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Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions Of Individuals With Mental Illness Before And After A Service-Learning Experience, Valley Mccurry Jan 2019

Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions Of Individuals With Mental Illness Before And After A Service-Learning Experience, Valley Mccurry

All ETDs from UAB

Service-learning is a pedagogical approach that allows occupational therapy students to engage in experiential learning with individuals who have mental illness. Perceptions of individuals with mental illness are influenced by factors such as societal stigma. Stigma is present among allied health professionals and students, including occupational therapy students, which may influence provision of care. In order to assess occupational therapy students’ level of comfort with the mental health population, this study used a convergent mixed methods approach to evaluate how students’ personal beliefs and self-efficacy changed after a service-learning experience at a homeless shelter. The study explored occupational therapy students’ …

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Amyloid And White Mater Hyperintensity Burden In The Stroke Belt, Emily Carol Mckinley Jan 2019

Amyloid And White Mater Hyperintensity Burden In The Stroke Belt, Emily Carol Mckinley

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Several large cohort studies have found associations between residence in the Stroke Belt and cognitive impairment as well as dementia mortality; however, the rela-tionship between residence in the Stroke Belt and buildup of amyloid has not been estab-lished. The current project assessed the association between residence in the Stroke Belt and amyloid burden, amyloid accumulation, or white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in a large, national cohort of older US residents. The first study used linear regression models to examine the relationship between geographic residence and Centiloid values. Residence in the Stroke Belt at the time of baseline amyloid PET assessment was …

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Bridge Safety Against Multi-Hazard, Yahya Mohammed Mohammed Jan 2019

Bridge Safety Against Multi-Hazard, Yahya Mohammed Mohammed

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Multiple hazards (e.g., earthquake, wind gust, flood, vessel collision, traffic overload and accidents, and terrorist attacks, etc.) must be properly considered in highway bridge design in addition to the normal functionality requirements. Unfortunately, the structural health of bridges are continuously deteriorated over time, this in tandem with an excessive increase in hazard events, which makes the network extremely vulnerable to natural hazards. The main goal of this dissertation is to provide methods to investigate bridges safety against multi-hazard by obtaining load scenarios and evaluation of the performance based on these loads. Hazard events have been divided into routine events and …

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The Role Of The Built Environment In Transforming Underserved Neighborhoods Into Smart And Connected Communities, Mary Claire Nabors Jan 2019

The Role Of The Built Environment In Transforming Underserved Neighborhoods Into Smart And Connected Communities, Mary Claire Nabors

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The goal of this report is to create a model for transforming underserved neighborhoods into smart, connected, healthy, and sustainable communities by focusing on the built environment. To do this, there must be a thorough neighborhood analysis of the existing conditions with recommendations for what needs to be done, both short term and long term. The built environment impacts many aspects of a neighborhood and the quality of life for residents. Sidewalks, streets, lighting, landscaping, and accessibility are all components of the built environment and research has continuously shown how the deterioration of the built environment affects the health and …

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Ribosomal Rna Synthesis Is Regulated By Pathways That Respond To Environmental And Stress Conditions, Saman Najmi Jan 2019

Ribosomal Rna Synthesis Is Regulated By Pathways That Respond To Environmental And Stress Conditions, Saman Najmi

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Ribosome biogenesis is one of the most central processes to cellular growth and metabolism. The synthesis of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) by RNA polymerase I (Pol I) is thought to be rate limiting for ribosome biogenesis, and is therefore subject to extensive regulation. The work presented in this dissertation characterizes two previously undiscovered pathways regulating rRNA synthesis. Due to the direct connection between ribosome biogenesis (and rRNA synthesis) and cellular proliferative potential, Pol I activity is upregulated in cancers. Cancer cells are hypersensitive to inhibition of Pol I, a quality that makes Pol I an attractive target for anticancer therapeutics. The …

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Genome Sequencing To Identify Novel Developmental Disorder Variation, Matthew Neu Jan 2019

Genome Sequencing To Identify Novel Developmental Disorder Variation, Matthew Neu

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The ability to quickly and accurately catalog an individual's genetic variation through genome sequencing has ignited a new era of diagnostic and therapeutic development for heritable disease. Although genome sequencing can provide a molecular diagnosis in a significant number of patients with suspected genetic disease, there remain a number of unsolved cases for which no pathogenic cause can be determined. This uncertainty can create a "diagnostic odyssey" in which sequential tests fail to provide a diagnostic resolution and can often delay beneficial treatment, impact family planning, and be emotionally challenging for patients and their families. Clearly, there is an unmet …

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Neurocognition In Patients With Primary Dystonia, Lindsay Niccolai Jan 2019

Neurocognition In Patients With Primary Dystonia, Lindsay Niccolai

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Dystonia is defined as involuntary, sustained muscle contractions often causing twisting and repetitive movements. While dystonia is classified as a movement disorder with marked motor disturbance, there are also non-motor features associated with this disorder such as psychiatric, sensory, and neurocognitive deficits. This dissertation research focuses on the neurocognitive deficits found in patients with primary dystonia. Prior studies examining cognition in primary dystonia have often had the limitations of having small samples and lacking control groups. In addition, cognition is often assessed in deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgical candidacy evaluations, but neurocognitive deficits have not been studied as a predictor …

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Dna Template Sequence Effects On Rna Polymerase I Transcription Elongation, Andrew Martin Clarke Jan 2019

Dna Template Sequence Effects On Rna Polymerase I Transcription Elongation, Andrew Martin Clarke

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The production of ribosomes represents the major synthetic effort of a rapidly dividing cell, and is intimately linked to the regulation of cell growth and proliferation. Developing a greater understanding of the mechanisms that regulate ribosome biogenesis is therefore crucial to understanding cellular control of the growth cycle. Ribosome biogenesis begins with the synthesis of the 35S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) by RNA polymerase I (Pol I). This RNA is co- and post-transcriptionally processed to produce the 18S, 5.8S, and 25S rRNAs. These RNAs are critical components of ribosomes, and Pol I has been demonstrated to be a key regulation target …

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Using Behavioral Health Data From A Health Information Exchange: An Examination Of Facilitators And Barriers, Randyl Cochran Jan 2019

Using Behavioral Health Data From A Health Information Exchange: An Examination Of Facilitators And Barriers, Randyl Cochran

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Behavioral health disorders are common, and they frequently co-occur with chronic physical illnesses. Behavioral health patients with chronic physical illnesses are three times more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge than non-behavioral health patients. Readmissions among behavioral health patients are costly: $817 million in readmissions costs are related to mood and psychiatric disorders. High readmission rates are attributed, in part, to poor exchange of health-related information between various care providers. Health information exchanges (HIEs) are effective in chronic disease management, but their effectiveness in integrated care delivery is unclear. This study examined facilitators of …

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Effects Of A Ketogenic Diet On Body Composition, Metabolic Health, And Quality Of Life In Ovarian And Endometrial Cancer Patients, Caroline Whitney Cohen Jan 2019

Effects Of A Ketogenic Diet On Body Composition, Metabolic Health, And Quality Of Life In Ovarian And Endometrial Cancer Patients, Caroline Whitney Cohen

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Ketogenic diets (KDs) have garnered considerable research attention in recent years, having been investigated as a therapy for neurologic, metabolic, and even dermatologic diseases. Recent research has also focused on KDs as a potential intervention for cancer, with preclinical studies demonstrating profound effects such as inhibiting tumor growth, enhancing the effects of radiation and chemotherapy, and prolonging survival. However, to date few studies have been conducted in cancer patients. In order to determine if KDs might augment existing cancer treatment protocols, additional research is needed. Accordingly, the objective of this project was to conduct the first randomized, controlled trial examining …

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Quality Of Life And Mental Health After Pediatric Central Nervous System Tumor Treated With Surgery Only, Alexandra Cutillo Jan 2019

Quality Of Life And Mental Health After Pediatric Central Nervous System Tumor Treated With Surgery Only, Alexandra Cutillo

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Benign pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors treated with surgery alone have been considered relatively harmless to long-term health. However, a developing line of research has identified several late effects experienced in this population including psychological, adaptive, behavioral, neurological, and cognitive problems. Quality of life of children after resection alone has not previously been evaluated, especially in comparison to that of healthy children and children with chronic illness. Further, there has been no research geared toward developing psychosocial programs to address the late effects identified in this population. The following manuscripts contribute to the literature by evaluating and providing potential …

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Surface Treatment Effects On Shear Bond Strength And Biaxial Flexural Strength Of Three Generations Of Zirconia, Yasko A. Darkoue Jan 2019

Surface Treatment Effects On Shear Bond Strength And Biaxial Flexural Strength Of Three Generations Of Zirconia, Yasko A. Darkoue

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SURFACE TREATMENT EFFECTS ON SHEAR BOND STRENGTH AND BIAXIAL FLEXURAL STRENGTH OF THREE GENERATIONS OF ZIRCONIA YASKO A. DARKOUE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN DENTISTRY ABSTRACT Objectives: Mechanical and chemical surface treatments are required to achieve a durable bond to zirconia. The objective of this study is to compare the effects of particle abrasion and pressure on shear bond strength and biaxial flexural strength of Lava (Frame, Plus and Esthetic) zirconia to obtain a favorable combination of pressure and particle type to produce optimum strength and optimize the bond produced. A protocol for mechanical treatment balancing strength of the type zirconia …

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Examining The Role Of The Unfolded Protein Response In Depression, Matthew Timberlake Jan 2019

Examining The Role Of The Unfolded Protein Response In Depression, Matthew Timberlake

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Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and impacts nearly 350 million people with a disproportionate representation in women with a 1:1.7 ratio of occurrence compared to men. This disorder is characterized by shifts in mood to include feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and lethargy as well as changes in diet, motivation, and sleep patterns. Further, over 50% of patients who struggle with depression also have suicidal ideation and as many as 10% of those commit suicide. At present, treatment plans include behavioral therapy (often) in conjunction with antidepressant medications which act on monoamines and their circuits in the central …

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Influencing The Positive Mental Health Of Non-Kinship Foster Children: The Lived Experiences Of Foster Parents In Alabama, Sarah Catherine Tucker Jan 2019

Influencing The Positive Mental Health Of Non-Kinship Foster Children: The Lived Experiences Of Foster Parents In Alabama, Sarah Catherine Tucker

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This Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) qualitative study interviewed fifteen non-kinship foster parents in Alabama to explore their lived experiences of influencing the positive mental health of their foster children. This phenomenological approach allowed for a deeper understanding of the challenges foster caregivers face when facilitating improved psychological and social well-being of their foster children. In 2015, there were 427,910 children in foster care, with 45% of these children residing in a non-kinship foster home (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System [AFCARS], 2016). Children in foster care, especially children in non-kinship care arrangements, often have significant and complex mental …

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Teachers’ Experiences Of Change From Traditional Teaching Methods To Active Participatory Learning Approaches Within The Alabama P-3 Pilot Program: A Case Study, Shushan Vardanyan Jan 2019

Teachers’ Experiences Of Change From Traditional Teaching Methods To Active Participatory Learning Approaches Within The Alabama P-3 Pilot Program: A Case Study, Shushan Vardanyan

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This case study explored teachers’ experiences with the implementation of the Alabama P-3 initiative to move away from traditional teaching methods to active participatory learning (APL) approaches. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine teachers from four schools who taught kindergarten (K), first, or second grade. The data were analyzed through comparison of K and primary (P) teachers’ experiences of the implementation of the initiative using Lewin’s (1951) change theory as an a priori theory. The data were organized into two a priori themes: the process of change and forces influencing the change. The process of change theme was presented in …

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Effect Of Antidepressants On Cytokines Profiles Seen In Inflamed Tissue And Serum Samples In Patients With Moderate Chronic Periodontitis, Silvia M. Villalobos Jan 2019

Effect Of Antidepressants On Cytokines Profiles Seen In Inflamed Tissue And Serum Samples In Patients With Moderate Chronic Periodontitis, Silvia M. Villalobos

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This study evaluated whether depression with or without the use of antidepressant was associated with changes in inflammatory markers, intraorally and systemically, GCF volume, serum biomarker levels. Cross-sectional data were collected from individuals with moderate periodontitis who were assigned to one of three groups based upon their medical history, medication usage, and answers to a validated survey instrument that assessed their level of clinical depression. Three groups of patients were compared: 1) patients with clinically diagnosed depression taking antidepressant medications [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRIs), or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)]. 2) patients with clinically …

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Modulation Of Klotho Affects Dendritic Spine Remodeling And Neuronal Network Activity, Hai T. Vo Jan 2019

Modulation Of Klotho Affects Dendritic Spine Remodeling And Neuronal Network Activity, Hai T. Vo

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Klotho protein expression has profound effects on lifespan where klotho-deficient mice exhibit premature aging phenotypes and live only to ~8 weeks of age while klotho-overexpressing mice have lifespans that are at least 20% longer than wild-type mice. Klotho expression also has similar effects on cognitive function as klotho-deficient mice develop cognitive impairment by 7 weeks of age and klotho-overexpressing mice show enhanced cognitive function. These effects also extend to humans as polymorphisms that alter circulating levels of klotho have likewise effects on lifespan and brain function. Despite the fact that modulation of klotho expression has reciprocal effects on cognitive function, …

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Novel Biomarkers For Parkinson Disease, Shijie Wang Jan 2019

Novel Biomarkers For Parkinson Disease, Shijie Wang

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Parkinson disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder with no reliable biochemical biomarkers for disease prediction or progression, nor disease-modifying treatments to slow the relentless progression. Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene are known to increase LRRK2 kinase activity and increase the risk for late-onset PD. In this thesis, I discovered that LRRK2 is secreted into exosomes in urine and CSF, where LRRK2 kinase activity, reflected by autophosphorylation at pS1292 site, is preserved and reflective of cytosolic LRRK2 levels. In a cohort of biosamples from LRRK2 mutation carriers and matched controls, with and without PD, …

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An Assistive Device That Aids The Visiually Imparied People To The Crosswalk, Jiayue Wang Jan 2019

An Assistive Device That Aids The Visiually Imparied People To The Crosswalk, Jiayue Wang

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The visually impaired people mostly rely on a blind cane or specially trained the dogs (Guide dogs) to help them walk or cross the road safely. However, the white canes are for only avoiding obstacles on the roadway and training the guide dogs is a long-term process. Deficiency of reliable assistive tools, traffic accidents seem to be inevitable, especially to visually impaired or blind people. In order to address this problem and decrease the accidents of this nature, technologically more advanced and intelligent tools are necessary. This proposed thesis work will help visually impaired individuals, without affecting their daily activities …

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Discovering The Genetic Architecture Underlying Exercise Response Using Drosophila Melanogaster, Louis P. Watanabe Jan 2019

Discovering The Genetic Architecture Underlying Exercise Response Using Drosophila Melanogaster, Louis P. Watanabe

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The growth of modern jobs, technology, and transportation has coincided with increased sedentary behavior in many developed nations. In the United States, this increase has contributed partially to rising rates of obesity, leading to more than 78 million obese individuals. The annual medical costs associated with obesity are thought to range from 147 to 210 billion dollars. The initial treatment recommendations for individuals with obesity are increased exercise and changes in diet. Despite the strong narrative pushing exercise as a health benefit, individual responses can vary widely, and little is known regarding the genetic networks modulating exercise response. In order …

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Using Peptide Mimetics To Probe Protein-Protein Interactions Significant In Cancers, Robert H. Whitaker Jan 2019

Using Peptide Mimetics To Probe Protein-Protein Interactions Significant In Cancers, Robert H. Whitaker

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Protein-protein interactions are critical for cell life. One aspect of cellular regulation where such protein-protein interactions occur is in the highly regulated process of programmed cell death (or apoptosis). Apoptosis is critical for normal tissue homeostasis, differentiation, and if dysregulated is a driver of disease including cancers. At the center of apoptotic regulation is the BCL2 protein family whose intra-familial protein-protein interactions balance cell stress signaling either allowing the cell to survive or inducing mitochondrial cell death. These BCL2 protein interactions are accomplished through the BH3 motif. While unique to the BCL2 family, a similar motif, the reverse BH3, has …

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A Crisis In Care: Evaluating The Causes And Consequences Of Burnout Among Emergency Physicians, Michael Allyn Wiechart Jan 2019

A Crisis In Care: Evaluating The Causes And Consequences Of Burnout Among Emergency Physicians, Michael Allyn Wiechart

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For many physicians, the growing list of mandates and the unrelenting pace of change in today’s health care have taken a toll, leading to burnout. The consequences of burnout extend well beyond the impact on the individual provider, with physician burnout linked to a decrease in patient satisfaction, an increase in preventable medical errors, and increased levels of staff turnover. Consequently, the high rates of burnout reported among U.S. physicians might be considered not only as a symptom of dysfunction in the health care delivery system but also as a factor contributing to the dysfunction. While burnout exists to a …

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Examining Web-Based Lifestyle Interventions For Cancer Survivors, Victoria Williams Jan 2019

Examining Web-Based Lifestyle Interventions For Cancer Survivors, Victoria Williams

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Diet, physical activity, and body weight status are important modifiable risk factors for many health outcomes among cancer survivors, including cancer recurrence. Face-to-face, print, and mailed lifestyle interventions have been used to promote behavior change in cancer survivors successfully. However, such approaches are costly and have limited reach. Web-based lifestyle interventions represent a promising solution to this public health concern. Therefore, this project involved first reviewing and identifying gaps in the existing literature in this area and then developing and pilot testing a web-based lifestyle intervention for cancer survivors. For this three-part dissertation, study 1 was a narrative review of …

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Occupational Health Outcomes In Women Living With And At Risk For Hiv, Jenni Wise Jan 2019

Occupational Health Outcomes In Women Living With And At Risk For Hiv, Jenni Wise

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Women living with HIV (WLWH) are now able to work and need to work to attain the fruitful benefits of employment. Regardless of the need for income, employment provides esteem, confidence, structure, social support, and is associated with improved physical and psychological outcomes. Yet, in spite of the documented benefits associated with employment, an estimated 60% of WLWH are not employed. Thus, occupational disparities among WLWH contribute to disparities in health and quality of life among this population. While the historical trajectory of HIV is unique compared to other populations with chronic disease, evidence suggests that gender-specific difference in socioeconomic, …

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Ventral Hippocampal Input To The Medial Prefrontal Cortex Regulates Social Memory, Mary Leann Phillips Jan 2019

Ventral Hippocampal Input To The Medial Prefrontal Cortex Regulates Social Memory, Mary Leann Phillips

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Both the ventral hippocampus (vHIP) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are active participants in the neural circuitry activated by social interaction, and are both necessary for certain aspects of social behavior. Additionally, synaptic projections from the ventral hippocampus (vHIP) to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders. Using the Mecp2 knockout (KO) mouse model of Rett syndrome, an autism-associated disorder with network level deficits in the vHIP and mPFC as well as aberrant social behavior, we strove to determine the role of vHIP-mPFC in social behavior. Here, we show that the vHIP-mPFC projection is hyperactive in …

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Genetic And Epigenetic Underpinnings Of End-Stage Human Heart Failure, Mark Emile Pepin Jan 2019

Genetic And Epigenetic Underpinnings Of End-Stage Human Heart Failure, Mark Emile Pepin

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Heart failure (HF) is the clinical endpoint of numerous diseases that negatively impact the heart’s capacity to pump and/or fill with blood. A variety of genetic and environmental factors have been identified as critical determinants of HF susceptibility; however, these factors cannot independently explain the phenotypic diversity of human HF. Instead, a complex interplay has been theorized to exist between genetics and the environment, although the molecular underpinnings of this synergy remain poorly understood. Of the possible mechanisms, epigenetic influences are uniquely capable of explaining how acute stressors of the cardiac microenvironment trigger the stable – yet reversible – reprogramming …

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Investigating The Relationship Between Nurse Burnout And Self-Reported Medication Administration Errors In Alabama Hospitals, Aoyjai Prapanjaroensin Jan 2019

Investigating The Relationship Between Nurse Burnout And Self-Reported Medication Administration Errors In Alabama Hospitals, Aoyjai Prapanjaroensin

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Background: Approximately 30% to 60% of nurses report high levels of burnout worldwide. Nurse burnout may impact vigilance and job performance. Nursing job performance may decrease due to lowered alertness if nurses have high levels of burnout, and this issue may be related to the act of committing a medication error. Of the very few studies exploring the relationship between nurse burnout and medication errors, the findings are conflicting. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between nurse work environment characteristics, burnout levels and self-reported medication administration errors as well as patient safety grades among nursing staff …

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The Closed Eye As A Model For Dry Eye Disease, Cameron Kenneth Postnikoff Jan 2019

The Closed Eye As A Model For Dry Eye Disease, Cameron Kenneth Postnikoff

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Every night, during sleep, the tears of the closed eye become significantly more inflammatory, with a notable influx of neutrophils. Preliminary studies suggested that these neutrophils were significantly different than blood-isolated neutrophils, with an increased concentration, upregulated surface expression of inflammatory membrane receptors, but inability to respond to inflammatory stimuli. The purpose of this dissertation was to better understand the contribution of this neutrophil population to ocular surface homeostasis and dry eye disease. Chapter One presents an introduction to the tear film and ocular surface, along with an introduction to dry eye disease and neutrophil biology. Chapter One also discusses …

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Development And Validation Of A Recumbent Patient Weighing Scale, Kayla Rettig Jan 2019

Development And Validation Of A Recumbent Patient Weighing Scale, Kayla Rettig

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Today, most medications are administered according to a standard amount or based on the patient’s weight (weight-based). For emergency departments and emergency medical services, weight-based medications are difficult to administer as medical personnel do not have a means to obtain accurate patient weights. Paramedics generally rely on visual estimation for adults and height- or age-based estimation tools for children in order to obtain weight. Over the past year, a team of biomedical engineering students, including the present author, worked to design and fabricate a weighing device for in-ambulance use. This device consists of three separate scales, wired together as one, …

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Impact Of Environmental Exposures On Respiratory Health, Lawrence Rasmussen Jan 2019

Impact Of Environmental Exposures On Respiratory Health, Lawrence Rasmussen

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality around the world. Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of COPD; similarly, individuals exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) are also vulnerable to COPD and other airway diseases; however, distinct molecular mechanisms involved in SHS-induced lung effects that result in COPD are poorly understood. Mucociliary clearance (MCC) is a primary lung defense against inhaled particulate matter and pathogens. Thus, understanding how inhaled irritants such as SHS disrupt MCC will promote improved scientific understanding and better public health initiatives to prevent respiratory illnesses. Using a variety of in vitro …

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