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Relationship Between Diabetes And Indoor Air Pollution: An Exploratory Analysis, Sandeep Mishra Jan 2014

Relationship Between Diabetes And Indoor Air Pollution: An Exploratory Analysis, Sandeep Mishra

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India has the second highest number of people with diabetes. The high prevalence of diabetes in India cannot be explained on the basis of established risk factors like obesity. The role of air pollution in diabetes has recently received attention. Studies have indicated the possibility that air pollution generated by traffic might be associated with increased risk of diabetes. Published literature lacks studies that assess the relationship between indoor air pollution and diabetes, although indoor air pollution can lead to higher levels of pollutants in house compared to traffic pollution. The current study determined the relationship between indoor air pollution …

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Formaldehyde Exposure In Pregnant Women And Its Relationship To Fetal Growth, Azita Amiri Jan 2014

Formaldehyde Exposure In Pregnant Women And Its Relationship To Fetal Growth, Azita Amiri

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Formaldehyde exposure during pregnancy has been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as poor fetal growth, although few studies have examined formaldehyde exposure during pregnancy and its relationship to fetal growth. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of formaldehyde exposure during pregnancy and examine the relationship between formaldehyde exposure and fetal growth. Formaldehyde exposure was examined, using vapor monitor badge and urine formic acid, in 140 women in their second trimester of pregnancy. One time urine samples were collected during a routine prenatal visit, and women wore the vapor badges for 24 hours. Fetal growth was …

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Fatigue Testing Of Straight And Angled Abutments In A High Torque Dental Implant System, Rana M. Atieh Jan 2014

Fatigue Testing Of Straight And Angled Abutments In A High Torque Dental Implant System, Rana M. Atieh

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Root form dental implants are a common solution used today to replace missing teeth. However current designs still suffer from a number of limitations. Angled abutments are used for incisors, where maximum human bite forces are normally < 200N, while straight abutments are used for molars subjected to higher forces > 200 N. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mechanical performance of a novel dental implant system by fatigue testing straight and 15-degree angled abutments. It was hypothesized that the novel thread design will dissipate the load evenly throughout the implant allowing the system to withstand normal chewing forces. Implants with 4.2mm diameter were tested according to ISO 14801 in specimen …

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Baseline Measures Associated With Subsequent Weight Loss In Overweight Girls, Alexandra French Jan 2014

Baseline Measures Associated With Subsequent Weight Loss In Overweight Girls, Alexandra French

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Purpose: To evaluate the relationships among baseline weight, resting energy expenditure (REE), and aerobic fitness (AF) with subsequent weight loss in pre-pubertal overweight girls (7-11) undergoing a dietary weight-loss program. Methods: Using data from a prior study (PRIMO Study, PI Krista Casazza, PhD, RD at UAB) baseline measures of baseline weight, REE, and AF of 22 participants were analyzed using SPSS statistical program. The purpose of the PRIMO Study was to compare two diets differing in carbohydrate and fat content in improving metabolic outcomes, and to achieve weight loss in overweight pre-pubertal girls aged 7-11. The inclusion criteria for the …

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Three Studies On Family Meals: Examining The Predictors Of Family Meals And Its Impact On Adolescent Health, Samantha Sittig Goldfarb Jan 2014

Three Studies On Family Meals: Examining The Predictors Of Family Meals And Its Impact On Adolescent Health, Samantha Sittig Goldfarb

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This three-manuscript dissertation addresses gaps in the literature related to the predictors of family meals and its impact on adolescent health behavior. Sharing dinner as a family has been promoted by the media and many researchers as an ideal environment to enrich the parent-child bond and subsequently reduce adolescent risk behaviors such as substance use and delinquency. This dissertation centers on three topics, in particular: (1) the nature of the family meal literature given the multiple adolescent health behavior outcomes, study designs, and model types investigated and used by researchers, (2) the impact of family dinners on adolescent school problems, …

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Acculturation And Social Support As Predictors Of Physical Activity In A Web-Based Intervention For Latinas, Tanya Benitez Jan 2014

Acculturation And Social Support As Predictors Of Physical Activity In A Web-Based Intervention For Latinas, Tanya Benitez

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Latinas in the United States report high levels of physical inactivity and are disproportionately burdened by associated chronic diseases, demonstrating the need for innovative approaches to reducing these disparities. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate self-reported changes in physical activity and social support, and to examine the association between physical activity and acculturation, following a one month culturally and linguistically adapted, theory-driven (Social Cognitive Theory and Transtheoretical Model) Internet-based physical activity intervention for Latina adults. Data was collected from Spanish-speaking Latinas (N=24) between the ages of 21-61 years (M=35.17, SD=11.22) enrolled in a web-based physical activity pilot …

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A Systematic Evaluation Of An Educational Bible Study Classes Focusing On Diabetes Prevention - Just Having C.H.U.R.C.H: Controlling How Unhealthy Regimens Can Hurt., Latoya Rena Bishop Jan 2014

A Systematic Evaluation Of An Educational Bible Study Classes Focusing On Diabetes Prevention - Just Having C.H.U.R.C.H: Controlling How Unhealthy Regimens Can Hurt., Latoya Rena Bishop

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Diabetes is a growing problem in public health and the African-American population. Preventive measures such as changes in diet, increasing physical activity, and weight control are behaviors that will lead to a healthier lifestyle and prevent the onset of diabetes. The purpose of this study was to determine if the National Diabetes Education Program Power to Prevent curriculum improved diabetes prevention perceptions and behaviors among participants receiving the curriculum. The study tested the effectiveness of Power to Prevent specifically designed for African-Americans, paired with scripture in a bible school format, for diabetes prevention in local Baptist churches in Birmingham, AL. …

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The Role Of The Developing Microbiome In Mucosal Defense Of The Neonatal Gut, Emily G. Blosser Jan 2014

The Role Of The Developing Microbiome In Mucosal Defense Of The Neonatal Gut, Emily G. Blosser

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Neonatal late-onset sepsis is invasive infection occurring after the first 48 hours of life, and one of the leading causes of death among preterm infants in the United States and abroad. Infections with Gram-negative bacteria, such as Klebsiella pneumonia, occurring when bacteria translocate across premature gut epithelium into the bloodstream, can be particularly severe. Preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit undergo intense antibiotic regimens due to high risk of infection. Paradoxically, prolonged exposure of preterm infants to empiric antibiotic therapy early in the hospital stay is associated with increased risk of intestinal infection and death after adjustment for …

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Glycine Supplementation To Improve Insulin Sensitivity In Humans, Marie-Hippolyte Boni Epse Attobla Jan 2014

Glycine Supplementation To Improve Insulin Sensitivity In Humans, Marie-Hippolyte Boni Epse Attobla

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The main purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the insulin sensitizing effect of glycine as a dietary supplement in insulin resistant (IR) normoglycemic subjects (N= 10), and to determine significant changes in insulin sensitivity and lipid profile after four weeks of glycine supplementation. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the basic characteristics of the study population. A paired t-test was used to determine differences between insulin sensitivity and lipid profile pre- and post- intervention, considering the estimation of HOMA-IR and Matsuda- index scores. Results showed that glycine supplementation might improve triglyceride (TG) levels in European Americans; and low-density …

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Exposure To Methylmercury Via Fish Consumption In Ghana And An Evaluation Of Methylmercury Toxicity Under A Low Food Ration In Daphnia Pulex, Dzigbodi Adzo Doke Jan 2014

Exposure To Methylmercury Via Fish Consumption In Ghana And An Evaluation Of Methylmercury Toxicity Under A Low Food Ration In Daphnia Pulex, Dzigbodi Adzo Doke

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For many people of the world, fish is a primary source of protein, especially in countries like Ghana, where about 60% of the protein consumed is derived from fish. Fish advisories have been established by some nations to protect the public from harmful health effects linked to eating contaminated fish. Methylmercury (MeHg) is one such contaminant that has resulted in fish advisories. Fish advisories have not been developed in Ghana, although MeHg contamination of aquatic ecosystems is likely due to the long history of mercury (Hg) use in artisanal gold mining. To address this gap in our knowledge, I compiled …

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Association Of Blood Pressure Phenotypes With Kidney Disease, Rikki M. Tanner Jan 2014

Association Of Blood Pressure Phenotypes With Kidney Disease, Rikki M. Tanner

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model. The sex ratios produced in the fluctuating temperature experiments were not

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Employer-Based Wellness Programs; Financial Value To The Organization, Ricky D. Wallace Jan 2014

Employer-Based Wellness Programs; Financial Value To The Organization, Ricky D. Wallace

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The health and wellness of employees is of strategic importance for healthcare organizations to achieve leadership in accountable care and health reform. This study sought to discover whether an organizational program, focused on health promotion and wellness for employees, has a value to the organization. This quantitative evaluation study examines variables of a wellness program implemented at a medical facility in the United States by determining the medical costs among participants and non-participants of the facility sponsored wellness program. The results of the study provide valuation evidence concerning the program's value to the organization.

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The Direct Effects And Vertical Transfer Of Carbonaceous And Metal-Loaded Hydrochars In Aquatic Organisms, Katie Lauren Kohlenberg Jan 2014

The Direct Effects And Vertical Transfer Of Carbonaceous And Metal-Loaded Hydrochars In Aquatic Organisms, Katie Lauren Kohlenberg

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Industrial use of reactive micro- and nano-sized carbonaceous hydrochar (CH) is expanding rapidly. These carbonaceous particulates are synthesized by the pyrolysis of biomass in an industrial process called hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and have gained attention as a soil conditioner. Additionally, the HTC process is being expanded to coat heavy-metal nanoparticles, such as nano-copper and nano-iron, to prevent surface oxidation of these metals. These carbonaceous particles are likely to undergo secondary reactions with metals, toxicants, or other compounds. There is potential for these carbonaceous particulates to enter watersheds and have deleterious effects on aquatic food web dynamics. In this study, we …

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Ksrp Ablation Enhances Lipolysis In White Adipose Tissue Through Reduced Mir-145 Expression, Yi-Yu Lin Jan 2014

Ksrp Ablation Enhances Lipolysis In White Adipose Tissue Through Reduced Mir-145 Expression, Yi-Yu Lin

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White adipose tissue (WAT) releases fatty acids from stored triacylglycerol (TAG) for energy source. Here, we report that null mice for KH-type splicing regulatory protein (KSRP), an RNA-binding protein, resisted high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity. Target of deletion of KSRP regulates gene expression at multiple levels and enhances lipolysis in epididymal WAT (eWAT) due to up-regulation of genes promoting lipolytic activity. Expression of miR-145 is decreased due to impaired pri-miR-145 processing in Ksrp-/- eWAT. We show that miR-145 directly targets and represses Foxo1 and Cgi58, activators of lipolytic activity, and forced expression of miR-145 attenuates lipolysis. This study reveals …

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Differences In How Bmi And Body Fat Distribution Influence Body Dissatisfaction And Self-Esteem In Caucasian And African American Early Pubertal Girls, Danielle Marie Lorch Jan 2014

Differences In How Bmi And Body Fat Distribution Influence Body Dissatisfaction And Self-Esteem In Caucasian And African American Early Pubertal Girls, Danielle Marie Lorch

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Body dissatisfaction is among many psychological concerns related to obesity, particularly among pre-adolescent females. Though obesity prevalence estimates are higher among African American (AA) adolescent females, the limited data available suggests that they are less susceptible to weight-related body dissatisfaction than Caucasians. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the relationship between BMI and body dissatisfaction and the relationship between BMI and self-esteem in obese AA and Caucasian girls, aged 7-11 years, and determine if these relationships are moderated by race. Furthermore, an examination of how total body fat and body fat distribution before and after a dietary …

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The Role Of The Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway In In Vitro Models Of Neurodegeneration, Burton Mader Jan 2014

The Role Of The Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway In In Vitro Models Of Neurodegeneration, Burton Mader

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Recent studies have provided strong evidence that alterations in protein degradation pathways, such as the autophagy-lysosome pathway (ALP), may contribute to neuronal dysfunction and death which lead to clinical symptoms diagnosed with various neurodegenerative diseases. Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by neuromuscular abnormalities resulting from the pathological loss of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons and widespread detection of Lewy bodies, intracellular protein inclusions composed primarily of α-synuclein. Additionally, altered gene function regulating the expression of α-synuclein has been directly linked to the PD pathogenesis. Autophagy is an intracellular degradation process that when altered can lead to the accumulation neurotoxic proteins such …

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Night Comes Early To The Valley, Caitlin Murphree Miller Jan 2014

Night Comes Early To The Valley, Caitlin Murphree Miller

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Night Comes Early to the Valley is a collection of short stories about vulnerable, flawed people trying to discover the best way to live their lives. They are well-meaning mothers, fathers, children, and lovers, yet all struggle to balance the fulfillment of their personal responsibilities with the realization of their deepest individual desires. The collection highlights characters who are desperate to atone for their mistakes, build brighter futures, and live up to the expectations of their loved ones--only to realize, over time, that the most formidable judge they'll ever face is their own conscience.

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Coping With Chronic Illness: Temporal Patterns Of Spiritual Coping And Adjustment Among Adolescents With Chronic Illness, Nina Cole Reynolds Jan 2014

Coping With Chronic Illness: Temporal Patterns Of Spiritual Coping And Adjustment Among Adolescents With Chronic Illness, Nina Cole Reynolds

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Issues of spirituality rise to the forefront for youth facing serious health conditions. Positive and negative spiritual coping strategies have been linked with better or worse psychological adjustment, respectively, in pediatric patients. With expansion of research in this area, an empirical synthesis and examination of the prospective relationships between spiritual coping and mental- and physical-health is needed. Accordingly, the first manuscript reports on meta-analytic review of the cross-sectional studies of spiritual coping, health, and psychosocial adjustment. Results revealed that greater use of negative spiritual coping is related to more internalizing problems and poorer quality of life across multiple pediatric illness …

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White Matter Integrity In Adults With Hemiparetic Multiple Sclerosis Given Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy, Tyler Rickards Jan 2014

White Matter Integrity In Adults With Hemiparetic Multiple Sclerosis Given Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy, Tyler Rickards

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In adults with chronic stroke and children with cerebral palsy, structural changes in grey matter correlate with clinical improvements due to an efficacious upper-extremity (UE) rehabilitation therapy, Constraint-Induced Movement (CI) Therapy. Changes in white matter following CI therapy have not been observed, but damage to white matter tracts has not been found to decrease motor improvement resulting from this treatment. The objectives of this project were to: 1) evaluate the efficacy of CI therapy compared to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments on improving impaired UE function in participants with the progressive form of multiple sclerosis (MS), 2) investigate whether …

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A Mixed Methods Study Of Health Literacy And Its Role In Hpv Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Michelle Sharonda Williams Jan 2014

A Mixed Methods Study Of Health Literacy And Its Role In Hpv Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Michelle Sharonda Williams

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Health literacy includes the ability to understand and process written and spoken health information, and numbers and calculations related to health information. Low health literacy is associated with negative health outcomes, and poor patient-provider communication. In order to advance health literacy research, there is a need to assess health literacy comprehensively and to develop an understanding of how health literacy impacts people at various stages of their lives. A sequential explanatory mixed methods study was conducted to assess college students' health literacy. During the quantitative phase, the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA), the Newest Vital Sign …

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Exploring The Impact Of Youth Participation In Community Service On Health Behaviors, Kymber Nigel Williams Jan 2014

Exploring The Impact Of Youth Participation In Community Service On Health Behaviors, Kymber Nigel Williams

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hydric environment on sex ratios using the red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta, as a

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Combined Effects Of Corexit Ec 9500a With Secondary Abiotic And Biotic Stressors In The Rotifer Brachionus Plicatilis, Michael Britt Williams Jan 2014

Combined Effects Of Corexit Ec 9500a With Secondary Abiotic And Biotic Stressors In The Rotifer Brachionus Plicatilis, Michael Britt Williams

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Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill the dispersant Corexit EC 9500A (C-9500) was applied to facilitate rapid oil degradation. C-9500 toxicity has been evaluated on a number of marine species; however, many of these studies do not account for environmental conditions that may increase negative outcomes related to dispersant exposure in the wild. We examined lethality and behavioral effects of C-9500 exposure on the model marine zooplankton Brachionus plicatilis. We also evaluated interactions of abiotic and biotic stressors that may alter outcomes of exposure. C-9500 exposure at standard husbandry conditions (17.5ppt, 24°C, 200 rotifer*ml-1 density) produced a 24 hr median …

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Gut Microbiome And Its Role In Obesity And Aging In C57bl/6j Mice, Yongbin Yang Jan 2014

Gut Microbiome And Its Role In Obesity And Aging In C57bl/6j Mice, Yongbin Yang

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turtles and its’ ecological and evolutionary significance regarding certain aspects of

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High Spatiotemporal Resolution Mapping Of Retinal Physiology, Qiuxiang Zhang Jan 2014

High Spatiotemporal Resolution Mapping Of Retinal Physiology, Qiuxiang Zhang

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The objective of my PhD dissertation research is to explore high resolution imaging of retinal function using transient intrinsic optical signals (IOSs) correlated with retinal physiological activation. The retina is responsible for capturing photons and preliminary visual information processing. Functional examination of retinal neural cells is important for eye disease detection and treatment evaluation. It is known that different diseases can target different retinal cell types, and thus high resolution imaging of retinal function is desirable. Fast IOSs with time courses comparable to retinal electroretinogram (ERG) kinetics can act as a unique biomarker to map physiological distortions correlated with eye …

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Risk Assessment And Staging Of Cardiometabolic Diseases, Fangjian Guo Jan 2014

Risk Assessment And Staging Of Cardiometabolic Diseases, Fangjian Guo

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Obesity is associated with elevated risk for morbidity and mortality and has become an epidemic both in the United States and around the world. Insulin resistance is essentially involved in the pathogenic process of cardiometabolic diseases in obese people, which involves defects in glucose production by the liver and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and utilization by peripheral tissues. Insulin resistance appears at an early stage of life and is the first step in the development of cardiometabolic diseases. Long-term insulin resistance will induce metabolic syndrome and prediabetes and eventually will cause type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Obesity may exacerbate insulin …

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Assessing System Congruence By Analyzing The Relationship Between Employee And Patient Driven Outputs, Timothy J. Harlin Jan 2014

Assessing System Congruence By Analyzing The Relationship Between Employee And Patient Driven Outputs, Timothy J. Harlin

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Patients are at risk for employee driven preventable adverse events during hospital stays. These adverse events are varied and include such things as medication errors, pressure ulcers, hospital acquired infections, and falls. Preventable adverse events continue at alarming frequency despite significant academic, regulatory, and management attention to the topic over the past 14 years since the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) To Err is Human report. In addition to being at risk for preventable adverse events, patients experience aspects of the health care system such as ease of access, employee attitude, skill and efficiency of staff, and perceived value. Although purporting …

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An Evaluation Of The Healthy Eating Active Living (Heal) Alabama Program For Prevention Of Childhood Obesity Among Fifth Grade Students, Kelley Devane Hart Jan 2014

An Evaluation Of The Healthy Eating Active Living (Heal) Alabama Program For Prevention Of Childhood Obesity Among Fifth Grade Students, Kelley Devane Hart

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Childhood obesity is a major public health concern. The multiple effects of obesity in childhood are long-reaching. Since weight loss and maintenance are very difficult, prevention of obesity is important. Schools have been identified as an important environment for obesity prevention interventions since most children spend a large portion of the day at school. The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to determine if the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Alabama intervention improved weight status, fitness levels, and health knowledge and behaviors. A 2-by-2 repeated measures ANOVA was performed to determine whether differences exist between intervention and comparison students …

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Coevolution Of Sponges And Microbial Symbionts Across Ocean Basins, Zachary Lee Nolen Jan 2014

Coevolution Of Sponges And Microbial Symbionts Across Ocean Basins, Zachary Lee Nolen

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Sponges (phylum Porifera) can comprise a large portion of benthic communities in freshwater and marine environments. Because sponges possess simple body plans and can have substantial phenotypic plasticity within species, reconstructing phylogenies of Porifera based upon morphologies alone has proven difficult. With the advent of nucleic acid sequencing technologies, interest in sponge phylogenetics has significantly increased among researchers. Additionally, sponges host a wide range of microbial symbionts, including the cyanobacterium Synechococcus spongiarum. This study examined the evolution of both sets of organisms in the symbiotic relationship between Aplysina sponges and Synechococcus cyanobacteria. In Chapter 3, gene sequences coding for the …

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First Mechanism-Based Drug Design Underway In Kidney Disease, Jim Bakken Dec 2013

First Mechanism-Based Drug Design Underway In Kidney Disease, Jim Bakken

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No abstract provided.

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First Mechanism-Based Drug Design Underway In Kidney Disease, Greg Williams Dec 2013

First Mechanism-Based Drug Design Underway In Kidney Disease, Greg Williams

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No abstract provided.

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