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All Dogs Go To Heaven... Or Divorce Court: New Jersey Unleashes A Subjective Value Consideration To Resolve Pet Custody Litigation In Houseman V. Dare, Eric Kotloff

Villanova Law Review (1956 - )

No abstract provided.

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Symposium Introduction, Various Editors

Villanova Law Review (1956 - )

No abstract provided.

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Educating The United States Supreme Court At Summers' School: A Lesson On The "Special Character Of The Animal", Rafael Gely, Ramona L. Paetzold, Leonard Bierman

Faculty Publications

In this article, we explore the implications that Professor Summers' insights regarding public employment have for the Garcetti and Davenport decisions. In particular, we focus on the extent to which the political nature of public employment affects public employees' rights to freedom of speech as well as matters regarding the representational functions of public employee unions.

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The Spread Of The Parthenogenetic Marbled Crayfish, Marmorkrebs (Procambarus Sp.), In The North American Pet Trade, Zen Faulkes

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The parthenogenetic marbled crayfish Marmorkrebs was discovered in the pet trade in Europe in the 1990s. Since then, its distribution through the pet trade has spread from Europe to other continents, including North America. North American pet owners were surveyed online with the aims of trying to track when Marmorkrebs entered the North American pet trade, the ways in which it spread through the pet trade, and how widely distributed Marmorkrebs are throughout the continent. Marmorkrebs have been in the North American pet trade since at least 2004, with the number of people increasing every year. While many Marmorkrebs are …

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A Missionary's Journey, Denise Turner

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

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Debunking The Myth Of Victorian Medievalism In George Eliot's Adam Bede, Patricia A. Rippetoe

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

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The Role Of Toll-Like Receptors 2 And 4 In Helicobacter Felis Infections And Asthma, Carolyn Durham

All ETDs from UAB

The inverse correlation between the industrialization and disease prevalence is termed the "hygiene hypothesis." Supporting this, immunological studies show Th1 cytokines modulate Th2 immune responses. Because the mucosa is essential in antigenic exposure, understanding bacterial sensing here is critical to addressing three foundations of this hypothesis: the role of bacterial exposure, relevance of noninvasive bacterial exposure, and influence of these exposures on immune responses. Key components of antigen sensing in the mucosa are toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4, which have been implicated in disease. The hypothesis of this thesis is, by globally knocking out one or both of these …

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Visualizing The Productive Program Of Hpv In Differentiating Squamous Epithelial Tissue, Aaron A. Duffy

All ETDs from UAB

The human papillomavirus (HPV) establishes persistent infections in the basal stratum of squamous epithelia, while productive amplification of viral DNA occurs in differentiated keratinocytes prior to virion assembly in the superficial strata. Until recently, only in situ hybridization (ISH) of low-grade HPV lesions could be used to reveal a snap shot of the viral life cycle. There has been a critical need to reproducibly propagate HPV infections in culture for consistent genetic analyses. Organotypic raft cultures recapitulate a differentiated squamous epithelium. Our lab utilized in vivo Cre-mediated recombination to reconstitute the entire HPV-18 genome in primary human keratinocytes (PHKs). My …

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Brms1 Coordinately Regulates Microrna To Suppress Breast, Mick D. Edmonds

All ETDs from UAB

The majority of cancer related mortality is attributed to complications associated with metastatic disease. Breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 (BRMS1) suppresses metastasis of multiple cancer types in vivo and loss of nuclear BRMS1 is associated with ER-negative cancers and a high rate of proliferation. Many groups have shown BRMS1 to regulate the expression of multiple metastatic genes, yet until now no one has been able to account for how these many changes in gene expression occur. In this work, we report that BRMS1 regulates a select set of genes called microRNA (miRNA), and these miRNA themselves can regulate metastasis. Using …

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Regulation Of Mucosal Innate And Adaptive Immune Responses To Commensal Microbiota, Ting Feng

All ETDs from UAB

and Davidson and MacKinnon’s HC3 perform reasonably well in terms of Type I error

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Cellular Mechanisms Involved In Host Responses To Porphyromonas Gingivalis And Its Virulence Factor Hemagglutinin B, Dalia Emil Gaddis

All ETDs from UAB

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a main causative agent for adult chronic periodontitis and immunization with its virulence factor Hemagglutinin B (HagB) provides protection against infection. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize various microbial products and are crucial in eliciting and regulating the innate and adaptive immune responses to infections. The objective of this dissertation was to investigate the cellular mechanisms that influence the innate and adaptive immune response to HagB and P. gingivalis, focusing on the role of TLR signaling in the response. We started with investigating the ability of HagB to activate dendritic cells (DC), the most efficient antigen-presenting cell in priming …

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Generation And Analysis Of The Oncolytic Efficacy Of A Conditionally Replicating Adenovirus Bearing Rgd Modifications On Pix And Fiber Capsid Proteins, Lena Jeanelle Gamble

All ETDs from UAB

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecological disease death in women. For the past two decades, scientists have attempted to perfect the use of adenovirus as an anti-cancer therapeutic agent. One major impediment to ovarian tumor infection with adenovirus has been dearth of adenovirus native receptor, Coxsackie and Adenovirus receptor, (CAR), on the surface of tumor cells. To address this problem, scientists have engineered CAR-independent adenoviruses which target the AlphavBeta3 and AlphavBeta5 by adding an arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) motif to the fiber knob of a conditionally replicating adenovirus (CRAd) Delta24FiberRGD CRAd. We hypothesize that incorporation of RGD into the pIX …

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Optical Mapping Of The Interactions Between Cardiac Geometry And Electrical Activity, Elliot B. Bourgeois

All ETDs from UAB

In healthy hearts, the synchronized spread of electrical activation drives contraction. To investigate the role of cardiac geometry in modulating normal and abnormal electrical rhythms, we stained cardiac tissues with a fluorescent, voltage sensitive dye and imaged activation patterns with fast video cameras (optical mapping). This work is presented in three projects. Computer modeling has shown that conduction velocity increases when fibers are bowed toward the oncoming wavefront and decreases when fibers are bowed in the opposite direction. In the first project, cultured monolayers of cardiac myocytes were optically mapped to experimentally verify the theoretical effect of fiber curvature on …

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Maternal Gestational Glucose Concentration And Offspring Body Composition, Insulin Sensitivity, And Ss-Cell Function, Nikki C. Bush

All ETDs from UAB

Background: Evidence suggests that intrauterine exposure to elevated glucose concentrations may be a mediating factor in prenatal programming of offspring disease risk. However, studies examining the effects of maternal glucose concentration on measures of body composition, insulin sensitivity, and ß-cell response in prepubertal children are limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the associations of maternal glucose concentration with children's fat mass, insulin sensitivity, and ß-cell response using robust and physiologic measures. Methods: Participants were 40 children aged 5-10 years. Children's insulin sensitivity index (SI) and measures of basal, static, dynamic, and total ß-cell response were determined …

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The Role Of Usp14 In Regulating Synaptic Development And Function Of The Neuromuscular Junctions, Ping-Chung Chen

All ETDs from UAB

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) plays critical roles in regulating multiple cellular functions, including protein abundance, trafficking, and cell signaling. In the nervous system, the UPS has been implicated in controlling a wide diversity of cellular process such as synaptic transmission, axon outgrowth, axon targeting, and synapse development. Although impairment of the UPS is observed in both neurodegenerative and developmental diseases, the mechanisms underlying how UPS dysregulation contributes to disease pathogenesis are not known. The proteasome, an approximate 2.5 megadaltons protein complex composed of 19S and 20S assemblies, is the site of ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation. Recent studies have demonstrated dysfunction …

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Cathelin-Related Antimicrobial Peptide (Cramp) Regulates B Cell Igg1 Production, Yao Chen

All ETDs from UAB

Mammalian antimicrobial peptides, including cathelicidins and defensins, play an important role in host defense via direct antimicrobial activity as well as immune regula-tion. The cathelin-related antimicrobial peptide (mCRAMP) is the only identified mouse cathelicidin and the orthologue of human LL-37. We show that all mouse B cell subsets, including follicular, marginal zone, B1a, and B1b cells, as well as CD4+ and CD8+ T cells produce mCRAMP directly ex vivo. In addition, mCRAMP-deficient B cells produced less IgG1 antibody in vitro in response to CD40L or LPS plus IL-4 when compared to WT B cells. The addition of recombinant mCRAMP at …

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The Effects Of Weight Reduction On Obesity-Related Cancer Biomarkers And In Vitro Cancer Cell Growth, Maria Azrad

All ETDs from UAB

Obesity increases the risk for breast and endometrial cancers while weight loss reduces the risk for these cancers. One aim of this dissertation was to determine the effects of weight loss from an overweight state [body mass index (BMI) 27-30] to a normal weight state on several obesity-related cancer biomarkers in African-American (AA) and European-American (EA) premenopausal women. We also sought to determine whether the method of weight loss, caloric restriction alone (CR) or combined with exercise resulted in similar changes in cancer biomarkers. The biomarkers of interest were urinary estrogen metabolites, and serum adiponectin, leptin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, …

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Study Of The Role Of The Amygdala In The Effects Of Stress On Sensory Processing Of The Urinary Bladder, Jennifer Deberry

All ETDs from UAB

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic visceral condition of the urinary bladder characterized by pelvic/suprapubic pain, and urinary frequency and urgency. There is no documented cause for IC, but a prominent role for stress in its pathophysiology and presentation are well-documented. In the clinical setting, IC pain-related symptomatology is exacerbated during periods of stress. Numerous laboratory studies of humans and animals have similarly demonstrated stress-induced visceral hypersensitivity. The amygdala is highly connected with physiological stress response systems and pain modulatory pathways, and its connectivity with these systems places it in a unique anatomical position for mediating the reciprocal relationship between …

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The Role Of Post-Translational Modifications And Valosin-Containing Protein In The Turnover And Stability Of The Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau, Philip James Dolan

All ETDs from UAB

Alzheimer Disease (AD) is pathologically characterized by the appearance of senile plaques composed of ß-amyloid and neurofibrillary tangles composed of the microtubule-associated protein tau. During the development of AD pathology, tau is hyperphosphorylated and aberrantly cleaved, both of which potentially contribute to its pathogenic and fibrillogenic nature. The accumulative nature of these post-translational products, and their contribution to tau pathology, has led to a great deal of study regarding mechanisms for both the maintenance of tau stability and degradation. The first part of this study reviews the developments regarding the contribution of phosphorylated tau to different physiological and pathological processes. …

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Characterization Of The Oligosaccharides Of B. Anthracis Exosporium, Shengli Dong

All ETDs from UAB

Fatal systemic anthrax is caused by exposure to spores of Bacillus anthracis. The outermost layer of the B. anthracis spore is called the exosporium. It consists of a paracrystalline basal layer and an external hair-like nap. The filaments of the hair-like nap are primarily composed of the glycoprotein BclA. Our previous studies showed that a 715-Da tetrasaccharide and a 324-Da disaccharide are attached to BclA through GalNAc. We named the novel nonreducing terminal sugar of the 715-Da tetrasaccharide anthrose. We subsequently proposed a plausible anthrose biosynthetic pathway and identified a gene cluster of four continuous genes that appeared to encode …

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Lens Cataract: Biochemical Analysis Of The Alpha Crystallins, David Ray Stella

All ETDs from UAB

The cataract is a common ailment affecting the aged population. It appears over time and affects the quality of one’s life by the eventual loss of vision. Currently, there is no effective strategy to prevent or treatment to reverse the development of a cataract. As well, there is no consensus on one particular mechanism or sequence of events that contributes to its formation. In order to better understand the possible etiology of the cataract, it is necessary to define the biochemical changes that occur to lens proteins as one ages, as these are the key players in the prevention of …

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Exosomal Curcumin: Its Bioavailability And Potential Anti-Inflammation Activity, Dongmei Sun

All ETDs from UAB

Curcumin, a pleiotropic polyphenol derived from turmeric plants Curcuma Longa with rhizome, exhibits strong evidence as an anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer reagent both in vitro and in vivo. Due to its low stability and systemic bioavailability, a large amount of curcumin has to be administrated to achieve therapeutic effects both in animal and in human. The major effort to overcome this barrier is making by encapsulation of curcumin into nanoparticles such as polymers and liposomes; some promising data have demonstrated the effectiveness of such method. Exosomes are vesicle-like nanoparticles secreted by living cells. Exosomes contain both cell surface molecules and …

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Structural And Functional Study Of P58(Ipk), Jiahui Tao

All ETDs from UAB

P58(IPK) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident protein which is upregulated during unfolded protein response (UPR). In stressed cells, P58(IPK) functions to restore protein folding equilibrium in ER by suppressing protein aggregation and promoting protein folding. P58(IPK) associates with the unfolded protein via its N-terminal TPR domain and presents it to BiP (binding immunoglobulin protein) for subsequent folding. P58(IPK) belongs to the Hsp40 family. Collectively, P58(IPK) is a stress-inducible ER-resident molecular chaperone. In this dissertation, we report the crystal structure of P58(IPK) TPR domain to 2.5 Å resolution. In the crystal structure, the 43-kDa TPR domain consists of nine tandemly linked …

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Roles Of Adiponectin And Its Receptors In Foam Cell Transformation, Ling Tian

All ETDs from UAB

Macrophages play a critical role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis by producing pro-inflammatory mediators and transforming into lipid-laden foam cells. The prevention of lipid accumulation and inflammation in macrophage foam cells, therefore, represents a promising target for effective therapy for atherosclerosis. Adiponectin is a circulating cytokine primarily expressed and secreted by adipocytes, and is downregulated in obesity-linked diseases including type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and hypertension. In oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced human THP-1 macrophage foam cells, adiponectin suppresses lipid accumulation through decreasing lipid uptake and increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-mediated lipid efflux. The potential mechanisms that adiponectin utilizes …

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One Of Us Is Gay, Timothy Alan Tipton

All ETDs from UAB

This is an original work of creative nonfiction centered on the challenges of living a gay lifestyle during the early years of the AIDS crisis. This work is primarily a memoir, engaging real life events and people, crafted into a chronicle of everyday life in the deep South of the mid 1980s and early 1990s. Aspects of gay life are exposed through the lense of the author's relationship with his first partner. One of Us is Gay provides a graphic exposé of the journey that a young man takes through the vulnerable and innocent awareness of his homosexuality, to the …

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Red Blood Cell And Hemoglobin Dependent Modulation Of Reactive Species Metabolism: Implications For Vascular Homeostasis, Dario A. Vitturi

All ETDs from UAB

The recent discovery that red blood cells might mediate hypoxic blood flow together with accumulating evidence that suggests a role for the modulation of vascular inflammation has reshaped the way we think about the function of these cells. In this thesis we investigate the mechanisms that regulate these newly appreciated functions and focus on i) the ability of red cells to couple oxygen sensing with nitrite reduction and nitric oxide formation and ii) the role of the beta93cys, a conserved residue amongst mammalian hemoglobins and whose function remains unclear. Data will be presented that demonstrate that nitrite reduction to nitric …

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Pre-Disaster Planning For Transportation Infrastructure Recovery, Stephanie Victoria Watson

All ETDs from UAB

The US is dependent upon a functioning transportation network for many aspects of daily life, and those aspects that become largely important during times of disaster. For example, emergency medical response is a crucial activity that relies upon a functioning transportation network during regular daily operations as well as during times of emergency. The US has experienced several natural and manmade devastating events within the past decade including the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Rita, and record flooding in Tennessee. When disasters occur, the potential of disrupting various infrastructures either individually or simultaneously exists. During a …

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Role Of The Human Cytomegalovirus Tegument Protein Pp150 In The Trafficking And Assembly Of Infectious Virions, Sabarish Vellatheri Indran

All ETDs from UAB

Human cytomegalovirus, a ubiquitous human pathogen, establishes a persistent infection in the infected host. HCMV assembly takes place in the nucleus and cytoplasm of infected cells by a complex and incompletely defined process. The viral DNA is enclosed by the capsid, which is surrounded by a proteinaceous tegument, which is covered by a cell-derived envelope studded with viral glycoproteins. The assembly pathway and protein interactions required for formation of the tegument layer and the function of most of the proteins in the tegument remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the functions of an essential abundant tegument protein, pp150, …

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Molecular Mechanisms Of Hepatic Insulin Resistance Following Injury, Shaoning Jiang

All ETDs from UAB

Insulin resistance commonly occurs following injuries or critical illness independent of previous diabetic status. The development of insulin resistance and hyperglycemia is associated with increased mortality and morbidity in critically ill patients. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the acute insulin resistance following injuries remain poorly understood. With an animal model of trauma and hemorrhage, we have previously demonstrated the rapid development of insulin resistance in liver, and a critical role of TNFα in hemorrhage-induced defects in insulin signaling following resuscitation. However, hepat-ic insulin signaling is impaired prior to a significant increase in plasma TNFα, suggesting the initial development of hemorrhage-induced …

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In Vitro Elucidation Of The Role And Mechanism Of Rankl In Tnf-And Il-1-Mediated Osteoclast Formation And Function, Joel Jules

All ETDs from UAB

The receptor activator of NF-қB (RANK) ligand (RANKL) and its receptor RANK play a critical role in osteoclast biology. RANK has three tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor (TRAF)-binding motifs [PFQEP369-373 (Motif 1), PVQEET559-564 (Motif 2), and PVQEQG604-609 (Motif 3)] that regulate osteoclast formation and function. RANK also contains a TRAF-independent motif (IVVY535-538) that commits bone marrow macrophages (BMMs), which are osteoclast precursors, to the osteoclast lineage for osteoclastogenesis. Notably, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) and interlukin-1 (IL-1) utilize TRAFs to initiate most of the signaling pathways known to be activated by RANKL but fail to form osteoclasts unless attended by …

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Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

All Dogs Go To Heaven... Or Divorce Court: New Jersey Unleashes A Subjective Value Consideration To Resolve Pet Custody Litigation In Houseman V. Dare, Eric Kotloff

Villanova Law Review (1956 - )

Symposium Introduction, Various Editors

Villanova Law Review (1956 - )

Educating The United States Supreme Court At Summers' School: A Lesson On The "Special Character Of The Animal", Rafael Gely, Ramona L. Paetzold, Leonard Bierman

Faculty Publications

The Spread Of The Parthenogenetic Marbled Crayfish, Marmorkrebs (Procambarus Sp.), In The North American Pet Trade, Zen Faulkes

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

A Missionary's Journey, Denise Turner

All ETDs from UAB

Debunking The Myth Of Victorian Medievalism In George Eliot's Adam Bede, Patricia A. Rippetoe

All ETDs from UAB

The Role Of Toll-Like Receptors 2 And 4 In Helicobacter Felis Infections And Asthma, Carolyn Durham

All ETDs from UAB

Visualizing The Productive Program Of Hpv In Differentiating Squamous Epithelial Tissue, Aaron A. Duffy

All ETDs from UAB

Brms1 Coordinately Regulates Microrna To Suppress Breast, Mick D. Edmonds

All ETDs from UAB

Regulation Of Mucosal Innate And Adaptive Immune Responses To Commensal Microbiota, Ting Feng

All ETDs from UAB

Cellular Mechanisms Involved In Host Responses To Porphyromonas Gingivalis And Its Virulence Factor Hemagglutinin B, Dalia Emil Gaddis

All ETDs from UAB

Generation And Analysis Of The Oncolytic Efficacy Of A Conditionally Replicating Adenovirus Bearing Rgd Modifications On Pix And Fiber Capsid Proteins, Lena Jeanelle Gamble

All ETDs from UAB

Optical Mapping Of The Interactions Between Cardiac Geometry And Electrical Activity, Elliot B. Bourgeois

All ETDs from UAB

Maternal Gestational Glucose Concentration And Offspring Body Composition, Insulin Sensitivity, And Ss-Cell Function, Nikki C. Bush

All ETDs from UAB

The Role Of Usp14 In Regulating Synaptic Development And Function Of The Neuromuscular Junctions, Ping-Chung Chen

All ETDs from UAB

Cathelin-Related Antimicrobial Peptide (Cramp) Regulates B Cell Igg1 Production, Yao Chen

All ETDs from UAB

The Effects Of Weight Reduction On Obesity-Related Cancer Biomarkers And In Vitro Cancer Cell Growth, Maria Azrad

All ETDs from UAB

Study Of The Role Of The Amygdala In The Effects Of Stress On Sensory Processing Of The Urinary Bladder, Jennifer Deberry

All ETDs from UAB

The Role Of Post-Translational Modifications And Valosin-Containing Protein In The Turnover And Stability Of The Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau, Philip James Dolan

All ETDs from UAB

Characterization Of The Oligosaccharides Of B. Anthracis Exosporium, Shengli Dong

All ETDs from UAB

Lens Cataract: Biochemical Analysis Of The Alpha Crystallins, David Ray Stella

All ETDs from UAB

Exosomal Curcumin: Its Bioavailability And Potential Anti-Inflammation Activity, Dongmei Sun

All ETDs from UAB

Structural And Functional Study Of P58(Ipk), Jiahui Tao

All ETDs from UAB

Roles Of Adiponectin And Its Receptors In Foam Cell Transformation, Ling Tian

All ETDs from UAB

One Of Us Is Gay, Timothy Alan Tipton

All ETDs from UAB

Red Blood Cell And Hemoglobin Dependent Modulation Of Reactive Species Metabolism: Implications For Vascular Homeostasis, Dario A. Vitturi

All ETDs from UAB

Pre-Disaster Planning For Transportation Infrastructure Recovery, Stephanie Victoria Watson

All ETDs from UAB

Role Of The Human Cytomegalovirus Tegument Protein Pp150 In The Trafficking And Assembly Of Infectious Virions, Sabarish Vellatheri Indran

All ETDs from UAB

Molecular Mechanisms Of Hepatic Insulin Resistance Following Injury, Shaoning Jiang

All ETDs from UAB

In Vitro Elucidation Of The Role And Mechanism Of Rankl In Tnf-And Il-1-Mediated Osteoclast Formation And Function, Joel Jules

All ETDs from UAB