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The Study Of Intracellular Signaling Pathways In Schizophrenia, Adam Funk

All ETDs from UAB

INTRACELLULAR SIGNALING AND INTEGRATION ABNORMALITIES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA Adam J. Funk DEPARTMENT OF NEUROBIOLOGY ABSTRACT The pathophysiology of schizophrenia is complex and diverse, with many classes of receptors, neurotransmitters, and brain regions implicated in this illness. The many hypotheses proposed have yet to fully explain the heterogeneity of the genetic, postmor-tem, and clinical evidence. It is the goal of this dissertation to integrate the current hy-potheses of schizophrenia into a unified hypothesis of abnormal intracellular signaling and signal integration. Inconsistencies in genetic and postmortem findings suggest that the development of schizophrenia is multifaceted, and the heterogeneity of symptoms supports the hypothesis …

Structural Brain Changes Produced By Different Motor Therapies After Stroke, Lynne Vonda Gauthier

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Changes in afferent input have been associated with structural and functional changes to brain tissue. Increased use through an intense neurorehabilitation treatment such as CI therapy has been shown to result in increased grey matter in sensorimotor cortex, more anterior motor areas, and hippocampus. In contrast, decreased use of an arm after stroke results in a contraction of the cortical representation zone involved in its movement. The chronic effects of ischemia and subsequent prolonged nonuse of an extremity on the structure of stroke-affected brains was unknown prior to this investigation, however. This study employed voxel-based morphometry, an MRI analysis technique, …

The Effects Of Solidification Under Pressure On Properties Of Cast Aluminum Alloys, Santosh B. Ghanti

All ETDs from UAB

The mechanical properties of aluminum alloy castings are affected by porosity which is caused by a combination of dissolved gases and shrinkage. The objective of this research is to study the effects of solidification under pressure on microstructure and mechanical properties of two aluminum alloys, A356-T6 and A206-T6. Wedge-shaped aluminum castings were produced with chemically bonded sand molds. Castings were poured at 704ºC (1300ºF) or 760ºC (1400ºF) and solidified under 1 atmosphere or 10 atmospheres of applied pressure. Density, x-ray radiography, metallographic inspection, and tensile testing were performed on samples from various section sizes of the castings. For aluminum alloy …

A Study Of The Relationships Among Maternal Caregiver Family Management Behaviors, Childhood Asthma Morbidity, And Asthma Control, Linda M. Gibson

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A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG MATERNAL CAREGIVER FAMILY MANAGEMENT BEHAVIORS, CHILDHOOD ASTHMA MORBIDITY, AND ASTHMA CONTROL ABSTRACT LINDA GIBSON NURSING Childhood asthma, the most common chronic childhood condition, is associated with high rates of asthma morbidity (emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and school days missed due to asthma). Inadequate asthma control accounts for $1.9 billion annual health expenditures. Numerous studies have identified the relationship of the family caregiver's perception regarding asthma management and the child's asthma outcomes; though few have examined family caregiver asthma management behaviors. Knafl and colleagues (2003) defined family management behaviors as accommodations that family members use …

The Role Of Tgf-Ss Receptors In The Induction Of Mucosal Tolerance, Rebekah Sims Gilbert

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Oral tolerance, defined as the immunologic state of systemic and mucosal unresponsiveness to an antigen, is an essential function of the mucosal immune system. Although antigen presentation has been found to play an important role in oral tolerance, T cells are known to be the effector immune cells that perpetrate this state. Recent studies found that antigen-specific T regulatory (Treg) cells are important in the induction and maintenance of oral tolerance. The extrathymic development of these Tregs depends on the presence of TGF-ß1 during the differentiation process. However, it has also been shown that oral tolerance could be induced in …

Human Cytomegalovirus Ul97 Kinase Activity Modifies Cell Cycle Checkpoint Regulators, Rachel Brooke Gill

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Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection results in destructive infections in neonates and immunocompromised individuals. Being the primary congenital infection in the United States, it can often result in permanent neurological deficits in infants. The current therapies for CMV infections all target the viral DNA polymerase and also have dose-limiting toxicities. Isolates resistant to ganciclovir (GCV), the therapy of choice, can sometimes overwhelm immunocompromised hosts. Better therapies for this infection are required. The CMV UL97 kinase is a key enzyme in the treatment of CMV infection because it phosphorylates GCV. Additionally, maribavir (MBV) specifically inhibits UL97 kinase activity and inhibits viral replication. …

Oxidative Stress And Xanthine Oxidase In Acute And Chronic Cardiac Volume Overload In Rats, James Douglas Gladden

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Mechanisms of left ventricular dysfunction in cardiac volume overload (VO) are not well understood and there is no medical therapy. Cardiac VO is marked by eccentric remodeling and contractile dysfunction ultimately resulting in cardiac failure. Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathophysiology of heart failure and recent evidence suggests xanthine oxidase (XO) plays a role in VO. To study VO, we used a rat model of aortocaval fistula (ACF). ACF results in early diastolic stress on the left ventricle (LV) and recapitulates the progressive nature of heart failure with contractile function being initially maintained and then depressed by 6 weeks. …

The Effect Of An Inclusive Trauma System On Homicide Risk In An Urban Population, Russell Griffin

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Homicide is a leading cause of mortality in the United States, with approximately 18,000 homicides occurring annually. Most prevention efforts for homicide are aimed at primary (e.g., culling aggressive behaviors among youth) or secondary (e.g., preventing repeat violence) efforts. To date, there has been limited research on tertiary prevention efforts of homicide (i.e., preventing homicide by preventing deaths from assault-related injuries). With the advent of trauma systems (TS), which allow for rapid emergency medical response for injured individuals, it is possible that these systems may be an ef-fective effort of tertiary prevention of homicides. Using data from the Jefferson County …

The Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Cotransporter In Glioma Biology, Brian R. Haas

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The most common malignant primary brain tumor, gliomas usually derive from glial cells including oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. These tumors are characterized by high rates of proliferation and aberrant migration which make them notoriously difficult to treat using standard treatment paradigms such as chemotherapy and radiation. In order for glioma cells to migrate into the surrounding brain tissue, they must undergo rapid and dynamic volume changes. Previous work published by the Sontheimer laboratory and others indicates glioma utilize the flux of ions across the cell membrane to aid in volume changes associate with cell migration. In this dissertation, I show the …

Health Status And Health Behavior As Factors Predicting Online Health Seeking, Timothy Hale

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The purpose of this dissertation is to examine why people use the Internet for health-related purposes and whether this usage is part of larger pattern of health-promoting behaviors, or health lifestyle. Pierre Bourdieu's concept of habitus provides the key theoretical concept that links health lifestyle theory and the digital inequality framework to explain how socioeconomic status and level of Internet access may contribute to status-specific attitudes and behaviors, or lifestyles. Two dependent variables are used to measure online health behavior: (1) online health information seeking, and (2) an index constructed from six types of online health-related activities. Path analysis is …

Predictors Of The Decision To Terminate Pregnancy Following Prenatal Diagnoses Of Fetal Abnormalities, Cynthia Renee Hall

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The purpose of the present study was to examine several factors and their contri-butions to termination decisions and address limitations associated with previous re-search. Specifically, type of prenatally diagnosed disorder, perception of parenting, atti-tude toward abortion, attachment, religiosity, and attitude toward disabled persons were examined as predictors of the decision to terminate pregnancy. Also, the role of familiari-ty with persons having developmental disabilities was explored as a covariate. In addi-tion, priming effect of labeled disorders was investigated. Participants (N = 144) were college students aged 19 - 56 years (M = 22.07, SD = 6.62). Participants completed the Experiences in …

Human Cytosolic Sulfotransferase 2b1b: Structure, Function And Expression In Human Brain, Emily D. Salman

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The human cytosolic sulfotransferases are a family of phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes that conjugate a sulfonate moiety from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to a hydroxyl moeity on a substrate. SULT2B1b catalyzes the sulfation of hydroxysteroids as well as many xenobiotics; and is expressed extra-hepatically. SULT2B1b is a unique SULT because it has amino (N)- and carboxy (C)-terminal peptide extensions, undergoes post-translational modification, and is localized in both the cytosol and nucleus. Analysis of SULT2B1b revealed that the N- and C-terminal extensions of SULT2B1b are predicted to be intrinsically unstructured peptides. Size exclusion chromatography has revealed that SULT2B1b is enzymatically active as …

Rituals Of Resistance In Contemporary Latino Fiction: Queering Masculinity, Matrimony, And Motherhood In The Works Of Junot Dã­Az And Nicholasa Mohr, Ana Maria Santiago

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This thesis examines the processes of gendering and sexing as seen in the short fiction of contemporary Latino authors Junot Díaz and Nicholasa Mohr, and focuses especially on how the ideological constructions of gender and sexuality, particularly those of machismo, maternity, and marriage, interact with notions of nationality, ethnicity, race, and class. The stories in Díaz's Drown and Mohr's Rituals of Survival and In Nueva York illuminate the mechanics of these ongoing, complex ideological processes, revealing the crucial role gendering and sexing play in forming and regulating a working-class, U.S. Latino body. The characters of these stories negotiate stark dichotomies …

Optimization And Characterization Of Bioactive Glass Nanofibers And Nanocomposites, Reginna Evette Scarber

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Disease affects different areas of the bone and can impact individuals of all pathologies and ethnicities. These bone diseases can result in weakening which leads to trauma during ordinary function, the need for reconstructive surgery, and eventual bone replacement. Tissue engineering can provide a less traumatic and more fundamental solution to the current therapies. Bioactive glasses are promising materials in tissue engineering applications because of their ability to form hydroxycarbonate apatite in the presence of simulated body fluid, support cell adhesion, growth, and differentiation, induce bone formation, and concentrate bone morphogenic proteins in vivo. The research in this dissertation will …

Efficacy Of Sterisil In The Treatment Of Dental Unit Waterlines, Don Schmidtke

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Introduction: Dental unit waterlines (DUWL) are an ideal home for bacterial microorganisms to grow, multiply, and develop complex living colonies commonly known as "biofilm." The American Dental Association (ADA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommendations to maintain DUWL heterotrophic plate count bacteria levels below 500 colony forming units per milliliter (CFU/ml) of water. The aim of this study is to determine whether Sterisil PureTube is able to control the bacterial load in the orthodontic clinic to recommended levels. Methods: Waterline samples from the twelve dental chairs in the orthodontic clinic were used in this study. …

Thesis- Clinical Evaluation Of Non-Carious Cervical Lesion- A Longitudinal Study., Shreya D. Shah

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Non-carious cervical lesions (NCCL) are non-bacterial in origin and defined as the loss of tooth substance at the cemento-enamel junction (Mair, 1992). There is growing evidence that NCCLs may be associated with occlusal and lateral. OBJECTIVE: To develop a non invasive, highly reproducible technique to measure the occlusal forces (biting pressure) and to correlate it with lesion progression. MATERIALS & METHODS: Twenty-six subjects and 60 teeth were measured for biting force. Digital images and elastomeric impressions were made ateach of three visits (baseline restoration, one and two years). Casts were prepared and a fixture which aligned each patients cast in …

Metallacrown Ethers As Hydroformylation Catalyst, Justin Thomas Sheff

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The research described in this manuscript includes a study of the effects of alkali metal salts on the activities and regioselectivities of rhodium metallacrown ether catalysts for the hydroformylation of styrene. It also includes a complementary study of the binding of alkali metal cations to the model metallacrown ethers for the rhodium catalysts that provides insight into the factors affecting the activity and regioselectivity of styrene hydroformylation. Chapter 1 of this dissertation evaluates cis-Mo(CO)4(2,2'-C12H8O2)PO(CH2CH2O)4(2,2'-C12H8O2) metallacrown ether binding of alkali metal salts by application of binding density analysis to determine accurate binding constants by 31P{1H} NMR titrations in an optimized mixture …

Effect Of Different Percentages Of Silica Nanofibers Filler Loads On Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Flowable Composite Resins, Shashikant Singhal

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Dental composites are important in the spectra of restorative materials. Ability to match the color of natural dentition is an appealing characteristic of composite restorations. Additionally, they can be bonded physically to the tooth, which limits the amount of tooth preparation required and thereby conserves healthy tooth structure. In relation to other restorations like amalgams, non-metallic compositions of dental composites have exhibited good biocompatibility. The dental composites are composed of a resin matrix containing a blend of bis-GMA (bis-phenol A-glycidyldimethacrylate) or urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) along with TEGDMA (tetraethylglycidylmethacrylate). Novel techniques for the reinforcement of these resin-based composites continue in a …

Social Support, Social Stigma, Health, Coping, And Quality Of Life In Older Gay Men With Hiv, Larry Zuendel Slater

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With the advent of antiretroviral therapy, people with HIV/AIDS are living longer and managing their HIV infection as would an individual with any other chronic disease. As life expectancy increases, quality of life has progressed as an emerging issue for older adults with HIV/AIDS. A majority of people living with HIV in the U.S. are still gay men, who thus comprise a large portion of those who are growing older with the disease. The aims of the descriptive, correlational study were to: (1) explore the relationships among age, race, socioeconomic status, health, social support, social stigma, coping, perceived health, and …

Organizational Configurations And Strategies Related To Financial Performance In Medical Group Practices: A Test Of Porter's Generic Strategies, Todd Brenton Smith

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Research in the field of organizational configurations (OC) involves the formation of groups of firms that are similar to each other on certain characteristics, and dissimilar from other groups, and explores organizational performance differences between the groups (Ketchen & Shook, 1996; Short, Payne, and Ketchen, 2008). However, OC is replete with literature lacking in common key terms, measurement methods, and specification of variables, and too few empirical articles with a strong theoretical basis have been published (Short, Payne, & Ketchen, 2008). Porter's (1980, 1985) generic strategies are a specific typology within the field of OC that have been used extensively …

Which Components Of Joint Attention Are Critical For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders To Learn New Words?, Dana Smith

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Though established that language deficits comprise a core element of a definitive autism diagnosis, relatively less research has been conducted to understand the bases for impaired language abilities as compared to understanding the social deficits associated with the disorder. Children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have impoverished joint attention (JA) abilities, evidenced by their relative difficulty both in initiating bids for JA as well as responding to them. Once accepted that JA was crucial in lexical development in typically developing (TD) children, recent trends have diverged from this perspective, shedding light on JA's role in lexical development in an …

Snow Covers The Uab Campus, January 20, 1978, Uab Archives

Images of the Month from UAB Archives

Image ID: P7.4.1, #0522

Snow covering the UAB campus

Beware The "Silver Tsunami" - The Boomers Turn 65 In 2011, Alicia Rohan

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No abstract provided.

Uab Hospital Administrator Named Commissioner Of Mental Health, Staff

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Beware The "Silver Tsunami" - The Boomers Turn 65 In 2011, Staff

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Birmingham's First Einstein Bros. Bagels Opening On Uab Campus, Staff

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Birmingham's First Einstein Bros. Bagels Opens On Uab Campus, Jim Bakken

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Uab Piano Series Presents Yeol Eum Son, Staff

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Uab In The News: December 27-31, 2010, Staff

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America's "Stroke Belt" Partially Fueled By Fried Fish, Alicia Rohan

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