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Securing Authentication And Communications Amidst Humans-In-The-Loop, Maliheh Shirvanian
Securing Authentication And Communications Amidst Humans-In-The-Loop, Maliheh Shirvanian
All ETDs from UAB
Authentication is one of the most crucial security aspects of almost any system that demands interaction between humans and machines, often serving as the pre-requisite for secure communications. Besides, authentication usually involves a human user in the loop (i.e., as a verifier, a verifiee, or a facilitator), which implies the significance of the usability of any authentication scheme. Numerous authentication schemes exist today, namely, “something you know” (e.g., passwords), “something you are” (e.g., voices), “something you have” (e.g., mobile phones), and combinations thereof. However, most of them suffer from various well-documented security and usability issues. In this dissertation work, we …
Algorithmic Accountability And Individual Rights: A Case Study Analysis, Karina Jaimes
Algorithmic Accountability And Individual Rights: A Case Study Analysis, Karina Jaimes
All ETDs from UAB
ABSTRACT Algorithms are becoming widespread and their use is set to expand, but it must be emphasized that, although constructive and transformative, they can also be destructive and counterproductive. Various types of organizations utilize algorithms, including government. The consequences of poorly constructed algorithms could lead to the infringement of citi-zens’ individual rights. Exploring two algorithms as case studies allows us to understand government use of algorithms and the ethics associated with them, especially in relation to the potential for the violation of rights. The application of privacy and anti-discrimination as lenses through which algorithms can be analyzed allows government officials …
Improving The Quality Of Public Service In Developing World: A Case Study Of Governmental Organizations In Herat City, Afghanistan, Firooz Jahani
Improving The Quality Of Public Service In Developing World: A Case Study Of Governmental Organizations In Herat City, Afghanistan, Firooz Jahani
All ETDs from UAB
Since the Taliban collapse in 2001, Afghanistan has made progress in providing public services to its citizens. The quantity of public services provided by governmental agencies has increased but whether the quality of these services has increased remains a question. The purpose of this thesis is to study the quality of public services delivered by governmental agencies in Herat City, Afghanistan. A modified Gap Model of Service Quality (SERVQUAL) Scale was used in this study to assess the citizens’ perceptions and expectations of public services. A survey was administered to a sample of 2,565 citizens receiving services from 57 governmental …
Out Of America, William Ervin King
Out Of America, William Ervin King
All ETDs from UAB
OUT OF AMERICA WILLIAM ‘BO’ KING ENGLISH ABSTRACT Out of America is a creative nonfiction novella that tells the story of my life as an expatriate minor, living away from the United States where I was born. The story covers a number of themes including divorce, kidnapping, race, anti-American sentiment, death, rebirth, and figuring out my place in the middle of all of it. I wanted to write this piece to finally give voice to myself and my history. The story begins with my family’s flight from the United States. This came after legal recourse had been denied following allegations …
Effectiveness And Acceptability Of A Robot-Based Social Skills Intervention For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sarah Alberta Koch
Effectiveness And Acceptability Of A Robot-Based Social Skills Intervention For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sarah Alberta Koch
All ETDs from UAB
This study examined the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of a robot- based intervention program designed to improve social-emotional skills in school-age children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Twenty-two children with ASD and mild-to-no cognitive impairment were randomized to intervention (n = 11) or waitlist control groups (n = 11) for eight weeks. Participants who completed the robot-based intervention displayed decreased overall engagement from baseline to post-intervention, based on an eye-tracking measure. Nonetheless, they reported high favorability ratings at post-intervention, including consistently high ratings of happiness, increased comfort ratings, and only slightly decreased ratings of desire for future interactions across time. …
Kinship, Scot Pierrot Langland
Kinship, Scot Pierrot Langland
All ETDs from UAB
KINSHIP SCOT P. LANGLAND ENGLISH ABSTRACT The body of poems collected in this thesis encompasses the stages of loving and losing. As a whole, these poems fixate on themes of absence, grief, denial, dejection, love, and lust. The narrative within this body of work threads through the transformation between innocence and experience. As one aesthetic identity flows into another, the voice and form of each poem expand and contract. The formal nature of these poems offers a mold with which reactions and observations can be poured into and then broken. With the broken nature of traditional forms (the sonnet, Spensarian, …
Health Literacy And Quality Of Life In Patients With Epilepsy, Brittany Nichole Scrivner
Health Literacy And Quality Of Life In Patients With Epilepsy, Brittany Nichole Scrivner
All ETDs from UAB
This exploratory study examined the impact of health literacy on quality of life (QoL) in persons with epilepsy (PWE). From the perspectives of cultural health capital and social disability theory, it was hypothesized that greater levels of health literacy would be associated with higher quality of life scores. The sample included patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy (TRE) enrolled in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Cannabidiol Program. Analyses included Pearson correlations, chi square, t-tests, and a nested linear regression model (alpha=0.1). The sample was composed of adult respondents (aged 19-63; n=79) and was 92% white with a mean age of 33; …
Strap Promotes Stemness And Tumorigenesis In Colon Cancer, Trung Vu
Strap Promotes Stemness And Tumorigenesis In Colon Cancer, Trung Vu
All ETDs from UAB
Emerging data suggest that Serine-Threonine Kinase Receptor-Associated Protein (STRAP), a scaffold protein, is upregulated in several human cancers. Here, we report a novel oncogenic function of STRAP, maintaining the colorectal cancer stem cell subpopulations in a heterogeneous mixture and drug resistance by suppressing the formation of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and epigenetically activating Notch signals in human colorectal cancer. Our data show that depletion of STRAP by shRNA sensitizes the colorectal tumor cells to drug-induced apoptosis. STRAP knockdown also contributes to the reduced stem-like phenotype of cells, indicated by reduced expression of CSC signatures and Notch signaling regulators in …
Religion/Spirituality And Mental Health/ Well-Being Among Women Living With Hiv, Haley Medved Kendrick
Religion/Spirituality And Mental Health/ Well-Being Among Women Living With Hiv, Haley Medved Kendrick
All ETDs from UAB
Depression among people living with HIV (PLWH) is associated with social factors such as employment, poor adherence to HIV medication and treatment, and HIV disease progression. However, estimates of prevalence rates of depression among PLWH vary widely, from 1% to 48%. Women living with HIV (WLWH) often report spirituality as an important factor in coping with stressors associated with HIV infection. Spirituality has been found to be associated with social involvement, effective coping, decreased stress, psychological adjustment, and positive mental health outcomes among PLWH. The current study aims to longitudinally examine trends of spirituality and mental health/well-being in the lives …
Comparison And Spectral Theory For Ordinary Differential Equations With Distributional Coefficients, Ahmed Ghatasheh
Comparison And Spectral Theory For Ordinary Differential Equations With Distributional Coefficients, Ahmed Ghatasheh
All ETDs from UAB
In this dissertation we cover two main topics in Sturm-Liouville theory, namely comparison theory and spectral theory. First we give a brief introduction to the classical Sturm-Liouville equations, the development of comparison theorems, and the classical first order system of differential equations. Second we provide a flexible comparison theorem for two Sturm-Liouville equations with distributional coefficients, and we provide some applications of our result. Finally, we investigate spectral theory of first order system of differential equations whose coefficients are distributions of order zero. We define maximal and minimal relations and classify boundary conditions that produce self-adjoint restrictions of the maximal …
Trichomonas Vaginalis Virus (Tvv) And Its Role In Trichomoniasis Infection, Keonte Graves
Trichomonas Vaginalis Virus (Tvv) And Its Role In Trichomoniasis Infection, Keonte Graves
All ETDs from UAB
Background: Trichomonas vaginalis virus (TVV) is a non-segmented, 4.5-5.5 kbp, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus infecting T. vaginalis (TV). The objectives of this study were to examine TVV prevalence in U.S. TV isolates and associations with patient demographics, clinical outcomes, and metronidazole (MTZ) resistance. Methods: Archived TV isolates from the enrollment visit of 355 women participating in a TV treatment trial in Birmingham, AL were thawed and grown in culture. Total RNA was extracted using Trizol reagent. Contaminating single-stranded RNA was precipitated using 4.0M LiCl and centrifugation. Samples were analyzed by gel electrophoresis to visualize a 4.5kbp band representative of TVV. …
The Influence Of Treatment Expectation On Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Tdcs)-Induced Suppression Of Craving And Eating, Mary Katherine Ray
The Influence Of Treatment Expectation On Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Tdcs)-Induced Suppression Of Craving And Eating, Mary Katherine Ray
All ETDs from UAB
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique with promise to improve numerous diseases, but results are inconsistent. Possible explanations for the conflicting evidence include: 1) expectation effects arising from discernable real vs. sham tDCS conditions, and 2) uncontrolled individual differences related to the outcome variables. Therefore, we conducted a study that systematically assessed the putative action of tDCS to suppress food craving and eating while controlling for expectation effects and baseline individual differences. N=74 adults were randomized to one of four groups: Told Fake/Got Fake (participants were told they were receiving fake and received fake tDCS), Told Fake/Got …
Sleep Disturbances In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christian Clesi
Sleep Disturbances In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christian Clesi
All ETDs from UAB
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability characterized by impairments in social communication and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Children with autism may also have associated symptoms; one of the most prevalent being sleep disorders, with estimated prevalence rates ranging from 40 to 80% (Goldman, McGrew, Johnson, Richdale, Clemons, & Malow, 2011). Measuring sleep disturbances in this population can be particularly challenging due to the symptoms of the disorder, including impairments in communication. Therefore, research in this field regularly relies on parent-report data to measure sleep disturbances in children with ASD. …
Tutoring Video Compositions: A Model Of Adaptation, Teresa Mckinney Davis
Tutoring Video Compositions: A Model Of Adaptation, Teresa Mckinney Davis
All ETDs from UAB
With the availability and ease-of-use of recording software on mobile phones, video essays are more accessible for composition classrooms. As these assignments are increasingly used, writ-ing centers are addressing the need for the ability to tutor video compositions. This article and conference presentation explore the foundational practices of directive and non-directive tutor-ing, examining how they can be adapted to working with video. More specifically, I argue that tutors can adapt existing theory and training to maintain a collaborative method when working with digital writing, without the need for specialized technology or technical training.
Hippocampal Ca1 Dentation And Its Relationship With Episodic Memory In Healthy Children, Julia Beattie
Hippocampal Ca1 Dentation And Its Relationship With Episodic Memory In Healthy Children, Julia Beattie
All ETDs from UAB
Hippocampal dentation is a morphological feature present on the inferior surface of the human hippocampus, most clearly visible in the sagittal view in structural neuroimaging. This dissertation examines the development of hippocampal dentation during childhood and adolescence, as well as its functional relationship with episodic memory performance. Our previous work in examining hippocampal dentation in healthy adults represented the first systematic description as well as the first indication of functional significance of this feature (i.e., both verbal and visual memory performance). In this new series of studies, two large, NIH-funded databases were utilized to examine this feature in samples of …
How School District Secession Impacts The District Left Behind, Christopher Tyler Burks
How School District Secession Impacts The District Left Behind, Christopher Tyler Burks
All ETDs from UAB
This is the first national analysis of school district secessions that predicts which kind of school districts are likely to have a secession attempt and measures the impact of secession on the per-pupil revenue of the district left behind. Data on school district secessions was limited prior to EdBuild’s 2017 report, Fractured. This thesis combines data from the National Center for Education Statistics with EdBuild’s data on secessions. Using a linear probability model, I find that larger districts in urban areas with more disadvantaged students receiving free and reduced-price lunch are more likely to experience a secession attempt. I then …
Descant, Erica Dawson
Severance, Christina Deka
Endearment, Anna Lena Phillips Bell
Syria, Ayelet Amittay
Sometimes Laughing, Sometimes Crying, Rachel Morgan
The Other Cheek, Stacia M. Fleegal
The Computational Discovery Of Genetic Determinants Of Gene Regulatory Variation In Human Liver, Benjamin Todd Weaver
The Computational Discovery Of Genetic Determinants Of Gene Regulatory Variation In Human Liver, Benjamin Todd Weaver
All ETDs from UAB
From its foundations, modern genetic science has focused on understanding the causal connections between genotypes and phenotypes. The emergence of tools and techniques for microarray-based genomic science has enabled hundreds of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to rapidly uncover thousands of previously unknown links between genetic variants and complex phenotypes, including human diseases (Li et al., 2011b). The output of genomic association research has yielded significant insights into basic biology and disease, including the identification of disease DNA variants that are possibly targetable by pharmaceuticals and gene therapeutics. Despite evident successes of the GWAS paradigm, opinion is divided on the overall …
Evaluating The Biology And Ecology Of Sea Turtles In The Context Of Anthropogenic Climate Change, Elizabeth Michelle Bevan
Evaluating The Biology And Ecology Of Sea Turtles In The Context Of Anthropogenic Climate Change, Elizabeth Michelle Bevan
All ETDs from UAB
This dissertation addresses several key gaps in our knowledge of how long-term threats, like climate change, impact the survival and reproduction of thermally-sensitive endangered sea turtles. Many aspects of the sea turtle life history, such as sex determination in hatchlings, are directly affected by environmental temperatures, making sea turtles crucial sentinels for monitoring the impacts of ecosystem variability. Chapter 1 re-evaluates the historic size of the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle population in the context of current nesting trends at its primary nesting habitat in the western Gulf of Mexico to address recovery targets and the conservation status for this species. …
Cortical-Subcortical Functional Connectivity Of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Jose Omar Maximo
Cortical-Subcortical Functional Connectivity Of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Jose Omar Maximo
All ETDs from UAB
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social communication and the presence of repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. Studies examining functional brain networks have risen exponentially over the last decade and have characterized ASD as a disorder of altered brain network connectivity and organization. These studies typically rely on blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal correlations between two or more regions in the cerebral cortex and make inferences about brain connectivity. However, brain connectivity differences might span subcortical regions such as the thalamus and basal ganglia as well; and only a few studies have examined cortico-subcortical connectivity in ASD. …
Understanding Associations Among Race, Socioeconomic Status, And The Experience Of Painful Knee Osteoarthritis: Clinical And Experimental Evidence, Kathryn Ann Thompson
Understanding Associations Among Race, Socioeconomic Status, And The Experience Of Painful Knee Osteoarthritis: Clinical And Experimental Evidence, Kathryn Ann Thompson
All ETDs from UAB
Knee OA is an active disease process involving cartilage destruction, subchondral bone thickening, and new bone formation affecting 22% of American adults (46.4 million) over age 18 years. Past literature suggests, a disproportionate number of racial/ethnic minorities, particularly non-Hispanic Blacks, are affected by knee OA. Furthermore, over one in four (28%) Blacks have an income below the national poverty level compared with 11% of Whites. Therefore, the overall aim of this study is to examine racial and SES differences in the experience of pain and physical functioning in adults with knee OA. 191 participants (62% female, 52% Black) were recruited …
Effects Of Proanthocyanidins In Combination With Resveratrol And Sulforaphane Respectively On Human Breast Cancer Cells, Yifeng Gao
All ETDs from UAB
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer among women in the United States. Cancer prevention and therapy through use of phytochemicals that have epigenetic properties has gained considerable popularity during the past few decades. Such dietary components include but are not limited to grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs), resveratrol (Res) and sulforaphane (SFN). Here we report for the first time that GSPs and Res in combination dose- and time-dependently inhibited cell viability and posttreatment colony forming ability synergistically in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, while GSPs and SFN in …
Macrodomain Mystery: Investigating The Structure-Function Link In Novel Tylonycteris Hku4 And Rousettus Hku9 Coronavirus Proteins, Robert Glenn Hammond
Macrodomain Mystery: Investigating The Structure-Function Link In Novel Tylonycteris Hku4 And Rousettus Hku9 Coronavirus Proteins, Robert Glenn Hammond
All ETDs from UAB
Since 2003, two severely human pathogenic viruses have emerged as a formidable health threat with no effective treatment to date. These viruses belong to the coronavirus (CoV) family. Upon infection, this viral family uses host cell machinery to translate nonstructural proteins (nsps) which are used to facilitate the viral life cycle. The first major human viral threat, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus, contains a multidomain region within its nsp3 called the SARS Unique Domain (SUD). This region contains macrodomains, which are implicated in viral replication. Macrodomains bind monomeric and polymeric ADP-ribose, a biomolecule involved in many cellular processes. …
Towards A Holistic Framework For Secure, Privacy-Aware, And Trustworthy Internet Of Things Using Resource-Efficient Cryptographic Schemes, Md Mahmud Hossain
Towards A Holistic Framework For Secure, Privacy-Aware, And Trustworthy Internet Of Things Using Resource-Efficient Cryptographic Schemes, Md Mahmud Hossain
All ETDs from UAB
The increased deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) based systems make smart devices target for malicious attacks. These devices can also be used as tools for committing crimes, such as cyber espionage and user-targeted attacks. However, IoT devices cannot adopt the conventional security protocols as is to defend against malicious activities. The existing security schemes are primarily designed for resource-rich computing devices, such as personal computers, laptops, and smartphones, while IoT devices are resource-constrained and operate in low power and lossy networks. Additionally, traditional digital forensics tools and techniques are not suitable to investigate cybercrime in IoT. These tools and …
Effectiveness Of A Robot Social Skills Therapy For Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jenna Brooke Lebersfeld
Effectiveness Of A Robot Social Skills Therapy For Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jenna Brooke Lebersfeld
All ETDs from UAB
This study examined the effectiveness of a robot-based social skills intervention for school-age children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) across a range of cognitive ability. Sixteen children were assigned to either the intervention group (n = 8), which received the robot intervention, or a control group (n = 8), which played non-emotion games with the robot. All participants reported high levels of enjoyment, motivation, and willingness to have future robot interaction sessions, indicating that the robot intervention is engaging and interesting for this population. However, there was no difference between groups on measures of emotion identification or generalized social skills. …