Browsing by Subject "Arachidonic acid"

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    TRPV4 Implications in Inflammation and Hydrocephalic Neurological Disease
    (2019-05) Simpson, Stafanie J.; Blazer-Yost, Bonnie; Belecky-Adams, Teri; Berbari, Nicolas; Goodlett, Charles
    Hydrocephalus is a debilitating disease characterized by an increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain, leading to increases in pressure that can ultimately result in death. Current treatments for hydrocephalus include only invasive brain surgery. Therefore, the need for a pharmaceutical therapy is great. In order to develop a suitable treatment, we first must be able to study the disease and the mechanisms by which it develops. By characterizing appropriate in vivo and in vitro models, we are better able to study this disease. In this thesis, the Wpk rat model and the PCP-R cell line are described as such appropriate models. In addition to suitable models, we also require a target for drug treatment. Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is a non-selective cation ion channel present in the main CSF-producing organ in the brain, the choroid plexus (CP). Preliminary data suggest this channel plays a role in the development of hydrocephalus. In the following work, some of the mechanisms by which TRPV4 functions in the brain are also described, including through calcium-sensitive potassium channels and inflammation. From this research, we are able to achieve a better understanding of the function of TRPV4 and how it can affect the development and progression of hydrocephalus.
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    Viscoelastic Testing and Coagulopathy of Traumatic Brain Injury
    (MDPI, 2021-10-28) Bradbury, Jamie L.; Thomas, Scott G.; Sorg, Nikki R.; Mjaess, Nicolas; Berquist, Margaret R.; Brenner, Toby J.; Langford, Jack H.; Marsee, Mathew K.; Moody, Ashton N.; Bunch, Connor M.; Sing, Sandeep R.; Al-Fadhl, Mahmoud D.; Salamah, Qussai; Saleh, Tarek; Patel, Neal B.; Shaikh, Kashif A.; Smith, Stephen M.; Langheinrich, Walter S.; Fulkerson, Daniel H.; Sixta, Sherry; Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine
    A unique coagulopathy often manifests following traumatic brain injury, leading the clinician down a difficult decision path on appropriate prophylaxis and therapy. Conventional coagulation assays—such as prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, and international normalized ratio—have historically been utilized to assess hemostasis and guide treatment following traumatic brain injury. However, these plasma-based assays alone often lack the sensitivity to diagnose and adequately treat coagulopathy associated with traumatic brain injury. Here, we review the whole blood coagulation assays termed viscoelastic tests and their use in traumatic brain injury. Modified viscoelastic tests with platelet function assays have helped elucidate the underlying pathophysiology and guide clinical decisions in a goal-directed fashion. Platelet dysfunction appears to underlie most coagulopathies in this patient population, particularly at the adenosine diphosphate and/or arachidonic acid receptors. Future research will focus not only on the utility of viscoelastic tests in diagnosing coagulopathy in traumatic brain injury, but also on better defining the use of these tests as evidence-based and/or precision-based tools to improve patient outcomes.