Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Insights Into Factors Influencing Radical Coupling Chemistry Of Monolignols During Lignification And Induced Changes In Plant Secondary Metabolism, Rachel Poornima Sutherland

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Lignin is a complex aromatic biopolymer and an important constituent in plant cell walls. The process of lignin biosynthesis, known as lignification, is poorly understood and challenging to study but has important implications in a variety of fields including sustainable energy, bioengineering, and materials science and is therefore of interest to pursue. In the final stage of lignification, H-, G-, and S-monolignols are oxidized by laccase and peroxidase enzymes to generate radical species that couple to form dimers and further oligomeric species to ultimately produce the lignin polymer. Biomimetic lignin model systems utilize in vitro oxidative coupling reactions as an …

Yoga As A Self-Care Practice For Mental Health Counselors Who Treat Trauma, Kari Michelle Fitzgerald

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Given the high rates of burnout and compassion fatigue among trauma-exposed counselors, understanding effective self-care practices is critical for sustaining clinical effectiveness and well-being. Utilizing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), exploration of the lived experiences of licensed mental health counselors who treat trauma and use yoga as a self-care practice was conducted. Eight participants who were regular yoga practitioners each participated in one semi-structured interview and submitted one pre- and one post-interview reflective journal entry. Thematic analysis was used to identify six major themes; 1) emotional impact and sacred responsibility of clinical work, 2) yoga as a regulating and restorative practice, …

"On The Mat They Will Get Treated The Same": Male High School Wrestlers' Attitudes Towards Female Opponents, Emily Ann Kaht

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Wrestling has historically been considered a male sport. Until recently, so few girls wrestled that those who did had no choice but to take on male opponents. Media reports and the literature indicate that those girls faced a wide range of attitudes from their opponents. While some women reported feeling supported by their male teammates, others reported hostility. Some stakeholders have, in the past, argued that wrestling is inherently unsuitable for girls, and some girls had trouble securing matches due to widespread refusal of boys to wrestle against them. Reasons given for boys forfeiting against girls have included a fear …

Redox Control In A Fused Electron Transfer Flavoprotein From A Thermophilic Archaeon And Expanded Significance Of A Hydrogen Bond From A Conserved Histidine Residue That Contributes To Flavin Redox Tuning And Activation For Covalent Modification, Debarati Das

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

In absence of O₂ as terminal electron acceptors in anaerobic bacteria and archaea, carbohydrate metabolism is 15 times less efficient compared to aerobic energy metabolism resulting in energy deficit conditions. Despite their meager resources these anaerobes were able to generate H₂ and a chemiosmotic potential able to drive energy demanding reactions such as CO₂ or N₂ fixation. These observations raised concerns as production of high energy reductants (H₂) from mediocre fuels (NADH) defied the laws of thermodynamics.

In 2008, a known mechanism “electron bifurcation” but with flavins as redox mediators instead of quinones was …

A Comparison Of Two Motivational Tasks In Male And Female Rats Under Acute Stress, Stephanie M. Muscott

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Motivation is a complex concept that contributes to or is embedded within many different behaviors. As such, it can be difficult to assess motivation directly, but many researchers have attempted to measure motivation to understand its role in behavior and in diseases associated with a dysregulation of motivation, such as drug addiction or depression. To better understand motivation, behavioral tests frequently use palatable foods to measure motivation as defined by the amount of effort a rat will demonstrate to achieve the reward. Much of research has focused on highly controlled experimental settings, such as lever pressing in an operant box …

Establishing A Microfiber Recovery Rate In Human Lung Tissue, Kylie Nicole Babin-Howard

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Microplastics (plastic particles smaller than 5mm) are of increasing concern to environmental and human health as they have persistently been found in all areas of study—becoming a ubiquitous part of the planet. Microplastics have been found in a variety of human tissues (lungs, blood, brain matter, etc.) yet their health effects are poorly understood, with experimental exposure model studies indicating adverse health effects. Microfibers have been found to be more toxic when compared to other microplastic shapes and are also shed from a majority of everyday items, with environmental reports showing that fibers are more than twice as prevalent than …

Monte Carlo Modeling Of Spin Polarized Photoemission From Gaas At Low Temperatures And Positive Electron Affinity Surfaces, John Rison Callahan

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Research and development of new photocathode materials are essential to the continuing success and productivity of accelerator technology. High-quality photocathodes characterized by high quantum efficiencies, long lifetimes, low mean transverse energies, and robustness to vacuum environments and operation loads are becoming increasingly essential to the successful operation of the next generation of high brightness accelerator applications. For nuclear and high-energy physics experiments and other applications that rely on spin-polarized electron beams, photocathodes must also demonstrate high electron spin polarizations. The development of state of-the-art spin-polarized photocathodes will require both development of methods to improve the quality of already existing cathode …

Juvenile Arthritis, Body Image, And Disordered Eating: An Exploration Of Experiences, Katelyn Ann Melcher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This qualitative study examined eating and body experiences among youth with juvenile arthritis (JA). JA, an autoimmune condition affecting nearly 300,000 youth in the United States, poses significant challenges including chronic pain, disability, and psychological concerns such as anxiety and depression. Adolescence is a critical developmental time for body image and disordered eating concerns to emerge. However, no qualitative research has explored the interactions of JA, body image, and eating behaviors among youth. Twelve youth with a JA diagnosis participated in a semistructured qualitative interview examining their experiences with JA and their feelings about their bodies and food as they …

College Athlete Workload Management To Improve Performance, Brody Reid

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Load management is an often used and misunderstood term within the realm of sport science. It has been described as the reason behind numerous soft tissue injuries as well as being the reason star athletes sit on the bench for games. This review aims to synthesize the existing literature regarding the workload management paradox within sport. Seminal work in this topic has been gathered mostly by Tim Gabbett in the paper “The Injury Prevention Paradox” where a relationship between fitness gain and fatigue accrued is outlined. This theory was first proposed by Roger Bannister in 1975. This paper …

The Impact Of State-Mandated Certification Of Surgical Technologists On Surgical Site Infection Rates: Evaluating Policy, Practice, And Patient Outcomes, Katherine E. Geiger

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Abstract

Chairperson: Matthew Schertz, Ph.D.

Committee Member: Morgen J Alwell, Ph.D.

Committee Member: Jill Davis, M.Ed.

As a surgical technology instructor, I have witnessed firsthand the impact that certified surgical technologists (CSTs) have on patient safety, particularly in the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs). This professional paper investigates the relationship between state-mandated certification of surgical technologists and SSI rates, with a focus on how standardized education and credentialing influence clinical outcomes. SSIs remain a significant concern in surgical environments, contributing to increased morbidity, longer hospital stays, and greater healthcare costs. The research presented here examines certification requirements across various …

Inside The Circle 2025: Exploring The Ontario Cpe Supervisors' Lived Experience Of The Interpersonal Relations Group Process Portion Of Cpe, Kelly L. Collins

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research used a philosophical phenomenological (primarily Gadamer) methodology and asked the question, “What is the lived experience of Ontario Clinical Psychospiritual Education (CPE) Supervisors in the Interpersonal Relationships (IPR) group process portion of CPE?” It used a 90-minute, semi-structured interview format as it sought to understand the supervisor experience of safety in the group. 11 Ontario Certified Supervisors were interviewed and explored this question in relationship to participant supervisors’ experience as students and/or as educators. In the history of CPE, there has been significant harm done to students by some supervisors who were well-meaning, but unaware of their impact …

Impact Of The New York State Gender Recognition Act On Mental Health Outcomes Among Non-Binary Adults Served By The New York Public Mental Health System, Sahil Chaudhry

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation explores the impact of the 2021 New York State Gender Recognition Act (GRA) on mental health outcomes and service utilization among non-binary adults in the public mental health system. The GRA introduced pivotal legal reforms—including the option for an “X” gender marker and self-attestation for gender identity changes on state-issued documents—designed to affirm gender diversity and reduce structural barriers for transgender and non-binary populations. Guided by gender affirmation theory and minority stress frameworks, this study investigates how these legal shifts relate to changes in mental health service engagement and psychological well-being among non-binary individuals.

Using a difference-in-differences (DD) …

Investigating Rna Dysfunction Of Inherited Neuromuscular And Neurodevelopmental Disease, Jacob H. Schroader

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

ITPase deficiency is a rare but fatal, autosomal recessive enzyme deficiency involving encephalopathy, microcephaly, congenital cataracts, hypotonia, developmental delay, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Within a decade since the original description of the severe form in humans, there are huge gaps in the field regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms driving pathogenesis resulting from ITPase deficiency. Past studies have focused on characterization of the organism level ITPase-deficient phenotype, but the molecular and cellular characterization remains to be fully described. Due to the biochemical function and established biological role of the ITPase enzyme, investigation into the consequences of inosine accumulation and misincorporation into RNA …

Differences In Mental Health Care Use Between Urban And Rural Populations In New York State, 2017-2022, Anna J. Papa

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Objective

This study aimed to determine whether rural New York State residents receive mental health care at the same rate as urban residents, how poverty rates in New York State relate to rurality and mental health care use, and how pre-pandemic mental health care use rates compare to 2022 use rates. The goal was not to estimate the burden of disease, nor to estimate the number of patients engaged in care in each zip code, but to highlight the potential differences in service use between urban and rural New York State Office of Mental Health clients.

Methods

A secondary analysis …

Application Of Root Cause Analysis For Fall Prevention: A Quality Improvement Initiative For Older Adults In A Skilled Nursing And Long-Term Care Facility, Terrence Ranjo

Doctoral Projects

Falls in older adults are common and often have severe outcomes. They are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among people aged 65 and older and continue to increase. Half of residents in nursing facilities fall annually, and one in every ten falls will lead to a severe injury. Federal regulations like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services require long-term care (LTC) facilities to incorporate quality assurance performance improvement initiatives to address identified quality concerns in LTC facilities. Root cause analysis (RCA) can help clinicians identify several root causes of falls and guide clinicians in developing personalized …

Advocating For The Field Of Occupational Therapy Among High School Students, Linda Crabtree

Doctoral Projects

The field of occupational therapy (OT) is a healthcare field that is impactful on the lives of many individuals however there is currently a lack of awareness of the field of OT due to a lack of knowledge of and interest in OT among healthcare providers and the public (Richards and Valleé, 2020). The Aim of Research. The purpose of this project is to advocate for the field of OT and assess if an introductory presentation and hands-on lab about OT’s scope can improve the interest in OT among high school students in both rural and urban environments. Methods. The …

A Comparison Of Endodontic Root-End Filling Techniques: A Micro-Computed Tomography (Micro-Ct) Analysis Part Ii, Andrew M. Marra

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

A COMPARISON OF ENDODONTIC ROOT-END FILLING TECHNIQUES: A MICRO-COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY ANALYSIS

Andrew Marra, D.D.S.

Introduction: Researchers have compared many endodontic root-end filling techniques for porosity, though few have used a micro-computed tomography analysis for comparisons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate total porosity volume of three different bio-ceramics filling materials with two techniques--hand compaction versus hand/ultrasonic compaction at an ultrasonic setting of 5% using Micro-CT Analysis.

Methods: Seventy-two human single canaled extracted teeth were selected for the study. All were subjected to orthograde endodontic treatment followed by root tip resection at 3-mm from the apex …

Optimizing Recruitment Strategies, Outcome Measures, And Intervention In Clinical Research With Adults With Multiple Sclerosis: Insights From The Tele-Exercise And Multiple Sclerosis (Teams) Study, Tracy Flemming Tracy

All ETDs from UAB

Background: Recruiting people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) into research can be a significant challenge. This is often due to limited awareness of the research objectives, lack of accessibility, and restrictive inclusion criteria. In addition to a general reluctance to participate, assessing multiple sclerosis (MS) and assigning appropriate interventions can be challenging due to the heterogeneity of symptoms. Identifying outcome measures that accurately reflect a participant’s perception and functional performance, while remaining sensitive to change across different levels of disability, poses a challenge. Methods: Data from the Tele-Exercise and Multiple Sclerosis (TEAMS) trial was analyzed to identify effective recruitment strategies (Study …

Effect Of Pre-Treatment Lab-Based Comorbidities On Treatment Related Outcomes Among Patients With Cancer, Jeffrey Alan Franks

All ETDs from UAB

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the United States. In addition to their cancer, nearly 50% of individuals have a comorbid condition. This adds complexity to the treatment of these patients as it may delay cancer diagnosis or treatment or prevent treatment all together. Lab-values are an important tool to measure comorbidities and end-organ damage as they are routinely captured as part of standard of care and the basis of clinician decision making. However, despite the widespread multimorbidity and how crucial they are to decision making, few studies assess the association of lab abnormalities …

The Impact Of Transportation Insecurity On No-Show Appointments And Acute Care Utilization In Pediatric Sickle Cell Patients, Seabrook Hannah Jeffcoat

All ETDs from UAB

Sickle cell disease (SCD) patients experience high levels of transportation insecurity. Missed or delayed medical care due to transportation barriers can result in worsened clinical outcomes and increased hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits. We hypothesized that the relationship between transportation insecurity and acute care utilization is partially mediated by no-show appointments. This retrospective cohort study included 101 SCD patients aged ≤ 21 treated through the Pediatric Sickle Cell Clinic at Children’s of Alabama (COA) hospital from 2023 to 2024 and completed a social determinants of health (SDoH) questionnaire. Negative binomial or Poisson regression was used to model ED …

Optic Nerve Head Remodeling In Experimental High Myopia, Mahmoud Khalafallah

All ETDs from UAB

Myopia is a global health concern, with projected estimates that nearly half of the world's population will be myopic by 2050. While its refractive aspect can be corrected, the heightened susceptibility to sight-threatening comorbidities, particularly with high myopia, remains a challenge. Among these comorbidities, glaucoma is a major concern, with myopia recognized as an independent risk factor. However, the mechanistic link between myopia and glaucoma remains poorly understood. This dissertation investigates the multiscale remodeling changes in experimental high myopia and their potential implications for increased risk of glaucoma later in life. Using a multimodal approach, this dissertation investigates: (1) neural …

"The Association Between Serious Psychological Distress And Life Satisfaction Among U.S Adults With Hypertension", Kellen Michael Lenz

All ETDs from UAB

Purpose: Given the observed link between psychosocial and physical health outcomes, this study investigates the association between serious psychological distress and life satisfaction among U.S adults with hypertension. Methods: A cross-sectional study using 2021 National Health Interview Survey data among U.S adults was conducted to investigate the association between serious psychological distress and hypertension and assess the role of life satisfaction in modifying this relationship. Hypertension (diagnosed, undiagnosed), serious psychological distress (≥ 13 on the Kessler 6 nonspecific distress scale), and life satisfaction (Very satisfied, Satisfied, Dissatisfied, Very dissatisfied) were self-reported by participants. Ordinal logistic regression was used to investigate …

Accuracy Of 3d Printed Models With Various Range Of Crowding Created By Dlp Printer With Different Designs Of Model Base, Chih Yen Liu

All ETDs from UAB

Objective: Treatment planning and appliance fabrication depend on the accurate representation of dentition. Research on the accuracy of digital light processing (DLP) printed models with different base designs across various levels of dental crowding remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the fidelity of DLP printed models and the suitability of different base designs for representing dentition with mild, moderate, and severe crowding. Materials and Methods: The objective is to determine the optimal base designs for DLP-printed models to address varying degrees of dental crowding. A two-way ANOVA was used to compare root mean square (RMS) error across different base …

Molecular Imaging Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Characterization And Modulation Of The Tumor Microenvironment, Shannon E. Lynch

All ETDs from UAB

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive, heterogeneous subset of breast cancer which currently has no targeted therapies available due to lack of molecular therapeutic targets. Importantly, various radiopharmaceuticals can be imaged via positron emission tomography (PET) to quantify cellular and molecular features of the tumor microenvironment including glucose metabolism, receptor status, and immune activation. Somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2) is G-protein coupled receptor overexpressed in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) which can be imaged and targeted for theranostics via FDA-approved radiotherapy. SSTR2 expression is increased in hormone positive breast cancer but is expressed at low or variable levels in TNBC. However, …

Evaluating Multiparametric Imaging Biomarkers For Guiding Targeted Therapies In Her2+ Breast Cancer, Ameer Mansur

All ETDs from UAB

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer is a biologically diverse disease, in which intratumoral heterogeneity plays a significant role in tumor progression. Advanced medical imaging and image processing techniques offer the potential to noninvasively characterize the underlying intratumoral biology. Capturing these complex changes can allow for assessing therapeutic response and eventually guiding personalized therapeutic strategies. This work evaluates single and multiparametric imaging biomarkers to characterize tumor biology, identify treatment-induced changes, and predict response to targeted therapies. First, the utility of 3’-Deoxy-3’-[18F]Fluorothymidine positron emission tomography ([18F]FLT-PET) was assessed as a biomarker of proliferation for monitoring response to …

Investigating Potential Therapeutic Vulnerabilities And Elucidating Molecular Mechanisms For The Tumor Suppressors Nfkbia And Anxa7 In Diffuse Gliomas, Aran Merati

All ETDs from UAB

Gliomas, and especially diffuse gliomas, can be a devastating disease when attempting treatment in the clinic. Diffuse gliomas are typically malignant and pose definitive problems with respect to patient care predominantly due to their ability to exist outside of the bulk tumor by invading into the surrounding brain parenchyma. Consequently, not every cancerous cell can be fully removed by surgical resection and therapeutic resistance, so the stem-like population left behind can repopulate a recurrent tumor from a single cell. There is a desperate need for pinpointing novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in diffuse gliomas, which could potentially involve the targeting of key …

Maternal Immune Activation Causes Oligodendrocyte Deficits In The Hypothalamus, Kate Miller

All ETDs from UAB

Maternal immune activation (MIA) refers to the occurrence of an inflammatory immune response during any stage of pregnancy. This manifests as the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and can be caused by air pollution, obesity, or viral infection. When this occurs during the first trimester in humans, it increases the offspring’s susceptibility to developing neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism (ASD) and schizophrenia (SZ), in males more commonly than females. In addition to behavioral manifestations of neuropsychiatric disorders, metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a common comorbidity, defined as the co-occurrence of three or more symptoms including but not limited to hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and …

Exploring The Impact Of Returning To Office Work Post-Pandemic On The Mental Health Of Workers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Jasmine M. Nelson

All ETDs from UAB

This study examines the association between work settings and mental health outcomes among Black working-aged women, with a focus on racial disparities and the role of self-care. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 Household Pulse Survey, this cross-sectional analysis includes responses from 196,293 employed women aged 18–65. Mental health outcomes, including anxiety, worry, lack of interest, and depressive symptoms—were assessed through self-reported measures. Work settings were categorized as telework (hybrid/remote) or in-office, and logistic regression models were used to assess associations between work setting and mental health outcomes, adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors. Findings indicate that Black …

Exploring Gaps In Hiv Prevention: Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Awareness, Attitudes, Utilization, Coverage, Hiv Testing And Risk Perception Among Sub-Saharan African College Students In The United States, Ikenna Obasi Odii

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation focuses on increasing HIV awareness and contributing to efforts at reducing new HIV infections among Sub-Saharan African (SSA) college students. It begins with an introductory chapter one and ends in the concluding chapter five. Chapter two presents a systematic review identifying key gaps in HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) knowledge, attitudes, and utilization among Black college students in the United States (U.S). The review synthesizes findings from four studies, revealing that a third of participants demonstrated adequate PrEP knowledge, while PrEP utilization remained under-utilized at three percent. Key barriers to PrEP uptake included fear, low self-perceived HIV risk, infrequent …

Parsing Clinical And Neurobiological Heterogeneity In First-Episode Psychosis Patients With And Without Features Of The Deficit Syndrome Of Schizophrenia, Matheus Teles Gomes De Araujo

All ETDs from UAB

Schizophrenia is highly heterogeneous in its neurobiological and clinical presentations, which hinders attempts to understand its pathophysiology, limits efforts to identify biomarkers, and deters optimal patient care. A way to parse clinical heterogeneity is to subtype patients based on clinical presentations. The deficit syndrome (DS) is a possible subtype, characterized by primary and enduring negative symptoms. Evidence for neurobiological abnormalities dissociating DS from other forms of schizophrenia is inconsistent as most studies do not account for heterogeneity within patient groups due to limitations of group-level comparisons. The question remains whether DS presents a unique and less heterogeneous neurobiological phenotype. The …