Musculoskeletal, Neural, and Ocular Physiology Commons^™

Fty720 (Fingolimod) Provides Insight Into The Molecular Mechanisms Of Multiple Sclerosis, Madelyn Elizabeth Crawford

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a prolonged immune- mediated inflammatory response that targets myelin. Nearly all of the drugs approved for the treatment of MS are general immunosuppressants or only function in symptom management. The oral medication fingolimod, however, is reported to have direct therapeutic effects on cells of the central nervous system in addition to immunomodulatory functions. Fingolimod is known to interact with sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors, and the most widely- accepted theory for its mechanism of action is functional antagonism of the receptor. This review examines significant neuromodulatory effects achieved by functional antagonism of the …

Performance Evaluation Of Material Decomposition Using Rapid Kvp-Switching Dual-Energy Ct For Assessing Bone Mineral Density, John M. Wait

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Osteoporosis is diagnosed by assessing the bone mineral density (BMD) of the trabecular bone, and has previously been characterized with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or single-energy computed tomography (SECT). Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is able to create two three-dimensional sets of images representing the densities of two materials in a given basis pair. DECT is theoretically capable of providing a true density measurement of trabecular bone material with the proper material basis pair.

Using the rapid kVp-switching GE HD750 scanner, the concentrations of various solutes were assessed in two-material syringe-phantoms in different experimental conditions with DECT material density images, SECT …

Clay Modeling Of The Musculoskeletal System: Does Active Learning Increase Retention And Comprehension, Kelly Massey

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

The focus of a Structural Kinesiology course is a detailed study into the musculoskeletal system and joint action. The course contains a lot of memorization: skeletal muscle origin, insertions, innervations and muscle/joint actions but there is also an applied component for the content. Group study has been incorporated into the course to increase knowledge retention and comprehension however group interaction has been seen to be minimal. Two studies have looked at group construction of skeletal muscle models using clay during class time in assisting with the active learning of muscle origin, insertion and actions (Cruz-Espaillat et al., 2010 & Waters …

Effects Of Body Armor And Load Carriage On Lower Limb Joint Movement, Huiju Park, Donna Branson, Adriana Petrova, Semra Peksoz, Carla Goad, Aric J. Warren, Bert Jacobson, Panagiotis Kamenidis

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

This study investigated the impact of body armor weight and load magnitude and distribution on the lower extremities during walking. Range of motion (ROM) was assessed while seven healthy, male, right-handed, military university students walked while wearing seven different garments of varying weights (0.06 kg, 9 kg, 18 kg, and 27 kg) and load distributions. Decreased pelvic rotation found with an increase in weight implies decreased mobility by restricting the leg’s swing to propel the body forward. Increased ROM for pelvic tilt found with increased weight results from increased forward inclination suggesting an increased possibility for fatigue and musculoskeletal pain …

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (Omm) And Reduction Of Nsaid Use In Low Back Pain: A Pilot Study, Kristopher Kelly

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

This randomized controlled pilot study is to determine if a combination of muscle energy and soft tissue techniques can reduce the amount of daily NSAID use in patients suffering from chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP). Osteopathic manipulative treatment has been shown to be useful in treating low back pain. However, its role in reducing daily NSAID use in CNSLBP patients is unclear. This study was conducted at PCOM from January 2014 to April 2014. By design, patients were to be randomized into either a treatment group consisting of OMT or a control group consisting of a sham OMT. Of …

Transmural Heterogeneity Of Cellular Level Cardiac Contractile Properties In Aging And Heart Failure, Premi Haynes

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

The left ventricle of the heart relaxes when it fills with blood and contracts to eject blood into circulation to meet the body’s metabolic demands. Dysfunction in either relaxation or contraction of the left ventricle can lead to heart failure. Transmural heterogeneity is thought to contribute to normal ventricular wall motion but it is not well understood how transmural modifications affect the failing left ventricle. The overall hypothesis of this dissertation is that normal left ventricles exhibit transmural heterogeneity in cellular level contractile properties and with aging and heart failure there are region-specific changes in cellular level contractile mechanisms.

Age …

Evaluation Of Tissue-Engineered Tendon Enthesis Polymer Constructs, Joshua A. Bundy Bs, Mary Beth Wade Phd, Hitomi Nakao Md, Phillip Mcclellan Phd, Qing Yu Phd, Robin Jacquet-Childs Ms, William J. Landis Phd

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Both scientists and clinicians have proposed tissue engineering as the future of medicine. The possibilities for tissue engineering, that is, fabrication of tissues and organs in the laboratory and their translation to patients, appear to be endless, and many believe that this new approach in medicine will result in abolishing many common ailments, injuries, and congenital defects. Injuries to a tendon enthesis, the normal tissue connection between tendon and bone, are of particular concern to clinicians because of their frequency and failure to repair as a result of surgery. While these injuries may not be life threatening, they can certainly …

Gender Differences In High Sensitivity C - Reactive Protein And Self-Reported Muscle Strengthening Activity Among U.S. Adults, Michael R. Richardson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: We sought to examine the gender differences between C - reactive protein (CRP) and muscle strengthening activity (MSA) in U.S. adults (≥20 years of age)

Background: Elevated levels of CRP have been shown to be associated with an increase in risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies analyzing the relationship between physical activity (PA) and CRP by gender have produced mixed results.

Methods: The sample (n=9,135) included participants in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Three categories of reported MSA participation were created: no MSA (referent group), some MSA (≥1 to/wk), and meeting the …

Effect Of Head And Limb Orientation On Trunk Muscle Activation During Abdominal Hollowing In Chronic Low Back Pain, Kevin Parfrey, Sean G. Gibbons, Eric J. Drinkwater, David G. Behm

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP) have altered activations patterns of the anterior trunk musculature when performing the abdominal hollowing manœuvre (attempt to pull umbilicus inward and upward towards the spine). There is a subgroup of individuals with CLBP who have high neurocognitive and sensory motor deficits with associated primitive reflexes (PR). The objective of the study was to determine if orienting the head and extremities to positions, which mimic PR patterns would alter anterior trunk musculature activation during the hollowing manoeuvre. Methods. This study compared surface electromyography (EMG) of bilateral rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and …

Sympathetic Nerve Modulation Of Joint Pathology In Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis, Carlo Anthony Wood

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: There is increasing data suggesting a net increase in sympathetic tone plays an important role in rheumatoid arthritis. Several studies have reported altered distribution and density of autonomic nerves in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and animal models for the disease. This provides anatomical evidence that supports a neurally-mediated drive in inflammation and joint destruction. Methods: Adult rats were injected with complete Freund’s adjuvant. At 12 days post immunization, animals were randomly placed into a drug treatment group (SH1293, which interacts with - and ß2-ARs), an adjuvant arthritic group, or a control group. These animals were sacrificed at 14, 21, …

The Effect Of Nerve Growth Factor (Ngf) Incorporation Into Swine Intestinal Submucosa (Sis) Suture Material On The Healing Process In Gastrocnemius Muscle, Nicole K. Alexander

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

The repair of gastrocnemius muscle incisions were evaluated histologically in a rat model. Comparisons were made between carbon dioxide laser and scalpel incisions closed with sutures prepared from Swine Intestinal Submucosa (SIS) with and without added Nerve Growth Factor. This study was conducted in conjunction with two other studies, one comparing epidermal repair and the other comparing kinesthetic changes post-operatively in the same animal model. Thirty-five days post-surgery the animals were euthanized and an area of muscular tissue encompassing the operative site was excised and evaluated microscopically for the following: presence of macrophages, integrity of the muscle, leukocytes present within …

Test–Retest Reliability For Voluntary And Evoked Measures Of Peak Torque, Electromechanical Delay, And Rate Of Torque Development In Older Men., Nathaniel D. M. Jenkins

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the test-retest reliability for peak torque (PT), rates of torque development (RTD), and electromechanical delay (EMD) calculated during voluntary and evoked muscle actions in men ages 65 and older. Fifteen older men (mean ± standard deviation (SD) age = 72.3 ± 7.3 years) completed 3 evoked and 3 voluntary isometric muscle actions of the leg extensors during two visits separated by 48 to 72 h. PT and EMD were calculated during voluntary and evoked muscle actions. RTD was quantified as the peak RTD, overall RTD, RTD in time intervals of 0-30 (RTD30), …

Antibiotic-Like Actions Of Vitamin D, Franklin D. Shuler Md, Phd, Josh Hendrix, Adam Short, Sammy Hodroge

Orthopaedics

Vitamin D is a secosteroid hormone that has expanding importance for a healthy lifestyle and disease prevention. A multitude of studies have highlighted that vitamin D acts not only in bone and calcium homeostasis but is critically important for human immunity. The discovery that the storage form of vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D3) can be locally converted to the active form (1,25-hydroxyvitamin D3) in immune cells, epithelial cells and numerous other non-renal tissues highlights the importance of maintaining sufficient stores. When responding to a specific external stimulus, like bacterial invasion, intracrine synthesis of active vitamin D has the ability to regulate …

Corneal Gene Therapy: Basic Science And Translational Perspective, Rajiv R. Mohan, Jason T. Rodier, Ajay Sharma

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Corneal blindness is the third leading cause of blindness worldwide. Gene therapy is an emerging technology for corneal blindness due to the accessibility and immune-privileged nature of the cornea, ease of vector administration and visual monitoring, and ability to perform frequent noninvasive corneal assessment. Vision restoration by gene therapy is contingent upon vector and mode of therapeutic gene introduction into targeted cells/tissues. Numerous efficacious vectors, delivery techniques, and approaches have evolved in last decade for developing gene-based interventions for corneal diseases. Maximizing the potential benefits of gene therapy requires efficient and sustained therapeutic gene expression in target cells, low toxicity, …

Bmp7 Gene Transfer Via Gold Nanoparticles Into Stroma Inhibits Corneal Fibrosis In Vivo, Ashish Tandon, Ajay Sharma, Jason T. Rodier, Alexander M. Klibanov, Frank G. Rieger, Rajiv R. Mohan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

This study examined the effects of BMP7 gene transfer on corneal wound healing and fibrosis inhibition in vivo using a rabbit model. Corneal haze in rabbits was produced with the excimer laser performing -9 diopters photorefractive keratectomy. BMP7 gene was introduced into rabbit keratocytes by polyethylimine-conjugated gold nanoparticles (PEI2- GNPs) transfection solution single 5-minute topical application on the eye. Corneal haze and ocular health in live animals was gauged with stereo- and slit-lamp biomicroscopy. The levels of fibrosis [a-smooth muscle actin (aSMA), F-actin and fibronectin], immune reaction (CD11b and F4/80), keratocyte apoptosis (TUNEL), calcification (alizarin red, vonKossa and osteocalcin), and …

Impedance Changes In Biceps Brachii Due To Isometric Contractions And Muscle Fatigue Using Electrical Impedance Myography (Eim), Travis Orth

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is a non-invasive technique used to evaluate neuromuscular conditions by using a quantitative parameter called impedance (Z). It relies upon the application and measurement of high-frequency, low-intensity electrical current imbedded over a localized muscle to determine its opposition to current flow. In brevity, impedance determines the resistance of muscle fibers due to changes in muscle composition. The objective of this thesis was to establish a relationship between muscles at rest and during isometric contractions at various force levels(25%, 50%, and 100% of maximum voluntary contraction) of the biceps brachii over a multifrequency spectrum. Impedance measurements due …

Optic Neuritis Due To Toxoplasmosis: First And Only Manifestation Of Newly Diagnosed Aids, Rajesh Kumar Md, Yehia Y. Mishriki Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Yoga Therapy On The Quality Of Life For A Paraplegic Individual, Allison Renee Purdy

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to document the effects that a regular yoga therapy practice has on the quality of life for a paraplegic individual. Due to the unique nature of spinal cord injury (SCI), this was a case study with one participant. For 5 weeks the subject practiced a standardized yoga routine three times a week with a yoga teacher, receiving private instruction. Interview questions were asked before and after the intervention to document the participant's quality of life. Each week, the subject completed a modified SF-36 questionnaire as well as Cohen's Perceived Stress Survey. Perceived pain and …

Effect Of Different Collegiate Sports On Cortical Bone In The Tibia, L. A. Weidauer, M. M. Eilers, T. L. Binkley, M. D. Vukovich, B. L. Specker

Health and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of sports participation on cortical bone in the tibia. Methods: 53 female collegiate athletes (25 cross-country, 16 soccer, and 12 volleyball) and 20 inactive controls had the left distal 20% tibia scanned by pQCT. Cortical volumetric BMD (vBMD) was measured within the cortical shell at the anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral regions and standard deviations were calculated. Results: Total vBMD was greater in the control group (1161±5 mg/mm3) than each of the sports (p<0.05). Soccer players (1147±5 mg/mm3) had greater vBMD than volleyball players (1136±7 mg/mm3) (p<0.05), but similar to cross-country runners (1145±5 mg/mm3). Cortical thickness was greatest in soccer players (4.1±0.1 mm), while cross-country and control subjects (3.8±0.1 mm) had greater thickness than volleyball players (3.4±0.1 mm)(p<0.05). Periosteal circumference was greater in volleyball players (71±1.4 mm) than soccer, cross-country, and control subjects (68±0.9, 69±0.8, and 66±1 mm, respectively; all, p<0.05). vBMD variation within the cortical shell was greater among control subjects (70±6 mg/cm3) than each of the athlete groups, with soccer players having lower variation than cross country runners (within-in person SD 36±6 mg/cm3 and 54±5 mg/cm3 respectively; p<0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate bone geometry and distribution within the cortical shell of the tibia …

Risk Factors Associated With Acl Injuries In Females, Kiersten Young, Lindsey Eberman

Symposium 2012

No abstract provided.