Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Media Violence On Anxiety In Emerging Adults, Anjana Madan

All ETDs from UAB

Media violence exposure is associated with anxiety among children and younger adolescents, but less is known about its effects on anxiety in emerging adults. This experimental study examines whether media violence exposure affects state anxiety and physiological reactivity (as measured through systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure) in emerging adult college students, as well as whether these effects are moderated by previous violence exposure (both in real life and through media). In the present study, participants viewed either violent or nonviolent high-action movie clips, had their physiological reactivity monitored while viewing the clips, and …

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 …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between The External Environment And Care Coordination, Olena Mazurenko

All ETDs from UAB

This study addressed a gap in the care coordination literature by exploring the factors predictive of care coordination, with particular attention to the external environment. The first paper of this dissertation conducted a systematic review of empirical studies that looked at the predictors of care coordination. Based on the 22 papers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, the evidence to support the relationships between care coordination and factors that are predictive of care coordination was shown to be weak to moderate depending on the types of factors you look at. This study has revealed a significant inconsistency in how predictors of …

The Effects Of Venlafaxine On Functional Recovery Following Spinal Cord Injury, Don E. Mccormick

All ETDs from UAB

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can significantly alter a person's physical and psychological health over their lifetime. Depression in persons with SCI is often treated with antidepressants which alter serotonergic and adrenergic signaling, both regulators of plasticity. However, the effects of antidepressants functional recovery after SCI have never been evaluated. Therefore, we hypothesize that antidepressant therapy would alter functional recovery and neuropathic pain behaviors in a SCI rodent model. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of venlafaxine (VEN) administration on functional recovery in the rehabilitation setting using a SCI rodent model. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received a …

The Effects Of Direct To Consumer Advertising On Healthcare Utilization Among Medicaid Children With Asthma, Luceta C. Mcroy

All ETDs from UAB

National guidelines recommend treatment of asthma with preventive long term medication, but adherence remains low, resulting in high healthcare utilization among those affected by the chronic disease. The increase in DTCA since the easing of restrictions by the FDA in 1997 has prompted much debate on the effects of the DTCA, with critics arguing that it is harmful while proponents see many benefits such as increased medication adherence. This study examines the impact of DTCA on healthcare utilization and asthma medication use by combining Medicaid administrative data and a national advertising data set on asthma medication from 1999 to 2002. …

A Study Of Early Adopters Of Innovation, John B. Mcwhorter

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This research study focused on identification of environmental and organizational variables that influence the rate of adoption of administrative innovation in organizations, and specifically hospitals that have adopted nurse magnet programs. The study identified both organizational and environmental factors as statistically significant among early adopters of magnet programs in hospitals, with organizational influences stronger than environmental influences in determining the rate of adoption of innovation. Organizational complexity, size, control of domain, presence of a competitor, and available resources were the factors identified as influencing the early adoption of innovation among hospitals.

Genome-Wide Dna Methylation Changes During Breast Tumorigenesis, Natalie E. Mitchell

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Neoplastic reprogramming generates cancerous cells from normal derivatives, enabling researchers to create a model of the early stages of oncogenesis and analyze molecular changes in real-time. Aberrations in DNA methylation are considered a major mechanism contributing to the acquisition and maintenance of a cancerous phenotype; however, little research exists regarding gene-specific changes in DNA methylation during the transition from a normal to neoplastic cell. Human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) underwent neoplastic transformation through the addition of three defined genetic elements to generate one line of semi-transformed, pre-malignant cells (SHMECs) and two separate lines of fully transformed, malignant cells (THMECs). We …

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

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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). …

An Information Theoretical Modeling And Analysis Of Systems, Bunyamin Ozaydin

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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 …

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

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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 …

Using Mouse Models To Investigate Ciliopathies, Raymond Carl Pasek

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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 …

Impact : Issue 1, Patients' Behbud Society

IMPACT – The Aga Khan University Hospital Archives

Content

- Message from the Chairman

- A fateful encounter that saved my life...

- Our commitment

- Our progress

- Our patients an programmes

Aga Khan University, Report 2012, Aga Khan University

The Aga Khan University Reports Archives

• Chancellor’s Message
• Chairman’s Message
• From the President
• Reflections of a Trustee
• The AKU World
• Overview: Shaping the Future
• Innovative Solutions in Unlikely Places
• Strong Mothers + Healthy Children = A Better World
• Education for Impact
• Acting on Our Values, Leading the Way
• In the Spotlight
• Executive Team
• University Governance
• University Numbers
• Financial Highlights
• Contact Us
• AKDN

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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

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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 …

Staying Power: A Multiple Case Study Of Spirituality As A Factor Of Resiliencey In Female Public School Superintendents In The Southeastern Region Of The United States, Kimberly Williams

All ETDs from UAB

This qualitative multiple case study explored female superintendents' experiences with spirituality as a factor of resiliency. A wide gap exists between the number of females and the number of males leading public school systems in America, and a high turnover rate exists for those leaders filling the superintendency. In an effort to increase the number of female superintendents and to equip them with the resources needed to have sustained leadership, focus needs to be placed on factors contributing to resiliency in leadership. Research has revealed spirituality as one factor impacting resilience in leadership. This study explored three female superintendents' perceptions …

Connexin 43 Remodeling Contribute To Slowed Conduction Velocity In An Irreversible Arrhythmogenic Canine Model Of Non-Ischemic Heart Failure, Jiajie Yan

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Heart failure is associated with a high mortality due to ventricular tachycardia leading to ventricular fibrillation that could arise from impaired conduction velocity. Myocardial conduction relies on intercellular coupling maintained primarily by the gap junction protein connexin43. The objective of this research is to assess the correlation between connexin43 remodeling and altered conduction in our novel irreversible and arrhythmogenic HF large animal model that mimics human heart failure. A novel heart failure canine model was established with combined strategy of creating aortic insufficiency and aortic constriction. We measured conduction velocity in heart failure and control left ventricular epicardium (n=5, 5) …

Effect Of Increasing Truck Weight On Bridges, Denson Yates

All ETDs from UAB

The issue of increasing the gross vehicle weight limit on the interstate highway system has been debated on the local and federal levels. The driving forces for and against this topic cover a broad spectra ranging from economic benefits to public safety. The University Transportation Center of Alabama is sponsoring this study assessing the force effect that bridges experience when travelled by vehicles with a 97,000-lb gross vehicle weight (GVW). The maximum internal shear and moment caused by two proposed trucks (97-S and 97-TRB) are compared to effects from three base models: design live loadings from the American Association of …

Studies In Public Health Systems And Services Research: Three Papers Examining The Market Environment, Quality Improvement, And Community Partnerships, Valerie A. Yeager

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation, comprised of three publishable manuscripts, addresses various identified gaps in the literature focused on public health systems and services research. Public health systems and services research includes studies that examine the organization, financing and delivery of public health services in communities, and the impact of these services on public health. Specifically, this dissertation focuses on three topics: (1) the measurement of the health care market environment of local public health departments, (2) community characteristics related to quality improvement strategies in local public health environments, and (3) the longitudinal changes in public health partnerships and how these partnerships relate …

Transcriptional Regulation Of Gfap, Sujeong Yeo

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Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is an astrocytic intermediate filament protein whose levels are increased in response to CNS injuries. Aim one of my thesis is to find the regulatory elements of the GFAP promoter responsible for its expression properties using a transgenic approach, since previous studies showed inconsistent results between in vitro and in vivo approaches. Two contiguous DNA segments previously implicated in transcriptional control of the GFAP gene, the B region (bp -1612 to -1489), and the C1.1 and C1.2 regions (bp -1488 to -1399), were analyzed. Block mutation of each of 4 contiguous sequences together spanning the …

Fcrl5 Exerts Binary And Compartment-Specific Influence On Innate-Like B Cell Receptor Signaling, Zilu Zhu

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Innate-like splenic marginal zone (MZ) and peritoneal cavity (PEC)-derived B1 B lymphocytes are the major contributors to primary humoral responses and play an important role in connecting innate and adaptive immunity, but are known to significantly differ in their B cell receptor (BCR) signaling characteristics. In mice, FCRL5 is discretely expressed by innate-like MZ and B1 B cells and is furthermore equipped with cytoplasmic ITAM-like and ITIM elements, suggesting diverse signaling potential for it. Our results showed that FCRL5 markedly inhibited BCR-mediated activation in MZ B cells, but not in PEC B1 B cells. To characterize its signaling function, a …

The Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, And Thermal Stability Of Ternary Cr1-Xmoxny Thin-Films, Yujiao Zou

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The microstructure, thermal stability and mechanical properties of ternary chromium molybdenum nitride (Cr-Mo-N) films were studied. In this work, a series of Cr-Mo-N films with different Cr/Mo ratios were deposited on CoCrMo and silicon substrates at various deposition temperatures by using a dual rf-magnetron sputtering system with Cr and Mo targets and nitrogen as reactive gas. Thermal processing at temperatures up to 700°C in air and up to 800°C in microwave plasma with H2/N2 gas mixture were employed to evaluate the thermal stability of films. The films' microstructure was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The …

Clinical Evaluation Of Treatment Of White Spot Lesions With Icon, Candace A. Cronan

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Introduction: Despite an increased awareness by clinicians and their attempt to aid patients in the prevention of white spot lesions, enamel demineralization continues to be a problem associated with orthodontic treatment. Current treatment options for these unaesthetic scars on the teeth range from conservative options for remineralization such as the use of fluoride and CPP-ACP to more aggressive treatment involving loss of tooth structure with microabrasion or restorations. An innovative option for treatment has recently been introduced in the form of the infiltrant resin, Icon. Icon infiltration is a minimally invasive procedure performed by a dentist that is claimed to …

Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of The Natural Dentition, Ryan Jeffery Cox

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The purpose of this study was to determine if ultra short echo time magnetic resonance imaging (UTE-MRI) technology could be used to image teeth in orthodontics. The objectives of this study were to determine the accuracy and resolution of UTE-MRI on dental morphology and its application to the field of orthodontics with respect to appliance affect on morphology. Teeth were collected from the Orthodontic clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Institutional Review Board of the University of Alabama at Birmingham approved the study. High-resolution 3-Tesla UTE-MRI was preformed on sixty extracted human premolar teeth with fixed …

Analysis Of Ergothioneine Production In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Loni Ann Guidry

All ETDs from UAB

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the etiological agent of tuberculosis, currently infects more than two billion people worldwide. Mtb is a highly adaptable pathogen, capable of modifying its metabolism in response to its environment. We previously showed that Mtb WhiB3 is a redox-responsive regulator of core intermediary metabolism and lipid anabolism through which it maintains redox homeostasis. In this work, through the use of metabolomic analysis and a novel radioactive thin layer chromatography assay, we discovered that WhiB3 regulates the production of the intracellular thiol ergothioneine (ergo) when using immunomodulatory lipid precursors as the major carbon source. Our results suggest that this …

The Role Of Histone Methylation In The Medial Temporal Lobe During Long-Term Memory Formation, Swati Gupta

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Several studies have established the importance of epigenetic regulation of gene transcription in the brain during memory consolidation. Epigenetic mechanisms involve modifying the DNA or the associated histone proteins to determine the transcriptional outcome of a gene. The work encompassed in this dissertation serves as an initial investigation for the role of histone lysine methylation mechanisms in regulating gene activation and suppression in the medial temporal lobe that includes entorhinal cortex (EC), hippocampus, and amygdala during memory consolidation. To this end, we found that di-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9me2) which promotes gene suppression was specific to associative …

Neural Networks Involved In Eye Movements In Humans, Demet Gurler

All ETDs from UAB

Saccades, smooth pursuit and vergence eye movements either shift or maintain gaze on objects of interest so that the image of the object is, respectively, either brought to, or maintained on the fovea for detailed analysis. To date, the neural substrates of these eye movements have been characterized individually using a variety of techniques including electrophysiology, positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) both in non-human primates (NHPs) and humans. The non-invasive nature of fMRI allows us to use the same tasks and techniques in both humans and nonhuman primates. The purpose of the present study was …