Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

All ETDs from UAB

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 691 - 720 of 2899

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Low-Cost Inkjet-Printed Flexible Circuit For Gas Sensing, Sm Mehedee Parvez Jan 2017

Low-Cost Inkjet-Printed Flexible Circuit For Gas Sensing, Sm Mehedee Parvez

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT Logistics management is a major section of a stable business plan. It is responsible for planning, implementing, and controlling the production and distribution processes of the goods. Its function is even more crucial when goods, which are being handled, are perishable products like food and medicine. It is known in the food industry that a large amount of food is wasted during the transportation chain. More often than not, the main reason for foods going spoiled stems from the presence of unwanted gases around the area of storing. Accurate monitoring and controlling of the environmental conditions imposed on perishable …

Go to article

Ritual, Self-Defense, And Territoriality At The Rock Art Site Of Chaturbhujnath Nala, Jennefer Celeste Paxton Jan 2017

Ritual, Self-Defense, And Territoriality At The Rock Art Site Of Chaturbhujnath Nala, Jennefer Celeste Paxton

All ETDs from UAB

"Chaturbhujnath Nala, located in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, is the longest" "rock art gallery known in the world today. It consists of open-air rock shelters found in a" "rift valley, along an ephemeral tributary that pours into the Chambal River. The shelters" "are composed primarily of Vindhyan sandstone, which has metamorphosed to quartzite" "over time. Because the site is located within the state protected Gandhi Sagar Wildlife" "Sanctuary and safeguarded by the Archaeological Survey of India, the majority of the" "rock shelter paintings are still in immaculate condition. However, these artworks have yet" "to garner much attention by …

Go to article

The Eye As A Window To The Alzheimer’S Disease Brain, Fred Souza Jan 2017

The Eye As A Window To The Alzheimer’S Disease Brain, Fred Souza

All ETDs from UAB

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating, and the most prevalent, type of dementia that is manifested by cognitive deficits, anomalous protein metabolism, cell loss, and pathological alterations in several neurotransmitter systems, particularly the cholinergic and glutamatergic systems. Moreover, AD is associated with visual deficits that have been reported to occur even in the early stages of the disease and may precede conspicuous cognitive impairment. To date, the underlying causes of the visual deficits and whether they stem from retinal or cortical abnormalities remain poorly understood. The following studies aimed at establishing whether the pathological changes observed in the cerebrum are …

Go to article

A Novel Role For T-Bet And Ifng In Directing B Cell Differentiation, Sara Stone Stone Jan 2017

A Novel Role For T-Bet And Ifng In Directing B Cell Differentiation, Sara Stone Stone

All ETDs from UAB

The transcription factor T-bet regulates the epigenetic programming and differentiation of cytotoxic and helper T (Th) cells. Several studies recently identified T-bet expression in B cells after stimulation with TLR7 or interferon alpha or gamma. T-bet controls isotype switching to IgG2a in B cells; however, the mechanism by which T-bet exerts this effect and whether T-bet regulates fate decision beyond isotype choice is not clear. When activated by interferon gamma-producing Th cells, B cells rapidly upregulate T-bet and undergo T-bet dependent changes in chromatin accessibility and wide-scale transcriptional reprogramming. T-bet controls expression of the core transcription factors required for antibody …

Go to article

A Control Theory Examination Of Reentry Programming, Seth Undrea Lewis Jan 2017

A Control Theory Examination Of Reentry Programming, Seth Undrea Lewis

All ETDs from UAB

The United States has a considerable prison population. More than 90 percent of prisoners will be released back into society. Faced with an increasing number of prisoners being released each year, reentry programs have become a popular tool to ensure successful reentry back into society. Research has indicated that successful completion of a reentry program reduces the likelihood that a former prisoner will return to prison. Travis Hirschi argued that when individuals have strong bonds to society they are less likely to exhibit criminal behavior. This study uses Hirschi’s social bond theory as a basis to identify factors that influence …

Go to article

Motor Abilities And Social Participation In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jamie M. Holloway Jan 2017

Motor Abilities And Social Participation In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jamie M. Holloway

All ETDs from UAB

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily affects social communication and behavior, however, a number of motor impairments have been identified in children with ASD. In children who are typically developing, the development of social, communication, and cognitive skills is thought to be influenced by motor development. However, the impact of these motor skill deficits on overall development in children with ASD is not yet known. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the relationship between gross motor ability and social function and participation in young children with ASD. The first study described changes in peer …

Go to article

The Evaluation Of Perampanel As A Neuroprotective Pharmacotherapy In Traumatic Brain Injury, Virginia Aida Jan 2017

The Evaluation Of Perampanel As A Neuroprotective Pharmacotherapy In Traumatic Brain Injury, Virginia Aida

All ETDs from UAB

In the United States, 2.5 million people experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year and an estimated 5.3 million are living with a TBI-related disability. A TBI alters the function of the brain and the brain pathology often resulting in long-lasting cognitive impairment, motor function impairments, and emotional changes. In conjunction with the physical changes a victim of TBI experiences, the injury can take a financial toll. It is estimated that 76.3 billion dollars is attributed to the direct and indirect costs of sustaining a TBI every year in the United States. Despite improvements in managing TBI, there are …

Go to article

The Role Of Rig-I And Mda5 In Alphavirus Replication, Ivan Viachaslavavich Akhrymuk Jan 2017

The Role Of Rig-I And Mda5 In Alphavirus Replication, Ivan Viachaslavavich Akhrymuk

All ETDs from UAB

Evolution of vertebrates has resulted in the development of a wide range of cellular pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which detect the presence of virus-specific molecules termed pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Sensing of the incoming viruses and/or their replication by PRRs activates the cascade of cellular pathways that ultimately result in activation of antiviral response. Such response is determined by hundreds of cellular genes, whose products either directly interfere with virus replication or are released from the cells and activate antiviral state in yet uninfected cells. Consequently, the latter cell signaling prevents development of the next rounds of infection both in …

Go to article

Immunobiology Of The Mucosal Response To Helicobacter Pylori In Children, Kyle Brawner Jan 2017

Immunobiology Of The Mucosal Response To Helicobacter Pylori In Children, Kyle Brawner

All ETDs from UAB

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the stomach of approximately one half of the world’s population. However, the vast majority of infected persons remain asymptomatic. The degree of H. pylori-induced gastric inflammation depends on a complex interaction of several factors. In this dissertation, we focus on age as a determinant of gastritis severity. Children are known to respond to H. pylori infection with a stronger T regulatory cell profile compared with infected adults, yet the reason remains unknown. The influence of the microbiota on, and the communication among, cells of the innate immune system shape the nature of the adaptive immune response to …

Go to article

Nadph Oxidase-Derived Superoxide Production During Coxsackie B Virus Infection Fuels Macrophage Activation To Accelerate Type 1 Diabetes, Ashley R. Burg Jan 2017

Nadph Oxidase-Derived Superoxide Production During Coxsackie B Virus Infection Fuels Macrophage Activation To Accelerate Type 1 Diabetes, Ashley R. Burg

All ETDs from UAB

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease in which autoreactive T cells selectively destroy insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells. While genetic predisposition underlies susceptibility, environmental factors are proposed to play the important role of triggering the activation of autoimmunity in T1D individuals. Viral infections, particularly by Coxsackie B viruses, are highly suspected as a precipitating event. However, the exact molecular mechanism for how viral infections elicit β-cell-specific autoimmunity remains unclear. Rodent models of virus-induced T1D suggest it is through bystander activation, during which innate antiviral responses to pancreas-tropic viral infections create an inflammatory milieu that breaks the peripheral tolerance …

Go to article

A Comparison Between Number And Letter Acuities Among Patients, Sarah Berry Jan 2017

A Comparison Between Number And Letter Acuities Among Patients, Sarah Berry

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT Purpose: Previous studies have shown that there is an association between visual acuity and Alzheimers’ disease. Untreated visual problems may contribute to cognitive impairment and more progressive cognitive decline. This study investigates the association of chart design, specifically comparing charts using letters versus numbers, to accuracy and repeatability among patients with dementia. Methods: 23 English-speaking subjects diagnosed with moderate to advanced levels of dementia were recruited from two local Birmingham nursing homes. Visual acuities were measured in a randomly selected eye and timed from six different charts: Back-illuminated ETDRS chart with letters, Back-illuminated ETDRS chart with numbers, HOTV cards …

Go to article

Interplay Of The Circadian Clock And Growth Hormone Signaling In The Heart, Ryan Darrell Berry Jan 2017

Interplay Of The Circadian Clock And Growth Hormone Signaling In The Heart, Ryan Darrell Berry

All ETDs from UAB

Growth hormone (GH) signaling plays a critical role in postnatal development and the details of its release, regulation, and influence on the development of a number of organs has been well studied. GH is released from the anterior pituitary in a pulsatile fashion with pulse amplitude being greater at night than during the day in a number of species, including humans. Once in circulation, GH binds to the GH receptor (GHR) on target tissues throughout the body altering gene expression and stimulating the local production of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 primarily acts in an autocrine and paracrine fashion. …

Go to article

Contribution Of Distinct Interneuron Subclasses To Cortical Network Activity, Andrew Scott Bohannon Jan 2017

Contribution Of Distinct Interneuron Subclasses To Cortical Network Activity, Andrew Scott Bohannon

All ETDs from UAB

The excitatory glutamatergic output of the cerebral neocortex is tightly regulated by the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA from cortical interneurons (INs). Once viewed as a largely homogenous population, recent studies have revealed that cortical INs display a diverse range of biochemical, anatomical and physiological properties. In this work we sought to determine if differences in the physiology and connectivity patterns of identified cortical IN populations enable them to differentially contribute to network activity. Specifically, we investigated the contribution of discrete L2/3 IN groups to the generation of aberrant cortical synchrony, and the influence of HCN channels on information …

Go to article

Connectivity Of The Striatal Resting-State Networks In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Thomas Patrick Deramus Jan 2017

Connectivity Of The Striatal Resting-State Networks In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Thomas Patrick Deramus

All ETDs from UAB

Social deficits and repetitive behaviors and are core features of autism. Structural and functional alterations in the striatum, brain regions highly involved in movement planning, regulation, and motivation, may underlie these core features. However, few studies have examined functional connectivity (FC) of the striatum in autism; and fewer have examined anatomical connectivity despite hypotheses of structural alterations influ-encing FC autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). To address these gaps, the current study examined FC of resting-state brain networks in the striatum in 19 typically developing and 19 children with autism (ages 7-17 years) from the Autism Brain Imaging Database Exchange II. The …

Go to article

Optimizing The Non-Ablative Conditioning Regimen For Bone Marrow Transplantation Using A Murine Model Of Sickle Cell Disease, Divya Devadasan Jan 2017

Optimizing The Non-Ablative Conditioning Regimen For Bone Marrow Transplantation Using A Murine Model Of Sickle Cell Disease, Divya Devadasan

All ETDs from UAB

In this dissertation, we sought to determine if a sub-myeloablative conditioning regimen followed by bone marrow transplantation/hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) using syngeneic donor cells could facilitate donor chimerism using a clinically relevant mouse model of sickle cell disease (SCD). This pre-clinical study determined the feasibility of using sub-myeloablative conditioning in the context of autologous HSCT. The prospect of using less-intense conditioning is particularly appealing in the era of modern gene-editing technologies since its extension to use in humans will allow for HSCT to be less toxic and hence be applicable in all patients. We showed that using a sub-myeloablative …

Go to article

Exploring Prenatal Maternal Self-View, Early Home Environment And Toddler Socioemotional Development In First-Time Teen Low Education And Adult High And Low Education Mothers, Bethany Stenger Jan 2017

Exploring Prenatal Maternal Self-View, Early Home Environment And Toddler Socioemotional Development In First-Time Teen Low Education And Adult High And Low Education Mothers, Bethany Stenger

All ETDs from UAB

Maternal self-perception and children’s early home environment have been linked to a number of areas of child development. This study looked at the influence of both prenatal maternal parenting self-efficacy and personal mastery, coined as the concept maternal self-view (MSV), on children’s 4-month home environment and 1-year socioemotional development. The effect of 4-month home environment, as measured by the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) including the Supplement to the HOME for Impoverished Families (SHIF) and by the Family and Maternal Life History (FMLH), overall and in regards to the presence of television and crowding, on 1-year child …

Go to article

The Role Of Cognitive Reserve In Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injury, Kayla Steward Jan 2017

The Role Of Cognitive Reserve In Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injury, Kayla Steward

All ETDs from UAB

Objective: To examine whether cognitive reserve (CR) attenuates the initial impact of TBI on cognitive performance (passive model) and results in faster cognitive recovery rates in the first year post-injury (active model), and whether the advantage of CR differs based on the severity of TBI. Setting: Inpatient/outpatient clinics at academic medical center. Participants: Adults with mild TBI (mTBI; n=28), complicated mild TBI (cmTBI; n=24), and moderate-to-severe TBI (msevTBI; n=57), and demographically-matched controls (n=66). Design: Retrospective; longitudinal cohort assessed at 1-, 6-, and 12-months post-injury. Main Measures: Outcomes were 3 cognitive domains: processing speed/executive function, verbal fluency, and memory. Premorbid IQ, …

Go to article

Review: The Dose-Response Relationship Of High-Intensity Interval Training On Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Taylor Curtis Tolleson Jan 2017

Review: The Dose-Response Relationship Of High-Intensity Interval Training On Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Taylor Curtis Tolleson

All ETDs from UAB

Cardiometabolic disease (CMD) is a cluster of diseases, that is used to determine an individual’s increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), in addition to identifying their increased risk of all-cause mortality. The rates of CMD have continued to climb over the past three decades, which may be inversely proportional to participation in vocational and leisure time physical activity. Continuous moderate intensity exercise training (MIT) is often recommended to improve CMD risk factors, but is usually characterized by an extensive time commitment of exercise. Emerging studies indicate that high-intensity interval exercise training (HIIT), may be …

Go to article

The Role Of Adipocytes And Osteocytes In Multiple Myeloma Progression, Timothy Nathan Trotter Jan 2017

The Role Of Adipocytes And Osteocytes In Multiple Myeloma Progression, Timothy Nathan Trotter

All ETDs from UAB

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy of plasma cells that is intrinsically tied to the bone marrow (BM). Many cells in the BM microenvironment have been studied in MM, yet there is still much progress to be made. Recent work has revealed two new potential cellular targets in MM: adipocytes and osteocytes. Both are endocrine cells and secrete many molecules that regulate other cells proximally and systemically. Our lab previously showed that MM cells shift osteoblast precursor cells towards adipogenesis through soluble molecules alone. Recent findings also revealed that osteocyte apoptosis is enhanced in MM patients compared to healthy …

Go to article

Acute And Chronic Regulation Of Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Function, Jonathan Lund Warren Jan 2017

Acute And Chronic Regulation Of Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Function, Jonathan Lund Warren

All ETDs from UAB

Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) represent a growing global burden on healthcare and financial resources. One hypothesis for the onset and exacerbation of these diseases is related to the role of mitochondria as the end users of products of the metabolism of the nutrients we consume and in mediating the oxidative state of the body through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In order to meet the demands of a metabolic challenge and prevent excessive ROS production, there appear to be adaptations to mitochondrial physiology and morphology that can occur and we hypothesize that the ability of the …

Go to article

Comparative Analysis Of New Techniques For Hearing Conservation Program Selection, Laura Hurst Jan 2017

Comparative Analysis Of New Techniques For Hearing Conservation Program Selection, Laura Hurst

All ETDs from UAB

Hazardous noise is a widespread problem in industry and recreation. Noise induced hearing loss is one of the most frequently reported occupational health claims worldwide. While there has been much research on noise, its effects, and how to prevent hearing loss in industry, there is limited research available to help quantify the difference that monitoring noise at a lower threshold might create in the measured exposure estimate. Additionally, the studies involving the use of different noise monitoring settings do not attempt to explain how the results might change the outcomes when using data and statistical techniques to classify similar exposure …

Go to article

Development Of A 3d Microphysiologic Liver For Drug Toxicity Testing, Maryrose Kammer Jan 2017

Development Of A 3d Microphysiologic Liver For Drug Toxicity Testing, Maryrose Kammer

All ETDs from UAB

Development of almost all novel effective drug compounds is immensely expensive and time consuming. The process is slowed by the ineffectiveness of current toxicity testing methods, with 80% of drugs undergoing late-stage failure in clinical trials or post-market withdrawal. The leading cause of these failures and withdrawals is due to drug-induced liver injury. Much of drug metabolism occurs in the liver, but there are incredible differences among the metabolic pathways in humans, animal models, and two-dimensional testing platforms. Thus, the current methods are limited to accurately predict in vivo metabolic response of a novel compound. Three dimensional (3D) in vitro …

Go to article

Fpga Implementation And Study Of Hardware Trojan In A Closed Loop Control System, Ranveer Kumar Jan 2017

Fpga Implementation And Study Of Hardware Trojan In A Closed Loop Control System, Ranveer Kumar

All ETDs from UAB

A closed-loop system is a primary technology used to automate our critical infrastructure and major industries to improve their efficiency. Their dependability is challenged by probable vulnerabilities in the core computing system. These vulnerabilities can appear on both front (software) and back (hardware) ends of the computing system. While the software vulnerabilities are well researched and documented, the hardware ones are normally overlooked. However, with hardware-inclusive technological evolutions like Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet-of-Things, hardware vulnerabilities should be addressed appropriately. In this work, we present a study of one such vulnerability, called hardware Trojan (HT), on a closed-loop control system. Since …

Go to article

The Role Of Klotho In Adult Neurogenesis, Ann Laszczyk Jan 2017

The Role Of Klotho In Adult Neurogenesis, Ann Laszczyk

All ETDs from UAB

Klotho is an anti-aging protein that when upregulated, extends lifespan and enhances cognition. Klotho knockout mice age prematurely and die by ~8 weeks of life after developing cognitive impairment. Klotho function outside of the brain is well established but the protein’s action within the brain remains unknown. As klotho regulates peripheral stem cell populations, I sought to determine whether klotho contributes to cognition through a role in the maintenance of the adult hippocampal neurogenic niche. I examined adult mouse neurogenesis using global klotho-deficiency or global klotho overexpression models. Klotho knockout brains show reduced progenitor proliferation and granule cell production while …

Go to article

Intraocular Pressure Measurement In Eye By Using Disposable Solid State Pressure Sensor, Anvesh Loka Loka Jan 2017

Intraocular Pressure Measurement In Eye By Using Disposable Solid State Pressure Sensor, Anvesh Loka Loka

All ETDs from UAB

There are many eye infections and eye diseases like Diabetic Retinopathy, Glaucoma, Age-related Macular Degeneration, Cataract, etc., which cause eye blindness. Glaucoma is one of the major eye diseases that can cause complete blindness. According to National Eye Institute (NIH), there are 2.72 million people are suffering from Glaucoma in the U.S. The primary cause for Glaucoma is higher Intraocular Pressure (IOP), so detecting IOP in the early stages is a vital aspect in the assessment of patients at hazard from glaucoma. The instrument used to measure IOP is called Tonometer and usually used for clinical purposes. However, some part …

Go to article

Circulating Mirnas And Human Insulin Resistance, Elizabeth Ma Jan 2017

Circulating Mirnas And Human Insulin Resistance, Elizabeth Ma

All ETDs from UAB

Insulin resistance (IR) is central to the pathophysiology of Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms behind IR are not clear, but microRNA (miR; short, non-coding RNA strands that base-pair with mRNA to modify gene expression) have garnered interest as potential contributors. miRs have recently been shown to be detectable in the circulation, and can be taken up and regulate target genes within recipient cells. Our primary objective was to identify circulating miRs (c-miRs) that play a role in regulating systemic metabolism and participate in the pathophysiology of IR and cardiometabolic disease. Three …

Go to article

A Multi-Modal Approach To Sulforaphane-Mediated Chemoprevention Using The Epigenetic Network, Samantha Martin Jan 2017

A Multi-Modal Approach To Sulforaphane-Mediated Chemoprevention Using The Epigenetic Network, Samantha Martin

All ETDs from UAB

Colon cancer is the third most common diagnosed cancer in both women and men in the United States. It is reported that dietary factors are responsible for 70-90% of colon cancer cases. While some investigators have observed a direct correlation in high fat diets and cancer initiation, other studies have observed opposite effects mediated by fruit and vegetable consumption. Recently, studies have highlighted the importance of Epigenetics as it modifies gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. Notably, several nutritive compounds have been reported to alter epigenetic profiles in many cancer forms. SFN, an isothiocyanate found in cruciferous vegetables such …

Go to article

Formaldehyde Emissions From Laminate Flooring, Stephanie Latisha Marzette Jan 2017

Formaldehyde Emissions From Laminate Flooring, Stephanie Latisha Marzette

All ETDs from UAB

In recent years, several incidents have caused public concern about the levels of formaldehyde present in residential homes. It is one of the most prevalent and regularly detected pollutants in an indoor environment. This is due to the presence of formalde-hyde in many common products, such as household cleaners and paints, as well as build-ing materials. Formaldehyde exposure can lead to sore throat, coughing, eye and airway irritation, and increased occurrences of asthma symptoms. Due to the public health con-cerns, this research was designed to investigate the distinctive nature of formaldehyde emissions from laminate flooring and test the reliability of …

Go to article

The Ecology And Evolution Of Invertebrate-Cyanobacterial Symbioses, Kenan Matterson Jan 2017

The Ecology And Evolution Of Invertebrate-Cyanobacterial Symbioses, Kenan Matterson

All ETDs from UAB

Intimate partnerships between marine invertebrates and microbial symbionts have garnered renewed interest, as advances in next generation sequencing have revealed substantial microbial diversity in tropical sponges and ascidians. These datasets have generated a suite of new questions concerning the evolutionary and ecological mechanisms that structure these microbial partnerships. The research presented herein addresses such questions by integrating in situ ecological manipulations with modern molecular techniques to characterize the interactions between the host invertebrate and microbiome and its potential role in structuring marine communities. Implementing in situ manipulative shading experiments alongside replicated bacterial clone libraries, I documented significant variation in host …

Go to article

The Role Of Macrophages In Pressure-Overload Induced Cardiac Remodeling, Bindiya Dinesh Patel Jan 2017

The Role Of Macrophages In Pressure-Overload Induced Cardiac Remodeling, Bindiya Dinesh Patel

All ETDs from UAB

Cardiac pressure-overload is a state of increased hemodynamic load and is initially characterized by concentric left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, but can transition to eccentric hypertrophy and adverse LV remodeling leading to heart failure (HF). Cardiac remodeling during pressure-overload is accompanied by dysregulated collagen deposition, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and increased inflammatory signaling. Both clinical and preclinical studies have documented increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and leukocyte infiltration in the pressure-overloaded heart, indicating inflammatory mechanisms are active during cardiac remodeling. Despite the well-known link between leukocyte infiltration and exacerbated tissue injury, the role of innate immune cells, particularly monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells, …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last