Effects of chronic exercise conditioning on thermal responses to lipopolysaccharide and turpentine abscess in female rats

Chronic exercise conditioning has been shown to alter basal thermoregulatory processes as well as the response to inflammatory agents. Two such agents, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and turpentine (TPT) are inducers of fever in rats. LPS, given intraperitoneally (i.p.), involves a systemic inflammatory response whereas TPT given intramuscularly (i.m.) elicits a localized inflammation. We assessed if chronic exercise training in the rat would alter the thermoregulatory response to LPS and TPT. Core temperature ( T c ) and motor activity were monitored by radiotelemetry. Female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into two groups (trained and sedentary) and housed at an ambient temperature of 22°C. Animals voluntarily trained on running wheels for 8 weeks. In the first study, trained and sedentary female rats were injected i.p. with LPS (50 μg/kg) or an equal volume of 0.9% normal saline. In another study, trained and sedentary female rats were injected i.m. with TPT (10 μl)/rat or an equal volume of 0.9% normal saline. The time course of the LPS fever was very short compared to TPT. TPT injected animals displayed a smaller but more prolonged fever compared to LPS; however, training accentuated the febrile response to LPS (Δ T c =0.6°C in sedentary and 1.2°C in trained). Training had a slight suppression on TPT-induced fever during the daytime but had no effect on motor activity or nighttime T c . In contrast, exercise training led to a marked increase in the pyrogenic effects of LPS. We conclude that the effect of exercise training and source of infection (i.e., systemic versus localized in muscle) on fever is directly linked to type of pyrogenic agent.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46159/1/204_2005_Article_36.pd

Bridging the gender divide: Facilitating the educational path for men in nursing

Background: Although the number of men entering the nursing profession over the past century has increased in-crementally, the proportion of men remains low in contrast to the U.S. population. On matriculation into nursing school, men face stereotypes about the nursing profession and the characteristics of the men who enter it. Men may also face a number of gender-based barriers, including lack of history about men in nursing, lack of role models, role strain, gender discrimination, and isolation. Method: This article describes each of these barriers and provides strategies to improve male students’ learning experience. Results: The efforts of one nursing school to address many of these barriers are also described. Conclusion: Through acknowledging gender barriers and taking intentional steps to address them with prenursing and nursing students, schools of nursing may create a more inclusive environment and enhance the profession’s diversity

Relationship of exercise-induced core temperature elevation to fever: Involvement of tumor necrosis factor, prostaglandin, and corticotropin releasing factor.

The experiments described in this dissertation were designed to test the hypotheses that tumor necrosis factor (TNF), prostaglandin and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) are involved in the exercise-induced elevation in core temperature. To test these hypotheses, female Sprague Dawley rats were given access to running wheels. We found the body temperature of the exercising animals to be elevated above sedentary controls, even during periods of inactivity (daytime) suggesting that voluntary exercise in the female rat causes an elevation of the temperature set-point. To determine whether TNF (Chapter 3) was responsible for part of the exercise-induced rise in daytime temperature, antiserum to TNF, injected ip at a dose that altered tumor-induced changes in body temperature and LPS-induced fever, or control serum were injected into female rats with access to running wheels 3 hours after the lights-on period. Neither ip injection of antiserum against TNF or control serum had any effect on daytime temperature elevation seen in exercising female rats. To assess whether this exercise-induced elevation in daytime temperature was mediated by a cyclooxygenase pathway, we injected animals with a dose of sodium salicylate (Chapter 4), which we showed to block fevers caused by an ip injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Injection of sodium salicylate did not result in any suppression of this daytime elevation in body temperature of exercised rats. To assess whether CRF was responsible for part of the exercise-induced rise in daytime temperature, a monoclonal antibody to CRF was administered (Chapter 5). We injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) a similar dose of antibody that had been shown to significantly attenuate the fever response to IL-1$\beta$. Injection of anti-CRF or vehicle had no effect on the body temperature of sedentary animals. However, when anti-CRF was given to exercising animals, the exercising animals showed significantly attenuated body temperatures one day post-injection. Injection of vehicle had no effect on body temperature of exercising animals. Based on these data, we conclude that the exercise-induced elevation in body temperature could be due, in part, to an increased secretion or action of CRF.Ph.D.KinesiologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/103665/1/9332159.pdfDescription of 9332159.pdf : Restricted to UM users only

Corticotropin releasing hormone is involved in exercise-induced elevation in core temperature

To determine the involvement of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in exercise-induced elevation in core temperature of female rats, CRF antibody or vehicle was injected intracerebroventricularly (ICV) into rats that had free access to exercise wheels for 6 weeks. On the day of injection, there were no differences in body temperature or activity following these injections. However, exercising animals had a significantly attenuated daytime temperature when compared to vehicle control animals at one day postinjection with the CRF antibody. Although these animals have significantly lower body temperature than the animals that received vehicle, the injection of CRF antibody had no effect on locomotor activity. Therefore, this decrease in temperature is not due to a reduction in activity. These results suggest that CRF is involved in the exercise-induced elevation in daytime body temperature. Since the antibody also attenuates fevers caused by IL-1[beta] (and presumably other cytokines), it is possible that the daytime elevation in body temperature of exercising rats is mediated by IL-1[beta] other cytokines.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/31899/1/0000852.pd

The Experiences of African American Male Caregivers

Aging of the population has led to an increasing number of caregivers. While research has been conducted on caregiver experiences, less is known about the experiences of African American males in the U.S. This qualitative descriptive study describes the experiences of 13 African American men who acted as caregivers to adult chronically ill or debilitated loved ones, the majority of whom provided care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The revised Sociocultural Stress and Coping Model (R-SSCM) guided this study. Individual interviews were conducted via the Zoom application. Content analysis revealed four themes: (1) “My time to take the reins”, (2) “It’s a male thang”, (3) “Caring amid a pandemic”, and (4) “Effects of the caregiver’s journey”. This study’s findings in relation to the literature provide overdue attention to the African American male caregiving experience, especially in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The implications of our findings include the need for more culturally congruent support services for African American male caregivers, as well as increased efforts to encourage trust in the healthcare system—especially in relation to vaccination for the SARS-CoV-2 virus