in other crocodilians. This study investigates the lingual gland anatomy, physiology, and potential function of American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) populations exposed to varying salinity levels. At each of four sites (Jekyll Island, Sapelo Island, Okefenokee NWR, and Banks Lake NWR), we will capture 12 …

Different Effects Between Trigeminal Sensory And Vagal Visceral Input On Salivary Gland Blood Flow, Ratna Ramadhani, Toshiya Sato, Hisayoshi Ishii

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the different effects of trigeminal sensory and vagal-visceral inputs on blood flow (BF) in the submandibular gland (SMG). Methods: Ten to eleven-week-old Wistar rats were anesthetized with urethane (1.0 g/kg) and artificially ventilated. The femoral artery was cannulated for systemic arterial blood pressure (SABP) measurement. The cervical sympathetic trunk (CST) on both sides and the cervical vagus nerve (CVN) on the right side were cut before the stimulation of the left abdominal vagus nerve (AVN). The CVN and lingual nerve (LN) were stimulated after cutting the CST and CVN. AVN, …

Evaluation Of Valid Vo2max Criteria For Graded Exercise Testing In Cancer Survivors, Daniel Y.K. Shackelford, Jessica M. Brown, Rhianna N. Patel

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(5): 443-455, 2025. Cardiovascular fitness (VO_2max) predicts all-cause mortality and is vital to assess in cancer survivors (CS) for individualized exercise prescriptions. Metabolic carts confirm VO_2max with respiratory exchange ratio (RER) >1.10; other VO_2max criteria include ≤10 beats/minute of maximal predicted heart rate and/or a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of >8 on the Modified Borg Scale. Another suggested criterion is respiratory frequency (Rf) > 40 breaths per minute. These criteria are assumed applicable for all populations, but due to cancer-related toxicities, frequency and validity of traditional VO_2max criteria usage in …

Metabolic And Microbial Crossroads: Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors And Urinary Tract Infections In (Asian) Diabetes Care, Rob E. Carpenter

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

The global rise of type 2 diabetes, particularly in Asian populations, has led to widespread adoption of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for glycemic control. While effective, these agents elevate the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) by inducing glycosuria, which creates a nutrient-rich environment that favors uropathogen growth. Asian individuals may be disproportionately vulnerable to SGLT2 inhibitor–associated UTIs due to a confluence of factors, including lower body mass index, increased visceral adiposity, congenital urinary tract anomalies, and genetic polymorphisms that impair uroepithelial integrity and immunity. This review integrates emerging evidence on the molecular, anatomical, and immunometabolic mechanisms that underlie infection …