Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 65791 - 65820 of 1791776

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Adult Role Transitions And Substance Use In Black And White Young Adults, Kristina Brooke Mcmahan Sep 2025

Adult Role Transitions And Substance Use In Black And White Young Adults, Kristina Brooke Mcmahan

All ETDs from UAB

ADULT ROLE TRANSITIONS AND SUBSTANCE USE IN BLACK AND WHITE YOUNG ADULTS ABSTRACT Substance use, including alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis, often begins during adolescence and young adulthood, which is a developmental period marked by major life transitions such as graduating college, entering full-time employment, and parenthood. Adult role transition patterns may influence substance use and mental health outcomes; however, limited research has examined these associations in racially and socioeconomically diverse populations. The present study explored patterns of adult role transitions and their associations with substance use and mental health symptoms among young adults using data from Wave 4 of the …


Randomized Control Trial Of A Novel Dental Gel As An Adjunct To Scaling And Root Planing In Subjects With Stage Ii & Iii Periodontitis, Efstratios Choreftakis Sep 2025

Randomized Control Trial Of A Novel Dental Gel As An Adjunct To Scaling And Root Planing In Subjects With Stage Ii & Iii Periodontitis, Efstratios Choreftakis

All ETDs from UAB

Scaling and root planing (ScRP) is the gold standard for non-surgical periodontal therapy, yet no dentifrice has been definitively shown to improve its outcomes. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of LivFresh Dental Gel as an adjunct to ScRP in patients with Stage II and III periodontitis. Twenty-one participants were assigned to either a test group using LivFresh Dental Gel or a control group using a standard sodium fluoride dentifrice. Clinical parameters—including probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), and bleeding on probing (BOP)—were assessed at baseline, 30, 90, and 180 days. The …


Racial Discrimination And Inflammation In Adolescence: Ethnic/Racial Processes As Moderators, Queenisha Crichlow Sep 2025

Racial Discrimination And Inflammation In Adolescence: Ethnic/Racial Processes As Moderators, Queenisha Crichlow

All ETDs from UAB

Discrimination and other psychosocial stressors contribute to chronic disease by dysregulating neuroendocrine and immune systems, which often leads to increased levels of inflammation. Given that inflammation is a key biological pathway associated with the development of chronic diseases, it has been proposed as a potential mechanism linking racial discrimination to poorer health. Most studies linking racial discrimination with inflammation have focused on adults, despite the fact that children and adolescents also experience discrimination. This dissertation explores the association between racial discrimination and inflammation, measured via salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) and proinflammatory cytokines, among Black and Hispanic adolescents. It also examines …


Identifying The Neurobiological Substrates Of Gulf War Illness, Chloe Lisette Jones Sep 2025

Identifying The Neurobiological Substrates Of Gulf War Illness, Chloe Lisette Jones

All ETDs from UAB

Gulf War Illness (GWI) affects approximately 30% of veterans who served in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and is characterized by chronic pain and fatigue, as well as cognitive, mood, gastrointestinal, and respiratory symptoms. Animal research has suggested that GWI is caused by a combination of neurotoxicants such as nerve gas, anti-nerve agent pills, and pesticides, though a definitive pathophysiological model has not been established. In this human observational study, 20 veterans with GWI and 20 healthy Gulf War veterans (HV) underwent whole-brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to non-invasively measure several metabolites associated with neuroinflammation. Whole blood was also collected …


A High-Salt Diet Modulates Renal Afferent Nerve Activity; Potential Role Of The Endothelin System, Jiaxi Shen Sep 2025

A High-Salt Diet Modulates Renal Afferent Nerve Activity; Potential Role Of The Endothelin System, Jiaxi Shen

All ETDs from UAB

Hypertension is a prevalent disease around the world. Increased blood pressure leads to a higher risk of stroke and coronary heart disease. Diet, lifestyle, and gene regulation are potential causative factors, and salt-sensitive hypertension is one common types of hypertension. In response to a high-salt diet, blood pressure may elevate with increasing risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Endothelin-1, which binds to endothelin A (ETA) and B (ETB) receptors, is strongly involved in controlling the blood vessels and sensory nerve signaling pathway between the kidney and the central nervous system during high salt dietary challenge. The function of the ETB receptor …


Myelin Mapping In Psychosis, Victoria Lynn King Sep 2025

Myelin Mapping In Psychosis, Victoria Lynn King

All ETDs from UAB

It is well established that myelin in the central nervous system is an axonal insulator which speeds the conduction velocity of action potentials. However, its role in the cortex has also been shown to support metabolic demands and aid in cortical plasticity. Myelin develops throughout childhood and adolescence from sensorimotor areas to association areas and peaks during adolescence. Importantly, this is the same time that psychosis-spectrum disorders (PSDs) begin to present clinically; thus, given the critical role of myelination in shaping the mature cortex, disruptions in this process – particularly during adolescence – are thought to partially explain the onset …


Moving Beyond M1/M2: Xenoline-Polarized Macrophages As A Physiologically Relevant Model Of Tumor-Associated Macrophages In Glioblastoma, Hasan Alrefai Sep 2025

Moving Beyond M1/M2: Xenoline-Polarized Macrophages As A Physiologically Relevant Model Of Tumor-Associated Macrophages In Glioblastoma, Hasan Alrefai

All ETDs from UAB

Glioblastoma (GBM) remains one of the most treatment-refractory cancers, with few therapeutic advances translating into survival benefit. With a median survival of just 15-18 months, the need for effective therapies is urgent. A key obstacle is the underutilization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in preclinical models. TAMs account for a sizable proportion of GBM by mass and drive malignant behaviors such as angiogenesis, invasion, and resistance to chemoradiotherapy, making them attractive therapeutic targets. Unfortunately, most in vitro GBM-TAM models are inadequate, as they fail to capture the cellular heterogeneity and microenvironmental interactions that drive tumor progression, therapeutic resistance, and immune evasion. …


Probiotic Biogeography In The Neonatal Intestine, Sierra Hansen Sep 2025

Probiotic Biogeography In The Neonatal Intestine, Sierra Hansen

All ETDs from UAB

Neonatal infection remains a leading cause of both neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in preterm infants. Probiotic bacteria have been demonstrated to protect against the development of neonatal intestinal dysbiosis, however, formulations and efficacy vary substantially, highlighting a critical gap in the current understanding of the mechanisms governing probiotic efficacy in this population. This gap is exacerbated by regulatory standards which favor economic expansion over scientific rigor. Furthermore, current studies on probiotic efficacy largely rely on indirect or relative readouts of intestinal bacterial burden. Herein, we directly quantify the probiotic effects of Ligilactobacillus murinus V10 and Escherichia coli Nissle …


Structural Basis For Promoter Recognition By Pseudomonas Phage Dev Virion Associated Rna Polymerase, Brittney Bird Sep 2025

Structural Basis For Promoter Recognition By Pseudomonas Phage Dev Virion Associated Rna Polymerase, Brittney Bird

All ETDs from UAB

Bacteriophage DEV, a member of the Schitoviridae family, encodes a large virion-associated RNA polymerase (vRNAP) and shows significant potential for use in phage therapy. However, many aspects of DEV’s biology remain poorly understood, especially how it regulates transcription once inside the host. Recent work in our lab suggests that gene product 71 (gp71) functions as a DNA-dependent vRNAP. Analogous to the vRNAP of coliphage N4, gp71 likely initiates transcription by recognizing single-stranded DNA templates that contain early gene hairpin promoters. Based on this, my working hypothesis is that specific interactions between gp71 and the DEV early promoters PE1 and PE5 …


Impact Of Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation On Corticostriatal Synaptic Function And Morphology, Charlotte Franziska Brzozowski Sep 2025

Impact Of Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation On Corticostriatal Synaptic Function And Morphology, Charlotte Franziska Brzozowski

All ETDs from UAB

Lewy Body Dementias (LBDs), including Parkinson’s Disease Dementia (PDD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), are defined by α-synuclein (α-syn) accumulation in Lewy Pathology (LP). LP is abundant in cortical layer V intratelencephalic (IT) neurons, a subset of neurons that also degenerate in the pre-supplementary motor area (preSMA) in humans, which is homologous to the secondary motor cortex (M2) in mice, as observed in PD postmortem tissue. IT neuron projections to the striatum are an intrinsic part of the motor basal ganglia circuitry, believed to modulate cognitive aspects of executive motor control, such as updating motor plans. M2 projections to …


Characterizing The Role Of Pneumococcal Surface Protein A And Humoral Immunity To Biofilm Antigens During Streptococcus Pneumoniae Colonization, Jessica Lane Sep 2025

Characterizing The Role Of Pneumococcal Surface Protein A And Humoral Immunity To Biofilm Antigens During Streptococcus Pneumoniae Colonization, Jessica Lane

All ETDs from UAB

Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), or “the pneumococcus”, is a Gram-positive bacterium that colonizes the upper respiratory tract as a pathobiont. Spn is a deadly human pathogen, and one of the leading etiological agents of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). One virulence factor of Spn is pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA), a choline-binding protein (CBP) at the surface of the bacteria that interacts with the host environment. Here, we demonstrated a novel role for PspA involving adhesion to dying host nasal epithelial cells via a multimeric complex with host lactoferrin (LF) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). We found that the PspA-GAPDH complex aggregated the bacteria …


"Organizational Characteristics And Market Factors Associated With The Adoption Of Hospital At Home", Vincent Turner Sep 2025

"Organizational Characteristics And Market Factors Associated With The Adoption Of Hospital At Home", Vincent Turner

All ETDs from UAB

ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MARKET FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADOPTION OF HOSPITAL AT HOME VINCENT TURNER, JR. HEALHTCARE LEADERSHIP ABSTRACT The healthcare environment has continued to be reshaped and forced to evolve over the last several decades and even more so in recent years. This evolution and reshaping have been forced by both internal and external factors withing the healthcare landscape. This has tasked hospital leaders with exploring new ways of delivering care. The COVID-19 pandemic was an external circumstance the forced hospital leaders to look at alternate ways of providing care, more specifically in the home setting. Hospitals were introduced …


Understanding Clinical Tool Adoption In Primary Care: A Case Study Of The Cmds Care Pathway, Khushbu Khatri Park Sep 2025

Understanding Clinical Tool Adoption In Primary Care: A Case Study Of The Cmds Care Pathway, Khushbu Khatri Park

All ETDs from UAB

The rising prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) places increasing strain on healthcare systems and primary care providers (PCPs). In response, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) adapted the Cardiometabolic Disease Staging System (CMDS), a validated clinical decision support tool, designed to stratify patient risk and guide evidence-based treatment. Embedded within the electronic health record (EHR) as a Care Pathway, the CMDS was designed for real-time use during primary care visits. This dissertation examines utilization of the CMDS in a two-phase case study, guided by the Adult Learning Theory, Group Dynamics Theory, Force Field Theory and Change …


Bridging The Gap: Exploring The Facilitators And Barriers In The Self-Management Of Diabetes And Pain In Rural Southern Communities, Kennedy Nicole Butler Sep 2025

Bridging The Gap: Exploring The Facilitators And Barriers In The Self-Management Of Diabetes And Pain In Rural Southern Communities, Kennedy Nicole Butler

All ETDs from UAB

Southern rural communities experience a higher prevalence of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and associated comorbidities, which increases rates of premature mortality due to socio-environmental factors, pre-existing health conditions, and economic burden in comparison to their urban counterparts. Fifty percent of individuals with T2D experience pain or chronic pain (CP); however, individuals in rural communities disproportionately experience symptoms of CP. CP is a physically debilitating condition that can inhibit mobility and reduce quality of life. T2D and the co-occurrence of CP can limit an individual's ability to engage in self-managing behaviors. While diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) programs, along with …


The Association Of Resilience Factors With Mental Health Outcomes Among Middle-Aged And Older People Living With Hiv, Jeremy Delgadillo Sep 2025

The Association Of Resilience Factors With Mental Health Outcomes Among Middle-Aged And Older People Living With Hiv, Jeremy Delgadillo

All ETDs from UAB

Research suggests that people living with HIV (PLWH), an aging chronic health population, have higher prevalence rates and severity of mental health and substance use disorders compared to people living without HIV (PLWoH). Cross-sectional and longitu-dinal studies have suggested intrapersonal resilience factors may serve a protective function in reducing the prevalence and severity of mental health and substance use outcomes among PLWH. The purpose of the current study was two-fold. The first aim was to systematically review the current state of the literature from 2000 to present that examined the associations between intrapersonal resilience factors and mental health outcomes among …


Turn On, Tune In, Drop Shame: Exploring The Unique Therapeutic Potential Of Psychedelics For Sexual And Gender Minority Populations, Nicholas Carlisle Sep 2025

Turn On, Tune In, Drop Shame: Exploring The Unique Therapeutic Potential Of Psychedelics For Sexual And Gender Minority Populations, Nicholas Carlisle

All ETDs from UAB

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals face significant disparities in mental and physical health compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts, due in part to chronic exposure to distal and proximal minority stressors. Shame – a self-focused characterized by a global sense of personal deficiency or unworthiness – has emerged as a key intrapersonal mechanism linking minority stressors to adverse health outcomes. This dissertation explores the role of shame in SGM health inequities and investigates the emerging potential of psychedelics to reduce shame and improve health and wellbeing in these populations. This three-paper dissertation begins with a scoping review (Paper …


Influenza A Virus Increases Susceptibility To Streptococcus Pneumoniae By Damaging The Airway Epithelium, Erin Yepsen Earnhardt Sep 2025

Influenza A Virus Increases Susceptibility To Streptococcus Pneumoniae By Damaging The Airway Epithelium, Erin Yepsen Earnhardt

All ETDs from UAB

Influenza A Virus (IAV) is commonly complicated by secondary bacterial infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Recent work from our lab demonstrates that an IAV-induced loss of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in the airway disrupts the rheostatic properties of the airway surface liquid (ASL). In cystic fibrosis, caused by mutations in the CFTR gene, there is an increase in the bacterial burden of the airway. However, the underlying mechanisms and damage caused by IAV-induced CFTR dysfunction in the airway remains unknown. Using a primary differentiated human bronchial airway epithelial cell culture (HBEC) system, …


Mcl1 And Hexokinase 2 Form A Glucose Metabolic Regulatory Axis, Robert Lee Sep 2025

Mcl1 And Hexokinase 2 Form A Glucose Metabolic Regulatory Axis, Robert Lee

All ETDs from UAB

Hexokinase 2 (HK2) initiates glucose metabolism by catalyzing the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate providing the starting substrate for a vast array of metabolic pathways such as glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), amino acid biosynthesis and others. While HK2’s metabolic role in normal physiologic function (such as in cardiomyocytes) and cancers (through driving the Warburg Effect) are well established, there is emerging evidence that supports HK2 is also a critical mediator of protein-protein interactions that regulate cell survival. Through comprehensive review, we explore how HK2 contributes to cell survival through metabolic and protein scaffolding roles. We also investigate a novel …


Lineage-Associated Zinc Metalloprotease B And Its Impact On Cardiac Damage Elicited During Invasive Pneumococcal Disease, Jennifer Nichelle Luck Sep 2025

Lineage-Associated Zinc Metalloprotease B And Its Impact On Cardiac Damage Elicited During Invasive Pneumococcal Disease, Jennifer Nichelle Luck

All ETDs from UAB

During invasive disease, certain strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) can invade the myocardium, damaging cardiomyocytes and predisposing patients to life-threatening cardiac complications. To identify genetic loci involved in pneumococcal cardio-virulence, we performed a bacterial genome-wide association study using 825 genomes corresponding to 17 distinct Spn lineages associated with varying rates of cardiac complications during hospitalization for pneumonia. This led to the identification of an allele of zmpB, the gene encoding Zinc metalloprotease B (ZmpB). Infection of mice with a ZmpB deficient mutant, i.e., TIGR4ΔzmpB, found that ZmpB was required to form foci of infection in the heart, i.e., cardiac microlesions. …


Virulence Factors And Their Binding Partners: A Biochemical Study, Morgan E. Blake Sep 2025

Virulence Factors And Their Binding Partners: A Biochemical Study, Morgan E. Blake

All ETDs from UAB

Virulence factors are an important mechanism by which viruses combat the host immune system, therefore a thorough understanding of the workings of these proteins will be of significant value in prevention of disease associated with viral infections. In this dissertation we investigate the main virulence factors of two viruses, the Influenza A Virus (IAV) and SARS-CoV-2, and their interactions with host proteins, providing critical information for structure-based drug design. In chapter one we studied the nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of IAV and its interaction with the 30-kda subunit of the cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF30) to inhibit host cell …


Amygdala Npy+ Interneurons Are Activated By Aversive Stim-Uli, Patric Perez Sep 2025

Amygdala Npy+ Interneurons Are Activated By Aversive Stim-Uli, Patric Perez

All ETDs from UAB

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) serves as a critical endogenous anxiolytic and stress-buffering molecule, yet the temporal and spatial dynamics of NPY+ cells during fear learning re-main unknown. Temporal dynamics can be measured with in vivo calcium imaging tech-niques, which enable real-time monitoring of cell-type-specific neural activity in freely behaving animals. Snapshots of neuronal activation can be measured using c-Fos im-munohistochemistry, thereby providing excellent spatial resolution. Here, I employ cut-ting-edge approaches to characterize the temporal and spatial activation patterns of NPY+ cells in amygdala, a key fear-regulating brain region negatively impacted by aversive events. I first used in vivo fiber photometry, together …


Understanding Psychotic Disorders Using Normative Modeling-Derived Individual-Level Brain Structural Abnormalities, Natalie Remiszewski Sep 2025

Understanding Psychotic Disorders Using Normative Modeling-Derived Individual-Level Brain Structural Abnormalities, Natalie Remiszewski

All ETDs from UAB

Psychosis is an heterogenous condition that occurs in many psychiatric disorders. It has a variable symptom presentation and recent initiatives have suggested that investigating the underlying neurobiology of psychiatric disorders rather than their symptomatology would provide a more accurate picture for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Grey matter has been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychosis and psychotic disorders, though significant natural variation due to age and sex have impeded the distinction of pathologically relevant grey matter abnormalities in psychosis. Additionally, case-control approaches to exploring grey matter abnormalities in psychotic disorders often obscure subtle variation in individuals. Here, we utilize a …


Standardizing Sea Urchin Husbandry: Tank Effects, Gamete Production, And Co-Culture, Raven Amber Edwards Sep 2025

Standardizing Sea Urchin Husbandry: Tank Effects, Gamete Production, And Co-Culture, Raven Amber Edwards

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation seeks to further knowledge of sea urchin husbandry in three major areas that have so far not been investigated substantially: optimal conditions for housing sea urchins in a lab-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), impacts of repetitive spawning regimens on reproductive output, and co-culture utilizing juvenile oysters. All studies utilize a commercial recirculating aquaculture system that is relatively novel for culturing sea urchins. The first chapter investigated the influence of housing conditions on sea urchin growth outcomes. Under the conditions of this study, the size of the tank showed limited influence on growth; however, stocking density was found to …


Structural And Functional Investigation Of The Influenza Nuclear Export Protein, Andrew James Staup Sep 2025

Structural And Functional Investigation Of The Influenza Nuclear Export Protein, Andrew James Staup

All ETDs from UAB

The influenza A nuclear export protein (NEP) is a multi-functional protein that mediates the export of progeny viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes from the host nucleus, regulates the activity of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and is implicated in zoonosis. It is therefore critical to understand the mechanisms of NEP’s functions at the molecular level to inform its roles in the viral lifecycle and influenza zoonosis. In this dissertation, we report the structure of NEP in complex with the host nuclear export holo-complex as well as investigate the biophysical effects of the adaptive M16I mutation on NEP. We solved the cryo-electron …


Wellness Perspectives Of Early Career Teachers: An Exploratory Study Of School Culture And Environment, Amy Day Carr Sep 2025

Wellness Perspectives Of Early Career Teachers: An Exploratory Study Of School Culture And Environment, Amy Day Carr

All ETDs from UAB

Purpose: The purpose of this grounded theory dissertation was to explore Alabama early career teachers’ perceptions of personal wellness, the wellness culture and environment of their school system, and the impact of the culture on teacher wellness and job satisfaction. Early career teachers face unique challenges that contribute to high turnover rates, yet their wellness has not been systematically studied. This study sought to answer three primary research questions with sub-questions. Teachers were asked to describe their personal wellness, the wellness culture at their schools, and the effect of the wellness culture and environment of the school on teachers in …


Strength Of Self-Adhesive Resin Cements To Shortened Zirconia Crowns With And Without An Additional Coat Of Adhesive, Abraham John Sep 2025

Strength Of Self-Adhesive Resin Cements To Shortened Zirconia Crowns With And Without An Additional Coat Of Adhesive, Abraham John

All ETDs from UAB

Self-adhesive cements have gained popularity due to their ease of manipulation as they do not require a separate etch, primer, or bonding agent to bond to the tooth or crown surfaces. However, the use of an adhesive bonding agent with a self-adhesive resin cement has been claimed to improve its bond strength. The objective of this study is to compare the retention bond strength of 2 self-adhesive cements on to the tooth surface with and without the use of bonding agents with a known control. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 extracted non-carious second premolar teeth were collected. The …


Reducing The Risk Of Phishing Attacks Through Providing Consistent Training Via The Kaizen Education Platform, Dalton E. Pena Sep 2025

Reducing The Risk Of Phishing Attacks Through Providing Consistent Training Via The Kaizen Education Platform, Dalton E. Pena

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Many healthcare organizations have experienced cybersecurity related phishing email attacks, costing these organizations many thousands to many millions of dollars to release ransomed data to maintain patient care delivery and operations. Use of technology alone has proven to be insufficient, as most occurrences of data breaches are related to human behaviors. Background: Cybersecurity is a threat increasingly common to healthcare organizations, and it is gaining in both sophistication and complexity, aided by artificial intelligence. Healthcare organizations have adopted new technologies and increased the prevalence of cybersecurity training to develop a healthy cyber culture and construct a human firewall against …


Influence Of Transportation Access And Geographic Distance On Retention And Completion In Substance Use Treatment: A Retrospective Study Of In-Person And Telehealth Modalities, Yasemin Tanik Morgan Sep 2025

Influence Of Transportation Access And Geographic Distance On Retention And Completion In Substance Use Treatment: A Retrospective Study Of In-Person And Telehealth Modalities, Yasemin Tanik Morgan

All ETDs from UAB

Substance use disorder (SUD) remains a public health concern in the United States. Low-income and underserved populations continue to face barriers to accessing effective treatment. The rapid expansion of telehealth has been proposed as a solution to barriers such as geographic distance and transportation. However, it is unclear whether telehealth effectively addresses these barriers or how access-related factors influence treatment outcomes across care modalities. This retrospective cohort study, guided by the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework, evaluated the impact of treatment modality, transportation access, and geographic distance on retention and completion in a publicly funded Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) …


Murder On The Axonal Express: Synucleinopathy Disruption Of 14-3-3 Protein-Protein Interactions Impairs Axonal Trafficking, Frank Sanders Pair Sep 2025

Murder On The Axonal Express: Synucleinopathy Disruption Of 14-3-3 Protein-Protein Interactions Impairs Axonal Trafficking, Frank Sanders Pair

All ETDs from UAB

14-3-3s are a family of proteins highly expressed in the brain. These proteins exert their functions mainly through protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and have thousands of binding partners. 14-3-3s have been shown to be present in pro-teinaceous aggregates of alpha-synuclein (αsyn), a pathological hallmark of synucleinopathies. This includes such diseases as Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). 14-3-3 proteins, particularly the 14-3-3θ isoform, have been shown to be protective in multiple synucleinopathy models. However, reduced soluble levels of 14-3-3s and increased phosphorylation of 14-3-3θ at S232 observed in synucleinopathies like DLB may impair their protec-tive ability, potentially due …


Attitudes Of Optometrists Towards Referring Patients For Nutrition And Lifestyle Changes To Treat Diabetic Retinopathy And Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Samantha Chapman Sep 2025

Attitudes Of Optometrists Towards Referring Patients For Nutrition And Lifestyle Changes To Treat Diabetic Retinopathy And Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Samantha Chapman

All ETDs from UAB

Some ocular diseases, including diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, have direct links to systemic diseases or the condition of the body as a whole. Specific diet and lifestyle changes have been studied in relation to these two diseases and, while it is not within the scope of optometry to prescribe these changes for patients, an optometrist may refer to a variety of specialists so that patients can receive the most holistic care available. The primary goal of this study is to assess the attitudes of currently practicing United States optometrists towards referring to nutrition and lifestyle professionals and their …