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The Role Of Wnt5a In Mammary Gland Development, Sarah Baxley Jan 2010

The Role Of Wnt5a In Mammary Gland Development, Sarah Baxley

All ETDs from UAB

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) negatively regulates mammary gland development and requires Wnt5a to exert some of these effects on mammary gland development. Wnt5a is a non-canonical signaling Wnt that is expressed in all stages of mammary gland development except lactation. Using slow release pellets containing Wnt5a, as well as Wnt5a null tissue, we previously showed that Wnt5a also acts to limit mammary development. Initial studies revealed a potential role for TGF-beta and Wnt5a in regulating mammary gland progenitor cells, indicating they may act to regulate the stem and progenitor cell population. In order to study the role of Wnt5a on …


Canonical Wnt Signaling By The Proteolytic Processing Of Lrp6, Brandon Richard Beagle Jan 2010

Canonical Wnt Signaling By The Proteolytic Processing Of Lrp6, Brandon Richard Beagle

All ETDs from UAB

Low density Lipoprotein receptor Related 6 (LRP6) functions as an essential co-receptor for Wnt/Beat;-catenin signaling as pathway activation, reflected by cytosolic Beta-catenin stabilization and TCF/LEF-1 transactivation, requires Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3Beta(GSK3Beta)-mediated phosphorylation of multiple PPP(S/T)P motifs within the membrane anchored LRP6 intracellular domain. Additionally, LRP6 undergoes a proteolytic cleavage event resulting in the formation of a soluble LRP6 intracellular domain (LRP6-ICD). LRP6-ICD can function within the Wnt/Beta-catenin pathway by interacting with GSK3Beta and attenuating the phosphorylation of GSK3Beta substrates such as cytosolic Beta-catenin as well as stimulate TCF/LEF-1 activity. However, LRP6-ICD's role(s) within the Wnt/Beta-catenin pathway and the mechanism(s) that …


Host Preference Profile In An Area Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (Eee) Virus Transmission In Alabama, Ana Lucia Oliveira Jan 2010

Host Preference Profile In An Area Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (Eee) Virus Transmission In Alabama, Ana Lucia Oliveira

All ETDs from UAB

osteoporosis susceptibility, perceived osteoporosis severity, perceived barriers to


A Nucleolar Specificity Factor For E2f1 Induced Cell Death, Jason Chang Paik Jan 2010

A Nucleolar Specificity Factor For E2f1 Induced Cell Death, Jason Chang Paik

All ETDs from UAB

The E2F family of transcription factors are important regulators of cell proliferation, and are often dysregulated in cancers. One member of the E2F family, E2F1, also has the ability to induce apoptosis; therefore, uncovering how E2F1-induced apoptosis is controlled is of interest in understanding tumorigenesis. To this end, we identified RRP1B as a novel target specifically induced by E2F1. RRP1B expression is specifically upregulated by E2F1 overexpression, but not other E2F family members. RRP1B expression is correlated with E2F1 expression during the cell cycle, and is significantly induced after DNA damage. The minimal RRP1B promoter region responsive to E2F1 was …


Pneumococcal Vaccine Response And Aging In Human, Saeyoung Park Jan 2010

Pneumococcal Vaccine Response And Aging In Human, Saeyoung Park

All ETDs from UAB

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen, especially for young children and older adults. To protect from pneumococcal diseases, 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) has been used clinically since 1983. However, PPV23 is not so effective among old adults with its protective efficacy diminishing with age. We confirmed that young and old adults, who were immunized with PPV23, have comparable pneumococcal polysaccharide (PS) specific IgG levels. Interestingly, we found that old adults had lower IgA and IgM antibody levels than young adults for three serotypes (serotype 14, 18C and 23F). Consistent with the previous results, opsonic capacities of immune sera …


Regulation Of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Signaling And Metabolism By Platelet-Derived Growth Factor, Jessica Perez Jan 2010

Regulation Of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Signaling And Metabolism By Platelet-Derived Growth Factor, Jessica Perez

All ETDs from UAB

Growth factors are important inducers of vascular cell growth whose regulation is altered during the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. An increase in growth factor and cytokine production, as well as lipid oxidation is observed in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and contributes to altered vascular cell signaling, exacerbated atherosclerotic lesions and heart failure. A change in cellular bioenergetic status due to mitochondrial dysfunction or damage has also been noted in CVD. In this thesis, we first examine cell signaling pathways in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) which are activated in response to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and regulate the cell cycle protein changes …


Challenge Difficulty And Cardiovascular Responses In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Christopher Conley Stewart Jan 2010

Challenge Difficulty And Cardiovascular Responses In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Christopher Conley Stewart

All ETDs from UAB

This study examined the effect of challenge difficulty on cardiovascular responses in patients with Alzheimer's disease and amnestic mild cognitive impairment. It extended from a model characterizing the determinants and cardiovascular consequences of effort in people confronted with performance challenges. One component of this model holds that ability has the potential to accentuate, attenuate, or have no effect on cardiovascular responses. Specifically, lower ability should accentuate cardiovascular responses so long as performers' view a challenge possible and worthwhile. However, lower ability should attenuate cardiovascular responses when it leads to the perception that a challenge is excessively difficult or impossible. The …


Dna Replication And Cytokinesis In Drosophila Melanogaster, Anton Svitin Jan 2010

Dna Replication And Cytokinesis In Drosophila Melanogaster, Anton Svitin

All ETDs from UAB

DNA replication and cytokinesis are two important parts of the cell division process. Our studies address different aspects of both of these processes and potential links between them. One of the best approaches for studying DNA replication in eukaryotes has been an analysis in cell free in vitro systems. The existing cell free replication systems for Drosophila are relatively ineffective. In the first part of this work, we have developed an optimized in vitro system to study DNA replication using early egg extracts of Drosophila. Our studies indicate that this system proves to be an extremely useful tool for a …


Structural Studies Of The Ligand Binding Domain Of The Human Retinoid X Receptor Bound To Retinoids And The Coactivator Peptide Grip-1, Gang Xia Jan 2010

Structural Studies Of The Ligand Binding Domain Of The Human Retinoid X Receptor Bound To Retinoids And The Coactivator Peptide Grip-1, Gang Xia

All ETDs from UAB

Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are ligand-dependent transcription factors which belong to the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily. When a ligand binds to RXRs, it activates the protein allosterically for the recruitment of coactivator proteins and enhancement of gene transcription. RXRs form either homodimers or heterodimers with numerous other NRs. Thus, RXRs are involved in many signaling pathways in vivo. 9cRA, Targretin and UAB retinoids are RXR agonists and found to be effective agents to prevent and treat cancers. The structures of retinoid-bound RXRs will be helpful in designing new retinoids. This dissertation focuses on structural studies of the human retinoid X …


The Structural And Functional Studies Of Yeast Nucleotide Exchange Factor Sil1p And Its Complex With Bip, Ming Yan Jan 2010

The Structural And Functional Studies Of Yeast Nucleotide Exchange Factor Sil1p And Its Complex With Bip, Ming Yan

All ETDs from UAB

Sil1 is an Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) localized protein. SIL1 was initially identified as a UPR-regulated gene. Later studies show Sil1 functions as the nucleotide exchange factor of ER lumenal Hsp70--Bip by directly interacting with the ATPase domain of Bip. Currently, the molecular mechanism how Sil1 catalyzes nucleotide exchange of Bip is still elusive. In this study we determine the complex structure of yeast S.cerevisia Sil1 and Bip (also called Kar2) ATPase domain at 2.3Å resolution by Single-anomalous dispersion (SAD) methods. The Sil1-Bip complex structure reveals that one sil1 molecule interacts with one Bip ATPase domain molecule to form the complex. …


A Timp2-Armed Conditionally-Replicating Adenovirus For The Treatment Of Ovarian Cancer, Sherry Wei Yang Jan 2010

A Timp2-Armed Conditionally-Replicating Adenovirus For The Treatment Of Ovarian Cancer, Sherry Wei Yang

All ETDs from UAB

Ovarian cancer remains the most lethal gynecological malignancy in the U.S. Conventional therapies have limited therapeutic value due to advanced stage of the disease at diagnosis. Conditionally-replicating adenoviruses (CRAds) are promising, novel anti-cancer agents that are designed to selectively replicate in and lyse tumor cells. In clinical trials, CRAds exhibited limited efficacy thus far. Second generation CRAds are being developed to express a therapeutic protein to further enhance antitumor efficacy. One attractive target in ovarian tumor microenvironment is the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that degrade the extracellular matrix. Thus, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2), an endogenous inhibitor of MMPs, is …


Cross-Talk Between Marginal Zone B Cells And Marginal Zone Macrophages, Yuying You Jan 2010

Cross-Talk Between Marginal Zone B Cells And Marginal Zone Macrophages, Yuying You

All ETDs from UAB

the test of group differences and the test of covariate. When we force the predictors in the


Radiographic Damage And Functional Disability In African American Patients With Recent-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis, Jie Zhang Jan 2010

Radiographic Damage And Functional Disability In African American Patients With Recent-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis, Jie Zhang

All ETDs from UAB

we adjust for heterskedasticity using a HCCM estimator, we find no significant evidence


Roles Of Nr4a3 In Insulin Sensitivity In Skeletal Muscle, Xiaolin Zhu Jan 2010

Roles Of Nr4a3 In Insulin Sensitivity In Skeletal Muscle, Xiaolin Zhu

All ETDs from UAB

For the past several decades, the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes and the metabolic syndrome has been increasing. Insulin resistance is the central pathogenic event for these diseases. We previously reported that the NR4A family of orphan nuclear receptors augments insulin sensitivity in adipocytes. We now found that lentiviral mediated NR4A3 hyper-expression increased insulin stimulated glucose transport (ISGT) in C2C12 myocytes while NR4A3 knock-down exhibited opposite effect. We also examined the effects of prostaglandin A2 (PGA2) on insulin action and NR4A3 trans-activation in C2C12 myocytes. PGA2 augmented ISGT and insulin stimulated AKT phosphorylation in C2C12 myocytes. Importantly, PGA2 treatment led …


Weapon Brandishment Among Impoverished Adolescents: A Longitudinal Approach, Alexis Magdalene Inabinet Jan 2010

Weapon Brandishment Among Impoverished Adolescents: A Longitudinal Approach, Alexis Magdalene Inabinet

All ETDs from UAB

Violence has become increasingly more difficult to ignore in the United States, with homicide and suicide rates among American adolescents being the highest in the world. Firearm deaths have skyrocketed, including unintentional injuries, homicides and suicides; American adolescents are more likely to die from gunshot wounds than all natural causes combined. With homicide continuing to rank as the second leading cause of death among youth, research must focus on diminishing weapon brandishment. Based on prior research and a developmental systems approach to violent behavior, this study explores individual influences on adolescent weapon carrying, including perception of danger, hopelessness, and conflict …


Anger, Cognition, Ideology: What Crash Can Show Us About Emotion, Sue J. Kim Jan 2010

Anger, Cognition, Ideology: What Crash Can Show Us About Emotion, Sue J. Kim

College of Arts & Sciences Professional Work

Sue J. Kim’s essay “Anger, Cognition, Ideology: What Crash Can Show Us About Emotion” argues for the relevance and importance of cognitive studies to ethnic and postcolonial literary studies, and vice versa. After surveying recent developments in the field of cognitive studies, the essay combines cultural and cognitive approaches in order to examine anger in and around the 2005 Paul Haggis film Crash.


Tracking Landscape Changes In The Upper Cahaba River Watershed And Its Tributaries (1974 -2007) Using Landsat And Aster Multispectral Image, Steve Padgett-Vasquez Jan 2010

Tracking Landscape Changes In The Upper Cahaba River Watershed And Its Tributaries (1974 -2007) Using Landsat And Aster Multispectral Image, Steve Padgett-Vasquez

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


Microhardness And Caries Resistance Of An Infiltrant Resin In A Novel Artificial Mouth, Ian Saad Mugisa Jan 2010

Microhardness And Caries Resistance Of An Infiltrant Resin In A Novel Artificial Mouth, Ian Saad Mugisa

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


The Role Of Socioeconomic Factors In Racial And Ethnic Disparities Among Child And Adult Tuberculosis Cases, Spatial And Non-Spatial Analysis: Alabama 1993-2007, Sharada Adolph Jan 2010

The Role Of Socioeconomic Factors In Racial And Ethnic Disparities Among Child And Adult Tuberculosis Cases, Spatial And Non-Spatial Analysis: Alabama 1993-2007, Sharada Adolph

All ETDs from UAB

This study aimed to evaluate the role of individual and community/population level socioeconomic factors on racial/ethnic disparities among children and adults with TB, and used area-based socioeconomic measures (ABSMs) for the identification of high-risk geographic areas for populations-at-risk. Joinpoint, multivariable and Poisson regression, and spatial methods were used to determine the trends and risks of disease in a low TB incidence state. General disease trends declined significantly by factors of -0.044838 from 1993-1998, and -0.061821 from 2001-2007; but, were disparate and increased for the foreign-born, African Americans (AA) and Latinos, and in long-term care settings. The average annual percentage change …


The Role Of Socs Proteins In Hiv Immune Evasion, Lisa Nowoslawski Akhtar Jan 2010

The Role Of Socs Proteins In Hiv Immune Evasion, Lisa Nowoslawski Akhtar

All ETDs from UAB

Upon human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection the host mounts a robust and multifaceted immune response. To achieve successful replication, HIV must possess a powerful arsenal of immune evasion weapons. While a complex strategy for HIV immune evasion has been described in the periphery, little is known about the mechanism allowing HIV to overcome the simple interferon (IFN)-ß-mediated innate immune defenses of the central nervous system (CNS). In light of the devastating cognitive dysfunction that is caused by HIV replication within the CNS, a better understanding of this mechanism is critical. Recent studies have shown that viral pathogens can induce the …


Mechanisms By Which Tra-8 Anti-Dr5 Antibody And Chemotherapy Enhance Cytotoxicity In Breast Cancer, Hope M. Amm Jan 2010

Mechanisms By Which Tra-8 Anti-Dr5 Antibody And Chemotherapy Enhance Cytotoxicity In Breast Cancer, Hope M. Amm

All ETDs from UAB

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in American women and metastatic breast cancer has a 5-year survival rate of only 26%. Current targeted treatments for this disease include anti-estrogen strategies for estrogen receptor positive tumors (~60%) and anti-Her2/Neu strategies for tumors overexpressing this receptor (20-25%). A percentage of breast cancer patients, however, are resistant to these therapies and are left without any effective treatment options. One of the agents currently being investigated to improve breast cancer survival is TRA-8, an agonistic monoclonal antibody to death receptor 5 (DR5), which induces apoptosis in various types of cancer …


The Effectiveness Of Advanced Oxidation Techniques In Degrading Steroids In Wastewater, Bryan Stuart Arwood Jan 2010

The Effectiveness Of Advanced Oxidation Techniques In Degrading Steroids In Wastewater, Bryan Stuart Arwood

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


Effect Of Dietary Protein An D Carbohydrate Levels On Weight Gain And Organ Production In The Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus, Laura E Wright Heflin Jan 2010

Effect Of Dietary Protein An D Carbohydrate Levels On Weight Gain And Organ Production In The Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus, Laura E Wright Heflin

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


Wear Of Enamel Antagonist Against Ceramic Restorative Materials, Taneet Ghuman Jan 2010

Wear Of Enamel Antagonist Against Ceramic Restorative Materials, Taneet Ghuman

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


Potential Chemical Defenses Against Diatom Fouling In Macroalgae From The Antarctic Peninsula: Insights From Bioassay Guided Fractionation, Hamel P. Sevak Jan 2010

Potential Chemical Defenses Against Diatom Fouling In Macroalgae From The Antarctic Peninsula: Insights From Bioassay Guided Fractionation, Hamel P. Sevak

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


Investigation Of Schizophrenia Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy And Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Meredith A. Reid Jan 2010

Investigation Of Schizophrenia Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy And Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Meredith A. Reid

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


Debunking The Myth Of Victorian Medievalism In George Eliot's Adam Bede, Patricia A. Rippetoe Jan 2010

Debunking The Myth Of Victorian Medievalism In George Eliot's Adam Bede, Patricia A. Rippetoe

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


Correlation Of Bone Density Using Histomophometric And Cone Beam Computed Tomographic Analysis, Curry H. Leavitt Jan 2010

Correlation Of Bone Density Using Histomophometric And Cone Beam Computed Tomographic Analysis, Curry H. Leavitt

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


Unleashing The Power Of Nonprofit Enterprise: The History And Economics Of Nonprofit Enterprise And How Equity Capital Can Multiply Its Impact, Kevin A. Hodgkins Jan 2010

Unleashing The Power Of Nonprofit Enterprise: The History And Economics Of Nonprofit Enterprise And How Equity Capital Can Multiply Its Impact, Kevin A. Hodgkins

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.


The Role Of Toll-Like Receptors 2 And 4 In Helicobacter Felis Infections And Asthma, Carolyn Durham Jan 2010

The Role Of Toll-Like Receptors 2 And 4 In Helicobacter Felis Infections And Asthma, Carolyn Durham

All ETDs from UAB

The inverse correlation between the industrialization and disease prevalence is termed the "hygiene hypothesis." Supporting this, immunological studies show Th1 cytokines modulate Th2 immune responses. Because the mucosa is essential in antigenic exposure, understanding bacterial sensing here is critical to addressing three foundations of this hypothesis: the role of bacterial exposure, relevance of noninvasive bacterial exposure, and influence of these exposures on immune responses. Key components of antigen sensing in the mucosa are toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4, which have been implicated in disease. The hypothesis of this thesis is, by globally knocking out one or both of these …