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Endodontic Sealers-Their Properties And Effects On Fiber Post Retention, Farrah Huthail Najib Jan 2008

Endodontic Sealers-Their Properties And Effects On Fiber Post Retention, Farrah Huthail Najib

All ETDs from UAB

Zinc oxide eugenol sealers have been used clinically for several years. Glass ionomer sealers were introduced due to their adhesion to the dental hard tissues and excellent sealing ability. During the process of endodontic treatment a post, core and final restoration is required for tooth restoration. Recently fiber reinforced composite posts have become more popular because of their mechanical properties and esthetics. However, fiber posts have to be adhesively cemented into root canal which can be affected by the endodontics sealers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of eugenol and non-eugenol containing sealers on the retention …


Trp-Ing Down A Trk: A New Role For Transient Receptor Potential Channels As Novel Mediators Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Actions At Both Sides Of The Excitatory Synapse, Michelle Dawn Amaral Jan 2008

Trp-Ing Down A Trk: A New Role For Transient Receptor Potential Channels As Novel Mediators Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Actions At Both Sides Of The Excitatory Synapse, Michelle Dawn Amaral

All ETDs from UAB

Over the years, various roles for neurotrophins have been revealed, being initially described as survival signals for neurons making their initial synaptic contacts in the developing brain. Eventually, it was discovered that these molecules also play important modulatory roles in the adult brain. The work encompassed in this dissertation serves to characterize one particular neurotrophin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which has been implicated in long-term potentiation (LTP), and its effects at CA3-CA1 synapses in the hippocampus following acute application in vitro. To this end, we have demonstrated the presence of a novel, non-selective cationic current that is initiated by BDNF …


Adenovirus As A Platform For Assembly And Targeted Delivery Of Gold Nanoparticles To Tumor Cells, Vaibhav Saini Jan 2008

Adenovirus As A Platform For Assembly And Targeted Delivery Of Gold Nanoparticles To Tumor Cells, Vaibhav Saini

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Novel combinatorial strategies need to be explored to achieve tumor eradication. In this regard, viral vector based gene therapy and nanotechnology offer unique possibilities for cancer therapy. As an example, multifunctional adenoviral (Ad) vectors capable of targeting, imaging, and successful cancer gene therapy have been advanced into multiple clinical trials. Similarly, novel multifunctional gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been utilized for drug delivery, targeting, imaging, and hyperthermia tumor therapy. Therefore, to accrue the benefits of both gene therapy and nanotechnology for cancer therapy, we proposed to combine Ad vectors and AuNPs in a single multifunctional nanodevice. Towards this goal, herein, we …


A Dual-Action, Armed Replicating Adenovirus For The Treatment Of Bone Metastases Of Breast Cancer, James Joseph Cody V Jan 2008

A Dual-Action, Armed Replicating Adenovirus For The Treatment Of Bone Metastases Of Breast Cancer, James Joseph Cody V

All ETDs from UAB

Most patients with advanced breast cancer develop osteolytic bone metastases, which have numerous complications. Because current therapies are not curative, new treatments are needed. Conditionally replicating adenoviruses (CRAds) are anti-cancer agents designed to infect and lyse tumor cells. For increased efficacy, CRAds have been armed with therapeutic transgenes. Osteoprotegerin (OPG), an inhibitor of osteoclastic bone resorption, represents a promising candidate with which to arm a CRAd intended to treat osteolytic bone metastases. We hypothesize that a CRAd armed with OPG will inhibit breast cancer bone metastasis and reduce tumor burden in the bone by directly lysing tumor cells and by …


Validation Of Two Qualitative Occupational Expose Assessment Models For Particulates And Vapors, Leshan J. Elliott Jan 2008

Validation Of Two Qualitative Occupational Expose Assessment Models For Particulates And Vapors, Leshan J. Elliott

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o ensure industrial workers are not overexposed to hazardous chemicals, it is necessary to evaluate the magnitude of occupational exposures. Small and medium sized companies usually do not employ industrial hygienists or other professionals trained in occupational exposure evaluations. Thus, traditional quantitative air sampling methods are usually not feasible due to resource and budgetary limitations. Qualitative exposure assessment models have gained in popularity because they are simple, inexpensive, and less time consuming than quantitative methods. Models are available which predict exposure concentrations or categorize exposures as acceptable or unacceptable. Unfortunately, most models have not been validated or previous studies have …


Microbial Biofilm Attachment To Caenorhabditis Elegans, Kevin Drace Jan 2008

Microbial Biofilm Attachment To Caenorhabditis Elegans, Kevin Drace

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The closely related bacterial species Xenorhabdus nematophila, Yersinia pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis make biofilms capable of adhering to the head of the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Y. pestis uses biofilms to block the digestive tract of its vector, the flea, in order to enhance its efficiency of transmission. I investigated the role of biofilms in X. nematophila and found that, like its Yersinia sp. counterparts, production of biofilm requires a four-gene operon: hmsHFRS. X. nematophila is an insect pathogen and an obligate symbiont of the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. However, an X. nematophila hmsH mutant that failed to make biofilms on …


Calmodulin Binding To Cellular Flice Like Inhibitory Protein Modulates Fas-Induced Signaling And Tumorigenesis In Cholangiocarcinoma, Pritish Subhash Pawar Jan 2008

Calmodulin Binding To Cellular Flice Like Inhibitory Protein Modulates Fas-Induced Signaling And Tumorigenesis In Cholangiocarcinoma, Pritish Subhash Pawar

All ETDs from UAB

Cholangiocarcinoma, a fatal tumor arising from biliary epithelium, has very poor 5-year survival rate due to lack of early diagnosis and effective therapies. Induction of the Fas-mediated apoptosis is a promising therapeutic target in this tumor. Studies from our group and others have indicated that Fas-expression correlates inversely with disease progression and that CaM-antagonists induce apoptosis in cholangiocarcinoma cells in a Fas related manner. Further, we reported a direct and dynamic interaction of CaM and Fas and that CaM is recruited into the Fas-stimulated death inducing signaling complex (DISC), suggesting a cross talk between Fas and CaM pathways. The studies …


The Effect Of Malaria And Intestinal Helminth Coinfection On Birth Outcomes In Ghana, Nelly J. Yatich Jan 2008

The Effect Of Malaria And Intestinal Helminth Coinfection On Birth Outcomes In Ghana, Nelly J. Yatich

All ETDs from UAB

Several studies have reported the relationship between malaria during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes including maternal anemia, low birthweight, as well as preterm delivery and small for gestational age infants. Some studies have also demonstrated the linkage between helminth infection and maternal anemia. Few studies have assessed the occurrence of coinfection of these infections in pregnancy and its effects on maternal anemia and birth outcomes. The objective of this dissertation was to assess the effect of malaria and intestinal helminth coinfection on birth outcomes in Ghana. A cross-sectional study of 785 women presenting for delivery in two hospitals in Kumasi, …


Growth Hormone Signaling And Action In Osteoblasts, Douglas J. Digirolamo Jan 2008

Growth Hormone Signaling And Action In Osteoblasts, Douglas J. Digirolamo

All ETDs from UAB

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) exert profound growth promoting actions during pre- and post-natal skeletal development. GH and IGF- 1 appear to cause these anabolic actions by influencing a variety of effects on osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and survival. However, because GH stimulates the production of IGF-1 from the liver and other GH-responsive peripheral tissues, including bone, the individual contributions of these two molecules to anabolic responses in bone remains poorly defined. In this dissertation research, I sought to distinguish the direct and indirect (IGF-1 dependent) GH actions on osteoblasts. In the first section of this thesis, I …


Partner Referral Among Patients With Sexually Transmitted Diseases In Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nazmul Alam Jan 2008

Partner Referral Among Patients With Sexually Transmitted Diseases In Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nazmul Alam

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This dissertation puts together three closely related articles on partner referral for sexually transmitted diseases (STD). The first paper sought to understand feasibility and acceptability of partner referral for STD in less developed countries using a systematic literature review. The results summarized from 39 articles indicate that partner referral outcome was more common for spousal partners than for causal partners. Client's reported barriers included stigma and fear of abuse while infrastructural barriers included limited resources are important. Client centered counseling was found to be effective in increasing partner referral in Africa. The second paper aimed to determine if intention of …


Evaluation Of Pre And Post Treatment Filtration Performance Of Kinetico Macrolite® Ceramic Media Compared To Traditional Sand/Anthracite And Gac Filters In Drinking Water Treatment Process, Jeff Cochran Jan 2008

Evaluation Of Pre And Post Treatment Filtration Performance Of Kinetico Macrolite® Ceramic Media Compared To Traditional Sand/Anthracite And Gac Filters In Drinking Water Treatment Process, Jeff Cochran

All ETDs from UAB

This study was conducted in conjunction with the Birmingham Water Works Board to evaluate Kinetico ceramic filter media against GAC (Granular Activated Carbon) and Sand/Anthracite filters. The Birmingham Water Works Board Water Treatment Pilot Plant was located and operated on the Shades Mountain Filter Plant (SMFP) premises. The evaluation was conducted in three phases: plant matching, plant optimization, and pre-filter testing. The initial phase called for determining the best combination of Kinetico Macrolite Ceramic media to match or outperform the existing Sand/Anthracite dual media filters located at SMFP. At the end of the testing it was determined that 18 inches …


Friction Produced By Esthetic Brackets With Varying Ligation, Christine Knox Abenoja Jan 2008

Friction Produced By Esthetic Brackets With Varying Ligation, Christine Knox Abenoja

All ETDs from UAB

Controlling friction is an important aspect of orthodontics because it allows more predictable tooth movement with less anchorage loss. Friction at the bracket/archwire/ligation interface can reduce the force available for desired tooth movement. Initial stages of orthodontic treatment depend on the ability of the archwire to slide freely through the bracket, making friction an important aspect of all orthodontic brackets in the early phases of orthodontic treatment. The purpose of the present in vitro study was to measure the force to move esthetic brackets over an archwire using different ligation methods. A stainless steel model reproducing the maxillary right dentition …


Success Rates Of Temporary Anchorage Devices Placed In An Orthodontic Clinic, Alex C. Schreiber Jan 2008

Success Rates Of Temporary Anchorage Devices Placed In An Orthodontic Clinic, Alex C. Schreiber

All ETDs from UAB

In recent years, the use of a variety of temporary placed implants to attain absolute anchorage has been described in the orthodontic literature. The use of temporary implants, fixed to bone, overcomes some of the limitations of traditional anchorage and their reliance on patient compliance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors relating to the successful placement of miniscrew temporary anchorage devices in an orthodontic clinic. The orthodontic records of patients who had miniscrews placed during their treatment at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry Postgraduate Orthodontic Clinic were selected. After application of the inclusion …


Bone Formation Around Implants In Adult Transgenic Mice With Selective Runx2-Ii Deficiency, Jaime Rodrigo Rivera Jan 2008

Bone Formation Around Implants In Adult Transgenic Mice With Selective Runx2-Ii Deficiency, Jaime Rodrigo Rivera

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Titanium-aluminum-vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) tacks were placed in the tibiae of 10 female wild type (Runx2 flox/+ or Runx2 flox/flox) and heterozygous (Runx2+/-, ColII Cre) mice littermates to examine healing and bone response. Animals were divided into control and test groups of 5 each. A novel generation of Runx2 knock-out mice where the gene is only deleted in chondrocytes was used. Ten days after implant surgery, specimens were recovered and prepared for histological, histomorphometric, and micro-CT morphometric analysis. Histological examination revealed that wild type animals presented larger regions of bone formation and endochondral ossification when compared to heterozygous mice. Micro-CT morphometric analysis …


Oral Mucositis In Children Receiving Bone Marrow Transplantation, Francisco Jose Rodriguez Jan 2008

Oral Mucositis In Children Receiving Bone Marrow Transplantation, Francisco Jose Rodriguez

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Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify the factors that influence the incidence, severity, onset, and resolution of oral mucositis in children undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Methods: One hundred and fifty medical records were reviewed of patients that received BMT. Daily values of white blood cell (WBC) counts were obtained to associate it’s correlation with the incidence, severity, onset, and resolution of oral mucositis. Age group and gender of the patients, type of bone marrow transplant, the use of methotrexate, the use of total body irradiation, and the previous treatment with chemotherapy were obtained to analyze …


Characterization Of Sortase And Its Effect On The Virulence Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Allison E. Bennett Jan 2008

Characterization Of Sortase And Its Effect On The Virulence Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Allison E. Bennett

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Sortases are transpeptidases that covalently link surface proteins to the stempeptide on the cell wall peptidoglycan of Gram-positive bacteria. This work endeavored to characterize the various sortase enzymes and their effect on the virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The genome of S. pneumoniae may encode up to four sortase enzymes. We found that 38 of 54 strains of serotype 6B clonal complex 14 (CC14) carry the genes for the secondary sortases srtB, srtC, and srtD. The presence of these sortases did not seem to influence the ability of strains within CC14 to infect the nasopharynx, lungs, or blood of strains within …


Perioperative Music And Its Effects On Anxiety, Hemodynamics, And Pain In Women Undergoing Mastectomy, Pamela Gail Binns-Turner Jan 2008

Perioperative Music And Its Effects On Anxiety, Hemodynamics, And Pain In Women Undergoing Mastectomy, Pamela Gail Binns-Turner

All ETDs from UAB

The study purpose was to examine the effects of a perioperative music intervention on changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), anxiety, and pain in women with a diagnosis of breast cancer undergoing mastectomy surgery. The convenience sample included 30 women between the ages of 42 and 70 who were undergoing mastectomy in a large urban hospital in the southern United States. Exclusion criteria included male gender, psychiatric disorder, use of psychotropic medications, cognitive mental disability, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status 4 or greater. In a quasiexperimental, repeated measures design, participants were randomized equally into music …


Diagnosing Antiretroviral Treatment Failure In Resource-Limited Settings, Ronald Alexander Cantrell Jan 2008

Diagnosing Antiretroviral Treatment Failure In Resource-Limited Settings, Ronald Alexander Cantrell

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This dissertation had three central goals. The first was to review the existing literature for reports of virologic failure among adults initiating non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings. The second was to describe the epidemiology of virologic failure over the first 6 months of therapy in Lusaka, Zambia. The third was to examine the performance of different approaches for diagnosing virologic failure. We performed a meta-analysis using data from previously published reports to create summary estimates for the prevalence of virologic failure and found that the lowest estimate of the 95% confidence interval was 10% or higher …


Structural And Functional Properties Of Human Αa-Crystallin, Jose Mauro Chaves Jan 2008

Structural And Functional Properties Of Human Αa-Crystallin, Jose Mauro Chaves

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The three specific aims of the project were: (1) compare effects of deamidation alone (i.e., αA-N101D, αA-N123D, αA-N101/123D), truncation alone (αA-NT mutant [deletion of residue no. 1-63], or αA-CT mutant [deletion of residue no. 140-173]), or both truncation plus deamidation on structural and functional properties of human lens αA-crystallin; (2) identify components of complexes in the water soluble-high molecular weight (WS-HMW) proteins of normal aging and cataractous human lenses; and (3) determine interactions among WT-αA, αA-NT and αA-CT crystallin species with filensin and phakinin (beaded filament proteins) in vitro. The comparative structural and functional differences between αA-deamidated and/or truncated mutants …


The Relationship Of Medical Homeness To The Quality Of Life Of Mothers Of Children With And Without Special Health Care Needs, Cynthia G. Cortes Jan 2008

The Relationship Of Medical Homeness To The Quality Of Life Of Mothers Of Children With And Without Special Health Care Needs, Cynthia G. Cortes

All ETDs from UAB

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the relationship of child, family, and medical home status to quality of life for mothers of children with and without special health care needs. Mothers of children with (n=100) and without (n=80) special health care needs, completed a questionnaire at a children’s hospital in the southeastern United States focusing on the child, family, and medical home and maternal quality of life. Standardized instruments were used to measure quality of life (SF-36) and social support (Social Support Questionnaire). Non-standardized instruments used in other research were incorporated into the maternal questionnaire. Logistic and linear regression …


The Developmental Functions Of Bdnf And Mecp2 On Dendritic And Synaptic Structure, Christopher A. Chapleau Jan 2008

The Developmental Functions Of Bdnf And Mecp2 On Dendritic And Synaptic Structure, Christopher A. Chapleau

All ETDs from UAB

Mutations in the transcriptional repressor MeCP2 cause Rett Syndrome (RTT), a mental retardation disease associated with reduced dendritic architecture of cortical pyramidal neurons, in addition to a decrease in the number of dendritic spines. I present the first quantification analysis of spine density in postmortem human brain tissue, demonstrating that hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons have reduced spine densities in RTT patients throughout their lives. One gene that MeCP2 regulates is BDNF, an important developmental factor that modulates synaptic transmission and plasticity, as well as spine formation and maturation. In immature cultured hippocampal neurons, cell-autonomous expression of BDNF accelerates the differentiation …


Analysis Of The Role Of Fcrl5 And Figlers In B Cell Development, Signaling, And Malignancy, Christopher L. Haga Jan 2008

Analysis Of The Role Of Fcrl5 And Figlers In B Cell Development, Signaling, And Malignancy, Christopher L. Haga

All ETDs from UAB

The regulation of signaling and migration is critical to B lymphocyte development, activation, and proliferation. This dissertation reports a functional role for Fc receptor-like molecule 5 (FCRL5), a B cell specific member of the Fc receptor-like family of molecules, and the discovery of a novel family of conserved transmembrane proteins with fibronectin, immunoglobulin, and leucine-rich repeat domains (FIGLER) expressed in bone marrow and B lineage cells. Until now, the signaling potential of FCRL5 was unknown. A panel of FcRIIB/FCRL5 chimeric receptors were created and expressed in a B cell line lacking endogenous FcRIIB. Coligation of the chimeric receptor with the …


Enzymatic And Proteomic Analysis Of Spinal Cord In A G93a Als Mouse Model, Page Jones Jan 2008

Enzymatic And Proteomic Analysis Of Spinal Cord In A G93a Als Mouse Model, Page Jones

All ETDs from UAB

Mutations to copper,zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn SOD or SOD1) are the only known causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized primarily by death of spinal motor neurons. While the molecular mechanisms responsible for motor neuron death in this disease remain to be elucidated, recent studies implicate mitochondrial dysfunction as a key factor in the pathogenesis of ALS. In support of this, we observed ALS-dependent alterations in key functions including creatine kinase activity and ATP levels, which could be linked to changes in the mitochondrial proteome. Importantly, extensive research efforts have failed to develop a treatment that significantly …


Role Of The Gm/Gn Glycoprotein Complex In The Final Assembly And Egress Of The Human Cytomegalovirus (Hcmv), Magdalena Anna Krzyzaniak Jan 2008

Role Of The Gm/Gn Glycoprotein Complex In The Final Assembly And Egress Of The Human Cytomegalovirus (Hcmv), Magdalena Anna Krzyzaniak

All ETDs from UAB

HCMV consists of a dsDNA genome enclosed by, an icosahedral capsid surrounded by a layer of tegument proteins; the virion structure is enclosed in a lipid envelope rich in virus expressed glycoproteins. The HCMV envelope contains an incompletely defined number of glycoproteins. The glycoprotein M (gM) and glycoprotein N (gN) form a gM/gN protein complex which is the most abundant protein component of the HCMV envelope. Recent studies have indicated that deletion of the viral gene encoding either gM or gN is lethal for HCMV. The gM C-terminal cytoplasmic tail (gM-CT) revealed an acidic cluster and a tyrosine-based trafficking motifs. …


Punctal Occlusion Impact On Tear Film Immuno-Regulatory Proteins Measured By Cytometric Bead-Based Assay, Martin W. Lafrance Jan 2008

Punctal Occlusion Impact On Tear Film Immuno-Regulatory Proteins Measured By Cytometric Bead-Based Assay, Martin W. Lafrance

All ETDs from UAB

PURPOSE: This study compares vendor reagents used for cytometric bead-based assay (CBA) of cytokines in human tears and validates a protocol for use in evaluating punctal occlusion, a treatment for keratoconjunctivitis sicca. It has been proposed that punctal occlusion may alter tear cytokine concentrations based on the facts that: (1) tear clearance, a measure of the balance between tear production and elimination, declines following occlusion and (2) reduced tear clearance and increased levels of pro-inflammatory tear cytokines are correlated in dry eye patients. This study compares tear clearance values and the level of 24 tear cytokines measured by CBA following …


Mechanism Of Interferon-Beta-Mediated Inhibition Of Il-8 Gene Expression, Travis Laver Jan 2008

Mechanism Of Interferon-Beta-Mediated Inhibition Of Il-8 Gene Expression, Travis Laver

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Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a potent chemoattractant of numerous cells, particularly neutrophils, in the innate immune response. In addition to immune functions, IL-8 is known to contribute to the pathogenesis of a number of diseases, including cancer. Interferon-β (IFN-β), a Type I interferon, inhibits the expression of IL-8, but the details of this effect are not known. In this study we investigate transcriptional control of the IL- 8 gene and the mechanism by which IFN-β exerts inhibitory effects on IL-8. Herein we show that stimulation of U87-MG glioma cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) results in a rapid recruitment of NF-κB …


Interim Monitoring Efficacy, Safety And Futility In Phase Iii Clinical Trials, Qing Li Jan 2008

Interim Monitoring Efficacy, Safety And Futility In Phase Iii Clinical Trials, Qing Li

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Phase III trials often have both efficacy and safety outcomes. Sometimes the safety outcomes are closely associated with the efficacy outcomes. We sought to find a statistical method to treat both efficacy and safety outcomes as bivariate primary outcomes and set up stopping rules at interim stages based on the following criteria: (1) greater safety; (2) greater efficacy; (3) futility. We first examined the internal pilot design to adjust sample size for clinical trials with a bivariate response (efficacy and safety). Three nuisance parameters (two variances and correlation) need to be considered when doing sample size recalculation for the internal …


The Au-Rich Element Mrna Decay-Promoting Activity Of Brf1 Is Regulated By Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Activated Protein Kinase 2, Sushmit Maitra Jan 2008

The Au-Rich Element Mrna Decay-Promoting Activity Of Brf1 Is Regulated By Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Activated Protein Kinase 2, Sushmit Maitra

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Regulated mRNA decay is a highly important process for the tight control of gene expression. Inherently unstable mRNAs contain AU-rich elements (AREs) in the 3’ untranslated regions that direct rapid mRNA decay by interaction with decay-promoting ARE-binding proteins (ARE-BPs). The decay of ARE-containing mRNAs is regulated by signaling pathways, which are believed to directly target ARE-BPs. Here, we show that BRF1 involved in ARE-mediated mRNA decay (AMD) is phosphorylated by MAPK-activated protein kinase 2, MK2. In vitro kinase assays using different BRF1 fragments suggest that MK2 phosphorylates BRF1 at four distinct sites, S54, S92, S203, and an unidentified site at …


The Physical And Mental Health Of Spouse Caregivers In Dementia: Finding Meaning As A Mediator Of Burden, Susan M. Mclennon Jan 2008

The Physical And Mental Health Of Spouse Caregivers In Dementia: Finding Meaning As A Mediator Of Burden, Susan M. Mclennon

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of caregiver burden on the physical and mental health of caregivers of spouses with dementia and to determine if finding meaning through caregiving mediated the relationship between burden and health. This was a cross-sectional, correlational study in a convenience sample of 84 community-residing spouse caregivers of adults with dementia recruited from North- Central Florida. Measures included the Zarit Burden Interview, the Finding Meaning through Caregiving Scale, and the Medical Outcomes Short Form-36, version 2. Data analyses consisted of descriptive, correlational, and standard multiple regression statistical methods. The sample consisted of …


Modulation Of Transforming Growth Factor (Tgf)-Ss1 And Its Implications In Breast Cancer Metastasis, Lakisha Dionne Moore Jan 2008

Modulation Of Transforming Growth Factor (Tgf)-Ss1 And Its Implications In Breast Cancer Metastasis, Lakisha Dionne Moore

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Overexpresssion of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β has been implicated in promoting immune suppression, tumor angiogenesis, tumor cell migration, and invasion in many cancers including carcinoma of the breast. Thus, targeted downregulation of TGF-β1 expression in breast cancer in situ and determination of its implications potentially could provide new treatment approaches for disease management. siRNA constructs targeting TGF-β1 were validated and used to develop clonal derivatives of the MDA-MB-435 metastatic breast cancer cell line. Inhibition of TGF-β1 expression in MDA-MB-435 cells showed decrease in migration and invasion in vitro with an increase in proliferation. In vivo analysis indicated a 90% decrease …