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2007

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Pathogenesis And Therapeutic Potential Of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells In Siv/Shiv-Infected Macaques, R Keith Reeves Jan 2007

Pathogenesis And Therapeutic Potential Of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells In Siv/Shiv-Infected Macaques, R Keith Reeves

All ETDs from UAB

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are among the first responders during acute viral infections and are the primary producers of IFN-α, a cytokine known to inhibit viral replication and to activate natural killer (NK) cells. In HIV patients pDCs are decreased in number, are dysfunctional, and can harbor HIV-1 proviruses. However, since the time of transmission is usually unknown, pDC-virus interactions immediately after exposure to HIV remain unclear. Using the SIV/SHIV-macaque model, we showed that an acute and sustained loss of blood pDCs occurred during SIVmac239 infections, and when compared to those from naïve controls, pDCs were also significantly reduced in …

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Processing, Characterizati On And Modeling Of Carbon Nanofiber Modified Carbo N/Carbon Composites, Francis J. Samalot Rivera Jan 2007

Processing, Characterizati On And Modeling Of Carbon Nanofiber Modified Carbo N/Carbon Composites, Francis J. Samalot Rivera

All ETDs from UAB

Carbon/Carbon (C/C) composites are used in high temperature applications because they exhibit excellent thermomechanical properties. There are several challenges associated with the processing of C/C composites that include long cycle times, formation of closed porosity within fabric woven architecture and carbonization induced cracks that can lead to reduction of mechanical properties. This work addresses various innovative approaches to reduce processing uncertainties and thereby improve thermomechanical properties of C/C by using vapor grown carbon nanofibers (VGCNFs) in conjunction with carbon fabric and precursor phenolic matrix. The different aspects of the proposed research contribute to understanding of the translation of VGCNFs properties …

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Bacillus Anthracis Spore-Host Interactions, Melissa K. Swiecki Jan 2007

Bacillus Anthracis Spore-Host Interactions, Melissa K. Swiecki

All ETDs from UAB

The use of Bacillus anthracis as a bioweapon depends on the dispersal of its spores into the environment, entrance into the body, spore uptake by human host cells, germination of the spores in the host and the pathological consequences of the virulence factors produced by the vegetative cells. Prior to 2001, very little was known about the mechanisms of spore entry into the host, including targeting cell types at airway, digestive and skin surfaces, potential spore receptors on these cells and spore encounters with cellular and humoral elements of the innate and adaptive immune systems. To this end, we have …

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Deprofessionalization Of The Corporate Optometrist? Contrasting Characteristics Of The Bureaucratic And Professional Models, R Michael Taylor Jan 2007

Deprofessionalization Of The Corporate Optometrist? Contrasting Characteristics Of The Bureaucratic And Professional Models, R Michael Taylor

All ETDs from UAB

This study will investigate whether professional status differs between corporate and noncorporate optometrists by comparing their levels of autonomy, income, and job satisfaction. According to Freidson’s ideal model, a professional maintains high levels of autonomy and income but the opposite is usually true for employees of Weber’s traditional bureaucracy. Bureaucracies employ formally rational processes such as hierarchical decision-making and limited employee profit sharing which have affects on healthcare professional independence. The primary objective of many American corporations is to maximize profits for shareholders. While the health professional also strives to maximize profits, this objective is often balanced with an ethical …

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Component-Based Language Implementation With Object-Oriented Syntax And Aspect-Oriented Semantics, Xiaoqing Wu Jan 2007

Component-Based Language Implementation With Object-Oriented Syntax And Aspect-Oriented Semantics, Xiaoqing Wu

All ETDs from UAB

Providing proper modularity is one of the major challenges in software development. In the context of programming language implementation, two key factors impede the modularization process in a compiler system: First, the parser, as the core of the language implementation, usually is specified in a non-decomposable style such that it must be built as a whole regardless of the complexity of the grammar. This usually yields poor comprehensibility, reduced changeability, limited reusability, and hampers independent development of the language implementation. Second, the interconnected nature of syntax and semantic analysis of a language propels the compiler implementation to have each phase …

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Grammar-Driven Generation Of Domain-Specific Language Testing Tools Using Aspects, Hui Wu Jan 2007

Grammar-Driven Generation Of Domain-Specific Language Testing Tools Using Aspects, Hui Wu

All ETDs from UAB

Domain-specific languages (DSLs) assist a software developer (or end-user) in writing a program using idioms that are similar to the abstractions found in a specific problem domain. Testing tool support for DSLs is lacking when compared to the capabilities provided for standard general-purpose languages (GPLs), such as Java and C++. For example, support for debugging and unit testing a program written in a DSL is often non-existent. The lack of a debugger and unit test engine at the proper abstraction level limits an end-user‟s ability to discover and locate faults in a DSL program. This dissertation describes a grammar-driven technique …

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Effects Of Optical Blur On Visual Performance And Comfort Of Computer Users, Ferial M. Zeried Jan 2007

Effects Of Optical Blur On Visual Performance And Comfort Of Computer Users, Ferial M. Zeried

All ETDs from UAB

Background. The study examined the effects of optical blur on the visual performance and comfort of computer workers. Since most workers have significant degrees of optical blur, the study may elucidate improved methodology for workplace comfort and function. Methods. Since young and old workers experience blur from different sources, the study incorporated two different designs. The study examined the correction of optical blur using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. The primary outcomes of the study were visual comfort and productivity. In study one, subjects were required to be 19-35 yrs of age, have at least 0.50D uncorrected refractive error …

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The Solution To The Economic Loss Doctrine Confusion: The Disappointed Expectations Test, Mackenzie Mayes Walter Jan 2007

The Solution To The Economic Loss Doctrine Confusion: The Disappointed Expectations Test, Mackenzie Mayes Walter

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

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The Economic Loss Rule And Missed Opportunities: How To Keep Kentucky From Drowning In A Sea Of Tort, Matthew J. Pujol Jan 2007

The Economic Loss Rule And Missed Opportunities: How To Keep Kentucky From Drowning In A Sea Of Tort, Matthew J. Pujol

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

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Gender Bending And Comic Books As Art: Issues Of Appropriation, Gender, And Sexuality In Japanese Art, Harley Blue Acres Jan 2007

Gender Bending And Comic Books As Art: Issues Of Appropriation, Gender, And Sexuality In Japanese Art, Harley Blue Acres

All ETDs from UAB

In Japanese high art, popular art (such as comic books and animation), theater, and music, representation of gender is a blurred line that is commonly crossed, more so than in the West. I argue that this fluidity is the result of disparate artistic sources that have filtered through Japanese culture since the Edo Period (1603-1867) with the flourishing of Kabuki Theater (in which men played women on stage) and the emergence of ukiyo-e (particularly shunga/erotica prints). This artistic lineage impacted arts of the Showa Period (1926-1989) notably Takarazuka Theater (which feature an exclusively female cast that portrays men) and the …

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Transit Operations Under Emergency Conditions, Amar S. Chaukar Jan 2007

Transit Operations Under Emergency Conditions, Amar S. Chaukar

All ETDs from UAB

The events of September 11th and the recent terrorist attacks on transit systems around the world have increased interest in protection and emergency preparedness for the transit systems. Emergency preparedness planning for transit systems is necessary to prevent distractions and effectively respond to major man-made or natural disasters. In this thesis a large-scale dynamic simulation/assignment model was developed and used to evaluate the impact of emergency conditions on transit operations in the Birmingham, AL, area. The Birmingham regional model was developed using the Visual Interactive System for Transport Algorithms. After the base model was tested and calibrated, a major traffic …

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Effects Of Pulsed Electromagnetic Stimulation On Cultured Dermal Fibroblasts From Diabetic And Non-Diabetic Rats, Cara Rouse Davis Jan 2007

Effects Of Pulsed Electromagnetic Stimulation On Cultured Dermal Fibroblasts From Diabetic And Non-Diabetic Rats, Cara Rouse Davis

All ETDs from UAB

Diabetes is a disease affecting an increasing number people each year. The medical costs of patients with diabetes are substantial due to the many complications associated with the disease. Dermal wounds are one of these complications and are often very difficult to properly heal. Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMFs) have been introduced as a method by which to speed the healing of dermal wounds. In this study, a device (provided by Biomet/EBI, Parsippany, NJ) for supplying PEMFs in vitro was used to stimulate dermal fibroblasts, one of the key cells in wound healing. These cells were isolated from the genetically diabetic …

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Multiscale Fiber Reinforced Composites Using A Carbon Nanofiber/Epoxy Nanophased Matrix: Processing, Properties, And Thermomechanical Behavior, Keith Jamahl Green Jan 2007

Multiscale Fiber Reinforced Composites Using A Carbon Nanofiber/Epoxy Nanophased Matrix: Processing, Properties, And Thermomechanical Behavior, Keith Jamahl Green

All ETDs from UAB

Fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRCs) have shown great promise as high strength structural materials due to their high stiffness to weight ratio and their ease in processing. They have found extensive use in aerospace, automotive, construction, and recreational equipment material applications. Research in polymer-based nanocomposites (PNCs) has shown explosive growth in the past decade with much emphasis focused on PNC using thermosetting polymer matrices. Modifying conventional FRCs with a PNC matrix result in the emergence of a hybrid composite material termed multiscale fiber-reinforced composites (M-FRCs). The current research addresses carbon nanofiber (CNF) surface modification, carbon nanofiber/epoxy polymer nanocomposite (CNF/PNC) development and …

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Assessment Of Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Mri For The Early Detection Of Treatment Response In Human Advanced Hepato-Cellular Carcinoma, Yun Jiang Jan 2007

Assessment Of Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Mri For The Early Detection Of Treatment Response In Human Advanced Hepato-Cellular Carcinoma, Yun Jiang

All ETDs from UAB

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) has been shown to be a potentially useful tool for early prediction of tumor response to antiangiogenesis agents. In this study, the technique was used to evaluate the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin with or without the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Five male patients (ages 50 to 78 years, average age 67  8 years) were studied with serial T1-weighted DCE-MRI to measure the alteration of perfusion parameters of tumors in response to the treatment. All patients received doxorubicin at dose of 60 mg/m2 intravenously every 21 days. Among …

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Brain Drain Or Brain Exchange? The Effect Of Skilled Migration On Sending And Receiving Countries: A Perspective Of Kenyans In The U.S., Polly W. Kamau Jan 2007

Brain Drain Or Brain Exchange? The Effect Of Skilled Migration On Sending And Receiving Countries: A Perspective Of Kenyans In The U.S., Polly W. Kamau

All ETDs from UAB

Every year, thousands of skilled individuals leave their countries of origin and migrate to other more developed countries. The more developed and industrialized nations are increasingly competing to recruit highly skilled immigrants to meet labor shortages. Developing countries continue to lose their skilled professionals to developed countries like the U.S and the UK. The steady supply of skilled immigrants is important for developed economies because these immigrants bring skills that are in short supply, raise productivity and they help create additional jobs through entrepreneurship activities. Sending countries on the other hand may have a lot to gain in terms of …

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Temporal And Spatial Correspondence Of Intramural Rotors And Epicardial Breakthrough Patterns During Ventricular Tachycardia And Fibrillation In The Swine Heart, Jong Jin Kim Jan 2007

Temporal And Spatial Correspondence Of Intramural Rotors And Epicardial Breakthrough Patterns During Ventricular Tachycardia And Fibrillation In The Swine Heart, Jong Jin Kim

All ETDs from UAB

The mechanisms of life threatening cardiac arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia (VT) and fibrillation (VF) are very complex. The 3D reconstruction of electrical activity helps us to understand these complex arrhythmias. A new isolated heart preparation and combined electrical and optical mapping system was developed to simultaneously record surface and intramural activation patterns. Epicardial activity on a 6 cm by 6 cm region of the left ventricular wall was recorded optically with 1mm by 1mm spatial resolution using voltage sensitive fluorescent dye (di-4-ANNEPS) and a high speed CCD video camera. Intramural activation patterns were recorded using specially fabricated fiberglass plunge …

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Hole Patching In 3d Unstructured Surface Mesh, Amitesh Kumar Jan 2007

Hole Patching In 3d Unstructured Surface Mesh, Amitesh Kumar

All ETDs from UAB

A three-dimensional object of interest in a volumetric data can be visualized using direct surface rendering methods or volume rendering approaches. Volume rendering is a visualization technique without providing the geometry information at all. However, an engineering analysis requires watertight surface geometry information of the object. Thus a three-dimensional object representation for the visualization using direct surface rendering may not necessarily be valid for engineering analysis, as such models are not necessarily watertight. Obtaining watertight surfaces has been a challenging task in the field of computational engineering due to presence of deficiencies such as gaps and holes in the surfaces. …

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Mechanical Properties Of Dental Impression Materials, Nathaniel C. Lawson Jan 2007

Mechanical Properties Of Dental Impression Materials, Nathaniel C. Lawson

All ETDs from UAB

Impression materials make a record of tooth structure and provide a critical step in many dental applications. The mechanical properties of the impression material determine its clinical viability. Purpose: This thesis examines three novel methods for measuring mechanical properties of elastomeric impression materials including: (1) flow, (2) tear strength, and (3) elastic recovery. Methods: Flow of 8 impression materials (6 silicone, 1 polyether, 1 hybrid) was measured using a shark fin testing device. The shark fin height of each material (n = 5) was collected at 30 second intervals beginning 30 seconds after mix and ending when material ceased to …

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Hell Raisers And Holy Rollers, John Christopher Mahan Jan 2007

Hell Raisers And Holy Rollers, John Christopher Mahan

All ETDs from UAB

Hell Raisers and Holy Rollers seeks to explore and express, through poetry and prose, the religious tension I experienced growing up due to the influence of a morally diverse family. While my mother’s family was extremely religious, my father’s relatives were notorious for their brash and often criminal behavior. This dichotomy led to my own spiritual crisis as I struggled to find balance between my strong religious upbringing and my fascination with the “outlaw image” of my father’s family and their non-serviam approach to life. In many ways, the works attempt to capture this internal struggle and the tensions that …

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Regional Cerebral Blood Flow (Rcbf) Calculations In Awake, Behaving Non-Human Primates Using Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling (Casl) Techniques, Rajiv G. Menon Jan 2007

Regional Cerebral Blood Flow (Rcbf) Calculations In Awake, Behaving Non-Human Primates Using Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling (Casl) Techniques, Rajiv G. Menon

All ETDs from UAB

MRI can be employed to measure blood flow changes, which is an important in-dex of tissue health and function. One of the methods used to quantify perfusion is Ar-terial Spin Labeling (ASL) - a non-invasive method that uses arterial blood water as an endogenous contrast agent. The aim of this study was to quantify cerebral blood perfusion in awake, behaving non-human primates by using a class of techniques called Continuous Arterial Spin Labe-ling (CASL). This study involved the experimental design, setup and post-processing for the measurement of perfusion to facilitate validation studies in animals and compare them with existing perfusion …

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Numerical Study Of Turbulence Transition Models, Kshitij D. Neroorkar Jan 2007

Numerical Study Of Turbulence Transition Models, Kshitij D. Neroorkar

All ETDs from UAB

The transition of an attached boundary layer from laminar to turbulent greatly affects the performance of aerospace and turbomachinery devices. In the past, a wide range of methods have been employed for modeling this physical phenomenon, including the Stability theory, Direct Numerical Simulation, and numerous proposed modifications to the existing Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence models. It is believed that the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes based models, of all the existing models, are easiest for coupling with production Computational Fluid Dynamics codes in order to achieve rapid, satisfactorily accurate estimates. There exists a huge body of literature on predicting turbulence transition using models based …

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Understanding Space: The Conceptualization And Evaluation Of Display In Dia:Beacon, Krista Chandler Pitman Jan 2007

Understanding Space: The Conceptualization And Evaluation Of Display In Dia:Beacon, Krista Chandler Pitman

All ETDs from UAB

In May 2003, the Dia:Beacon art museum opened its expansive doors to the public. Viewers were introduced not only to the Dia Art Foundation’s collection of major works from the 1960s to the present but also to a very different type of museum facility. With the help of a multi-million dollar face lift, this once industrial Nabisco factory became an ideal space for art installations. The galleries of Dia:Beacon were specifically designed to accommodate the Foundation’s large-scale collection. In this thesis, I discuss Dia:Beacon’s achievement in museum design and its use of display space by analyzing comparable museums and their …

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Development And Testing Of Feed - A Feedback Expert System For Ems Documentation, Devashish Saini Jan 2007

Development And Testing Of Feed - A Feedback Expert System For Ems Documentation, Devashish Saini

All ETDs from UAB

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are delivered in a chaotic, dynamic, unpre-dictable, and therefore error-prone environment. Deviations from protocol are common and some may be severe enough to cause harm to the patient. EMS personnel, like all healthcare providers, can benefit from feedback, continued education and medical over-sight. A Feedback Expert system for EMS Documentation (FEED) was developed for providing feedback to EMS personnel after the ambulance run is completed and docu-mented electronically. FEED’s knowledge base was derived from Alabama State EMS Protocols and discussions with two EMS faculty members from UAB School of Medi-cine. FEED is rule-based and uses confidence …

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Outcome Assessment On Skeletal Stability After Rigid External Distraction Osteogenesis In Cleft Lip And Palate Patients, Julio Enrique Tabarini Jan 2007

Outcome Assessment On Skeletal Stability After Rigid External Distraction Osteogenesis In Cleft Lip And Palate Patients, Julio Enrique Tabarini

All ETDs from UAB

Purpose: Distraction osteogenesis (DO) using an external distraction device in the correction of maxillary hypoplasia (MH) in cleft lip and palate patients has been shown to be an effective and stable technique. The purpose of this study is to determine the outcome of skeletal stability for this procedure using the Rigid External Distraction (RED) System in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Materials and methods: Twenty CLP patients with moderate to severe maxillary hypoplasia were treated between June 2000 and June 2006. Their average age at the time of the surgery was 12.6 years. DO was started after a …

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Models Of Disparity Gradient Estimation In The Visual Cortex, Alexander Zotov Jan 2007

Models Of Disparity Gradient Estimation In The Visual Cortex, Alexander Zotov

All ETDs from UAB

The binocular disparity of an object slanted in depth from the frontoparallel plane is not constant and changes with coordinate. Objects oriented in such way have non-zero disparity gradient. The processes that take place in the brain to recover disparity gradient and to create the correct perception of slant in depth are not well understood. Changes in local disparity are an obvious disparity gradient cue. Here, we consider an alternative means of disparity gradient detection exploiting the differential projection of oriented edges to each eye. Two retinal images of an object slanted in depth differ by the amount of horizontal …

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Il-10-Competent Regulatory T Cells: Development, Phenotype And Function, Craig Lueland Maynard Jan 2007

Il-10-Competent Regulatory T Cells: Development, Phenotype And Function, Craig Lueland Maynard

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

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Bacteriophage P22 Scaffoldi Ng Protein: Functions And Mechanisms In Procapsid Assembly, William R. Marion Jan 2007

Bacteriophage P22 Scaffoldi Ng Protein: Functions And Mechanisms In Procapsid Assembly, William R. Marion

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

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Synthesis, Electrical Properties, And Optical Chara Cterization Of Hybrid Zinc Oxide/Polymer Thin Films And Nanostructures, Masashi Matsumura Jan 2007

Synthesis, Electrical Properties, And Optical Chara Cterization Of Hybrid Zinc Oxide/Polymer Thin Films And Nanostructures, Masashi Matsumura

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

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The Design And Synthesis Of Anti Bacterial Inhibitors Of Nad Synthetase, Whitney Beysselance Moro Jan 2007

The Design And Synthesis Of Anti Bacterial Inhibitors Of Nad Synthetase, Whitney Beysselance Moro

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

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Mechanisms Of P53-Mediated Apoptosis, Kelly Lynn Harms Jan 2007

Mechanisms Of P53-Mediated Apoptosis, Kelly Lynn Harms

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

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