Physiology Commons^™

Mentored Research In Geochemistry Of Ancient Maya And Fremont Archaeological Sites, Dr. Richard Terry

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many of the activities of the ancient Maya did not leave artifactual or architectural remains for us to study, since many activities involved organic materials that were biodegraded over time. Furthermore, the warm and humid climate accelerated the decomposition of most organic materials (Dahlin et al., 2007). However, minerals like phosphate contained in food and other organic materials are fixed on the soil surface, imprinting a chemical trace which is possible to analyze (Barba and Ortiz 1992; Terry et al. 2000; Parnell et al. 2001). Geochemical techniques can be used to determine ancient human activity and their correlation to minerals …

The Role Of Pas-Kinase In Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy And Endurance Adaptation, Dr. David Thomson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this mentoring environment grant was to determine whether the presence of the protein PAS-kinase (PASK) affects muscle growth and/or endurance performance. Our primary model system was the PASK knockout mouse (PASK-KO) and findings from this mouse were compared with wild-type (WT) mice. The project is now completed. The primary research objectives and findings are listed below:

Secretory Phospholipase A2, Dr. John Bell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) binds to and hydrolyzes cell membranes. It is important in inflammatory responses and diseases including septic shock, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Normally, cells resist the enzyme’s action, but they become susceptible early during the process of either biochemically-programmed or of traumatic cell death. A recent discovery demonstrated that the activity of different isozymes of sPLA2 depends on the type of cell death involved. Understanding the relationship between this specificity and physiological roles of these isozymes requires elucidation of the relevant molecular mechanisms. This project will test the hypothesis that the relative levels of four membrane biophysical parameters …

Studies On The Reaction Of High-Dose Hydroxocobalamin And Ascorbic Acid With Carbon Monoxide: Implications For Treatment Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Joseph Roderique

Theses and Dissertations

Based upon experimental evidence from the 1970’s we proposed that a reduced form of hydroxocobalamin should be capable of producing carbon dioxide (CO2) from carbon monoxide (CO) in blood, and that this conversion should be detectable. Using resonance raman spectroscopy we demonstrated that a mixture of hydroxocobalamin and ascorbic acid could create the reduced form of hydroxocobalamin. We used a closed-loop circulation system with a hollow-fiber membrane oxygenator to produce carboxyhemoglobin. Using sensitive gas monitoring equipment to the gas-out port of the oxygenator we analyzed the CO and CO2 concentrations coming from the oxygenator. The mixture of hydroxocobalamin and ascorbic …

Changes In Membrane Physical Properties During Chemotherapy, Dr. John Bell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many chemotherapeutic agents treat cancer by inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the tumor. One of the consequences of apoptosis is changes in the physical properties of the cell membrane. Some of these changes are important for other phagocytic cells to recognize and remove the dying cells thereby preventing an inflammatory response. However, other physical changes convert the membrane from its normal state of resistance to hydrolytic attack by enzymes present in the blood to a state of susceptibility. If this susceptibility precedes removal of the apoptotic cells by phagocytes, a harmful inflammatory response could potentially occur. Whether cells become …

Endocannabinoid Enzyme Expression In The Hippocampus, Dr. Jeff Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The objectives of this award were met, especially in regard to the mentoring focus of the award. The students have been mentored and trained in an effective manner as outlined below. Using this mentoring environment and the experiences gained by it has allowed all but one of the students graduating in the last two years from my lab to this point, to be accepted into the professional school of their choice (see students listed below). Research, especially where the students are actually involved in all aspects of it and publishing can play a major role in their acceptance to professional …

Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Is Down-Regulated In The Brains Of Female Hs Rats Compared To Ns Rats, Dr. James Porter

Journal of Undergraduate Research

We were able to use RT-PCR to confirm that mRNA expression for brain soluble epoxide hydrolase was significantly down-regulated. The magnitude of relative down-regulation was on the same order as that found using microarray analysis. This was an important finding since microarray data cannot be published unless corroborating evidence is found using a separate technology (these data were presented at the Experimental Biology 2010 meeting in April, 2010).

Receptors For Advanced Glycation End-Products (Rage) Mediates Particulate Matter-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation, Dr. Paul Reynolds

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Funding available through this MEG award has provided an opportunity for me to meet many academic objectives I’ve determined to be important in the early stages of my faculty appointment at BYU. First of all, I have been able to move my on site research program forward and involve many undergraduates in the process. Specific to the current MEG award, involved students and I have been able to accomplish the proposed research. We have been successful in conducting pilot studies that reveal possible roles for RAGE in mechanisms of lung inflammation induced by both diesel particulate matter (PM) and cigarette …

Modulation Of Synaptic Transmission By Adenosine In Layer 2/3 Of The Rat Visual Cortex In Vitro, Nicholas M. Bannon

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Integrating Quantitative Experiments Into The Physiology Classroom, Sowmya Anjur

Faculty Publications & Research

Physiology and Disease is a student led inquiry based class at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, where students design and execute their own experiments and analyze their data based on the evidence they have gathered. Student surveys have also indicated the need for more quantitation in lab experiments. To accommodate all these issues, several changes are being implemented into the course in an effort to allow students to identify the role of the neuronal controls for parameters such as blood pressure and heart rate, and to understand better how they work in concert. A new project (construction of a …

Improved Tolerance To Salt And Water Stress In Drosophila Melanogaster Cells Conferred By Late Embryogenesis Abundant Protein., Matthew Marunde, Dilini Samarajeewa, John Anderson, Shumin Li, Steven Hand, Michael Menze

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Mechanisms that govern anhydrobiosis involve the accumulation of highly hydrophilic macromolecules, such as late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins. Group 1 LEA proteins comprised of 181 (AfLEA1.1) and 197 (AfLEA1.3) amino acids were cloned from embryos of Artemia franciscana and expressed in Drosophila melanogaster cells (Kc167). Confocal microscopy revealed a construct composed of green fluorescence protein (GFP) and AfLEA1.3 accumulates in the mitochondria (AfLEA1.3-GFP), while AfLEA1.1-GFP was found in the cytoplasm. In the presence of mixed substrates, oxygen consumption was statistically identical for permeabilized Kc167 control and Kc167-AfLEA1.3 cells. Acute titrations of permeabilized cells with NaCl up to 500 mM led …

Exercise Alters Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Gdnf) Protein Content In The Spinal Cord, Monica Janine Mccullough

Dissertations

Neurotrophic factors may play a role in exercise-induced neuroprotective effects; however, it is not known if exercise mediates changes in glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) protein levels in the spinal cord. The aim of the studies described herein was to determine if exercise alters GDNF protein expression in the lumbar spinal cord of healthy and diseased animals. The lumbar spinal cord was analyzed from adult rats aged 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-months, and from transgenic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mice and wild-type mice aged 3 months. Animals had undergone either forced wheel running, voluntary wheel running or swimming for …

Program, Population Change And Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Conferences

No abstract provided.

Derivation Of Multivariate Syndromic Outcome Metrics For Consistent Testing Across Multiple Models Of Cervical Spinal Cord Injury In Rats, Adam R. Ferguson, Karen-Amanda Irvine, John C. Gensel, Jessica L. Nielson, Amity Lin, Johnathan Ly, Mark R. Segal, Rajiv R. Ratan, Jacqueline C. Bresnahan, Michael S. Beattie

Physiology Faculty Publications

Spinal cord injury (SCI) and other neurological disorders involve complex biological and functional changes. Well-characterized preclinical models provide a powerful tool for understanding mechanisms of disease; however managing information produced by experimental models represents a significant challenge for translating findings across research projects and presents a substantial hurdle for translation of novel therapies to humans. In the present work we demonstrate a novel 'syndromic' information-processing approach for capitalizing on heterogeneous data from diverse preclinical models of SCI to discover translational outcomes for therapeutic testing. We first built a large, detailed repository of preclinical outcome data from 10 years of basic …

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness And Proprioception, J. Rupp, E. Payton, S.O. Henry

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

J. Rupp, E. Payton, & S. O. Henry

Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR

Although some effects of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) are well documented, the impact of DOMS on proprioception – awareness of body and limb position in space and time has not yet been investigated. Delayed onset muscle soreness may affect neuromuscular sensory receptors and neural pathways due to microtears in the muscle, which could reduce proprioceptive abilities. PURPOSE: Investigate effects of DOMS on three selected measures of proprioception. METHODS: Using digital inclinometers, and data acquisition system; proprioception was assessed by participants’ (n = 19) ability to …

How Does The Effect Of Cholesterol Vary Between The Inner And Outer Membrane?, Dr. John Bell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This proposal was designed to use fluorescence spectroscopy to identify in as much detail as possible physical properties of model membranes in effort to understand roles of cholesterol in biological membranes. The following questions were addressed: how does the effect of cholesterol differ between the inner and outer faces of the cell membrane; can fluorescence spectroscopy distinguish between homogenous and heterogeneous mixtures of membrane components; and what is the biophysical mechanism associated with one of the fluorescent probes used (merocyanine 540)? These questions were addressed with three specific aims. All three aims have been accomplished. One paper was published during …

Role Of Amp Kinase In The Regulation Of Cortisol Release From The Adrenal Gland, Dr. Allan M. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Throughout the three years the funding of this proposal was utilized , I (Dr. Judd) have weekly laboratory meetings and journal clubs for undergraduate and graduate students in the laboratory. At the journal club, recently published articles related to their research projects are presented by the students and the hypothesis, techniques, data, and conclusions of each of the manuscripts discussed. I also interact with these students to help them plan their presentation and lead the discussion of the manuscript at the end of the presentation. The articles that are chosen for discussion are generally published in “Endocrinology” , the premiere …

Teaching Physiology Online: Successful Use Of Case Studies In A Graduate Course, Giovanni Casotti, John T. Beneski, Maureen T. Knabb

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Excitatory Amino Acids Display Compartmental Disparity Between Plasma And Synovial Fluid In Clinical Arthropathies, Terry A. Mcnearney, Karin N. Westlund

Physiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated elevated levels of excitatory amino acids (EAA) glutamate (Glu) and aspartate (Asp) in the synovial fluid (SF) of patients with active arthritis. The source of SF EAA concentrations are thought in large part to be secondary to passive diffusion from the plasma across synovial membranes and less so, reflective of local synovial pathology.

OBJECTIVE: This descriptive report assesses the hypothesis that the SF EAA levels reflect inflammatory processes of the joint and are not dependent on plasma levels.

METHODS: Simultaneously drawn plasma and SF samples were obtained from 14 recently deceased cadavers and 10 patients …

Leg Dominance And Its Affect On Variables Related To Leap Performance, Daniella N. Rodriguez, Scott P. Mclean, Ph.D., Jimmy C. Smith, Ph.D.

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

INTRODUCTION: To achieve the desired aesthetics of leaping in dance it is necessary that these movements are performed equally well from either leg. However, these leaps may naturally be better performed from the dominant leg than the non-dominant leg. A lack of relevant experimental evidence precludes an assessment of this idea. PURPOSE: To determine whether a dancer executes a leap from her dominant leg better than from her non-dominant leg. METHODS: Ten experienced college aged dancers, (20 ± 1.0 yr, 62.3 ± 8.3 kg, 1.67 ± 0.1 m), performed six trials of a stationary leap off of a force plate. …