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2012

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Design Of An Underground Storage Tank Involving Water Collection For Water Reuse To Irrigate The Campus Green Area Of The Uab Campus, Zhuo Li Jan 2012

Design Of An Underground Storage Tank Involving Water Collection For Water Reuse To Irrigate The Campus Green Area Of The Uab Campus, Zhuo Li

All ETDs from UAB

The UAB Campus Recreation Center is located in the Birmingham city block whose boundaries are University Blvd., 10th Avenue South, 14th Street South, and 16th Street South. The water supply of the UAB Campus Recreation Center is based on a natural underground water source, which is use such needs as pool water. The underground water is continuously pumped from its foundation in order to avoid flooding the basement of the Recreation Center. As a result, in addition to the water usage of the Recreation Center, the additional water pumped underground could be utilized to irrigate the campus green area. A …

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The Role Of The Mirror Neuron System In Mental State Attribution In Autism: An Fmri Study, Lauren E. Libero Jan 2012

The Role Of The Mirror Neuron System In Mental State Attribution In Autism: An Fmri Study, Lauren E. Libero

All ETDs from UAB

The ability to interpret others' intentions based on their actions is a vital skill that helps us infer and understand their thoughts and plans. However, individuals with autism have been found to have difficulty in attributing intentions to others (Baron-Cohen et al., 1985; Baron-Cohen, 1995; Happe & Frith, 1996; Williams et al., 2001). The present study investigated the neural mechanisms of inferring intentions from actions in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and typically developing control participants. fMRI data were acquired while participants made judgments about the means (how an action is performed) and intentions (why an action is …

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Regulation Of P27kip1 By Trip6 And Its Implications In Cancer Progression, Victor T G Lin Jan 2012

Regulation Of P27kip1 By Trip6 And Its Implications In Cancer Progression, Victor T G Lin

All ETDs from UAB

TRIP6 is a focal adhesion molecule that functions as an adaptor protein to mediate diverse cellular functions, including motility and antiapoptotic signaling, through a wide variety of protein-protein interactions. We were able to characterize a novel interaction between TRIP6 and p27KIP1, a CDK inhibitor which can both suppress and promote tumorigenesis, depending on its regulation. TRIP6 expression specifically promotes the AKT-mediated phosphorylation of p27KIP1 at T157, which leads to its cytosolic retention, and accelerates the protein turnover rate of p27KIP1. We also found that phosphorylation of T157 by itself promotes cell motility and can be linked to the formation of …

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The Effect Of Acetylcholine Receptor Activation On The Response Properties Of Retinal Ganglion Cells, Ye Long Jan 2012

The Effect Of Acetylcholine Receptor Activation On The Response Properties Of Retinal Ganglion Cells, Ye Long

All ETDs from UAB

Acetylcholine (ACh) is the first identified neurotransmitter and acts in areas including the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the central nervous system (CNS). The effects of ACh are mediated by nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), both of which are extensively distributed in CNS, including the retina. The expression and distribution of nicotinic AChRs (nAChRs) and muscarinic AChRs (mAChRs) have been studied with RT-PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemical techniques in the retinas of different species (Kaneda et al., 1995; Keyser et al., 2000; Yamada et al., 2003; Strang et al., 2005; Dmitrieva et al., 2007; Liu et al., 2009; Strang …

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Association Between Cc Chemokine Ligand 3-Like-1 (Ccl3l1) Gene Copy Number And Rheumatoid Arthritis In African Americans, Mawuli Kwame Nyaku Jan 2012

Association Between Cc Chemokine Ligand 3-Like-1 (Ccl3l1) Gene Copy Number And Rheumatoid Arthritis In African Americans, Mawuli Kwame Nyaku

All ETDs from UAB

Gene copy number of the CC Chemokine ligand 3-Like-1 (CCL3L1) located on chromosome 17 position q12 varies between ethnicities. Previously, gene copy number of CCL3L1 greater than the ethnic median copy has been associated with an increased risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Three later studies found no association between CCL3L1 and RA. All studies were conducted in non-African Americans and an objective of this study was to determine this association in an African American cohort. CCL3L1 shares significant homology with three other genes within the same cluster; CC Chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3), CC Chemokine ligand 3-Like-2 (CCL3L2) and CC Chemokine ligand …

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Memory Profiles In Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment And Their Associations With Other Cognitive Domains And Functional Abilities, Timothy J. O'Brien Jan 2012

Memory Profiles In Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment And Their Associations With Other Cognitive Domains And Functional Abilities, Timothy J. O'Brien

All ETDs from UAB

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is thought to represent the preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease. Current criteria for amnestic-MCI do not specify the nature of memory impairments, which could be in learning or retrieval of information in verbal or visual domains. While 1.5 standard deviations (SD) below normative samples has been accepted to define cognitive impairment, this standard may be relatively stringent, or may lack specificity to identify mild functional impairment. Baseline data for 71 individuals with consensus-diagnosed MCI enrolled in the Measuring Independent Living in the Elderly Study (MILES) was utilized to investigate patterns of verbal and visual learning and …

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Down-Modulation Of Mica On Malignant Glioma Cells By Herpes Simplex Virus, Carl Irwin Odom Jan 2012

Down-Modulation Of Mica On Malignant Glioma Cells By Herpes Simplex Virus, Carl Irwin Odom

All ETDs from UAB

Glioblastoma Multiforme is a primary malignancy of the central nervous system and is fatal for patients despite surgical resection and radiotherapy. Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus (oHSV) vectors deleted of the γ134.5 neurovirulence gene are potential therapies for treating glioblastoma tumors. Although replication in permissive cells is considered the primary mechanism of oHSV mediated tumor clearance, there is evidence that the immune system is part of the tumor clearance mechanism during treatment with oncolytic viruses. Specifically, natural killer (NK) cells may be important for tumor clearance during oHSV therapy. NK cell activation relies partially on the stimulation of activating or inhibitory …

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Do I Belong? Factors Contributing To The Development Of Social Belonging Of Children Who Are Homeless In Southeastern United States Shelters: A Multi-Case Study, Corilyn Mae Ott Jan 2012

Do I Belong? Factors Contributing To The Development Of Social Belonging Of Children Who Are Homeless In Southeastern United States Shelters: A Multi-Case Study, Corilyn Mae Ott

All ETDs from UAB

This qualitative multiple case study explored the factors that contribute to the development of social belonging in the classroom for children who are homeless age's five to seven. Previous empirical research has shown the importance of children who are homeless developing belonging in the classroom and other research has shown the negative effects when belonging does not develop. However, little research has focused on what contributes or impedes children's ability to develop belonging in the classroom while they are homeless. My study filled a gap in the literature by identifying these contributing factors. This study was conducted in two family …

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An Information Theoretical Modeling And Analysis Of Systems, Bunyamin Ozaydin Jan 2012

An Information Theoretical Modeling And Analysis Of Systems, Bunyamin Ozaydin

All ETDs from UAB

The growth of the service industry also comes with problems and complications because of its inherent error proneness. As the complexity of systems increases, whether the system of interest is a service product or a natural phenomenon, it only proves that there is always a need for improved modeling approaches. In this study, we approach systems from an information theoretical perspective. More specifically, we model systems by noisy communication channels and analyze them by a structure of relationships whose elements are commonly used analysis tools in science and engineering. We call this modeling approach and the structure of relationships it …

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A Repeated Measures Quantitative Prospective Inquiry Into The Change In Medical Student Self-Reported Empathy In Clinical Rotations, Kristina T C Panizzi Woodley Jan 2012

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 …

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Using Mouse Models To Investigate Ciliopathies, Raymond Carl Pasek Jan 2012

Using Mouse Models To Investigate Ciliopathies, Raymond Carl Pasek

All ETDs from UAB

Cilia and flagella are microtubule based organelles found on nearly every cell type in the mammalian body. Flagella have an essential role in sperm locomotion and reproduction, while motile cilia have a known role in fluid movement in the brain, lungs, and portions of the female reproductive tract. While the role of most primary cilia remained unknown for decades, they are now recognized as being essential to mammalian development, renal homeostasis, and satiety, just to name a few. Because of their widespread presence and importance, dysfunction of cilia and flagella can lead to a variety of human diseases, collectively referred …

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Connectivity And Collaboration: The Use Of Blogs In First-Year Composition, Melissa Peterson Jan 2012

Connectivity And Collaboration: The Use Of Blogs In First-Year Composition, Melissa Peterson

All ETDs from UAB

In this thesis, I discuss the nature of digital communication at a very broad level, examine the evolution and definition of "blogs," and consider ways that blogs can be used in educational settings to improve the understanding and application of rhetorical principles. Although digital media have resulted in a dramatic shift in the way messages are created, transmitted, and consumed, digital technologies need not be viewed with skepticism and alarm. While these technologies present new challenges and opportunities for communication, the changes are more of a gradual evolution than a sudden overhaul. Within digital media, blogs are an incredibly difficult …

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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. …

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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 …

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The Antecedents And Consequences Of Public Hospital Privatization, Zo Harivololona Ramamonjiarivelo Jan 2012

The Antecedents And Consequences Of Public Hospital Privatization, Zo Harivololona Ramamonjiarivelo

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the antecedents and consequences of public hospital privatization with special attention to financial distress and financial performance. A national sample of public hospitals using secondary longitudinal data from 1997 to 2009 was used in this study. Data set from the American Hospital Association, the Area Resource File, the Medicare Cost Report and the Local Area Unemployment Statistics were merged to test the hypotheses pertaining to each research question. Based on the resource dependence theory, both environmental variables and organizational variables were included in the analyses. This study adopted the Altman Z-score …

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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 …

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Environmental And Organizational Characteristics Associated With A Critical Access Hospital Being Contract Managed Or Becoming Acquired, Virginia Anne Razo Jan 2012

Environmental And Organizational Characteristics Associated With A Critical Access Hospital Being Contract Managed Or Becoming Acquired, Virginia Anne Razo

All ETDs from UAB

The focus of this research is the relationship between environmental and organizational characteristics and critical access hospitals (CAHs) being contract managed or acquired. The resource dependence theory guided the methodology. Based on this theory, organizations prefer to remain autonomous until key resources become scarce. The scarcity of resources combined with a dynamic external environment causes environmental uncertainty that requires organizations to consider a variety of strategic responses in order to survive. Given the results of this study, contract managed CAHs were associated with markets that were less munificent and more dynamic with older facilities, relative to independent hospitals. Due to …

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Targeting Mitochondrial Function In Diabetic Nephropathy, Colin Reily Jan 2012

Targeting Mitochondrial Function In Diabetic Nephropathy, Colin Reily

All ETDs from UAB

TARGETING MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION IN DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY The incidence of diabetes has increased to epidemic proportions over the last 50 years, due to a complex interaction of lifestyle and dietary factors. Changes in physical activity, caloric intake, and the composition of foods consumed over the last century are thought to interact with metabolic syndrome prone subpopulations leading ultimately to diabetes. It is widely accepted that chronic hyperglycemia in the blood characterizes the diabetic condition. Since the discovery of insulin therapy in the first half of the 20th century, diabetics have extended their lifespan considerably, but at the cost of increased morbitity …

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Molar Distalization To Resolve Class Ii Malocclusion: A Cephalometric Study Utilizing The Carriere Distalizer, Careybeth Hayes Rivers Jan 2012

Molar Distalization To Resolve Class Ii Malocclusion: A Cephalometric Study Utilizing The Carriere Distalizer, Careybeth Hayes Rivers

All ETDs from UAB

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the short-term skeletal and dental effects that occur as a result of Class II malocclusion correction utilizing the Carrière Distalizer as compared to best-matched controls. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort cephalometric study using lateral cephalometric films of 25 (14 male, 11 female, average age 13y 6m) class II patients consecutively treated with the Carrière Distalizer compared with 36 (19 male, 17 female, 13y 2m) untreated class II control subjects from a historical database best-matched based upon age, sex and skeletal classifications. Pretreatment and posttreatment lateral head films were analyzed with …

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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 …

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Cystine/Glutamate Transporters As Prognostic & Therapeutic Markers Of Primary Brain Tumors, Stephanie Marie Robert Jan 2012

Cystine/Glutamate Transporters As Prognostic & Therapeutic Markers Of Primary Brain Tumors, Stephanie Marie Robert

All ETDs from UAB

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are the most prevalent and aggressive malignant brain tumors. Current treatment - a combination of radiation, chemotherapy and resection - has limited effectiveness and offers poor prognosis. In this study, we examined the roles of system xc- (SXC) and excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs), which transport the amino acids cystine and glutamate, on tumor growth, neurotoxicity, and peritumoral seizure activity. Tissue micro-arrays from 45 patients were examined by immuno-histochemistry, comparing tumor-bearing tissue and adjacent normal brain. Using a novel flank tumor propagation technique, we chose 3 glioma samples with varying SXC and EAAT expression levels to study …

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Factors Associated With Participant Retention In A Behavioral Weight Loss Study, Cathy C. Roche Jan 2012

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 …

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Model System Using Controlled Receptor Expression For Molecular Ultrasound Imaging Applications, Reshu Saini Jan 2012

Model System Using Controlled Receptor Expression For Molecular Ultrasound Imaging Applications, Reshu Saini

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Ultrasound is a noninvasive, inexpensive imaging modality used to characterize biological tissues. Targeted contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging is an emerging preclinical strategy which uses contrast agents for characterization of biological processes on a molecular level. These microbubble agents are lipid shelled micron-sized particles that have the capability to be coated with ligands such as antibodies or small peptides in order to bind to their target receptors. Molecular ultrasound imaging, using these targeted contrast agents, allows for a quantitative assessment of molecular targets with a high sensitivity. Although this technique is in preclinical research, further advances in contrast agent design and potential …

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Development And Validation Of A Novel Reporter Assay For Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Late Gene Expression, Beatrice Orru, Ciaran Cunniffe, Fergus Ryan, Stefan Schwartz Jan 2012

Development And Validation Of A Novel Reporter Assay For Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Late Gene Expression, Beatrice Orru, Ciaran Cunniffe, Fergus Ryan, Stefan Schwartz

Articles

To facilitate the investigations of HPV-16 late gene expression HPV-16 reporter plasmids were generated using previously described sub-genomic HPV-16 plasmids, named pBEL and pBELM, that, similar to the full viral genome, produce primarily HPV-16 early mRNAs and very little, if any, late mRNAs in cervical cancer cells. The HPV-16 late L1 gene was replaced by the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene, or green fluorescent protein (GFP), preceded by the poliovirus internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Results show that the reporter genes mimic the expression of L1 from these plasmids. For example, overexpression of adenovirus E4orf4 protein (E4orf4), polypyrimidine tract binding …

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Defects In Acute Rsponses To Tlr4 In Btk-Deficient Mice Result In Impaired Dendritic Cell-Induced Ifn-Γ Production By Natural Killer Cells, Joan Ní Gabhann, Shaun Spence, Claire Wynne, Siobhán Smith, Jennifer C. Byrne, Barbara Coffey, Kevin Stacey, Adrien Kissenpfennig, James A. Johnston, Caroline A. Jefferies Jan 2012

Defects In Acute Rsponses To Tlr4 In Btk-Deficient Mice Result In Impaired Dendritic Cell-Induced Ifn-Γ Production By Natural Killer Cells, Joan Ní Gabhann, Shaun Spence, Claire Wynne, Siobhán Smith, Jennifer C. Byrne, Barbara Coffey, Kevin Stacey, Adrien Kissenpfennig, James A. Johnston, Caroline A. Jefferies

Articles

This study defines a critical role for Btk in regulating TLR4-induced crosstalk between antigen presenting cells (APCs) and natural killer (NK) cells. Reduced levels of IL-12, IL- 18 and IFN-γ were observed in Btk-deficient mice and ex vivo generated macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) following acute LPS administration, whilst enhanced IL-10 production was observed. In addition, upregulation of activation markers and antigen presentation molecules on APCs was also impaired in the absence of Btk. APCs, by virtue of their ability to produce IL-12 and IL-18, are strong inducers of NK-derived IFN-γ. Co-culture experiments demonstrate that Btk-deficient DCs were unable to …

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Bi-Lateral Changes To Hippocampal Cholesterol Levels During Epileptogenesis And In Chronic Epilepsy Following Focal-Onset Status Epilepticus In Mice, Steve Meaney, Maura Heverin, Tobias Engel, Eva Jimenez-Mateosa, Reza Al-Aaudia, David Henshall Jan 2012

Bi-Lateral Changes To Hippocampal Cholesterol Levels During Epileptogenesis And In Chronic Epilepsy Following Focal-Onset Status Epilepticus In Mice, Steve Meaney, Maura Heverin, Tobias Engel, Eva Jimenez-Mateosa, Reza Al-Aaudia, David Henshall

Articles

Brain cholesterol homeostasis has been shown to be disrupted in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases. Investigations in animal models of seizure-induced brain injury suggest that brain cholesterol levels are altered by prolonged seizures (status epilepticus) and are a feature of the pathophysiology of temporal lobe epilepsy. The present study measured hippocampal sterol levels in a model of unilateral hippocampal injury triggered by focal-onset status epilepticus, and in chronically epileptic mice. Status epilepticus was induced by intra-amygdala microinjection of kainic acid and ipsilateral and contralateral hippocampus analyzed. No significant changes were found for ipsilateral or contralateral hippocampal levels …

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Regulation Of Membrane Traffic By The Big2 Member Of Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors, Jason Lowery Jan 2012

Regulation Of Membrane Traffic By The Big2 Member Of Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors, Jason Lowery

All ETDs from UAB

Vesicular transport is an essential cellular process that facilitates the movement of molecules within a cell. The importance of vesicular transport is highlighted by numerous human diseases that result from mutations affecting protein trafficking. The Brefeldin A-inhibited guanine nucleotide exchange factor 2 (BIG2) has emerged as a key regulator of protein trafficking within the late secretory pathway, between the trans-Golgi Network (TGN) and endosomal compartments and within the recycling endosomal pathway. Mutations in BIG2 lead to Autosomal Recessive Periventricular Heterotopia with Microcephly (ARPHM), a disorder characterized by severe brain malformations. BIG2 stimulates nucleotide exchange of GDP for GTP on ADP-ribosylation …

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Modeling And Multi-Objective Optimization For Energy-Based Target Localization Using Wireless Sensor Networks, Zhenxing Luo Jan 2012

Modeling And Multi-Objective Optimization For Energy-Based Target Localization Using Wireless Sensor Networks, Zhenxing Luo

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation focuses on energy-based target localization in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). A WSN consists of a fusion center and a large number of sensors. The fusion center localizes a target using a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method based on decisions received from sensors whose positions are known. However, several factors may degrade localization performance, including imperfect communication channels, sensor faults, sensor position uncertainty, and sensor sleep. Localization performance may be improved if these factors are accounted for in the MLE framework. In this dissertation, models were developed that describe how localization performance is affected by imperfect communication channels, multi-hop …

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Geometric Fitting Of Quadratic Curves And Surfaces, Hui Ma Jan 2012

Geometric Fitting Of Quadratic Curves And Surfaces, Hui Ma

All ETDs from UAB

Fitting quadratic curves and surfaces to observed images is one of the basic tasks in pattern recognition and computer vision. The most accurate and robust fit is obtained by minimizing geometric (orthogonal) distances, but this problem has no closed form solution. All known algorithms are heuristic and either computationally costly or have drawbacks in accuracy and convergence. We develop a mathematically rigorous approach to the study of the geometric fitting problem. We begin with a thorough investigation of relevant theoretical aspects of the problem and then move on to its practical solution. We focus on image processing applications, where data …

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Regulation Of Alpha-Synuclein Accumulation By The Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway In A Preclinical Model Of Parkinson Disease, Leandra Rosa Mangieri Jan 2012

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 …

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