Physiology Commons^™

Sleep And Cardiovascular Reactivity To An Acute Virtual Stressor, Alaina Grace Tiani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Inappropriate response and magnitude of cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) to stress is a proposed mechanism through which environmental stressors are linked with poor cardiovascular health outcomes (Chida & Steptoe, 2010; Krantz & Manuck, 1984). Studies of reactivity to various laboratory tasks commonly control for factors known to influence CVR such as smoking, medication use, caffeine intake, and BMI; however, few have considered the influence of sleep on CVR. In order to determine whether sleep characteristics need to be assessed and considered in studies of CVR, this study aimed to examine the association between indices of sleep quality and the magnitude and …

Mechanistic Insight Into Chronic Stress-Induced Cerebrovascular Dysfunction, Emily Nicole Burrage

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite decades of research psychological stress remains a prevalent problem in society, often diminishing quality of life and increasing the risk of developing dementia. The brain plays a central role in the response to stress and as it is unable to store energy substrates, the brain relies heavily on dynamically regulated blood flow. Therefore, it is important that there is a tight coupling between neural activity and cerebral blood flow to meet metabolic demands and maintain critical brain function. It has been established that chronic psychological stress has detrimental effects on cerebrovascular function, potentially through increased superoxide anion production through …

Examining The Effects Of Exercise-Induced, Physical Stress Overtraining On Stress Biomarkers In Adolescent, C57bl/6 Mice, Curtis Scotty Davis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Exercise has long been established as a therapeutic modality to improve health and related physical fitness, sports performance, and injury/risk reduction in both adults and adolescents (Haff & Triplett, 2015; Kaminsky, 2010). Nonetheless, there is a lack of research investigating the negative effects of exercise overstress (i.e., overtraining syndrome) in these populations, particularly adolescents (Brenner & American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2007; Matos & Winsley, 2007). The objective of this study was to examine hormone biochemical markers, anthropometric markers, and behavioral traits, which are associated with overtraining syndrome, in adolescent C57BL/6 mice. A total of …

Maternal Drivers Of Reproductive Output In The Lizard Family Scincidae: A Phylogenetic Comparative Approach, William Zang

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of squamates, comprising over 1,300 species of lizards with a variety of life history and ecological traits. This diversity includes three reproductive modes, where some species reproduce via oviparity (egg-laying), viviparity (live birth) or use of a mixed strategy (females switch modes). In this study, it was sought whether reproductive output differs between scincid species using these reproductive modes. Reproductive output is defined as the average product of offspring abundance and size per reproductive event, representing the reproductive effort of an individual. Additionally, the importance of phylogeny (evolutionary relatedness) and a suite …

Maximal Strength Training Increases Metabolic Energy Expenditure In Sedentary Adults Classified As Obese, Robert E. Anderson Iii

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Background: Metabolic adaptations reduce resting and non-resting energy expenditure to account for approximately 120 kcal/day. Weight loss promotes greater skeletal muscle efficiency, reducing the energy cost of physical activity and is correlated with declines in skeletal muscle glucose oxidation. Maximal Strength Training (MST) has the potential to upregulate glucose utilization and may offset these metabolic adaptations. Objective: To determine if MST offsets markers of metabolic adaptation by increasing resting and non-resting energy expenditure in sedentary individuals classified as obese. Methods: Five (5) participants (2 females, 3 males), ages 18-35 years, with obesity (BMI 30–45 kg/m2) were enrolled in an 8-week …

Analysis Of The Antimicrobial Activity Of The Novel Chemotherapeutic Drug, Tpp1, Against Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And The Hydrogel Delivery Of Water-Soluble Antimicrobial Compounds, Alex Gasper

Senior Independent Study Theses

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, and it is commonly linked with bacterial infections that often complicate treatments. Recently, chemotherapeutics have been developed that are able to act as anti-cancer agents using delocalized lipophilic cations (DLCs) that are able to specifically target mitochondrial membranes of cancer cells. TPP1 is a newly developed chemotherapeutic drug that has activity against bladder cancer and melanoma cell lines in vitro. In order to determine if TPP1 has antimicrobial activity, TPP1 was tested against a common bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to determine if antimicrobial activity was present. This testing was …

Pulmonary Capillary Recruitment And Distention In Mammalian Lungs: Species Similarities, David Langleben, Benjamin D. Fox, Stylianos E. Orfanos, Michele Giovinazzo, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

Pulmonary arterial pressure rises minimally during exercise. The pulmonary microcirculation accommodates increasing blood flow via recruitment of pulmonary capillaries and, at higher flows, by distention of already perfused capillaries. The flow transition range between recruitment and distention has not been studied or compared across mammalian species, including humans. We hypothesised that the range would be similar. Functional pulmonary capillary surface area (FCSA) can be estimated using validated metabolic techniques. We reviewed data from previous studies in three mammalian species (perfused rabbit lungs and dog lung lobes, and exercising humans) and generated blood flow-FCSA curves over a range of flows. We …

Deciphering The Role Of Mitochondrial Physiology And Thermal Acclimation In Shaping Whole Organismal Performance Of An Invasive Forest Pest, Essa Alrashdi

Masters Theses

Environmental factors such as temperature are substantial determinants of the spongy moth, L. dispar, distribution, reproduction, and growth. Accumulating energy reserves at the larval stage is particularly important to L. dispar, since the larvae metamorphose into a fully-grown, non-feeding adult. As non-feeding adults, the energy balance of the pupae must be adequate, to ensure enough energy reserves for adult dispersal, egg maturation and overall persistence of the species in the region. At this stage, environmental temperature also determines daily metabolic demands, and the overall cost of sustaining ecologically relevant activities. Various hypotheses describing a mismatched growth and metabolic …

The Effect Of Wearable Activity Monitor Presence On Step Counts, William B. Tayler, James D. Lecheminant, Jospeh Price, Christian P. Tadje

Faculty Publications

Objective: In this study, we tested the effect of wearable activity monitors and tracking on physical activity over 2 weeks.

Methods: Ninety young adults participated. Prior to initiation of the study, each participant was asked to download an iPhone app that tracked physical activity level (step counts) but were not told the app’s purpose. Each participant was then randomly assigned to one of 3 groups (N=30/group): (1) measurement awareness, (2) measurement awareness+track/record, or (3) control. Participants in the measurement awareness and the measurement awareness+track/record groups were given a pedometer to wear for 2 weeks. Additionally, participants in the measurement awareness+track/ …

Physician Assisted Dying (Pad): An Investigation Into The Mechanistic Action Of Opioid, Benzodiazepine, And Barbiturate Administration As An Alternative Measure To Forgoing Life Sustaining Treatment And Aggressive Palliation., Jordana Chanel Deighton

CMC Senior Theses

Whilst modern medicine has increased longevity, the rise in life expectancy has brought about new struggles, namely that of aging and age related disease. Thus, humanity has been presented with a new problem: at what point is death preferable to aggressive life-prolonging treatment in the face of inevitable death? And if so, what right do individuals have to control the circumstances of their death? In the West, traditionally, individuals who seek to end their own lives in the face of terminal illness opt for forgoing artificial hydration and nutrition. Driven by an increase in desire for autonomous dignified death, a …

Effects Of Sunrise/Sunset Lighting On Corticosterone Levels In Coturnix Quail (Coturnix Coturnix), Hannah M. Feuerborn, Sara K. Orlowski

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Both genetics and environment play important roles in the growth, performance, and overall welfare of poultry species. Current commercial production practices typically do not mimic the natural environmental conditions of ancestral poultry species, specifically lighting. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of genetics and the effect of sunrise/sunset lighting on the stress response of 4 genetic lines of Coturnix quail. The 4 lines utilized in this study included high stress (H), low stress (L), stress control (R), and Arkansas randombred (A) quail lines. Day old chicks from these lines were placed in one of two environmentally controlled rooms. …

Assessing The Behavioral Response Of Westslope Cutthroat Trout To Olfactory Cues In A Two-Choice Y-Maze, Hannah Marie Condron

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

The goal of this study was to determine which olfactory cues were most attractive to Westslope Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi (WCT) in a two-choice Y-maze. WCT used in this study were from Kings Lake and Paqua Creek in Pend Oreille County, Washington, and tested in 2018 and 2019. The different odorants tested in this study were population-specific pheromones produced by WCT from the same population, conspecific pheromones produced by WCT from the second population, and water obtained from each population’s natal stream. The water Kings Lake WCT were reared in for one year at the Spokane Hatchery was also …

A Comparison Of The Magnitude Of The Mental Health Benefits Of Exercising Outdoors Vs Exercising Indoors: A Review, Greta M. Rueschmann

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Many people in the United States suffer from poor mental health which can lead to suicide, self-harm, or negative effects on job performance and relationships. Not everyone can afford traditional therapy nor feels comfortable with it. With a greater emphasis placed on taking care of one’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, there should also be a greater emphasis placed on finding alternative types of therapy that can be matched to individuals based on their personalities and preferences. One such alternative is outdoor exercise. This review was conducted to examine whether exercising or performing physical activity outdoors results in greater …

Effects Of Lipopolysaccharide On Mandibular And Tibial Bone Regenerationin A Murine Model Of Sle Induced By Fcγriib Deficiency, Sirikanda Jantaboon

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Although systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is known as the autoimmune disease that triggers inflammation and bone impairment, the mechanisms leading to the decrease in bone regeneration remain inadequately characterized. Patients with SLE have been observed high prevalence in bone loss due to host immune responses that may induce host antimicrobial activities. Here, this study used systemic and local lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration for mimicking infectious condition in FcγRIIB−/− mice as a lupus murine model. The results showed FcγRIIB lacking FcγRIIB−/− in mice with local and systemic LPS led to decreased cancellous bone volume in their drilled hole region of tibial and …

Evaluation Of A Monosynaptic Spinal Circuit In Multiple Mouse Models Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Maura A. Curran

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease. To date, there are no significant disease-modifying treatments, and one limiting factor in treatment is the amount of time it takes for a patient to receive a diagnosis of ALS. This study examined multiple mouse models before symptom onset to help identify early changes in a reflex circuit of ALS mice. Dorsal root stimulation of the sacral spinal cord in multiple models ALS mouse models showed changes in the resulting ventral root compound action potential amplitude, latency, and ability to maintain synaptic depression. These data also suggest that a mouse model …

Use Of Forelimb Asymmetry In The Analysis Of Cns Recovery From A Demyelination Event, Joseph C. Hinkle

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Using forelimb asymmetry analysis along with Montoya Staircase methodology we tested how a fluoxetine simvastatin ascorbic acid drug cocktail would affect recovery from a demyelinating event in a rat model, with the hypothesis that if administered then it would help female recovery but hinder male recovery. It was found that a fluoxetine simvastatin and ascorbic acid drug cocktail did not significantly enhance recovery from a demyelination model injury in female rats, and that the same drug cocktail significantly slowed male rat recovery from the same type of injury. It was also apparent that the more effective methodology for investigating this …

Toxic Effects Of Silver Ions On Early Developing Zebrafish Embryos Distinguished From Silver Nanoparticles, Martha S. Johnson, Preeyaporn Songkiatisak, Pavan Kumar Cherukuri, Xiao-Hong Nancy Xu

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Currently, effects of nanomaterials and their ions, such as silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and silver ions (Ag⁺), on living organisms are not yet fully understood. One of the vital questions is whether nanomaterials have distinctive effects on living organisms from any other conventional chemicals (e.g., their ions), owing to their unique physicochemical properties. Due to various experimental protocols, studies of this crucial question have been inconclusive, which hinders rational design of effective regulatory guidelines for safely handling NPs. In this study, we chronically exposed early developing zebrafish embryos (cleavage-stage, 2 hours post-fertilization, hpf) to a dilution series of …

The Use Of Exogenous Acrp30 As A Promising Amelioratory Compound Regarding Insulin Resistance And Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Stephen L. Romero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As numerous bodies of research have characterized the adipocytokine adiponectin (ACRP30) as an anti-diabetic compound, this work serves as an analysis to partly elucidate the potential usage of supplementary adiponectin as a therapeutic compound in the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. In this work, a meta-analysis was conducted to centralize large amounts of data on adiponectin’s insulin sensitizing characteristics in conjunction with like-minded studies utilizing metformin treatment as the diabetic standard of care. Upon comparison of fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and glucose tolerance test area under the curve reduction percentages, it is quite clear that ACRP30 has significant insulin …

Estrogen Regulation Of Daily Metabolic Rhythms In Female Mice, Oluwabukola Omotola

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Circadian rhythms are approximately 24-hour cycles of behavior, physiology, and gene expression. In mammals, these circadian rhythms are generated by clocks located in nearly every tissue in the body. The function of circadian clocks is to synchronize physiology and behavior with environmental cycles such as the light-dark cycle. After menopause, when circulating levels of estrogens are very low, women are more susceptible to obesity comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, suggesting that estrogens regulate these processes. Estrogens could protect females from metabolic dysfunction by regulating circadian rhythms. Consumption of diets that are high in fat contribute to obesity. …

Building Tools For Improved Modulation Of The Human Gabaa Receptor, A Central Nervous System Target For The Treatment Of Anxiety, Garrett Edward Zinck

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

In the U.S., anxiety is recognized as an increasing range of mentally and physically debilitating psychiatric health disorders with significant economic repercussions. Over the last 20 years, several novel anti-anxiety therapies have entered the drug development pipeline, but none have made it to market.

The work in this dissertation focused on structurally modifying valerenic acid (VA), a structurally unique carboxylated sesquiterpene acid found in Valeriana officinalis. VA is putatively reported to have allosteric modulatory activity of the human GABA_A receptor, a ligand-gated ion channel responsible for attenuating neurotransmissions. Structural modeling of VA’s GABA_A receptor interaction suggests that …