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Crucial Role Of T Follicular Helper Cell-Derived Ifn-Γ In Lung Resident Memory B Cell Responses, Nicole Michelle Arroyo-Diaz Jan 2023

Crucial Role Of T Follicular Helper Cell-Derived Ifn-Γ In Lung Resident Memory B Cell Responses, Nicole Michelle Arroyo-Diaz

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T follicular helper (Tfh) cells constitute a distinct subset of CD4 T cells that reside within B cell follicles, playing an indispensable role in orchestrating the Germinal Center (GC) response. In response to polarizing environments, such as Influenza A virus infection (IAV), Tfh cells secrete effector cytokines, including IFN-γ and IL-4. Nevertheless, the specific functions of cytokine-producing Tfh cell subsets, beyond their involvement in driving class switch recombination (CSR), remain largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that, following IAV infection, Tfh cell cytokine production undergoes a dynamic shift, transitioning from early IFN-γ dominance to later predominance of IL-4. The initial IFN-γ …


Chronic Circadian Disruption Increases Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Jazmine Benjamin Jan 2023

Chronic Circadian Disruption Increases Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Jazmine Benjamin

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Circadian disruption is a disturbance in biological timing which can occur within or between different organizational levels, ranging from molecular rhythms within specific cells to misalignment of behavioral and environmental cycles. Previous work has shown that changing the timing of food availability is sufficient to lower blood pressure and improve insulin sensitivity in prediabetic males, demonstrating the importance of timing of food intake for cardiovascular health. Findings from our group demonstrated that less than one week of mistimed feeding is sufficient to invert diurnal blood pressure rhythms, although kidney excretory rhythms and kidney function remained aligned with the light-dark cycle. …


Novel Role For St6gal1 Sialyltransferase As A Tumor Driver In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Nikita Umakant Bhalerao Jan 2023

Novel Role For St6gal1 Sialyltransferase As A Tumor Driver In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Nikita Umakant Bhalerao

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ST6Gal1 sialyltransferase adds negatively charged sialic acid in an α2,6 linkage to N-glycans on glycoproteins bound for the cell surface/secretion thus altering receptor structure, function and downstream signaling pathways. ST6Gal1 is upregulated in multiple cancers, including pancreatic, and imparts cancer stem cell-like phenotype. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy with a survival rate of ~10%. Acinar to ductal metaplasia (ADM), the tumor initiation stage of PDAC, occurs in response to insults like pancreatitis, when acinar cells dedifferentiate and form ductal-like cells with stem and ductal gene upregulation. These cells, on acquiring mutations such as in KRAS gene, can …


Temporal Trends In Tularemia Incidence In The United States From 2010 To 2020. Are Age And Sex Associated With These Changing Trends?, Carla V. Brooks Jan 2023

Temporal Trends In Tularemia Incidence In The United States From 2010 To 2020. Are Age And Sex Associated With These Changing Trends?, Carla V. Brooks

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Background: Tularemia or Rabbit Fever was discovered in 1911 in a plague-like outbreak among rodents in Tulare County, California. Tularemia in the US has expanded from rural to more metropolitan areas, which may be potentially correlated with the escalating exposure of humans to animal vectors. There has not been a recent study evaluating trends in Tularemia, especially one that has evaluated if the trends in Tularemia over time differ by demographic characteristics. Methods: This is an ecological study to evaluate the temporal trends and if trends Tularemia incidence over time differs by age and sex in the United States from …


Towards Minimally Invasive Genetically Targeted Control Of Neural Activity Using X-Rays, Kelli Cannon Jan 2023

Towards Minimally Invasive Genetically Targeted Control Of Neural Activity Using X-Rays, Kelli Cannon

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X-genetics aims to replace visible light stimulation in optogenetics with X-radiation, offering improved bone penetration, minimal scattering, and enhanced targeting capabilities. This eliminates the need for surgical optic fiber implantation, reducing invasiveness and minimizing off-target effects. Discovering a receptor protein sensitive to X-rays or their byproducts is pivotal for advancing X-genetics.Two genetically encoded X-ray receptors (GEXRs) were investigated for X-genetics application: rhodopsin, historically associated with X-ray responses, and LITE-1, an unexpected candidate. Rhodopsin, when expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells, demonstrated robust cAMP decreases upon visible light stimulation but remained unresponsive to moderate and high-dose X-rays, suggesting it may …


Role Of Proteoglycan Forms Of The Type Iii Tgf-Β Receptor/Betaglycan In Tgf-Β Signaling In Ovarian Cancer Models, Alex Kwon-Bowers Choi Jan 2023

Role Of Proteoglycan Forms Of The Type Iii Tgf-Β Receptor/Betaglycan In Tgf-Β Signaling In Ovarian Cancer Models, Alex Kwon-Bowers Choi

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Proteoglycans (PG) are defined as proteins with one or more covalently bound polysaccharides called glycosaminoglycan chains (GAG). PGs can either be present on the cell surface or in the extracellular matrix to mediate cellular homeostasis in normal physiology as well as exert profound roles in diseases such as cancer. PGs can interact with a host of proteins such as growth factors through their core protein and/or their GAG chains, serving as an accessory receptor to mediate signaling by binding to the ligands and altering ligand-signaling receptor binding, defined as a co-receptor function. Developmentally and in pathologies like cancer, TGF-β signaling …


Antimicrobial Resistance In Type Ii Diabetic Patients In Southeastern U.S., Onyebuchi Angela Elegede Jan 2023

Antimicrobial Resistance In Type Ii Diabetic Patients In Southeastern U.S., Onyebuchi Angela Elegede

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Background: In the Southern and Appalachian regions of the United States, antibiotic prescription rates surpass the national average, coinciding with a higher prevalence of Type II diabetes (DM2). Although international research has previously described the correlation between DM2 and increased risk of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections, comprehensive studies on this relationship are lacking in the U.S. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between AMR infections and DM2 and examine the association in two DM2 positive racial groups. This study also examined the differences in the prevalence of clindamycin resistance of methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus …


Investigating The Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating Gene Expression And Dna Methylation In Rainbow Trout And Zebrafish, Khalid Walid Freij Jan 2023

Investigating The Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating Gene Expression And Dna Methylation In Rainbow Trout And Zebrafish, Khalid Walid Freij

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With the expansion of the aquaculture industry, sustainable shifts in aquaculture must be made to access nutrients essential to human health in response to a decline in marine resources for aquafeeds. Along with shifts in aquafeed composition, selective breeding programs aid in enhancing production-related traits, like growth and feed efficiency, and disease resistance to improve overall profits. Dietary components are important in relation to the growth and metabolism of fishes. Recent research has focused on the benefits of micronutrient supplementation (e.g., choline, methionine, selenium, etc.) on growth performance in fishes. Rainbow trout are a commercially important aquaculture species in the …


Variation In The Gut Microbiome In Response To Nutrition In Danio Rerio, George Brian Hadley Green Jan 2023

Variation In The Gut Microbiome In Response To Nutrition In Danio Rerio, George Brian Hadley Green

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Like humans, Danio rerio, commonly known as the zebrafish, generally harbor millions of gut microbes, whose commensal microbial organisms aid in digestive physiology, nutrition, and host health. The emergence of high throughput sequencing technology (HTS) enables researchers to sequence collective microbial genomes, providing information on the composition of entire microbial communities, as well as the dynamics across taxa encompassing the overall community. Thus, the advancement of genome sequencing and metagenomic analysis have provided a broader understanding of resident and exogenous microbes across biological model organisms. These technologies have enabled researchers to review a spectrum of endogenous and exogenous factors influencing …


Challenges And Opportunities In Glioblastoma And Immunovirotherapy With Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, Dagoberto Estevez-Ordonez Jan 2023

Challenges And Opportunities In Glioblastoma And Immunovirotherapy With Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, Dagoberto Estevez-Ordonez

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This dissertation covers data from published and pre-published studies exploring challenges and opportunities in the treatment of malignant glioma with emphasis in glioblastoma and oncolytic immunovirotherapy with an oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) designed to induce expression of IL-12, M002 (murine IL-12) and M032 (human IL-12).It starts with the report of a study that uncovered important racial and socioeconomic disparities experienced by patients with glioblastoma treated in Alabama. Notable results also include the unexpected finding of increased survival in African American patients with glioblastoma even after controlling for factors associated with survival and socioeconomic disparities. The implications of …


Breast Cancer Metastasic Potential Mediated By Cd44/Hyaluronic Acid Signaling And Strains In The Tumor Microenvironment, Adam David Kotar Jan 2023

Breast Cancer Metastasic Potential Mediated By Cd44/Hyaluronic Acid Signaling And Strains In The Tumor Microenvironment, Adam David Kotar

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Mechanical stimulation has been found to be an important regulator of nearly all biological processes, from maintaining normal homeostatic conditions to promoting pathological mechanisms of multiple diseases including cancer. While our knowledge of cancer continues to grow, our current models often lack the biophysical forces that are present in the body which could explain why numerous promising therapeutic agents discovered in research fail to translate into clinical efficacy. This study aims to demonstrate that breast cancer progression is mediated by strains in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in conjunction with trans-membranous glycoprotein receptor, CD44. There are many different sources of strain …


Time-Restricted Feeding Modulates Dgat2 Expression In Cardiac And Skeletal Muscle, Yiming Guo Livelo Jan 2023

Time-Restricted Feeding Modulates Dgat2 Expression In Cardiac And Skeletal Muscle, Yiming Guo Livelo

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Circadian disruption caused by aging, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors can lead to compromised cardiac and skeletal muscle function and potentially accelerate the progression of metabolic diseases. Time-restricted feeding/eating (TRF/TRE, referred to as TRF hereafter), a dietary intervention that confines food intake within a consistent window of the day, has pleiotropic benefits from flies and mice to humans. However, the effectiveness of TRF on heart and muscle in the context of various metabolic challenges such as circadian disruption and obesity is largely unknown. Current insights into the mechanisms of TRF are primarily based on multi-omics approaches, particularly transcriptomes; however, limited …


Molecular Imaging To Evaluate Tumor Heterogeneity And Guide Treatment Of Breast Cancer, Yun Lu Jan 2023

Molecular Imaging To Evaluate Tumor Heterogeneity And Guide Treatment Of Breast Cancer, Yun Lu

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Molecular imaging plays an important role in predicting and evaluating treatment response and revealing the underlying biological mechanisms in the cancer field. Especially, PET imaging serves as a valuable tool for comprehending the tumor microenvironment (TME), allowing us to track tumor metabolism, proliferation, receptor expression, and immune infiltration. In this comprehensive study, three distinct aspects of cancer research were explored using molecular imaging techniques.The first study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the fluorescence ubiquitination cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) system with fluorescence in vivo imaging compared to 3'-Deoxy-3'-[18F]fluorothymidine ([18F]-FLT) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in assessing cancer cell proliferation. …


Lateral Ridge Augmentation Using Allograft Bone Particles Hydrated With Or Without Recombinant Human Platelet-Derived Growth Factor: A Clinical And Histological Randomized Controlled Trial, Lauren Miele Jan 2023

Lateral Ridge Augmentation Using Allograft Bone Particles Hydrated With Or Without Recombinant Human Platelet-Derived Growth Factor: A Clinical And Histological Randomized Controlled Trial, Lauren Miele

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Lateral ridge augmentation is a common procedure to increase the width of bone in preparation for a dental implant. A certain thickness of bone is necessary for implant health, making ridge augmentation procedures necessary for many patients. Research into the use of growth factors in ridge augmentation is ongoing, but few studies have examined the use of recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor homodimer (rhPDGF-BB) in ridge augmentation. This study examines histologic, clinical, and patient reported outcomes when horizontal ridge augmentation is completed using freeze dried bone allograft hydrated in rhPDGF-BB or saline and a resorbable crosslinked collagen membrane. Histologic results …


Comparison Of Radiological Signs To Clinical Symptoms In Children With Jia. A Pilot Study, Shubham Sharma Jan 2023

Comparison Of Radiological Signs To Clinical Symptoms In Children With Jia. A Pilot Study, Shubham Sharma

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JIA, which stands for juvenile idiopathic arthritis, is a group of chronic inflammatory joint diseases that usually occur in children under the age of 16 and last for at least six weeks1–5. It is one of the most common chronic joint diseases in childhood1 and affects up to 150 out of every 100,000 children worldwide6. This condition has no identifiable cause and is different from adult rheumatoid arthritis. Unfortunately, JIA can have a significant negative impact on the lives of these young children, causing disability and impairing their daily activities. TMJ involvement is more common than previously believed in JIA …


Exercise-Driven Epigenetic And Transcriptomic Changes In An Experimental Model Of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Silvienne C. Sint Jago Jan 2023

Exercise-Driven Epigenetic And Transcriptomic Changes In An Experimental Model Of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Silvienne C. Sint Jago

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Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a neurological disease marked by recurring unprovoked seizures originating from temporal lobe structures and is frequently associated with cognitive deficits. Exercise holds promise as a therapeutic approach to alleviate seizures and cognitive impairments in TLE. However, the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms by which exercise influences pathways related to seizure activity and cognition in the context of TLE still need to be understood. Neuronal network formation relies on the regulation of gene expression, which can lead to either an increase or a decrease in the production of essential proteins involved in neuronal signaling. Genes are …


Pathophysiological Metabolic Alteration In Lung Injury And Fibrosis, Samuel Robert Smith Jan 2023

Pathophysiological Metabolic Alteration In Lung Injury And Fibrosis, Samuel Robert Smith

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Lung injury and lung repair are two sides of the same coin, for where injury occurs, repair must follow. Lung fibrosis occurs when this repair process is dysfunctional and becomes trapped in a chronically incomplete state. The studies described here examine each side of this coin to ask the question of whether metabolism has a role in the pathophysiology of acute lung damage following severe trauma or in the chronic progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In the first half of this work, we investigated the impact that severe lung injury and infection exert on the flux of metabolites in …


Neuropeptide Y Overexpression In The Presence Of P23h Rhodopsin Mutation, Jean Sun Jan 2023

Neuropeptide Y Overexpression In The Presence Of P23h Rhodopsin Mutation, Jean Sun

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Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a 36-amino acid peptide, has been found to be the most abundant neuropeptide in the central nervous system, and it is widespread across mammalian species. NPY plays a dual role as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the nervous system. NPY functions as a multifaceted neuromodulator through binding NPY receptors (NPYRs). NYP interacts with NPYRs and regulates various activities, such as cell growth, neurogenesis, neuroprotection, mitochondrial behaviors, food intake, anxiety, and addiction formation. In terms of NPY’s neuroprotective potential, NPY inhibits neuronal death signaling, thus preventing apoptosis, and displays anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. Additionally, it influences metabolism by …


Social Vulnerability And Trust Associated With African American Secondary Syphilis Cases Reported In Alabama, United States, 2020-2022, Givanta Tribit Jan 2023

Social Vulnerability And Trust Associated With African American Secondary Syphilis Cases Reported In Alabama, United States, 2020-2022, Givanta Tribit

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Introduction: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause serious health problems, including neurological disorders, blindness, and fetal abnormalities. Routine STI screenings can help prevent its spread. Despite effective treatments, syphilis cases have risen sharply in the last decade, particularly among marginalized communities. Understanding the ecological and contextual factors contributing to syphilis incidence could inform prevention efforts and improve healthcare outcomes for all. Methods: Retrospective secondary data analyses, at the county level, from 2020 to 2022, were conducted to assess for mean differences among social vulnerability index (SVI) scores, SVI scores by four primary categories, Black Belt regional …


Impact Of Alcohol Intoxication On Pedestrian Risk-Taking Behaviors, Yixin Wang Jan 2023

Impact Of Alcohol Intoxication On Pedestrian Risk-Taking Behaviors, Yixin Wang

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In the United States, motor vehicle crashes account for approximately 21.8% of unintentionaldeaths, and 17.2% of these crashes involved the death of a pedestrian in 2020. Two preventable factors that impact pedestrian fatalities are alcohol intoxication and smartphone distraction. Approximately 30% of fatal pedestrian crashes involve a pedestrian with a BAC of at least 0.08, and distraction is a commonly observed risk factor that was shown to impair crossing performance in virtual environments. The present research considers both distraction and intoxication as risk factors for pedestrian safety, examining both risk factors in isolation as well as their interactional effects on …


A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring Infertility Help-Seeking Among African American Women, Andrea G. Wells Jan 2023

A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring Infertility Help-Seeking Among African American Women, Andrea G. Wells

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BACKGROUND: Failure to achieve pregnancy (infertility) affects over 6 million women ages 15–44 in the United States. African American women have more difficulty getting pregnant than White women but are less likely to seek help for infertility. According to the current research, there are several factors (cost, insurance coverage, etc.) that create difficulty for women to seek help to get pregnant. However, little is known about the factors that influence or impede infertility help-seeking among African American women. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators to infertility help-seeking among African American women.METHODS: Factors affecting infertility …


Select Lipid Signaling. Derived From T-Cells Is An Important Contributor To Type 1 Diabetes Development, Tayleur White Jan 2023

Select Lipid Signaling. Derived From T-Cells Is An Important Contributor To Type 1 Diabetes Development, Tayleur White

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We reported that Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2β (iPLA2) contributes to type 1 diabetes (T1D) development; however, the impact of lipid signaling from T-cells is unknown. To address this, we first administered splenocytes from NOD, NOD.iPLA2+/- (NOD.HET), or NOD.iPLA2-/- (NOD.KO) mice to 4-week-old NOD.scid recipients. As expected, T1D onset was rapid in NOD cell recipients and 100% by 12 weeks. However, onset was delayed by 1-3 weeks in NOD.HET or NOD.KO cell recipients and only 60% became diabetic, suggesting a role for T-cell iPLA2. Next, to establish importance of iPLA2 in CD4 or CD8 cells, purified cells were administered to NOD.scid mice. …


Roles Of Dietary Bioactive Compounds In Gut Microbiota Modulation And Epigenetic Regulation In The Prevention Of Breast Cancer, Huixin Wu Jan 2023

Roles Of Dietary Bioactive Compounds In Gut Microbiota Modulation And Epigenetic Regulation In The Prevention Of Breast Cancer, Huixin Wu

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Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. The average risk of a woman developing BC is about 13% according to American Cancer Society. Various genetic-related risk factors including inherited mutations of genes, and lifestyle-related risk factors such as physical inactivity, obesity, aging, smoking, and air pollution have been studied for cancer prevention and treatment. The currently existing treatment methods such as chemotherapy and neoadjuvant systemic therapy can induce adverse effects on patients. Therefore, cancer prevention has been of great interest to the society. Numerous …


December 13, 2022 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham Dec 2022

December 13, 2022 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.


4 Honored With Provost's Awards For Faculty Excellence, Staff Dec 2022

4 Honored With Provost's Awards For Faculty Excellence, Staff

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No abstract provided.


A Uab Love Story: Engaged History Majors Set To Graduate Together Dec. 10, Micah Hardge Dec 2022

A Uab Love Story: Engaged History Majors Set To Graduate Together Dec. 10, Micah Hardge

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December 6, 2022 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham Dec 2022

December 6, 2022 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.


Osteoarthritis: Multi-Ancestry Analysis Reveals Novel Genetic Loci Associated With The Disease, Jeff Hansen Dec 2022

Osteoarthritis: Multi-Ancestry Analysis Reveals Novel Genetic Loci Associated With The Disease, Jeff Hansen

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No abstract provided.


Tuberculosis And Covid-19 Lung Lesions Revealed By High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Imaging, Jeff Hansen Nov 2022

Tuberculosis And Covid-19 Lung Lesions Revealed By High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Imaging, Jeff Hansen

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November 29, 2022 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham Nov 2022

November 29, 2022 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.