Abstract not available

Abstract not available

Bibliography: leaves 318-367. Examines the blood-brain barrier in normal and pathological conditions induced by intravascular and extravascular insults. Intravascular insults were induced by administration of Clostridium perfringens prototoxin; extravascular insults were induced by an impact acceleration model for closed head injury to induce traumatic brain injury. Also examines the integrity of the blood-brain barrier ultrastructurally and by its ability to exclude endogenous and exogenous tracers. Also studies the expression of 2 blood-brain barrier specific proteins, endothelial barrier antigen (EBA) and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1)

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 292-352) Determines the role of matrix metalloproteinases, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in reperfusion injury following skeletal muscle ischaemia; and, whether inhibition of MMPs by doxycycline protects against tissue damage.

Amendments inserted at back. "May 2002" Includes bibliographical references (leaves 237-290) Experiments described in this thesis address the potential role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in hibernating myocardium. Specifically it was sought to establish a cellular model of hibernating myocardium and investigate the expression, regulation and effects of iNOS in this model. Experiments were performed using primary cultures of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes.

Regular physical activity improves insulin action and is an effective therapy for the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes. However, little is known of the mechanisms by which exercise improves insulin action in muscle. These studies investigate the actions of a single bout of exercise and short-term endurance training on insulin signalling. Twenty-four hours following the completion of a single bout of endurance exercise insulin action improved, although greater enhancement of insulin action was demonstrated following the completion of endurance training, implying that cumulative bouts of exercise substantially increase insulin action above that seen from the residual effects of an acute bout of prior exercise. No alteration in the abundance and phosphorylation of proximal members of the insulin-signalling cascade in skeletal muscle, including the insulin receptor and IRS-1 were found. A major finding however, was the significant increase in the serine phosphorylation of a known downstream signalling protein, Akt (1.5 fold, p ≤0.05) following an acute bout of exercise and exercise training. This was matched by the observed increase in protein abundance of SHPTP2 (1.6 fold, p ≤0.05) a protein tyrosine phosphatase, in the cytosolic fraction of skeletal muscle following endurance exercise. These data suggest a small positive role for SHPTP2 on insulin stimulated glucose transport consistent with transgenic mice models. Further studies were aimed at examining the gene expression following a single bout of either resistance or endurance exercise. There were significant transient increases in IRS-2 mRNA concentration in the few hours following a single bout of both endurance and resistance exercise. IRS-2 protein abundance was also observed to significantly increase 24-hours following a single bout of endurance exercise indicating transcriptional regulation of IRS-2 following muscular contraction. One final component of this PhD project was to examine a second novel insulin-signalling pathway via c-Cbl tyrosine phosphorylation that has recently been shown to be essential for insulin stimulated glucose uptake in adipocytes. No evidence was found for the tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Cbl in the skeletal muscle of Zucker rats despite demonstrating significant phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and Akt by insulin treatment and successfully immunoprecipitating c-Cbl protein. Surprisingly, there was a small but significant increase in c-Cbl protein expression following insulin-stimulation, however c-Cbl tyrosine phosphorylation does not appear to be associated with insulin or exercise-mediated glucose transport in skeletal muscle.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 292-352) / xvi, 352 leaves : / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Determines the role of matrix metalloproteinases, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in reperfusion injury following skeletal muscle ischaemia; and, whether inhibition of MMPs by doxycycline protects against tissue damage. / Thesis (M.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Surgery, 2002

Bibliography: leaves 318-367. / x, 367 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Examines the blood-brain barrier in normal and pathological conditions induced by intravascular and extravascular insults. Intravascular insults were induced by administration of Clostridium perfringens prototoxin; extravascular insults were induced by an impact acceleration model for closed head injury to induce traumatic brain injury. Also examines the integrity of the blood-brain barrier ultrastructurally and by its ability to exclude endogenous and exogenous tracers. Also studies the expression of 2 blood-brain barrier specific proteins, endothelial barrier antigen (EBA) and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Anatomical Sciences, 2002?

Amendments inserted at back. / "May 2002" / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 237-290) / xvii, 290 leaves : ill., plates (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Experiments described in this thesis address the potential role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in hibernating myocardium. Specifically it was sought to establish a cellular model of hibernating myocardium and investigate the expression, regulation and effects of iNOS in this model. Experiments were performed using primary cultures of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 2002

Bibliography: leaves 120-145. Reports Bt crystal protein toxicity to a phthirapteran species. Although Bt strain WB3516 may produce other unidentified toxins effective against B. ovis, the results provide strong evidence that the [delta]-endotoxin crystal proteins of strain WB3516 significantly contribute to the lousicidal toxicity of this strain.