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2013

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Cognitive Training Refines Connectivity Of The Aging Human Brain To Improve Performance, Christine R. Denning Jan 2013

Cognitive Training Refines Connectivity Of The Aging Human Brain To Improve Performance, Christine R. Denning

All ETDs from UAB

Cognitive deficits that occur as a function of age are highly variable within a sample of older adults of similar age. Training paradigms are available that can reverse cognitive declines that occur with age and improve behavioral performance. However, the benefits of training are also highly variable. The goal of this study was to use func-tional connectivity analyses on functional MRI data to help identify the source of this variability and to determine if cognitive training could alter network structure in the ag-ing human brain. Resting-state functional connectivity data was acquired to investigate several neural networks in forty-one older adults. …


Polymerization Shrinkage Strain Versus C-Factor And Placement Method For Dental Composites, Shashank Godbole Jan 2013

Polymerization Shrinkage Strain Versus C-Factor And Placement Method For Dental Composites, Shashank Godbole

All ETDs from UAB

Polymerization shrinkage is an important property when restoring teeth with dental composites since resins shrink during polymerization creating stress and strain around the restoration. This may produce failure at the composite-tooth interface. This leads to marginal gaps, staining, post-operative sensitivity, secondary caries, and crack development within the body of a tooth. It is critical to be able to measure polymerization strain produced during composite polymerization. Objective: To measure and compare the polymerization shrinkage strain of various bulk and incrementally placed composites using a novel and recently developed model with different C-factors. Methods: Teflon molds were used to prepare Z100 composite …


Regulation Of Capsule By Cpsa And Global Regulatory Networks In Streptococcus Pneumoniae Type 2, Kanupriya Gupta Jan 2013

Regulation Of Capsule By Cpsa And Global Regulatory Networks In Streptococcus Pneumoniae Type 2, Kanupriya Gupta

All ETDs from UAB

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen that can reside asymptomatically in the nasopharynx before causing invasive disease by entering systemic sites. This involves regulation of colonization and virulence factors including capsule. cps2A, the first gene of the capsule (cps) locus has been proposed to regulate capsule, however its exact role and mechanism is not well understood. A complete deletion of cps2A resulted in enhanced capsule levels, with no alteration in the transcription levels of cps genes. Complementation of Cps2A restored wild type levels of capsule. Expression of the C-terminal tail alone was able to partially complement the deletion strain, …


Relationships Between Latino Parental, Adolescent And Cultural Variables On Adolescents' Attitudes, Norms, Self-Efficacy, And Sexual Intentions, Vanessa Pirani Gaioso Jan 2013

Relationships Between Latino Parental, Adolescent And Cultural Variables On Adolescents' Attitudes, Norms, Self-Efficacy, And Sexual Intentions, Vanessa Pirani Gaioso

All ETDs from UAB

The quantity and quality of parent-adolescent sexual communication has been suggested as the best predictor on adolescent sexual behavior. The purpose of this study was to test a theoretical model based on the Parent-Based Expansion of the Theory of Planned Behavior (PETPB) examining relationships between selected parental, adolescent and cultural variables and Latino adolescents' intentions to engage in sexual behavior. This study used a cross-sectional correlational design based on a secondary data analysis of 130 Latino parent and adolescent dyads. Regression and path analysis procedures were used to test seven research hypotheses and the results demonstrated partial support for the …


Comparison Of The Lenstar Optical Biometer And A-Scan Ultrasonography To Measure Ocular Components, Drew W. Gann Jan 2013

Comparison Of The Lenstar Optical Biometer And A-Scan Ultrasonography To Measure Ocular Components, Drew W. Gann

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this study was to compare ocular component dimensions and treated minus control eye differences measured with the Lenstar optical biometer to those measured with A-scan ultrasound in the tree shrew model of refractive development and induced myopia. A-scan ultrasonographic measures (A-scan) were taken with a 15 MHz focused pulser/receiver and compared with measures made with the Lenstar LS900 optical biometer (Haag-Streit, Basel, Switzerland). Anterior segment depth (ASD), lens thickness (LT), vitreous chamber depth (VCD), and axial length (AL) were measured in treated eyes (30), fellow control eyes (30), and normal eyes (86) in tree shrews (n=146), between …


Potential Roles Of The Immunostimulatory Signals Il-15 And Mica In Oncolytic Hsv-1 Therapy For Malignant Glioma, David Curtis Gaston Jan 2013

Potential Roles Of The Immunostimulatory Signals Il-15 And Mica In Oncolytic Hsv-1 Therapy For Malignant Glioma, David Curtis Gaston

All ETDs from UAB

Malignant gliomas are the most frequently diagnosed and the most fatal primary brain tumors. Innovative therapeutic approaches are necessary to combat these devastating cancers, and oncolytic herpes simplex virus type-1 (oHSV) deleted of the γ134.5 neurovirulence gene is a promising adjunctive therapy. The primary mechanism of tumor clearance by oHSV is lytic replication specifically within malignant cells. oHSV also stimulates tumor infiltration of cytotoxic immune effector cells that can participate in tumor clearance. However, cytotoxic immune cells target oHSV as well as tumor, which may limit therapeutic efficacy. Further knowledge regarding the nature of these interactions and how the interactions …


The Impact Of Weight Status On The Adoption Of Self-Care Behaviors Among Heart Failure Patients, Bern'nadette Knight Jan 2013

The Impact Of Weight Status On The Adoption Of Self-Care Behaviors Among Heart Failure Patients, Bern'nadette Knight

All ETDs from UAB

Self-care is a major component of heart failure management. Excess weight is a disease that may negatively affect a patient's ability to effectively practice self-care. The project aimed to assess 1) the relationship between weight status and heart failure self-care behaviors and 2) the modification of the relationship between social support and heart failure self-care by weight status. This cross sectional study utilized baseline data from a cohort of African-American and Caucasian participants diagnosed with heart failure. The heart failure cohort was formed from three larger studies (n=690) designed to assess the relationships among social support, self-care behaviors and hospital …


Virus-Induced Inflammation And Central Nervous System Development, Kate Kosmac Jan 2013

Virus-Induced Inflammation And Central Nervous System Development, Kate Kosmac

All ETDs from UAB

Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a complex cause of central nervous system (CNS) disease. Infection with HCMV during pregnancy results in virus transmission across the placenta and infection of the fetus. With a seroconversion rate in pregnant women between 1% and 4%, HCMV is the most frequently transmitted virus from mother to developing child. Each year between 2,000 and 4,000 infants will suffer from long-term neurologic deficits as a result of congenital infection. The well documented CNS sequelae resulting from congenital HCMV infection have described a wide range of damage without a specific set of pathologic markers for disease. …


Characterization Of Legal Highs And Their Pyrolysis Products, Emily Denise Bouso Jan 2013

Characterization Of Legal Highs And Their Pyrolysis Products, Emily Denise Bouso

All ETDs from UAB

Legal highs are any mind-altering substance produced and sold in a manner to avoid the legal consequences of illicit substances. They have been advertised and sold as Spice, Bath Salts, plant food, and research chemicals. Not only are these drugs presenting major problems to law enforcement, but also to health care providers. The exact composition for many of these substances is not known. Therefore, treatment for patients who have taken these drugs is limited to symptomatic care. Harmful exposure to these substances is not limited to the primary components within the drugs, but can include potentially toxic by-products that result …


The Influence Of Socioeconomic Status And System Design On Child Passenger Safety, Donald Scott Burke Jan 2013

The Influence Of Socioeconomic Status And System Design On Child Passenger Safety, Donald Scott Burke

All ETDs from UAB

Motor vehicle collisions remain the number one cause of death for children in the United States, despite decades of prevention efforts led by safety experts and numerous private and government organizations. The overarching purpose of this research was to examine and compare the system safety factors that influence child passenger safety (CPS) with a particular focus on children living in poverty. The NASS-CDS and U.S. Census national databases were utilized to determine the effect of socioeconomic status on child occupant morbidity and mortality. The results of this analysis revealed for the first time, the disproportionate vulnerability of poor children in …


Impact Of Quality Performance On Financial Risk And Cost Of Capital In Hospitals, James D. Byrd Jan 2013

Impact Of Quality Performance On Financial Risk And Cost Of Capital In Hospitals, James D. Byrd

All ETDs from UAB

This study evaluated the relationship of hospital quality of care as measured by mortality scores to hospital cost of capital as represented by average cost of debt. A composite mortality score (weighted average of Hospital Compare's risk adjusted mortality rate for each hospital) was regressed against the hospitals' average cost of debt using OLS and the Stata 11 robust clustering function to adjust for repeated occurrences of hospitals across years. The data base consisted of acute care hospitals with interest expense observed over the three year period 2008 - 2010 (n=3420). Control variables included a number of hospital characteristic (e.g., …


O-Linked Beta-N-Acetylglucosamine (O-Glcnac) And The Mitochondrion, Christopher Calderon Jan 2013

O-Linked Beta-N-Acetylglucosamine (O-Glcnac) And The Mitochondrion, Christopher Calderon

All ETDs from UAB

O-linked beta-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a dynamic and ubiquitous posttranslational modification of serine and threonine residues on nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. O-GlcNAc has emerged as an important regulator of cellular processes such as cell signaling, transcription, translation, apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation, among others. O-GlcNAc is thought to be a contributor to pathologies such as hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. O-GlcNAc has been viewed as an indicator of cellular energy levels and is associated with diabetic complications under nutrient excess. Other studies have shown that a variety of stress stimuli increase the levels of protein O-GlcNAc in mammalian cells, and this increase …


Adolescent Mothers: Factors Affecting Social And Sexual Decision-Making, Donna M. Campbell Jan 2013

Adolescent Mothers: Factors Affecting Social And Sexual Decision-Making, Donna M. Campbell

All ETDs from UAB

Adolescent pregnancy remains a public health concern despite decades of attempts to prevent it. The United States continues to have the highest adolescent pregnancy rates of any industrialized country (Kost, Henshaw, & Carlin, 2010). While adolescents of all ages (10-21 years) can become pregnant, pregnancy rates are highest among adolescents who are 15 to 19 years of age. Multiple factors have been identified that increase the likelihood of adolescent pregnancy and repeat pregnancy. Often times, adolescent pregnancy is the result of sexual risk-taking, which has been attributed to the changes that occur neurologically, physically, and emotionally (Reyna & Farley, 2006). …


Reckless Reevaluated: Containment Theory And Its Ability To Explain Desistance Among Serious Adolescent Offenders, Stephanie Michelle Cardwell Jan 2013

Reckless Reevaluated: Containment Theory And Its Ability To Explain Desistance Among Serious Adolescent Offenders, Stephanie Michelle Cardwell

All ETDs from UAB

Social control theorists posit that crime and delinquency occur among members in society because an individuals' behavior is not well regulated. Recent control theories have emphasized the importance of high self-control and strong bonds to society in deterring criminal behavior. However, one of the original theories of self-control has been largely ignored among scholars. Developed by Walter Reckless in the 1960s, containment theory suggests that individuals are pushed and pulled into crime. Pushes are elements that pressure individuals to engage in delinquency while pulls draw individuals away from accepted forms of behavior. The theory states that pushes and pulls are …


The Flow Of The Social: Developing A Constructal Systemic Approach To The Study Of Health Inequalities, William A. Anderson Jan 2013

The Flow Of The Social: Developing A Constructal Systemic Approach To The Study Of Health Inequalities, William A. Anderson

All ETDs from UAB

Society is a dynamic, living system. People, groups, institutions, and cultures are intricately interconnected. Changes in one area of society create changes in other areas. Causes and results may be closely linked or separated by time and space. Sociologists readily acknowledge this dynamic reality. However, our mainstream theories and methods often fail to account for it. Even after decades of research into social inequalities in health, medical sociology still seems far away from being able to offer any definitive ideas about why such inequalities exist and persist despite efforts to alleviate them. Medical sociology (and sociology in general) is centered …


Energy Performance Evaluation Of Aac, Hulya Aybek Jan 2013

Energy Performance Evaluation Of Aac, Hulya Aybek

All ETDs from UAB

The U.S. building industry constitutes the largest consumer of energy (i.e., electricity, natural gas, petroleum) in the world. The building sector uses almost 41percent of the primary energy and approximately 72percent of the available electricity in the United States. As global energy-generating resources are being depleted at exponential rates, the amount of energy consumed and wasted cannot be ignored. Professionals concerned about the environment have placed a high priority on finding solutions that reduce energy consumption while maintaining occupant comfort. Sustainable design and the judicious combination of building materials comprise one solution to this problem. A future including sustainable energy …


The Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Cardiac Hypertrophy Due To Volume Overload., Justin Andrew Barnes Jan 2013

The Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Cardiac Hypertrophy Due To Volume Overload., Justin Andrew Barnes

All ETDs from UAB

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a common form of heart disease, but there are no approved medical therapies for MR or other cardiovascular conditions associated with hemodynamic volume overload (VO) and eccentric remodeling. We have previously shown that a standard heart failure treatment, ß-adrenergic system blockade (ß-RB), improves function in animal models of VO and in MR patients without attenuating the adverse eccentric hypertrophy that occurs in conjunction with VO. This paradox highlights how poorly we understand eccentric remodeling of the heart, and a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms at work in VO must be obtained before we can develop …


The Interactional Effects Of Incentive Value And Task Difficulty: A Partial Explanation For Gender Differences In Cardiovascular Response To A Performance Challange., Patricia Barreto Jan 2013

The Interactional Effects Of Incentive Value And Task Difficulty: A Partial Explanation For Gender Differences In Cardiovascular Response To A Performance Challange., Patricia Barreto

All ETDs from UAB

Participants were presented an impossible or moderately difficult mental addition task; half of them were led to believe that they could win a traditionally masculine incentive by meeting a certain performance standard and half of them were led to believe that they could win a traditionally feminine incentive if they met the same performance standard. In the feminine incentive group, Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) during the work period was stronger under difficult than impossible conditions among women, but low under both difficulty conditions among men. In the masculine incentive group, blood pressure measures (SBP, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial …


Adapter Based Strategies For Adenovirus Vector Retargeting To T Lymphocytes, Matthew S. Beatty Jan 2013

Adapter Based Strategies For Adenovirus Vector Retargeting To T Lymphocytes, Matthew S. Beatty

All ETDs from UAB

Adenoviruses are the most commonly used gene therapy vector for cancer therapy clinical trials. While adenovirus has shown a great track record in a variety of cancer therapeutics it has not progressed as a vector system for the modification of T lymphocytes. One of the major roadblocks towards utilizing adenovirus for T cell therapy is the lack of coxsackie virus and adenovirus receptor on the cell surface of T cell lineages. Exploitation of alternative receptors has allowed adenovirus vectors to be utilized in a variety of cell types that native adenovirus type 5 cannot infect. Thus, retargeting adenovirus to an …


In-Vivo Characterization Of Cone Photoreceptor Packing Density With Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy In Different Racial Groups, Ernesto Blanco Rivero Jan 2013

In-Vivo Characterization Of Cone Photoreceptor Packing Density With Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy In Different Racial Groups, Ernesto Blanco Rivero

All ETDs from UAB

Cone photoreceptors are one of the two types of essential light sensitive cells that initiate the visual process in the human retina. A normal database of the cone density of healthy eyes may provide an important measure for diagnosing retinal diseases that cause photoreceptor loss, for monitoring disease progression, and for evaluating treatment out-come. Recent studies revealed that the foveal pit morphology, retina thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, and optic nerve head structure significantly correlated with racial background. We hypothesize that the cone density may be also modified by racial background. To test this hypothesis, I used a …


A Prospective Study Of Bone Augmentation With Growth Factors In Extraction Sockets, Athanasios Ntounis Jan 2013

A Prospective Study Of Bone Augmentation With Growth Factors In Extraction Sockets, Athanasios Ntounis

All ETDs from UAB

Ridge preservation protocols reduce crestal remodeling after tooth extraction. Limited evidence supports the potential of different grafting materials to preserve the alveolar ridge. There is limited evidence to indicate advantage of bone replacement grafting in combination with platelet rich plasma (PRP), compared to grafting alone. A combination of recombinant human platelet derived growth factor (rhPDGF-BB) with beta tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) has recently been approved to aid wound healing. Aim: To evaluate early healing of grafted and non-grafted extraction sockets in the es-thetic zone, with or without PRP and rhPDGF-BB. Materials and Methods: Population consisted of 41 healthy adult patients whose …


Uptake Of Antenatal Care Services And Pregnancy Outcome In Kumasi, Ghana, Asundep Ntui Jan 2013

Uptake Of Antenatal Care Services And Pregnancy Outcome In Kumasi, Ghana, Asundep Ntui

All ETDs from UAB

A prior study reported a 44.6% prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in Kumasi, Ghana. This study investigated factors that may influence antenatal care (ANC) utilization and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes; defined as low birth weight, stillbirth, preterm delivery or small for gestational age among pregnant women in Kumasi. A quantitative cross sectional study of 643 women, age 19-48 years who presented for delivery at select public hospitals and private traditional birth attendants from July through November 2011 was conducted. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and other factors associated with ANC attendance was collected using a structured questionnaire. Medical and …


Epigenetic Regulation Of Kir4.1 In Normal And Pathological States: A Focus On Spinal Cord Injury, Sinifunanya Elvee Nwaobi Jan 2013

Epigenetic Regulation Of Kir4.1 In Normal And Pathological States: A Focus On Spinal Cord Injury, Sinifunanya Elvee Nwaobi

All ETDs from UAB

Astrocytes are the most numerous cells in the brain and play a critical role in maintaining homeostatic extracellular potassium ([K+]e). This process is mediated, in part, by a glial-specific, inwardly rectifying potassium channel, Kir4.1. Pharmacological inhibition, knock down, or complete knock out of this channel results in astrocytes with increased membrane resistance, depolarized resting membrane potential, and altered extracellular potassium dynamics. Subsequent to the dysregulation of [K+]e, Kir4.1 knockout (KO) animals suffer from ataxia, seizures, and early postnatal death. Interestingly, Kir4.1 has long been characterized as a seizure susceptibility gene. The importance of Kir4.1 is further underscored by recent studies …


New Mouse Models To Aid Studies Of The Role Of Primary Cilia In Limb Patterning And Bone Development, Amber Kathleen O'Connor Jan 2013

New Mouse Models To Aid Studies Of The Role Of Primary Cilia In Limb Patterning And Bone Development, Amber Kathleen O'Connor

All ETDs from UAB

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is required for many developmental processes, and causes several diseases and cancers. Described in chapter one below, vertebrate Hh sig-naling is dependent on the primary cilium (PC), a small organelle that extends from the surface of most mammalian cell types. A better understanding of how the PC modulates Hh signaling is important, as defects in the structure or function of PC result in severe human disorders termed the ciliopathies. For example, patients with Meckel-Gruber Syndrome have extra digits and neural tube defects, which are Hh both related pheno-types. In chapter two we sought to further understand the …


Obesity, Prediabetes, And Perceived Stress In Municipal Workers, Louise Camilleri O'Keefe Jan 2013

Obesity, Prediabetes, And Perceived Stress In Municipal Workers, Louise Camilleri O'Keefe

All ETDs from UAB

Obesity and diabetes are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in the United States. According to the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention, obesity is growing faster than any other public health problem in the United States. The prevalence of diabetes has also increased significantly with an estimated 79 million Americans aged 20 years or older suffering from prediabetes. Few studies have examined the influence of perceived stress on obesity and prediabetes among working adults. Investigations are needed to examine factors that can contribute to higher health care costs for both employees and employers. The aims of this …


The Comparison Of Dental Arch Forms Obtained From Teeth, Alveolar Bone, And The Overlying Soft Tissue, Patrick O'Neil Jan 2013

The Comparison Of Dental Arch Forms Obtained From Teeth, Alveolar Bone, And The Overlying Soft Tissue, Patrick O'Neil

All ETDs from UAB

THE COMPARISON OF DENTAL ARCH FORMS OBTAINED FROM TEETH, ALVEOLAR BONE, AND THE OVERLYING SOFT TISSUE Patrick D. O'Neil, DMD UAB DEPARTMENT OF ORTHODONTICS: DENTISTRY ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if a difference existed between arch forms created from tooth surfaces, alveolar bone, and overlying soft tissue. Materials and Methods: The sampling population for this study was 18 individuals with a Class I malocclusion, mild crowding, and a CBCT image of good diagnostic quality. The Facial-axis point was chosen to create the arch form from teeth, the Bowman-Kau point was used to establish the arch …


Urban Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions Of Former Head Start Students And Their Readiness For School, Stephanie Hardy Parker Jan 2013

Urban Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions Of Former Head Start Students And Their Readiness For School, Stephanie Hardy Parker

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the experiences and instruction of kindergarten teachers in an urban school district who are teaching students who were previously enrolled in a Head Start program. Eleven kindergarten teachers who taught in an urban school district in the southeastern United States participated in this study. Data sources collected for this multiple case study included: (a) semi-structured interviews, (b) observations, and (c) curriculum documents. Results from the study revealed mixed experiences teaching former Head Start students. While some teachers expressed positive experiences teaching former Head Start students, others indicated teaching former …


Phospho-Erk And Amyloid Beta: Targets Of Estrogen In The Brain, Thomas Reed Peavy Jan 2013

Phospho-Erk And Amyloid Beta: Targets Of Estrogen In The Brain, Thomas Reed Peavy

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Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) has been shown to improve memory function in menopausal women, but increases hormone sensitive cancers, prompting a more targeted investigation of estrogen's action in learning and memory to develop more targeted therapeutics. Estrogen improves performance on the novel object recognition task by increasing phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) within minutes in the hippocampus. Dr. Lori McMahon's lab showed that the improvement in novel object recognition can be seen 24 hours after subcutaneous injection of proestrous levels of estrogen (referred to as E24). Whether a corresponding increase in pERK occurs at the E24 time point had …


Engaging First Graders In Transformational Early Childhood Emergent Learning Themes, Amanda Daniel Pendergrass Jan 2013

Engaging First Graders In Transformational Early Childhood Emergent Learning Themes, Amanda Daniel Pendergrass

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The purpose of this qualitative case study was to encourage learners to care for others and make a difference in the world through Reggio Emilia-inspired teaching and learning practice that promoted transformational education. Students were anticipated to take an active role in helping to develop the transformational educational curriculum. Students recommended ways of making a difference in their school, neighborhood, and community while investigating a learning theme of their interest and choice. A total of 15 first grade students and nine parents participated in this study. Limited literature exists on the topic of Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood classrooms and recycling …


Characterization Of The Retina In The Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Knockout Mouse, Marci Lynn Smith Jan 2013

Characterization Of The Retina In The Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Knockout Mouse, Marci Lynn Smith

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Acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are involved in visual processing and are expressed by inner retinal neurons in all species studied to date (Keyser et al., 2000; Dmitrieva et al., 2007; Liu et al., 2009), but their distribution in the mouse retina remains unknown. Reductions in alpha 7 nicotinic AChRs (nAChRs) are thought to contribute to memory and visual deficits observed in Alzheimer's and schizophrenia (Coyle et al., 1983; Nordberg et al., 1999; Leonard et al., 2006). However, the alpha 7 nAChR knockout (KO) mouse has a mild phenotype (Paylor et al., 1998; Fernandes et al., 2006; Young et al., 2007; Origlia …