Digital Commons Network^™

Intraocular Pressure Measurement In Eye By Using Disposable Solid State Pressure Sensor, Anvesh Loka Loka

All ETDs from UAB

There are many eye infections and eye diseases like Diabetic Retinopathy, Glaucoma, Age-related Macular Degeneration, Cataract, etc., which cause eye blindness. Glaucoma is one of the major eye diseases that can cause complete blindness. According to National Eye Institute (NIH), there are 2.72 million people are suffering from Glaucoma in the U.S. The primary cause for Glaucoma is higher Intraocular Pressure (IOP), so detecting IOP in the early stages is a vital aspect in the assessment of patients at hazard from glaucoma. The instrument used to measure IOP is called Tonometer and usually used for clinical purposes. However, some part …

Circulating Mirnas And Human Insulin Resistance, Elizabeth Ma

All ETDs from UAB

Insulin resistance (IR) is central to the pathophysiology of Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms behind IR are not clear, but microRNA (miR; short, non-coding RNA strands that base-pair with mRNA to modify gene expression) have garnered interest as potential contributors. miRs have recently been shown to be detectable in the circulation, and can be taken up and regulate target genes within recipient cells. Our primary objective was to identify circulating miRs (c-miRs) that play a role in regulating systemic metabolism and participate in the pathophysiology of IR and cardiometabolic disease. Three …

Fall Out Boys And The Spice Girls: Understanding The Criminal Careers Of Those Who Use Spice, Whitney Julia Marsh

All ETDs from UAB

Since the early 2000s, Novel Psychoactive Drugs (NPDs) have been gaining popularity in the illicit drug world. One of the most popular NPDs is synthetic marijuana, commonly referred to as spice. Initially unregulated, spice became popular among and accessible to a diverse array of people throughout the United States. Deleterious health effects, including death, have been attributed to spice use. Recognizing a lack of criminological research available on spice use, this study seeks to understand why individuals use spice—why they began to use spice specifically, why they persisted, and why they quit if applicable. Based on 34 in-depth interviews and …

A Multi-Modal Approach To Sulforaphane-Mediated Chemoprevention Using The Epigenetic Network, Samantha Martin

All ETDs from UAB

Colon cancer is the third most common diagnosed cancer in both women and men in the United States. It is reported that dietary factors are responsible for 70-90% of colon cancer cases. While some investigators have observed a direct correlation in high fat diets and cancer initiation, other studies have observed opposite effects mediated by fruit and vegetable consumption. Recently, studies have highlighted the importance of Epigenetics as it modifies gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. Notably, several nutritive compounds have been reported to alter epigenetic profiles in many cancer forms. SFN, an isothiocyanate found in cruciferous vegetables such …

Formaldehyde Emissions From Laminate Flooring, Stephanie Latisha Marzette

All ETDs from UAB

In recent years, several incidents have caused public concern about the levels of formaldehyde present in residential homes. It is one of the most prevalent and regularly detected pollutants in an indoor environment. This is due to the presence of formalde-hyde in many common products, such as household cleaners and paints, as well as build-ing materials. Formaldehyde exposure can lead to sore throat, coughing, eye and airway irritation, and increased occurrences of asthma symptoms. Due to the public health con-cerns, this research was designed to investigate the distinctive nature of formaldehyde emissions from laminate flooring and test the reliability of …

The Ecology And Evolution Of Invertebrate-Cyanobacterial Symbioses, Kenan Matterson

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Intimate partnerships between marine invertebrates and microbial symbionts have garnered renewed interest, as advances in next generation sequencing have revealed substantial microbial diversity in tropical sponges and ascidians. These datasets have generated a suite of new questions concerning the evolutionary and ecological mechanisms that structure these microbial partnerships. The research presented herein addresses such questions by integrating in situ ecological manipulations with modern molecular techniques to characterize the interactions between the host invertebrate and microbiome and its potential role in structuring marine communities. Implementing in situ manipulative shading experiments alongside replicated bacterial clone libraries, I documented significant variation in host …

The Effects Of Nurse-Manager Relationships And Nurse-Physician Collaboration On Nurse Intent To Leave, Phillip John Mazzuca

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ABSTRACT Aim. The aim of this study was to determine whether two relational aspects of the nurse work environment – perceived quality of the nurse-supervisor relationship and nurse-physician collaboration – might reduce nurse intent to leave the hospital. Background. There is a documented global shortage of nurses which is a pressing issue in U.S. hospitals. The nursing shortage has been exacerbated by a high rate of voluntary nursing turnover in U.S. hospitals which is costly and has previously been found to negatively impact patient care. Factors associated with the nursing work environment have been found to be important predictors of …

Predicting Internalizing And Externalizing Child Behavior: A Comparative Analysis Between Autism Spectrum Disorder And Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Elizabeth Mcrae

All ETDs from UAB

Parent-related and environmental factors are both important variables in predicting and understanding internalizing and externalizing child behaviors. In clinical child populations, these factors are particularly important not only because of the increased demands the child’s disorder places on their caregivers and their environment but also because of the increased levels of internalizing and externalizing child behaviors associated with childhood psychopathology. Two such clinical child populations are Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Specifically, parents of children with these disorders are at increased risk of experiencing poorer parental adjustment which affects their parenting behaviors and the routines they …

A Self-Powered Foot Mapping Trail Using Piezoelectric Effect, Shardul Harish Modi

All ETDs from UAB

Piezoelectric sensors are made from piezo crystals. Some of these crystals are natural, some are synthetic. These crystals are made of quartz, topaz, Rochelle salt and lead titanate. Piezoelectric sensors run on an effect named as piezoelectric effect which occurs in sensor. When a piezoelectric material is placed exposed to mechanical stress, a shifting of the positive and negative charge centers in the material takes place, which then results in an external electrical field. The piezoelectric effect is very useful within many applications that involve the production and detection of sound, generation of high voltages, electronic frequency generation. In the …

The Association Between Cancer And Risk Of Sepsis Among Whites And Blacks In The Regards Cohort, Justin Xavier Moore

All ETDs from UAB

Cancer is the second leading cause of morbidity and death in the United States corresponding to more than 1.7 million incident cases and responsible for more than 550,000 deaths annually. In addition, hospitalized cancer patients are nearly 10 times more likely to develop sepsis when compared to participants with no cancer history. As treatments and therapies for cancer continue to improve, the average 5-year survival is approaching 70% overall among the US population; however, to date there is very limited research that has examined the association between patients with a history of cancer and future risk of sepsis among a …

Diamond-Based Sensors And Diamond Micro-Anvils For Studies On Materials Under Extreme Conditions, Samuel Lawrence Moore

All ETDs from UAB

This work encompasses the development and construction of a state of the art Microfabrication facility to produce diamond-based sensors for applications in extreme environments. The facility utilizes maskless lithography housed in a class 7000 clean room and DC-sputter deposition, along with a 1.2 kW Chemical Vapor Deposition system for the encapsulation of metallic micro-probes in single crystal diamond. Extensive research and development has been applied to developing a novel and reproducible method for fabrication of designer diamond anvils, that feature sensing probes integrated into the diamond anvil and are capable of unobtrusively measuring resistivity of a material whilst simultaneously compressing …

Development Of A Psychometrically Sound Instrument To Assess Classroom Teachers' Beliefs About Movement Integration, Gina Moses

All ETDs from UAB

Children do not meet current physical activity (PA) guidelines. Movement integration (MI), which is defined as infusing PA into regularly scheduled classroom time, is an effective school-based strategy to increase children’s daily participation in PA while also supporting their academic performance. Classroom teachers (CTs) are the primary facilitators of MI. Thus, understanding CTs’ beliefs toward MI is vital to successful MI implementation. The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable measure of CTs’ MI beliefs from a Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) perspective. The study used a cross-sectional design and encompassed three phases. Phase I elicited …

Alterations In Ubc9 Substrate Specificity Affect The Cellular Response To Dna Damage, Joshua Enyeribe Onuiri

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This dissertation seeks to uncover the impact of a post-translational modification, the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO), on the cell response to DNA damage. Covalent modification of cellular proteins by SUMO occurs through an enzymatic cascade involving an E1 activating enzyme, an E2 conjugating enzyme, and a ligase (E3). Eukaryotic cells possess a single E1 and a single E2 for SUMO conjugation. The E2 for SUMO, Ubc9, is able to recognize and modify substrates on its own, although substrate recognition and modification are enhanced in the presence of the E3. Two independent genetic screens carried out in the budding yeast Saccharomyces …

The Role Of Macrophages In Pressure-Overload Induced Cardiac Remodeling, Bindiya Dinesh Patel

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Cardiac pressure-overload is a state of increased hemodynamic load and is initially characterized by concentric left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, but can transition to eccentric hypertrophy and adverse LV remodeling leading to heart failure (HF). Cardiac remodeling during pressure-overload is accompanied by dysregulated collagen deposition, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and increased inflammatory signaling. Both clinical and preclinical studies have documented increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and leukocyte infiltration in the pressure-overloaded heart, indicating inflammatory mechanisms are active during cardiac remodeling. Despite the well-known link between leukocyte infiltration and exacerbated tissue injury, the role of innate immune cells, particularly monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells, …

Fmic Annual Report 2017 | English, French Medical Institute For Mothers And Children

French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC) Archives

No abstract provided.

Aga Khan University, Report 2017, Aga Khan University

The Aga Khan University Reports Archives

• Chancellor’s Message
• Chairman’s Message
• President’s Message
• Timeline of Highlights /By the Numbers
• Ready for the Rise of Non-communicable Diseases
• Building Better Education Systems
• Talking About Their Generation
• Setting the Agenda in Maternal and Child Health and Development
• Alumni Survey Demonstrates Impact
• Giving Nature a Voice
• Pluralism in Action
• Leading the Way in East African Nursing and Midwifery
• Virtual Reality, Real-World Results
• A New Hospital for Uganda
• Supporters & Partners
• Board of Trustees and Executive Team
• Financial Highlights
• The World of AKU

Investigating Phenotypic Severity Associated With Sister Chromatid Cohesion Defects In Human Disease, Stefanie Marie Percival

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INVESTIGATING PHENOTYPIC SEVERITY ASSOCIATED WITH SISTER CHROMATID COHESION DEFECTS IN HUMAN DISEASE STEFANIE M. PERCIVAL GRADUATE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES ABSTRACT Sister chromatid cohesion (SCC) is a process that utilizes a proteinaceous ring, cohesin, for accurate chromosome segregation. An essential process in S phase termed cohesion establishment is necessary to stabilize cohesin rings around sister chromatids. Mutations in establishment of cohesion homolog 2 (ESCO2), a protein essential for cohesion establishment, cause a developmental disorder called Roberts Syndrome (RBS). Cytogenetic analysis in patients reveals heterochromatic repulsion (HR), a centromeric puffing, indicative of cohesion defects. The severity of phenotypes varies from preterm lethal to …

Elucidating The Physiologic And Prognostic Significance Of N-Myc And Stat Interactor Using Models Of Mammary Development And Metastasis, Hawley Christine Pruitt

All ETDs from UAB

Distant metastasis of breast carcinoma reduces the five year survival rate of patients from 90% to a dismal 25%. Although the metastatic cascade has been extensively studied for decades, players that influence the progression of metastatic disease remain elusive. N-MYC and STAT Interactor (NMI) is a gene previously demonstrated by Devine et. al. to be downregulated with metastatic progression of breast cancer. However, due to the lack of a relevant genetic model, details of biological consequence of the loss of expression of this gene were unknown. We have constructed and characterized a mammary specific Nmi knock out mouse to elucidate …

Structure/Function Studies Of Yersinia Pestis Metal Transport Systems, Christopher David Radka

All ETDs from UAB

The largest market sector of the global antibiotics industry is on the verge of becoming obsolete because the incidence of β-lactam antibiotic resistance in the clinic continues to rise. Therefore, we are in dire need of new therapeutics to address the increasing threat of antibiotic resistance. Novel targets that could lead to a new drug class are ABC (ATP-binding cassette) importers, which are only found in bacteria. The substrate-binding protein (SBP) components of these transporters present an intriguing subject of study because of their abundance in the cell and potential roles in infection. As a contribution to the scholarship of …

Effective Recruiting For Subgroups In The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (Sprint), Thomas Marshall Ramsey

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EFFECTIVE RECRUITING FOR SUBGROUPS IN THE SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE INTERVENTION TRIAL (SPRINT) THOMAS MARSHALL RAMSEY HEALTH EDUCATION / HEALTH PROMOTION ABSTRACT Background: The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) recruitment focused on participants > 50 years old with systolic blood pressure of > 140 mm Hg (hypertension) with no evidence of diabetes or previous stroke. Priority participants were targeted in non-clinical subgroups (women and minorities) as well as three clinical subgroups (pre-existing cardiovascular disease, pre-existing chronic kidney disease, > 75 years old). Objective: The objective of this secondary analysis is to determine which of the five recruiting strategies was most effective? Which recruitment …

Uncovering The Role Of Common Gamma-Chain Cytokines In Aspergillus Fumigatus Associated Diseases, Kristen Marie Reeder

All ETDs from UAB

Fungal pathogens contribute to a wide range of diseases that are largely dependent on the host’s immune state. In the case of immune suppression, Aspergillus fumigatus is the causative agent of invasive aspergillosis. Furthermore, asthmatics sensitized to fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus are reported to have more severe asthma. We have previously described a role for IL-22 in mouse models of invasive aspergillosis and fungal asthma. IL-22 was found to play a protective role in invasive aspergillosis, while it was found to play an immunopathogenic role in asthma. Here we describe the cell sources of IL-22 in both models. We …

From Despised Temporary Governor To First Elected Governor Of Louisiana: The Vindication Of William Charles Cole Claiborne, Stephanie Keller Womack

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ABSTRACT In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson commissioned William Charles Cole Claiborne as a representative of the United States to accept the cession of the Louisiana Territory from France. After the United States took control of Louisiana on December 20, 1803, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned Claiborne as the temporary governor of the territory while Congress devised a governmental structure of the new territory and the president sought more qualified candidates for the position of governor. The inhabitants of Louisiana protested the choice of Claiborne as temporary governor, pointing to his inability to speak their language (French and Spanish), his youth (he …

Striatal Acetylcholine And Dopamine Modulation In A Mouse Model Of Dyt1 Dystonia, Chelsea Zimmerman

All ETDs from UAB

DYT1 dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterized by sustained muscle contractions causing twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal posture. While many movement disorders are due to loss of neurons, DYT1 dystonia does not present with any gross abnormalities. As of now, the most common form of treatment is anticholinergics. Since anticholinergic are the most effective pharmacotherapy and “paradoxical excitation” has been shown in when quinpirole, D2R agonist, is bath applied on cholinergic interneurons, we began by examining acetylcholine efflux in a DYT1 knock-in mouse model. Our studies provide evidence that at basal levels, there is a hypercholinergic state present …

Correlation Of Preoperative Analysis Of Cbct Gray Value With Implant Primary Stability, Luis Gerardo Guzman Suarez

All ETDs from UAB

Objective: This study aims to investigate the correlation between the gray values (GV) of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) analyzed by two commonly used implant planning software (coDiagnostiX, and Simplant®) and the primary stability of dental implants by measuring insertion torque value (ITV) and Resonance Frequency Analysis (ISQ). Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight patients planned to receive a total of 102 dental implants (Straumann Bone Level Tapered) were enrolled in the study. At time of implant placement, ITV in Ncm with a Bien-Air iChiropro implant console, resonance frequency analysis (ISQ) with an Osstell device, and the surgeon’s estimated torque of placement …

Volumetric Analysis Of The Lips In Aging African American And Caucasian Males, Matthew Steven Leftwich

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VOLUMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE LIPS IN AGING AFRICAN AMERICAN AND CAUCASIAN MALES DEPARTMENT OF ORTHODONTICS ABSTRACT The purpose of this cross sectional study was to analyze the volumetric changes in lip volume with respect to aging in a population of African American and Caucasian males using three-dimensional imaging technology. Materials and Methods: A sample size of 102 Caucasian males and 90 African American males with balanced faces divided into five age groups distributed as follows:[20-30], [31-40], [41-50], [51-60], [61-70[.Three-dimensional images were obtained using the 3dMDfaceTM camera system. The subjects were placed in front of the camera in natural head position …

The Effectiveness And Feasibility Of The Peers® School-Based Social Skills Intervention For Adolescents With Social Difficulties, Caroline Larkin Leonczyk

All ETDs from UAB

The present study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of the PEERS® social skills intervention for a transdiagnostic group of adolescents with social difficulties, both with and without neurodevelopmental disorders or mental health diagnoses, in the public high school setting. Twenty-four students participated in the study. Adolescents in the intervention group displayed significantly improved social skills knowledge and overall involvement in conversation compared to those in the waitlist control group. Almost half of adolescents in the intervention group displayed improvements in at least one conversational skill domain that were observable to an independent rater blinded to treatment status and time point. …

Type I Myofiber Grouping: Myofiber Phenotype And Implications For Muscle Performance In Older Adults And Parkinson Disease, Kelley Grace Hammond

All ETDs from UAB

Neuromuscular morphology and function undergo changes with increasing age and Parkinson disease (PD) pathology. Motor unit reorganization occurs by denervation-reinnervation events which lead to diminishing random distribution of myofibers and type I myofiber grouping. Grouped type I myofibers maintain type II features such as hypertrophic capacity and myonuclear addition, sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase 1 expression, and lower capillarization. Though age-related type I myofiber grouping has been qualitatively described in the literature, this was the first study to characterize the phenotype of grouped type I myofibers in older adults. Furthermore, we identified a magnified degree of type I myofiber grouping in …

Intractable Epilepsy: Does Perception Of Epilepsy Stigma Affect Levels Of Caregiver Burden?, Barbara Hansen

All ETDs from UAB

Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between affiliate stigma and the levels of burden experienced by individuals caring for family members with intractable epilepsy and to examine how levels of burden may vary between those caring for children and those caring for adults. Methods: This cross-sectional, quantitative approach utilized a self-administered survey offered to caregivers of family members with confirmed diagnoses of intractable epilepsy in a southern state. Caregiver burden was measured using the 30-item Carer’s Assessment of Difficulties Index while levels of perceived stigma were assessed using a six-item scale. Demographic data concerning both …

Behavioral Markers Of Supraspinal Pain In Clinically Relevant Models Of Spinal Cord Injury, Kathryn Yamamoto Henley

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The majority of people suffering from neuropathic pain as a result of a spinal cord injury (SCI) do not experience effective pain relief with currently available therapeutics. One aspect of preclinical studies that may be limiting the development of successful analgesics is the assessment of pain in animal models of SCI. Previous work has relied primarily on withdrawal reflexes to indicate pain; however, there is evidence that suggests this is an inadequate measure of pain sensation as spinal reflexes do not reflect the supraspinal processing of nociceptive information. The use of withdrawal responses is especially challenging in the context of …

Electrophysiological Dynamics And Underlying Mechanisms Of Long Duration Ventricular Fibrillation, Ashleigh R. Hood

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Sudden cardiac death claims more than 300,000 lives per year in the US alone. Because it frequently goes unwitnessed, the underlying ventricular fibrillation (VF) may persist for well over 5 minutes (long duration VF, or LDVF) before attempts at defibrillation, and successful defibrillation is often followed by post-shock arrhythmias and refibrillation. The development of novel and effective therapies for LDVF, which represents a significant unmet medical need, remains largely hindered by a relatively poor understanding of the arrhythmogenic onset and maintenance of LDVF, as well as its deleterious sequelae in the context of the whole heart. Prolonged VF has been …