Digital Commons Network^™

Siderophore-Mediated Iron Acquisition In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Ryan Wells

All ETDs from UAB

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a dangerous human pathogen that has the capacity to adapt to and survive within the harsh phagosomal environment of macrophages. One obstacle that must be overcome by pathogens is to acquire iron, an essential component and cofactor of proteins required for vital cellular processes. M. tuberculosis meets its iron demands in the face of an array of sequestration strategies of the host by synthesizing and secreting two siderophores called mycobactin and carboxymycobactin. Siderophores are low molecular weight high affinity iron binding compounds that steal iron away from host stores and have been shown to be important for …

Retinoids And Abnormal Alveolar Development, Masheika L. James

All ETDs from UAB

Extremely preterm infants are at high risk for a form of chronic lung disease called bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), which is characterized by impaired alveolar development. Exposure to hyperoxia and deficiency of vitamin A (VA) contribute to the development of BPD in preterm infants. Randomized controlled trials indicate VA supplementation decreases BPD and/or death. However, 25% of preterm infants continue to remain VA deficient despite supplementation, probably due to impairment in VA transport, VA is stored in the liver as retinyl esters which are transported to the lung and irreversibly metabolized into all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), the active metabolite. A combination of …

Forensic Facial Reconstruction Using Computational Approach, Wenzhen Jia

All ETDs from UAB

Forensic facial reconstruction is an application of forensic anthropology. It is a process of recreating the face of a human being based on skull remains. The process of recreating faces can be used to identify otherwise unknown individuals or to reconstruct faces of historical figures, such as the famous effort of reconstructing King Tut in 2005. There are many approaches to perform facial reconstruction in both two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D). In 2-D cases, an artist works from photos of the skull and sketches the facial features based on his or her scientific training and artistic intuition. In 3-D cases, …

The Role Of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response In Glioma Cell Death, Guyla G. Johnson

All ETDs from UAB

Malignant gliomas, including glioblastomas, are the main primary adult brain tumor. Even with current therapies, the median survival time for patients diagnosed with glioblastomas is only about 12 months. Therefore, it is imperative to identify pathways that can induce glioma cell death. This dissertation provides evidence defining how Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response (ERSR) induction promotes cell death selectively in malignant glioma cells (MGCs). I present data showing a correlation between ER Ca2+ storage abnormalities, ER ribosome-translocon expression and activity, ERSR intensity and cell death in MGCs. These data show ERSR induction with thapsigargin (THAP) results in a larger loss of …

Application Of The Social Cognitive Theory To A Web-Based Physical Activity Intervention For Overweight African American Female College Students, Rodney Joseph

All ETDs from UAB

Background.African American women report low levels of physical activity and share a disproportionate burden of many health conditions associated with being insufficiently active, indicating the need for innovative approaches to promote physical activity in this population. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate changes in physical activity and associated Social Cognitive Theory constructs of outcome expectations, enjoyment, self-regulation, and social support following the completion of a six month, culturally-adapted, Social Cognitive Theory-based website-delivered weight loss and physical activity intervention for young African-American women. Methods.A secondary data analysis was performed on African-American female college students (N=34) enrolled in a …

The Effects Of Psychological Stress, Depressive Symptoms, And Cortisol On Body Mass And Central Adiposity In 10-To12-Year-Old Children, Hong-Thuy Lam

All ETDs from UAB

The percentage of children with elevated body mass and central adiposity has tripled in the U.S. over the past thirty years. While physical factors, such as decreased physical activity and poor nutrition, have been noted to influence elevated body mass and central adiposity in school-aged children, less is known about psychological factors, such as psychological stress and depressive symptoms, especially in 10-to12-year-old children. Further, it has been suggested that cortisol, a biomarker of psychological stress, plays a role in the underlying mechanism that links psychological stress and depressive symptoms to increased body mass and central adiposity, but this has not …

Mechanism Of Nfi-C Functionin During Tooth Root Formation, Ejvis Lamani

All ETDs from UAB

Currently, very little is known regarding tissue-specific gene regulation during the later stages of tooth development, especially those associated with root formation. Re-cent studies have identified nuclear factor I-C (NFI-C) as a critical factor for root for-mation in mammals. NFI-C functions as a cellular transcription factor and adenovirus DNA replication factor. Its role in root formation first became evident when Nfi-c null mice were shown to lack molar roots. A similar phenotype of incomplete or absent root formation is observed in patients with the autosomal dominant disease Radicular Dentin Dysplasia (RDD; MIM125400) also known as Rootless Teeth or Dentin Dysplasia …

Regulation Of Alpha-Synuclein Accumulation By The Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway In A Preclinical Model Of Parkinson Disease, Leandra Rosa Mangieri

All ETDs from UAB

Finding novel therapeutics that delay or halt the progression of Parkinson Disease (PD) is key to providing symptomatic relief of debilitating symptoms. A defining pathological feature of PD is characterized by the formation of Lewy bodies, intraneuronal inclusions comprised mainly of α-synuclein (ASYN) (4). Vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase), an enzyme complex comprised of two multi-subunit-containing domains, critically regulates the acidification of vesicles such as lysosomes and thus proper function of the autophagy-lysosome pathway (ALP), which is critical for the degradation of ASYN. Compromises to V-ATPase have been shown to negatively affect lysosome function and its ability to clear toxic forms of …

Socioeconomic Patterning Of Obesity Among African American Women In The Jackson Heart Study, Tonya Moore

All ETDs from UAB

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to expand upon what has been observed in literature about obesity and its ties to socioeconomic status (SES) among African American Women (AAW) participants of the Jackson Heart Study (JHS). Methods: This secondary analysis was a sub-study of the JHS and focused on four SES variables: education, income, occupation and wealth; and five outcome variables: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Two analytic samples were created in order to examine data collected during Exam 1 (2000-2004) and Exam 2 (2005-2008). …

A Repeated Measures Quantitative Prospective Inquiry Into The Change In Medical Student Self-Reported Empathy In Clinical Rotations, Kristina T C Panizzi Woodley

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation study examined whether or not there were quantitative changes in medical student self-reported empathy scores over time and across gender within third- and fourth-year cohorts enrolled in an integrated curriculum at a Southeastern U.S. medical school. The dependent variable was quantitative empathy scores at time 1 and time 2 using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE, medical student S-Version). Primary independent variables were cohort year and gender. Variables of clinical campus site, rotation orientation category, and specialty interest orientation category were also explored. The study found that empathy increased for the third-year complete cohort but decreased for the …

Aga Khan University, Report 2012, Aga Khan University

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Factors Associated With Participant Retention In A Behavioral Weight Loss Study, Cathy C. Roche

All ETDs from UAB

Participant retention in longitudinal research is gaining increasing attention. By identifying factors associated with participant retention, programs can be better designed to promote effective weight loss. This study examines factors associated with participant retention. The Anderson Behavioral Model provided the conceptual framework for the study. The sample consisted of secondary data abstracted from the research records of 316 participants in the University of Alabama at Birmingham cohort of the Look Action for Health in Diabetes (AHEAD) trial. The Look AHEAD trial is a randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the long-term effects of interventions aimed at producing weight loss in …

High-Risk Human Papillomavirus And Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Among Foreign-Born Latinas At Colposcopy, Bertha Hidalgo

All ETDs from UAB

Although the literature is quite extensive with regard to the human papillomavirus (HPV) among many racial/ethnic populations, there continues to be a paucity of information regarding the prevalence of HPV types as well as of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN among Latinas, specifically foreign-born Latinas. Some studies have reported prevalence of HPV among Latinas, but very few have differentiated between US- and foreign-born Latinas. This nuance is essential to understanding the true effect contributed by each group to HPV and CIN incidence and prevalence rates. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to assess differences in the prevalence of high- and low-risk types and …

Effect Of Childhood Obesity On Risk Of Pelvic Bone Fracture In Simulated Sideways Fall, Min-Heng Hsieh

All ETDs from UAB

Since the number of obese children in the U.S. has been increasing, the question arises whether obese children could be at higher or lower risk compared to nonobese children. The objective of this research was to investigate the risk of pediatric pelvic bone fracture in sideways falls using computational modeling and simulation considering various levels of obesity. Two sets of models were developed and tested. The first set was body component models. Several 10-year-old pelvis-femur complex models were developed. The models included biological soft tissue layers to reflect various levels of obesity, and they were validated against published experimental data. …

Vitamin D: Implications Of The Institute Of Medicine Report For Clinical Practice, Dorothy Grasso, Margaret A. Rafferty

Publications and Research

In November 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D, a radical departure from previous advice given regarding these two nutrients that have been reported in respected health journals. The 14-member expert committee found clear and convincing evidence to support the association between adequate levels of vitamin D and bone health. The IOM committee did not find enough evidence to support claims that inadequate levels of vitamin D are linked to increased risks for cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. In this article, the authors discuss the controversy surrounding vitamin D and provide guidance …

Encyclopedia Of Wellness: From Açai Berry To Yo-Yo Dieting, Elisabeth Tappeiner

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Growth And Photochemical Responses Of Three Crop Species Treated With Textile Azo Dyes, Nuran Çi̇çek, Banu Efeoğlu, Deni̇z Tanyolaç, Yasemi̇n Ekmekçi̇, Reto Jörg Strasser

Turkish Journal of Botany

The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of textile dye on the early seedling stage of 3 crops: barley, maize, and wheat. Seeds were imbibed in different concentrations of textile dye for 12 h and were then grown in a controlled growth room for 8 days with a related dye solution. Some growth and polyphasic chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were measured and analysed to appraise the effect of textile dye on the 3 crops. Although different crop species showed differences in response to different concentrations, textile dye generally affected almost all radicle growth parameters more adversely than coleoptile growth …

Health Equity, Healthy People 2020, And Coercive Legal Mechanisms As Necessary For The Achievement Of Both, Emily Whelan Parento

McGeorge School of Law Scholarly Articles

Principles of health equity require that all people have equal opportunity to develop and maintain their health, yet in the face of widespread and presumptively inequitable health disparities, the law has done little. This paper argues that health equity demands the use of coercive legal mechanisms in certain circumstances given the existence of current disparities and the evidence of effectiveness of direct regulation as compared to its alternatives. Moreover, the paper argues that Healthy People 2020, which is the nation's “master blueprint for health” and explicitly seeks to achieve health equity, has not fully incorporated the principles of health equity …

Multiple Effects Of Physical Activity On Molecular And Cognitive Signs Of Brain Aging: Can Exercise Slow Neurodegeneration And Delay Alzheimer's Disease?, Belinda Brown, J J Peiffer, Ralph Martins

Research outputs 2012

Western countries are experiencing aging populations and increased longevity; thus, the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) in these countries is projected to soar. In the absence of a therapeutic drug, non-pharmacological preventative approaches are being investigated. One of these approaches is regular participation in physical activity or exercise. This paper reviews studies that have explored the relationship between physical activity and cognitive function, cognitive decline, AD/dementia risk and AD-associated biomarkers and processes. There is now strong evidence that links regular physical activity or exercise to higher cognitive function, decreased cognitive decline and reduced risk of AD or dementia. …

Composition And Repellency Of Essential Oils Of Tagetes Minuta From Different Zones In Kenya Against Brown Ear Tick (Rhipicephalus Appendlculatusi, Benard Omache Makang' A

All Master’s Theses

Ticks are haematophagous ectoparasites capable of transmitting diseases to vertebrates and, therefore, constitute a threat to human, livestock and wildlife health. Though synthetic chemical aearicides have made a tremendous impact over the years in the control and management of the vector on livestock, ticks have developed resistance to most of them. In addition, the chemicals are toxic to non-target organisms. In some parts of Kenya, powdered parts of some plants, including those of Tagetes minuta L., are used to control ticks from the animals. The study aimed at characterizing and evaluating the repellency of the essential oils of T. minuta …

Optimization Of Growth Conditions Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Isolates From Various Sources In Kenya And Toxicity Assays Of Their Delta-Endotoxin Against Chilo Partellus, Daniel Anyika Kwalimwa

All Master’s Theses

Chemical pesticides have disadvantages such as high production costs, short persistence, comparative low efficacy, development of resistance to toxin and causing ecological damage. In order to obtain cheaper biopesticides, many locally available and inexpensive agricultural/industrial byproducts have potential as culture media for Bacillus thuringiensis Crystal protein production. In this study, cost-effective media were developed, based on locally available raw materials namely legumes, potato, and whey. Optimization studies indicate that pH 6.4-7.5 was best for sporulation and OD 600 was highest at 37 °C for all isolates tested. The optical density, protein concentration yield, sporulation and Chilo partellus larvicidal action were …

Genomic And Physiological Characterization Of The Verrucomicrobia Isolate Diplosphaera Colitermitum Gen. Nov., Sp. Nov., Reveals Microaerophily And Nitrogen Fixation Genes, John T. Wertz, Eunji Kim, John A. Breznak, Thomas M. Schmidt

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Previously we reported the cultivation of novel verrucomicrobia, including strain TAV2 (93% 16S rRNA gene identity to its nearest cultivated representative, Opitutus terreae PB90-1) from the gut of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes. To gain better insight into the Verrucomicrobia as a whole and understand the role of verrucomicrobia within the termite gut ecosystem, we analyzed a draft genome and undertook a physiological characterization of TAV2. Strain TAV2 is an autochthonous member of the R. flavipes gut microbiota and groups phylogenetically among diverse Verrucomicrobia from R. flavipes and other termites that are represented by 16S rRNA gene sequences alone. TAV2 is …

Serum Protein Fractions In Brazilian-Breed Donkeys Using Agarose Gel Electrophoresis, Paulo Henrique Cavalcante, Andrea Cristina Silva, Sidnei Sakamoto, Benito Soto-Blanco

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The values for the serum protein profiles of horses are available in many studies. However, only one study has characterized the electrophoretic migration profile of plasma protein in donkeys. The present study aimed to determine by agarose gel electrophoresis the normal values for serum protein fractions in erratic Brazilian-breed donkeys and to compare these values with those of the serum proteins of horses. Serum samples were collected from 26 donkeys of the Brazilian-breed and from 10 healthy horses. The serum levels of the total proteins were determined by the biuret method. The separation and determination of the values of serum …

Caesarean Operation In Two Farmed Red Deer (Cervus Elaphus), Si̇nem Özlem Engi̇nler, Mehmet Can Gündüz, Tuğba Seval Fatma Toydemi̇r, Meli̇h Uçmak, Güven Kaşikçi

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this case, a caesarean section was performed on 2 red deer aged 4 and 7 who underwent dystocia. When the deer were brought to our clinic, they had been in labour for 6 h and 1 day, respectively, and the calves were dead. The foetal forefeet were found hanging from the vulva at the general examination. Deer 1's parturition was human-assisted but the outcome was not good and it was decided to operate on the animal. In deer 2, parturition was taking too long and so it was decided to operate immediately. The deer were sedated and anaesthetised by …

Probiotic Properties, Sensory Qualities, And Storage Stability Of Probiotic Banana Yogurts, Songül Çakmakçi, Bülent Çeti̇n, Tamer Turgut, Mustafa Gürses, Ahmet Erdoğan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The quality properties of probiotic yogurt samples made with banana marmalade (BM), which can be a probiotic product, were examined. Yogurt samples were produced from cow milk inoculated with yogurt cultures and probiotic cultures (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and an equal mixture of the 2 strains), and then 15% BM was added to each yogurt sample. Acidity, pH, bacteria counts, and sensory analysis of the yogurt samples were investigated on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 during storage at 4 °C. Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, L. acidophilus, and B. bifidum counts generally decreased during the storage …

Methodological Tools, Ethan P. White, Xiao Xiao, J. B. Nick, Richard M. Sibly

Biology Faculty Publications

Methodological approaches for comparing metabolic theory predictions to empirical data fall into two general categories: 1) determining if the general functional form of a relationship predicted by the theory is valid; and 2) determining whether the observed values of the parameters match the specific quantitative predictions made by the theory. Both of these categories of analysis rely on being able to accurately determine the best fitting form of a model with the same general functional form as that of MTE, so we will begin by discussing how this has typically been done using OLS regression on appropriately transformed data. Potential …

Evaluation Of The Possibility Of Using Oligosaccharide-Free Pea In Japanese Quail Nutrition, Danuta Szczerbinska, Zofia Tarasewicz, Piotr Gulewicz, Danuta Majewska, Marek Ligocki

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this paper, evaluation of the effect of processed pea seeds (free of raffinose family oligosaccharides) on the performance traits and the results of reproduction in Japanese quails is presented. A flock of 72 quails was divided into 3 groups consisting of equal numbers of birds (18 females and 6 males). Birds were kept in cages in an environmentally controlled room with a lighting cycle of 17 h of light and 7 h of dark, and they were fed 1 of 3 different diets. Whereas diet 1 served as the control, diet 2 was supplemented with 5% and diet 3 …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Dietary Protein Supplementation On The Performance Of West African Dwarf (Wad) Goats Infected With Haemonchus Contortus And Trichostrongylus Colubriformis, Linus Iorundu Mhomga, Pius Ajanwachukwu Nnadi, Samuel Nnegbo Chiejina, Idika Kalu Idika, Lucas Atehmengo Ngongeh

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Twenty worm-free male West African dwarf (WAD) goats, 7-8 months of age, were used to study the effect of dietary protein on their response to mixed infections of trychostrongyles. The goats were divided into 4 groups (A-D), each containing 5 animals. Groups A and B were fed forages with concentrate feed containing 17.06% crude protein, whereas Groups C and D were fed forages alone. An escalating infection of 500 infective larvae (L3), 1000 L3, 2000 L3, and 4000 L3 was given consecutively at weeks 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively, for 4 weeks to groups A and D. Patency and …

Evaluation Of The Effects Produced By The Addition Of Growth-Promoting Products To Broiler Feed*, Mehmet Armut, Ayhan Fi̇lazi̇

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of feed additives on broiler productivity. Probiotics, oligosaccharides, organic acids, and avilamycin were used either alone or in combination to improve productivity in terms of body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality rate. Broiler chicks (n = 900) were randomly divided into 9 groups. Group 1 was separated from the other groups and used as the control group; the chickens in this group were fed corn soybean until the end of the study. The other groups were fed corn soybean and the following food additives: probiotics (Group …