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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Associations Between Grit, Life Satisfaction, And Academic Outcomes In Elementary And Middle School Students, Charles Jaylon Williams
Associations Between Grit, Life Satisfaction, And Academic Outcomes In Elementary And Middle School Students, Charles Jaylon Williams
All ETDs from UAB
Grit is used to predict various positive benefits within students. Grit is trying to get back up to attempt another try at one’s goal after failure. Recently, grit has been seen as a potential candidate in improving the life satisfaction and academic performance of individuals. Grit is conceptualized as having two components, perseverance of effort and consistency of interest. Perseverance of effort is trying again until you finally accomplish your goal, while consistency of interest is a constant drive to complete one’s goals over a long-time span. This study measured the effects that grit has on elementary and middle school …
Chronic Hiv Infection Influences The Immune Response To Sars-Cov-2, Skye Opsteen
Chronic Hiv Infection Influences The Immune Response To Sars-Cov-2, Skye Opsteen
All ETDs from UAB
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused global morbidity and mortality since late 2019. Many infections result in self-limited disease and recovery in 1-2 weeks. However, a subset of individuals experience more severe illness, associated with hospitalization, ventilation, and potential mortality. HIV infection is a proposed risk factor for more severe illness due to people living with HIV (PLWH) experiencing chronic immune activation and inflammation despite effective antiretroviral therapy. While there is supporting evidence showing worsened clinical outcomes in PLWH experiencing acute COVID-19, the immune response driving these outcomes is less explored. We analyzed markers of immune activation …
Uncovering The Role Of Spt5 In Rna Polymerase I Transcription Through Targeted Protein Degradation Via The Auxin Inducible Degron System In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Nathan Bellis
All ETDs from UAB
RNA Polymerases are the molecular machines responsible for the synthesis of RNA from the DNA template. The presence of these machines is an absolute requirement for the function and replication of all cellular organisms. In eukaryotic organisms, there are a minimum of three RNA polymerases (Pols I, II, II). Despite shared subunits and homology, these three protein complexes are functionally distinct, with many unique sub-units and additional trans-acting factors. Pol I is responsible for the synthesis of three of the four ribosomal RNA species which is the first and rate limiting step of ribosome biogenesis. Pol I synthesizes the majority …
Neuropeptide Y Overexpression In The Presence Of P23h Rhodopsin Mutation, Jean Sun
Neuropeptide Y Overexpression In The Presence Of P23h Rhodopsin Mutation, Jean Sun
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Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a 36-amino acid peptide, has been found to be the most abundant neuropeptide in the central nervous system, and it is widespread across mammalian species. NPY plays a dual role as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the nervous system. NPY functions as a multifaceted neuromodulator through binding NPY receptors (NPYRs). NYP interacts with NPYRs and regulates various activities, such as cell growth, neurogenesis, neuroprotection, mitochondrial behaviors, food intake, anxiety, and addiction formation. In terms of NPY’s neuroprotective potential, NPY inhibits neuronal death signaling, thus preventing apoptosis, and displays anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. Additionally, it influences metabolism by …
Characterizing A Unique Oprm1 Expressing Neuronal Population In The Rat Nucleus Accumbens, Emma Andraka
Characterizing A Unique Oprm1 Expressing Neuronal Population In The Rat Nucleus Accumbens, Emma Andraka
All ETDs from UAB
Opioid-related overdose deaths have increased drastically in the past three decades, and especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the addictive, analgesic, and euphoric properties of the drugs. To produce these effects, opioids bind to the mu opioid receptor (MOR) in GABAergic neurons. The MOR is encoded by the Oprm1 gene and is expressed in multiple brain regions that regulate reward and motivation, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Previous studies of Oprm1 knockdown in medium spiny neurons (MSNs) of the mouse NAc have shown that these neuronal populations are involved in reinforcing reward-context pairing as well …
Expression Of St6gal1 Imparts Stem-Like Cell Behaviors, Thereby Promoting Neoplasia, Sejal Sanjay Shinde
Expression Of St6gal1 Imparts Stem-Like Cell Behaviors, Thereby Promoting Neoplasia, Sejal Sanjay Shinde
All ETDs from UAB
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignancies with a five-year survival of ~10%. Recent studies in the US population suggest PDAC as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in 2022. ST6 β-galactoside α2,6-sialyltransferase (ST6GAL1) is a glycosyltransferase which is known to be upregulated in cancer. It acts as a master regulator of a cell by being the predominant sialyltransferase catalyzing the addition of a bulky negatively charged sialic acid to the galactose sugar in an α2,6-linkage. Due to this, the sialic acid changes the structure and function of cell surface receptor proteins and regulates signal …
Plasticity Characteristics Of Cxcr5+ Cd4+ T Memory Cells And Cxcr5- Non-Tfh Memory Cells, Ching-En Lee
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.
Investigating The Effects Of Immune Checkpoint Inhibition And Combined Treatment With Evofosfamide On The Tumor Microenvironment Through Hypoxia Imaging, Kaytlyn Carter Mcneal
Investigating The Effects Of Immune Checkpoint Inhibition And Combined Treatment With Evofosfamide On The Tumor Microenvironment Through Hypoxia Imaging, Kaytlyn Carter Mcneal
All ETDs from UAB
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent and deadly cancer worldwide. While immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibition, shows promise in various cancers, its efficacy in CRC and other tumor types is limited. Hypoxia, characterized by inadequate tissue oxygenation, critically drives cancer progression, promoting tumor growth, metastasis, chemotherapy resistance, and poor prognosis. Evofosfamide, a hypoxia-activating prodrug, is being evaluated in clinical trials for combined use with checkpoint blockade as a potential therapeutic strategy. This study investigates the impact of hypoxia on immune checkpoint inhibition, evofosfamide, and combination therapy, while utilizing non-invasive molecular imaging to develop analytical methods for quantifying and characterizing tumor …
Pharmacologic Proteasome Activators Ameliorate Alzheimer's-Like Pathology In Ad Fly Models, Mehar Bano
Pharmacologic Proteasome Activators Ameliorate Alzheimer's-Like Pathology In Ad Fly Models, Mehar Bano
All ETDs from UAB
The proteasome is a large multi-subunit protease responsible for the degradation and removal of oxidized, misfolded, and polyubiquitinated proteins. The proteasome plays a critical role in nervous system processes. This includes the maintenance of cellular homeostasis in neurons (1). It also includes synaptic efficacy and plasticity as well as protein turnover, presynaptic vesicle transport, and neuronal protesostasis. Proteasome function is impaired as a consequence of aging, which is aggravated by conditions like Alzheimer's Disease and Related-Dementias (AD, ADRD) (2). According to earlier work from our lab the proteasome is critical to how quickly AD progresses. In Drosophila, human cells, and …
Effeccts Of Hiv-1 Tat On Tspo, A Biomarker Of Neuroinflammation, Nguyen Thuy Nhu Nguyen
Effeccts Of Hiv-1 Tat On Tspo, A Biomarker Of Neuroinflammation, Nguyen Thuy Nhu Nguyen
All ETDs from UAB
HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) produces serious neurological dysfunction for > 50% of people living with HIV (PLWH). As antiretroviral therapy (ART) has transformed HIV into a chronic disease, and since most ART does not effectively cross the blood brain barrier, HAND is predicted to further increase in prevalence in PLWH. The HIV-Trans-Activator of Transcription (Tat) is known to persist in the central nervous system (CNS) of chronically infected HIV+ individuals. In several preclinical studies, HIV-Tat has been shown to be neurotoxic and important for HIV pathogenesis. Translocator protein (TSPO), an 18 kDa mitochondrial protein, has been shown to be increased via …
The Role Of Complement C3 In Iga Nephropathy, Sarah Elizabeth Coffee
The Role Of Complement C3 In Iga Nephropathy, Sarah Elizabeth Coffee
All ETDs from UAB
IgA nephropathy is an autoimmune disease characterized by glomerular IgA1- containing immunodeposits. These immunodeposits are enriched for aberrantly glycosylated IgA1 bound by IgG autoantibodies and contain complement component C3. Current research suggests a multi-hit disease pathogenesis: IgAN patients have elevated serum levels of IgA1 missing galactose in some hinge region O-glycans; this galactosedeficient IgA1 is recognized by IgG autoantibodies resulting in formation of circulating immune complexes; some of these complexes deposit in the glomeruli and induce kidney injury. As there is no disease-specific treatment, many patients progress to kidney failure. In this master’s thesis I sought to assess whether C3 …
A Gastrointestinal-Specific Antibiotic As An Experimental Treatment For Anxio-Depressive Disorders, Yuang-Tai Huang
A Gastrointestinal-Specific Antibiotic As An Experimental Treatment For Anxio-Depressive Disorders, Yuang-Tai Huang
All ETDs from UAB
Chronic stress is a predisposing factor for various disease states, including neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety [1]. Stress-related disorders have complicated multifactorial etiologies [2]. Advances in psychotherapeutic and psychotropic treatments have occurred, but anxiety and depressive disorders are still prevalent and remain a burden to our societies [3]. More than 30% of major depressive disorder patients fail to remission despite an FDAapproved medication [4]. Meanwhile, the contribution of microbiota-gut-brain axis signaling in both etiologies and treatment of stress-related disorders is increasingly being recognized [5]. More evidence has shown that the gut microbiota has the potential to alter the …
Study Of Microrna-23a Cluster In Bone Formation, Revati Suryawanshi
Study Of Microrna-23a Cluster In Bone Formation, Revati Suryawanshi
All ETDs from UAB
The differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to pre-osteoblasts, lies upon various transcription factors and physiological signaling, but is also governed by the micro-RNA-23a cluster. The miR-23a cluster has miR-23a, miR-27a and miR-24-2 transcribed from a single promoter as a sole RNA primary transcript. Its effects have been observed in embryonic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and in cancer (1-2). It regulates the lineage commitment of MSCs. (3). With respect to bone formation, miR-23a cluster is involved MSCs commitment to and osteoblast maturation (4). Here, through in vivo and in vitro experiments, we report that knock down of microRNA-23a cluster …
Epigenetic Regulation By O-Glcnac Alters Anti-Fibrotic Gene Expression In Ipf Fibroblasts, Qiuming Wu
Epigenetic Regulation By O-Glcnac Alters Anti-Fibrotic Gene Expression In Ipf Fibroblasts, Qiuming Wu
All ETDs from UAB
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an age-related chronic disease with a me-dian survival period of 3-4 years [1]. Although FDA has approved two drugs that may slow the disease process, there is no effective treatment [2]. IPF is characterized by the excessive deposition of collagen, which leads to deformation of alveolar structure, loss of lung function, and ultimately death [3]. Anti-fibrotic genes such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Heme Oxygenase 1 (HMOX-1) are usually suppressed in the pathogenesis of IPF [4-6], while the mechanisms responsible for the repression of anti-fibrotic genes in IPF are incompletely understood. More evidence has shown that …
The Role Of Cd38 In Anti-Tumor Immunity And Tumor Immune Evasion, Panpan Yuan
The Role Of Cd38 In Anti-Tumor Immunity And Tumor Immune Evasion, Panpan Yuan
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CD38 is a multifunctional protein that is expressed in many immune cells, modulating NAD metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress. Recent studies suggest that CD38 is also implicated in tumor immunosuppression. However, the role of CD38 in anti-tumor immunity and tumor immune evasion, and mechanisms involved, are still unclear. We hypothesized that CD38 expression by immune cells constricts T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune responses and promotes tumor cell immune evasion. We investigated whether mice lacking CD38 (CD38-/-) had impaired tumor growth in subcutaneous, intraperitoneal and intravenous syngeneic tumor models. CD38-/- mice showed no difference in subcutaneous B16 melanoma tumor growth and pulmonary …
Characterization Of Rna Polymerase I Trigger Loop Mutations, Collin Ainslie
Characterization Of Rna Polymerase I Trigger Loop Mutations, Collin Ainslie
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RNA polymerases are primarily multi-subunit enzymes that synthesize RNAs from template DNA strands. RNA polymerase I (Pol I) is the eukaryotic RNA polymerase that synthesizes the majority of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) for ribosome production. These include the 5.8S, 28S, and 18S rRNAs which are synthesized from a polycistronic gene in the nucleolus. The rRNAs synthesized by Pol I, the 5S rRNA, & ribosomal proteins come together to synthesize ribosomes through ribosome biogenesis. Dysregulation of Pol I activity has been established to contribute to dysregulation of ribosome biogenesis and disease state development. These conditions include but are not limited to Cincinnati …
A Novel In Vitro Model To Study Immune Interactions In Glioblastoma, Hasan Alrefai
A Novel In Vitro Model To Study Immune Interactions In Glioblastoma, Hasan Alrefai
All ETDs from UAB
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal primary brain tumor in adults. Despite decades of research, GBM has a median survival of approximately 14 months, necessitating the development of novel GBM therapeutics. The drug-development process has been hindered due to the lack of high-fidelity pre-clinical models. While in-vitro models of patient-derived xenografts (PDX) present an interesting approach to modeling GBM, they typically fail to incorporate the non-cancerous cells that support tumor growth and progression. Others have attempted to address this problem by using techniques such as 3D bioprinting to incorporate astrocytes and macrophages in an extracellular matrix; however, they …
Locus Coeruleus Degeneration In Alzheimer’S Disease And Its Effect On Beta-Adrenergic Signaling In The Hippocampus, Bethany Langner
Locus Coeruleus Degeneration In Alzheimer’S Disease And Its Effect On Beta-Adrenergic Signaling In The Hippocampus, Bethany Langner
All ETDs from UAB
Locus coeruleus (LC) degeneration in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and loss of noradrenergic (NA) innervation in hippocampus contributes to learning and memory deficits. Recently, a novel rat model (TgF344-AD) has been created that allows for a more thorough investigation into these mechanisms due to its similarity to human AD pathology. The McMahon lab has recently demonstrated heightened long-term potentiation (LTP) and a ‘supersensitivity’ of -adrenergic receptors (-ARs) at excitatory synapses in the dentate gyrus (DG) in TgF344-AD rats. These mechanisms could be responsible for maintaining learning and memory during buildup of AD pathology. The first goal of this Master’s thesis was …
Il-8 Is Necessary And Sufficient For X-Ray Radiation Enhanced Endothelial Adhesion., Stephen Kyle Babitz
Il-8 Is Necessary And Sufficient For X-Ray Radiation Enhanced Endothelial Adhesion., Stephen Kyle Babitz
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Ionizing radiation (IR) is a potent inflammatory stimulus to the human body. In the vasculature, inflammation is a major contributing factor for atherosclerosis. In addition, radiation from several sources has been linked with increased risk for multiple cardiovascular complications. A key compnent of radiation associated inflammation is an increase in the adhesiveness of the endothelium which leads to a pathogenic accumulation of leukocytes in the vascular wall. This is one of the initial steps in vascular inflammation and leads to a number of adverse complications such as heart disease and stroke. The molecular mechanisms behind radiaton enhanced endothelial adhesion have …
O-Linked Beta-N-Acetylglucosamine (O-Glcnac) And The Mitochondrion, Christopher Calderon
O-Linked Beta-N-Acetylglucosamine (O-Glcnac) And The Mitochondrion, Christopher Calderon
All ETDs from UAB
O-linked beta-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a dynamic and ubiquitous posttranslational modification of serine and threonine residues on nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. O-GlcNAc has emerged as an important regulator of cellular processes such as cell signaling, transcription, translation, apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation, among others. O-GlcNAc is thought to be a contributor to pathologies such as hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. O-GlcNAc has been viewed as an indicator of cellular energy levels and is associated with diabetic complications under nutrient excess. Other studies have shown that a variety of stress stimuli increase the levels of protein O-GlcNAc in mammalian cells, and this increase …
Epigenetic Markers In The Developing Postnatal Brain, Rebecca Kaye Simmons
Epigenetic Markers In The Developing Postnatal Brain, Rebecca Kaye Simmons
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Epigenetic mechanisms provide a critical and plausible mechanism by which genes and the environment can interact and have been implicated in a number of diseases and disorders. In order to better understand how epigenetic mechanisms go awry in a diseased brain we must first understand how epigenetic mechanisms unfold during normal development. The present body of work begins to examine the role of DNA methylation in normal development and how it may contribute to a rodent model of emotion dysfunction. Using a variety of techniques, we evaluated the transcript, protein and functional output levels of DNA methyltransferase1, -3a, and -3b …
Cystine/Glutamate Transporters As Prognostic & Therapeutic Markers Of Primary Brain Tumors, Stephanie Marie Robert
Cystine/Glutamate Transporters As Prognostic & Therapeutic Markers Of Primary Brain Tumors, Stephanie Marie Robert
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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are the most prevalent and aggressive malignant brain tumors. Current treatment - a combination of radiation, chemotherapy and resection - has limited effectiveness and offers poor prognosis. In this study, we examined the roles of system xc- (SXC) and excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs), which transport the amino acids cystine and glutamate, on tumor growth, neurotoxicity, and peritumoral seizure activity. Tissue micro-arrays from 45 patients were examined by immuno-histochemistry, comparing tumor-bearing tissue and adjacent normal brain. Using a novel flank tumor propagation technique, we chose 3 glioma samples with varying SXC and EAAT expression levels to study …
Pediatric Obesity And Traumatic Lower Extremity Long Bone Fracture Outcomes, Ian Charles Backstrom
Pediatric Obesity And Traumatic Lower Extremity Long Bone Fracture Outcomes, Ian Charles Backstrom
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Background: Pediatric obesity is associated with lower extremity injuries and poor outcomes after blunt trauma. Our aim was to determine if obese pediatric patients with femur and tibia fractures have more severe injury patterns and worse outcomes compared to non-obese patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of obese and non-obese pediatric patients with femur or tibia fractures treated at two Level-1 trauma centers from 2004-2010. Patients weighing ≥ 95th percentile for age and gender were classified as obese. Patients were compared regarding demographics, Injury Severity Score (ISS), intra-abdominal, and orthopedic injuries. Outcomes included fracture treatment, orthopedic complications, ICU …
Pathophysiology Of Dyt1 Dystonia: Targeted Mouse Models, Chad Christopher Cheetham
Pathophysiology Of Dyt1 Dystonia: Targeted Mouse Models, Chad Christopher Cheetham
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DYT1 dystonia is an inherited movement disorder caused by a trinucleotide deletion (DeltaGAG) in the DYT1 (TOR1A) gene, which codes for the torsinA protein. Dr. Yuqing Li's laboratory previously reported the characterization of a DYT1 dystonia mouse model, a knock-in carrying DeltaGAG in Dyt1 (KI), which displays a motor learning deficit of motor skill transfer. We report here that this motor learning deficit was reversed with an anticholinergic drug, trihexyphenidyl (THP), a drug commonly used to treat movement problems in dystonia patients. We further show a potential substrate for the pathophysiology, a reduction in D2 receptors in the striatum in …