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2012

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Adhesion Molecule Interactions Influence The Implementation Of Immune Responses To Infection, Maureen Ann Cox Jan 2012

Adhesion Molecule Interactions Influence The Implementation Of Immune Responses To Infection, Maureen Ann Cox

All ETDs from UAB

Interactions mediated by intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) enhance both the antigenic and cytokine signals that CD8 T cells perceive, and these interactions have been suggested to be required for the formation of memory CD8 T cells. Following acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection of ICAM-1-/- mice, we observe elevated numbers of "effector-phenotype" (CD127lo KLRG-1hi IL-2-) virus-specific CD8 T cells well into the memory phase, while the development of memory-phenotype CD8 T cells (CD127hi KLRG-1lo IL-2 producing) is not impaired. The enhanced maintenance of effector-phenotype cells is due to ICAM-1 deficiency on non-T cell subsets, suggesting a role for ICAM-1 mediated …


Regulation Of Clc-3 In Human Malignant Glioma, Vishnu Anand Cuddapah Jan 2012

Regulation Of Clc-3 In Human Malignant Glioma, Vishnu Anand Cuddapah

All ETDs from UAB

Malignant gliomas are the most common and deadly form of primary brain cancer afflicting adults. Current treatment regimens, including surgical debulking, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, have limited efficacy, and median patient survival remains only 14 months. Therefore, novel therapies must target different aspects of glioma biology. Two of the most striking features of this cancer are the unusual ability of glioma cells to robustly proliferate and migrate in the brain, and recent evidence suggests that ClC-3, a voltage-gated Cl- channel/transporter is implicated in both of these processes. We hypothesize that ClC-3 may facilitate proliferation and migration by promoting hydrodynamic shape and …


Optimization Of A Biomimetic Poly(Lactic Acid) Ligament Scaffold, Andrew F. Uehlin Jan 2012

Optimization Of A Biomimetic Poly(Lactic Acid) Ligament Scaffold, Andrew F. Uehlin

All ETDs from UAB

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured ligament of the knee, often requiring orthopedic reconstruction using autograft or allograph tissue, both with significant disadvantages. As a result, tissue engineering an ACL replacement graft has been heavily investigated. The present study attempts to replicate the morphology and mechanical properties of the ACL using a nanomatrix composite of highly-aligned poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibers with various surface and biochemical modifications. Additionally, this study attempts to recreate the natural mineralization gradient found at the ACL enthesis onto the scaffold, capable of inducing a favorable cellular response in vitro. Unidirectional electrospinning was …


Resource Restraints: Rethinking Disclosure Of Individual Genomic Findings, Michael Ulrich Jan 2012

Resource Restraints: Rethinking Disclosure Of Individual Genomic Findings, Michael Ulrich

Faculty Scholarship

While there has been a seemingly endless debate over whether individual results should be disclosed in genomic research, the role that resources should play in determining a researcher's duty has been left unanswered. This commentary fills this void by fully examining how resource limitations constrain a researcher's duty to disclose. This paper is the first to anchor an obligation in the duty to rescue alone, and as a result, the first to find not only an ethical floor of what must be returned, but also a ceiling of the amount of resources that may be utilized to fulfill this duty. …


Processing And Evaluation Of Long Fiber Thermoplastic Composite Plates For Internal Fixation, Paul Benjamin Warren Jan 2012

Processing And Evaluation Of Long Fiber Thermoplastic Composite Plates For Internal Fixation, Paul Benjamin Warren

All ETDs from UAB

The metallic plates used in internal fracture fixation may have up to ten times the elastic modulus of normal bone tissue, causing stress shielding-induced osteopenia in healed bone that can lead to re-fracture after plate removal and prolonged and painful recovery. Thermoplastic polymer matrix composites reinforced with long carbon fiber are promising alternative materials for internal fixation plates because they may be produced with relative ease and be tailored to have specific mechanical properties, alleviating the stress shielding problem. Long carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone (LCF PEEK) plates were produced using the extrusion / compression molding process. Static flexural testing determined that …


Biochemical And Cellular Mechanisms For The Antineoplastic Properties Of Sulindac, Jason Derek Whitt Jan 2012

Biochemical And Cellular Mechanisms For The Antineoplastic Properties Of Sulindac, Jason Derek Whitt

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) sulindac has displayed the ability to inhibit the proliferation of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and to increase the sensitivity of multidrug resistant (MDR) cancer cells to a wide variety of chemotherapeutic agents. The antineoplastic activity of sulindac has been attributed to inhibition of the prostaglandin producing enzyme COX-2, but the exact mechanism remains elusive and the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis can result in gastrointestinal, hepatic, and cardiovascular toxicities. Enzymatic, cellular, and imaging assays were used to identify mechanisms that could contribute to the antiproliferative and apoptotic activity of sulindac. Screening of more than 500 …


The Association Of Perceived Neighborhood Problems And Hypertension In The Jackson Heart Study, Corey Cortez Wiggins Jan 2012

The Association Of Perceived Neighborhood Problems And Hypertension In The Jackson Heart Study, Corey Cortez Wiggins

All ETDs from UAB

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in adults with a tremendous cost burden to the United States. Hypertension, a risk factor for CVD, affects approximately 65 million people in the United Sates and is a major cause of health disparities between African Americans and white Americans. Previous research suggests that environmental factors are likely to be important in shaping the distribution of cardiovascular risk factors including hypertension. However, this research has been limited to the analysis of census and administrative data. Utilizing the Jackson Heart Study, a longitudinal cohort study aimed at investigating the causes of CVD …


The Characterization Of Gunshot Residue In Green Bullets Using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Brittany Aho Phillips Jan 2012

The Characterization Of Gunshot Residue In Green Bullets Using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Brittany Aho Phillips

All ETDs from UAB

Gunshot residue (GSR) is often important in cases that involve firearms. Over the years, scientists have developed methods for detecting GSR on a shooter's hands, a victim, or any object that may have been within six feet of the firearm. However, when the weapon is more than six feet from the target, gun powder residue may not be present. The only residue that may be present is bullet wipe, material that is transferred from the surface of the bullet as it penetrates the target. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is used to identify the elemental composition of an unknown material. …


Development Of Electrospun Bone-Mimetic Matrices For Bone Regenerative Applications, Matthew Christopher Phipps Jan 2012

Development Of Electrospun Bone-Mimetic Matrices For Bone Regenerative Applications, Matthew Christopher Phipps

All ETDs from UAB

Although bone has a dramatic capacity for regeneration, certain injuries and procedures present defects that are unable to heal properly, requiring surgical intervention to induce and support osteoregeneration. Our research group has hypothesized that the development of a biodegradable material that mimics the natural composition and architecture of bone extracellular matrix has the potential to provide therapeutic benefit to these patients. Utilizing a process known as electrospinning, our lab has developed a bone-mimetic matrix (BMM) consisting of composite nanofibers of the mechanically sta-ble polymer polycaprolactone (PCL), and the natural bone matrix molecules type-I colla-gen and hydroxyapatite nanocrystals (HA). We herein …


Regulation Of Paps Synthetase 2 By Tranforming Growth Factor-Beta And Its Role In The Maintenance Of Mouse Articular Cartilage, Girish Ramaswamy Jan 2012

Regulation Of Paps Synthetase 2 By Tranforming Growth Factor-Beta And Its Role In The Maintenance Of Mouse Articular Cartilage, Girish Ramaswamy

All ETDs from UAB

Articular cartilage is a special type of hyaline cartilage present at the end of long bones and facilitates smooth functioning of joints and transfer of load. While most cartilage elements in the body are transient, articular cartilage is permanent and functions throughout life. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint degenerative disease and the leading cause of disability in the industrialized world. A multitude of factors including aging, orthopedic trauma, genetics etc. have been associated with OA. Transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) is a multifunctional polypeptide which plays an important role in chondrocyte proliferation, differentiation and synthesis of extracellular matrix. Previously, mice with …


Evaluating The Reproductive Ecology Of The Diamondback Terrapin In Alabama Salt Marshes: Implications For The Recovery Of A Depleted Species, Taylor Matthew Roberge Jan 2012

Evaluating The Reproductive Ecology Of The Diamondback Terrapin In Alabama Salt Marshes: Implications For The Recovery Of A Depleted Species, Taylor Matthew Roberge

All ETDs from UAB

The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) was once an abundant and economically important species in the salt marshes of Alabama. A variety of threats have impacted this species over the past century, resulting in a drastic decline in the population. Diamondback terrapins are currently considered a "priority one species (highest conservation concern)" in Alabama. The largest nesting aggregation documented to date in Alabama is on the 1.8 km long shell-hash nesting beach bordering the western edge of Cedar Point Marsh (CPM). The current studies address several aspects of the reproductive ecology of the diamondback terrapin in Alabama. Nesting beach surveys were …


Mechanical Analysis Of Bacterial Nanocellulose For Biomedical Applications, Joseph Mathias Schwertz Jan 2012

Mechanical Analysis Of Bacterial Nanocellulose For Biomedical Applications, Joseph Mathias Schwertz

All ETDs from UAB

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a biopolymer that has been used in a variety of applications ranging from speaker diaphragms to biomedical products. Created by micro-organisms like Gluconacetobacter xylinus, BNC is composed of long cellulose fibers in a highly crystalline hydrogel. Recent interest in BNC based materials has led to the discov-ery of several cultivation and post-processing treatments that have enabled researchers to control the mechanical and structural properties of the hydrogel. Three BNC treatments were mechanically evaluated through tensile testing. Ten-sile tests were conducted using dogbone shape test strips and a video extensometer. Phys-ical compression of a BNC hydrogels not …


Stress And Job Performance: The Roles Of Salivary Cortisol And Social Support, Tracy Shamburger Jan 2012

Stress And Job Performance: The Roles Of Salivary Cortisol And Social Support, Tracy Shamburger

All ETDs from UAB

Perceived stress may negatively affect job performance. Perceived stress is known to alter physiological responses, including cortisol response. Cortisol affects working memory and may explain how stress affects performance. Aeromedical crewmembers transport wounded soldiers in the austere aeromedical environment. The demands of the Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) may lead to stress and impact job performance. The AE training mission simulates real world operational missions and this setting was used to examine the effects of perceived stress on job performance among aeromedical crewmembers at different time points during the mission (Time 1- baseline, Time 2 - pre-flight, Time 3 - in-flight, Time …


Interdisciplinary Doctoral Student Socialization, Susan K. Gardner, Jessica S. Jansujwicz, Karen Hutchins, Brittany Cline, Vanessa R. Levesque Jan 2012

Interdisciplinary Doctoral Student Socialization, Susan K. Gardner, Jessica S. Jansujwicz, Karen Hutchins, Brittany Cline, Vanessa R. Levesque

Faculty Publications

Interdisciplinary research and education are a growing emphasis in United States institutions of higher education but relatively little is known about the doctoral students engaged in these atypical programs. The purpose of this study was to understand the socialization process of 18 students involved in a large-scale, federally funded, interdisciplinary research project focused on sustainability at one university. Using Weidman, Twale, and Stein’s framework of graduate student socialization, themes emerged related to (a) their distinctive characteristics and cultures, (b) the learning process, (c) balance, (d) uncertainty, and (d) support. Recommendations for policy and practice are included.


Do Stimulant Medications For Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) Affect Memory Of Emotional Stimuli?, Jennifer Maul Jan 2012

Do Stimulant Medications For Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) Affect Memory Of Emotional Stimuli?, Jennifer Maul

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.


Fluidic Assembly At The Microscale: Progress And Prospects, Nathan B. Crane, Onursal Onen, Jose Carballo, Qi Ni, Rasim Guldiken Jan 2012

Fluidic Assembly At The Microscale: Progress And Prospects, Nathan B. Crane, Onursal Onen, Jose Carballo, Qi Ni, Rasim Guldiken

Faculty Publications

Assembly permits the integration of different materials and manufacturing processes to increase system functionality. It is an essential step in the fabrication of useful systems across size scales from buildings to molecules. However, at the microscale, traditional “grasp and release” assembly methods and chemically inspired self-assembly processes are less effective due to many scaling effects. Many methods have been developed for improving microscale assembly. Often these methods include fluidic forces or the use a fluidic medium in order to enhance their performance. This paper reviews basic assembly theory and modeling methods. Three basic assembly strategies (tool-directed, process-directed, and part-directed) are …


Evaluating The Efficacy Of Radiofrequency Amplitude-Modulated Electromagnetic Fields As A Novel Treatment For Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Jacquelyn Winifred Zimmerman Jan 2012

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Radiofrequency Amplitude-Modulated Electromagnetic Fields As A Novel Treatment For Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Jacquelyn Winifred Zimmerman

All ETDs from UAB

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence in the US is dramatically increasing. Five-year survival has remained 3-5% for the past several decades, demonstrating urgent need for additional therapies. Intrabuccal administration of amplitude-modulated radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) is a novel, minimally invasive treatment modality. Clinical evidence demonstrates this treatment approach elicits therapeutic responses in cancer patients. In vitro we have described a phenotype in HCC cells following RF EMF exposure that included proliferative inhibition, modulation of gene expression, and disruption of the mitotic spindle. This phenotype was specific for HCC cells exposed to HCC-specific RF EMF. We have demonstrated similar efficacy in …


Efficacy Of A Novel Molecular Tool In Silencing Arabidopsis Genes, Chase Purnell, Vibha Srivastava, M. Aydin Akbudak, Scott J. Nicholson Jan 2012

Efficacy Of A Novel Molecular Tool In Silencing Arabidopsis Genes, Chase Purnell, Vibha Srivastava, M. Aydin Akbudak, Scott J. Nicholson

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

RNA interference (RNAi), a pathway capable of silencing genes, has until recently only been achievable in the laboratory by the use of one method, expression of inverted repeat sequences of DNA. These constructs generate a double-stranded RNA, which in turn induce post-transcriptional silencing of other genes that bear sequence homology with the transgene. This approach of targeted gene silencing is extremely useful for studying the function of genes and engineering new traits in both plants and animals. It has recently been discovered that a transgene lacking the polyadenylation signal, called a truncated transgene, is also capable of inducing RNAi in …


The Effects Of Stressors On Depressive Symptoms In A Sample Of Older Adults With Diabetes, Larita Clarice Jones Jan 2012

The Effects Of Stressors On Depressive Symptoms In A Sample Of Older Adults With Diabetes, Larita Clarice Jones

All ETDs from UAB

Objectives: The authors investigated the relationship between various factors related to stress--demographic variables, comorbid health problems, cognitive function, and disease-related distress--and depressive symptoms. Method: The sample included 234 older adults (65 years or older) who had been diagnosed with diabetes. These individuals completed a telephone interview related to living with diabetes. Results: Results in the final model indicated that high levels of diabetes-related distress (B = .49, p < .0001), suffering a stroke (B = .20, p < .0001), and reporting neuropathy (B = .13, p =.0102) were each individually associated with a greater number of depressive symptoms. Results also suggest that diabetes-related distress acts as a mediator of the association between cognitive function and depressive symptoms. Discussion: Findings suggest that interventions targeted to help older adults properly manage their diabetes and reduce the likelihood of experiencing additional complications may lead to a cost-effective option for reducing depressive symptoms within this population.


Would Predatory Drillhole Frequency On Chione Spp. Increase Under The Suggested Climate Change Scenario? Comparing Pleistocene And Modern Rhodolith Beds, Carlos E. Cintra-Buenrostro Jan 2012

Would Predatory Drillhole Frequency On Chione Spp. Increase Under The Suggested Climate Change Scenario? Comparing Pleistocene And Modern Rhodolith Beds, Carlos E. Cintra-Buenrostro

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The analysis of predatory drillholes allow paleontologists to reconstruct trophic relationships of ancient systems. To evaluate the potential effects of climate and sea level change on predation frequency by gastropods on bivalves, species of the genus Chione from the Gulf of California were selected because they are a commercially exploited resource - at least locally - and abundant in both modern and Pleistocene (sea level high stand of oxygen substage 5e) samples from rhodolith beds. The present study focused to answer a practical question: would predation on Chione spp. increase under the suggested climate - warming - change scenario? A …


Neighborhood Context And Birth Outcomes: Preconception Diet And Physical Activity Level As Intervening Behavioral Variables, Lee Anne Flagg Jan 2012

Neighborhood Context And Birth Outcomes: Preconception Diet And Physical Activity Level As Intervening Behavioral Variables, Lee Anne Flagg

All ETDs from UAB

Using a human ecological model of health, preconception diet and physical activity level were hypothesized to mediate the association between neighborhood disadvantage and disorder and birth weight. It was also hypothesized that these factors would mediate the association between neighborhood disadvantage and disorder and preterm birth. Secondary data analyses were conducted using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The final analytic sample consisted of 523 adolescent and young adult mothers giving singleton live births between 1997 and 1998. The primary dependent variables were birth weight (grams) and gestational age (weeks). An index of various census tract-level indicators …


The Effects Of Mucoid Phenotype And Cftr Genotype On Pneumococcal Lung Disease And Biofilm Development, Evida Adiko Dennis Jan 2012

The Effects Of Mucoid Phenotype And Cftr Genotype On Pneumococcal Lung Disease And Biofilm Development, Evida Adiko Dennis

All ETDs from UAB

Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) is a respiratory pathogen and leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, but its role in cystic fibrosis (CF) has not been well studied. While prospectively examining the incidence of SP infection, a high number of SP were recovered from the sputum of pediatric CF patients. The predominant serotypes identified were 3, 19A, and 19F. Serotype 3 was isolated more readily in CF patients than from patients without CF (P=0.0159). All serotype 3 isolates were mucoid and produced high levels of polysaccharide capsule compared to others in the collection. Mucoid bacteria, predominately Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are commonly associated …


Structural And Molecular Studies Of Nucleic Acid Chaperones, Lei Ding Jan 2012

Structural And Molecular Studies Of Nucleic Acid Chaperones, Lei Ding

All ETDs from UAB

Nucleic acids are the storage of genetic information that needs to be expressed and inherited. As abundant cellular macromolecules they are also major players of a wide variety of biological processes. They usually undergo post-transcriptional modifications and/or fold into higher order structures in order to accomplish their distinct functions. Most biological events involving nucleic acids are achieved by proteins that interact with them. The functionality requires specific recognition of nucleic acids by proteins at molecular level. Nucleic acid chaperones are a group of nucleic acids binding proteins that associate with structured RNAs or DNAs and assist correct folding of their …


The Effect Of Liver X Receptor Α Deficiency In Skeletal Muscle On Lipid Content In Mice, Yishu Ding Jan 2012

The Effect Of Liver X Receptor Α Deficiency In Skeletal Muscle On Lipid Content In Mice, Yishu Ding

All ETDs from UAB

Liver X receptors (LXRs) are important regulators of cholesterol, fatty acid, and glucose homeostasis. Many researchs focus on the liver, but tissue-specific roles of LXRs in other tissues remain elusive. Based on in vitro studies on cultured cells, the roles of LXRs in skeletal muscle have been proposed. Nevertheless, the in vivo roles of LXRs in skeletal muscle remain lacking. Skeletal muscle is an important insulin targeting tissue, which plays a key role in regulating insulin sensitivity. Abnormal lipid metabolism and homeostasis have been demonstrated to play a crucial role in the development of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. To …


Modulation Of Autoimmune Diabetes By B Cells Specific For N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine, Brian L. Dizon Jan 2012

Modulation Of Autoimmune Diabetes By B Cells Specific For N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine, Brian L. Dizon

All ETDs from UAB

Type I diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which ß cells are destroyed by the immune system; however, role of infections in type I diabetes (T1D) pathogenesis is unclear. Reports suggesting that childhood Group A Streptococcal (GAS) infections protected against T1D prompted us to study how antibodies to N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc), which are induced by GAS infection, influenced T1D development. We found that GlcNAc-specific antibodies reacted with ß cell secretory granules, and neonatal NOD mice immunized with GAS or given GAS-immune sera were protected from spontaneous diabetes. Monoclonal GlcNAc-specific IgM blocked activation and effector responses to islet antigens by diabetogenic …


Engineering Of Pulsed Laser Deposited Calcium Phosphate Biomaterials In Controlled Atmospheres, Saulius Edmundas Drukteinis Jan 2012

Engineering Of Pulsed Laser Deposited Calcium Phosphate Biomaterials In Controlled Atmospheres, Saulius Edmundas Drukteinis

All ETDs from UAB

Synthetic calcium phosphates (CAP) such as hydroxyapatite (HA) have been used as regenerative bone graft materials and also as thin films to improve the integration of biomedical implant devices within skeletal tissue. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) can deposit crystalline HA with significant adhesion on titanium biomaterials. However, there are PLD processing constraints due to the complex physical and chemical interactions occurring simultaneously during PLD, which influence ablation plume formation and development. In this investigation PLD CAP films were engineered with a focus on novel decoupling of partial pressure of H2O (g) (P(H2O)) from total background pressure, in combination with substrate …


Benefits And Barriers To Medically Supervised Pediatric Weight-Mangement Programs, Cindy Grimes-Robison Jan 2012

Benefits And Barriers To Medically Supervised Pediatric Weight-Mangement Programs, Cindy Grimes-Robison

All ETDs from UAB

Abstract is in paper


A Minimally Invasive Multifunctional Nano-Enabled Approach For Selective Targeting, Imaging, And Near Infrared Photothermal Therapy Of Malignant Tumors, Hadiyah-Nicole Green Jan 2012

A Minimally Invasive Multifunctional Nano-Enabled Approach For Selective Targeting, Imaging, And Near Infrared Photothermal Therapy Of Malignant Tumors, Hadiyah-Nicole Green

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation describes how the mastery of active tumor targeting and subsequent tumor regression is a great challenge for cancer therapy. Near infrared (NIR) photothermal therapy (PTT) as a localized minimally invasive therapy utilizes nanoparticles (NPs) as a physical contrast agent. The NIR laser irradiation, transparent to normal tissue, overlaps with plasmon resonance absorption of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The AuNPs convert the absorbed NIR light energy into thermal energy and cause localized destruction of surrounding tissue. To improve efficiency for targeting of AuNPs to malignant tumors, we developed a technique for conjugating gold nanoparticles to tumor-specific antibodies. We demonstrated that …


A Yeast Model For High Throughput Screening Of Gene-Gene Interactions Relevant To Cftrδf508 Protein Biogenesis, Jingyu Guo Jan 2012

A Yeast Model For High Throughput Screening Of Gene-Gene Interactions Relevant To Cftrδf508 Protein Biogenesis, Jingyu Guo

All ETDs from UAB

Much remains unknown about gene interaction in the context of human disease. In cystic fibrosis (CF) a single mutation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR-deltaF508) accounts for most disease. In cell models, CFTR-deltaF508 causes defective protein biogenesis and degradation rather than proper trafficking to the plasma membrane where CFTR normally functions in ion transport. Numerous genes function in the biogenesis of CFTR and influence the fate of CFTR-deltaF508 in cell models. However it is not known whether natural genetic variation in such genes contributes to disease severity in patients. Moreover, there is no easy way to predict how …


Development And Content Validity Of The Military Concussion Readiness Inventory For Service Members, Michelle L. Gutierrez Jan 2012

Development And Content Validity Of The Military Concussion Readiness Inventory For Service Members, Michelle L. Gutierrez

All ETDs from UAB

The aim of this study was to develop and establish content validity of a new questionnaire entitled the Military Concussion Readiness Inventory (MCRI). The MCRI was designed to identify functional impairments and predict readiness for return-to-duty in service members (SM) who experienced mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) due to a blast. The items on the MCRI were linked to the The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) classifications. Nineteen male SM participated in a nominal group technique process to generate items for the MCRI. The items were classified according to the ICF before sending items to the Delphi …