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The Mechanism Of Tobacco-Induced Decrements In Mucociliary Clearance, Vivian Lin Jan 2018

The Mechanism Of Tobacco-Induced Decrements In Mucociliary Clearance, Vivian Lin

All ETDs from UAB

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by progressive loss of lung function including mucus obstruction and airway remodeling, is primarily caused by cigarette smoking. This pulmonary phenotype resembles that of cystic fibrosis (CF), which results from genetic mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), an ion channel important in maintaining airway surface hydration and mucus clearance. Cigarette smoke exposure has been found to induce acquired CFTR dysfunction, leading to airway dehydration, abnormal mucin production, and impaired mucus transport. Smoke exposure also induces mucus hypersecretion and ciliary dysfunction; together, these changes result in defective mucus clearance and subsequent muco-obstruction. …

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The Effects Of Need-Based Aid On College Enrollment: An Analysis Of Institutions That Award College Promise Scholarships, Undre Phillips Jan 2018

The Effects Of Need-Based Aid On College Enrollment: An Analysis Of Institutions That Award College Promise Scholarships, Undre Phillips

All ETDs from UAB

People that obtain a college degree or certification are more likely to have an enhanced quality of life in areas of physical, mental, and financial well-being. The College Promise program promotes college enrollment by offering need-based scholarships with hopes that all students can obtain at least a two-year degree. Several scholars have examined the pre- and post-enrollment effects of College Promise programs on a per program basis, but no nationwide study exists that examines pre- and post-enrollment of institutions that award the scholarship. To determine the enrollment effect of College Promise programs, I examine the post-effect of enrollment among the …

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The Effects Of Ketamine And Other Rapid Antidepressants On Hippocampal Circuits, Allie J. Widman Jan 2018

The Effects Of Ketamine And Other Rapid Antidepressants On Hippocampal Circuits, Allie J. Widman

All ETDs from UAB

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in a common mental disorder that can impair cognitive functioning and negatively impact hippocampus. While several pharmacological treatments are currently available for MDD, most target the monoamine system, providing little variety in approaching treatment. Additionally, a large percentage of people with MDD have an inadequate response to this drug class, leaving them with little optimism of a full functional recovery. Recently, low-dose ketamine, an open-channel N-methyl D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, produced rapid antidepressant effects in humans, including people who do not respond to monoamine-based therapies, that lasted for days. The antidepressant-like behavioral effect of ketamine is …

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Examining The Relationship Between Operational And Clinical Performances Of Federally Qualified Community Health Centers, Ganisher K. Davlyatov Jan 2018

Examining The Relationship Between Operational And Clinical Performances Of Federally Qualified Community Health Centers, Ganisher K. Davlyatov

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation studied the role of Health Information Technology (HIT) adoption on clinical performance; the effects of clinical performance on chief executive officer (CEO) compensation; and the association between CHC’s financial and clinical performances in Community Health Centers (CHC). Data from the Uniform Data System (UDS) and the Internal Revenue System (IRS) 990 Forms were extracted for the period 2011-2016. Generalized estimating equations models with state and year fixed effects were performed. To test the relationship between the age and extent of HIT adoption and clinical performance, Resource-Based View of the Firm constructs were used. The age of HIT adoption …

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Elucidating The Role Of Hedgehog Signaling In Modulating Macrophage Function In Breast Cancer, Ann Hanna Jan 2018

Elucidating The Role Of Hedgehog Signaling In Modulating Macrophage Function In Breast Cancer, Ann Hanna

All ETDs from UAB

In the tumor microenvironment, breast cancer cells participate in crosstalk with the surrounding stroma. This tumoral-stromal interaction forms a balance that dictates tumor suppressing or tumor promoting response mechanisms. Macrophages in the tumor microenvironment are plastic and can mediate several functions depending on their activation states. Tumor associated macrophages co-exist as two major phenotypes: anti-tumorigenic and immune-eliciting classically activated M1 as well as tumor-promoting and immune-suppressive alternatively activated M2 macrophages. Alternatively activated macrophages are specifically associated with more aggressive stages and poor clinical outcomes in breast cancer patients as they suppress the tumoricidal properties of the immune system, thus facilitating …

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A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring The Adaptation Of Families Of Children With Multiple Sclerosis From The Perspective Of Family Caregivers, Yolanda Carol Harris Jan 2018

A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring The Adaptation Of Families Of Children With Multiple Sclerosis From The Perspective Of Family Caregivers, Yolanda Carol Harris

All ETDs from UAB

Two to 5% of the US population of individuals afflicted with multiple sclerosis (N = 400,000) are diagnosed prior to the age of 18 with pediatric onset multiple sclerosis (POMS). Most children and teens with POMS have a relapsing remitting course of the disease with unpredictable relapse onset causing cognitive and physical disability. This can result in school absences, hospital and outpatient visits, poor academic performance and interruption in normal social activities. In turn, these individuals may develop an inability to provide self-care, which could lead to poor quality of life. POMS can affect the individual diagnosed but may also …

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Towards A Holistic Framework For Secure, Privacy-Aware, And Trustworthy Internet Of Things Using Resource-Efficient Cryptographic Schemes, Md Mahmud Hossain Jan 2018

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 …

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The Impact Of Hospital Change Of Ownership On Hospital Quality Of Care As Evidenced By Patient Satisfaction Scores And Readmission Rates, Ian Edward Mcfadden Jan 2018

The Impact Of Hospital Change Of Ownership On Hospital Quality Of Care As Evidenced By Patient Satisfaction Scores And Readmission Rates, Ian Edward Mcfadden

All ETDs from UAB

THE IMPACT OF HOSPITAL CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP ON HOSPITAL QUALITY OF CARE AS EVIDENCED BY PATIENT SATISFACTION SCORES AND READMISSION RATES IAN E. MCFADDEN DOCTOR OF SCIENCE IN ADMINISTRATION-HEALTH SERVICES ABSTRACT Much of the literature on current hospital consolidation activity reveals that hospitals and health systems are experiencing an inordinate amount of increased merger and acquisition activity due to the impact of healthcare reform legislation. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 resulted in many hospital and health system providers seeking consolidation as a means to enhance resources and capital. These efforts have resulted in many hospitals changing …

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Post-Transcriptional Regulation Of Myeloid Cell Leukemia 1 In Cancers, Jia Cui Jan 2018

Post-Transcriptional Regulation Of Myeloid Cell Leukemia 1 In Cancers, Jia Cui

All ETDs from UAB

Apoptosis, a highly regulated process of programmed cell death, is essential for maintaining normal tissue homeostasis. Myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL1), an anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family protein, lies at the center of apoptosis regulation. Overexpression of MCL1 has been identified as a key contributor to tumorigenesis and further enables resistance to anti-cancer chemotherapies and radiation. Due to the critical roles of MCL1 in cancer, it is essential to understand the regulatory mechanisms of MCL1 expression in cells. Previous studies have detailed how MCL1 expression is controlled by multiple mechanisms. However, characterization of the post-transcriptional regulation of MCL1 mRNA has been poorly …

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Psychological Well-Being And Smoking Cessation, Christopher Thorne Jan 2018

Psychological Well-Being And Smoking Cessation, Christopher Thorne

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: The substantial death toll from smoking combined with the low success rates of current treatment approaches warrants further investigation into mechanisms that promote cessation. While the role of negative affect has been studied extensively in relationship to smoking cessation, the role of psychological well-being (PWB; e.g., life satisfaction, optimism, positive affect, purpose in life, resilience) has received little attention. Treatment outcomes might improve with a better understanding of PWB’s role in smoking cessation. Methods: Relationships between smoking and PWB were examined in three studies. First, using panel data from the biennial, longitudinal Health and Retirement Study, I developed separate …

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Immune Modulation Of Pain And Recovery Via Diet, Stacie Totsch Jan 2018

Immune Modulation Of Pain And Recovery Via Diet, Stacie Totsch

All ETDs from UAB

Chronic pain is the most common disability in the United States. Additionally, one out of three adults in America are obese and obesity and pain are often comorbid. Obesity is an inflammatory state due to the release of pro-inflammatory mediators from adipose tissue. Generally, obesity is a result of a poor-quality diet. Specific dietary components and patterns are independent activators of the immune system and can exacerbate the obesity-induced inflammatory state. It is known that immune system activation is a critical aspect in the development and progression of many chronic pain conditions. To address a general lack of preclinical investigations …

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Trichomonas Vaginalis Virus (Tvv) And Its Role In Trichomoniasis Infection, Keonte Graves Jan 2018

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. …

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Mechanisms And Treatment Of Halogen Inhalation-Induced Pulmonary And Systemic Injuries In Pregnant Mice, James Lambert Jan 2018

Mechanisms And Treatment Of Halogen Inhalation-Induced Pulmonary And Systemic Injuries In Pregnant Mice, James Lambert

All ETDs from UAB

Toxic chemicals may pose an increased threat to vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and their unborn fetuses. The halogen bromine has numerous industrial utilities that include flame retardant, pharmaceutical, insecticide, and bleaching additive production. At room temperature, bromine is a volatile liquid. When the gas is inhaled, bromine causes exposure-dependent acute and chronic pulmonary and systemic injuries that range from mild eye and airway irritation to severe damage to the cardiopulmonary system and other organs, which can lead to death. If exposure is survived, patients still may develop reactive airway disease syndrome and pulmonary fibrosis as well as restrictive …

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Section 4: Materials, Ectc Coordinating Committee Jan 2018

Section 4: Materials, Ectc Coordinating Committee

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Proceedings of the 18th Annual Early Career Technical Conference, November 3, 2018. School of Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; pp. 91-117

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Automated Image Acquisition For Vehicle Inspection, Hannah Evans, Kevin Mcfall Jan 2018

Automated Image Acquisition For Vehicle Inspection, Hannah Evans, Kevin Mcfall

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Section 3: Miscellaneous; pp. 81-85

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Structural Performance Of Wood-Based Bio-Composites Under Four-Point Bending, Maharshi Dave, Tejas Pandya, Jason Street Jan 2018

Structural Performance Of Wood-Based Bio-Composites Under Four-Point Bending, Maharshi Dave, Tejas Pandya, Jason Street

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Section 4: Materials; pp. 93-96

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Words, World / For The Future, John Saad Jan 2018

Words, World / For The Future, John Saad

Birmingham Poetry Review

pp. 204-209

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Elevated Blood Lead Levels, Cancer Incidence, And All-Cause Mortality In Adults, Sherri L. Davidson Jan 2018

Elevated Blood Lead Levels, Cancer Incidence, And All-Cause Mortality In Adults, Sherri L. Davidson

All ETDs from UAB

Epidemiologic studies have indicated an association between lead exposure and cancer. Although lead exposure has declined in recent decades, from removal of lead in gasoline and paint, lead exposure remains a health concern from environmental and occupational sources including aging water systems. In a retrospective cohort study, Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) records in Alabama were linked to cancer incidence data in the Alabama Statewide Cancer Registry and mortality data from the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, using a probabilistic linkage program. Blood lead level (BLL) measurements were used to categorize exposure levels. Odds ratios approximated relative risks. …

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Overcoming Obesity-Induced Immunotherapeutic Impairment, Shannon Boi Jan 2018

Overcoming Obesity-Induced Immunotherapeutic Impairment, Shannon Boi

All ETDs from UAB

Obesity affects ~40% of United States adults and is linked to the development of multiple health-related complications. Obesity is a major risk factor for developing renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common type of renal cancer. Metastatic RCC has poor five-year survivals, therefore, new, efficacious therapeutics are needed. One avenue is immunomodulation to generate tumor-specific, systemic anti-tumor responses that are long-lasting against local, metastatic, and recurrent tumors. Despite encouraging results, immunotherapeutic treatment of RCC is underwhelming. Cytokine therapies are largely toxic, while newly FDA-approved ‘checkpoint blockade’ (CB) antibodies have responses <50%. Here, we present a strategy employing a T cell priming therapy (AdTR/CpG) upstream of CB administration. Combinatorial use resulted in improved anti-tumoral immune responses, significantly reduced tumor burdens, and extended overall survival in pre-clinical RCC. Importantly, this approach was more efficacious than either single agent(s). Pre-clinical therapy development is often accomplished using lean, healthy animals–thus, to improve translatability we examined immune responses in the context of obesity as a major patient comorbidity. Subsequently, we investigated AdTR/CpG/CB in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. Tumor/treatment-naïve DIO mice exhibited obesity-associated features; i.e., increased leptin/insulin and serum cytokines. These effects were not dependent on high-fat diet administration as mice resistant to weight gain had minimal alterations in these factors, and were similar to mice maintained on standard chow. As previously identified, 80% of DIO mice bearing renal tumors failed to respond to AdTR/CpG. AdTR/CpG/CB-treatment dramatically improved response rates against DIO tumors, however, decreased obese responder percentages were observed in both combinatorial therapies and was independent of high fat diet administration alone. Impaired response rates were not model or immunotherapy-specific as similar reductions in tumor clearance were seen in models of melanoma and sarcoma. Furthermore, responses were not due to initial T cell priming or unequal precursor CD8+ T cell frequencies. Detrimental changes in the tumor microenvironment underscored failure in obese mice and revealed therapeutic success was defined by a T cell-myeloid cell-inversion profile, supported by immunogenetic and flow cytometric analyses. Thus, we demonstrate a novel combinatorial approach for improving checkpoint-based outcomes, and identify the ability of host obesity to impede therapy-induced anti-tumor immunity.

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The Association Between Perceived Discrimination And Depressive Symptomatology Among The Children Of Caribbean Immigrants, Fabrice Stanley Julien Jan 2018

The Association Between Perceived Discrimination And Depressive Symptomatology Among The Children Of Caribbean Immigrants, Fabrice Stanley Julien

All ETDs from UAB

Caribbean societies often speak to the in-between, acknowledging the race categories that exist between and within the “black” or “white” designations. But outside of this context and particularly in American society, individuals from the Caribbean pursue identity through a more categorical approach. What influences these decisions is often the occupied status of families. These occupied statuses offer different advantages and disadvantages, which can inform perceptions/experiences of daily stressors. Using a modified version of Pearlin’s stress process model, this research assesses how ethnic self-identification colors perceptions of stressors such as discrimination, and how this in turn influences one’s depressive symptomatology. Using …

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Novel Mediators Of The Blood Pressure Response To Acute Psychosocial Stress In Health And Disease, Brandon Fox Jan 2018

Novel Mediators Of The Blood Pressure Response To Acute Psychosocial Stress In Health And Disease, Brandon Fox

All ETDs from UAB

Psychosocial stress occurs in response to threatening or uncertainty-provoking stimuli and triggers a complex physiological reaction that facilitates survival and adaptation. In the cardiovascular system, acute psychosocial stress elicits a rapid increase in blood pressure, and importantly, cumulative exposure to psychosocial stress is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The present studies examined the impact of psychosocial stress on the cardiovascular system in both health and disease. Circulating endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels are induced by psychosocial stress. We hypothesized that endothelium-derived ET-1 contributes to the pressor response to stress via activation of the endothelin A (ETA) receptor. Vascular endothelium-specific ET-1 knockout …

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Nelle 1 (Complete Issue), Nelle Staff Jan 2018

Nelle 1 (Complete Issue), Nelle Staff

Nelle (literary magazine)

No abstract provided.

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Severance, Christina Deka Jan 2018

Severance, Christina Deka

Nelle (literary magazine)

pp. 10-21

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A Woman Must Soar: Florence Nightingale As An Inspiration To Southern Nursed, Katharine Armbrester Jan 2018

A Woman Must Soar: Florence Nightingale As An Inspiration To Southern Nursed, Katharine Armbrester

Vulcan Historical Review

pp. 11-22

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Section 3: Miscellaneous, Ectc Coordinating Committee Jan 2018

Section 3: Miscellaneous, Ectc Coordinating Committee

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Proceedings of the 18th Annual Early Career Technical Conference, November 3, 2018. School of Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; pp. 71-90

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Leiomyomatosis Peritonealis Disseminata – Acute Kidney Injury Of Rare Etiology, Robert Esposito, Tim Anderson, Parekha Yedla Jan 2018

Leiomyomatosis Peritonealis Disseminata – Acute Kidney Injury Of Rare Etiology, Robert Esposito, Tim Anderson, Parekha Yedla

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2018 clinical vignette poster

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Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: A Rare But Real Cause Of Abdominal Pain, Jeremy Johnson, Colin Cantrell, Roger Smalligan, Shivani Malhotra Jan 2018

Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: A Rare But Real Cause Of Abdominal Pain, Jeremy Johnson, Colin Cantrell, Roger Smalligan, Shivani Malhotra

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2018 clinical vignette poster

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Features And Management Of Mixed Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Of The Lung, Hazim Muhammad, Zaid Al-Rufaye, Alan Baggett Jan 2018

Features And Management Of Mixed Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Of The Lung, Hazim Muhammad, Zaid Al-Rufaye, Alan Baggett

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2018 clinical vignette poster

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Stroke More Than Just Aspirin, Echo And Carotid: Adrenoleukodystrophy Mimicking Stroke, Tim Anderson, Jitesh Kar Jan 2018

Stroke More Than Just Aspirin, Echo And Carotid: Adrenoleukodystrophy Mimicking Stroke, Tim Anderson, Jitesh Kar

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2018 oral presentation

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Unrelenting Pain A Scream For Evaluation, B Bahl, U Zafar, F Honkanen, A Baggett Jan 2018

Unrelenting Pain A Scream For Evaluation, B Bahl, U Zafar, F Honkanen, A Baggett

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2018 oral presentation

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