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Integrated Proteomics To Understand The Role Of Neuritin-1 (Nrn1) As A Molecular Mediator Of Synaptic Resilience In Alzheimer’S Disease, Derian Pugh Jan 2026

Integrated Proteomics To Understand The Role Of Neuritin-1 (Nrn1) As A Molecular Mediator Of Synaptic Resilience In Alzheimer’S Disease, Derian Pugh

ETDs from 2020-2029

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in adults over the age of 65, and currently affects approximately 6.9 million people in the United States. By 2060, the number of people age 65 and older with AD is projected to reach 13.8 million, barring the development of disease-altering therapies to prevent, slow or cure AD. Thus, there is a need for progress in the understanding of AD pathophysiology, as well as in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Approximately one-third of individuals without dementia at the time of death are found to harbor high levels of amyloid-beta …

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Cbct Evaluation Of Planned Vs. Achieved Expansion And Buccal Bone Thickness In Phase I Orthodontic Cases Treated With Clear Aligners, Jared Teeples Jan 2026

Cbct Evaluation Of Planned Vs. Achieved Expansion And Buccal Bone Thickness In Phase I Orthodontic Cases Treated With Clear Aligners, Jared Teeples

ETDs from 2020-2029

Introduction: Within orthodontics, CBCT technology has been used to analyze tooth movement with both fixed appliances and clear aligners. However, little research has evaluated alveolar bone remodeling outcomes in growing patients treated with clear aligner expansion. Methods: This study compared pre-treatment (T0) and post-treatment (T1) CBCTs of Phase I patients treated with clear aligners who had expansion planned in the Invisalign® ClinCheck. CBCTs were collected and analyzed, including 27 maxillary and 22 mandibular arches. The aims were (1) to compare planned vs. actual expansion and (2) to evaluate the arch width (AW) and alveolar bone changes before and after treatment. …

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Building An Empire-The Life And Legacy Of Dr. A.G. Gaston, Solymar Ortiz Jan 2026

Building An Empire-The Life And Legacy Of Dr. A.G. Gaston, Solymar Ortiz

ETDs from 2020-2029

The life, work, and legacy of Dr. A.G. Gaston demonstrate the significance of commemorating key civil rights activists through the establishment of historical institutions. Gaston was a pivotal leader in Birmingham’s Civil Rights Movement, and as the first Black millionaire in Alabama, he dedicated his life to generating wealth and uplifting his community. Stemming from humble beginnings, he was raised by formerly enslaved grandparents in a former plantation town. His rough upbringing encompassed a fight against racial injustice, an intense work ethic, and a passion for entrepreneurship. That passion allowed him to build his businesses from the ground up and …

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Cysteine Protease Activity In Allergen Recognition And Initiation Of Th2 Allergic Responses, Audrey Rae Meloun Jan 2026

Cysteine Protease Activity In Allergen Recognition And Initiation Of Th2 Allergic Responses, Audrey Rae Meloun

ETDs from 2020-2029

Allergens are non-infectious environmental proteins that can trigger T helper 2 (Th2) cell-mediated inflammation in atopic individuals. Allergens are structurally diverse and typically lack pathogen-associated molecules patterns (PAMPs), which are recognized by pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs). PRRs are the canonical sensors of the innate immune system that typically detect PAMPs in microbes, initiating signaling pathways that drive pathogen clearance. Because allergens generally do not activate PRRs in the same way as infectious agents, alternative detection mechanisms are likely responsible for their recognition and the subsequent initiation of Th2 cell-mediated inflammation. House Dust Mite (HDM), a major indoor allergen, and other …

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Exercise Testing And Training For Individuals With Cystic Fibrosis, Najlaa Zayed Alotaibi Jan 2026

Exercise Testing And Training For Individuals With Cystic Fibrosis, Najlaa Zayed Alotaibi

ETDs from 2020-2029

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive genetic disease that impacts multiple systems (e.g., respiratory system). Hence, routine cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is recommended to track the disease progression in people with CF. Besides the benefits of exercise testing, exercise training is also beneficial for long-term wellness. It is recommended that people with CF engage in at least 30–60 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 days a week. However, despite the significance of exercise testing and training for people with CF, CPET and exercise training are underutilized in international CF centers. According to the literature, the majority of international CF centers use …

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Physical And Psychophysiological Responses To Self-Selected Music In Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Sophia Porrill Jan 2026

Physical And Psychophysiological Responses To Self-Selected Music In Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Sophia Porrill

ETDs from 2020-2029

Exercise is a cornerstone adjunct therapy for people with Parkinson’s Disease (PwP). However, exercise capacity is often impaired by non-motor processes including decreased motivation, arousal, and physical effort. Self-selected music (SSM) has been shown to improve motivation and arousal state in healthy individuals thereby leading to increases in exercise capacity. Whether these positive effects of SSM translate to PwP is unclear. The purpose of this study was to measure 1) the psychophysiological effects of SSM at rest, and 2) psychophysiological and physical responses during a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in PwP. In a counterbalanced crossover manner, PwP (n=12) completed resting …

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Analysis Of Activated Carbon Fiber (Acf) As Particulate Filtration And Volatile Organic Compound (Voc) Media For The Development Of A Dual-Air Purifying Facepiece Respirator, Brie Mcmahan Jan 2026

Analysis Of Activated Carbon Fiber (Acf) As Particulate Filtration And Volatile Organic Compound (Voc) Media For The Development Of A Dual-Air Purifying Facepiece Respirator, Brie Mcmahan

ETDs from 2020-2029

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in occupational or public settings poses adverse health outcomes such as respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, neurological, carcinogenic morbidity and mortality. Many occupational settings expose workers to PM and VOC concurrently, yet most commercially available respirators are designed to address either particulates or vapors alone. This includes air-purifying respirators (APRs), powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), and filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) with nuisance-level vapor protection, often limited by bulk, discomfort, high pressure drop, and misuse. We identified a need for alternative dual-exposure media and a respiratory protection device that is lighter, and more comfortable …

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Impositions, Christopher Michael Mccauley Jan 2026

Impositions, Christopher Michael Mccauley

ETDs from 2020-2029

This collection explores ordinary moments. A couple on a park bench. A man cleaning a horse stall. A citizen scientist wandering a field. When you peer into these scenes closely, though, you can move beyond the seemingly mundane and discover universal truths, as well as images that evoke shared emotional landscapes. Two primary themes bring greater clarity to these moments and images: people imposing on the world and the world imposing on people. Each piece in the collection touches on these themes in some way. Hence the title, Impositions. I hope readers will feel a sense of empathy for the …

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Understanding Mobility Limitations And Public Transportation Accessibility For People With Disabilities, Jada Meria Stringer Jan 2026

Understanding Mobility Limitations And Public Transportation Accessibility For People With Disabilities, Jada Meria Stringer

ETDs from 2020-2029

Mobility for people with disabilities (PWDs) depends on both the availability of transportation and public services and the accessibility of these systems. The presence of public transportation systems does not ensure usability. Vehicles, infrastructure, and the built environment must be designed to accommodate diverse physical, sensory, cognitive, and other needs. PWDs must also be able to navigate public buildings and surrounding spaces safely and comfortably. This thesis examines mobility limitations for PWDs in India and the United States, focusing on accessibility along the full mobility chain. A review of existing literature provides context on accessibility policies, design standards, and the …

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Untold Journeys: A Case Study Of Attrition In Alabama’S Public School Teaching Workforce, Jessica Claborn Rose Jan 2026

Untold Journeys: A Case Study Of Attrition In Alabama’S Public School Teaching Workforce, Jessica Claborn Rose

ETDs from 2020-2029

This exploratory multiple-case study investigates the crisis of teacher attrition among early childhood and elementary education graduates from Alabama-based teacher education programs (TEPs) who either avoided public-school teaching or left the profession within three years. The research, guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory (SCT) and Maslow’s human motivation theory, utilized a qualitative design involving individual interviews with ten teacher leavers (TLs), and five TEP faculty members. The findings reveal that attrition is a multi-faceted crisis rooted in systemic failures, coalescing around two overarching factors: effectiveness of support systems and a collection of barriers. Consistent with SCT, low self-efficacy, resulting from …

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Biomineralization Of Low Temperature Plasma(Ltp) Modified Polymeric Biomaterials And Scaffolds, John Patrick Bradford Jan 2026

Biomineralization Of Low Temperature Plasma(Ltp) Modified Polymeric Biomaterials And Scaffolds, John Patrick Bradford

ETDs from 2020-2029

Bio-integration, specifically osseo-integration of bone implants and scaffolds, are vital for the success of implants and bone tissue engineering (BTE). Calcification can be defined as the deposition of calcium compounds as either calcium phosphate(CaP) minerals consisting of hydroxyapatite(HAP) or CaP salts. The significance of the variety of phases of CaP is that mature bone matrix is composed of 65% CaP mineral. Many investigators have attempted to model the natural matrix by producing materials containing calcium phosphate in both amorphous CaP or in the more crystalline HAP form, with biomaterials (both synthetic and biological). Biomimetic CaP formation is a sign of …

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Development Of Human Trophoblast Cell Surface Antigen-2 (Trop-2) Specific Radiopharmaceutical Tracers, Arnav Vipulkumar Patel Jan 2026

Development Of Human Trophoblast Cell Surface Antigen-2 (Trop-2) Specific Radiopharmaceutical Tracers, Arnav Vipulkumar Patel

ETDs from 2020-2029

Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) is closely related to the development and progression of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) and is also being investigated as a pan-cancer biomarker. Trop-2 tumorigenesis is mediated by the calcium ion signaling pathways. By accurately predicting and targeting Trop-2 for immunotherapy, precision therapy is crucial. Trop-2 is overexpressed in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues, which makes it a promising molecular target for cancer-targeted therapy. This thesis reports the development and preclinical evaluation of two novel Trop-2-specific radiopharmaceutical tracers derived from the clinically approved antibody-drug conjugate Sacituzumab Govitecan (SG): a full antibody drug conjugate-based tracer …

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January 27, 2026 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham Jan 2026

January 27, 2026 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

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Atlanta '96: The Games And The South, Beau Bowden Jan 2026

Atlanta '96: The Games And The South, Beau Bowden

ETDs from 2020-2029

The Centennial Olympiad, hosted by Atlanta, Georgia, in 1996, demonstrated key principles of the postsouthern mindset, a movement typically associated with literary criticism that, if applied to historiographic methods, offers valuable insights into how Atlantans confronted competing identities of being a modern international city hailed as the Black Mecca, and a city forever linked to the Lost Cause, Ku Klux Klan, and racial inequality. During the Opening Ceremonies, specifically, Olympic organizers curated a celebration touting the city’s and region’s multiculturalism and corporate might, as described by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympics (ACOG), the body responsible for organizing the games, …

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Expanding Access To Live Donation Opportunities: Implementing Telehealth Solutions To Enhance The Living Donor Navigator Program, Alexis Carter Jan 2026

Expanding Access To Live Donation Opportunities: Implementing Telehealth Solutions To Enhance The Living Donor Navigator Program, Alexis Carter

ETDs from 2020-2029

Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the most effective treatment for patients with end-stage kidney disease; however, living donation rates have remained suboptimal over the past two decades. As a result, many interventions have been developed and tailored to increase living donation. The Living Donor Navigator (LDN) Program is one effort designed to help transplant candidates identify potential living donors and guide them through the donation process, using a combination of advocacy and systems training. The LDN Program is a lay-navigator-based intervention that equips participants with the knowledge, communication skills, and confidence needed to identify and engage potential living donors. …

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Bright Eyes And The Kinfolk, Ariel Aileen Cochran Jan 2026

Bright Eyes And The Kinfolk, Ariel Aileen Cochran

ETDs from 2020-2029

BRIGHT EYES AND THE KINFOLK ARIEL COCHRAN MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH – CREATIVE WRITING ABSTRACT Bright Eyes and The Kinfolk is a historical fiction set in the pre-Civil War South that pays homage to Western media including, but not limited to, Gunsmoke, The Virginian, The Rifleman, Two Mules For Sister Sara, and Tombstone. The story follows the enslaved Dahomey (modern Benin) African Tina Jones who is in search of Uyi, her younger brother that was recently sold off from the Jones plantation in Mobile, Alabama. With a lead pointing to the state of Texas, Tina sets out west and …

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Novel Retinal Biomarker Development In Early Alzheimer’S Disease, Swetha Ravichandran Jan 2026

Novel Retinal Biomarker Development In Early Alzheimer’S Disease, Swetha Ravichandran

ETDs from 2020-2029

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes damage to the neurons that are present in the brain. Progress in the management and treatment of AD is limited by lack of early diagnostics, which are critical to the development of effective therapies. It is therefore critical to develop non-invasive/cost efficient biomarkers to aid in early diagnosis and interventions to prevent or delay dementia onset. While Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and cerebrospinal fluid assessment have greatest utility, they are not routinely used because they are expensive and invasive, respectively. Retinal imaging offers a promising, low-cost, and non-invasive avenue for detecting …

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Early Life Stress Mediates Cardiovascular Disease Risk Through Csf1r And Increases Risk Of Lupus Through Mature B-Cells, Cailin Elizabeth Kellum Jan 2026

Early Life Stress Mediates Cardiovascular Disease Risk Through Csf1r And Increases Risk Of Lupus Through Mature B-Cells, Cailin Elizabeth Kellum

ETDs from 2020-2029

The term Early Life Stress (ELS) encompasses traumatic events occurring before the age of 18 such as physical abuse, verbal abuse, household dysfunctions, sexual abuse, childhood neglect, child maltreatment, and adverse childhood experiences. The traumatic psychological and physical experiences in early life are widely known to cause enduring effects on mental and physical health in adulthood. Of note, individuals with ELS have adverse health outcomes earlier in adulthood and with more severity such as in the case of Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE), an autoimmune disease. The risk for autoimmunity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases with ELS exposure and CVD is …

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Awareness And Knowledge Of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Among Orthodontic And Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery Specialties In The United States., Kavita Nayar Jan 2026

Awareness And Knowledge Of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Among Orthodontic And Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery Specialties In The United States., Kavita Nayar

ETDs from 2020-2029

Introduction: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic pediatric arthritis, frequently involving the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and resulting in facial growth disturbances, functional impairment, and complex multidisciplinary treatment needs. Despite its clinical relevance, limited awareness and inconsistent management strategies exist among specialists who are involved in the care of these patients including orthodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons and rheumatologists. This study aimed to evaluate the understanding, knowledge and interdisciplinary management practices between board-certified orthodontists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) across the United States regarding JIA. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was distributed electronically via Qualtrics to …

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Reagan, Bush, Gorbachev, And The End Of The Cold War, Joshua Caleb Teasley Jan 2026

Reagan, Bush, Gorbachev, And The End Of The Cold War, Joshua Caleb Teasley

ETDs from 2020-2029

This work addresses key questions relating to the end of the Cold War. Contemporary wisdom suggests that Ronald Reagan’s policies beat the Soviet Union into submission, but this is not the case. Reagan’s initial policies were antagonistic towards the Soviet Union and his devotion to SDI later harmed his ability to establish relations with Michail Gorbachev later on. This thesis argues that it was George H.W. Bush, rather than Reagan, who was the more influential and effective President when dealing with the Soviet Union. Bush’s diplomacy was less idealized and more realistic than Reagan’s. Additionally, Bush was able to successfully …

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Relationship Between Corneal Biomechanics In Sjögren’S Disease And Risk Factors For Glaucoma Development, Isabella Grace Simmons Jan 2026

Relationship Between Corneal Biomechanics In Sjögren’S Disease And Risk Factors For Glaucoma Development, Isabella Grace Simmons

ETDs from 2020-2029

Both Sjögren’s disease and glaucoma are known to have abnormal corneal biomechanics that impact their disease progression. The pathophysiology of Sjögren’s disease may also increase the likelihood of developing glaucoma. However, we do not yet know whether the prevalence of risk factors associated with glaucoma in Sjögren’s patients is due to underlying weakened corneal biomechanics. Oculus Corvis ST will be used to evaluate the corneal biomechanics in Sjögren’s patients in relation to the inflammatory mediators in the tear film. These properties will then be correlated with retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer thickness. Evaluating these findings will provide …

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Lmod1 Modulates Neointimal Lesion Size After Vessel Injury And Stabilizes Smooth Muscle Cell Gene Regulatory Networks During Atherogenic Stress, Sara Wennersten Jan 2026

Lmod1 Modulates Neointimal Lesion Size After Vessel Injury And Stabilizes Smooth Muscle Cell Gene Regulatory Networks During Atherogenic Stress, Sara Wennersten

ETDs from 2020-2029

Phenotypic switching of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from a contractile to a synthetic state underlies the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathologies, including restenosis and atherosclerosis. Leiomodin 1 (LMOD1), an SMC-enriched actin-binding protein, has been previously found to regulate SMC phenotypic modulation in vitro. However, its contribution to CVD development and progression, along with its influence on gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that inform underlying responses to stress, remains incompletely defined. Here, I combine a mouse injury model, bulk RNA sequencing, and GRN inference to define how reduced LMOD1 expression perturbs SMC physiology during vascular wall remodeling and lipid stress. …

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Characterization Of Social Media Use Patterns Among Hispanic/Latinx Dementia Caregivers And Its Impact On Mental Health, Sofia Mildrum Chana Jan 2026

Characterization Of Social Media Use Patterns Among Hispanic/Latinx Dementia Caregivers And Its Impact On Mental Health, Sofia Mildrum Chana

ETDs from 2020-2029

Hispanic & Latinx (H&L) family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs) experience high levels of stress that can negatively impact their mental health and may turn to social networking sites (SNS, commonly known as ‘social media’) for coping or social support. However, no research has yet examined how SNS use influences H&L caregiver mental health. The primary purpose of the present study was to characterize patterns of SNS use among H&L ADRD family caregivers and examine the associations between SNS use and caregivers’ mental health and well-being. Data for the present study come from the …

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Exploring The Relationship Among Nurse-Specific Factors And Triage Accuracy In The Emergency Setting, Krisada Suamchaiyaphum Jan 2026

Exploring The Relationship Among Nurse-Specific Factors And Triage Accuracy In The Emergency Setting, Krisada Suamchaiyaphum

ETDs from 2020-2029

Triage is a critical function of emergency nursing practice, directly influencing patient safety, flow, and outcomes in the emergency department (ED). Despite widespread use of standardized triage training and resources, triage accuracy among ED nurses remains suboptimal. The purpose of this three-manuscript dissertation was to examine factors associated with triage accuracy in the ED setting. Manuscript One was an integrative literature review of 14 studies published between 2011 and 2021, with reported triage accuracy rates ranging from 59.3% to 82%. Primary factors associated with triage accuracy were: nurse-specific, patient, and work environment factors. Manuscript Two reported a retrospective study of …

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The Influence Of The Mental Health Parity And Addiction Equity Act On Residential Behavioral Healthcare Facility Availability In The United States: A State-Level Analysis, Amanda Mellowspring Jan 2026

The Influence Of The Mental Health Parity And Addiction Equity Act On Residential Behavioral Healthcare Facility Availability In The United States: A State-Level Analysis, Amanda Mellowspring

ETDs from 2020-2029

The need for accessible, quality behavioral healthcare (BH) has increased dramatically over recent decades. The availability of BH services for patients has long been complicated by high cost, lack of insurance coverage, and location accessibility. BH organizations face ongoing challenges to meet the demand for services including costs of operation, worker shortages, and navigating the payer landscape. The history of BH in the U.S. provides the foundation to conceptualize federal regulations and attempts at parity. Literature regarding federal legislation, such as the Mental Health Parity Addiction and Equity Act (MHPAEA), the Affordable Care Act, and Medicaid expansion; BH facilities and …

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Development And Validation Of A Theoretically Informed Instrument To Measure The Antecedents Of Microbreaking Intentions (I-Mami) Of Procedural Healthcare Workers, Robin Riddle Jan 2026

Development And Validation Of A Theoretically Informed Instrument To Measure The Antecedents Of Microbreaking Intentions (I-Mami) Of Procedural Healthcare Workers, Robin Riddle

ETDs from 2020-2029

ABSTRACT Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) affect 77% of nurses and 60% of surgeons, exceeding rates in other occupational sectors and threatening healthcare workforce sustainability. Microbreaking is brief, strategic pause of 20 seconds to five minutes performed every 20 to 40 minutes during medical procedures. It has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing fatigue, improving accuracy, and lowering physiological stress markers without extending medical procedure duration. Despite this evidence, adoption remains limited, and no theoretically informed instruments exist to measure the behavioral determinants of microbreaking intentions among procedural healthcare workers. Investigators of this three-manuscript dissertation developed and established content and construct validity as …

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Iterative Data Augmentation For Enhancing Deep Learning Performance With Limited Training Data, Avinash Singh Jan 2026

Iterative Data Augmentation For Enhancing Deep Learning Performance With Limited Training Data, Avinash Singh

ETDs from 2020-2029

Deep learning models have demonstrated impressive performance across different domains; however, their effectiveness heavily depends on large, well annotated datasets. In practice, data are often limited in size, leading to overfitting, poor generalization, and degraded model robustness and performance. Moreover, conventional augmentation techniques are typically static in nature, lack adaptability during training, and can produce geometrically inconsistent or unrealistic mixed images. This dissertation addresses three major challenges in data augmentation and model generalization: (1) the scarcity of labeled data and limited dataset size, (2) the absence of adaptive mechanisms for dynamically adjusting learning parameters during training, and (3) the creation …

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Psychosocial Outcomes In Adults With Cleft Lip And Palate: Exploring The Relationship Between Cleft Severity, Mental Health, And Treatment Satisfaction, Haley Hannabass Jan 2026

Psychosocial Outcomes In Adults With Cleft Lip And Palate: Exploring The Relationship Between Cleft Severity, Mental Health, And Treatment Satisfaction, Haley Hannabass

ETDs from 2020-2029

Introduction:This study aimed to examine psychosocial outcomes in adults with cleft lip and palate (CL/P), focusing on how cleft severity (unilateral versus bilateral) influences depression, anxiety, social functioning, oral health–related quality of life, and satisfaction with treatment outcomes. Individuals born with clefts often continue to face psychosocial challenges even after surgical repair, and limited research has compared how these outcomes differ by cleft type in adulthood. Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional design was used, including 24 adults aged 18 years and older who had undergone cleft repair and were finished or in active orthodontic treatment at UAB. Participants completed an online …

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Handling Missing Data In Copd Research, Chia-Ying Chiu Jan 2026

Handling Missing Data In Copd Research, Chia-Ying Chiu

ETDs from 2020-2029

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) remains a major global health concern and one of the leading causes of death in the United States, affecting approximately 4.6% of adults and reaching a prevalence of 9.4% in Alabama according to 2024 National Health Interview Survey. The disease imposes a substantial burden on quality of life and healthcare costs and contributes to increased disability-adjusted life years and years of life lost, as highlighted by the 2022 Lancet Commission report. Despite its im-pact, COPD is frequently diagnosed only after irreversible lung damage has occurred, largely due to under-recognized symptoms and limited diagnostic tools. Early …

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Modulation Of The Cgas-Sting Inflammation Pathway In Mouse Models Of Accelerated And Slowed Aging, Benjamin David Heckman Jan 2026

Modulation Of The Cgas-Sting Inflammation Pathway In Mouse Models Of Accelerated And Slowed Aging, Benjamin David Heckman

ETDs from 2020-2029

Chronic sterile inflammation (inflammaging) is a core pillar of aging, and the cGAS-STING innate immune pathway has emerged as a key driver of this process. However, how this pathway intersects with systemic endocrine signaling remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the intersection of endocrine signaling and cGAS-STING activation using two complementary mouse models with opposing lifespan phenotypes: a short-lived, liver-specific glucagon receptor knockout (LKO) mouse and a long-lived growth hormone-releasing hormone knockout (GHRH-KO) mouse. We demonstrate that despite presenting with a metabolically healthy phenotype, female LKO mice exhibited a significantly reduced lifespan. We link this premature mortality to a sex …

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