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Prenatal stress may increase the risk for depression in offspring and it has been suggested that this could be linked to alterations in tryptophan metabolism, leading to serotonergic changes. Dietary patterns based on the Mediterranean (Med) diet, which includes foods rich in nutrients involved in the tryptophan-serotonin pathway, have been linked to depressive symptom improvements when used as an intervention. This thesis examined, in a mouse model, whether a Med-based diet normalized depressive-like behaviour and changes in the serotonin system in the colon and hippocampus resulting from a repeated physical restraint stressor administered during the second trimester in adult C57BL/6N female and male offspring. The Med-based diet modulated behaviour and hippocampal serotonin receptors primarily in females and changed the enzyme involved in the colonic serotonergic pathway in males. These results suggest that a Med-based diet may help improve behavioural disturbances stemming from prenatal stress in a sex-specific way, perhaps through its actions on the gut-brain serotonin system.

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Les phosphates de calcium sont des biomatériaux couramment utilisés dans de nombreuses spécialités médicales. L'amélioration de ces biomatériaux vise à augmenter leur ostéointégration et leur bioactivité. Le strontium possédant d'intéressantes capacités de modification de la physiologie osseuse, l'incorporation de ce dernier au sein de phosphates de calcium par substitution ionique pourrait permettre un déplacement de la balance osseuse vers la formation osseuse.Notre travail a permis de démontrer la capacité des particules de phosphates de calcium substitués en strontium à augmenter la prolifération des ostéoblastes en culture et à modifier l'expression et la synthèse des principales protéines impliquées dans la physiologie osseuse (Collagène de type I, Serpine H1, métalloprotéinases matricielles 1 et 2, inhibiteurs tissulaires des MMPs). Par ailleurs, la poudre de phosphates de calcium ne contenant pas de strontium a entrainé une sécrétion accrue de chimiokines pro-inflammatoires (MCP-1 et GRO-?) qui n'a pas été observée pour la poudre substituée. Enfin, des études in-vivo réalisées dans un modèle de défaut osseux murin a permis de démontrer une plus grande résorbabilité de la poudre contenant du strontium et sa plus grande capacité à stimuler la réparation osseuse.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2008. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Decorin, is an extracellular matrix proteoglycan with important biological functions. Decorin deficiency affects collagen fibrillogenesis, airway mechanics, airway-parenchymal interdependence, and airway smooth muscle proliferation and apoptosis. We questioned whether decorin deficiency would alter allergen-induced asthma in a mouse model. Decorin-/- and decorin+/+ mice (C57Bl/6) were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin. Control animals received saline. Responsiveness was assessed at baseline and after delivery of increasing concentrations of methacholine. Histological analyses were also performed. Decorin deficiency resulted in more modest hyperresponsiveness. Respiratory resistance and elastance along with tissue damping and tissue elastance, were increased in ovalbumin decorin +/+ and decorin-/-, but more so in decorin+/+ . Airway resistance was increased in ovalbumin decorin+/+ only. Inflammation and collagen staining within the airway wall, were increased in ovalbumin decorin+/+ mice only; whereas biglycan was significantly increased in ovalbumin decorin-/- mice only. These results reflect the role of decorin in the development of allergen-induced asthma.

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Cognitive impairment, “Chemofog”, has been well established as a negative outcome of otherwise successful medical radiation treatments. Mitigation of this negative feature would dramatically increase quality of life for those recovering from cancer treatment. There is currently no known intervention to protect or restore cognitive function of patients undergoing radiation treatments. Development of a multiple ingredient dietary supplement (MDS) is meant to offer a non-invasive therapy to help mitigate risk and decrease damage to individuals. The MDS was originally designed to off-set 5 key mechanisms associated with aging including oxidative damage, inflammation, impaired glucose metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction and membrane deterioration. Radiation damage shares many of the same deficiencies that develop with age and supplementation with MDS would impact many of the same pathways. Changes in cytokine profile (inflammation markers), and biomarkers of behavioural functions, sensory functions, and oxidative damage provide preliminary evidence of MDS impacts. / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc) / Cognitive impairment, “Chemofog”, has been well established as a negative outcome of otherwise successful medical radiation treatments. Mitigation of this negative feature would dramatically increase quality of life for those recovering from cancer treatment. There is currently no known intervention to protect or restore cognitive function of patients undergoing radiation treatments. Development of a multiple ingredient dietary supplement (MDS) is meant to offer a non-invasive therapy to help mitigate risk and decrease damage to individuals. The MDS was originally designed to off-set 5 key mechanisms associated with aging including oxidative damage, inflammation, impaired glucose metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction and membrane deterioration. Radiation damage shares many of the same deficiencies that develop with age and supplementation with MDS would impact many of the same pathways.