Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Lower Limb Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation On The Muscle And Metabolic Health After Acute Spinal Cord Injury, Amal Alharbi

All ETDs from UAB

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event with long-term consequences for individuals and their families. It causes immediate disruption to neuronal pathways, leading to paralysis and loss of muscle function below the injury level. A few weeks after the injury, there is a rapid decline in contractile activity, muscle mass, and cross-sectional area. This leads to muscle fiber degeneration and a shift towards a higher proportion of fast glycolytic fibers, which are more prone to fatigue and less efficient in energy utilization. Severe muscle atrophy in SCI is closely linked to metabolic dysfunction, affecting overall health and rehabilitation recovery. …

Everyday Functioning In Middle Aged And Older Adults With Hiv: Factors That Influence Everyday Functioning And Awareness Of Functioning, Alexandra Elaine Jacob

All ETDs from UAB

With combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), the population of older people living with HIV (PLWH) is growing. There is a need to better understand everyday functioning, including instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), to improve real-world outcomes for this clinical population. This dissertation attempts to (1) characterize factors related to self-report and performance of IADLs in PLWH, (2) examine correlates of self-awareness for functional abilities, and (3) apply a theoretical model to examine complex relationships between factors that impact self-awareness for functional abilities. Participants in these retrospective analyses included 260 PLWH who completed a comprehensive neurobehavioral evaluation including neuropsychological tests, measures …

Prevention Of Spina Bifida Through Fortification Of Iodized Salt With Folic Acid, Anastasia Arynchyna Smith

All ETDs from UAB

The overarching goal of the three-paper dissertation is to address the gaps in the literature on the clinical care burden of preventable spina bifida on the global neurosurgical community and the need for a universal food vehicle for fortification with folic acid as a novel prevention strategy. It is known that sufficient intake of folic acid is imperative to prevent neural tube defects (spina bifida) in the developing fetus in the first month post-conception. It is also known that fortifying staple foods is the most cost-saving and effective prevention method. However, very few countries have mandatory fortification policies. Therefore, the …

The Effects Of The Home Food Environment On Habits Towards Foods, Demetria R. Pizano

All ETDs from UAB

Habits are the learned and reinforced behavioral patterns that predict an individual's tendencies to engage in an action in their environment (Gardner, de Bruijn & Lally, 2011). Behaviors consistently triggered by an environmental context, such as a home, allow the formation of habitual responses towards health practices such as food consumption (van't Riet et al., 2011). The home food environment (HFE), the availability and access to healthy foods, influences an individual's food selection and consumption behaviors that ultimately shape their eating habits (Nilsen, Roback, Brostrom, & Ellstrom, 2012). Similarly, an individual's executive function (EF), which represents their cognitive ability to …

Understanding Engagement With A Web-Based Diet And Exercise Program For Older Cancer Survivors, Aurora Tafili

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this dissertation is to develop an understanding of engagement with a web-based diet and exercise program. The three objectives of this dissertation include: (1) determining what theoretical underpinnings technology-based health behavior change interventions are utilizing and applying; (2) developing an understanding of older cancer survivors’ process of engagement with a web-based diet and exercise intervention through the utilization of a mixed methods grounded theory approach; and (3) identify what evidence-based strategies to promote engagement can be devised and dissemination based on process of engagement identified. Three methodologies were utilized to conduct this dissertation: (1) a systematic review …

The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status And Polygenic Risk Scores On Body Mass Index Among Non-Hispanic White Americans, Tomiwa Joshua Ayetigbo

All ETDs from UAB

The prevalence of obesity in the United States remains high, especially among individuals of low socioeconomic status (SES). Studies examining the joint influence of genetics and social factors, such as early life SES and education, in association with obesity remain underreported. These social factors might be related to a heightened risk of obesity. Genetic factors may further exacerbate the high-weight predisposition of those at risk. Genetic and social factors may act together to shape individuals’ weight. Therefore, this research ex-amined (a) whether the association between polygenic risk for BMI (PGS-BMI) and Body Mass Index (BMI) is independently modified by early …

Hotspotting In Home Health: The Impact Of Interprofessional Student-Team Home Visits On Health Outcomes Of Super-Utilizers Of The Health Care System, Jennifer T. Alderman

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of interprofessional student-team home visits on the health outcomes of super-utilizers of the health care system. The cost of health care continues to increase at an unsustainable pace. Innovative educational approaches integrated with existing models of care are an example of a potential strategy aimed at reducing costs and improving outcomes. The model implemented in this study is referred to as hotspotting, an emerging term that describes an intervention during which super-utilizers are the focus of the intervention. Teams of interprofessional health professions students performed home visits on these patients …

Bridging Implementation Science And Human-Centered Design: Developing Tailored Interventions For Healthier Eating In Restaurants, Melissa Fuster, Shelby Hipol, Terry Tk Huang, Uriyoán Colón-Ramos, Cara Conaboy, Rosa Abreu, Lourdes Castro Mortillaro, Margaret A. Handley

Publications and Research

Restaurants are important institutions in the communities’ economy with the potential to promote healthier foods but have been under-engaged in public health nutrition efforts. In particular, independently owned, minority-serving and minority-owned restaurants, remain under-represented in nutrition promotion efforts despite disproportionate burdens of diet-related health outcomes among minority populations. Addressing this gap in engagement, we undertook a process of co-designing and implementing healthy eating-focused interventions in two Latin American restaurants in New York City, combining the Behavior Change Wheel intervention development framework with a Human-Centered Design approach. Restaurant owners and chefs were involved in the research synthesis and solution development processes, …

Investigating Theoretical Constructs Of Social Cognitive Theory As Working Mechanisms Of Web-Based Diet And Physical Activity Interventions Among Cancer Survivors, Harleen Kaur

All ETDs from UAB

Cancer survivors are a high-risk population with poor lifestyle behaviors and a higher prevalence of obesity, necessitating effective lifestyle interventions to promote weight management, consumption of a healthy diet, and increased physical activity. Recently, lifestyle interventions have evolved to web-based platforms that are easily accessible. However, there is a need to understand how web-based lifestyle interventions work, and who they work best for to maximize impact. Thus, the objective of this dissertation was to evaluate social cognitive theory (SCT) mechanisms (i.e., self-efficacy, social support, and perceived barriers) through which two web-based lifestyle interventions, DUET and AMPLIFY, mediate changes in diet, …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And Tobramycin Effects On Aspergillus Fumigatus Infection In Cystic Fibrosis Airway, Tuan Anh Nguyen

All ETDs from UAB

Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) is one of the most common molds in the airways of people with Cystic Fibrosis (pwCF). The infection of Af is often preceded by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PsA) infection and its correlated treatment. PsA is considered a highly prevalent bacteria in the CF lung. PwCF suffers from complex and sophisticated coinfections within the airway that negatively impact the health outcomes of patients. Despite this, why fungal and bacterial coinfection occurs in pwCF is still being determined. However, abnormal mucus production and its characteristics are suspected of creating an environment that promotes Af germination and disease progression. This study …

Exploratory Review Of Performance Metric Changes At Federally Qualified Health Centers In U.S. Territories Pre- And Post-Covid-19 Pandemic, Keyla Cooper

All ETDs from UAB

This study examined the variations in quality-of-care measures and grant allocations for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in U.S. territories before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. It investigated the impact of federal funding, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), on these centers to identify strategies to enhance their resilience. Key aspects included financial resources, health outcomes, and the need for integrated mental health services. This quantitative, non-experimental, and cross-sectional study used simple and multiple linear regression analysis to evaluate quantitative secondary data representing FQHCs’ characteristics and performance. A total …

Understanding Biopsychosocial Influences On Physical Activity And Quality Of Life In Breast Cancer Survivors, Erica A. Schleicher

All ETDs from UAB

Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment can be life-altering, presenting numerous challenges. Breast cancer treatments are effective at allowing women to live longer, but often impose long-term side-effects that survivors must manage for years. Exercise is an effective way to address many long-term side-effects of breast cancer treatment, yet 63-83% of breast cancer survivors do not meet recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines. Due to the complexity of cancer and treatment options, cancer-related factors have potential biopsychosocial impacts that can influence exercise habits, attitudes toward PA (i.e., social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs), and potentially quality of life (QoL). It …

Parp-1 Selectively Impairs Kras-Driven Phenotypic And Molecular Features In Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma, Friederike L Keggenhoff, Darko Castven, Diana Becker, Stojan Stojkovic, Jovana Castven, Carolin Zimpel, Beate K Straub, Tiemo Gerber, Harald Langer, Patricia Hähnel, Thomas Kindler, Jörg Fahrer, Colm J O'Rourke, Ursula Ehmer, Anna Saborowski, Lichun Ma, Xin Wei Wang, Timo Gaiser, Matthias S Matter, Christian Sina, Stefanie Derer, Ju-Seog Lee, Stephanie Roessler, Bernd Kaina, Jesper B Andersen, Peter R Galle, Jens U Marquardt

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is the second most common primary liver cancer with limited therapeutic options. KRAS mutations are among the most abundant genetic alterations in iCCA associated with poor clinical outcome and treatment response. Recent findings indicate that Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase1 (PARP-1) is implicated in KRAS-driven cancers, but its exact role in cholangiocarcinogenesis remains undefined.

Design: PARP-1 inhibition was performed in patient-derived and established iCCA cells using RNAi, CRISPR/Cas9 and pharmacological inhibition in KRAS-mutant, non-mutant cells. In addition, Parp-1 knockout mice were combined with iCCA induction by hydrodynamic tail vein injection to evaluate an impact on phenotypic and molecular …

Back Matter, The Auk

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Is Diet-Shifting Facilitated By Modulation Of Pancreatic Enzymes? Test Of An Adaptational Hypothesis In Yellow-Rumped Warblers, M. Eugenia Ciminari, Daniel Afik, William H. Karasov, Enrique Caviedes-Vidal

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Protein Requirements Of A Specialized Frugivore, Pesquet's Parrot "Psittrichas Fulgidus", Gregory S. Pryor, Douglas J. Levey, Ellen S. Dierenfeld

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Large-Scale Variation In Growth Of Black Brant Goslings Related To Food Availability, James S. Sedinger, Mark P. Herzog, Brian T. Person, Morgan T. Kirk, Tim Obritchkewitch, Philip P. Martin, Alice A. Stickney

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Fitness-Related Consequences Of Relaying In An Arctic Seabird: Survival Of Offspring To Recruitment Age, Mark Hipfner

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Experimental Support For A New Drift Block Design To Assess Seabird Mortality From Oil Pollution, Francis K. Wiese, Ian L. Jones

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Timing Of Mineral Sequestration In Leg Bones Of White-Tailed Ptarmigan, James R. Larison, J. G. Crock, Christine M. Snow

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Stable-Isotope Analysis Of Canvasback Winter Diet In Upper Chesapeake Bay, G. Michael Haramis, Dennis G. Jorde, Stephen A. Macko, Jane L. Walker

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Carotenoid Pigments In Male House Finch Plumage In Relation To Age, Subspecies, And Ornamental Coloration, Caron Y. Inouye, Geoffrey E. Hill, Riccardo D. Stradi, Robert Montgomerie

The Auk

No abstract provided.

It Takes Guts "And More" To Eat Fruit: Lessons From Avian Nutritional Ecology, Douglas J. Levey, Carlos Martinez Del Rio

The Auk

No abstract provided.

It Takes Guts "And More" To Eat Fruit: Lessons From Avian Nutritional Ecology, Douglas J. Levey, Carlos Martinez Rio

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Standard And Comparative Energetics Of A Small Avian Herbivore "Phytotoma Rara", Enrico L. Rezende, M Victoria Lopez-Calleja, Francisco Bozinovic

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Frequency Of Egg And Nestling Destruction By Female Brown-Headed Cowbirds At Grassland Nests, Diane A. Granfors, Pamela J. Pietz, Lisa A. Joyal

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Visual Signals For Individual Identification: The Silent "Song" Of Ruffs, David B. Lank, James Dale

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Composition Of Eggs And Neonates Of Canada Geese And Lesser Snow Geese, Shannon S. Badzinski, C Davison Ankney, James O. Leafloor, Kenneth F. Abrahams

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Growth Rate And Energetics Of Arabian Babbler "Turdoides Squamiceps" Nestlings, Avner Anava, Michael Kam, Amiram Shkolnik, A. Allan Degen

The Auk

No abstract provided.

Foraging Strategies And Niche Dynamics Of Coexisting Shorebirds At Stopover Sites In The Southern Great Plains, Craig A. Davis, Loren M. Smith

The Auk

No abstract provided.