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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Mediation Analysis Using Marginalized Zero-Inflated Poisson Model, Andrew Sims Jan 2023

Mediation Analysis Using Marginalized Zero-Inflated Poisson Model, Andrew Sims

All ETDs from UAB

Mediation analysis has become exponentially more popular over the last decade as researchers are interested in establishing mechanistic pathways for intervention. Standard statistical methods emphasize quantifying and testing whether a specific exposure impacts a particular health outcome. Mediation analysis addresses the question ‘How is the exposure causing the outcome?’ by examining the extent to which an intermediate variable, called a mediator, influences the relationship between an exposure and an outcome. While multiple mediation strategies exist, the counterfactual approach to mediation allows for mediation effects to be estimated directly with nonlinearities and interactions. The counterfactual approach allows for the effect of …

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Effects Of Dietary R, S-1, 3-Butanediol Diacetoacetate On Components Of Energy Balance And Hepatic Health, Kelsey A. Rushing Jan 2023

Effects Of Dietary R, S-1, 3-Butanediol Diacetoacetate On Components Of Energy Balance And Hepatic Health, Kelsey A. Rushing

All ETDs from UAB

Objective: Exogenous ketone administration presents a possible treatment strategy for obesity and obesity-related diseases. The exogenous ketone ester, R,S-1,3-butanediol diacetoacetate (BD-AcAc2) decreases adiposity and hepatic steatosis in high-fat dietinduced obese mice. In our previous work, carbohydrate energy was removed and replaced with the ketone ester to produce isocaloric diets. The current investigation aimed to determine whether BD-AcAc2 decreases markers of hepatic steatosis and inflammation in lean mice on a high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diet without removing carbohydrate energy. Methods: Sixteen 11-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomized to one of two groups for 9 weeks (n = 8 per group): 1) Control …

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Cis-Regulatory Elements: Relevance For Alzheimer's Disease, Brianne Brazell Rogers Jan 2023

Cis-Regulatory Elements: Relevance For Alzheimer's Disease, Brianne Brazell Rogers

All ETDs from UAB

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, currently affecting more than six million Americans with limited treatment options. Identifying genetics contributors to neurodegenerative diseases has contributed critical insights into potential disease mechanisms. The majority of disease-associated genetic variants are located in non-coding regions, likely in regulatory elements, and affect the expression of target genes whose function contributes to neurodegeneration. Here, I performed a case-control study utilizing nuclei from dorsolateral prefrontal cortex postmortem tissue to correlate chromatin accessibility with gene expression and nominate 40,831 AD-specific candidate cis-regulatory elements. Additionally, work in this dissertation nominates ZEB1 and MAFB as candidate …

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Understanding The Dual Role Of The Oncolytic Viruses And Natural Killer Cells In Targeting Neuroblastoma, Colin Harrington Quinn Jan 2023

Understanding The Dual Role Of The Oncolytic Viruses And Natural Killer Cells In Targeting Neuroblastoma, Colin Harrington Quinn

All ETDs from UAB

Pediatric cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children, and neuroblastoma accounts for roughly 15% of pediatric cancer related deaths. Neuroblastoma is a malignancy of neural crest origin and develops in the ganglia of the peripheral nervous system, most commonly arising in the adrenal glands. Advancements in therapy have significantly improved outcomes for children with low-risk neuroblastoma but for those with high-risk refractory, or relapsed disease, survival outcomes remain dismal and intervention with toxic chemotherapeutics often result in long term morbidities. The need for improved therapies for this patient population is dire. Immunotherapies offer a novel approach …

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Manipulation And Dependence On Host Cell Cycle By Human Rna And Dna Viruses: Human Coronavirus Oc43 And Bk Polyomavirus, Jason M. Needham Jan 2023

Manipulation And Dependence On Host Cell Cycle By Human Rna And Dna Viruses: Human Coronavirus Oc43 And Bk Polyomavirus, Jason M. Needham

All ETDs from UAB

Cell cycle is a universal necessity of cellular life and impacts nearly every process within the cell. However, despite over one hundred years of research, there still remain questions concerning the mechanisms and regulation of eukaryotic cell cycle. From the beginning, viruses have informed our knowledge of cell cycle. Many key regulators such as the E2F transcription factors, Src kinase, and p53 were originally discovered while studying the interactions between viruses and the cell. Herein, we continue the investigation of viral interactions with cell cycle machinery by researching an RNA virus and a DNA virus. These viruses, human coronavirus OC43 …

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A Tale Of Two Waves: The Role Of Genomic Enhancers In Regulating Transcriptional And Epigenetic Responses To Neuronal Activitiy, Robert A. Phillips Jan 2023

A Tale Of Two Waves: The Role Of Genomic Enhancers In Regulating Transcriptional And Epigenetic Responses To Neuronal Activitiy, Robert A. Phillips

All ETDs from UAB

The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) pathway, which consists of dopaminergic neurons that project from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), is heavily implicated in drug addiction. Exposure to drugs of abuse results in increases in extracellular concentrations of DA in the NAc, which in turn activates an immediate early gene (IEG) expression program that primarily consists of activity-dependent transcription factors, such as the AP1 subunits Fos and JunB. IEGs engage a set of temporally and functionally distinct genes, termed the late response gene (LRG) expression program. While gene expression changes are critical for drug-dependent adaptations, two major …

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Structural Characterization Of Autoreactive Igg Fabs In The Context Of Iga Nephropathy, Jordan Lingo Jan 2023

Structural Characterization Of Autoreactive Igg Fabs In The Context Of Iga Nephropathy, Jordan Lingo

All ETDs from UAB

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis in the world, yet there is no cure and treatment options are limited. Advances in understanding of the molecular basis of this pathology may lead to potential novel therapeutics, but there is still much we don’t know about the disease and the underlying biology. The current paradigm explaining the molecular stages leading to IgAN is called the “multi-hit hypothesis,” which involves the following four hits: (1) Elevated levels of circulating IgA1 with some O-linked glycans deficient in galactose moieties (galactose-deficient IgA1, Gd-IgA1). (2) Circulating IgG autoantibodies (autoAbs) specific to the Gd-IgA1 …

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T-Bet Regulates The Maintenance And Asc Differentiation Potential Of The Lymph Node And Lung Memory B Cell Compartments, Christopher A. Risley Jan 2023

T-Bet Regulates The Maintenance And Asc Differentiation Potential Of The Lymph Node And Lung Memory B Cell Compartments, Christopher A. Risley

All ETDs from UAB

Although human memory B cells (Bmem), including extrafollicular DN2 cells and CD27+ effector Bmem (eBmem), express T-bet, its role in Bmem biology is not understood. We characterized transcriptionally distinct clusters of mature, somatically mutated nucleoprotein (NP)-specific Bmem in LNs of influenza-infected mice. None of the Bmem expressed plasma cell (PC) lineage commitment factors, but one cluster was significantly enriched for Tbx21+ cells that exhibited a molecular signature similar to the previously described human T-bet+ eBmem. Metabolic reprogramming, protein synthesis and the mTOR-dependent unfolded protein response gene networks were all upregulated in Tbx21+ NP+ mouse Bmem. Using constitutive and inducible models …

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The Costly Performance Of Strength: An Exploration Of Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Black Women In The Deep South, Amber N. Martin Jan 2023

The Costly Performance Of Strength: An Exploration Of Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Black Women In The Deep South, Amber N. Martin

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Strength is indoctrinated into the cultural tapestry of Black women, dating back to slavery, and passed down through intergenerational socialization. The incessant need for Black women to be strong diminishes their psychological health leading to poorer quality of life. Further, historical injustices and unethical practices in mental healthcare continue to perpetuate the need for Black women to perform in strength. The performance of strength is one explanation for the grave mental health disparities among Black women offering an opportunity to better understand their mental health needs. This project aims to center Black women within the cultural contextualization of the …

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Impact Of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test On The Receipt Of Antimalarials Among Children Aged 6-59 Months In Nigeria From 2010 To 2021, Sandra Chibuzor Olisakwe Jan 2023

Impact Of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test On The Receipt Of Antimalarials Among Children Aged 6-59 Months In Nigeria From 2010 To 2021, Sandra Chibuzor Olisakwe

All ETDs from UAB

Background: Nigeria has the highest malaria burden globally, and antimalarials have been commonly used to treat malaria without parasitological confirmation. In 2012, Nigeria implemented RDTs to reduce use of antimalarials for those without malaria and to increase the use of artemisinin-combination therapies (ACTs) for malaria treatment. In this study, we examined trends in antimalarial receipt among children aged 6-59 months during a 12-year period of increasing RDT availability. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using nationally representative Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS) data from 2010 (before RDT implementation), 2015, and 2021. NMIS surveys used histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2)- based RDTs …

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Randomized Control Trial Of A Novel Dental Gel As An Adjunct To Scaling And Root Planing In Subjects With Stage Ii & Iii Periodontitis, Sarah Pham Jan 2023

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

All ETDs from UAB

The current standard of care for treating chronic periodontitis is scaling and root planing (ScRP) followed by supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) (Cobb et al., 2021; Ramfjord et al., 1987). The goal of ScRP is to eliminate supra- and subgingival bacterial deposits and to reduce periodontal pathogens, inflammation, and pocket depths (Greenstein, 2000). Although ScRP has been shown to significantly improve baseline clinical parameters, moderate to advanced cases may require additional surgical therapy which many patients resist (Stambaugh, 1981; Becker et al., 2001). Currently, no dentifrice used adjunctively has been proven to increase the therapeutic effects of scaling and root planing. …

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Plasticity Characteristics Of Cxcr5+ Cd4+ T Memory Cells And Cxcr5- Non-Tfh Memory Cells, Ching-En Lee Jan 2023

Plasticity Characteristics Of Cxcr5+ Cd4+ T Memory Cells And Cxcr5- Non-Tfh Memory Cells, Ching-En Lee

All ETDs from UAB

iv ability to differentiate into CXCR5- and CXCR5+ effector cells between the CCR7- and CCR7+ CXCR5+ CD4+ T memory cells, between WT and μMT CXCR5+ CD4+ T memory cells, as well as between Bcl6- and Bcl6+ CXCR5- non-Tfh memory cells. This finding did not support the hypothesis that the heterogeneous characteristics within CXCR5- non-Tfh memory cells and CXCR5+ CD4+ T memory cells significantly affect their abilities to differentiate into CXCR5- and CXCR5+ effector cells during recall responses.

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Relative Efficacy Of Innovative Endodontic Antimicrobial Agents, Ziqi Sally Liu Jan 2023

Relative Efficacy Of Innovative Endodontic Antimicrobial Agents, Ziqi Sally Liu

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Purpose: Novel endodontic antimicrobial agents would potentially improve outcomes of endodontic treatment, including regenerative endodontic therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a novel experimental compound, analogue #66, compared to tigecycline and other controls in an ex-vivo model. Materials and Methods: MIC determination with tigecycline and analogue #66 was done for Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus intermedius. Forty single rooted extracted teeth were inoculated weekly for three weeks with S. intermedius to create a biofilm. All teeth were instrumented to 40/06 to working length and irrigated with 5% NaOCl. Teeth were randomly divided into 4 groups …

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An In Vitro Assessment Of The Antibacterial Activity, Biocompatibility, And Mineralization Inducing Potential Of Biodentine®Xp, Chandani Arjun Mantri Jan 2023

An In Vitro Assessment Of The Antibacterial Activity, Biocompatibility, And Mineralization Inducing Potential Of Biodentine®Xp, Chandani Arjun Mantri

All ETDs from UAB

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the in-vitro antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, and mineralization-inducing potential of Biodentine® XP. Methods: Four contemporary pulp capping materials, namely Dycal®, a calcium hydroxide, Theracal® LC, a resin calcium silicate and, tricalcium silicates namely Biodentine®, and Biodentine® XP were compared in the study. The antibacterial activity of the pulp capping materials included in the study was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans UA159 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 and were determined by the direct culture test. The biocompatibility of these materials in preodontoblastic 17IIA11 cells were compared by the MTT assay and mineralization-inducing potential in …

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The Jump Program: Mentorship In Spina Bifida Transition From Pediatric To Adult Care, Pedram Maleknia, Logan Hopson, Jeffrey Blount, Brandon Rocque, Betsy Hopson Jan 2023

The Jump Program: Mentorship In Spina Bifida Transition From Pediatric To Adult Care, Pedram Maleknia, Logan Hopson, Jeffrey Blount, Brandon Rocque, Betsy Hopson

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2023 research poster

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A Comparison Of Growth Factor Release Between Platelet Rich Fibrin And Recombinant Human Platelet Derived Growth Factor Bb (Rhpdgf-Bb) And Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate: An In Vitro Analysis, Maggie Ann Misch Jan 2022

A Comparison Of Growth Factor Release Between Platelet Rich Fibrin And Recombinant Human Platelet Derived Growth Factor Bb (Rhpdgf-Bb) And Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate: An In Vitro Analysis, Maggie Ann Misch

All ETDs from UAB

Patients presenting with significant alveolar bone loss can pose challenges for the clinician. Traditional bone augmentation techniques may be inadequate in achieving necessary gains to restore missing teeth with dental implants. The adjunctive use of growth factors may accelerate the healing process and enhance tissue regeneration. GEM21S is a product that includes a recombinant growth factor approved by the Federal Drug Administration for oral surgery. It is delivered as a two-component system: 1) recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor-BB (rhPDGF-BB) and 2) betatricalcium phosphate (β-TCP).[1] The research on GEM 21S for ridge augmentation is mostly limited to case studies.[2- 4] Biologically, …

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The Relationship Between State Level Funding, Designated Trauma Centers, And Trauma Related Morbidity, Ginger Henry Jan 2022

The Relationship Between State Level Funding, Designated Trauma Centers, And Trauma Related Morbidity, Ginger Henry

All ETDs from UAB

This study examined the relationship of funding and the number of designated trauma centers and age-adjusted trauma mortality across the 50 states. State level funding was defined as monies that were paid to the designated trauma hospitals in aggregate by state and by year for the years 2008 to 2017. The number of designated trauma hospitals were considered in the categories of total number of state trauma hospitals and designation levels 1 through 4. Age-adjusted mortality included the ICD-10 codes for trauma from the WISQARS database. The strategic adaptation theory was used to inform the trauma hospital manager’s need to …

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Shared Savings Bonus In Mssp And Its Association With Length Of Participation, Terry D. Knight Jan 2022

Shared Savings Bonus In Mssp And Its Association With Length Of Participation, Terry D. Knight

All ETDs from UAB

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are integrated groups of providers responsible for reducing cost and improving quality for a group of individuals. Medicare began using these organizations in 2012, after the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to move away from traditional fee-for-service reimbursement. This alternative payment model is the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). MSSP affords ACOs the opportunity to receive a portion of the savings they achieve if specific cost targets and quality benchmarks are met. Length of participation time in the alternative payment model may increase the ACOs’ ability to achieve savings. The analysis of MSSP savings …

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Behavioral, Environmental, Social, Psychosocial, And Physiological Factors That Impact The Relationship Between Chronic Lung Disease Status And Susceptibility To Electronic Cigarette Use Or Actual Electronic Cigarette Use, Mohammed M. Alqahtani Jan 2022

Behavioral, Environmental, Social, Psychosocial, And Physiological Factors That Impact The Relationship Between Chronic Lung Disease Status And Susceptibility To Electronic Cigarette Use Or Actual Electronic Cigarette Use, Mohammed M. Alqahtani

All ETDs from UAB

There is surge increase in e-cigarettes among adult vulnerable population such as individuals with chronic lung disease (CLD). Currently, there is a lack of understanding of the factors that may lead to the increase use of e-cigarettes or susceptibility of ecigarette use among individuals who have a history of CLD. Thus, it is crucial to recognize the characteristics of the individuals with CLD and adults without CLD who are susceptible to using e-cigarettes because this may pave the way for the prevention and reduction of tobacco use by identifying the different factors and eventually targeting the related risk factors. In …

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The Identification And Phenotypic Characterization Of Circulating Flagellin Antigen-Specific Cd4+ T Cells In Crohn's Disease Patients, Nadine N. Morgan Jan 2022

The Identification And Phenotypic Characterization Of Circulating Flagellin Antigen-Specific Cd4+ T Cells In Crohn's Disease Patients, Nadine N. Morgan

All ETDs from UAB

The incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is increasing worldwide. Crohn’s disease (CD) and Ulcerative colitis (UC), the two main subtypes of IBD, are chronic intestinal conditions driven by CD4+ T-cell inflammatory responses to commensal antigen. Both conditions are incurable, and medical treatments involve drugs that require long-term usage but have limited efficacy and significant side effects. To develop therapies targeting the antigen-reactive T cells involved in sustaining these conditions, we must first gain knowledge concerning the microbial antigen-reactive T cell phenotypes and functionality in health and disease. To investigate the phenotypic and functional characteristics of the flagellin-reactive T cell …

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Regulation Of Stromal Cells Through Inflammatory Signalling, Victoria Matkins Jan 2022

Regulation Of Stromal Cells Through Inflammatory Signalling, Victoria Matkins

All ETDs from UAB

The bone marrow is a complex organization of hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells that form niches to maintain systemic homeostasis during stress and disease. Stromal cells are non-hematopoietic cells first proposed in 1978 in the bone marrow to be essential for hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Since then, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have been shown to be critical for the HSC self-renewal, retention, and differentiation through chemokines, cytokines, and adhesion molecules. However, like HSCs, MSCs are multipotent progenitors that differentiate into osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes to from tissues of the skeletal, endocrine, and connective systems. These multipotent progenitors are tightly regulated in …

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Oxygen Cost Of Walking And Its Correlates In Multiple Sclerosis, Brenda Jeng Jan 2022

Oxygen Cost Of Walking And Its Correlates In Multiple Sclerosis, Brenda Jeng

All ETDs from UAB

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, neurological disease characterized by demyelination and transection of axons as well as loss of neurons in the central nervous system that may result in poor walking efficiency, indicated by an increase in the oxygen cost of walking (Cw). The Cw is defined as the amount of oxygen consumed per kilogram of body weight per unit distance walked and reflects disability-related gait abnormalities and manifestations and its interaction with the environment. This dissertation involved four research projects. The first project provided an overview of existing research on the Cw in MS and established a research …

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Integrated Phenotypic And Molecular Expression Circuits In End-Stage Osteoarthritis, Devin J. Drummer Jan 2022

Integrated Phenotypic And Molecular Expression Circuits In End-Stage Osteoarthritis, Devin J. Drummer

All ETDs from UAB

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating, inflammatory, joint degeneration disorder, and is the most common form of arthritis. Individuals reaching end-stage OA often pursue elective total hip/knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) to relieve pain and improve mobility and quality of life. However, approximately one third of THA/TKA patients suffer long-term mobility impairments following surgery, likely in part due to an inability to repair the damaged muscle surrounding the diseased joint. Mechanisms driving this impaired recovery remain poorly understood, therefore it is prudent to interrogate the molecular signatures in skeletal muscle at the time of surgery to provide candidate markers that may improve upon …

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The Role Of Mitochondrial Genetic Background In Cellular Function, Response To Cell Stress And Disease Susceptability, Jamelle A. Brown Jan 2022

The Role Of Mitochondrial Genetic Background In Cellular Function, Response To Cell Stress And Disease Susceptability, Jamelle A. Brown

All ETDs from UAB

There is a differential susceptibility associated with several diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hypertension, with Blacks being more likely to develop these conditions. Blacks are also more likely to die from these diseases. To explain the genetic etiology underlying CVD pathogenesis, the primary focus has been on nuclear genetics-environmental interactions, whereas the contribution of mitochondrial genetics is less explored. Therefore, we sought to determine whether differences exist in cellular function and response to cell stress in healthy and diseased individuals with distinct mitochondrial genetic backgrounds. To determine this, we sought first to develop a technique to detect and quantify …

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Evaluation And Revision Of The Practice Environment Scale Of The Nursing Work Index For Acute Care Hospital Staff Nurses, Caitlin Marley Campbell Jan 2022

Evaluation And Revision Of The Practice Environment Scale Of The Nursing Work Index For Acute Care Hospital Staff Nurses, Caitlin Marley Campbell

All ETDs from UAB

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) is the most frequently used instrument for measuring the nursing work environment. The original PES-NWI obtained its items directly from the parent instrument, the Nursing Work Index, which was developed in the 1980s. However, potential value change among younger generations and vast historical, social, and technological transformations in the way healthcare is provided may have led to different factors that compose a favorable work environment for nurses working today. The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate and revise the PES-NWI for use in today’s nursing workforce. To accomplish this …

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Development Of A Fit-Matching App: Validation Of 3-D Scanning Applications, Jasna Rosser Williams Jan 2022

Development Of A Fit-Matching App: Validation Of 3-D Scanning Applications, Jasna Rosser Williams

All ETDs from UAB

According to the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH), each day nearly 2,000 workers sustain a job-related eye injury that requires medical treatment. It has been reported that the cause of these eye injuries is frequently due to workers not wearing eye protection because it does not fit properly on their faces. To improve the fit of eye protection, we are aiming to develop a fit matching application (app) which will identify the wearers’ better-fitting safety eyewear using 3D technology. We have successfully tested the feasibility of the use of commercially available 3D scanning apps using a mannequin …

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Nutrition Practices And Body Composition In Infants Born Preterm, Maggie Jerome Jan 2022

Nutrition Practices And Body Composition In Infants Born Preterm, Maggie Jerome

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Adequate nutrition and optimal growth are critical goals of clinical care for premature infants in the NICU due to rapid brain growth and development that occur during this time. Emerging evidence suggests that body composition in preterm infants is predictive of neurodevelopmental and metabolic outcomes later in childhood. The objective of this dissertation is to investigate factors affecting premature infant growth and body composition, including high enteral protein supplementation, nutrition during the first two weeks of life, and race of infants born at 22-32 weeks gestational age admitted to the UAB NICU. In a pilot study, 56 preterm infants were …

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Cell Type-Specific Diurnal Variation In Hippocampus Physiology, Lacy Kathryn Goode Jan 2022

Cell Type-Specific Diurnal Variation In Hippocampus Physiology, Lacy Kathryn Goode

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Circadian rhythms are biological processes that cycle across 24 hours. Driven endogenously by widely expressed and highly conserved clock genes that compose the circadian molecular clock, circadian rhythms are exhibited in numerous facets of physiology across nearly every tissue throughout the body. Diurnal rhythms in cognition, long-term potentiation (LTP), and the expression of clock genes in hippocampus subfields support a role for circadian regulation of hippocampus physiology. However, little is known regarding the circadian molecular clock and diurnal rhythms in neurophysiology at the cellular level. Here, we characterized diurnal differences in spatial memory, LTP, excitability of and synaptic transmission onto …

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Exploring The Influence Of Psychosocial Stress And Inflammatory Properties Of The Diet On Cardiometabolic Risk And Gut Microbiome Health Among Young Adult Women Of Birmingham, Alabama, Rachel Olivia Knight Jan 2022

Exploring The Influence Of Psychosocial Stress And Inflammatory Properties Of The Diet On Cardiometabolic Risk And Gut Microbiome Health Among Young Adult Women Of Birmingham, Alabama, Rachel Olivia Knight

All ETDs from UAB

Concerning trends for obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, and obesity-related cancers, or cardiometabolic disease (CMD), are developing within the emerging and young adult/adulthood (EYA) population. Evidence supports the concept that chronic stress leads to physiologic dysregulation, reduced mental health, chronic diseases, and reduced longevity; however, these are not inevitable outcomes, and resilience or vulnerability is determined by interacting environmental and biobehavioral factors. Although CMD manifests clinically in older adulthood, disease pathophysiology begins earlier, and thus, EYA is a critical time for observation and intervention. Growing evidence indicates inflammation is a major risk factor in CMD development and may be exacerbated by …

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Intrinsically-Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells And Their Functional Roles, Kevin Q. Chang Jan 2022

Intrinsically-Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells And Their Functional Roles, Kevin Q. Chang

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This project was conducted in Old World monkeys and focused on characterization of the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) as they pertain to the pupillary light reflex, as well as on the neuroanatomical and electrophysiological characterization of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus as it pertains to circadian rhythms. A custom antibody was developed against the human melanopsin gene. We validated the antibody using western blot and immunohistochemistry. The functional role of ipRGCs in driving pupillary responses was investigated through immunotoxin-induced ablation in Rhesus macaques with the antibody conjugated to saporin. As hypothesized, the pupillary light reflex and …

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