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Articles 1 - 30 of 129
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Impact Of Site Development Techniques In The Soft Tissue Height On Single Implant Supported Prosthesis In The Anterior Maxilla, Juan Francisco Pardo
Impact Of Site Development Techniques In The Soft Tissue Height On Single Implant Supported Prosthesis In The Anterior Maxilla, Juan Francisco Pardo
All ETDs from UAB
Background: Implant placement should be based on a restoration-oriented treatment plan with correct three-dimensional positioning to allow optimal support and stability of surrounding hard and soft tissues. After tooth extraction the alveolus remodels producing changes in the soft tissues contours. This may translate into the inability to place the implant or in a non-esthetic restoration. In contemporary esthetic implant dentistry, the main objective is to maintain the socket dimensions and soft tissue contours to allow ideal implant placement and to provide a harmonious restoration. Objective: To evaluate if socket grafting with FDBA with or without PRP or rhPDGF in site …
Human Cytomegalovirus Ul97 Kinase Activity Modifies Cell Cycle Checkpoint Regulators, Rachel Brooke Gill
Human Cytomegalovirus Ul97 Kinase Activity Modifies Cell Cycle Checkpoint Regulators, Rachel Brooke Gill
All ETDs from UAB
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection results in destructive infections in neonates and immunocompromised individuals. Being the primary congenital infection in the United States, it can often result in permanent neurological deficits in infants. The current therapies for CMV infections all target the viral DNA polymerase and also have dose-limiting toxicities. Isolates resistant to ganciclovir (GCV), the therapy of choice, can sometimes overwhelm immunocompromised hosts. Better therapies for this infection are required. The CMV UL97 kinase is a key enzyme in the treatment of CMV infection because it phosphorylates GCV. Additionally, maribavir (MBV) specifically inhibits UL97 kinase activity and inhibits viral replication. …
Role Of The Cystine/Glutamate Exchanger In Glioma Cell Biology, Toyin Adeyemi Ogunrinu
Role Of The Cystine/Glutamate Exchanger In Glioma Cell Biology, Toyin Adeyemi Ogunrinu
All ETDs from UAB
Changes in the glioma microenvironment including oxygen (O2) levels, supply of amino acid such as L-glutamate and L-cystine and glutathione (GSH) concentrations play a critical role in glioma biology. Previous data from our laboratory and others have implicated the L-cystine/L-glutamate exchanger, system xc- in the invasion and proliferation of cancers including glioma. The central aim of this dissertation was to characterize the contribution of L-cystine uptake, GSH synthesis and L-glutamate release to migration and proliferation of glioma cells. In my first study, I examined the role of system xc- mediated L-glutamate release on glioma migration. I show that activation of …
Social Support, Social Stigma, Health, Coping, And Quality Of Life In Older Gay Men With Hiv, Larry Zuendel Slater
Social Support, Social Stigma, Health, Coping, And Quality Of Life In Older Gay Men With Hiv, Larry Zuendel Slater
All ETDs from UAB
With the advent of antiretroviral therapy, people with HIV/AIDS are living longer and managing their HIV infection as would an individual with any other chronic disease. As life expectancy increases, quality of life has progressed as an emerging issue for older adults with HIV/AIDS. A majority of people living with HIV in the U.S. are still gay men, who thus comprise a large portion of those who are growing older with the disease. The aims of the descriptive, correlational study were to: (1) explore the relationships among age, race, socioeconomic status, health, social support, social stigma, coping, perceived health, and …
Factors Associated With Prescribing Antiviral Medications For Treatment Of Influenza Among Primary Care Physicians In The United States, Payal Patel
All ETDs from UAB
Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness that affects millions each year. The illness, if not contained, can be a paramount public health threat in the U.S. and the world. Primary care physicians play an essential role in administering antiviral medications as a treatment for influenza yet the factors that influence their prescribing of these medications remain unclear. The present study aims to identify factors associated with physicians' prescribing of antiviral medications in the ambulatory care setting. The data utilized for this study were obtained from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for each influenza season between the years of 2005-2008. …
Organizational Configurations And Strategies Related To Financial Performance In Medical Group Practices: A Test Of Porter's Generic Strategies, Todd Brenton Smith
Organizational Configurations And Strategies Related To Financial Performance In Medical Group Practices: A Test Of Porter's Generic Strategies, Todd Brenton Smith
All ETDs from UAB
Research in the field of organizational configurations (OC) involves the formation of groups of firms that are similar to each other on certain characteristics, and dissimilar from other groups, and explores organizational performance differences between the groups (Ketchen & Shook, 1996; Short, Payne, and Ketchen, 2008). However, OC is replete with literature lacking in common key terms, measurement methods, and specification of variables, and too few empirical articles with a strong theoretical basis have been published (Short, Payne, & Ketchen, 2008). Porter's (1980, 1985) generic strategies are a specific typology within the field of OC that have been used extensively …
Ecology And Transmission Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus In The Southeastern United States, Gregory Scott White
Ecology And Transmission Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus In The Southeastern United States, Gregory Scott White
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The virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a highly pathogenic arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) present in the US. The virus is listed as a reportable illness to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is also listed as a select agent by Human Health and Services (HHS). Studies on EEEV starting back in the 1930's have determined many important facets of the ecology, transmission and evolution of the virus. It is understood that in many endemic foci, the mosquito Culiseta melanura is the primary enzootic vector of the virus. EEEV is thus maintained in an enzootic cycle between …
The Effect Of Changes In Tort Laws On Cesarean Section Rates In The United States, Allison Jean Taylor
The Effect Of Changes In Tort Laws On Cesarean Section Rates In The United States, Allison Jean Taylor
All ETDs from UAB
"Defensive medicine", medical practice decisions based on fear of malpractice litigation and where risks may outweigh health and cost benefits, is a proposed contributor to increasing cesarean rates in the U.S. Some studies suggest that changes in laws governing medical malpractice actions may decrease the cesarean rate by relieving pressures driving defensive medicine. This study examined whether, in states that have adopted certain tort reform measures, the probability of having a cesarean delivery is lower following implementation of the reform measures. A database of state legislation and court decisions and National Center for Health Statistics natality data files (1991-2004) were …
Effect Of Different Percentages Of Silica Nanofibers Filler Loads On Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Flowable Composite Resins, Shashikant Singhal
Effect Of Different Percentages Of Silica Nanofibers Filler Loads On Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Flowable Composite Resins, Shashikant Singhal
All ETDs from UAB
Dental composites are important in the spectra of restorative materials. Ability to match the color of natural dentition is an appealing characteristic of composite restorations. Additionally, they can be bonded physically to the tooth, which limits the amount of tooth preparation required and thereby conserves healthy tooth structure. In relation to other restorations like amalgams, non-metallic compositions of dental composites have exhibited good biocompatibility. The dental composites are composed of a resin matrix containing a blend of bis-GMA (bis-phenol A-glycidyldimethacrylate) or urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) along with TEGDMA (tetraethylglycidylmethacrylate). Novel techniques for the reinforcement of these resin-based composites continue in a …
Associations Among Measures Of Engagement With Kp.Org And Clinical Outcomes, Heather J. Sobko
Associations Among Measures Of Engagement With Kp.Org And Clinical Outcomes, Heather J. Sobko
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USING MEASURES OF ENGAGEMENT WITH KP.ORG TO DETERMINE ASSOCIATIONS WITH SELECTED CLINICAL OUTCOMES HEATHER J. SOBKO SCHOOL OF NURSING ABSTRACT Introduction The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to examine patterns of use of an electronic personal health record among adults diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension or hyperlipidemia. Intermediate behavioral measures (medication possession ratios) and physiological measures of metabolic control for diabetes (hemoglobinA1c), hypertension (blood pressure) and hyperlipidemia (low density lipoprotein) were examined. Methods Administrative data from Kaiser Permanente Georgia were analyzed. Adult members of with selected chronic diseases of diabetes, hypertension or hyperlipidemia who used the Kaiser Permanente electronic …
Expanding Genetic Analysis Of Patients With A Neurofibromatosis Type 1-Like Phenotype, Emily Spencer
Expanding Genetic Analysis Of Patients With A Neurofibromatosis Type 1-Like Phenotype, Emily Spencer
All ETDs from UAB
Neurofibromatosis Type 1, a common autosomal dominant disorder with neuro-cardio- facio-cutaneous presentation, is caused by mutations in the NF1 gene, a negative regulator of RAS-MAPK signaling. The presentation of NF1 is overlapping, yet clinically distinct from other diseases of RAS-MAPK signaling. An RNA-based comprehensive approach for mutation detection identifies an NF1 alteration in over 95% of non-founder NF1 patients with a classical NF1 presentation. However, no NF1 mutation was identified in 54.2% of the 2432 patients referred for molecular diagnostics due to the presence one or more NF1 related sign between August 2003 and July 2007. In order to clarify …
Molecular Piracy In The Mobilization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenicity Island 1, Michael Spilman
Molecular Piracy In The Mobilization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenicity Island 1, Michael Spilman
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Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage 80α is a temperate, double-stranded DNA phage that serves as a "helper" phage for the mobilization of several S. aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPIs), including SaPI1. When mobilized by 80α, SaPI1 genomes are packaged into smaller phage-like transducing particles composed of 80α capsid (gp47), scaffolding (gp46) and portal (gp42) proteins. In this dissertation, I utilize electron microscopy and biochemistry to tease apart the structural and genetic controls and consequences of SaPI1 as a molecular pirate. More specifically, I show that two SaPI1 proteins shift assembly from 63-nm, T = 7 icosahedral capsids to 47-nm, T = 4 capsids, …
"The Role Of Health Promotion In Physical Therapy Survey" Reliability And Validity Testing", Jaca Stephens
"The Role Of Health Promotion In Physical Therapy Survey" Reliability And Validity Testing", Jaca Stephens
All ETDs from UAB
ABSTRACT Purpose: Physical therapists (PTs) have a unique opportunity to play a meaningful role in educating patients on health and wellness to prevent chronic conditions, such as cardiac disease, cerebrovascular disease, pulmonary disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. No instrument has been validated to measure physical therapists' views on health promotion and their practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of a health promotion survey designed for physical therapists. Method: An expert panel of 9 physical therapists assessed the content validity of "The Role of Health Promotion in Physical Therapy Survey." as developed by Rea …
Calcium Dynamics Of Glial Cells And Genetic Influences On Behavior Of The Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans, Randy Franklin Stout
Calcium Dynamics Of Glial Cells And Genetic Influences On Behavior Of The Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans, Randy Franklin Stout
All ETDs from UAB
A major challenge in neuroscience is understanding how the different neural cell types work together to process information and produce a behavioral output. Glial cells of the human brain have long been thought to act as support for the fundamental cell to cell communication at the core of cognition: neuronal synaptic communication. Research over the past several decades measuring glial activity and experimentally controlling glial cells in rodent model systems has shown that the two macroglia sub-types of glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) have active roles in establishment, maintenance, and modulation of synaptic communication in the mammalian brain. Much of …
The Effects Of Runx2 Deficiency In Cartilaginous And Mineralized Craniofacial Element, David Summerford
The Effects Of Runx2 Deficiency In Cartilaginous And Mineralized Craniofacial Element, David Summerford
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The development of the orofacial structure in mammals is a highly ordered process that is coordinated activity of epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Chondrocytes and osteoblasts work in close association for development of many cartilaginous skeletal structures and cartilaginous orofacial structures. Two major orofacial structures are the palate and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The transcription factor, Runx2, is obligatory for differentiation of mesenchymal cells into chondrocytes and osteoblasts. However, specific contributions of chondrocyte in cartilaginous and mineralized structures of the craniofacial skeleton are not known. Thus, the objective of this study was to discover the regulatory role of Runx2 in chondrocyte …
Occupational Stress In Veterinary Support Staff, Sandra Morales Foster
Occupational Stress In Veterinary Support Staff, Sandra Morales Foster
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OCCUPATIONAL STRESS IN VETERINARY SUPPORT STAFF Sandra Morales Foster DOCTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH ABSTRACT Limited information exists about veterinary support staff and the occupational stressors of this workforce. Concern for workers in occupations of high or prolonged stress such as caregivers in hospitals and emergency situations has been noted in many studies. Occupational stress can cause harmful physical and emotional outcomes when the homeostatic balance is upset. This study explored occupational stress, health status, and coping strategies of veterinary support staff. A mixed-method collected quantitative and qualitative data. Demographic information and three validated instruments were ad-ministered using a web-based survey; …
The Role Of The Classical Nf-Kb Pathway In Hsc Self-Renewal And Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Robert Jason Flynn
The Role Of The Classical Nf-Kb Pathway In Hsc Self-Renewal And Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Robert Jason Flynn
All ETDs from UAB
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) comprises approximately 25% of newly diagnosed cases of leukemia each year. The constitutive activation of the classical NF-κB signaling pathway has been observed in up to 70% of AML cases, and could be due to mutations upstream involving the PI3K-Akt cascade, which is also constitutively active in a majority of cases. In mice, constitutive activation of Akt either through deletion of the negative regulator of PI3K-Akt, PTEN, or by expression of Myr-Akt induces rapid stem cell loss along with a lethal, transplantable myeloproliferative disorder and AML. These studies show that constitutive Akt and NF-κB signaling distinguish …
The Study Of Intracellular Signaling Pathways In Schizophrenia, Adam Funk
The Study Of Intracellular Signaling Pathways In Schizophrenia, Adam Funk
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INTRACELLULAR SIGNALING AND INTEGRATION ABNORMALITIES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA Adam J. Funk DEPARTMENT OF NEUROBIOLOGY ABSTRACT The pathophysiology of schizophrenia is complex and diverse, with many classes of receptors, neurotransmitters, and brain regions implicated in this illness. The many hypotheses proposed have yet to fully explain the heterogeneity of the genetic, postmor-tem, and clinical evidence. It is the goal of this dissertation to integrate the current hy-potheses of schizophrenia into a unified hypothesis of abnormal intracellular signaling and signal integration. Inconsistencies in genetic and postmortem findings suggest that the development of schizophrenia is multifaceted, and the heterogeneity of symptoms supports the hypothesis …
Characterization Of Tbx20 Isoforms And Protein Interactions In Heart Development, Paige Debenedittis
Characterization Of Tbx20 Isoforms And Protein Interactions In Heart Development, Paige Debenedittis
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Proper cardiogenesis is critical for the development of vertebrates. Abnormalities in cardiogenesis can lead to congenital heart defects (CHDs), which occur in approximately 1% of live births. The cardiac transcription factor network contains different transcription factor families which direct the expression of critical cardiac genes. Determining how the cardiac transcription factors are regulated will provide insight in the mechanisms of cardiogenesis and CHDs. The T-box (TBX) transcription factor family is an ancient gene family important for development. Several TBX genes are expressed within the developing heart and play critical roles in differentiation, proliferation, and morphogenesis. One important TBX protein is …
Oxidative Stress And Xanthine Oxidase In Acute And Chronic Cardiac Volume Overload In Rats, James Douglas Gladden
Oxidative Stress And Xanthine Oxidase In Acute And Chronic Cardiac Volume Overload In Rats, James Douglas Gladden
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Mechanisms of left ventricular dysfunction in cardiac volume overload (VO) are not well understood and there is no medical therapy. Cardiac VO is marked by eccentric remodeling and contractile dysfunction ultimately resulting in cardiac failure. Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathophysiology of heart failure and recent evidence suggests xanthine oxidase (XO) plays a role in VO. To study VO, we used a rat model of aortocaval fistula (ACF). ACF results in early diastolic stress on the left ventricle (LV) and recapitulates the progressive nature of heart failure with contractile function being initially maintained and then depressed by 6 weeks. …
Post-Transcriptional Control Of Type I Interferon Genes By Ksrp In The Innate Immune Response Against Viral Infection, Wei-Jye Lin
Post-Transcriptional Control Of Type I Interferon Genes By Ksrp In The Innate Immune Response Against Viral Infection, Wei-Jye Lin
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Several strategies are used in eukaryotic cells in order to determine the gene expression level, including the transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. One of the post-transcriptional mechanisms is the regulation of mRNA stability, which varies considerably from one mRNA species to another. Previous studies have shown that inherently unstable mRNAs encoding cytokines and proto-oncogenes contain the AU-rich elements (AREs) in the 3' untranslated regions (UTRs). Their decay requires decay-promoting RNA-binding proteins that recognize the AREs and recruit mRNA decay machineries to facilitate the rapid decay of targeting mRNA. KH-type splicing regulatory protein (KSRP) was previously identified as an ARE decay promoting …
Erythropoiesis In The Absence Of Adult Hemoglobin, Shanrun Liu
Erythropoiesis In The Absence Of Adult Hemoglobin, Shanrun Liu
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The mammalian erythrocyte is a highly specialized blood cell that differentiates via an orderly series of committed progenitors in the bone marrow in a process termed erythropoiesis. During erythroid development, hemoglobin synthesis increases from early erythroid progenitors to mature enucleated red blood cells (RBCs). Although hemoglobin is the most extensively studied protein in history, the role, if any, that hemoglobin plays in erythroid development remains obscure. In this study, I ask the question what happens during erythropoiesis in the absence of hemoglobin. I demonstrate that my original hypothesis that excess free heme would accumulate in the absence of globin chain …
The Effects Of Simvastatin On Learning And Memory Mechanisms In Mice, Robert Mans
The Effects Of Simvastatin On Learning And Memory Mechanisms In Mice, Robert Mans
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Statins, a widely prescribed class of cholesterol-lowering drug, inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. Due to the identification of cholesterol as a risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), a number of studies have examined whether statins are neuroprotective against developing AD or dementia. While some epidemiological studies do indicate a lower prevalence of AD in people taking statins, other reports are contradictory. A consensus has therefore not been reached regarding the neuroprotective effects of statin treatment. Aside from the well-characterized reduction in circulating cholesterol resulting from statin therapy, numerous cholesterol-independent, pleiotropic effects have been …
Gabaergic Signaling To Adult-Generated Neurons In Hippocampus, Sean Markwardt
Gabaergic Signaling To Adult-Generated Neurons In Hippocampus, Sean Markwardt
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In the central nervous system of adult mammals, new neurons are produced throughout life in at least two regions, the subventricular zone and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. New neurons in the SVZ migrate via the rostral migratory stream and eventually participate in adaptive olfactory processes. In the dentate gyrus, a variety of physiological functions for continued addition of neurons have been proposed, but its role in normal or pathological conditions remains largely unclear. Neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus consists of the stepwise process of generating fully functional granule cells (GCs) from adult neural stem cells. Regulation of neurogenesis can …
Analysis Of Nphp Complex Genetic Interactions Associated With Human Cilia Disorders, Svetlana Viktorovna Masyukova
Analysis Of Nphp Complex Genetic Interactions Associated With Human Cilia Disorders, Svetlana Viktorovna Masyukova
All ETDs from UAB
Primary cilia are antenna-like organelles that extend from the surface of almost all mammalian cell types. They regulate many signaling pathways and sense physical and chemical changes in the extracellular environment. Defects in primary cilia cause several human disorders of different severity collectively called ciliopathies, including nephronophthisis (NPHP), Joubert syndrome (JBTS), and Meckel-Gruber syndrome (MKS). Numerous MKS, JBTS and NPHP genes have been identified but in most cases of these ciliopathies the genetic defect is unknown. Despite the fact that NPHP, JBTS and MKS patients present with distinct clinical features, they have mutations in identical genes. This can be explained …
Alcoholic Women In Recovery: A Phenomenological Inquiry Of Spirituality And Recidivism Prevention, Jennifer Irene Mcleod
Alcoholic Women In Recovery: A Phenomenological Inquiry Of Spirituality And Recidivism Prevention, Jennifer Irene Mcleod
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In the United States, 7-12% of women compared to 20% of men, abuse alcohol, yet the social and medical consequences impact women much harder and faster than men. Women aggrieved by alcoholism have unique health and social consequences which are not well understood because women have been marginalized in studies of alcoholism. Little is known about the nature of the lived experience of the recovery process in women who have achieved a stable recovery and prevented recidivism. The aim of this study was to describe the lived experiences of alcoholic women in a stable recovery, defined as sustained abstinence for …
Role Of Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels In Glioblastoma Volume Regulation, Michael Bryan Mcferrin
Role Of Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels In Glioblastoma Volume Regulation, Michael Bryan Mcferrin
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The most common and most malignant gliomas are the Grade IV Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), characterized by a highly proliferative tumor mass and extremely invasive phenotype that allows for profuse dispersal of tumor cells throughout the brain. GBM cells must specifically regulate their cell volume to thrive within the edematous tumor mass and infiltrate throughout the tortuous extracellular spaces of the brain. These rapid and directed volume changes are governed by the controlled flux of potassium and chloride ions across the cell membrane, which move osmotically obliged water. The goal of this dissertation was to investigate the role of calcium-activated potassium …
Killer Immunoglobulin-Like Receptors And Human Leukocyte Polymorphisms In Hiv-1 Pathogenesis, Aimee Marie Merino
Killer Immunoglobulin-Like Receptors And Human Leukocyte Polymorphisms In Hiv-1 Pathogenesis, Aimee Marie Merino
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Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules influence the adaptive and innate immune responses through interactions with cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells (NK). HLA influence the activation state of NK through direct binding to killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) and presentation of HLA-derived peptides to NKG2 receptors. Activated NK can kill HIV-infected cells through direct cytolysis and release cytokines that influence other aspects of the immune system. Variations in KIR gene content and allelic variants have been associated with autoimmunity, transplantation success, and infectious diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS. We investigated the impact of KIR genes and potential KIR-HLA …
The Role Of Cd19 In Follicular Dendritic Cell Activation, Riley Croom Myers
The Role Of Cd19 In Follicular Dendritic Cell Activation, Riley Croom Myers
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Germinal Centers (GC) are organized foci in secondary lymphoid organs of birds and mammals and are the principle sites of memory B cell generation and plasma cell formation. GC concentrate antigen within follicles to facilitate recognition by responding B cells to promote somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation. Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) reside within the light zones of GC and serve to facilitate B cell interactions with antigen, as well as B cell selection, proliferation, and survival. The work contained within this dissertation addresses the collaborative interactions between B cells and FDC. FDC within an active, GC-containing follicle express an array …
Antimicrobial Effectiveness Of Silver-Releasing Elastomeric Ligature Ties, Matthew Christopher O'Dell
Antimicrobial Effectiveness Of Silver-Releasing Elastomeric Ligature Ties, Matthew Christopher O'Dell
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Introduction: Fixed appliances make satisfactory oral hygiene a greater challenge for the orthodontic patient. Improper oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment can cause enamel demineralization resulting in unesthetic white spot lesions. A new approach to providing protection against demineralization during treatment has been to incorporate antimicrobial agents into elastomeric ligature ties. A recent elastomeric ligature tie uses the antimicrobial characteristic of silver to help prevent formation of white spot lesions. The purpose of this in vitro study is to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of a silver-releasing elastomeric ligature tie (OrthoShield Safe-T-Tie) against Streptococcus mutans and compare its results with a selenium-containing …