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Bayesian Hierarchical Negative Binomial And Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial Models For High-Dimensional Analyses With Applications To Human Microbiome Count Data, Amanda H. Pendegraft Jan 2019

Bayesian Hierarchical Negative Binomial And Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial Models For High-Dimensional Analyses With Applications To Human Microbiome Count Data, Amanda H. Pendegraft

All ETDs from UAB

The human microbiome was first described as an “ecological community of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms that literally share our bodyspace”. These microorganisms, also known as microbes and bacteria, are known for participation in human health. For example, microbes extract energy from foods that are otherwise indigestible, synthesize vitamins and amino acids necessary for important bodily functions, and protect hosts against disease-carrying pathogens. Therefore, the pursuit of human microbiome research is important for understanding the influence of microorganisms throughout human systems. Human microbiome research is founded on advances in next-generation sequencing technology. Namely, the identification of microbes that constitute the …


The Reductive Stress Reducto-Mir: Emerging Insight Into Microrna-671, Justin Michael Quiles Jan 2019

The Reductive Stress Reducto-Mir: Emerging Insight Into Microrna-671, Justin Michael Quiles

All ETDs from UAB

Excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) promotes cardiac pathophysiology. Although extreme oxidative burden is cytotoxic, ROS/RNS are continually generated within multiple domains of cardiac myocytes, and these species play fundamental roles in signal transduction through reversible thiol oxidation. Nuclear factor, erythroid 2 Like 2 (Nfe2l2/NRF2) is activated by ROS/RNS and binds cis regulatory antioxidant response elements (AREs) to induce the expression of a host of thiol oxidoreductases which regulate signaling events at the post-translational, transcriptional and epigenetic levels. Although oxidative stress has been linked to cardiac disease, adaptive processes in the heart require reduction-oxidation (redox) reactions as …


Determination Of The Role Of Smu_833 In The Fitness And Virulence Of Cariogenic Streptococcus Mutans, Katherine Lynn Rainey Jan 2019

Determination Of The Role Of Smu_833 In The Fitness And Virulence Of Cariogenic Streptococcus Mutans, Katherine Lynn Rainey

All ETDs from UAB

Dental caries, commonly known as tooth decay, is the most common infectious disease worldwide. The main etiological agent of dental caries is Streptococcus mutans which can readily form a biofilm on the surface of teeth and produce acids through the metabolism of dietary sugars, which is largely responsible for the demineralization and subsequent destruction of tooth enamel. In addition, S. mutans synthesizes extracellular glucosyltransferases (Gtfs) capable of breaking apart dietary sucrose and polymerizing the glucose subunits into the sticky glucan matrix of the biofilm, imperative for the formation of robust, three-dimensional biofilms. Currently used caries therapies are not species-specific and …


The Role Of Suppressor Of Cytokine Signaling 3 In Neuroinflammatory Disease, Zhaoqi Yan Jan 2019

The Role Of Suppressor Of Cytokine Signaling 3 In Neuroinflammatory Disease, Zhaoqi Yan

All ETDs from UAB

The Janus Kinase/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway plays a critical role in cytokine-mediated responses in both innate and adaptive immunity, and dysregulation of the JAK/STAT pathway is linked to many inflammatory disorders. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease that affects the central nervous system, and both innate and adaptive immunity are involved in disease progression. STAT3 signaling is critically involved in MS pathology and is negatively regulated by Suppressor Of Cytokine Signaling 3 (SOCS3). Both increased STAT3 activation and reduced SOCS3 expression are observed in immune cells from patients with MS. Although the role of …


The Effect Of Right Ventricular Insertion Cooling On Wavebreak Initiation Following Defibrillation Shocks, Han Yu Jan 2019

The Effect Of Right Ventricular Insertion Cooling On Wavebreak Initiation Following Defibrillation Shocks, Han Yu

All ETDs from UAB

Although strong defibrillation shocks can save patients from life-threating tachyarrhythmias, the function of the heart may be compromised. We found in an earlier study that the right ventricular insertion (RVI) is responsible for most of the initial propagation failure (wavebreak) that drives the transition from ventricular tachycardia (VT) to ventricular fibrillation (VF). To determine whether suppression of wavebreak at the RVI region can decrease VF re-occurrence after defibrillation, thereby decreasing the defibrillation shock strength threshold (DFT), a cooling method was developed to impede waves from propagating between the right ventricle (RV) and the left ventricle (LV) through the RVI. The …


A Deep Learning Framework For Medical Image Segmentation, Zheng Zhang Jan 2019

A Deep Learning Framework For Medical Image Segmentation, Zheng Zhang

All ETDs from UAB

Deep Learning (DL) has rapidly become a methodology of choice for analyzing medical images and increasingly attracts researcher’s attention in the medical research community. The brain is one of the most important organs in the human body. Within the context of human brain disease, research and care, accurately detecting, evaluating and segmenting human brain abnormalities play an important role in brain disease diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment planning. A significant challenge in developing good brain abnormalities segmentation methods is the high variation of brain abnormalities such as differences in shape, size, location, appearance, and regularity. Deep Learning approach ad-dresses this challenge …


Self-Tracking Practices: The Roles Of Social Contexts And Chronic Conditions, Aowen Zhu Jan 2019

Self-Tracking Practices: The Roles Of Social Contexts And Chronic Conditions, Aowen Zhu

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The rapid development of mobile health (mHealth) technologies is propelled by the culture of disease prevention and management. Smartphone applications and wearable devices provide valuable personal data for self enhancement. In addition to health promotion, people with chronic conditions are using apps and devices to monitor symptoms and behaviors. There is great potential for self-tracking practices to reduce health care cost and improve population health. However, the emphasis on personal responsibility of individuals’ health may hinder the long-term effectiveness of self-tracking practices. The purpose of the study is to examine the associations between social contexts and self-tracking practices, chronic health …


Exposure Assessment Of Ultrafine Particles And Hazardous Chemicals In Electronic Cigarettes, Oluwabunmi Magret Dada Jan 2019

Exposure Assessment Of Ultrafine Particles And Hazardous Chemicals In Electronic Cigarettes, Oluwabunmi Magret Dada

All ETDs from UAB

The widespread use of electronic cigarettes (e-cig) among youths and adolescents is a growing public health problem due to exposures to harmful byproducts formed during heating. These byproducts include particulate matter, benzene, and toluene. However, the mechanisms and variables governing their formation including the chemical content of e-cig liquid (e-liquid) are not fully understood. This study aimed to assess exposures to particulate matter, benzene, and toluene in e-cig vapors (e-vapors) and their coupling to e-liquid chemical content. A novel nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy method was developed to characterize e-liquids (propylene glycol, glycerol, and nicotine) and the functional content of flavorings. …


Kidney Resident Macrophages Utilize Developmental Programming During Healing From Acute Kidney Injury, Jeremie Matthew Peabody Lever Jan 2019

Kidney Resident Macrophages Utilize Developmental Programming During Healing From Acute Kidney Injury, Jeremie Matthew Peabody Lever

All ETDs from UAB

Acute kidney injury (AKI) can be a devastating condition, affecting up to sixty percent of critically ill patients in the United States. Despite the fact that AKI is associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and mortality, there are no targeted therapies available to treat it. Kidney resident macrophages (KRM) are likely necessary for healing and resolution of animal models of AKI. However, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding how KRM effect this function. The purpose of my thesis was to elucidate lineage relationships and functionally relevant adaptations of KRM and monocyte-derived mononuclear phagocytes (infiltrative MP) …


Characterizing The Hiv-1 Envelope N-Glycan Shield, Audra Ann Hargett Jan 2019

Characterizing The Hiv-1 Envelope N-Glycan Shield, Audra Ann Hargett

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In 2017, there was an estimated 1.8 million new HIV-1 infections worldwide. Development of an effective HIV-1 vaccine would begin to quell this global pandemic. HIV-1 envelope (Env) glycoprotein is the main vaccine candidate target due to the immune systems ability to generate broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against Env. Approximately 90 N-glycans form a glycan shield that is the primary interface between the virus and host immune system. Key glycan motifs within the glycan shield are targets for bnAbs and are necessary for HIV-1 infectivity. Herein, we explore how naturally occurring mutations alter the glycan shield and HIV-1 Env function. …


Investigating The Rho-Kinase (Rock) Signaling Pathway As A Therapeutic Target In Alzheimer’S Disease, Benjamin Wade Henderson Jan 2019

Investigating The Rho-Kinase (Rock) Signaling Pathway As A Therapeutic Target In Alzheimer’S Disease, Benjamin Wade Henderson

All ETDs from UAB

Current estimates project that there are approximately 5.4 million Americans affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD). While this number is expected to dramatically increase in the years to come, there is currently no disease modifying therapeutic to prevent or slow AD progression. Cognitive decline is a clinical hallmark of AD, while accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) is a pathological hallmark. Work in the field has demonstrated that mitigating Aβ levels may serve as a rational therapeutic avenue to slow progression of the disease. Pharmacologic inhibition of the Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCK1 and ROCK2) is proposed to curb Aβ levels, and mechanisms that …


The Influence Of O-Glcnacylation On Dna 5-Hydroxymethylation In The Epileptic Hippocampus, Richard Gilbert Sánchez Jan 2019

The Influence Of O-Glcnacylation On Dna 5-Hydroxymethylation In The Epileptic Hippocampus, Richard Gilbert Sánchez

All ETDs from UAB

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects roughly 3 million Americans and 65 million individuals worldwide. Although there are several known causes of epilepsy, little is understood about the development of epilepsy or epileptogenesis. What has been observed through multiple studies of epilepsy is an alteration of the proteomic profile, along with a distinct change in post-translational modifications (PTM). Studies have focused on phosphorylation and a variety of kinases that are upregulated during epilepsy with little clinical translation. This dissertation investigates O-GlcNAcylation, a PTM that is highly intertwined with the cellular metabolism, and its epigenetic effects on gene expression via …


Postpartum Body Composition And Breast Milk Hormones, Camille Schneider Jan 2019

Postpartum Body Composition And Breast Milk Hormones, Camille Schneider

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The prevalence of both adult and child obesity continues to rise. Children born to mothers with obesity have a greater risk for future obesity and chronic disease. There is an increasing body of literature suggesting that pregnancy and infancy are critical periods influencing the child’s risk for obesity. However, little is known about whether consumption of breast milk from an obese mother might influence the child’s metabolic programming and growth. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the association of maternal adiposity with insulin and leptin in breast milk and, in turn, whether breast milk insulin, leptin, and glucose …


Targeting The Nad Salvage Pathway For The Treatment Of The Parasitic Disease Schistosomiasis, Michael David Schultz Jan 2019

Targeting The Nad Salvage Pathway For The Treatment Of The Parasitic Disease Schistosomiasis, Michael David Schultz

All ETDs from UAB

Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is the third most common parasitic infection worldwide and a major source of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Caused by trematodes in the genus Schistosoma, this parasitic disease has no vaccine therapy and resources for drug development are scarce. Despite an unknown mechanism of action, praziquantal has become the primary source of treatment due to its efficacy against all species of Schistosoma. However, with increased drug resistance in endemic areas and low activity against immature parasites, relying on this single drug is unsustainable and risky. Hence, there is a growing need for new, safe …


Optimizing Toc Removal For Dbp Reduction In Drinking Water While Overcoming Source Water Variations, April Nabors Jan 2019

Optimizing Toc Removal For Dbp Reduction In Drinking Water While Overcoming Source Water Variations, April Nabors

All ETDs from UAB

Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering University of Alabama at Birmingham ABSTRACT This dissertation used a holistic approach to research ways to optimize disinfection by-product (DBP) reduction during each sector of the conventional drinking water treatment process, regardless of the source water type or quality, in an overall effort to meet the USEPA Stage 2 Disinfection/Disinfection By-Products Rule (D/DBPR). DBPs are formed from the reaction between naturally occurring total organic carbon (TOC) in the water and disinfectants used during the treatment process. For this dissertation, effective treatment was measured by the amount of TOC that was removed through the …


A Deep Learning Approach For Identifying Key Biomarkers In Medical Imaging Applications, David Odaibo Jan 2019

A Deep Learning Approach For Identifying Key Biomarkers In Medical Imaging Applications, David Odaibo

All ETDs from UAB

Although Deep Leaning has achieved great success in many domains in recent years, research into its applicability and effectiveness in medical applications has been limited for various reasons. Some of these barriers are related to the historic impression that neural networks are black boxes, especially when applied to medical diagnosis and offer no in terpretation into prediction. In this dissertation, I demonstrated that deep learning can be an effective utility in medical diagnosis and biomarker detection. In particular, I have developed deep learning models that can identify biomarkers in brain hemorrhage, brain tumor, pneumonia, diabetic retinopathy and Parkinsons disease, with …


Engineering Researchers Hit Record With 17 Payloads On The International Space Station, Staff Dec 2018

Engineering Researchers Hit Record With 17 Payloads On The International Space Station, Staff

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No abstract provided.


Finding A Key Mechanism In Assembly Of Asv, A 100-Year-Old Virus Often Used To Study Hiv-1, Staff Dec 2018

Finding A Key Mechanism In Assembly Of Asv, A 100-Year-Old Virus Often Used To Study Hiv-1, Staff

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No abstract provided.


Student Demo Day Features New Student Startup Companies, Staff Dec 2018

Student Demo Day Features New Student Startup Companies, Staff

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No abstract provided.


Immunologist John Kearney Named Aaas Fellow, Staff Dec 2018

Immunologist John Kearney Named Aaas Fellow, Staff

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No abstract provided.


Taichman Named Uab School Of Dentistry Dean, Staff Dec 2018

Taichman Named Uab School Of Dentistry Dean, Staff

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No abstract provided.


Uab Fall Doctoral Hooding, Commencement Ceremonies Are Dec. 14, 15, Staff Nov 2018

Uab Fall Doctoral Hooding, Commencement Ceremonies Are Dec. 14, 15, Staff

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No abstract provided.


Summer Adventure: Lasers And Nanotechnology, Staff Nov 2018

Summer Adventure: Lasers And Nanotechnology, Staff

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Rapid-Freezers For Space Research Launching Via Spacex Dec. 4, Staff Nov 2018

Rapid-Freezers For Space Research Launching Via Spacex Dec. 4, Staff

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No abstract provided.


Student Entrepreneurs Win Big At Blazer Innovation Challenge, Alicia Rohan Nov 2018

Student Entrepreneurs Win Big At Blazer Innovation Challenge, Alicia Rohan

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Ethics Bowl Debate Team Goes National, Staff Nov 2018

Ethics Bowl Debate Team Goes National, Staff

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Pavela Leads Uab Team To Study Association Of Bmi And Mortality, Alicia Rohan Nov 2018

Pavela Leads Uab Team To Study Association Of Bmi And Mortality, Alicia Rohan

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No abstract provided.


An Enzyme In Immune Cells Plays Essential Role In Host Defense Against Tuberculosis, Staff Nov 2018

An Enzyme In Immune Cells Plays Essential Role In Host Defense Against Tuberculosis, Staff

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No abstract provided.


Benveniste Named Senior Vice Dean For Basic Sciences, Brit Blalock Nov 2018

Benveniste Named Senior Vice Dean For Basic Sciences, Brit Blalock

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Opinion: Bipartisanship In Our Genes, Staff Nov 2018

Opinion: Bipartisanship In Our Genes, Staff

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No abstract provided.