Matching Items (24)
Description
The development of the Diabetic Physiological state is influenced by the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE). This receptor was discovered in 1992, and the accumulation of research on this subject has been extensive. Structural characterization studies of the RAGE protein have shown that it is a transmembrane protein that binds a number of different motile ligands. The diversity of ligands that can attach to the binding domain is the primary factor that allows for RAGE to exhibit its wide-range effects on host cells. Two different studies were completed: one study dealt with the role of IAPP in beta cell death, and the second study was related to RAGE influence on cardiomyocytes and, more specifically, it was related to cardiac cell death. After the completion of the two studies, a comprehensive report was written for each topic. The two papers were merged into a single document. Molecular studies are important for understanding the underlying mechanisms that motivate pathophysiological presentation. In addition to a molecular understanding of the development of diabetes, a clinical research study was completed through the examination of appropriate literature sources. This clinical aspect allowed for the progression of different phases in the research process. A relationship between vinegar and lower plasma glucose was found. The exact mechanism behind this relationship will be studied in the future.
ContributorsGonzalez, Matthew Joseph (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis director) / Collins, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
There has been an alarming rise in the prevalence of obesity which has been attributed to the paralleled rise in consumption of high-fat foods. It’s commonly accepted that high-fat diets can lead to increased weight gain, however not all fats have the same physiological action. This study primarily focuses on the effect of canola oil, a monounsaturated fat, on energy homeostasis and body composition when it’s given as a supplement to a high-fat diet composed of saturated fatty acid. Rodent models were divided into three dietary groups: 1) low-fat diet (LFD), 2) high-fat diet (HFD) and 3) canola oils supplemented HFD (HF+CAN). After 4 weeks of dietary intervention, samples of epididymal fat, perinephric fat, and liver were analyzed across the three groups to see if the changes in energy homeostasis could be explained by the cellular behavior and composition of these tissues. Interestingly, the supplement of canola oil appeared to reverse the deleterious effects of a saturated fat diet, reverting energy intake, body weight gain and adipose tissue sizes to that (if not lower than that) of the LFD group. The only exception to this effect was the liver: the livers remained larger and fattier than those of the HFD. This occurrence is possibly due to a decrease in free fatty acid uptake in the adipose tissues—resulting in smaller adipose tissue sizes—and increased fatty acid uptake in the liver. The mechanism by which this occurs has yet to be elucidated and will be the primary focus of upcoming studies on the effect of monounsaturated fat on other diets.
ContributorsZuo, Connie Wanda (Author) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Thesis director) / Deviche, Pierre (Committee member) / Herman, Richard (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Neuroinflammation is mediated by activated microglia, the chief immune response of the central nervous system. Mitochondrial 18kDa translocator protein (TSPO) is upregulated in activated microglia and has been used in PET scans to analyze peripheral and central inflammation with TSPO radioligand [18F]DPA-714. To test the hypothesis that TSPO is involved in microglial mediation of inflammatory responses to Aβ and other Alzheimer’s pathological elements, TSPO expression was evaluated in relation to microglia specific markers (IBA1 and LN3 antibodies) and markers for AD pathology, Aβ (6E10 antibody) and hyperphosphorylated tau (AT8 antibody). To test that TSPO is involved in inflammatory pathways, HEK cells transfected with TSPO plasmids were assessed for oxidative stress in response to Alzheimer’s disease pathogenic agents, β Amyloid (Aβ), and Parkinson’s disease α-synuclein (α-syn).
Fluorescence microscopy of TSPO transfected HEK cell cultures labeled with Carboxy-H2DCFDA and treated with Beta Amyloid (Aβ) and α-synuclein (α-syn) resulted in DAPI fluorescing Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK) nuclei in blue and Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) fluorescing reactive oxygen species (ROS) or oxidative stress in cell cytoplasm in green. Preliminary study suggests TSPO transfected cells may be used to test oxidative stress with disease pathological elements (Aβ and α-synuclein). In IHC, TSPO immunoreactivity was observed in IBA1 and LN3 marked microglia with varying degrees of expression. Beaded structures were also observed with TSPO immunoreactivities, possibly representing microglia processes. TSPO immunoreactivity was observed in and surrounding amyloid plaques and p-tau immunoreactive neurites. This demonstrates that TSPO is predominantly expressed in microglia and are closely associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathological elements, suggesting involvement of TSPO-expressing microglia in neurodegenerative processes.
Fluorescence microscopy of TSPO transfected HEK cell cultures labeled with Carboxy-H2DCFDA and treated with Beta Amyloid (Aβ) and α-synuclein (α-syn) resulted in DAPI fluorescing Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK) nuclei in blue and Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) fluorescing reactive oxygen species (ROS) or oxidative stress in cell cytoplasm in green. Preliminary study suggests TSPO transfected cells may be used to test oxidative stress with disease pathological elements (Aβ and α-synuclein). In IHC, TSPO immunoreactivity was observed in IBA1 and LN3 marked microglia with varying degrees of expression. Beaded structures were also observed with TSPO immunoreactivities, possibly representing microglia processes. TSPO immunoreactivity was observed in and surrounding amyloid plaques and p-tau immunoreactive neurites. This demonstrates that TSPO is predominantly expressed in microglia and are closely associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathological elements, suggesting involvement of TSPO-expressing microglia in neurodegenerative processes.
ContributorsWu, Michael (Author) / Lue, Lih-Fen (Thesis director) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
After volunteering at a clinic in Guatemala and seeing the sexism that is so engrained into their culture, I decided to take a look at the U.S. healthcare system. I wanted to uncover the stereotypes, statistics and gender and societal norms that are present in our culture. I first started with the application process and the acceptance rates to medical school. I discovered that men are accepted to medical school at higher rates than women unless that man is deemed dangerous or foreign. I then moved on to the environment in medical school. Many women are subjected to snide comments or “bro talk” made to make them feel inferior. Men always graduate at higher rates than women, which could be because of the unwelcoming environment in medical school or the lack of female faculty chairs or mentors. After medical school, a new doctor must choose a specialty. Men gravitate towards specialties that focus on surgical work and large sums of money. Women tend to choose specialties that require a more soothing and caring environment. Women are more likely to pick specialties where there is a higher proportion of female residents. After specialties, I then explored the life of a doctor. Slightly over half of all doctors in the workforce are men and they make an average of $78,288 more per year than female physicians. Women are discriminated against if they become pregnant on the job and they are more likely to develop mental health issues. Female physicians are overall, more compassionate, rule abiding and patient-focused than their male counterparts but are not receiving the acknowledgments that they deserve. After delving into the U.S. healthcare system, I have realized that sexism in the workforce is blatantly apparent and is one of the outcomes of our patriarchal society. The only way we can make a change is to acknowledge the problem and come together as a society to combat the issue.
ContributorsPurkey, Caroline Rose (Author) / Collins, Michael (Thesis director) / Barry, Anne (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The rise of the average life span in developed countries in the past couple of centuries can be traced back to implementation of relatively simple health interventions. Also, accompanying the rise in the average life span is the rise in chronic disease. Current treatments for chronic disease is often very costly and only offers partial alleviation to the problem. Preventing the chronic disease upstream of the problem happening in the first place is both significantly more effective and cheaper. Raised bed gardening helps prevent chronic disease processes from happening through mental, physical, and nutritional health benefits. A subset of people that would particularly benefit from raised bed gardening would be families receiving homes from Habitat from Humanity for many different reasons including susceptibility to a gardening intervention, availability of materials, and location of the homes. A guide to implement these gardens is provided which is supplemented with a combination of research and personal experience.
ContributorsBarker, Kenneth Holland (Author) / Collins, Michael (Thesis director) / Kizer, Elizabeth (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
In the United States, a dispute has arisen over the safety and need for vaccination, particularly in regard to compulsory vaccination laws. New outlets and social media sites publish countless reports about the dangers of vaccines or of known adverse reactions as well as imagined or unproven worries. Individuals' rights to choose to get vaccinated or allow their children to be vaccinated comes to direct conflict with measures needed to protect communities from preventable viral diseases. The controversy surrounding vaccines is not new, nor necessarily are the fundamental reasons for skepticism. Looking back through the history of vaccines as a medical tool, the evolution of the controversy can be observed taking place with each new historical context, scientific development, and social conditions. Despite scientific research and assurances of vaccine safety, opposition and unease about vaccination appear to take Looking individually at the development and distribution of the smallpox (variola virus), polio (poliovirus) and human papilloma virus(HPV) vaccines, concerns regarding the violation of personal rights, safety of vaccines themselves, and social stigmas and connotations surrounding vaccines can be seen to evolve and change. Due to the way doubt can manifest in different ways over time, it may be impossible to fully end the vaccine debate. However, nderstanding the sociological factors behind anti-vaccine sentiment may allow healthcare professionals to work with concerned people with a particular care to address these visceral and sometimes irrational fears surrounding vaccination.
ContributorsStevens, Luke Christian (Author) / Jacobs, Bertram (Thesis director) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Parents of patients receiving treatment at Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics were surveyed in this study in an effort to uncover their motivations to seek specialty dental treatment for their children. Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics is a specialty dental clinic that focuses on increasing the accessibility of dental care, serving both insured and uninsured patients in Phoenix, Arizona. The demographic of this study is assumed to be the surrounding areas, including Maricopa County and the zip code to which Parsons pertains, 85009. Approximately half of the population in this area are low income individuals, and a large percentage of the population are of Hispanic/Latino heritage. Over the course of this investigation, eighty participating parents completed a short survey to determine factors relevant in their decision to obtain pediatric, as opposed to general (family) dental treatment, for their children. Parents were asked questions regarding their age, the age and dental treatment history of their children, and the relevance of six factors in their decision to visit the Parsons Center. Overall, "professional/personal recommendation" was the decision factor with the highest average relevance valuation followed by "Spanish-speaking staff," "location," "lack of insurance," "insurance accepted," and "past (patient) traumatic experience." Results suggest the importance of quality care and word-of-mouth recommendations as well as the significance of understanding and serving the needs of one's surrounding population effectively.
ContributorsChinchilla, Ammie Lucero (Author) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Thesis director) / Bang, Christofer (Committee member) / Arya, Neeta (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Student to Student: A Guide to Anatomy is an anatomy guide written by students, for students. Its focus is on teaching the anatomy of the heart, lungs, nose, ears and throat in a manner that isn't overpowering or stress inducing. Daniel and I have taken numerous anatomy courses, and fully comprehend what it takes to have success in these classes. We found that the anatomy books recommended for these courses are often completely overwhelming, offering way more information than what is needed. This renders them near useless for a college student who just wants to learn the essentials. Why would a student even pick it up if they can't find what they need to learn? With that in mind, our goal was to create a comprehensive, easy to understand, and easy to follow guide to the heart, lungs and ENT (ear nose throat). We know what information is vital for test day, and wanted to highlight these key concepts and ideas in our guide. Spending just 60 to 90 minutes studying our guide should help any student with their studying needs. Whether the student has medical school aspirations, or if they simply just want to pass the class, our guide is there for them. We aren't experts, but we know what strategies and methods can help even the most confused students learn. Our guide can also be used as an introductory resource to our respective majors (Daniel-Biology, Charles-Speech and Hearing) for students who are undecided on what they want to do. In the future Daniel and I would like to see more students creating similar guides, and adding onto the "Student to Student' title with their own works... After all, who better to teach students than the students who know what it takes?
ContributorsKennedy, Charles (Co-author) / McDermand, Daniel (Co-author) / Kingsbury, Jeffrey (Thesis director) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Committee member) / Department of Speech and Hearing Science (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
As a 21-year-old collegiate athlete, I was overcome with a sudden debilitating pain. Eight months of this pain and over a hundred doctors' appointments could not fix my problem. My issue was not uncommon, as it was due to chronic testicular pain. My experience was so terrible that I want to make sure what happened to me never happens to another person. It is unacceptable that fifty percent of chronic testicular pain cases are idiopathic. This is because conventional diagnostic and treatment protocols for men experiencing testicular pain are insufficient. Because the literature does not consider the body as a whole, testicular pain is diagnosed as idiopathic once trauma and torsion, tumors and cancer, infection, and sexually transmitted diseases are ruled out. This gap in the literature overlooks the links between biomechanical dysfunctions of the pelvic floor and testicular pain. Furthermore, recently proposed treatment algorithms do not consider the pelvic floor and are vague in their approach to treating and diagnosing testicular pain. If up to fifty percent of testicular pain cases are deemed to be idiopathic, then a more holistic approach must be utilized. This paper proposes a method to holistically evaluate patients with testicular pain and how to more efficiently diagnose the source of their pain. This paper will also coincide with my personal case study of idiopathic testicular pain.
ContributorsJackson, Cody John (Author) / Collins, Michael (Thesis director) / Fawcett, Lubayna (Committee member) / School for the Science of Health Care Delivery (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Resistant starch is defined as a portion of starch that bypasses breakdown and absorption in the small intestine. Several studies have shown a relationship between resistant starch consumption and decreased postprandial blood glucose. RS3 in particular, is formed when a starch containing food changes its chemical structure after it is cooked and then cooled. This characteristic enables a food to lower its glycemic index after it has been cooled enough to promote retrogradation and can potentially be used as a dietary intervention to control blood glucose in diabetics and individuals with insulin resistance. Although many studies have been done on rice and potatoes, pasta has not been tested as extensively. This investigation examines the effect of RS3 in pasta on postprandial glycemic response in 13 healthy participants. After consuming 2 bagels the night prior and coming in to the lab in a fasted state, the test subjects were given a warm or cold pasta dish to consume. Blood glucose samples were taken at fasting, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, and 120 minutes for both the hot and cold dish. Analysis of the results indicated that there was an average of a 4.1 mg/dl decrease in blood glucose at 30 min and a 2.4 mg/dl decrease at 60 min for the cold pasta. This was followed by a 3.9 mg/dl increase at 90 min and 3.3 mg/dl increase at 120 min. Although these results show a small difference in postprandial glucose response, statistical analysis did not deem it significant difference.
ContributorsAnanieva, Mirela (Author) / Johnston, Carol S. (Thesis director) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05