Anatomy Commons^™

Dendritic Spine Density Varies Between Unisensory And Multisensory Cortical Regions, Moazzum Bajwa

Theses and Dissertations

In the brain, the dendritic spine is a point of information exchange that extends the neuronal surface on which synapses occur, as well as facilitates and stabilizes those contacts. Furthermore, dendritic spines dynamically change in shape and number in response to a variety of factors. Dendritic spine numbers are reduced in mental retardation, enhanced during development, sensory enrichment or physical exercise, or fluctuate during the reproductive cycle. Thus, for a given neuron type, it might be expected that dendritic spine number might achieve a dynamic optimum. Indeed, many studies of spine density of pyramidal neurons in sensory cortex indicate that …

Portable, Non-Invasive Fall Risk Assessment In End Stage Renal Disease Patients On Hemodialysis, Thurmon Lockhart, Adam T. Barth, Xiaoyue Zhang, Rahul Soangra, Emaad Abdel-Rahman, John Lach

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Patients with end stage renal diseases (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) have high morbidity and mortality due to multiple causes, one of which is dramatically higher fall rates than the general population. The mobility mechanisms that contribute to falls in this population must be understood if adequate interventions for fall prevention are to be achieved. This study utilizes emerging noninvasive, portable gait, posture, strength, and stability assessment technologies to extract various mobility parameters that research has shown to be predictive of fall risk in the general population. As part of an ongoing human subjects study, mobility measures such as postural and …

Clinico-Morphological Correlations In The Categorization Of Holes Between The Ventricles., Brad A. Friedman, Anthony Hlavacek, Karen Chessa, Girish S. Shirali, Eowyn Corcrain, Diane Spicer, Robert H. Anderson, Sinai Zyblewski

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Controversy still exists in the categorization of holes between the ventricles, although they are the most common congenital cardiac malformation. Advanced imaging techniques such as three-dimensional echocardiography and computed tomographic angiography offer superb anatomical details of these defects. In this review, we have sought to collate the features highlighted in different categorizations and identify their similarities, but also emphasize their differences. We hope that an analysis of this type, now achievable during life, using advanced imaging, might lead to the appearance of a unified system for diagnosis and description of holes between the ventricles.

Different Training Volumes Yield Equivalent Increases In Bmd, R. A. Pierce, L. C. Lee, C. P. Ahles, S. M. Shdo, S. V. Jaque, Ken D. Sumida

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The purpose of this study was to determine if an exercise threshold existed in stimulating an elevation in bone mineral density (BMD), via resistance training, during the growth period in male rats. 27 male rats were randomly divided into Control (Con, n = 9), 3 ladder climb resistance trained group (3LC, n = 9), and 6 ladder climb resistance trained group (6LC, n = 9). The 3LC and 6LC groups were conditioned to climb a vertical ladder with weights appended to their tail 3 days/wk for a total of 6 wks, but the 6LC group performed significantly more work than …

Hcmv Pus28 Initiates Pro-Migratory Signaling Via Activation Of Pyk2 Kinase, Jennifer Totonchy, Susan Varnum, Ryan Melnychuk, Patricia Smith, Ljiliana Pasa-Tolic, Janani I. Shutthanadan, Daniel N. Streblow

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been implicated in the acceleration of vascular disease and chronic allograft rejection. Recently, the virus has been associated with glioblastoma and other tumors. We have previously shown that the HCMV-encoded chemokine receptor pUS28 mediates smooth muscle cell (SMC) and macrophage motility and this activity has been implicated in the acceleration of vascular disease. pUS28 induced SMC migration involves the activation of the protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) Src and Focal adhesion kinase as well as the small GTPase RhoA. The PTK Pyk2 has been shown to play a role in cellular migration and formation of cancer, …

Chemosensitization Of Cancer Cells By Sirna Using Targeted Nanogel Delivery, Erin B. Dickerson, William H. Blackburn, Michael H. Smith, Laura B. Kapa, L. Andrew Lyon, John F. Mcdonald

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Chemoresistance is a major obstacle in cancer treatment. Targeted therapies that enhance cancer cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents have the potential to increase drug efficacy while reducing toxic effects on untargeted cells. Targeted cancer therapy by RNA interference (RNAi) is a relatively new approach that can be used to reversibly silence genes in vivo by selectively targeting genes such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which has been shown to increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to taxane chemotherapy. However, delivery represents the main hurdle for the broad development of RNAi therapeutics.

Methods: We report here …

Equal Bmd After Daily Or Triweekly Exercise In Growing Rats, B. D. Kayser, J. K. Godfrey, R. M. Cunningham, R. A. Pierce, S. V. Jaque, Ken D. Sumida

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of continuous resistance training (3 days/wk) compared to interrupted resistance training where 20-24 h separated an exercise bout (i.e. 6 days/wk) for enhancing bone mineral density (BMD) in growing male rats. The total volume of work performed per week between the two resistance training programs was equivalent by design. Young male rats were randomly divided into Control (Con, n = 9), 3 days/wk resistance trained group (RT3, n = 9), and 6 days/wk resistance trained group (RT6, n = 9). The RT3 and RT6 groups were conditioned to climb a …