Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond The Excuses: The Effect Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy On African American Male Students, Kelly Cousette

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT Nearly 30 years have elapsed since the National Assessment of Educational Progress reported that America's public education system is failing African American male students. These widely used statistics state that compared to their White and African American female counterparts, African American male students underperform in nearly all educational measures (i.e. GPA, standardized test scores, graduation and dropout rates, etc.). The majority of the research on this academic achievement gap has focused on deepening our understanding of the barriers to educating African American males. While understanding the problem is a logical first step to resolving any dilemma, research on this …

Explaining The Link Between Parental Educational Expectations And Chinese High School Students' Academic Achievement: The Roles Of Psychological Distress, Parental Involvement, And Filial Piety, Wei Su

All ETDs from UAB

The current study addressed the relationship between short-term and long-term parental educational expectations and Chinese high school students' academic achievement. We proposed five factors and mechanisms to explain this relationship, including nonlinear associations of parental educational expectations with adolescents' academic achievement, mediation effects of child psychological distress, mediation effects of parental involvement, effects of parent-child discrepancies in educational expectations, and moderating effects of filial piety. Four hundred and ninety-one 12th graders from a mainland Chinese high school and their parents were recruited in this study, with a mean age of 18.4 years and 57% girls. When not adjusting for previous …

Characterization Of Pleiotrophin And Receptor Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Beta/Zeta In Odontoblast And Osteoblast Cell Lines, Amena Tamkenath

All ETDs from UAB

Pleiotrophin (PTN) is an extracellular matrix-associated growth factor and chemokine expressed in mesodermal and ectodermal cells. It plays an important role in osteoblast recruitment and differentiation. PTN has two well-known physiological receptors, protein tyrosine phosphatase beta/zeta (RPTPRZ1), and N-syndecan. Protein tyrosine phosphatases are a group of enzymes that remove phosphate groups from phosphorylated tyrosine residues on proteins. Protein tyrosine phosphorylation is a common post-translation modification that can create novel recognition motifs for protein interactions and cellular localization, affect protein stability and regulate enzyme activity. Osteoblasts have recently been found to express the short transmembrane isoform of RPTP beta/zeta but nothing …

Dangerous Research: Threat Of Bioterrorism Creates Need For New Precautions, Ramya Singireddy

Inquiro (undergraduate research journal)

pp. 7-8

Pursuing A Research Career… Without The Doctorate, Paul Lee

Inquiro (undergraduate research journal)

pp. 8-9

Section 1: Bio-Medical/Bioengineering, Asme Ectc Coordinating Committee

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Proceedings of the ASME Early Career Technical Conference, November 4-5, 2011. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

pp. 1-44

Section 3: Dynamic Systems & Control, Asme Ectc Coordinating Committee

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Proceedings of the ASME Early Career Technical Conference, November 4-5, 2011. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

pp. 95-136

Study Of Tuberculosis Spread In Clinical Settings In Resource-Constrained Countries Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (Cfd), Adeel Khalid

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Proceedings of the ASME Early Career Technical Conference, November 4-5, 2011. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

Section 1: Bio-Medical/Bioengineering; pp. 3-10

Significance Of Mwcnt And Tio2 Nanofillers On Low-Density Polyethylene Thermal & Mechanical Properties: Applicability For Pipes Used In Water & Energy Systems, Trenicka Rolle, Ramana Pidaparti

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Proceedings of the ASME Early Career Technical Conference, November 4-5, 2011. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

Section 1: Bio-Medical/Bioengineering; pp. 18-23

A Review Of Rehabilitation Strategies For Stroke Recovery, Daniel A. Garcia, Rodrigo Arrendondo, Melissa Morris, Sabri Tosunoglu

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Proceedings of the ASME Early Career Technical Conference, November 4-5, 2011. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

Section 1: Bio-Medical/Bioengineering; pp. 24-31

Instantaneous Optimal Control Of A Predator-Prey Natural Resource With A Prey-Dependent Functional Response, Dale B. Mcdonald

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Proceedings of the ASME Early Career Technical Conference, November 4-5, 2011. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

Section 3: Dynamic Systems & Control; pp. 105-112

Asme Early Career Technical Journal (Complete Issue), Asme Ectc Coordinating Committee

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Proceedings of the ASME Early Career Technical Conference, November 4-5, 2011. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

Modeling And Multi-Objective Optimization For Energy-Based Target Localization Using Wireless Sensor Networks, Zhenxing Luo

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation focuses on energy-based target localization in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). A WSN consists of a fusion center and a large number of sensors. The fusion center localizes a target using a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method based on decisions received from sensors whose positions are known. However, several factors may degrade localization performance, including imperfect communication channels, sensor faults, sensor position uncertainty, and sensor sleep. Localization performance may be improved if these factors are accounted for in the MLE framework. In this dissertation, models were developed that describe how localization performance is affected by imperfect communication channels, multi-hop …

Real-Time Quantitative Pcr For Evaluation Of Mutans Streptococci And Dental Caries, Chanika Manmontri

All ETDs from UAB

Mutans streptococci (MS), e.g., Streptococcus mutans (Sm) and Streptococcus sobrinus (Ss), are associated with dental caries. Quantification of MS has been shown to predict caries risk. A new technology using PCR may streamline quantification compared to traditional culture methods. Purpose: To use real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and standard plate counting (SPC) for detection and quantification of levels of Sm, Ss and total streptococci (TS) in clinical samples from high-caries-risk children with no regular access to dental care and to study correlation of these bacterial levels and ratios to caries prevalence. Methods: Saliva and plaque samples were collected from school-aged children …

Localization Of Proteins Involved In Trafficking In Frog And Mouse Retina, Amie Marsh

All ETDs from UAB

The connecting cilium serves as the major route for protein transport from the inner to outer segment of photoreceptor cells. The hypothesis that all Congenital Stationary Night Blindness (CSNB) rhodopsin mutants travel properly to the rod outer segment in Xenopus laevis will be tested by preparing transgenic X. laevis expressing a rhodopsin mutation found in human CSNB, A295V. In addition, probing for the existence of potential proteins involved in regulating rhodopsin trafficking and monitoring their localization will contribute to a better understanding of the underlying pathway of intracellular photoreceptor trafficking.

An Investigation Of The Effect Of Misspecifying The Random Effect Distribution And The Incorrect Assumption Of Equal Intraclass Correlation Coefficients Among Treatment Groups In The Analyses Of Data From Cluster Randomized Trials, Omar B. Mbowe

All ETDs from UAB

Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) are among the commonly used statistical methods for the analyses of binary data from cluster randomized trials (CRT). GLMMs extend the linear mixed models to accommodate, among others, binary outcomes. The linear predictor of GLMMs contains fixed effects and random effects to model the correlation among responses in a cluster. These random effects are usually assumed to be normally distributed but this assumption may not hold in practice. Also, the cluster sizes may vary within a trial for several reasons including loss to follow-up. This variation in cluster sizes can result in unequal cluster sizes. …

Relationship Between Religiosity, Violent Behavior And Gang Activity In Economically Disadvantaged Adolescents, David Mckenzie

All ETDs from UAB

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGIOSITY, VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AND GANG ACTIVITY AMONG ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ADOLESCENTS DAVID McKENZIE HEALTH EDUCATION & HEALTH PROMOTION ABSTRACT Few studies have examined the relationship between religiosity, violent behavior and gang activity in disadvantaged youth. This research study analyzed data from a population of low-income adolescents in Mobile, Alabama. The research objectives were to assess the relationship between adolescent religiosity and involvement in violent behavior and gang activity, and to determine if there were gender differences between boys and girls regarding religiosity, violent behavior and gang activity. It was hypothesized that there would be an inverse relationship between religiosity …

The Effect Of A Topical Ocular Preparation On Performance Of Simulated Driving In Cases Of Symptomatic Dry Eye, Chandra Venise Mickles

All ETDs from UAB

Dry eye is a common complaint of millions of people worldwide with a significant impact on quality of life. In particular, it could have a significant impact on vision-related activities of daily living such as driving. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if 30 days of active topical dry eye treatment (Systane® Balance, Alcon Laboratories; Ft. Worth, TX) has an impact on the simulated night-time driving performance in mild or moderate dry eye compared to a topical saline (Sensitive Eyes®, Bausch & Lomb; Rochester NY). Dry eye symptoms and signs were also assessed to corroborate our findings. Forty …

Apolipoprotein E Mimetic Peptide Improves Hdl Functionality And Inhibits Atherosclerosis Progression In Mouse Models Of Atherosclerosis, Gaurav Nayyar

All ETDs from UAB

Despite major advances in diagnosis and treatment, coronary artery disease (CAD) is still the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in United States. An ideal treatment for lipid-mediated inflammatory disorders would not only reduce plasma cholesterol dramatically but also improve high density lipoproteins (HDL) function. Apolipoprotein E (apo E), a protein component of HDL and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), is necessary for the receptor mediated hepatic uptake of apolipoprotein-B (apo B) containing remnant lipoproteins and also possesses strong anti-inflammatory properties. We hypothesized that a synthetic dual domain apo E mimetic peptide, Ac-hE18A-NH2 (a 28-residue peptide) containing receptor binding …

Berry G. Jackson, Alias Berry Clyatt: Murder Witness And Murderer, Jessica Eileen Parker Newman

All ETDs from UAB

This study examines the life of an escaped slave named Berry G. Jackson, alias Berry Clyatt. Jackson was born approximately 1851 in Levy County, Florida, on the Samuel Clyatt plantation. Jackson's is a success story of how a teenage slave escaped his young master, boarded a Union steamer, and served in the Civil War. After the war, Jackson claimed to have met General Ulysses S. Grant in Washington, D.C. and received encouragement to continue north where Grant hoped he would become a farmer. Jackson ended up owning several properties and ultimately possessed 21 acres with a farmhouse in Gates, New …

The Influence Of Growth Factors Applied During Socket Conversion, On The Incidence Of Spontaneous Early Dental Implant Exposure, Michael Anh Minh Nguyen

All ETDs from UAB

Spontaneous early exposure of a dental implant's cover screw can result in a nidus for plaque accumulation, which may result in inflammation, damage to the peri-implant mucosa, and possible peri-implant bone loss. This study aims to investigate the effect of the addition of growth factors, specifically recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor, and platelet-rich plasma, at the time of socket conversion, on the incidence of early implant exposures. This retrospective study utilized data from a study involving a total of 80 implants that were placed in 4 different types of sites (Groups 1,2,3, and 4). Group 1 sites were extraction sites …

The Role Of Primary Cilia In Articular Cartilage And Growth Plate, Ching-Fang Chang

All ETDs from UAB

Primary cilia are now considered an important organelle required for many key steps during developmental processes including skeletal development. Articular cartilage and growth plate are two cartilage compartments whose functions are important postnatally. Articular cartilage is a think cartilage layer which serves as a cushion to protect the joint space, whereas growth plate is important for postnatal long bone growth. Both articular cartilage and growth plate need to be developed properly to ensure the normal bone function. Here, we show an important role of primary cilia in development of both articular cartilage and growth plate using genetic modified mouse model …

Centering Pregnancy And Adverse Pregnancy Outcome: An Evaluation Of Group Prenatal Care In A Rural Western Kentucky Clinic, Lorie Wayne Chesnut

All ETDs from UAB

CenteringPregnancySmiles [TM] (CPS), a group prenatal care program with an oral health component, has demonstrated promising results in urban communities with primarily low-income minority women. This study examined three questions: 1) Do women who participate in CPS have better birth outcomes than those who participate in traditional prenatal care, even after adjusting for maternal characteristics and risk factors? 2) Is level of exposure to the intervention associated with improved birth outcomes? 3) Do women with dental infection have an increased risk of poor birth outcomes? Data were abstracted from medical records and birth certificates. Birth outcomes for women enrolled in …

Neuropharmacology Of The Α2a Adrenergic Receptor In Disorders Of Mood And Cognition, Christopher Cottingham

All ETDs from UAB

Depressive disorders carry relatively high lifetime risks of greater than 10%, and the antidepressant drugs used in the pharmacotherapy of these mood/cognitive disorders are among the most-prescribed pharmacological agents. However, a detailed understanding of both depressive etiology and the pharmacological mechanisms of action for antidepressant drugs remain elusive. The overall goal of this dissertation research is to provide novel in-sights through a detailed study of the neuropharmacology of the α2A adrenergic receptor (AR). α2ARs, as key regulators of noradrenergic neurotransmission, have been broadly understood to have some ill-defined role in both the neurobiology and neuropharmacology of depressive disorders. The studies …

The Conformational Analysis And Biophysical Studies Of Retinoic Acid Interactions With Nuclear Receptor Homodimers And Heterodimers, Bryan Dean Cox

All ETDs from UAB

Vitamin A metabolites are compounds that perform critical functions for mammalian life. The retinoic acid metabolites of vitamin A regulate genetic transcription. Retinoic acids function by binding to type II nuclear receptor proteins (NRs), which modulates interactions between nuclear receptors and transcription initiation machinery (such as coactivator proteins). It is the focus of this dissertation to expand our understanding of retinoic acids in their interactions with the nuclear receptor protein Retinoid X Receptor alpha (RXR&alpha). Retinoic acids are composed of a trimethylcyclohexenyl ring, polyene chain, and terminal carboxylic acid. The first chapter investigates the energetics of the ring-chain conformation using …

Adhesion Molecule Interactions Influence The Implementation Of Immune Responses To Infection, Maureen Ann Cox

All ETDs from UAB

Interactions mediated by intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) enhance both the antigenic and cytokine signals that CD8 T cells perceive, and these interactions have been suggested to be required for the formation of memory CD8 T cells. Following acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection of ICAM-1-/- mice, we observe elevated numbers of "effector-phenotype" (CD127lo KLRG-1hi IL-2-) virus-specific CD8 T cells well into the memory phase, while the development of memory-phenotype CD8 T cells (CD127hi KLRG-1lo IL-2 producing) is not impaired. The enhanced maintenance of effector-phenotype cells is due to ICAM-1 deficiency on non-T cell subsets, suggesting a role for ICAM-1 mediated …

Modulation Of Alpha-Synuclein Metabolism And Toxicity By Cathepsin D, Donna Marlana Crabtree

All ETDs from UAB

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most commonly occurring neurodegenerative movement disorder, and aberrant accumulation of the protein α-synuclein is thought to be a major contributing factor in disease development. Dysfunction of the autophagy lysosome pathway (ALP) has been implicated in PD pathogenesis. Our lab and others have shown that the lysosomal enzyme cathepsin D (CD) is an important regulator of α-synuclein degradation. The primary focus of this thesis is probing the structure/function dynamic that exists between α-synuclein and CD. We have found that lentiviral-mediated over expression of wild type CD (wtCD) leads to subtle alterations in the ALP in a …

Regulation Of Clc-3 In Human Malignant Glioma, Vishnu Anand Cuddapah

All ETDs from UAB

Malignant gliomas are the most common and deadly form of primary brain cancer afflicting adults. Current treatment regimens, including surgical debulking, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, have limited efficacy, and median patient survival remains only 14 months. Therefore, novel therapies must target different aspects of glioma biology. Two of the most striking features of this cancer are the unusual ability of glioma cells to robustly proliferate and migrate in the brain, and recent evidence suggests that ClC-3, a voltage-gated Cl- channel/transporter is implicated in both of these processes. We hypothesize that ClC-3 may facilitate proliferation and migration by promoting hydrodynamic shape and …

Are Enabling Services In Federally Qualified Health Centers Associated With Women Receiving Prenatal Care In The First Trimester?, Forrest A. Daniels

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this study was to examine whether enabling services in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) were associated with women receiving prenatal care services in the first trimester. The population for this study included FQHCs providing prenatal care services for the years 2008, 2009, and 2010. Data for this study were derived from two sources: Uniform Data System (UDS) and the Area Resource File (ARF). This study adopted the Andersen's (1973) Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. The study consisted of longitudinal panel data analysis. Univariate and bivariate statistics were calculated using PASW/SPSS statistical software, version 18. For the …

Glutamate Release And Uptake At Cerebellar Synapses, Ming-Chi Tsai

All ETDs from UAB

Glutamate mediates excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS). Regulation of glutamate release and uptake shapes the spatiotemporal dynamics of glutamate at and around synapses to influence information transfer between neural cells. This dissertation focuses on the modulation of glutamate release and uptake at excitatory synapses of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PC). In the first project we show that differential expression of PC glutamate transporters controls the amount of glutamate entering the extrasynaptic space, thereby influencing the excitatory responses in surrounding Bergmann glia. This work provides the first evidence that neuronal glutamate uptake affects glial glutamatergic signaling. In the …