Digital Commons Network^™

The Acute Onset Of Insulin Resistance In Adipose Tissue Following Trauma And Hemorrhage, Vanessa L. Williams

All ETDs from UAB

Insulin resistance and hyperglycemia are common findings in patients following acute illnesses or injuries, such as surgical trauma, thermal injury, infection, hemorrhage, and sepsis. Insulin has three main target tissues: liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue. Insulin resistance in the liver results in an increase in gluconeogenesis. In skeletal muscle, insulin resistance causes a decrease in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. However, little is known about the contribution that adipose tissue makes to the insulin resistant state. The goals of the research presented in this dissertation were to: 1) determine whether insulin resistance developed in adipose tissue following acute trauma and hemorrhage; …

Administrative Roles And Experiences Of School Principals In An Era Of High-Stakes Accountability: A Qualitative Study Of The Perspectives Of Alabama Principals, Charles L. Willis

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of the dissertation was to gain an in-depth understanding of what meaning principals in Alabama made of their administrative roles and experiences in an era of high-stakes accountability. With the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) signed into legislation in January of 2002, federal, state, and local accountability mandates have vastly increased. In an era of unprecedented educational reform and accountability, there arose an unrelenting expectation for effective school leaders. The principalship has morphed into one of the most demanding positions in the field of education. The researcher used a qualitative approach to explore and gather rich descriptions …

The Role Of The Ss2-Integrin Family On T Cell Subsets, Jillian E. Wohler

All ETDs from UAB

Members of the ß2-integrin family of adhesion molecules, CD11a, CD11b, and CD11c, have all been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). CD11d had yet to be studied in demyelinating disease and its functions remained unclear. We report here that CD11d is the only member of the ß2-integrin family of adhesion molecules that fails to protect against the development of EAE. Surprisingly, the EAE studies suggested that CD11a, CD11b, and CD11c were all contributing to T cell activity during disease development by mechanisms beyond the migration of these cells into the CNS. However, the …

Oxidation Of Mercury During Selective Catalytic Reduction Of Nitric Oxide, Giang Tong

All ETDs from UAB

A promising method for mercury removal from the gaseous products of coal combustion is the catalytic oxidation of elemental mercury to water-soluble mercuric chloride during selective catalytic reduction of NOx by ammonia, followed by removal of the oxidized mercury during wet flue gas desulfurization. Measurements of the mercury species distribution and sulfate formation at the outlet of a 310 mm long square cell monolithic V2O5-WO3/TiO2 commercial SCR catalyst showed the following trends: (1) Mercury oxidation was highly sensitive to HCl at the low levels characteristic of Powder River Basin subbituminous coals (0-5 ppmv). (2) Mercury oxidation was inhibited by NH3, …

Modification Of Adenovirus Capsid Proteins For Gene Therapy Applications, Yizhe Tang

All ETDs from UAB

Adenovirus (Ad) is the most commonly used viral vector in gene therapy applications to date for a broad range of diseases. Although Ad-based viral vectors have many advantages in a variety of gene therapy designs, the commonly used adenoviral vectors have several key shortcomings. Those shortcomings include (1) inefficient transduction in cell types devoid of Ad’s native receptors and the incapability of gene delivery to targets behind physical barriers; (2) restricted accessibility to the central nerve system due to the existence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB); (3) lack of a useful strategy and platform to generate multi-functionality displaying Ad vectors …

Effects Of Infant Massage On Hiv-Infected Mothers And Their Infants, Krista Lee Oswalt

All ETDs from UAB

The current study aimed to determine whether HIV-infected mothers and their infants benefit from infant massage training. Because a number of risks, including maternal depression, high levels of maternal stress, decreased ability to perform parental tasks, involvement in risky behaviors such as drug use, inferior Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale performance, and externalizing behavior problems in the children, have been associated with HIV-infected mothers and their children, this population was a sensible choice for intervention. A great deal of information related to the benefits of infant massage for a variety of at risk infants is available in the literature, however, …

The Chemical Ecology Of Antarctic Sponges, Kevin J. Peters

All ETDs from UAB

Sponges were collected from shallow waters along the western Antarctic Peninsula near Palmer Station on Anvers Island. The majority (78%) of the sponges were found to have outer tissues defended against the omnivorous, Antarctic sea star Odontaster validus. Of the species that had outer tissues defended, 62% of them also had internal tissues that inhibited feeding by O. validus. Lipophilic or hydrophilic extracts coated on artificial food pellets were found to be unpalatable for all of the sponge species tested. These data provide evidence that defenses are common survival strategies in sessile macroinvertebrates from Antarctica but that the allocation of …

Protein Trafficking And 4.1r Relocalization In Plamodium Falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes, Lindsay A. Parish

All ETDs from UAB

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that is caused by parasites in the genus Plasmodium. There are four species of malaria that routinely infect humans, but it is P. falciparum that is responsible for the majority of the severe and fatal cases of malaria. P. falciparum has a complex life cycle involving a mosquito vector and intracellular stages in both hepatocytes and erythrocytes; however, it is only the intraerythrocytic stages that are the cause of the pathology associated with malaria. This pathology is largely due to the ability of infected erythrocytes to cytoadhere to host microvasculature. After invasion, the parasite …

Comparisons Between Behavioral And Electrophysiological Measures Of Visual Function In Rodent Models Of Retinal Degeneration, Glen R. Rubin

All ETDs from UAB

The critical flicker frequency (CFF) is the lowest frequency for which a flickering light appears steady. Measuring CFF indicates rod- and cone-driven function relative to light intensity. CFF can be measured by both electroretinogram (ERG) and behavior. We measured CFF in several rodent models of retinal degeneration in order to better characterize retinal degeneration and understand the functional implications of electrophysiological changes. We measured ERG CFF in RCS dystrophic (RCS-p+) and wild type (WT) rats at PN23, PN44, and PN64. ERG CFF data in RCS rats show significant early degeneration of the rods followed by cones. CFF was significantly lower …

Predictors Of Self-Reported Health Status In Occupationally And Environmentally Exposed Individuals, Christie Shelton

All ETDs from UAB

Every year, over 3.5 billion pounds of industrial toxins and one to two billions pounds of environmental toxins are deliberately released into the environment. Although exposures have been shown to have an adverse effect on the health of the individuals, the effect of these exposures on the self-reported health status of individuals who have been environmentally and occupationally exposed to these toxins is still unclear. The purposes of this study were to: 1) identify the best subset of predictors of self-reported health status in current/former farmers and manufacturing workers from the set of age, sex, race, blood pressure, cholesterol measures, …

Axonal Trafficking Of Bmp Signals In Drosophilia Motoneurons, Rebecca Burt Smith

All ETDs from UAB

The Drosophila Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) Glass bottom boat (Gbb) is a ligand for the BMP type II receptor, Wishful thinking (Wit). Mutations in either of these proteins impair synaptic growth at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Gbb is a retrograde signal (from target to innervating neuron) that is essential for proper NMJ development and function. Tissue-specific rescue of pathway mutants and immunolocalization experiments indicate that the receptor-ligand interaction occurs at the NMJ, and results in the nuclear accumulation of the phosphorylated form of the transcription factor Mad, indicating that retrograde transport along the axon is critical for pathway activation. We …

The Relationship Of Sexual Empowerment And Sexual Pressure To Condom Use Of Young Adult African American And Caucasian Women, Carrie Ann Long

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: HIV knowledge, high self-esteem, condom self-efficacy, positive attitudes toward condom use, and condom negotiation skills have been associated with decreased HIV risk behavior among women, but have not been examined within a framework of empowerment for sexual risk. Sexual pressure, inclusive of both coercive and noncoercive pressures to engage in unwanted or unprotected sex, has also not been studied in association with sexual empowerment as a framework or as a potential moderator between sexual empowerment and condom use among women of different racial groups. Study Purpose: 1) To explore the relationship between sexual empowerment and condom use; 2) to …

Pathological Modification Of Tau Induce Toxicity And Facilitate Cell Death, Tori A. Matthews

All ETDs from UAB

eimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by two major pathophysiological hallmarks, beta-amyloid (A��) plaques and tau tangles. In AD and other tau associated neurodegenerative disorders, termed tauopathies, a critical role in promoting neuronal degeneration has been demonstrated for hyperphosphorylated forms of tau. Recent findings suggest that cleavage of tau in the carboxyl-terminal region (Asp421) may also promote deleterious effects of tau on neuronal health. In the first half of my study, the relationship between Asp421 cleaved tau and a common AD associated stressor (endoplasmic reticulum [ER] stress) was investigated using an inducible cortical neuronal model. Cells expressing …

Targeting Angiogenesis With Plasminogen Kringle 5, Braden Cox Mcfarland

All ETDs from UAB

The recombinant fifth kringle domain of plasminogen (rK5) has been shown to induce apoptosis of dermal microvessel endothelial cells (MvEC), and this pro-apoptotic effect required rK5 binding to cell surface glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78). GRP78 is a member of the heat shock protein family and under certain conditions is expressed on the cell surface. I am interested in identifying new anti-angiogenic therapy for glioblastoma tumors. The efficacy of certain anti-angiogenic therapy can be improved when combined with radiation, and radiation is a standard therapy for glioblastoma tumors; therefore, I investigated the pro-apoptotic effect of rK5 combined with radiation on primary …

A Qualitative Case Study On The Perception Of Middle School Stakeholders On The Effectiveness And Importance Of Character Education In Three Middle Schools In An Inner City School District In Alabama, Emeka Nzeocha

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this dissertation was to understand how middle school stakeholders viewed character education. Character education has been used to combat student disruptions. Young adolescents in the middle school setting present various challenges to school leaders, and this study sought to understand how the stakeholders in this setting viewed character education. A qualitative design with a case study methodology was used to conduct this study. An Institutional Review Board approval was secured prior to commencing the research. Purposeful sampling was used to select the 46 participants in this study, which included students, parents, a school janitor, teachers, a school …

Multi-Coefficient Dirichlet Neumann Type Elliptic Inverse Problems With Application To Reflection Seismology, Mandar S. Kulkarni

All ETDs from UAB

lliptic inverse problems requiring multi-coefficient recovery from boundary measurements are encountered in several areas of science and engineering. We present a fully non-linear variational approach to the aforementioned problem. Our investigation is motivated by the reflection seismology problem of recovering the subsurface parameters from acoustic measurements on the surface. By incorporating measurements of the normal derivative of pressure at the surface, and through a finite Laplace transform, the inverse recovery of parameters ρ, κ and γ from the hyperbolic acoustic equation 1 ρ(x)κ2(x) (ptt + γ(x)pt) − ∇ · 1 ρ(x) ∇p = F(x, t) on

p(x, t) = ζ(x, …

The Essential Role Of Macrophages And Tlr Signaling In The Host Response To Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, Jen-Feng Lai

All ETDs from UAB

Several reports have suggested that Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) can contribute importantly to the expression of symptoms in asthmatic human subjects. As a foundation for understanding the interactions between Mp and asthma susceptibility, we first studied the mechanisms by which the host normally eliminated Mp. Mice were inoculated with 4x106 Mp intranasally. Twenty-four hours after inoculation with Mp, subpopulations of CD11b+ macrophages/monocytes had been recruited into the lungs. The clearance of Mp was impaired both in macrophage-depleted and in macrophage-deficient mice. Furthermore, mice deficient in MyD88, a major adaptor for TLR signaling, showed dramatically defective clearance of Mp, associated with reduced …

Regulation Of B Cell Biology By Fcγ Receptors, Xinrui Li

All ETDs from UAB

B cell development, maturation and proliferation are all strictly regulated processes. Disruption of the regulatory network at any step would lead to immune disorders. The regulatory system of B cells can be considered as two layers: a general homeostasis regulation system and a specificity-based control system. General regulation of B cell homeostasis is mastered by BLyS (B Lymphocyte Stimulator) and several other BLyS family cytokines, which serve as a crucial survival factor for which transitional and mature B cells compete. Specificity-based control is achieved via B cell antigen receptors (BCRs), which serve as a determinant of whether an antigen-specific B …

Late Development Plasticity In The T Helper 17 Lineage, Yun Kyung Lee

All ETDs from UAB

CD4 T cells are a principal component of the adaptive immune system that is required for the efficient elimination of foreign antigens, but dysregulated CD4 T cells responses may result in autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. The differentiation of effector CD4 T cells is directed by cytokines elicited by pathogendriven innate immune responses. Therefore the coordinated innate and adaptive immune responses provide an efficient system for host protection. Our understanding of distinct differentiated CD4 T cells has recently expanded with the discovery of the Th17 lineage, a new subset of effector CD4 T cells that has been implicated in chronic …

Living With Stress: Neighborhood Disadvantage, Social Capital, And Depression, John Porter Lillis

All ETDs from UAB

This study's objective was to determine the effects of personal and neighborhood stressors on depressive symptomology for community dwelling adults aged 65 and over. The psychosocial resource model was employed as social capital is hypothesized to be a resource and play a mediating role in the effect of both types of stressors on depressive symptomology. Individual level data utilized came from the UAB Study of Aging (N = 919) and the neighborhood level data came from the 2000 Decennial Census. Logistic regression analysis determined that neighborhood stressors had no direct or indirect effect on depressive symptomology. This analysis did show …

Structural Studies Of Yeast Mitochondrial Peripheral Membrane Protein Tim44, Ratnakar Josyula

All ETDs from UAB

Tim44 is a peripheral membrane protein and a component of the TIM23 translocon on the matrix side. It is well established that Tim44 tethers the presequence associated motor (PAM) complex to the Inner Mitochondrial Membrane (IMM), through its C-Terminal Domain (CTD). This study focuses on understanding the high resolution structure of Tim44 CTD and the molecular basis for its membrane anchoring mechanism. The crystal structure of Tim44 CTD revealed that it exists as a single domain. The N-terminal amphipathic helices A1 and A2 protrude away from the main body of Tim44 CTD. These two flexible helices have been tested for …

Multi-Component Nanofibrous Scaffolds With Tunable Properties For Bone Tissue Engineering, Moncy V. Jose

All ETDs from UAB

Bone is a highly complex tissue which is an integral part of vertebrates and hence any damage has a major negative effect on the quality of life. Tissue engineering is regarded as an ideal route to resolve the issues related to the scarcity of tissue and organ for transplantation. Apart from cell line and growth factors, the choice of materials and fabrication technique for scaffold are equally important. The goal of this work was to develop a multi-component nanofibrous scaffold based on a synthetic polymer (poly(lactic-co-glycolide) (PLGA)), a biopolymer (collagen) and a biomineral (nano-hydroxyapatite (na-no-HA)) by electrospinning technique, which mimics …

Optical, Laser Spectroscopic, And Electrical Characterization Of Transion Metal Doped Znse And Zns Nano-And-Microcrystals, Changsu Kim

All ETDs from UAB

Middle-infrared lasers operating over a “molecular fingerprint” 2-15 μm spectral range are in great demand for a variety of applications. One of the best choices for lasing in the 2-5 μm spectral range is direct oscillation from divalent transition metal ions (TM2+: Cr2+, Fe2+, Co2+)-doped wide bandgap II-VI semiconductor crystals. There are three major objectives in this dissertation: 1) Realize and study middle-infrared electroluminescence of n and p-type, Cr doped bulk ZnSe crystals. We have demonstrated a method of ZnSe crystals thermal-diffusion doping with donor (In, Zn, and Al) and acceptor (Cu, Ag, and N through CrN) impurities resulting in …

Mouse Model Of Cooley's Anemia, Yongliang Huo

All ETDs from UAB

β thalassemia major or Cooley’s anemia (CA) is a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders characterized by deficient β globin chain production. Newborns with CA are healthy because of the high fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels present in their red blood cells (RBCs). As HbF levels decline during the first year of life, patients develop severe anemia that necessitates regular blood transfusion to maintain life. CA has been difficult to model in the mouse due to the lack of a fetal hemoglobin equivalent in the mouse. By utilizing a human fetal to adult delayed hemoglobin switching cassette, I hypothesize that a CA …

Optical Vehicular Tracking System, Joshua D. Jackson

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation presents research and analysis specific to a well-defined methodology for a low-cost and accurate vehicle tracking system that performs within a spatially limited domain. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) requires such a system to increase the efficiency of its bridge load-testing procedures. Currently, human operators estimate vehicle positions. As ALDOT seeks to modernize its systems, they require an accurate yet low-cost system for tracking load-testing vehicles within a spatially limited domain. This body of work presents a novel optical tracking system that makes use of the same optical navigation chip used in an optical computer mouse. Included …

Klf4 And Retinoid Receptor Signaling In Cancer, Wen Jiang

All ETDs from UAB

The fight against cancer has generated wide interest in understanding the genetic mechanisms behind the disease. One group of oncogenes – transcription factors – offers many opportunities for treatment or prevention. Among these transcription factors is KLF4, which functions in post-mitotic epithelial cells to promote differentiation. KLF4 has tumorigenic activity in both in vitro and in vivo models. In analyzing transcripts that were induced by KLF4, we noted the induction of multiple nuclear receptors, including retinoid receptors. Retinoids are well-established as chemopreventive agents, but the mechanisms by which they act to prevent cancer remain unclear. Previous studies have shown that …

The Cultural Worldview Of Allopthic And Naturopathic Physicians, Cullen Clark

All ETDs from UAB

Worldview is the socio-cultural compass with which we navigate the existential mysteries of life. It is our way of seeing – and being in – the world. As such it influences every aspect of culture from art to medicine. This exploratory study uses a sequential design combining quantitative and qualitative methodology to explore the worldview of allopathic and naturopathic physicians. Using survey research, the study identifies five basic components of competing worldviews among allopathic (n = 550) and naturopathic physicians (n = 399). It measures agreement among the two groups with these components and explores their influence upon support for …

Regulation Of Neural Precursor Cell Apoptosis And Proliferation By Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3, Tae-Yeon Eom

All ETDs from UAB

Neurogenesis is a crucial process for development, plasticity, and regenerative capacity of the developing and adult brain. Impairment of neurogenesis has been implicated in the etiology of psychiatric disorders. Although substantial studies have shown that therapeutic interventions enhance neurogenesis, much less is known about what factors impair neurogenesis. Thus, the present work examined if glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) has a role in impaired neurogenesis, focusing on apoptosis and proliferation of neural precursor cells (NPCs). This investigation found that GSK3 promotes apoptotic signaling in cultured NPCs subjected to two insults, trophic factor withdrawal and genotoxic stress. Both stimuli activated GSK3, Bax, …

Solidification Under Pressure Of Aluminum Castings, Pavan Chintalapati

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Aluminum castings are widely used in automotive and other applications. These castings gained importance due to their high strength to weight ratio. However, aluminum castings are prone to porosity which significantly deteriorates the mechanical properties. Safety-critical components are subjected to hot isostatic pressing (HIPping), which heals the porosity. HIPping is a post-processing technique resulting in higher costs. An alterna-tive technique is application of pressure during solidification. The effect of application of 1.0132 MPa (150 psi) pressure during solidification on the cooling rate, soundness, pore characteristics and mechanical properties of alumi-num castings was investigated in the current research. Wedge castings of …

The Effect Of Stearic Acid On Breast Cancer Development And Progression, Lynda Michelle Evans

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earate is an 18-carbon saturated fatty acid that is found in many foods in the western diet including beef and chocolate. Cell culture studies indicate stearate may have various anti-cancer properties including inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and invasion, morphological changes, and induction of apoptosis. Animal studies have found that dietary stearate delays tumor development and decreases tumor incidence. To date, many of the mechanisms underlying these processes are unclear. In this study, evidence is presented showing stearate induces morphological changes in breast cancer cells. Inhibition of de novo diacylglycerol (DAG) generation and subsequent protein kinase C (PKC) activation inhibits …