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2012

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Regulation Of Neuronal Cell Death By Bh3-Only Proteins, Arindam P. Ghosh Jan 2012

Regulation Of Neuronal Cell Death By Bh3-Only Proteins, Arindam P. Ghosh

All ETDs from UAB

Apoptosis in metazoan organisms plays critical roles in normal development, tissue homeostasis and immunity, and its disturbed regulation leads to many pathological states, including cancer, autoimmunity, infection and degenerative disorders. Apoptosis can be triggered by the engagement of `death receptors' of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family on the cell surface or by diverse intracellular signals that act upon the BCL2 (B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2) protein family, which controls the integrity of the mitochondrial outer membrane through the complex interactions of family members. Both the pathways lead to cellular demolition by dedicated proteases termed caspases. Different BH3-only proteins (or combinations of …


Fat Distribution And Metabolic Health: The Effects Of Macronutrient Manipulation On Fat Distribution, Weight Loss, And Glucose Metabolism, Amy Miskimon Goss Jan 2012

Fat Distribution And Metabolic Health: The Effects Of Macronutrient Manipulation On Fat Distribution, Weight Loss, And Glucose Metabolism, Amy Miskimon Goss

All ETDs from UAB

Fat distribution pattern may contribute to risk of development of metabolic diseases such and type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, the precise nature of the relationships between adipose tissue depots and metabolic health remains controversial. Additionally, further research is needed to identify optimal dietary approaches to reduce disease risk and visceral adiposity among overweight and obese individuals, who may already be on a trajectory for development of metabolic disease. Therefore, the goal of this project was to examine relationships of adipose tissue depots with insulin sensitivity, and then to determine if diets differing in CHO and fat content can …


Modulation Of Morpho-Functional Characteristics Of Astrocytes Using Chemically-Functionalized Water-Soluble Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Manoj K. Gottipati Jan 2012

Modulation Of Morpho-Functional Characteristics Of Astrocytes Using Chemically-Functionalized Water-Soluble Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Manoj K. Gottipati

All ETDs from UAB

In this thesis, I report the use of chemically functionalized water-soluble single-walled carbon nanotubes (ws-SWCNTs) for the modulation of morpho-functional characteristics of astrocytes. When added to the culturing medium, ws-SWCNTs were able to make astrocytes larger and stellate/mature, changes associated with the increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity. Thus, ws-SWCNTs could have more beneficial effects at the injury site than previously thought; by affecting astrocytes, they could provide for a more comprehensive re-establishment of the brain computational power.


Becoming Scholars: Examining The Link Between Moral Problem-Solving And Academic Authorship Practices In Future Educational Leaders In One Southern State, Jennifer L. Greer Jan 2012

Becoming Scholars: Examining The Link Between Moral Problem-Solving And Academic Authorship Practices In Future Educational Leaders In One Southern State, Jennifer L. Greer

All ETDs from UAB

The public expects its educational leaders - from instructional leaders and principals to college administrators and deans - to be moral exemplars. Nowhere is moral behavior more central to the central mission of teaching and learning than in the realm of academic integrity, where decisions are made daily about grading, testing, promotion, admissions, placement, and awards. Moral problem solving, one essential and teachable component of moral behavior, has been studied in teachers and, to a lesser extent, principals. Yet little empirical research has been conducted on moral problem solving, or reasoning, among educational leadership graduate students in training for positions …


Predictors Of Vaginal Douching Behavior And Sexual Risk Taking Among A Population Of Women In The South: The Influence Of Sexual Concurrency And Partner Incarceration, Keri J. Griffin Jan 2012

Predictors Of Vaginal Douching Behavior And Sexual Risk Taking Among A Population Of Women In The South: The Influence Of Sexual Concurrency And Partner Incarceration, Keri J. Griffin

All ETDs from UAB

In the United States, adolescent women between the ages of 14 and 19 are estimated to bear the largest burden of sexually transmitted infections. Left untreated, these infections have the potential to result in several adverse reproductive health outcomes. Sexually risky behaviors, including early sexual initiation, sexual partner concurrency, and the use of vaginal douche products increase the risk for the contraction of sexually transmitted infections. Further, having a sexual relationship with a male partner who is known to have other partners or a history of contact with the justice system might put a woman at additional risk. Utilizing a …


Development And Validation Of The Alumni Loyalty Scale, Jennifer Rogers Breland Jan 2012

Development And Validation Of The Alumni Loyalty Scale, Jennifer Rogers Breland

All ETDs from UAB

Developing and maintaining alumni support of higher education institutions is continuously an area of interest for institutional administrators. The role that alumni play in the overall picture has somewhat changed throughout the decades, but what encourages this support has remained the same. A graduate of a higher education institution must have a sense of loyalty, along with other contributing factors, that will create the necessary motivation in order for an alumnus to support his or her alma mater. The purpose of this study is to identify the psychometric properties of an instrument intended to assist institutions with determining the level …


Mental Health Disparities In Racial And Ethnic Minorities: The Impact Of Nativity And Ethnicity On Depression And Anxiety, Henna Budhwani Jan 2012

Mental Health Disparities In Racial And Ethnic Minorities: The Impact Of Nativity And Ethnicity On Depression And Anxiety, Henna Budhwani

All ETDs from UAB

This research examined factors associated with mental health outcomes for minority groups residing in the United States, with an emphasis on racial and ethnic minorities and a further segmentation between those born in the United States and those born outside the United States. Two theories were used: the Healthy Migrant Theory and Health Lifestyles Theory. In combination, they identified important elements, such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, exposure to discrimination, and health lifestyle behaviors, thought to influence mental health outcomes. Nine hypotheses were presented; support was mixed. Some support was found to support the idea that nativity, independently, influenced mental health …


Analysis Of Abundance And Biodiversity Of Mosquitoes And Their Epidemiological Implications In Three Urban Neighborhoods In The Southeastern United States, Erick Xavier Caamano Jan 2012

Analysis Of Abundance And Biodiversity Of Mosquitoes And Their Epidemiological Implications In Three Urban Neighborhoods In The Southeastern United States, Erick Xavier Caamano

All ETDs from UAB

Birmingham, Alabama has experienced several mosquito-borne epidemics, including Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) and West Nile virus (WNV). Despite the outbreak of these diseases, the city lacks a mosquito surveillance program that would assist in vector control efforts. In order to assess the possible advantages of implementing a surveillance system for the city, three neighborhoods were chosen for surveys based on the fact that past epidemics have been concentrated in these areas. During the two surveillance years, 2009 had more abundance of mosquitoes and more species variability than the 2010 season. Overall, as abundance of mosquitoes increased in a particular site, …


Effect Of Different Percentages Of Silica Nanofibers Filler Loads On Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Flowable And Hybrid Composite Resins, Qinyue Cai Jan 2012

Effect Of Different Percentages Of Silica Nanofibers Filler Loads On Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Flowable And Hybrid Composite Resins, Qinyue Cai

All ETDs from UAB

Dental composites are used for a variety of applications in dentistry today. Dental composites are composed of a resin matrix containing a blend of Bis-GMA (bis-phenol A-glycidyldimethacrylate) or urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) along with TEGDMA (tetraethylglycidylmethacrylate). Exhaustive researches has been conducted in recent years to improve physical and mechanical properties of resin-based dental composites, since the existing resin-filler systems may not be suitable for long term applications in large as well as high stress restorations. Nanofillers reinforced composite resins have shown promising results. Silica-based nanoparticles and clusters are blended with larger-sized fillers and are available commercially for restoring large posterior restorations. …


What Constitutes A Mentoring Mindset In Doctoral Students? A Phenomenological Study Of Graduate Faculty Experiences At A Research I University In The Southern United States, Kellie René Carter Jan 2012

What Constitutes A Mentoring Mindset In Doctoral Students? A Phenomenological Study Of Graduate Faculty Experiences At A Research I University In The Southern United States, Kellie René Carter

All ETDs from UAB

The complex graduate student-faculty mentor relationship mentoring plays a substantial role in the academic and professional success of graduate students within the diverse settings of higher education institutions. An understanding of the mentee's level of preparedness for the mentoring relationship, or mentoring mindset, is needed in order to better inform graduate faculty mentors and graduate students about factors that contribute to a successful mentoring relationship. Existing research tends to concentrate on valued mentor characteristics from the mentee's perspective. However, there is little research on the mentee's preparedness for the doctoral student-faculty member mentoring relationship in a higher education setting. This …


Multiple Object Retrieval In Image Databases Using Hierarchical Segmentation Tree, Wei-Bang Chen Jan 2012

Multiple Object Retrieval In Image Databases Using Hierarchical Segmentation Tree, Wei-Bang Chen

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this research is to develop a new visual information analysis, representation, and retrieval framework for automatic discovery of salient objects of user's interest in large-scale image databases. In particular, this dissertation describes a content-based image retrieval framework which supports multiple-object retrieval. The proposed research, unlike most existing works that are designed for single object retrieval or adopt heuristic multiple object matching scheme, aims at contributing to this field through the development of an image retrieval system that enables effective and efficient multiple-object retrieval and automatic discovery of the objects of interest through users' relevance feedback. The key …


Effects Of Stress On Growth Hormone Receptor Signaling, Ryan Marshall Corrick Jan 2012

Effects Of Stress On Growth Hormone Receptor Signaling, Ryan Marshall Corrick

All ETDs from UAB

Growth hormone (GH) regulates body composition via stimulation of protein synthesis and catabolism of adipose tissue, generally promoting maintenance of lean body mass. Following severe injury, GH resistance contributes to muscle protein wasting, adversely impacting morbidity and mortality. In this dissertation research, we sought to determine the mechanisms of GH resistance following injury. To accomplish this, we evaluated GH signaling in a mouse model of severe injury. In the first section of this thesis, we demonstrate severe impairments in hepatic GH signaling occurring in association with an apparent, hemorrhage-dependent cleavage of the GH receptor (GHR). In the second section, we …


Risk Factors For Stroke In Rural African Americans And Factors That Influence Exercise Behaviors To Reduce Stroke Risk, Dawn M. Aycock Jan 2012

Risk Factors For Stroke In Rural African Americans And Factors That Influence Exercise Behaviors To Reduce Stroke Risk, Dawn M. Aycock

All ETDs from UAB

Stroke has increased among young adults, which is concerning for African Americans (AA) who tend to have stroke at an earlier age and an increased risk for mortality and severe disability. Rural dwellers lack resources which may increase their susceptibility to stroke. Regular exercise can reduce stroke; however, physical activity among AA is low. The purpose of this research was to use an Expanded Health Belief Model to examine perceived and actual stroke risk among rural AA 19 to 54 years of age and factors that influence exercise behaviors to reduce stroke risk. A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Participants …


How Older Adults With Age-Related Macular Degeneration Living In A Southeastern Metropolitan Area Develop Physical Activity Self-Efficacy, A Grounded Theory Study, Elizabeth Anne Barstow Jan 2012

How Older Adults With Age-Related Macular Degeneration Living In A Southeastern Metropolitan Area Develop Physical Activity Self-Efficacy, A Grounded Theory Study, Elizabeth Anne Barstow

All ETDs from UAB

HOW OLDER ADULTS WITH AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION LIVING IN A SOUTHEASTERN METROPOLITAN AREA DEVELOP PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SELF-EFFICACY, A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY ABSTRACT This qualitative grounded theory study explored the process of Physical Activity Self-Efficacy development among older adults with age-related macular degeneration in a southeastern metropolitan area. According to the United States Administration on Aging, the population of individuals over 65 will be 88.5 million by the year 2050, doubling its 2010 estimates. As our population ages, so does the prevalence of chronic conditions. One of these chronic conditions, age-related macular degeneration, is the leading cause of vision loss in …


Postpartum Health Outcomes Of Male Partners: The Paternity Role, Carrie Ann Betcher Jan 2012

Postpartum Health Outcomes Of Male Partners: The Paternity Role, Carrie Ann Betcher

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this study was to investigate how assuming a paternal role for the first time affects the mental and physical health of males, and identify the key characteristics of the paternal role. The characteristics deemed most important by first-time fathers were providing love (51.3%), being a teacher (19.9%), participating in childcare responsibilities (11.8%), providing financially (9.6%), providing protection (3.7%), and being an authority figure (3.7%). Conversely, 21.1% of fathers stated financial obligations were not important, and 18.7% of fathers deemed participating in childcare not important. All fathers within this study self-reported being at least moderately active in their …


Characterizing The Transcriptional Complexity Of Pkhd1/Pkhd1, Ravindra Boddu Jan 2012

Characterizing The Transcriptional Complexity Of Pkhd1/Pkhd1, Ravindra Boddu

All ETDs from UAB

Mutations in PKHD1 gene cause autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. Our previous studies have shown that human PKHD1 and its mouse orthologue, Pkhd1, undergo an extensive pattern of alternative splicing. Pkhd1 is primarily expressed in renal and biliary tubular structures. Translation products of these alternative spliced transcripts are predicted to generate isoforms expressed in plasma membrane, primary cilium and cytoplasm. We have characterized the cyli mouse model of ARPKD and identified a frameshift mutation, c.7589delGGinsT, in Pkhd1 exon 48. In this thesis we have characterized the mouse Pkhd1cyli/cyli model (liver restricted phenotype) and evaluated the transcriptome in terms of alternative …


Schizophrenia And Vergence Eye Movements, Mark S. Bolding Jan 2012

Schizophrenia And Vergence Eye Movements, Mark S. Bolding

All ETDs from UAB

Background: Compared to healthy controls (HC), patients with schizophrenia (SZ) have lower smooth pursuit gain and have been reported as having a higher prevalence of convergence insufficiency. To date, however, there have been no reports on vergence tracking gain in such patients. Therefore, we investigated both static and dynamic vergence behavior in healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Eye movements were recorded in multiple tasks including antisaccades, triangular waveform smooth pursuit at multiple frequencies, and triangular waveform vergence tracking of a real target at multiple frequencies. Eye position data were collected at 500 Hz using a binocular video eye …


Scaffold-Mediated Size Determination Of Bacteriophage Capsids By Mobile Genetic Elements, Altaira Davida Dearborn Jan 2012

Scaffold-Mediated Size Determination Of Bacteriophage Capsids By Mobile Genetic Elements, Altaira Davida Dearborn

All ETDs from UAB

Bacteriophage can mediate the transfer of unrelated mobile genetic elements (MGE) from a carrier bacterial cell to the susceptible population around it. This transfer results in the spread of virulence or other accessory genes encoded on the MGE. During viral particle assembly, the MGE can discourage the formation of viable bacteriophage progeny by limiting the size of the particles to those large enough to encapsidate the MGE, but too small to fit the complete bacteriophage genome which is three times larger. Here, I present models for size determination by an external scaffolding protein which is independent of and dominant over …


Physical Activity Barriers Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Cognitive Mapping Study, Anna De Joya Jan 2012

Physical Activity Barriers Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Cognitive Mapping Study, Anna De Joya

All ETDs from UAB

Background: Despite the strong evidence indicating the benefits of regular physical activity (PA) for health and functioning, individuals with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) do not engage in PA at levels consistent with public health recommendations. To eliminate the health disparities and promote PA in this population, the barriers unique to individuals with TBI should be identified by different stakeholders to establish effective health promotion programs that have sustainable outcomes. There is limited evidence to guide the development and delivery of effective PA interventions in the TBI field. Objectives: The specific aims of this study are: 1) to identify the …


Executive Functioning And Behavior Among Very Low Birth Weight Children At School-Age, Desiree Maria De Jong Jan 2012

Executive Functioning And Behavior Among Very Low Birth Weight Children At School-Age, Desiree Maria De Jong

All ETDs from UAB

Children born prematurely and/or with low birth weight (LBW) are at significantly higher risk than their full-term peers for developing cognitive, behavioral, attention, and executive functioning (EF) difficulties by school-age. The difficulties experienced by this population typically persist well into adolescence and vary as a function of birth weight, with infants weighing less at significantly higher risk for long-term problems. However, there is little consensus with regard to the specific factors that place preterm and LBW children at greatest risk for EF and behavioral impairments. A primary purpose of the current study was to examine the degree to which neonatal/ …


An Information Theory Based Representation Of Software Systems And Design, Zekai Demirezen Jan 2012

An Information Theory Based Representation Of Software Systems And Design, Zekai Demirezen

All ETDs from UAB

Software designers can benefit from the experience of engineering designers and information theory formalism. Every design starts with uncertainty and the art of software design involves uncertainty reduction. Information theory enables software designers to adopt a systems view that facilitates intellectual control over a given software design. Since design imposes organization through successive transformations in reaching the final product, it is possible to formalize design with information theory. We investigated software design as a hierarchical decomposition of design spaces. We realized that before initiating the software design process there is minimal organization, representing higher entropy. The design decisions carrying out …


Evaluation Of The Association Of Low-Level Prenatal Blood Lead Exposure And Auditory Brainstem Response Among Infants, Timothy A. Dignam Jan 2012

Evaluation Of The Association Of Low-Level Prenatal Blood Lead Exposure And Auditory Brainstem Response Among Infants, Timothy A. Dignam

All ETDs from UAB

Hearing loss is one of the most common major abnormalities present among infants. Two to four infants per 1,000 are born in the United States with severe-to-profound newborn hearing loss (Chu 2003). Undetected, hearing loss delays speech, language, and cognitive development. Numerous studies have shown that prenatal lead exposure is associated with a variety of neurobehavioral and electrophysiological abnormalities (Abbate 1995, Bellinger 2004, Koller 2004). Studies focusing on hearing have primarily described pediatric cases or occupationally exposed adults where blood lead levels (BLLs) are much higher than currently seen in the United States (Otto 1985; Bleecker 2003; Schwartz 1987). Hearing …


The Impact Of Speed Of Processing Training On Physical Function And Mobility Trajectories In Old Age., Joan Elizabeth Dodson Jan 2012

The Impact Of Speed Of Processing Training On Physical Function And Mobility Trajectories In Old Age., Joan Elizabeth Dodson

All ETDs from UAB

Multiple research studies have shown transfer effects in everyday functioning with speed of processing training. Research has also shown that processing speed predicts physical function and mobility trajectories, with declining speed predicting weaker physical capacities and smaller life space. Additionally, it is well established that processing speed declines in older adults. As processing speed is a modifable cognitive ability, it is possible that speed of processing training may be useful to improve physical function and mobility outcomes in the aging population. The current study examined 5-year trajectories of mobility and physical function in 1400 older adults to ascertain if speed …


Wind Resistance Of Composite Structural Insulated Panels (Csips), Li Dong Jan 2012

Wind Resistance Of Composite Structural Insulated Panels (Csips), Li Dong

All ETDs from UAB

Extreme windstorms are frequent and destructive natural hazards in the United States. Each wind disaster proves that traditional wood houses are too fragile to withstand high air pressures. The proposed Composite Structural Insulated Panels (CSIPs) are made of a low-cost, thermoplastic orthotropic glass/poly-propylene (glass-PP) laminate as the face sheet and expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam as the core, with a high face sheet/core moduli ratio. In order to evaluate the wind-resistance of CSIPs, panels with cores of 16 kg/m3 (1 PCF) and 48 kg/m3 (3 PCF) density were tested at the University of Florida. Stepwise and dynamic simulated wind pressure was …


The Impact Of The State Children's Health Insurance Program's Unborn Child Ruling On Foreign-Born Latina Prenatal Care Utilization And Birth Outcomes, 2000-2007, Jonathan Hawthorne Drewry Jan 2012

The Impact Of The State Children's Health Insurance Program's Unborn Child Ruling On Foreign-Born Latina Prenatal Care Utilization And Birth Outcomes, 2000-2007, Jonathan Hawthorne Drewry

All ETDs from UAB

In 2002 the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) "unborn child ruling" was established to provide prenatal care (PNC) to low income women otherwise without health insurance. The majority of foreign-born (FB) Latinas otherwise ineligible for PNC should have benefited most from the ruling. In late 2003 six states incorporated the UCR into their state plan amendments, providing a natural experiment for policy analysis. This study used cross-sectional pooled natality data from 2000-2007 to estimate the effect of the UCR on prenatal care utilization (PNCU) and birth outcomes. A differences-in-differences econometrics model was employed using policy enacting and non-enacting states, …


Nasal Encephaloceles Presenting At Later Ages: Experience Of Otorhinolaryngology Department At A Tertiary Care Center In Karachi, Pakistan, Montasir Junaid, Zain-Ul-Abedeen Sobani, Adeel Ahmed Shamim, Maliha Kazi, Mumtaz Jamshed Khan Jan 2012

Nasal Encephaloceles Presenting At Later Ages: Experience Of Otorhinolaryngology Department At A Tertiary Care Center In Karachi, Pakistan, Montasir Junaid, Zain-Ul-Abedeen Sobani, Adeel Ahmed Shamim, Maliha Kazi, Mumtaz Jamshed Khan

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

Encephaloceles are anomalous herniations of the meninges, with or without brain matter. Globally the incidence of encephalocele is about 1 per 35,000 births, but it is more frequently reported in Southeast Asia. As the defect is more pertinent to embryological development, an encephalocele is a more common entity in an infant with a mean age of presentation ranging between 15.5 and 21 months; making an encephalocele presenting for the first time in a relatively, older individual a rare occurrence. Consequently a surgeon might not consider an encephalocele among his differentials. Here we present a series of encephaloceles that presented at …


A Case Report: Giant Cystic Parathyroid Adenoma Presenting With Parathyroid Crisis After Vitamin D Replacement, Ali Asghar, Mubasher Ikram, Najmul Islam Jan 2012

A Case Report: Giant Cystic Parathyroid Adenoma Presenting With Parathyroid Crisis After Vitamin D Replacement, Ali Asghar, Mubasher Ikram, Najmul Islam

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

Background: Parathyroid adenoma with cystic degeneration is a rare cause of primary hyperparathyroidism. The clinical and biochemical presentation may mimic parathyroid carcinoma. Case presentation: We report the case of a 55 year old lady, who had longstanding history of depression and acid peptic disease. Serum calcium eight months prior to presentation was slightly high, but she was never worked up. She was found to be Vitamin D deficient while being investigated for generalized body aches. A month after she was replaced with Vitamin D, she presented to us with parathyroid crisis. Her corrected serum calcium was 23.0 mg/dL. She had …


Perceptions Of Rural America: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Protest Elements In Popular Country Music, Natalee Denise Singleton Jan 2012

Perceptions Of Rural America: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Protest Elements In Popular Country Music, Natalee Denise Singleton

All ETDs from UAB

As rural America evolves from its agrarian roots, an onslaught of economic, geographic, and societal changes affect cultural tensions. During every significant cultural shift in America, pop culture and mass media outlets have been there to interpret it, commentate on it, and sometimes provoke it. Country music is no exception. A rhetorical analysis of popular contemporary country music shows that country artists are seeking expression on the topics of rural identity, cultural endangerment, and methods of cultural sustention. An exploration of the lyrical and musical elements of select songs, examined against scholarly studies of the protest and propaganda music of …


Stigma As A Barrier To Formal Treatment For Substance Use: A Gendered Analysis, Kristi Lynn Stringer Jan 2012

Stigma As A Barrier To Formal Treatment For Substance Use: A Gendered Analysis, Kristi Lynn Stringer

All ETDs from UAB

It is estimated that approximately 22 million Americans are in need of treatment for substance related disorders each year; however 20 million of those in need of substance treatment fail to utilize formal treatment services. The large gap between those who need formal treatment services and those who receive such services indicates that a better understanding of factors affecting treatment utilization is needed. Researchers have shown that stigmatizing attitudes towards substance use disorders are a leading cause for treatment delay and avoidance. Furthermore, gender role theories suggest that women may experience greater stigma (double stigma or triple stigma) related to …


The Role Of St6gal-I Sialylation In Fas (Cd95) Death Receptor Function And Tumorigenesis, Amanda F. Swindall Jan 2012

The Role Of St6gal-I Sialylation In Fas (Cd95) Death Receptor Function And Tumorigenesis, Amanda F. Swindall

All ETDs from UAB

The golgi glycosyltransferase, ST6Gal-I, adds a negatively-charged sialic acid in an alpha-2-6 linkage to N-linked glycans. ST6Gal-I is upregulated in many cancers, and is associated with increased metastasis and poor patient prognosis. ST6Gal-I expression has been shown to be driven by oncogenic-ras signaling. However, mechanistic details of the role ST6Gal-I plays in tumor initiation and progression are not well defined. Historically, studies have focused on contributions of ST6Gal-I to the malignant cell phenotypes of migration and invasion. Emerging evidence including studies contained in this dissertation have begun to elucidate a role for ST6Gal-I as a regulator of apoptotic signaling by …