Digital Commons Network^™

Open Source Synthetic Biology: Problems And Solutions, Ethan R. Fitzpatrick

Seton Hall Law Review

No abstract provided.

Evolution Of The Human Diet: What We Can Learn From Hunters And Gatherers, Kara Osborne, Alyssa Crittenden

McNair Poster Presentations

The study of hunter-gatherer populations around the world can greatly inform our understanding of the evolution of the human diet. Ethnographic research of modern hunter-gatherers has been used to infer the possible food consump­tion and acquisition patterns of our ancestors. Hunter-gatherers provide the in­formation necessary for the understanding of the past human diet, due to these populations living similar lifestyles in similar environments, therefore procuring similar foods.

The Hadza, a group of nomadic hunters and gatherers living in Tanzania, East Africa, are one of the primary populations that nutritional anthropologists study to infer what possible foods our ancestors acquired and …

Relationship Of Global Dna Methylation With Cardiovascular Fitness And Body Composition, Mihaela A. Ciulei, Michael Jarrett, James Navalta

McNair Poster Presentations

Global DNA Methylation (GDM), an epigenomic modification has been linked to the development of Cardiovascular Disease and its risk factors. The research focus is to identify the relationship between cardiovascular fitness measurements and epigen­etic alterations specific to chronic disease states in adult subjects. Twenty-six adult human subjects were required to complete a physical activity and diet questionnaire. Each individual donated a small blood sample (600 μL) in order for us to analyze the Global DNA Methylation (GMD). Then, their body composition was evaluated by us­ing the Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA Scan) machinery. The Pearson’s “r” value was used to reveal …

Contribution Of Spirometry To Early Diagnosis Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease In Primary Health Care Centers, Aysel Erdoğan, Eli̇f Yilmazel Uçar, Ömer Araz, Leyla Sağlam, Ni̇hal Arzu Mi̇ri̇ci̇

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease with increasing prevalence and mortality. We aimed to determine COPD prevalence in primary health care centers. Materials and methods: Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and face-to-face interviews were administered to 500 patients older than 40 years of age and attending a primary health care center with any symptoms. An early reversibility test was performed on patients with a forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) ratio below 70%. The survey results, PFTs, and early reversibility test results were evaluated according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Cultural Identity And Behavioral Health Risk In Northern Plains American Indian Adolescents, Wanmdiwi Jessi Rose

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if Northern Plains AI adolescents identifying oneself as being "traditional' or "non-traditional" as measured by the Northern Plains Bicultural Inventory III (NPBI-III) would affect health-risk behavior scores as measured by the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). It was hypothesized that American Indian adolescents identifying as traditional would have lower health- risk behaviors and that cultural identification would influence health-risk behaviors between males and females.

Northern Plains AI adolescents (N=60, age 14 to 19) were administered the YRBS and NPBI-III during the 2012 UNDIA Time out Wacipi Powwow in Grand Forks, ND. Results …

The Impact Of Domestic Violence Upon Default From Colposcopy Services, Rachael R. Collier

Theses

This thesis explores a possible mechanism by which the presence of domestic violence may lead to poorer health outcomes in women. Whilst the cost and impact of domestic violence in the literature has been well documented, it is less clear exactly ‘how’ domestic violence leads to the reported variety of adverse health outcomes. The key hypothesis in this thesis is that the health impact of domestic violence is partly mediated through failure of affected women to attend for treatment and follow up. This then results in their poorer health outcomes.

Elementary School Gardens And The Community, Christine Moon, Rachel Spinelli

Social Sciences

This project will focus on the relationship of school garden initiative in connection with the socioeconomic status of the community. We will be examining five schools: Pacheco Elementary School (in San Luis Obispo) as our model school, two lower socioeconomic schools, and two upper socioeconomic schools. Since Pacheco has families with both low and high socioeconomic statuses, we will use it as our base. We will compare and contrast the four schools to Pacheco. We hope to explore implications of socioeconomic factors on the success of school garden projects. Our main research questions are: does socioeconomic status have an effect …

Attention Deficit Disorder In Adults, Nutritional Deficiencies, And The Treatments Available: A Literature Review, Emilee S. Manthey

Modern Psychological Studies

The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) in adults has steadily increased within the past decade. However, very few people are aware they have this disorder. Those with ADHD have higher divorce rates, school dropout rates, job termination, car accidents, and higher rates of substance abuse and alcohol dependence (Kates, 2005; Tcheremissine & Lieving, 2009). A high comorbidity rate with ADHD, anxiety, and depression has been found. This literature review includes the significant nutritional deficiencies such as neurotransmitters, trace minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and several B vitamins which are found in people with ADHD, and a description of the …

Preparing Graduate Students For Graduate-Level Study And Research, Katherine O'Clair

Library Scholarship

Purpose – This paper aims to describe a graduate level course in information research for thesis‐based Master's degree students in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences at California Polytechnic State University for which the College Librarian served as the instructor of record. It also seeks to report the results of research conducted to investigate the impact of the course and its effect on graduate student confidence and preparedness. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires were used to measure student perception of their confidence and preparedness for graduate study and research before and after completing a for‐credit course. Findings – Students' self‐perceived …

Bloomberg’S Health Legacy: Urban Innovator Or Meddling Nanny?, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Michael Bloomberg leaves the mayoralty of New York City, with his health legacy is bitterly contested. The public health community views him as an urban innovator—a rare political and business leader willing to fight for a built environment conducive to healthier, safer lifestyles. To his distractors, however, Bloomberg epitomizes a meddling nanny—an elitist dictating to largely poor and working class people about how they ought to lead their lives. His policies have sparked intense public, corporate, and political ire—critical of sweeping mayoral power to socially engineer the city and its inhabitants.

Here, I seek to show how Bloomberg has fundamentally …

Raising Hope For Children In Foster Care: An Argument In Favor Of Expanding The Pool Of Qualified Applicants, Tapia Mateo

Student Works

No abstract provided.

A Cross-Sectional Study Of Jamaican Adolescents’ Risk For Type 2 Diabetes And Cardiovascular Diseases, Sheila Barrett, Fatma G. Huffman, Paulette Johnson, Adriana Campa, Marcia Magnus, Dalip Ragoobirsingh

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Objectives To compare obese versus non-obese Jamaican adolescents’ risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs); and to explore a suitable and economical method of screening for these risk factors in the school settings. Design A descriptive cross-sectional study of adolescents’ risk for T2D and CVD. All the participants were examined at their respective schools. Setting Jamaica, West Indies. Population 276 Jamaican adolescents aged 14–19 years, randomly selected from grades 9 to 12 from 10 high schools on the island and included both boys and girls. All ethnicities on the island were represented. Main outcome measures High fasting …

Making Room For A Restorative Response To Conflict: Challenging The Retributive Paradigm In American Journalism, Cynthia Duggan Mwenja

All ETDs from UAB

Reactions to current events from across the political spectrum highlight a journalistic retributive narrative framework that is ubiquitous in the American media. News articles from the childhood obesity debate support claims that journalists on both left and right interpret this story - and by implication, all stories - through a retributive cultural lens. Burke's rhetorical analysis tool, dramatism, is used to examine the rhetoric on all sides of the issue and demonstrate the common retributive aspects of the narratives, regardless of the social or political orientations of the writers and their affiliations. The retributive narrative is connected to American justice …

An Investigation Of The Sublethal Effects Of Carbon Dioxide On The Common Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus And The Carbonate Chemistry Of Its Nearshore Habitat, Roberta Challener

All ETDs from UAB

Increases in CO2 concentrations, whether from accumulation of metabolic waste under intensive culturing conditions or from increases in atmospheric levels, lead to decreases in seawater pH and carbonate saturation states. Lytechinus variegatus survive chronic exposure to hypercapnic conditions (pH 7.4 -7.8, partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) 1738-4290 μatm) in synthetic seawater, yet aspects of growth and development are affected. Rates of embryonic and larval development were delayed and larval size and arm length reduced under high pCO2 conditions. Fecal production rates were higher and ash absorption efficiency (%) was lower in individuals exposed to hypercapnic conditions, suggesting that the ability …

Overcoming The Challenges Of School Improvement: A Phenomenological Study Of Nine Alabama Principals, Corvetta Vann

All ETDs from UAB

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ABSTRACT The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Alabama principals who have overcome the challenges of School Improvement. The signing of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) has led to wholesale changes within the public education system and has had lasting effects on school leadership. The role of principal has become more complex due to the multifaceted responsibilities to which one must adhere. Under the current legislation of NCLB, schools must attain 100% proficiency in reading and math by 2014. Additionally, schools must meet the state goals of adequate …

Intrinsic Properties Of Rna Polymerase I And Trans-Acting Factors Control Transcription Elongation Efficiency, Olga V. Viktorovskaya

All ETDs from UAB

Transcription of ribosomal (r) DNA by RNA polymerase I (Pol I) is the initial step of ribosome synthesis. Pol I transcription is unique in its high rate of initiation, specific organization within the nucleolus and tight connection to cell growth and proliferation. Moreover, transcription elongation by Pol I is functionally coupled with rRNA processing and assembly of the ribosomes. Regulatory insights into transcription elongation by Pol I and its interface with rRNA processing are limited, despite decades of research. To fulfill that gap, we asked several important questions: Do the obvious functional divergences between Pol I and other eukaryotic polymerases …

Association Between Cruciferous Vegetable Intake And Risk Of Colorectal Cancer Among Men In Shanghai, China, Emily Vogtmann

All ETDs from UAB

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health concern and the intake of certain foods, such as cruciferous vegetables, has been studied for their potential protective effects against cancer development. The observed association between cruciferous vegetable consumption and CRC has been inconsistent, possibly related to glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene polymorphisms. Therefore, we aimed to (1) evaluate the association between fruits and vegetables, including cruciferous vegetables, on the risk of CRC; (2) determine factors associated with urinary isothiocyanate (ITC), a biomarker of cruciferous vegetable intake; and (3) evaluate the association between cruciferous vegetable consumption and CRC and to estimate the potential …

Glioma-Vasculature Interactions, Stacey Watkins

All ETDs from UAB

Malignant gliomas are highly invasive brain tumors, which lack effective treatment options. To date, the standard therapy includes surgical debulking followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Despite efforts to eradicate the disease, the median patient survival time is only 14 months. In an attempt to discover novel therapies, research has focused on understanding the heterogeneous biological mechanisms employed by these cells. Uniquely, they do not metastasize through the vasculature or lymphatics like other solid cancers but alternatively, glioma cells utilize the abluminal surface of the vasculature to guide invasion and migration throughout the brain. The intimate association between glioma cells and …

Effect Of A Faith-Based Initiative On Hospital Readmissions, Joseph Webb

All ETDs from UAB

EFFECT OF A FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE ON HOSPITAL READMISSIONS JOSEPH WEBB ADMINISTRATION-HEALTH SERVICES ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between a faith-based initiative and hospital readmissions. The main data source used was the inpatient data-base of Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare System (MLH) in Memphis, TN. Data were collected from admissions that occurred during years 2008 through 2012 at four of MLH's five adult acute-care hospitals. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey were also used in the study. This study uses theoretical tenets from the Social Justice and Equity Theory and the Chronic Care Model …

Hur Regulation In Central Nervous System Disorders, Crystal G. Wheeler

All ETDs from UAB

In inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), astrocytes play a major role in the systemic response to disease by either enhancing or limiting the inflammatory response through secretion of growth factors or cytokines. HuR RNA binding protein regulates many genes involved in inflammation. Inflammatory diseases such as brain tumors, Amylotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), have been linked to HuR, by our laboratory and others. To determine whether astrocytic overexpression of HuR would regulate inflammation in diseases of the CNS, we designed a transgenic mouse in which the HuR gene is overexpressed. In the first study, …

Insulin Resistance, Lipids, And The Metabolic Syndrome Trait Cluster: Impact Of Race And Very Low Calorie Diet, Veeradej Pisprasert

All ETDs from UAB

Insulin resistance (IR) is central to the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic disorders. Early detection, along with appropriate interventions, is paramount to reduce the morbidity and mortality of IR-related diseases. The gold standard measurement for IR is the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, which is markedly sophisticated for clinical evaluation but costly and invasive for clinical practice. Several alternative surrogate indicators of IR have been identified and used by clinicians, including insulin sensitivity indices derived from plasma glucose and insulin values, as well as other indicators that are independent of direct insulin measurements. In addition, lipid panel and lipoprotein subclass profile have emerged as markers …

The Relationship Between Inflammatory Biomarkers And Cognitive Function In Older Adults, Andrea C. Sartori

All ETDs from UAB

Recent literature indicates associations between inflammation, aging, and cognitive function. Inflammatory processes have also been implicated in the onset of pathological and neurodegenerative conditions. Current study aims were to examine the associations between inflammatory biomarkers and cognitive function in older adults, and to explore the interrelationships of inflammatory biomarkers, depressive symptoms, health conditions, and cognitive function. Two studies were utilized for the current project: 1) a cross-sectional sample of sedentary older adults aged 65+ from the Physical and Cognitive Exercise Study (PACES; n=54); and 2) a longitudinal study (UAB Study of Aging) of community-dwelling older African Americans and Caucasians (n=393). …

An Examination Of The Feeding Preferences Of The Freshwater Amphipod Hyalella Azteca For Aquatic Vascular Plants And Macro Algae: The Potential Roles Of Prey Nutrional Quality, Chemical And/Or Structural Defenses, Kevin Emmanuel Scriber

All ETDs from UAB

Many factors influence the palatability and feeding preferences of predators for their prey. The present study tested the null hypothesis that the common freshwater amphipod Hyallela azteca presented three species of vascular plants and two species of filamentous algae displayed feeding rates indicative of no differences in prey palatability. Differences in prey palatability were found and pairwise-choice feeding assays were conducted and preferences for particular foods established. Subsequent feeding bioassays using standard techniques demonstrated that tissues of the vascular plant Vallisneria americana were chemically defended against amphipod grazing, and that extracts from this vascular plant could inhibit feeding by amphipods …

Development And Validation Of A Survey Instrument To Assess Health Information-Seeking Behaviors Among African-Americanyoung Professionals, Shauntice Allen

All ETDs from UAB

The lay public has had more opportunities than ever before to take an active role in their own health care. Despite these opportunities, many questions remain regarding the basis for barriers relating to seeking preventive health information. Following publication of the report of the Secretary’s Task Force of Black and Minority Health, health education researchers have documented health disparities among populations of color, in particular African Americans (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 1985). Brashers, Goldsmith, and Heish (2002) pointed out the complexity of health information-seeking behaviors (HISB) and highlighted the increasing need to clearly understand the process …

The Role Of Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa Rhodopsin Mutant Ter349glu In Rod Cell Biogenesis And Retinal Inflammation, Tj Hollingsworth

All ETDs from UAB

Retinitis pigmentosa is one of the most common inherited blinding disorders, affecting 1 in 4000 individuals world-wide. Approximately 30% of retinitis pigmentosa cases are dominantly inherited and approximately 30% of these dominant mutations are found in rhodopsin. Most rhodopsin mutations result in misfolded protein aggregates and subsequent apoptosis while others have been shown to result in apoptosis associated with mislocalization, diminished/enhanced activity, or faulty protein-protein interactions. This work serves to test for mechanisms by which the naturally-occurring Ter349Glu rhodopsin mutation causes rod cell death. Ter349Glu rhodopsin was tested for the ability to bind the ligand 11-cis retinal, photoactivate, and activate …

The Alabama Promise To Improve Student Achievement: A Phenomenological Study Of Torchbearer Principals, Stacey P. Gill

All ETDs from UAB

STACEY P. GILL EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ABSTRACT This study examined leadership characteristics from the perspective of urban school leaders in high-poverty and high-achieving schools in the state of Alabama in order to better understand their relationship to student achievement. Principals were selected from three school sites in three urban school districts located in central and southern Alabama. The study's theoretical framework was drawn from change theory, transformational leadership, instructional leadership, and the effective schools movement. A phenomenological approach was used to understand the essence of the phenomenon, in this instance, urban school leaders' and teachers' perceptions of Torchbearer leadership characteristics, was …

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 …

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 …

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 …