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2011

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Role Of The Cystine/Glutamate Exchanger In Glioma Cell Biology, Toyin Adeyemi Ogunrinu Jan 2011

Role Of The Cystine/Glutamate Exchanger In Glioma Cell Biology, Toyin Adeyemi Ogunrinu

All ETDs from UAB

Changes in the glioma microenvironment including oxygen (O2) levels, supply of amino acid such as L-glutamate and L-cystine and glutathione (GSH) concentrations play a critical role in glioma biology. Previous data from our laboratory and others have implicated the L-cystine/L-glutamate exchanger, system xc- in the invasion and proliferation of cancers including glioma. The central aim of this dissertation was to characterize the contribution of L-cystine uptake, GSH synthesis and L-glutamate release to migration and proliferation of glioma cells. In my first study, I examined the role of system xc- mediated L-glutamate release on glioma migration. I show that activation of …


A Topological Approach To Shape Analysis And Alignment, Benjamin David O'Gwynn Jan 2011

A Topological Approach To Shape Analysis And Alignment, Benjamin David O'Gwynn

All ETDs from UAB

When analyzing multiple mesh models, an important first step is to find the rigid transform that best aligns them. Many mesh alignment techniques exist, but because they treat input meshes as a collection of surface samples, they tend to be sensitive to surface variations between those meshes. We instead wish to align shapes based upon an analysis of mesh topology, thus making it possible to align shapes with similar part structures but varying surface geometry. To this end, we present a novel algorithm that extracts a curve-skeleton from a mesh based on its connectivity, rather than its surface geometry. We …


Fenofibrate And Insulin Resistance, Corrie E. Paeglow Jan 2011

Fenofibrate And Insulin Resistance, Corrie E. Paeglow

All ETDs from UAB

Both animal and human models suggest that fenofibrate, a medication widely prescribed to decrease triglycerides, also decreases insulin resistance. In the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) cohort, which included 780 individual who took 160 mg of micronized fenofibrate daily for three weeks, fenofibrate was found to decrease HOMA-IR by -0.24 units, (95% CI: -0.32, -0.14), insulin by -0.65 uU/mL (95% CI: -0.97, -0.34) and glucose by 2.46 mg/dL (95% CI: -2.51, -2.42). In a meta-analysis of 19 studies that included 1,297 individuals without diabetes and 196 individuals with diabetes treated with fenofibrate for three weeks or …


Impact Of Site Development Techniques In The Soft Tissue Height On Single Implant Supported Prosthesis In The Anterior Maxilla, Juan Francisco Pardo Jan 2011

Impact Of Site Development Techniques In The Soft Tissue Height On Single Implant Supported Prosthesis In The Anterior Maxilla, Juan Francisco Pardo

All ETDs from UAB

Background: Implant placement should be based on a restoration-oriented treatment plan with correct three-dimensional positioning to allow optimal support and stability of surrounding hard and soft tissues. After tooth extraction the alveolus remodels producing changes in the soft tissues contours. This may translate into the inability to place the implant or in a non-esthetic restoration. In contemporary esthetic implant dentistry, the main objective is to maintain the socket dimensions and soft tissue contours to allow ideal implant placement and to provide a harmonious restoration. Objective: To evaluate if socket grafting with FDBA with or without PRP or rhPDGF in site …


The Effects Of Apolipoprotein Mimetic Peptides On Inflammation And Oxidative Stress, Toral Rohit Patel Jan 2011

The Effects Of Apolipoprotein Mimetic Peptides On Inflammation And Oxidative Stress, Toral Rohit Patel

All ETDs from UAB

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, including the United States. Atherosclerosis remains the primary cause of CAD, and is a leading target for drug treatments. Despite advances in treatments, many questions remain unanswered pertaining to the mechanisms of the treatments on inflammation and oxidative stress. We hypothesize that peptides 4F and Ac-hE18A-NH2 act as anti-inflammatory factors and reduce oxidative stress. We also hypothesize that these peptides require apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) to increase paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity. The effects of administering peptides 4F and Ac-hE18A-NH2 on oxidative stress were evaluated through the analysis of plasma from apoA-I-null …


Which Components Of Joint Attention Are Critical For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders To Learn New Words?, Dana Smith Jan 2011

Which Components Of Joint Attention Are Critical For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders To Learn New Words?, Dana Smith

All ETDs from UAB

Though established that language deficits comprise a core element of a definitive autism diagnosis, relatively less research has been conducted to understand the bases for impaired language abilities as compared to understanding the social deficits associated with the disorder. Children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have impoverished joint attention (JA) abilities, evidenced by their relative difficulty both in initiating bids for JA as well as responding to them. Once accepted that JA was crucial in lexical development in typically developing (TD) children, recent trends have diverged from this perspective, shedding light on JA's role in lexical development in an …


Homelessness In Birmingham, Al: An Analysis Using The Local Homeless Management Information System And Surveys From Local Supportive Housing Programs, Adrian Kendall Smith Jan 2011

Homelessness In Birmingham, Al: An Analysis Using The Local Homeless Management Information System And Surveys From Local Supportive Housing Programs, Adrian Kendall Smith

All ETDs from UAB

A homeless management information system (HMIS) records and stores a client's demographic information and his/her service utilization history while allowing for case management opportunities between the client and service provider. HMISs are changing the way communities serve their homeless populations and how agencies serving the homeless interact with their clients and other agencies. With a focus on the city of Birmingham, its local HMIS, and the local agencies using HMIS this research seeks to answer the following questions: How can the homeless management information system help us to better understand the homeless population in Birmingham? What are the different approaches …


Associations Among Measures Of Engagement With Kp.Org And Clinical Outcomes, Heather J. Sobko Jan 2011

Associations Among Measures Of Engagement With Kp.Org And Clinical Outcomes, Heather J. Sobko

All ETDs from UAB

USING MEASURES OF ENGAGEMENT WITH KP.ORG TO DETERMINE ASSOCIATIONS WITH SELECTED CLINICAL OUTCOMES HEATHER J. SOBKO SCHOOL OF NURSING ABSTRACT Introduction The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to examine patterns of use of an electronic personal health record among adults diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension or hyperlipidemia. Intermediate behavioral measures (medication possession ratios) and physiological measures of metabolic control for diabetes (hemoglobinA1c), hypertension (blood pressure) and hyperlipidemia (low density lipoprotein) were examined. Methods Administrative data from Kaiser Permanente Georgia were analyzed. Adult members of with selected chronic diseases of diabetes, hypertension or hyperlipidemia who used the Kaiser Permanente electronic …


Ultrasound Elasticity Measurements As A Predictor For Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation, Anna Sorace Jan 2011

Ultrasound Elasticity Measurements As A Predictor For Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation, Anna Sorace

All ETDs from UAB

This research thesis examines the applicability of using ultrasound imaging to quantify arterial elasticity and assess potential of arteriovenous fistula maturation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Tissue-specific abnormalities have proven useful for identifying disease states within oncology, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal system. Using ultrasound-based imaging to evaluate arterial elasticity is a noninvasive and novel technique. It has the potential to contribute further insight into chronic kidney disease fistula failure and become a noninvasive prognostic indicator. Reliable vascular access is critical for delivery of adequate hemodialysis treatment to CKD patients and to maintain long-term connections for dialysis. An arteriovenous fistula is …


Ionic Mechanism Of Post-Shock Arrhythmias: Role Of Intracellular Calcium, Brittany Sowell Jan 2011

Ionic Mechanism Of Post-Shock Arrhythmias: Role Of Intracellular Calcium, Brittany Sowell

All ETDs from UAB

Background: Defibrillation shocks are commonly used to interrupt life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, but these strong electrical shocks may cause post-shock arrhythmias, the ionic mechanism of which is not well known. Strong shocks cause electroporation and diastolic Cai2+ increase, which may possibly lead to focal arrhythmias via spontaneous Cai2+ rise (SCR), activation of inward Na+-Ca2+ exchange current (INCX), and rise in membrane potential (Vm). The objective of this study was to examine the role of intracellular calcium and the Cai2+-dependent ionic mechanism in post-shock arrhythmias. Methods: Experiments were performed in patterned cultures of neonatal rat myocytes. Fluorescent dyes and two 16x16 photodiode …


Molecular Piracy In The Mobilization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenicity Island 1, Michael Spilman Jan 2011

Molecular Piracy In The Mobilization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenicity Island 1, Michael Spilman

All ETDs from UAB

Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage 80α is a temperate, double-stranded DNA phage that serves as a "helper" phage for the mobilization of several S. aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPIs), including SaPI1. When mobilized by 80α, SaPI1 genomes are packaged into smaller phage-like transducing particles composed of 80α capsid (gp47), scaffolding (gp46) and portal (gp42) proteins. In this dissertation, I utilize electron microscopy and biochemistry to tease apart the structural and genetic controls and consequences of SaPI1 as a molecular pirate. More specifically, I show that two SaPI1 proteins shift assembly from 63-nm, T = 7 icosahedral capsids to 47-nm, T = 4 capsids, …


"The Role Of Health Promotion In Physical Therapy Survey" Reliability And Validity Testing", Jaca Stephens Jan 2011

"The Role Of Health Promotion In Physical Therapy Survey" Reliability And Validity Testing", Jaca Stephens

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT Purpose: Physical therapists (PTs) have a unique opportunity to play a meaningful role in educating patients on health and wellness to prevent chronic conditions, such as cardiac disease, cerebrovascular disease, pulmonary disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. No instrument has been validated to measure physical therapists' views on health promotion and their practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of a health promotion survey designed for physical therapists. Method: An expert panel of 9 physical therapists assessed the content validity of "The Role of Health Promotion in Physical Therapy Survey." as developed by Rea …


Calcium Dynamics Of Glial Cells And Genetic Influences On Behavior Of The Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans, Randy Franklin Stout Jan 2011

Calcium Dynamics Of Glial Cells And Genetic Influences On Behavior Of The Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans, Randy Franklin Stout

All ETDs from UAB

A major challenge in neuroscience is understanding how the different neural cell types work together to process information and produce a behavioral output. Glial cells of the human brain have long been thought to act as support for the fundamental cell to cell communication at the core of cognition: neuronal synaptic communication. Research over the past several decades measuring glial activity and experimentally controlling glial cells in rodent model systems has shown that the two macroglia sub-types of glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) have active roles in establishment, maintenance, and modulation of synaptic communication in the mammalian brain. Much of …


Protective Factors Against Relapse For Practicing Nurse Anesthetists In Recovery From Anesthetic Opiates, Elizabeth Laura Wright Jan 2011

Protective Factors Against Relapse For Practicing Nurse Anesthetists In Recovery From Anesthetic Opiates, Elizabeth Laura Wright

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Addiction to anesthetic opiates is an occupational hazard for anesthesia providers, which includes nurse anesthetists. Several factors influence this hazard risk, including, genetic make-up, personality traits, and job stress. Also of great concern is the risk of relapse if an anesthesia provider returns to work, which can be as high as 40%. However, there are nurse anesthetists who have successfully returned to the practice of anesthesia while in recovery from addiction to anesthetic opiates. These nurse anesthetists have first-hand experience with the challenges of recovery when faced with continual access to opiates, and their experience can help others in …


Nobody Knows How It Got This Good, Amos Jasper Wright Jan 2011

Nobody Knows How It Got This Good, Amos Jasper Wright

All ETDs from UAB

"Nobody Knows How It Got This Good" is a collection of three interlocked short stories set in Birmingham, Alabama. Drawing heavily upon urbanism, economics, Marxism and Birmingham's social and urban history, as well as a varied literary tradition including authors as diverse as James Joyce and Barry Hannah, these lyrical narratives aspire to universal themes and concerns by exploring the particularity of place and subjective experience. The first story, "The Jaguars of Southtown," is narrated by a used car salesman. "Wells Fargo" is narrated by an executive investment banker on the anniversary of the 1929 stock market crash and "Tilting …


Role Of Vdr In Host Immune Response To Porphyromonas Gingivalis Infection, Gulam Yezdani Jan 2011

Role Of Vdr In Host Immune Response To Porphyromonas Gingivalis Infection, Gulam Yezdani

All ETDs from UAB

Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the etiologic factors of periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by the destruction of periodontal connective tissue and the subsequent loss of alveolar bone. Epidemiological and genetic studies have indicated an association between periodontal disease and the vitamin D system. However, little is known regarding how vitamin D signaling regulates the inflammatory immune process of this disease. The purpose of the study was to understand the role of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in regulating the host response to P. gingivalis infection by using a dual chamber mouse model. These chambers served both as …


Assessment Of Mitochondrial Stressors On Cellular Bioenergetics, Blake Reid Zelickson Jan 2011

Assessment Of Mitochondrial Stressors On Cellular Bioenergetics, Blake Reid Zelickson

All ETDs from UAB

The mitochondrion plays a central role in the maintenance of bioenergetic function through the production of ATP and essential metabolites. The development of mitochondrial bioenergetic defects is a hallmark of important pathologies such as cardiovascular and liver diseases. It is well established that a decrease in mitochondrial function, typically of 20-40%, is associated with the progression of these pathologies. Causal relationships have been more difficult to establish because of the challenge of assessing mitochondrial function in a cellular setting. Specifically, it is known that mitochondria function at less than their maximal respiratory capacity and the remainder, known as reserve or …


Parallel Confocal Recording Of Localized Retinal Photoreceptor Responses, Qiuxiang Zhang Jan 2011

Parallel Confocal Recording Of Localized Retinal Photoreceptor Responses, Qiuxiang Zhang

All ETDs from UAB

The primary purpose of my thesis research is to validate parallel confocal recording of intrinsic optical signals (IOSs) correlated with localized retinal photoreceptor responses. IOS imaging promises a noninvasive method for retinal disease detection and treatment evaluation. However, IOS identification of localized retinal dysfunction is still challenging due to the complexity of retinal structure. Stimulus-evoked IOSs have been observed in both photoreceptors and inner retinal neurons. IOS pattern of retinal photoreceptor layer may contain cross-talk noise from inner retinal layers. In order to detect localized retinal photoreceptors response without significant contamination from other retinal volumes, we designed a rapid functional …


Biological, Ecological, And Conservational Implications Of Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination In Sea Turtle Populations, Jennifer Estes Layton Jan 2011

Biological, Ecological, And Conservational Implications Of Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination In Sea Turtle Populations, Jennifer Estes Layton

All ETDs from UAB

Various aspects of TSD were examined in two different sea turtle populations, representing two sea turtle species. Sex ratio was examined in the juvenile portion of the loggerhead sea turtle population in the southeastern U.S. Turtles were captured in the intake channel of the St. Lucie Nuclear Power plant on the central Atlantic coast of Florida. Blood samples were collected from a total of 111 juvenile turtles from May 2005 through April 2007, and the samples were analyzed in a testosterone radioimmunoassay that was validated for use as a sexing technique for sea turtles. The results suggest a significant female-biased …


In Vivo Interactions Between Virus Genomes And Host Proteins For Members Of The Order Picornavirales, Erik Michael Lenarcic Jan 2011

In Vivo Interactions Between Virus Genomes And Host Proteins For Members Of The Order Picornavirales, Erik Michael Lenarcic

All ETDs from UAB

A significant number of pathogens of economical and medical importance are positive sense RNA viruses. Their genomes enter host cells and subvert them to support virus growth. These large-scale changes involve the co-opting of cellular proteins through interactions with viral RNA and proteins. Characterizing these interactions leads to a better understanding of viral life cycles and the identification of new antiviral therapies. The order Picornavirales contains viruses that infect a wide array of eukaryotes. Their genomes serve as a messenger RNA (mRNA) that is translated by host ribosomes cap-independently through an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Most members of the …


The Relationship Between Family Structure And Social Anxiety In Young Adults, Brandie Michelle Wagner Jan 2011

The Relationship Between Family Structure And Social Anxiety In Young Adults, Brandie Michelle Wagner

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.


The Intestinal Extracellular Matix As An Innate Regulator Of Effector T-Cell Responses, Kayci Renee Huff Jan 2011

The Intestinal Extracellular Matix As An Innate Regulator Of Effector T-Cell Responses, Kayci Renee Huff

All ETDs from UAB

Extracellular matrix (stroma) regulation of mucosal T-cell function is incompletely understood. Here we uncovered a role for intestinal stromal products in the innate regulation of effector T-cells. Stroma-conditioned media (S-CM) derived from normal human intestinal stroma (TGF-&betahi/IL-6lo/IL-1ßlo) significantly down-regulated T-cell proliferation and IFN-&gamma production compared to S-CM derived from inflamed Crohn's mucosa (TGF-&betahi/IL-6hi/IL-1&betahi). Antibody neutralization studies showed that TGF-&beta in normal S-CM inhibited T-cell proliferation and IFN-&gamma production, whereas IL-6 plus IL-1&beta in Crohn's S-CM promoted T-cell proliferation, and the IL-1&beta alone promoted IFN-γ and IL-17 release. Importantly, stromal cells in normal tissue produce TGF-&beta and contribute to mucosal homeostasis …


Exhaustion Renders Cd8 T Cells Unresponsive To Antigen-Independent Activation And Is Characterized By Il-18 Receptor Downregulation, Jennifer T. Ingram Jan 2011

Exhaustion Renders Cd8 T Cells Unresponsive To Antigen-Independent Activation And Is Characterized By Il-18 Receptor Downregulation, Jennifer T. Ingram

All ETDs from UAB

During many chronic infections virus-specific CD8 T cells succumb to exhaustion as they lose their ability to respond to antigenic activation. Combinations of interleukin (IL)-12, IL-18, and IL-21 have been shown to induce the antigen-independent production of IFN-γ by effector and memory CD8 T cells. In this study we investigated whether exhausted CD8 T cells are sensitive to activation by these cytokines. We show that effector and memory, but not exhausted, CD8 T cells produce interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and upregulate CD25 following exposure to certain combinations of IL-12, IL-18, and IL-21. This unresponsiveness was associated with downregulation of the IL-18 receptor …


Substance-Dependent Tasc Offenders Taking Psychotropic Pharmacotherapy--Associated Factors, Substance Use Outcomes, And Criminal Diversion Outcomes, Dorothy Octavia Jackson Jan 2011

Substance-Dependent Tasc Offenders Taking Psychotropic Pharmacotherapy--Associated Factors, Substance Use Outcomes, And Criminal Diversion Outcomes, Dorothy Octavia Jackson

All ETDs from UAB

Current evidence suggests that persons with co-occurring disorders (COD) are at risk for poorer treatment outcomes in terms of substance use and recidivism. Studies have examined this trend in incarcerated individuals, but few have examined COD offenders under community supervision. The purpose of this study was to develop a predictive model to identify offenders under community corrections supervision with substance use diagnoses who were actively taking psychotropic medications (SUPM) as an index of COD and to compare demographics, social histories, and sexual risk behaviors for SUPM offenders to offenders with a substance use disorder (SUD) only and those who met …


Teaching Breast Health To Adolescent Females In High School: Comparing Interactive Teaching With Traditional Didactic Methods, Jacqueline Anita Horton Jan 2011

Teaching Breast Health To Adolescent Females In High School: Comparing Interactive Teaching With Traditional Didactic Methods, Jacqueline Anita Horton

All ETDs from UAB

Breast Health Knowledge Breat Health Beliefs


When Research Setting Is Important: The Influence Of Subordinate Self-Esteem On Reactions To Abusive Supervision, James P. Burton, Jenny M. Hoobler, Mary C. Kernan Jan 2011

When Research Setting Is Important: The Influence Of Subordinate Self-Esteem On Reactions To Abusive Supervision, James P. Burton, Jenny M. Hoobler, Mary C. Kernan

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

In this paper, we argue that the conflicting theoretical views regarding the role that self-esteem plays in the decision to become aggressive can be explained by the particular research methodology used. Specifically, we examine how individuals respond to a perceived abusive supervisor in two settings: 1) using scenarios and 2) in a field study. Results indicate that individuals with high self-esteem are more likely to become aggressive in response to an abusive supervisor in settings where they are asked what they would do (using scenarios). However, in field research settings, where they are asked what they did do, individuals with …


`Emergent Structure' In The Abu Ghraib Political Cartoons Of Emad Hajjaj In A News Context, Or, What Do The Images Of Abu Ghraib `Want From Us'?, Orayb Najjar Jan 2011

`Emergent Structure' In The Abu Ghraib Political Cartoons Of Emad Hajjaj In A News Context, Or, What Do The Images Of Abu Ghraib `Want From Us'?, Orayb Najjar

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

The torture scandal of Abu Ghraib prison was exposed in 2004 when 60 Minutes introduced the story by placing on its web site the photo of a hooded prisoner on a box. That particular image, chosen by many cartoonists and scholars as the iconic image to represent torture, is the subject of this study. I apply the theories of `conceptual blending' (Fauconnier and Turner, 2002) to the Abu Ghraib cartoons of the hooded prisoner as well as to the cartoons that draw on that iconic image years later. By tracing the cognitive and visual strategies political cartoonist Emad Hajjaj used …


The Effect Of New Accounting Rules On Capital Leases: A Study Of Current Reporting Practices, James M. Johnson, Natalie T. Churyk Jan 2011

The Effect Of New Accounting Rules On Capital Leases: A Study Of Current Reporting Practices, James M. Johnson, Natalie T. Churyk

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

No abstract provided.


Understanding Prostitutes And Prostitution In Democratic Burma, 1942–62 State Jewels Or Victims Of Modernity?, Tharaphi Than Jan 2011

Understanding Prostitutes And Prostitution In Democratic Burma, 1942–62 State Jewels Or Victims Of Modernity?, Tharaphi Than

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Prostitution in Burmese society, as in many South East Asian countries, is a taboo subject. Unlike prostitution in countries such as Thailand, however, prostitution in Burma does not attract strong media or scholarly debate. The state and the media in Burma, during both colonial and post-colonial periods, have tended and tend to see the problem of prostitution as one of ‘others’. Colonialism, a decline in morality and the corruption of women influenced by modernity or Western culture have often been portrayed as the culprits. This article analyses the Burmese terms for prostitutes and examines how prostitution was portrayed by the …


The Relationship Between Tornadic And Nontornadic Convective Wind Fatalities And Warnings, Walker S. Ashley, A.W. Black Jan 2011

The Relationship Between Tornadic And Nontornadic Convective Wind Fatalities And Warnings, Walker S. Ashley, A.W. Black

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

A database of tornado fatalities, nontornadic convective wind fatalities, severe thunderstorm warnings, and tornado warnings was compiled for the period 1986–2007 to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of warned and unwarned fatalities. The time of fatality and location as reported in Storm Data was compared to tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings to determine if a warning was in effect when the fatality occurred. Overall, 23.7% of tornado fatalities were unwarned, while 53.2% of nontornadic convective wind fatalities were unwarned. Most unwarned tornado fatalities occurred prior to the mid-1990s—coinciding with modernization of the National Weather Service—while unwarned nontornadic convective wind …