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

Medicine and Health Sciences Commons™

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

All ETDs from UAB

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 661 - 690 of 2525

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Role Of Developmental Protein, Nudc, In The Retina, Skyler Boehm Jan 2019

Role Of Developmental Protein, Nudc, In The Retina, Skyler Boehm

All ETDs from UAB

Rod photoreceptors are the most prominent light sensitive cell in the retina of most mammals. The outer segments of photoreceptors contain the cellular machinery necessary for phototransduction to occur. The process of generating the phototransduction components occurs in the inner segment before being trafficked to the outer segment. These processes are highly regulated and require many different trafficking proteins and chaperones. The developmental protein nuclear distribution gene C (nudC) was found to be present in the photoreceptor, but its function is yet to be determined. Here we confirm that nudC is present in the retina and necessary in the photoreceptors. …


Vagal Mediated Heart Rate Variability And Cognitive Impairments In Hiv-Seropositive Women, William C. Nicholson Jan 2019

Vagal Mediated Heart Rate Variability And Cognitive Impairments In Hiv-Seropositive Women, William C. Nicholson

All ETDs from UAB

Regardless of sufficient viral suppression, HIV exerts an ongoing inflammatory process that promotes chronic autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction, accelerates physiological aging, and increases the risk of developing a spectrum of cognitive disorders (known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders [HAND]). Given this, identifying pathological mediators of this inflammatory response could provide insight into the mechanisms driving HAND. The vagus nerve (indexed by vagal-mediated heart rate variability [vmHRV]) could provide such a mediator as it regulates ANS activity via reciprocal cardio-neural pathways, which regulate inflammation and homeostasis. Vagal dysfunction is associated with persistent inflammatory signaling (e.g., stress or inflammatory-based disorders [such as …


Early Life Stress And Immune Responses In Adult Rat Kidneys, Ijeoma E. Obi Jan 2019

Early Life Stress And Immune Responses In Adult Rat Kidneys, Ijeoma E. Obi

All ETDs from UAB

Globally, human studies show overwhelming associations between adverse childhood experiences and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risks throughout adult life. As early as 6 years old, there are significant associations between childhood adversity and inflammation, and those association are observed throughout adult life as well. Over a decade ago, rodent models were used to establish the importance of the immune cells in hypertension, which is the major risk factor in developing CVD. Although these associations in humans are important, they pose several limitations that can be overcome by the use of animal models to study the molecular mechanisms that are …


Associations Between Dietary Fat Intake And Waist Circumference, Phonchit Teng Soukhamneut Jan 2019

Associations Between Dietary Fat Intake And Waist Circumference, Phonchit Teng Soukhamneut

All ETDs from UAB

The objective of this study was to assess: 1) trends in dietary fat intake from 2003-2016 2) the association between type of dietary fat intake and waist circumference (WC), 3) the association between type of dietary fat intake and body shape, and 4) whether these associations vary by sex and race/ethnicity. This secondary data analysis included 27,057 adults aged 19 to 65 from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2016. For WC, participants were categorized into high-risk (men: WC ≥ 40 in; women: WC ≥ 35 in) and low-risk (men: WC < 40 in; women: WC < 35 in). Total fat intake was categorized as high (TOTFAT ≥ 35%) and low (TOTFAT< 35%). Saturated fat intake was categorized into high (SATFAT ≥ 10%) and low (SATFAT < 10%). Unsaturated fat intake was categorized into high (UNSATFAT ≥ 25%) and low (UNSATFAT < 25%). Logistic regression was performed to assess the associations between DFI and WC and DFI and body shape, controlling for age, BMI, and total caloric intake. NHW men with high TOTFAT were found to have 1.41 (OR: 1.41, 1.19 – 1.68) times the odds of having a high-risk WC compared to men with a diet low in TOTFAT, controlling for age, BMI, and total caloric intake. NHW men with a diet high in SATFAT were at increased odds of having a high-risk WC compared to men with a diet low in SATFAT, after controlling for covariates (OR: 1.49, 1.21 -1.84). NHW men with a diet high in UNSATFAT were at increased odds of having a high-risk WC compared to men with a diet low in UNSATFAT after controlling for covariates (OR: 1.375, 1.09 – 1.74). There were no significant associations found among NWB and MA men for any type of dietary fat intake. For women, no associations were found between type of dietary fat and WC by race/ethnicity. There were no associations between DFI and body shape by race/ethnicity groups and sex. Future studies are needed to further investigate the body shape cut-off points for increased risk associated with chronic disease.


The Role Of Protein Synthesis Attenuation And Eif2-Alpha Phosphorylation In Retinal Degeneration, Christopher Ryan Starr Jan 2019

The Role Of Protein Synthesis Attenuation And Eif2-Alpha Phosphorylation In Retinal Degeneration, Christopher Ryan Starr

All ETDs from UAB

Inherited retinal degeneration is a class of diseases in which there is no cure and very few treatment options available. An activated unfolded protein response has been detected in various animal models of retinal degenerative diseases. Several groups have found heightened activation of one pathway of the unfolded protein response in particular, the protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase signaling cascade, which converges on and phosphorylates the alpha subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 to transiently halt protein synthesis and allow the cell to reestablish homeostasis. Although it is widely accepted that this signaling is inherently protective, hyperactivity or …


Dysregulation In The Central Nervous System Upon Mcmv Infection In Newborn Mice, Cathy Yea Won Sung Jan 2019

Dysregulation In The Central Nervous System Upon Mcmv Infection In Newborn Mice, Cathy Yea Won Sung

All ETDs from UAB

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a major cause of morbidity in infants and children throughout the world. Between 0.2-1.2% of all live births is infected with HCMV in the United States. Approximately 5-15% of these newborn babies will develop long-term neurological damage resulting in motor disorders, mental retardation, and sensorineural hearing loss. Although the neurological sequelae associated with congenital HCMV infections are well characterized, little is known about the pathogenesis of the damage to the central nervous system (CNS). To study the pathogenesis of congenital HCMV infection, we have developed a mouse model in which newborn mice are infected intraperitoneally …


Therapeutic Mechanisms In Sickle Cell Nephropathy, Crystal Taylor Jan 2019

Therapeutic Mechanisms In Sickle Cell Nephropathy, Crystal Taylor

All ETDs from UAB

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a commonly inherited genetic blood disorder that causes hypoxia-induced polymerization of mutant hemoglobin resulting in erythrocyte sickling, transient microvascular occlusion, ischemic injury, and end-organ damage. Systemic endothelial dysfunction and vaso-occlusive episodes observed in SCD are particularly deleterious to the kidney, where the hypoxic, hyperosmotic environment of the medulla makes it particularly susceptible to ischemic injury. Over recent decades, chronic kidney disease has emerged as a significant contributor to mortality and morbidity in SCD patients. Despite a growing interest in the importance of sickle cell nephropathy (SCN), therapeutic options are limited and much remains undiscovered regarding …


The Role Of Protein O-Glcnacylation In Regulating Mitochondrial Function, Jalessa Nicole Wright Jan 2019

The Role Of Protein O-Glcnacylation In Regulating Mitochondrial Function, Jalessa Nicole Wright

All ETDs from UAB

The attachment of O-linked-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to the serine/threonine residues of proteins has emerged as an important regulatory mechanism in transcriptional regulation, protein activation as well as cell survival. Several studies have reported that elevated O-GlcNAc levels have adverse effects on mitochondrial function. These negative effects have been linked to O-GlcNAc modification of mitochondrial proteins that are integral across multiple metabolic cell processes i.e. VDAC, NDUFA9 and DRP-1. Mitochondrial complexes I, III and IV all contain subunit proteins that are O-GlcNAc modified and increased O-GlcNAcylation of these proteins is associated with deficits in oxidative phosphorylation in these models. Conversely, it has …


Hpv And Hsv Associated Clinical Conditions Among People Living With Hiv-1 Infection, Yuanfan Ye Jan 2019

Hpv And Hsv Associated Clinical Conditions Among People Living With Hiv-1 Infection, Yuanfan Ye

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation research focuses on investigating health burdens of HPV- and HSV- associated clinical conditions (CC) in people living with HIV-1 infection (PLWH) in the Southeastern United States. I designed a retrospective study using the UAB 1917 HIV Clinic Cohort. Electronic health records of PLWH attending the clinic for HIV-care between January 2006 and March 2019 were obtained and reviewed. I first examined incidence rates and trends of anogenital HPV- and HSV-associated CC. Then I adopted a new algorithm to group longitudinal CD4 cell counts based on their trajectories. I compared it with nadir and median CD4 cell counts in …


Exploring The Link Between Dietary Fiber, The Gut Microbiota And Estrogen Metabolism Among Women With Breast Cancer, Ayse G. Zengul Jan 2019

Exploring The Link Between Dietary Fiber, The Gut Microbiota And Estrogen Metabolism Among Women With Breast Cancer, Ayse G. Zengul

All ETDs from UAB

Breast cancer continues to be a very prevalent disease and impacts over 260,000 new patients per year in the United States. The gut microbiota composition may affect breast cancer risk by modulating various hormonal metabolites including endogenous estrogens. Dietary factors impact gut microbial ecology and influence the regulation of estrogen metabolism. Current evidence supports the potential role of dietary fiber in breast cancer prevention and its possible modulating influence on serum estrogen levels through the gut microbiota associated with β-glucuronidase activity. However, this mechanism is not clearly understood. In this study, we aimed to explore the associations between dietary fiber, …


Work Engagement Of Hospital Nurses And Patients’ Ratings Of Nurse Communication, Overall Hospital Rating And Likelihood To Recommend The Hospital To Others, Apryl S. Lewis Jan 2019

Work Engagement Of Hospital Nurses And Patients’ Ratings Of Nurse Communication, Overall Hospital Rating And Likelihood To Recommend The Hospital To Others, Apryl S. Lewis

All ETDs from UAB

Significance/Background: Work engagement may play a key role in quality patient outcomes. The inpatient hospital experience is a U.S. healthcare system priority with one component of the patients’ hospital experience focused on hospital staff-to-patient communication. Nurses are the main communicators of vital information about inpatient care and recovery and, therefore, play a critical role in achieving high scores on patient experience measures. Past studies show a relationship between high levels of nurse work engagement and positive patient outcomes, such as quality of health services, but it is unknown if hospital nurses’ work engagement is associated with patients’ hospital experience ratings. …


The Mechanism Of Glucose-Induced Trib3 Expression In Myoblasts And Myotubes, Xiaobing Liu Jan 2019

The Mechanism Of Glucose-Induced Trib3 Expression In Myoblasts And Myotubes, Xiaobing Liu

All ETDs from UAB

Our previous data indicates that glucose-toxicity is dependent upon upregulation of TRIB3 expression in muscle. TRIB3 is a glucose-responsive gene and, as a pseudokinase, it blocks phosphorylation of AKT resulting in insulin resistance. The purpose of the current study was to identify the role of the differentiation process and the minimal functional sequence of TRIB3 promoter region in modulating glucose-induced TRIB3 gene expression in C2C12 myocytes. First, C2C12 myocytes were collected every 48 hours during the whole differentiation, totally 4 intervals. Before collection, cells were treated with either 5mmol glucose or 25mmol glucose for 24 hours. Under 5mmol glucose, the …


The Smile Attractiveness Of Patients Successfully Treated According To The Finishing Standards Of The American Board Of Orthodontics, Tayem Abou Saleh Jan 2019

The Smile Attractiveness Of Patients Successfully Treated According To The Finishing Standards Of The American Board Of Orthodontics, Tayem Abou Saleh

All ETDs from UAB

Smiling is the most useful way people can use to express their emotions, therefore, it is critical to build our treatment plan not just around establishing a stable functional occlusion but also to achieve beautiful harmonious smile. It has been suggested that the smile may be made up of 3 components: Gingival component, soft tissue component, and dental component, and the ultimate smile beauty can be achieved by trying to find the balance in between these components. We collected 68 smiling photos for cases were taken to American board of orthodontics clinical exam and they were considered successfully treated, all …


Identifying Associated Risk With Exposure Ti Weapon Carrying Among Emerging Adults Living In Disadvantaged Urban Areas In Birmingham, Tolulope Aduroja Jan 2019

Identifying Associated Risk With Exposure Ti Weapon Carrying Among Emerging Adults Living In Disadvantaged Urban Areas In Birmingham, Tolulope Aduroja

All ETDs from UAB

IDENTIFYING ASSOCIATED RISK WITH EXPOSURE TO WEAPON CARRYING AMONG EMERGING ADULTS LIVING IN DISADVANTAGED URBAN AREAS IN BIRMINGHAM TOLULOPE ADUROJA HEALTH EDUCATION/HEALTH PROMOTION ABSTRACT Weapon carrying is a public health concern due to its association with a serious injury, disability or death, and adverse health-related outcomes. Weapon carrying among youth is associated with both intrinsic or internalizing and extrinsic or externalizing factors (Stayton, 2011). Violence in youth and young adults is the 2nd leading cause of death (homicide) in Alabama. Health behavior theories posit that health-relevant attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral skills drive subsequent actions people take to protect themselves from …


Identification And Application Of Gingival Mesenchymal Stem Cells For Dental Tissue Regenration, Yousuf Al-Aboosi Jan 2019

Identification And Application Of Gingival Mesenchymal Stem Cells For Dental Tissue Regenration, Yousuf Al-Aboosi

All ETDs from UAB

Mesenchymal stem cells have been very attractive treatment modality in regenerative medicine, but not so much in regenerative dentistry. This can be attributed to the difficulty in obtaining dental origin stem cells without extracting a tooth or other invasive procedures. Autogenous gingival graft harvested from palatal tissue is used as the gold standard for treating single tooth recession. The healing of the gingival graft has been shown to be mostly depended on the recipient side more than the graft itself. This study is aiming to find if the palatal tissue has cells with mesenchymal characteristics that are helping in the …


[68ga] Labeled Radiopharmaceuticals For Diagnostic Applications Beyond Sstr And Psma Imaging, Abdullah Alosaimi Jan 2019

[68ga] Labeled Radiopharmaceuticals For Diagnostic Applications Beyond Sstr And Psma Imaging, Abdullah Alosaimi

All ETDs from UAB

Imaging with radiolabelled peptides is an important technique used in medical imaging fields that can lead to significant advances in patient care. These tracers are utilized to target a variety of receptors, in particular, specific-receptors which are overexpressed on tumor cells. Recently, the application of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiotracers for medical imaging has grown significantly due to the high sensitivity and specificity of this technique. In particular, 68Ga is one of the most favorable PET radioisotopes, due to its short half-life, low radiation dose, generator production, and same day imaging procedures. [68Ga]-DOTATATE, which targets somatostatin receptors (SSTR) overexpressed on …


Regulation Of Intestinal Innate Lymphoid Cells In Acute And Chronic Inflammation, Sarah Dulson Jan 2019

Regulation Of Intestinal Innate Lymphoid Cells In Acute And Chronic Inflammation, Sarah Dulson

All ETDs from UAB

The Innate Lymphoid Cell (ILC) population encompasses five subpopulations that are increasingly appreciated to participate in immune responses to inflammation and injury as well as directly influence homeostasis in tissues throughout the body. ILCs are enriched at mucosal surfaces, such as the gastrointestinal tract, where they are transcriptionally poised for rapid activation. Therefore, ILCs contribute significantly to protective responses to infection, and can exacerbate inflammation and disease when dysregulated. Herein, we demonstrate two pathways that regulate intestinal ILC phenotype and function and delineate the impact of these pathways on both protective and pathogenic roles of ILCs. Using a murine model …


Bet Bromodomain Inhibition As An Approach For Treatment Of Cholangiocarcinoma, Samuel Charles Fehling Jan 2019

Bet Bromodomain Inhibition As An Approach For Treatment Of Cholangiocarcinoma, Samuel Charles Fehling

All ETDs from UAB

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly aggressive neoplasm which arises from the epithelial layer of the biliary tract. It is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy. As CCA is typically diagnosed at late disease stage, the current standard of care, resection followed by gemcitabine with cisplatin, is not effective. Further, up to 90% of CCA patients are ineligible for resection. Of those eligible for resection, postoperative chemotherapy does not prolong overall survival leading to a 5-year survival of ~30%. Previously, mutations have been identified in KRAS (17% of CCA cases), TP53 (44%) and SMAD4 (17%) but none have been recognized …


Competitive Strategies Of Hospitals: Antecedents And Association With Financial Performance, Akbar Ghiasi Jan 2019

Competitive Strategies Of Hospitals: Antecedents And Association With Financial Performance, Akbar Ghiasi

All ETDs from UAB

In this three-paper dissertation, first, we examined the relationship between strategic group membership and hospital financial performance in terms of operating margin. The results revealed the important role of strategy on financial performance of a hospital. In the second paper, organizational and environmental antecedents of hospital’s business strategy choice were studied. The results showed that environmental and organizational factors may predict the business strategy choice of hospitals. The third paper investigated the moderating effect of environmental instability on the relationship between strategic group membership and financial performance. Environmental instability does not strongly affect the relationship between hospital strategic group membership …


Baf Chromatin Landscaping During Bone Formation And Maintenance, Tanner Cole Godfrey Jan 2019

Baf Chromatin Landscaping During Bone Formation And Maintenance, Tanner Cole Godfrey

All ETDs from UAB

Bone loss is a worldwide problem resulting in increased risk of fracture. Osteoblasts are responsible for bone synthesis; therefore, treatments promoting osteoblast differentiation and/or activity would result in increased bone formation. The regulation of DNA accessibility is a key mechanism controlling gene expression and cellular differentiation. BAF (BRG1 Associated Factor) mediated chromatin remodeling increases DNA accessibility by sliding or ejecting nucleosomes. This process can occur in a cell type specific manner based on the composition of BAF. In many tissue types, a unique combination of BAF subunits has been identified to be responsible for the maintenance or differentiation of that …


Nursing Staff Approaches To Providing Oral Hygiene In Stroke Survivors With Dysphagia: A Grounded Theory Study, Willard Edward Brewer Jan 2019

Nursing Staff Approaches To Providing Oral Hygiene In Stroke Survivors With Dysphagia: A Grounded Theory Study, Willard Edward Brewer

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to explore how the nursing staff approaches oral hygiene in stroke survivors with dysphagia during the rehabilitation phase of recovery and what guides their decisions. Oral hygiene is a proven effective task known to prevent systemic health disparities (i.e. aspiration pneumonia, diabetes, gastrointestinal disparities, and even stroke). However, there are no current evidenced-based guidelines that provide instruction on how to execute oral hygiene to stroke survivors with dysphagia. Little is known about how nurses make decisions to implement oral hygiene in stroke survivors with dysphagia. Using a theoretical sampling strategy, data …


Integration Of Cone Photoreceptor Signals In Macaque Lgn Neurons, Paul B. Brown Jan 2019

Integration Of Cone Photoreceptor Signals In Macaque Lgn Neurons, Paul B. Brown

All ETDs from UAB

Despite advances in the understanding of the primate visual system, much is yet to be learned about the way light signals sum to create our perception of the world. This is especially true at the simplest level of visual processing—the summation of two individual cone photoreceptor signals. How such signals combine to create visual perception has not been assessed in vivo. We used an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) to deliver binarized noise movies to identified groups of cones within the receptive fields of neurons in the macaque lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Recordings of neural action potentials within the …


The Impact Of Redox Stress In Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1, Brianna Buchalski Jan 2019

The Impact Of Redox Stress In Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1, Brianna Buchalski

All ETDs from UAB

Primary Hyperoxaluria (PH) is a family of three inborn errors of glyoxylate metabolism resulting in endogenous oxalate overproduction. PH1 is the most common and most severe form of the disorder when compared to PH2 and PH3. PH1 can result in systemic oxalosis or end stage renal disease, and there is currently no cure for this disorder. The only curative treatment is combined liver/kidney transplant. The difficulty in defining a cure for the disorder arises from poor knowledge of the sources of endogenous oxalate and a lack of understanding in the underlying pathophysiology of the disorder. For these reasons, we have …


Receptor Sialylation By St6gal-I Promotes Tumor Progression By Enhancing Tumor Cell Survival And Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition, Colleen Maeve Britain Jan 2019

Receptor Sialylation By St6gal-I Promotes Tumor Progression By Enhancing Tumor Cell Survival And Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition, Colleen Maeve Britain

All ETDs from UAB

The upregulation of a certain subset of glycosyltransferases was an early marker for cancer development. Specifically, ST6Gal-I, which adds an α2-6 linked sialic acid to N-glycans on proteins bound for the plasma membrane or secretion, is selectively upregulated upon malignant transformation. Our laboratory has shown that ST6Gal-I is implicated in many facets of tumor biology and is an important mediator of tumorigenesis. For example, ST6Gal-I activity promotes the survival of cells when challenged with hypoxia, FasL, or TNFα, confers resistance to chemotherapeutics, enhances tumor cell migration and invasion, and fosters a cancer stem cell phenotype. The work presented in this …


Context Fear Memory Formation Is Regulated By Hippocampal Lncrna-Mediated Histone Methylation Changes, Anderson Alan Butler Jan 2019

Context Fear Memory Formation Is Regulated By Hippocampal Lncrna-Mediated Histone Methylation Changes, Anderson Alan Butler

All ETDs from UAB

The post-translational modification of histones regulates gene expression and is critical for the formation and maintenance of hippocampus-dependent long-term memories. Changes in gene-specific expression of various epigenetic marks during the aging pro-cess are sufficiently consistent as to be used as an aging landmark or epigenetic clock in both humans and other species; however, the molecular mechanisms which govern the application of these marks aging are poorly explored. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated as regulators of histone methyltransferases and other chromatin-modifying enzymes (CMEs). Despite the relevance of such mechanisms to both aging and memory formation, the behavioral relevance …


Significance Of Acculturation, Assimilation, And Allostatic Load As Risk Factors For Obesity Among Hispanics, Yenni Elvia Cedillo Juare Jan 2019

Significance Of Acculturation, Assimilation, And Allostatic Load As Risk Factors For Obesity Among Hispanics, Yenni Elvia Cedillo Juare

All ETDs from UAB

Obesity has increased during the last two decades in the United States (U.S.) and is considered a major risk factor for chronic diseases within the Hispanic community. The burden of obesity in Hispanics is associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality and an increase in healthcare costs. Hispanics’ challenges after migration extend to subsequent generations, putting the population at risk for disease development. Specifically, migration can lead to the adoption of health behaviors, beliefs, values, and language of the host country, a process known as acculturation, which has been associated with changes in health behaviors. Among the Hispanic population, …


Sexual Behaviors And Non-Initiation Of The Hpv Vaccine Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors, Brooke Cherven Jan 2019

Sexual Behaviors And Non-Initiation Of The Hpv Vaccine Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors, Brooke Cherven

All ETDs from UAB

Advances in treatment for childhood cancer have led to increased survival rates. There are currently an estimated 400,000 survivors of childhood cancer living in the United States who are at risk for developing subsequent malignancies, including cancers associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection; sexual behaviors associated with increased risk for HPV acquisition include younger age at first intercourse, multiple sexual partners, and inconsistent condom use. The prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors, and the relationship between sexual behaviors and HPV vaccine non-initiation among young adult cancer survivors is unknown. This study used data …


The Strategy Of Federally Qualified Health Centers: The Influence Of Context And Performance Implications, Seongwon Choi Jan 2019

The Strategy Of Federally Qualified Health Centers: The Influence Of Context And Performance Implications, Seongwon Choi

All ETDs from UAB

The three papers included in this dissertation attempt to provide empirical evidence on the relationship among strategies employed by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), the contextual factors and consequent performance. The findings of these studies contribute to the existing body of literature on FQHC strategies and performance. In addition, the findings also provide key practical implications to FQHC managers as well as policymakers. Overall, the results of this dissertation suggest that the FQHC strategy on spatial differentiation is associated with a set of organizational and environmental factors. However, there was little support for the relationship between Medicaid expansion and FQHC …


A Survey Of Shoulder Injuries In Commercial Truck Drivers Using A Retrospective Medical Record Review, Bryan Combs Jan 2019

A Survey Of Shoulder Injuries In Commercial Truck Drivers Using A Retrospective Medical Record Review, Bryan Combs

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Musculoskeletal injuries in the occupational setting have significant impact on the worker, employer, and healthcare system. Commercial truck drivers (CTD) experience some of the highest rates of injury, missed days of work, and workers’ compensation costs compared with other workers. In this population, back injuries occur most commonly, followed by shoulder injuries which require 5 times more days away from work. Commercial truck drivers are significantly impacted by shoulder injuries; however, little is known about the unique mechanisms of injury, specific injuries, or possible preventative measures among this group of workers. Methods: A retrospective medical record review was completed …


Mechanisms Of Acute Kidney Injury: The Role Of Ferritin Heavy Chain In Renal Heme-Unology, Laurence Marie Black Jan 2019

Mechanisms Of Acute Kidney Injury: The Role Of Ferritin Heavy Chain In Renal Heme-Unology, Laurence Marie Black

All ETDs from UAB

The kidneys are complex, multi-faceted organs that are responsible for regulatory processes, such as fluid homeostasis, hormone production, blood pressure regulation, and systemic toxin removal. Sudden disruption of these processes by acute kidney injury (AKI) causes rapid decline in renal function as well as significant morbidity and mortality. AKI is a significant clinical concern, affecting up to 13.3 million people globally each year and has the propensity to progress to chronic kidney disease (CKD), though the mechanism remains undefined. One reason for this is due to the lack of understanding of models used to study both AKI and CKD, hindering …